Article
Ecology
Paul Savary, Jean-Christophe Foltete, Herve Moal, Stephane Garnier
Summary: This article discusses the potential benefits of integrating landscape graphs and genetic graphs in landscape genetics. By comparing different features and partitions of these graphs, the influence of intra-patch features and inter-patch connectivity on genetic structure can be examined, as well as the sensitivity of genetic diversity and differentiation to landscape factors. Additionally, the integration of these graphs through gravity models can enhance their joint use for various theoretical and applied objectives.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jingjing Zhang, Jennifer L. Pannell, Bradley S. Case, Graham Hinchliffe, Margaret C. Stanley, Hannah L. Buckley
Summary: Enhancing functional connectivity in an agricultural landscape is crucial for sustainable agroecosystems. Our study compared the landscape connectivity between two native bird species with different dispersal abilities, highlighting the importance of ecological traits and habitat patches in shaping connectivity networks. Through network analysis, we found that conservation strategies should consider species' life-histories and movement traits for creating connected ecological networks in a functional agricultural landscape.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Claire Godet, Celine Clauzel
Summary: This study compared three methods of constructing landscape graphs to identify differences and similarities in network connectivity. Results showed significant variations in connectivity values, but the spatial distribution of low and high connectivity areas was consistent. Different graph construction methods resulted in different outcomes.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Javan M. Bauder, William E. Peterman, Stephen F. Spear, Christopher L. Jenkins, Andrew R. Whiteley, Kevin McGarigal
Summary: The study focuses on the importance of landscape features and their scale effects on gene flow, using genetic algorithms to optimize landscape resistance surfaces. Results suggest that multisurface multiscale LRS outperformed other approaches, especially large-scale LRS had the greatest impact on eastern indigo snake connectivity.
Article
Ecology
Allan H. Edelsparre, Mark J. Fitzpatrick, Marco A. Rodriguez, Marla B. Sokolowski
Summary: The dispersal tendency of fruit flies is influenced by the distribution and pattern of food patches across a landscape. Different genotypes may adopt different dispersal strategies under varying environmental conditions.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bismay Ranjan Tripathy, Xuehua Liu, Melissa Songer, Babar Zahoor, W. M. S. Wickramasinghe, Kirti Kumar Mahanta
Summary: Land development has extensively impacted natural landforms, causing negative consequences to elephant populations and habitats, leading to human-elephant conflict. Understanding elephant space use and habitat connectivity can provide safe connectivity to maintain ecological flow among populations.
Article
Ecology
Juliette Seigle-Ferrand, Pascal Marchand, Nicolas Morellet, Jean-Michel Gaillard, A. J. Mark Hewison, Sonia Said, Yannick Chaval, Hugo Santacreu, Anne Loison, Glenn Yannic, Mathieu Garel
Summary: Understanding the impact of linear landscape features on animal movements is crucial, especially in fragmented habitats. Large herbivores primarily use linear features as landmarks to demarcate their home range, with different patterns observed in mountain species. In highly fragmented landscapes, the costs of memorizing key features and the need for sufficient area to meet vital needs constrain large herbivores. Linear features play a significant role in how these animals perceive and utilize the landscape, with consistent patterns observed across sexes and species.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Adam Kimberley, Danny Hooftman, James M. Bullock, Olivier Honnay, Patricia Krickl, Jessica Lindgren, Jan Plue, Peter Poschlod, Anna Traveset, Sara A. O. Cousins
Summary: Increasing landscape connecting elements cannot compensate for large-scale grassland area loss, leading to significant declines in both structural and functional connectivity. Generalist species are negatively affected by connectivity, with structural connectivity having the strongest impact, while functional connectivity determines the presence of grassland specialist species in focal grasslands.
Article
Zoology
Wenwen LI, Peng Liu, Nian Yang, Shang Chen, Xianming Guo, Bin Wang, Li Zhang
Summary: This study proposes a methodological framework to analyze landscape connectivity for Asian elephant habitat conservation. The results showed that vegetation restoration significantly improved the connectivity between habitats and the first few new habitat patches played an important role in improving connectivity. These findings can be used as guidance for improving fragmented Asian elephant habitats and habitat restoration of other endangered species.
INTEGRATIVE ZOOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marlies Resch, Marcela Suarez-Rubio
Summary: The study found that the probability of Woodlarks territories increased with landscape heterogeneity, increased with dispersed bare soil patches, decreased with overall patch density, and avoiding dirt roads. Contrary to previous studies, vegetation height, the presence and proximity to woodland were not identified as important habitat characteristics.
Article
Ecology
Isadora Rebelo Salviano, Fernando Ravanini Gardon, Rozely Ferreira dos Santos
Summary: The study developed a spatial model to identify and prioritize riparian corridors for improving landscape connectivity. The model helps identify sections of riparian corridors where connectivity is hindered, and can be applied to select corridors dominated by large forests for conservation purposes. The model is flexible and adjustable to different landscapes and decision-makers' objectives, providing quantitative information that may not be evident from just interpreting land-use/cover maps.
Article
Entomology
Julliana W. Barretto, Carlos Cultid-Medina, Pedro Luna, Wesley Dattilo, Federico Escobar
Summary: The study used hierarchical models and network theory to evaluate the effects of landscape characteristics on the abundance and movement patterns of Deltochilum mexicanum and Dichotomius satanas in a human-modified landscape. The results showed opposite responses of different species and sexes to forest cover and edge density, highlighting the importance of landscape variables in population dynamics.
ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yanjie Xu, Mattias Kieboom, Ron J. A. van Lammeren, Yali Si, Willem F. de Boer
Summary: This study utilized satellite tracking data to examine the movement patterns of waterfowl at stopover sites, finding that environmental factors such as the percentage of farmlands and proximity index of wetland patches significantly influence the flying time and movement distances of geese. Monitoring environmental factors through remote sensing techniques can provide valuable insights for predicting bird movement patterns and prioritizing conservation efforts for migratory birds.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Wenfei Liao, Stephen Venn, Jari Niemela
Summary: This study investigates the impact of structural connectivity on functional connectivity in an urban landscape using diving beetles as an indicator taxon. The results show that well-connected ponds share more species and that species composition is influenced by both structural and functional connectivity. The study recommends providing well-connected aquatic habitats in urban landscapes to ensure biodiversity conservation.
Article
Ecology
F. Mestre, B. Silva
Summary: The lconnect R package is a user-friendly tool for assessing landscape connectivity and prioritizing habitat patches, which helps understand and address the challenges in biodiversity conservation.
ECOLOGICAL MODELLING
(2023)
Article
Biology
S. Wild, M. Chimento, K. McMahon, D. R. Farine, B. C. Sheldon, L. M. Aplin
Summary: This study tracks the cultural diffusion of foraging behaviors in great tits and finds that the birds can socially learn and recombine skills, but acquisition is not entirely through social learning. Instead, birds reconstruct the complete solution step by step. Although singular cultural traditions do not emerge, subpopulations of birds share preferences for behavioral variants.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Taylor A. Hersh, Shane Gero, Luke Rendell, Mauricio Cantor, Lindy Weilgart, Masao Amano, Stephen M. Dawson, Elisabeth Slooten, Christopher M. Johnson, Iain Kerr, Roger Payne, Andy Rogan, Ricardo Antunes, Olive Andrews, Elizabeth L. Ferguson, Cory Ann Hom-Weaver, Thomas F. Norris, Yvonne M. Barkley, Karlina P. Merkens, Erin M. Oleson, Thomas Doniol-Valcroze, James F. Pilkington, Jonathan Gordon, Manuel Fernandes, Marta Guerra, Leigh Hickmott, Hal Whitehead
Summary: This study provides quantitative evidence of symbolic markers in nonhuman animal populations, using sperm whales as a case study. The researchers found that certain acoustic signals of sperm whales exhibit spatial patterns consistent with being symbolic markers of cultural identity.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Peng He, James A. Klarevas-Irby, Danai Papageorgiou, Charlotte Christensen, Eli D. Strauss, Damien R. Farine
Summary: GPS-based tracking is widely used in studying wild social animals. This study provides recommendations for sampling strategies in GPS-based tracking studies of animal societies, taking into account the trade-offs between sampling coverage, duration, and frequency. The study demonstrates the effects of GPS error on distance inference and how the trade-off between sampling frequency and duration can impact inferences of social interactions. It also highlights the influence of sampling coverage on measures of social behavior. The findings offer practical advice for designing GPS-based field studies and emphasize the importance of optimal deployment decisions.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biology
Quinn M. R. Webber, Gregory F. F. Albery, Damien R. R. Farine, Noa Pinter-Wollman, Nitika Sharma, Orr Spiegel, Eric Vander Wal, Kezia Manlove
Summary: Spatial and social behaviour are closely linked in an animal's biology, with implications for ecological and evolutionary processes. The 'spatial-social interface' is defined as the intersection of social and spatial aspects of individuals. Shared theory, vocabulary, and methods are used to connect spatial and social processes. The review integrates social and spatial behavioural ecology and identifies testable hypotheses at the spatial-social interface.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mauricio Cantor, Damien R. Farine, Susan Alberts
Summary: Interactions between humans and nature often have negative consequences, and behavioral and environmental changes can turn cooperative interactions into conflicts, threatening the survival of both species involved. A study of artisanal fishers and wild dolphins targeting migratory mullets reveals that foraging synchrony is crucial for the success of both predators. The dolphins herd the mullet schools towards the fishers' nets, providing them with more prey, while the fishers' casting behavior must match the dolphins' foraging cues. However, declines in mullet availability are jeopardizing this cooperation and pushing it towards extinction.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mary Jo Cantoria, Elaheh Alizadeh, Janani Ravi, Reeba P. Varghese, Nawat Bunnag, Kelvin W. Pond, Arminja N. Kettenbach, Yashi Ahmed, Andrew L. Paek, John J. Tyson, Konstantin Doubrovinski, Ethan Lee, Curtis A. Thorne
Summary: In this study, it was found that the cellular response to Wnt ligands is proportional to their concentration. Positive feedback between the scaffold protein Axin and the kinase GSK3 resulted in bistable behavior of the destruction complex. Experimental evidence showed that the cellular concentration of beta-catenin exhibited an all-or-none response with sustained memory.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Stephane P. G. de Moura, Beatriz Schulze, Matt K. K. Broadhurst, Mauricio Cantor, Camila Domit
Summary: The study provides information on the population dynamics and abundance of Guiana dolphins in the Paranagua estuarine complex in southern Brazil. The photo-identification data collected from 2014-2015 and 2017-2018 suggest a total population of approximately 454-902 individuals. These findings are important for assessing population trends and conservation efforts for Guiana dolphins.
Article
Biology
Mina Ogino, Eli D. Strauss, Damien R. Farine
Summary: The study of how individual experience and population evolutionary history shape emergent patterns in animal collectives is still a major gap in collective behavior research. Mismatched timescales between the processes that shape individual contributions and collective actions pose conceptual and methodological challenges. This article briefly outlines these challenges and discusses existing approaches that have provided insights into factors shaping individual contributions. A case study on vulturine guineafowl shows that different temporal definitions can result in different assignments of individuals into groups, which can impact the determination of individuals' social history and conclusions on the effects of the social environment on collective actions.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Daniel M. Palacios, Mauricio Cantor
Summary: The Galapagos Islands in the eastern tropical Pacific are subject to strong environmental variability. Research has shown the presence of at least 23 cetacean species, including 14 common species, in these islands. However, cetacean research in Galapagos has been sporadic and underfunded, and not considered a priority. This study identifies priorities for ecological research on cetaceans in Galapagos and recommends optimizing data sampling, incorporating citizen science activities, and involving stakeholders in the research agenda.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
A. G. McInturf, J. Bowman, J. M. Schulte, K. C. Newton, B. Vigil, M. Honig, S. Pelletier, N. Cox, O. Lester, M. Cantor, T. K. Chapple
Summary: Elasmobranchs display a high diversity in movement, sensory capability, and behavior, leading to variations in associations and interactions between individuals, populations, and species. The lack of standardized terminology about aggregations in elasmobranchs hinders comparisons and understanding of their behavior. This study proposes generalizable definitions of aggregation, discusses their drivers and types, and provides directions for future research and reporting to advance the field.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Kristina B. Beck, Damien R. Farine, Josh A. Firth, Ben C. Sheldon
Summary: The structure of animal societies is influenced by factors such as habitat configuration and population size. In this study, the researchers investigated how population size and habitat configuration affect the social structure of great tits. They found that population size was consistent within locations and predicted by habitat configuration, and that it influenced social structure as measured by network metrics. Additionally, the researchers discovered that social decisions made by individuals played a significant role in shaping social network features.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mina Ogino, Adriana A. A. Maldonado-Chaparro, Lucy M. M. Aplin, Damien R. R. Farine
Summary: Individuals exhibit consistent behavioral variation when interacting with others, which may contribute to group-specific patterns and between-group differences. However, it is unclear how external factors influence group-level social structures and whether there are consistent between-group differences after accounting for these factors. This study used automated tracking to analyze the social interactions and networks of zebra finch colonies, and found that external factors significantly influenced network structure. Nonetheless, there were still consistent between-group differences in social structure even after controlling for these factors.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)