Article
Behavioral Sciences
Noa L. A. Rigoudy, Michael Clinchy, Mike J. S. Peel, Sarah Huebner, Craig Packer, Liana Y. Zanette
Summary: Research has shown that different large carnivores inspire varying levels of fear in their ungulate prey, which may lead to different impacts on the ecosystem, highlighting the importance of conserving large carnivore populations worldwide.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marek C. Allen, Michael Clinchy, Liana Y. Zanette
Summary: This study demonstrates that fear itself can significantly impact prey population growth rates in free-living wildlife, potentially constituting a considerable part of the total impact of predators.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Shannon Kachel, Rana Bayrakcismith, Zairbek Kubanychbekov, Rahim Kulenbekov, Thomas McCarthy, Byron Weckworth, Aaron Wirsing
Summary: Spatial responses to risk from multiple predators can have emergent consequences for prey, and the interaction between predator and prey traits is a key factor influencing antipredator behavior. However, this interaction has been understudied in large vertebrate systems. Our study aimed to generalize the understanding of how predators influence ecosystems by considering multiple sources of contingency. We found that prey spatial responses and the resulting multiple-predator effects are contingent on the interplay of hunting mode and escape tactics.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Aimee Tallian, Andres Ordiz, Barbara Zimmermann, Hakan Sand, Camilla Wikenros, Petter Wabakken, Goran Bergqvist, Jonas Kindberg
Summary: Studying the effects of recovering wolf and bear populations on moose survival in Sweden revealed a negative correlation between wolf and bear densities and calf/cow ratios. In areas where wolves and bears were allopatric, calf/cow ratios decreased by 7% and 17%, while in sympatric areas, the decrease was 18%.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Shotaro Shiratsuru, Yasmine N. Majchrzak, Michael J. L. Peers, Emily K. Studd, Allyson K. Menzies, Rachael Derbyshire, Murray M. Humphries, Charles J. Krebs, Dennis L. Murray, Stan Boutin
Summary: The study found that food availability and long-term predation risk interactively drive the magnitude of reactive antipredator response to acute predation risk. Determining the factors driving the magnitude of antipredator responses would contribute to a better understanding of the indirect effects of predators on prey populations.
Article
Ecology
Jeanne Clermont, Alexis Grenier-Potvin, Eliane Duchesne, Charline Couchoux, Frederic Dulude-de Broin, Andreanne Beardsell, Joel Bety, Dominique Berteaux
Summary: Predation shapes communities through consumptive and non-consumptive effects, with prey responding actively or reactively to perceived predation risk at different spatial and temporal scales. The study found that prey may employ diverse strategies in managing predation risk from a shared predator, further refining our understanding of species distribution and community structure.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Sze Wing Yiu, Mark Keith, Leszek Karczmarski, Francesca Parrini
Summary: Prey increase vigilance in response to predation risk, affecting foraging behavior. Different categories of predation risks have varying impacts on the intense and routine vigilance of prey species, leading to adjustments and balances in response.
Article
Ecology
Daniel Redondo-Gomez, Luca Rossi, Mattia Cardello, Soraya De Pasquale, Carlos Martinez-Carrasco, Jose A. Sanchez-Zapata, Marcos Moleon
Summary: This study investigates the response of wild boars to carcasses of their main predator, the gray wolf, and a carnivore that rarely kills wild boars, the red fox. The results show that wild boars exhibit fight-and-flight responses towards wolf carcasses but no response towards fox carcasses. The study suggests that carnivore carcasses can indeed induce fear in prey species, with the fear response depending on the species of the carcass and its freshness.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Biological
Caglar Berkel, Ercan Cacan
Summary: Predation is a psychological stressor for prey animals, influencing their behavior, dynamics, and physiology. Using gene expression data from wild yellow-bellied marmots, it was found that female marmots had a higher number of differentially expressed genes in response to predator stress compared to males. Only a small percentage of these genes were shared between the sexes, with most of the differentially expressed genes being expressed in a sex-specific manner.
PHYSIOLOGY & BEHAVIOR
(2022)
Article
Biology
Rowena P. Hamer, Riana Z. Gardiner, Kirstin M. Proft, Christopher N. Johnson, Menna E. Jones
Summary: Research has shown that alien mammalian carnivores, such as feral cats and red foxes, have disproportionately contributed to the global loss of biodiversity. In Australia, predation by these alien species poses a significant threat to native vertebrates. Feral cats, in particular, have greater impacts on prey compared to native predators due to their higher population densities, intense home-range use, and broad habitat preferences.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Ana Belen Avila, Maria Jose Corriale, Emiliano Donadio, Mario S. Di Bitetti, Marina F. Ponzio, Veronica Cantarelli, Carlos De Angelo
Summary: The presence of predators can affect the behavior and physiological responses of capybaras. In areas with predators, capybaras tend to choose safer areas for foraging and spend more time feeding when predators are not nearby. Vigilance may simply be a response to stimuli indicating the proximity of the predator.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Ma Carmen Hernandez, Denise M. Jara-Stapfer, Ana Munoz, Cristian Bonacic, Isabel Barja, Andre V. Rubio
Summary: This research compared the behavioral changes of rodent species in the Chilean temperate forest when exposed to different native predator calls and a control group. The results showed that predator calls influenced the behavior of rodent species, with effects dependent on the species. Future studies will be critical to understanding the differences between species in order to select the most effective predator cues.
Article
Mathematics, Applied
Ashutosh Maurya, Anupam Priyadarshi
Summary: The study demonstrates that the antipredator behavior exhibited by prey against predators can change the dynamics of food web systems, stabilizing chaotic systems and enhancing coexistence between different species. The fear of predators exerted by prey has the potential to transform chaotic systems into stable ones, allowing for increased stability and species coexistence in food webs.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING
(2022)
Article
Biology
Mariano Rodriguez-Recio, Camilla Wikenros, Barbara Zimmermann, Hakan Sand
Summary: Wolves are returning to regions in Europe, which has led to opposition due to their predatory habits on game species. Using data on prey selection, kill rates, and territory size, researchers estimated the impact of wolf recolonization in southern Sweden. The study showed that the current five-ungulate species system in southern Sweden could potentially support a higher wolf density. Such research can help anticipate and address conservation conflicts that arise with the return of large carnivores to the wild.
Review
Ecology
M. Colter Chitwood, Carolina Baruzzi, Marcus A. Lashley
Summary: Understanding the ecology of fear in ungulates is crucial for ecosystem conservation. However, there is controversy and bias in the existing literature, with a focus on North American species such as elk and gray wolves. Some studies suggest that utilizing predation risk can be beneficial for conservation, but the population-level fitness consequences and cascading effects of fear-related physiological changes remain unclear and require further research.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Robert A. Montgomery, Jamie Raupp, Methodius Mukhwana, Ashley Greenleaf, Tutilo Mudumba, Philip Muruthi
Summary: Efforts have been made to reduce elephant crop raiding through interventions such as chili peppers and crop guarding combined with deterrents, which have been reported as most effective. However, further research is needed to evaluate the scalability of these interventions across different elephant populations.
Article
Zoology
A. B. Muneza, D. W. Linden, M. H. Kimaro, A. J. Dickman, D. W. Macdonald, G. J. Roloff, M. W. Hayward, R. A. Montgomery
Summary: This study examines the interaction between giraffes and lions in Ruaha National Park, Tanzania, finding that giraffes are an important prey species for lions. The research suggests that giraffes with severe Giraffe Skin Disease (GSD) may have a better chance of surviving lion attacks.
JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
David R. Heit, Christopher C. Wilmers, Waldemar Ortiz-Calo, Robert A. Montgomery
Summary: The movement patterns of animals provide insights into their habitat decisions and behavior. However, current analysis methods often neglect the complexity of landscapes and fail to consider the vertical dimension. Incorporating vertical dimensionality can improve the understanding of animal behaviors and enable researchers to study animal movement ecology more effectively.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Arthur B. B. Muneza, Bernard Amakobe, Simon Kasaine, Daniel B. B. Kramer, Mwangi Githiru, Gary J. J. Roloff, Matt W. W. Hayward, Robert A. A. Montgomery
Summary: Unsustainable hunting has led to the extinction of many species, including giraffes. Giraffes are hunted for consumption and for their body parts, but the socio-economic factors influencing the use of giraffe body parts are not well understood. A study conducted in Kenya showed that gender, occupation, and land ownership were significantly correlated with the use of giraffe body parts.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sarah E. Stock, Kaya Klop-Toker, Samantha Wallace, Oliver Kelly, Alex Callen, Rebecca Seeto, Stephen V. Mahony, Matt W. Hayward, Michael J. Mahony
Summary: This study used genomic sequencing to investigate the Littlejohn's treefrog in eastern Australia. The results revealed genetic isolation and population declines, indicating the urgent need for conservation management. The study highlights the importance of genetic methods for studying rare species.
CONSERVATION GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Matt W. Hayward, Gina J. Hayward, Graham I. H. Kerley
Summary: Predators can influence the behavior of prey, which can in turn affect prey demography and trophic interactions. Little is known about the factors that drive prey species' spatial responses to predators. In this study, we tested the factors that affected the proximity of prey to reintroduced lions in Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa. Our results suggest that large vertebrate prey responses to predators are context dependent, challenging the conventional belief that odor is the primary factor in predator detection.
ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alexander K. Killion, Arata Honda, Edward Trout, Neil H. Carter
Summary: Vegetation structure is important for wildlife habitat and can be measured using NASA's GEDI data. In this study, GEDI data was used to estimate habitat use in a remote mountain system in central Idaho, USA. Structural diversity indices of canopy height, foliage height diversity, and plant area index had the strongest effects on mammal occupancy compared to 2D variables.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Zoology
S. J. Reece, C. J. Tambling, A. J. Leslie, F. G. T. Radloff
Summary: Understanding the factors influencing mammal space use in protected areas is crucial for management planning. In a small and isolated reserve in Malawi, management activities and ecological characteristics were assessed to determine their effects on ungulate space use. The results showed that both management and ecological factors influenced space use patterns, with distance to water, vegetation type, visibility, and fire frequency being important predictors for multiple species. The study highlights the importance of considering both management-related and ecological factors in habitat management plans.
JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
David R. Heit, Joshua J. Millspaugh, Jon T. McRoberts, Kevyn H. Wiskirchen, Jason A. Sumners, Jason L. Isabelle, Barbara J. Keller, Aaron M. Hildreth, Robert A. Montgomery, Remington J. Moll
Summary: This study examined the influence of spatial scale on habitat selection analyses and investigated whether individual variation in scale of effect could be predicted by intrinsic or extrinsic factors. The results showed that spatial scale had varying effects on different individuals, and home range size, study site, and proportion of forest within a home range could predict the individual variation in scale of effect.
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Nadine Nolan, Matthew W. Hayward, Kaya Klop-Toker, Michael Mahony, Frank Lemckert, Alex Callen
Summary: The global decline of amphibians is attributed to human actions triggering the sixth mass extinction. Amphibians have exhibited severe declines and their lack of response to conservation actions may be due to challenges faced by taxa with biphasic life histories. There is an urgent need for cost-effective conservation measures to ensure positive outcomes.
Article
Biology
Chris Sutherland, Darragh Hare, Paul J. Johnson, Daniel W. Linden, Robert A. Montgomery, Egil Droge
Summary: The debates surrounding model selection paradigms are important, especially in the absence of a consensus. This study highlights the need for a better understanding of existing approaches, specifically among end-users of statistics and model selection tools. The researchers focus on the Akaike information criterion (AIC) in ecological literature and address common misunderstandings related to 'pretending' variables and the interpretation of p-values in relation to AIC. By complementing technical literature with simulations, the study aims to improve statistical practices and the interpretation and reporting of models selected using AIC.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Iain R. Olivier, Craig J. Tambling, Lana Muller, Frans G. T. Radloff
Summary: Lion populations in southern Kenya, particularly in Kuku Group Ranch (KGR), have been declining due to human-lion conflicts. Researchers investigated the lion diet and factors influencing cattle depredation using GPS data and reported depredation events. They found that while cattle were the most consumed prey species, lions actually preferred wild prey when considering prey availability. They also discovered that monthly cattle depredation by lions was influenced by cumulative rainfall in the preceding three months. This study highlights the importance of rainfall and its impact on the environment in predicting and mitigating conflict between lions and cattle.
Article
Ecology
Sean M. Sultaire, Joshua J. Millspaugh, Patrick J. Jackson, Robert A. Montgomery
Summary: Changes in topography have significant effects on animal ecology and species detection probability in mountainous landscapes. This study quantified the influence of topographic variables on mammal species detection probability and found different responses to terrain steepness and position.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Talesha J. Dokes, Gary J. Roloff, Kelly F. Millenbah, Bjorn H. K. Wolter, Robert A. Montgomery
Summary: Over the past 30 years, there has been a shift in the demographics of undergraduate natural resources students, with more students coming from urban backgrounds with lower levels of engagement in consumptive activities. Family participation in consumptive activities plays a crucial role in students' career decision-making.
WILDLIFE SOCIETY BULLETIN
(2022)