Review
Environmental Sciences
Chiara Accolla, Amelie Schmolke, Maxime Vaugeois, Nika Galic
Summary: The study of density-dependent regulation is challenging due to its occurrence through various mechanisms, making identification difficult. This literature review focuses on negative density dependence in freshwater fish and small rodent populations, two groups considered in pesticide Ecological Risk Assessment. The most common causes of negative density dependence were food or space limitations and trophic interactions, with differences found among the two species groups. Recommendations are provided for future research and inclusion of density dependence in population models for ERA.
INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Crispin M. Mutshinda, Aditya Mishra, Zoe V. Finkel, Andrew J. Irwin
Summary: This study investigates the effects of density regulation on population variability in stochastic environments using a Bayesian modeling approach. The results show that population fluctuations are larger in populations with strong density regulation under random environmental changes. This finding has important implications for population sustainability and can contribute to the improvement of population dynamics models.
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Meghna Krishnadas
Summary: Neighbouring plants play a role in shaping the performance of their own species and other species. Understanding how these interactions change with rainfall can help explain patterns of plant diversity and predict responses to global environmental change.
Review
Ecology
Harry P. Andreassen, Janne Sundell, Fraucke Ecke, Stefan Halle, Marko Haapakoski, Heikki Henttonen, Otso Huitu, Jens Jacob, Kaja Johnsen, Esa Koskela, Juan Jose Luque-Larena, Nicolas Lecomte, Herwig Leirs, Joachim Marien, Magne Neby, Osmo Ratti, Thorbjorn Sievert, Grant R. Singleton, Joannes van Cann, Bram Vanden Broecke, Hannu Ylonen
Summary: This passage discusses the fascinating population dynamics of small rodent populations around the world, highlighting differences between those in the northern hemisphere and those in the southern hemisphere. It also brings attention to ten questions that remain unanswered and are crucial for understanding the generality of small rodent population dynamics.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alexej Siren, Marketa Zimova, Chris S. Sutherland, John T. Finn, Jillian R. Kilborn, Rachel M. Cliche, Leighlan S. Prout, L. Scott Mills, Toni Lyn Morelli
Summary: This study focuses on the influence of resource availability on snowshoe hare populations along their trailing range edge. The results show that variability in resource availability affects population density and fluctuations, as well as survival rates. Hares living in resource-limited environments have lower population density but higher survival rates and lower parasite loads compared to populations in resource-rich environments.
Article
Biology
Kevin Poissenot, Chantal Moussu, Morgane Brachet, Didier Chesneau, Philippe Chemineau, Anne-Lyse Laine, Martine Migaud, Nathalie Charbonnel, Matthieu Keller
Summary: Small rodent species display cyclic fluctuations in population density, and the mechanisms behind these variations are not well understood. This study found that season and inter-annual factors have an effect on male reproductive physiology in water voles, but population density does not modulate these parameters, suggesting a weak role of population density in population dynamics.
Article
Forestry
William Gaudry, Jean-Michel Gaillard, Sonia Said, Anders Marell, Christophe Baltzinger, Agnes Rocquencourt, Christophe Bonenfant
Summary: The study suggests that browsing damage in forests is influenced by a complex interaction between herbivore density, forest understory composition, and relative availability. Browsing intensity increases with both plant availability and roe deer density, especially when plant availability is low.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Simon T. Denomme-Brown, Karl Cottenie, J. Bruce Falls, E. Ann Falls, Ronald J. Brooks, Andrew G. McAdam
Summary: The study found that the abundance of conspecifics can affect dispersal behavior in some species, while the impact of heterospecific abundances on dispersal frequency remains unclear.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pedro G. Nicolau, Rolf A. Ims, Sigrunn H. Sorbye, Nigel G. Yoccoz
Summary: Studies of spatial population synchrony are important for understanding ecological dynamics. Climate change has become a new focus in these studies, but the role of season-specific density dependence in shaping large-scale population synchrony has been overlooked. This study presents an analytical protocol that considers both season and geographic context-specific density dependence to better understand the sources of population synchrony. By analyzing time series of rodent populations, the study reveals that season-specific density dependence is a major component of population synchrony.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Matthew W. W. Austin, Aimee S. S. Dunlap
Summary: This study examines the impact of nutritional availability on the seasonal trajectories of population-level learning in bumble bees. The findings suggest that bumble bees exhibit two qualitative trajectories of learning across a reproductive season: an increase in learning or no change in learning.
AMERICAN NATURALIST
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Kate L. Rutherford, Karl Cottenie, Simon T. Denomme-Brown
Summary: The review of empirical data on small mammal dispersal shows that emigration and dispersal distance are negatively influenced by density, while immigration is mostly independent of density. The study suggests that the three phases of dispersal may be influenced differently by density and emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between emigration, immigration, and transience when considering density dependence. The limitations of the available data and the need for future investigations to consider all three phases of dispersal in the same system are also identified.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Kim Jaatinen, Mats Westerbom, Alf Norkko, Olli Mustonen, David N. Koons
Summary: Climate change is affecting the range distributions of organisms, especially in aquatic environments. Understanding and considering both density dependence and climate variation are important for predicting the impact of climate change on keystone species. In the case of Baltic blue mussels, warmer and less saline waters as outcomes of climate change have shown negative impacts, and density dependence increases the likelihood of population decline by subjecting the population to the detrimental effects of stochastic processes.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alice Monnier-Corbel, Anne-Christine Monnet, Leo Bacon, Blas M. Benito, Alexandre Robert, Yves Hingrat
Summary: The study indicates that reproductive success of North African Houbara bustard is negatively impacted by local densities, with this relationship remaining constant over time and space and not varying with habitat quality.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Jefferson Souza Santos, Debra Jean Skene, Cibele Aparecida Crispim, Claudia Roberta de Castro Moreno
Summary: This study investigated the seasonal variation in food intake times and the differences between regions. The findings revealed that people in high-latitude regions tend to have later food intake times, while those in low-latitude regions tend to have earlier food intake times.
Article
Ecology
Elisa Morbiato, Silvia Cattelan, Andrea Pilastro
Summary: This study investigates the effects of environmental fluctuations on postcopulatory sexual selection (PCSS) and finds that limited food availability can alter the variance in fertilization success and sperm precedence patterns.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Chris J. Jolly, Chris R. Dickman, Tim S. Doherty, Lily M. Eeden, William L. Geary, Sarah M. Legge, John C. Z. Woinarski, Dale G. Nimmo
Summary: Rapidly warming climate is leading to more fire incidents, and there is a lack of research on animal mortality rates during fire, especially regarding the impacts of high severity fires.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alyson M. Stobo-Wilson, Brett P. Murphy, Sarah M. Legge, Hernan Caceres-Escobar, David G. Chapple, Heather M. Crawford, Stuart J. Dawson, Chris R. Dickman, Tim S. Doherty, Patricia A. Fleming, Stephen T. Garnett, Matthew Gentle, Thomas M. Newsome, Russell Palmer, Matthew W. Rees, Euan G. Ritchie, James Speed, John-Michael Stuart, Andres F. Suarez-Castro, Eilysh Thompson, Ayesha Tulloch, Jeff M. Turpin, John C. Z. Woinarski
Summary: This study assesses the predation of two introduced predators, red foxes and feral cats, on terrestrial vertebrates in Australia. The results show that foxes kill more reptiles, birds, and mammals than cats in most unmodified temperate and forested areas of mainland Australia. However, cats kill more animals than foxes in the arid central and tropical northern regions of the continent. Overall, this study highlights the significant and ongoing impact of introduced predators on Australian reptiles, birds, and mammals, posing a challenge to conservation efforts in the country.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Christopher R. Dickman, Loren L. Fardell, Nicole Hills
Summary: This study highlights the importance of olfaction in the interaction between a top reptilian predator, Varanus gouldii, and its small mammalian prey. The prey are able to recognize and avoid the predator's odor, while the predator is attracted to the odor of energetically profitable prey. Additionally, the small mammals show lower mobility and higher burrow fidelity in the absence of the predator.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Holly R. Cope, Clare McArthur, Christopher R. Dickman, Thomas M. Newsome, Rachael Gray, Catherine A. Herbert
Summary: Millions of native animals are rescued and rehabilitated by wildlife rehabilitators worldwide. This study conducted a global systematic review and meta-analysis to determine factors associated with the survival of native mammals and birds during rehabilitation and after release. The study found that survival rates varied between locations and certain factors, such as anthropogenic factors and species-specific characteristics, influenced the likelihood of survival. Evidence-based and species-specific protocols are needed to maximize wildlife survival.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Cecilia Bueno, Guilherme Renzo Rocha Brito, Daniel Honorato Firme, Daniel Monteiro Figueira, Mariana Silva Ferreira
Summary: In Brazil, more than 475 million animals are killed by vehicle collision each year, with the actual number potentially even higher due to limited roadkill data. The Caminhos da Fauna project has monitored avifauna roadkill on the BR-040 (RJ/MG) highway in southeastern Brazil since 2006. The project presents a checklist of the avifauna recorded during the 10-year monitoring program, highlighting the species at risk and the number of roadkill records. The data collected showed a significant number of roadkills in seven bird families, with five species being under threat. Further efforts to monitor roadkill on other Brazilian roads and transportation systems are encouraged.
NEOTROPICAL BIODIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Luciano da Cunha, Mariana Silva Ferreira, Rui Cerqueira, Anderson Amendoeira Namen
Summary: Anthropogenic climate change has become a new threat to biodiversity in recent decades. This research focuses on the impact of climate change on mammal populations by analyzing the changes in climate systems such as ENSO. A Business Intelligence (BI) system was developed to analyze the variation of small mammal populations in the tropical forest and their response to ENSO phenomenon. The findings show that ENSO events have negative effects on the population size of a small marsupial species.
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATICS
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Renatha Cardoso da Silva, Marcus Vinicius Vieira, Rui Cerqueira, Mariana Silva Ferreira
Summary: This study evaluated the differential survival of individuals born in the first and second reproductive events of the Neotropical marsupial, Didelphis aurita, over 21 years. Results showed higher survival rates for females and for the first cohort (males and females), and survival was positively influenced by maternal body mass. The results support the hypothesis of differential survival between cohorts and sex.
Article
Ecology
Darcy Watchorn, Chris Dickman, Judy Dunlop, Emmalie Sanders, Molly Watchorn, Phoebe Burns
Summary: While nearly half of mammal species are rodents, albinism in free-ranging rodents is rare. This study focuses on Australian rodent species and found 23 records of albinism, representing 8 species, with a frequency generally less than 0.1%. Australian rodents now account for 42.1% of known murid rodent species with albinism. Factors contributing to the relatively high frequency of albinism on a small island population of rakali are discussed.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Stephanie J. S. Yip, Christopher R. Dickman
Summary: The sandy inland mouse Pseudomys hermannsburgensis primarily feeds on seeds, but also consumes invertebrates and green plant material. During prolonged dry periods, the dietary shift towards more invertebrates suggests a scarcity of seeds. This flexibility in diet is important for the rodent’s survival in Australia’s unpredictable arid regions.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
John Llewelyn, Giovanni Strona, Christopher R. Dickman, Aaron C. Greenville, Glenda M. Wardle, Michael S. Y. Lee, Seamus Doherty, Farzin Shabani, Frederik Saltre, Corey J. A. Bradshaw
Summary: Species interactions play a fundamental role in ecosystems, but the lack of complete data inhibits our understanding of these interactions. Machine learning, particularly random forest, has been increasingly used to predict interactions. However, the performance of random forest in inferring predator-prey interactions in terrestrial vertebrates and the impact of training data quality have not been examined.
Article
Ecology
Ayesha I. T. Tulloch, Al Healy, Jennifer Silcock, Glenda M. Wardle, Christopher R. Dickman, Anke S. K. Frank, Helene Aubault, Kyle Barton, Aaron C. Greenville
Summary: Evidence for large-scale biodiversity benefits from herbivore exclusion in arid ecosystems is inconsistent, thus this study examined the effects of livestock exclusion on dryland plant richness and reproductive capacity. Using data from 68 sites in arid woodlands in central Australia, the study found that non-native herbivores indirectly reduced plant richness and seeding by decreasing vegetative ground cover, while both native and non-native herbivores had small but negative direct impacts on plant richness and seeding. The study highlights the importance of considering indirect pathways and controlling introduced herbivores for biodiversity conservation in drylands.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biology
Mariana Silva Ferreira, Christopher R. R. Dickman, Diana O. O. Fisher, Marcos de Souza Lima Figueiredo, Marcus Vinicius Vieira
Summary: Previous studies have suggested that mammal life history varies along the fast-slow continuum, but marsupials have been overlooked. This study shows that marsupial life-history trade-offs are organized along reproductive output and dispersion axis, and the fast-slow continuum. Marsupials have slower life histories than eutherians, potentially due to their contrasting reproductive modes.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Leticia A. Pessanha, Mariana Silva Ferreira, Cecilia Bueno, Francis da S. Leandro, Daniel Faustino Gomes
Summary: This study aimed to identify the most roadkilled mammals and evaluate the temporal and spatial distribution of roadkills on the RJ-122 highway. The black-eared opossum was found to be the most common roadkilled mammal, and roadkills were more frequent in the rainy season and concentrated in two hotspots.
IHERINGIA SERIE ZOOLOGIA
(2023)
