Article
Behavioral Sciences
Twane Bester, Melissa H. Schmitt, Adrian M. Shrader
Summary: African savanna elephants use olfactory cues to make dietary choices, and previous research has shown a negative correlation between elephant diet choice and vegetation species containing high concentrations of monoterpenes. We conducted three odour-based choice experiments on eight common monoterpenes found in Southern African savannas to investigate the effects of individual monoterpene odours on elephant diet choice and how these effects vary with concentration.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Twane Bester, Melissa H. Schmitt, Adrian M. Shrader
Summary: This study suggests that African elephants do not consistently prefer the odors of combinations of plant toxins compared to single toxins. The composition and diversity of volatile toxins in plants likely determine the effectiveness of odor-based chemical defenses against generalist herbivores.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Chan Namgong, Jong Hyuk Kim, Myon Hee Lee, Daniel Midkiff
Summary: The study developed a non-invasive method for cancer detection in companion animals through the analysis of canine urine samples. It demonstrated high sensitivity and low false positive rate in multiple types of common canine cancers, enhancing the ability for cancer diagnosis and treatment.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Wenwen Hu, Weiwei Wu, Yingying Jian, Hossam Haick, Guangjian Zhang, Yun Qian, Miaomiao Yuan, Mingshui Yao
Summary: This review article critically considers and summarizes the volatolomics in healthcare, clarifying the relationship between the volatolome and specific diseases and introducing analytical instruments and advanced detection technologies.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
H. Yu, J. K. Holopainen, M. Kivimaenpaa, A. Virtanen, J. D. Blande
Summary: Circumpolar boreal and subarctic forests have fewer tree species compared to other forest ecosystems, making them vulnerable to mass outbreaks of herbivorous insects. Warmer temperatures and invasive species are expected to increase BVOC emissions, impacting tropospheric ozone formation and the growth of particles in the atmosphere. Mountain birch forests in subarctic regions have the highest BVOC emission rates in the 1-3 years following insect outbreaks.
Review
Plant Sciences
Nithya N. Kutty, Manasi Mishra
Summary: Plants emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as a defense mechanism against biotic stresses. These compounds stimulate plant defense responses and regulate interactions with natural enemies. Furthermore, metabolic engineering of volatile compounds can enhance plant defenses.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fabien Demares, Laetitia Gibert, Pierre Creusot, Benoit Lapeyre, Magali Proffit
Summary: Air pollution caused by human activities has negative effects on the environment and human health. This study focuses on the effects of ozone on honey bees' olfaction and learning memory processes, revealing that ozone exposure can impair honey bees' olfactory perception and learning memory, potentially impacting pollination services in the long term.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dominique Grandjean, Caroline Elie, Capucine Gallet, Clotilde Julien, Vinciane Roger, Loic Desquilbet, Guillaume Alvergnat, Severine Delarue, Audrey Gabassi, Marine Minier, Laure Choupeaux, Solen Kerneis, Constance Delaugerre, Jerome Le Goff, Jean-Marc Treluyer
Summary: The study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of canine olfaction in non-invasive detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The results show that canine detection has a high sensitivity and can be used as an alternative method in mass screening.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Jingwen Li, Zhixin Wang, Jonathan Crane, Yu Wang
Summary: This study investigated the contribution of volatile and non-volatile metabolites to the flavor variation of five carambola cultivars using a combination strategy of GC-MS/O-based volatilomics and LC-MS-based metabolomics. Several significant flavor-related pathways were identified, including amino acid biosynthesis or metabolism, terpenoids, fatty acids, sugar and organic acid, and flavonoids. The results showed that flavor traits of different carambola cultivars differed due to the up- or downregulation of metabolites in the flavor-related pathways. This study provides a valuable reference for breeders and researchers interested in the regulation of flavor.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Agnes Brosset, Hao Yu, James D. Blande
Summary: Research demonstrates that volatile cues emitted by damaged plants can induce earlier flowering, increased flower production, and enhanced photosynthesis rate in receiver plants. However, these responses do not alter the biomass and volatile defenses of the plants. Volatile cues emitted by undamaged plants also lead to earlier flowering.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Sumit Ghosh
Summary: Forest vegetation emits terpene enantiomers, but their emission mechanisms and ecological functions are not well understood. In a study on tropical rainforest ecosystem, Byron et al. observed distinct diel trends and sources of enantiomer emission, as well as a significant change in (-)-alpha-pinene emission during severe drought, potentially promoting cloud formation.
TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Aurora Cittadini, Ruben Dominguez, Mirian Pateiro, Maria V. Sarries, Jose M. Lorenzo
Summary: The study evaluated the impact of breed and finishing diet on the fatty acid composition and volatile profile of foal meat. Breed and finishing regime significantly affected the lipid and volatile profile of the meat, with JN foals showing higher polyunsaturated fatty acid contents and better nutritional indices, while diet 2 improved the lipid profile and reduced the generation of volatile compounds associated with lipid oxidation. This suggests that diet plays a central role in enhancing the aromatic perception of meat and improving its sensorial acceptability.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Laura Swanson, Tao Li, Riikka Rinnan
Summary: The study found that in the Arctic region, climate change and insect herbivory have a significant impact on the emissions of volatile organic compounds from vegetation, especially in high-latitude ecosystems. Experimental warming can significantly increase the emission of isoprene, while herbivory stimulates the emission of other volatile organic compounds.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biology
Luisa Amo, Anna Mrazova, Irene Saavedra, Katerina Sam
Summary: This study examined the potential differences in volatile composition between herbivore-induced and MeJA-treated plants and their relationship to avian attraction. The overall emission of volatiles did not differ between the two treatments but was higher than in control plants. However, MeJA-treated plants showed a more significant reaction and released several specific compounds, which may explain the lack of avian attraction observed in previous studies.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Hao Lin, Jinjin Lin, Benteng Song, Quansheng Chen
Summary: A new reaction chamber with an arc baffle design was developed to improve the exposure of the sensor array to VOCs. Using PCA and LDA, the study successfully differentiated vinegar samples with different storage times with a recognition rate of 95%.
Book Review
Ecology
Adrian M. Shrader
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF RANGE & FORAGE SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Ecology
Elise Buisson, Alessandra Fidelis, Gerhard E. Overbeck, Isabel B. Schmidt, Giselda Durigan, Truman P. Young, Swanni T. Alvarado, Andre J. Arruda, Sylvain Boisson, William Bond, Andre Coutinho, Kevin Kirkman, Rafael S. Oliveira, Melissa H. Schmitt, Frances Siebert, Stefan J. Siebert, Dave I. Thompson, Fernando A. O. Silveira
Summary: The article discusses the importance of restoring biodiverse tropical and subtropical grassy biomes and highlights the need for further research to improve the restoration process. The research priorities identified include understanding undervaluation of TGB, mapping restoration opportunities, recognizing natural regeneration potential, improving seed quality, and monitoring restoration outcomes. Such research has the potential to advance theory, policy, and practice in TGB restoration, ultimately benefiting people and nature in neglected ecosystems.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Anita van Deventer, Adrian M. Shrader
Summary: The study found that as predator numbers increased, impala edge individuals maintained and ultimately increased their proportional use of antipredator vigilance, while central individuals reduced their use of antipredator vigilance and increased social vigilance. This adjustment might be related to individuals trying to increase foraging efficiency and cohesion benefits.
Article
Biology
Adrian M. Shrader, Ina Louw
Summary: In order for conservation biologists to be effective, they must be able to communicate with the general public. This often means utilizing social media platforms. To encourage our final-year undergraduate students to engage with social media as a communication tool, we had them create videos, blogs, or podcasts on conservation issues they were passionate about. Through guidance and self-regulated learning, we aimed to enhance their learning experience. Additionally, we implemented a peer-marking system where students could critically assess each other's projects, resulting in exposure to new topics and the opportunity for self-comparison. An anonymous survey conducted at the end of the course indicated positive student feedback, particularly on the aspects of creative freedom, peer-marking, and exposure to science communication. Ultimately, the project successfully achieved our educational goals of fostering self-regulated learning and equipping students with 21st century skills that will benefit their future careers.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL EDUCATION
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Matthew Wood, Simon Chamaille-Jammes, Almuth Hammerbacher, Adrian M. Shrader
Summary: The study found that elephants can locate water sources olfactorily, but were unable to find distilled water sources in the experiments. They were able to detect three VOCs associated with water, indicating that they may rely on unique odor profiles or other VOCs to identify water sources.
Article
Ecology
Keenan Stears, Melissa H. Schmitt, Wendy C. Turner, Douglas J. McCauley, Epaphras A. Muse, Halima Kiwango, Daniel Mathayo, Benezeth M. Mutayoba
Summary: This study used real-time observations and high-resolution tracking data from a population of common hippopotamus in Tanzania to investigate the relationship between river hydrology, hippopotamus movement, and the dynamics of an active anthrax outbreak. The findings revealed that extreme river drying indirectly facilitated the spread of Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Ivana Cinkova, Adrian M. Shrader
Summary: Male vocalizations associated with courtship play a crucial role in mate selection for white rhinos. These vocalizations, specifically hic calls, provide information about the males' quality and identity, thus aiding females in choosing a suitable mate.
Editorial Material
Biodiversity Conservation
A. M. Shrader
ANIMAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Anne Pandraud, Adrian M. Shrader, Arnold Tshipa, Nobesuthu Ngwenya, Simon Chamaille-Jammes
Summary: Migratory animals often use environmental cues to time their migrations, but the reliability of rainfall as a migratory cue in tropical systems is questionable. This study using GPS data from African elephant herds found that the elephants relied more on distant rainfall events along their future migration route than on local events when initiating their wet season migration. However, even with the ability to use distant cues, migration success is not guaranteed, as some elephants returned to their dry season range after traveling a significant distance.
Article
Biology
P. A. T. R. I. C. K. B. FINNERTY, C. L. A. R. E. MCARTHUR, P. E. T. E. R. BANKS, C. A. T. H. E. R. I. N. E. PRICE, A. D. R. I. A. N. M. SHRADER
Summary: Odor plays a crucial role in terrestrial ecosystems, as animals use it to gather information and make decisions about movement. The concept of an olfactory landscape helps us understand how animals move in space and time, and how ecological interactions can be altered.
Article
Zoology
Zoliswa N. Nhleko, Adrian M. Shrader, Sam M. Ferreira, Robert A. McCleery
Summary: Harnessing animals' fear of humans can aid in wildlife conservation, as demonstrated by the study on white rhinos. The study found that playing human vocalizations reduced rhino visitations, especially by females. Both sexes also exhibited increased vigilance in response to human vocalizations. These findings suggest that the fear of humans can alter the behavior of animals, including other large herbivores.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Daniel Fortin, Audrey-Jade Berube, Stephane Boudreau, Adrian Shrader, David Ward
Summary: Habitat selection models are crucial for conservation and management programs, as they help assess animal distribution and mitigate human-wildlife conflicts. However, there is a lack of research on sex-specific selection and density dependence.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Twane Bester, Melissa H. Schmitt, Adrian M. Shrader
Summary: African savanna elephants use olfactory cues to make dietary choices, and previous research has shown a negative correlation between elephant diet choice and vegetation species containing high concentrations of monoterpenes. We conducted three odour-based choice experiments on eight common monoterpenes found in Southern African savannas to investigate the effects of individual monoterpene odours on elephant diet choice and how these effects vary with concentration.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Twane Bester, Melissa H. Schmitt, Adrian M. Shrader
Summary: This study suggests that African elephants do not consistently prefer the odors of combinations of plant toxins compared to single toxins. The composition and diversity of volatile toxins in plants likely determine the effectiveness of odor-based chemical defenses against generalist herbivores.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kim Valenta, Melissa H. Schmitt, Manfred Ayasse, Omer Nevo
Summary: The human-elephant conflict is a persistent issue that may worsen with accelerated development, dwindling natural habitats, and climate change. By utilizing elephants' aversion to lion odors, it is possible to develop simple and low-concentration mixtures as an effective and cost-efficient method to deter elephants, offering a sustainable solution to mitigate conflicts between humans and elephants.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
James A. Klarevas-Irby, Damien R. Farine
Summary: Little is known about how animals overcome temporal constraints on movement during dispersal. This study used GPS tracking of vulturine guineafowl and found that dispersers showed the greatest increase in movement at the same times of day when they moved the most prior to dispersal. These findings suggest that individuals face the same ecological constraints during dispersal as they do in daily life and achieve large displacements by maximizing movement when conditions are most favorable.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Simone Ciaralli, Martina Esposito, Stefano Francesconi, Daniela Muzzicato, Marco Gamba, Matteo Dal Zotto, Daniela Campobello
Summary: Male cuckoos may transfer nest location information to females as a nonmaterial nuptial gift through specific postures and behaviors, potentially influencing mating choices of female cuckoos.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Anne E. Aulsebrook, Rowan Jacques-Hamilton, Bart Kempenaers
Summary: Accelerometry and machine learning have been used to quantify mating behaviors of captive male ruffs. Different machine learning methods were compared and evaluated for their classification performance. The study highlights the challenges and potential pitfalls in classifying mating behaviors using accelerometry and provides recommendations and considerations for future research.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Maria G. Smith, Joshua B. LaPergola, Christina Riehl
Summary: This study analyzed individual contributions to parental care in the greater ani bird and found that workload inequality varied between groups of two and three pairs. However, there was no clear evidence of division of labour within the groups, suggesting individual differences in overall work performed.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Noah M. T. Smith, Reuven Dukas
Summary: Winner and loser effects are observed in many animals, and recent experiments suggest that they may also occur in humans. In two experiments involving video games and reading comprehension, participants who won in the first phase performed significantly better in the second phase compared to those who lost. The effect size was larger in the video game experiment, and men and women showed similar magnitudes of winner and loser effects.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Bianca J. L. Marcellino, Peri Yee, Shannon J. Mccauley, Rosalind L. Murray
Summary: This study examines the trade-off between mating effort and thermoregulatory behavior in dragonflies in response to temperature changes, and investigates the effect of wing melanin on these behaviors. The results indicate that as temperature increases, dragonflies reduce their mating effort and increase their thermoregulatory behavior.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Rafael Rios Moura, Paulo Inacio Prado, Joao Vasconcellos-Neto
Summary: This study examined the escape behavior and decision-making of Aglaoctenus castaneus spiders on different substrates. It was found that spiders inhabiting injurious substrates displayed shorter flight initiation distances and lower sensitivity to predators.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Luigi Baciadonna, Cwyn Solvi, Francesca Terranova, Camilla Godi, Cristina Pilenga, Livio Favaro
Summary: In this study, it was found that African penguins could use ventral dot patterns to recognize their lifelong partner and nonpartner colonymates. This challenges the previous assumption of limited visual involvement in penguin communication, highlighting the complex and flexible recognition process in birds.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Nick A. R. Jones, Jade Newton-Youens, Joachim G. Frommen
Summary: Environmental conditions, particularly temperature, have a significant impact on animal behavior. This study focused on aggression in Neolamprologus pulcher fish and found that aggression rates increased with temperature at lower levels, but decreased after reaching a peak. Additionally, the influence of high temperatures on aggression changed over time during the trials. These findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of the short-term effects of temperature on aggression and highlight the importance of considering non-linear changes in thermal performance.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Bruno Herlander Martins, Andrea Soriano-Redondo, Aldina M. A. Franco, Ines Carry
Summary: Human activities have affected the availability of resources for wildlife, particularly through the provision of anthropogenic food subsidies at landfill sites. This study explores the influence of age on landfill attendance and foraging behavior in white storks. Adult storks visit landfills more frequently and show dominance over juveniles in food acquisition. Juveniles have limited access to landfill resources and are forced to use lower quality areas.