Article
Oceanography
Micheli Duarte de Paula Costa, Rafael A. Magris, Jose Henrique Muelbert, Joao Paes Vieira, Jorge Pablo Castello, Margareth S. Copertino, Hugh P. Possingham
Summary: Fish conservation in estuaries is complex due to diverse social values, multiple ecological processes and ontogenetic shift. This study developed a prioritisation approach to create conservation zones in an estuarine system, integrating pelagic and benthic habitats for different life history stages. The results showed that spatial priorities for conservation zones were robust and an integrated plan required less area than a traditional plan.
OCEAN & COASTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nian-Feng Wan, Matteo Dainese, Feng Zhu, Liu-Bin Xiao, Wei Zhang, Jun Ma, Wei-Min Wang, Mao-Tao Wang, Jian-Wen Zhu, Jin-Yan Wang, Wei Cheng, Chen Zhou, Shi-Jian Chen, Qin Wei, Yao-Pei Jiang, Xiang-Wen Wu, Hong-Juan Yi, Hui-Hua Gan, Hui-Mei Shen, Xiang-Yun Ji, Yi Lu, Zi-Ji Zhou, Jian-Jun Zhang, Wei-Yu Chen, Shi-Yun Qiu, You-Ming Cai, Jie-Xian Jiang, Bo Li
Summary: The study revealed that urbanization affecting croplands has led to a decrease in the population of three pest species, highlighting its significant impact on insect populations. This suggests that monitoring and understanding insect dynamics in rapidly urbanizing regions is crucial.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Catia Venancio, Rui Ribeiro, Isabel Lopes
Summary: The risk assessment of freshwater salinization is often based on standard assays using sodium chloride, but neglects the fact that salinization is a complex mixture of ions and can trigger acclimation mechanisms in freshwater organisms. This study aimed to integrate acclimation and avoidance behavior in salinization risk assessments by conducting avoidance assays using different salts and seawater in a linear system. The results showed that avoidance-selection assays are ecologically relevant and sensitive tools for risk assessment, and pre-exposure to stressors influenced organisms' avoidance-selection behavior under conductivity gradients, suggesting that organisms may acclimate to salinization events.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Josh Van Buskirk, David C. Smith
Summary: The study found that natural selection in frog breeding habitats is influenced by both biotic and environmental factors, leading to temporal variation in selection over time.
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
Biodiversity Conservation
Oldrich Kopecky
Summary: The Alpine newt is declining in Europe due to habitat destruction, with populations primarily found in artificial habitats like wheel ruts. The study in the Czech Republic examined 60 wheel ruts and found that the presence of newt larvae was associated with higher pH values, water plant coverage, and prey availability. The hydrological stability of wheel ruts was the strongest predictor, and non-drying ruts were preferred by the newts. This information can help easily estimate the suitability of wheel ruts for Alpine newts.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Brianne E. Brussee, Peter S. Coates, Shawn T. O'Neil, Michael L. Casazza, Shawn P. Espinosa, John D. Boone, Elisabeth M. Ammon, Scott C. Gardner, David J. Delehanty
Summary: Numerous wildlife species in semi-arid shrubland ecosystems in western North America are suffering from habitat loss and fragmentation. Greater sage-grouse, considered an indicator of ecosystem health, have experienced population decline due to habitat degradation.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
K. A. Bates, J. Friesen, A. Loyau, H. Butler, V. T. Vredenburg, J. Laufer, A. Chatzinotas, D. S. Schmeller
Summary: The study investigated how the skin microbiome of wild Dhofar toads in Oman is influenced by host environment, pathogen presence, and host biology. The results showed that skin microbiome diversity is mainly influenced by host life stage, water source, and habitat disturbance. The network analysis revealed high site specificity in bacterial co-occurrence patterns.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Taegan A. McMahon, Megan N. Hill, Garrett C. Lentz, Electra F. Scott, Nadia F. Tenouri, Jason R. Rohr
Summary: The study found that different species of amphibians exhibit varying responses to Bd exposure; some, like southern toads, may learn to avoid Bd and its metabolites, while others do not show significant avoidance behavior.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Simona Picardi, Peter Coates, Jesse Kolar, Shawn O'Neil, Steven Mathews, David Dahlgren
Summary: Post-release monitoring of translocated animals is important for informing future translocation protocols, as habitat selection may vary depending on the underlying behavioral state. The study found that features selected after settling, not during exploration, are likely indicative of suitable settlement habitat, highlighting the need to consider behavior when choosing future release sites.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
John Gould, John Clulow, Paul Rippon, J. Sean Doody, Simon Clulow
Summary: For oviparous animals like amphibians, the presence or absence of conspecifics can affect site selection during oviposition. Mothers preferred to oviposit in pools with conspecific spawn for potential benefits from cannibalizing conspecific tadpoles for nutrient supply, while avoiding pools with conspecific tadpoles to prevent their own offspring from becoming victims of cannibalism. Such nuances in conspecific presence highlight the complex decision-making process and the influence of cannibalism on the evolution of reproductive behavior in amphibians.
Article
Psychology, Biological
Lea Lorrain-Soligon, Frederic Robin, Francois Brischoux
Summary: This study demonstrates that amphibians living in coastal wetlands are able to select water based on different salinity levels, and their hydration status influences their preference for lower salinities. The study also reveals frogs' ability to assess water salinity before actual contact. This has significant implications for understanding habitat selection and species distribution.
PHYSIOLOGY & BEHAVIOR
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Gracie Liu, Jodi J. L. Rowley, Richard T. Kingsford, Corey T. Callaghan
Summary: Anthropogenic habitat modification is accelerating, posing a threat to global biodiversity. Research on Australian frogs revealed that most species are negatively affected by habitat modification, especially specialists and those with larger geographic ranges. Traits such as call dominant frequency, body size, clutch type, and calling position are related to tolerance levels towards habitat modification. A urgent need for improved anthropogenic impact consideration and conservation measures for long-term frog population persistence is highlighted, particularly focusing on intolerant species and specialists.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Mathematics, Applied
Juliana C. Lacerda, Celso Freitas, Elbert E. N. Macau, Juergen Kurths
Summary: The study examines how the structure of complex networks of non-identical oscillators affects synchronization in the Kuramoto model, using network metrics assortativity and clustering coefficient. Different types of network topologies are generated using Erdos-Renyi, Watts-Strogatz, and Barabasi-Albert models with high, intermediate, and low values of these metrics. The results show that low values of these metrics tend to favor phase locking, especially for Similar dissonance pattern.
Article
Fisheries
Margaret A. Malone, Carlos M. Polivka
Summary: This study combines fish conservation and management with theories and methodologies from behavioral ecology, presenting a new research framework. The study applies this framework to various aspects of fish behavior, such as diet choice, habitat use, movement, and social behaviors. By considering the adaptiveness and fitness implications of these behavioral traits, the study explores ecological trade-offs and suggests new assessment strategies and conservation efficacy studies.
FISH AND FISHERIES
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Diana Szekely, Dan Cogalniceanu, Paul Szekely, Diego Armijos-Ojeda, Valentina Espinosa-Mogrovejo, Mathieu Denoel
Article
Ecology
Benjamin Lejeune, Lucie Bissey, Emilie Alexia Didaskalou, Nicolas Sturaro, Gilles Lepoint, Mathieu Denoel
Summary: Paedomorphosis is an important evolutionary process involving the retention of larval traits at the adult stage. Progenesis, a precocious maturation associated with body size reduction, may promote ecological opportunity via body size reduction.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Raluca Ioana Bancila, Rodica Plaiasu, Florina Stanescu, Benedikt R. Schmidt, Ioana Nae, Mathieu Denoel
Summary: The study reveals that long-term exposure to different food levels and light conditions significantly influences the antipredator behavior of fire salamander larvae. Individuals exposed to low food levels and 8-hour light conditions were more likely to take risks in response to predation stimuli. This highlights the interactive effects of environmental factors on shaping antipredator responses and emphasizes the complexity of behavioral adaptation to changing environments.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Christophe Dufresnes, Tomasz Suchan, Nazar A. Smirnov, Mathieu Denoel, Juriy M. Rosanov, Spartak N. Litvinchuk
Summary: The study found sharp but leaky transitions between parapatric populations in different geographical locations, indicating gene flow can occur despite selection pressure. Bombina populations exhibit permeability to gene flow, but their species integrity remains intact due to their wide geographical ranges and ecological differentiation.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Review
Anatomy & Morphology
Ronald M. Bonett, Nicholus M. Ledbetter, Alexander J. Hess, Madison A. Herrboldt, Mathieu Denoel
Summary: Observations on the ontogeny and diversity of salamanders have shed light on the evolution of animal forms, with advances in understanding developmental mechanisms, phylogenetic relationships, and the impact of ecology on development. Molecular phylogenetic analyses support the majority of branches in the Salamander Tree of Life, and the ancestral reconstructions reveal repeated transitions between life cycle modes and ecologies. The colonization of diverse habitats has led to phenotypic diversification and convergence in some cases, while unrelated lineages may follow different developmental pathways to arrive at convergent phenotypes.
DEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Karen Cox, Mathieu Denoel, Hans Van Calster, Jeroen Speybroeck, Sam Van de Poel, Iwan Lewylle, Leen Verschaeve, An Van Breusegem, David Halfmaerten, Dries Adriaens, Gerald Louette
Summary: Our study revealed a relationship between genetic variation levels within ponds of great crested newts and the surrounding landscape composition at various spatial scales. Different landscape features had varying effects on genetic variation, particularly within radii of 50 and 100 meters around core ponds.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Fabien Pille, Laura Pinto, Mathieu Denoel
Summary: The study conducted stomach flushing in 21 ponds in southern France over four months to assess predation of native amphibians by marsh frogs. The results show that invasive marsh frogs pose a threat by preying on native species, particularly at the adult stage.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Clement Duret, Fabien Pille, Mathieu Denoel
Summary: Identifying and tracking individuals is crucial for understanding their ecology and behavior. In this study, the efficiency of using PIT-tag telemetry to monitor pond-breeding amphibians was tested in ponds. The results showed that PIT-tag telemetry is a powerful tool for surveying aquatic organisms and can bridge the gap between local and landscape scale studies.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mathieu Denoel, Clement Duret, Lea Lorrain-Soligon, Pablo Padilla, Justine Pavis, Fabien Pille, Pauline Tendron, Gentile Francesco Ficetola, Mattia Falaschi
Summary: This study assessed the invasibility of habitats by invasive Pelophylax water frogs in Western Europe. The results showed that these frogs have a high potential for invasion in a wide range of habitats, especially in deep, permanent ponds with abundant aquatic vegetation and high sun exposure.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Felix Pellerin, Elvire Bestion, Laurane Winandy, Lucie Di Gesu, Murielle Richard, Robin Aguilee, Julien Cote
Summary: Contemporary climate change has varying effects on population dynamics depending on landscape structure. This study investigates the impacts of warm climates on lizard traits and population dynamics in habitats with different connectivity. The results show that warm climates have different effects on lizard populations depending on the connectivity among thermal habitats, and landscape fragmentation can drastically alter population responses to climate change.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Benjamin Lejeune, Vincent Clement, Thomas Nothomb, Gilles Lepoint, Mathieu Denoel
Summary: The introduction of alien predators, such as mosquitofish, poses a global threat to amphibians. However, there is a lack of in situ studies on the trophic interactions between these predators and native amphibians. This study investigates the trophic interactions between Eastern mosquitofish and palmate newts, revealing potential impacts on larvae and eggs but limited overlap with adult newts in terms of trophic niches.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lea Fieschi-Meric, Pauline van Leeuwen, Mathieu Denoel, David Lesbarreres
Summary: Two ecological studies on amphibians show that the skin microbiota of hosts plays a key role in resisting pathogens, and the dysbiosis of these microbiota can be caused by various factors including population translocation. By conducting an experiment of yellow-spotted salamander larvae translocations, researchers found that the composition, diversity, and structure of the skin microbiota underwent significant changes over a 15-day period, but were not significantly affected by the translocation event.
Article
Ecology
Pablo Padilla, Anthony Herrel, Mathieu Denoel
Summary: Climate change and invasive species are major factors causing biodiversity loss, and their interaction can further exacerbate this problem. This study focused on the marsh frog, an invasive species in Western Europe, and found that it has a broad thermal tolerance and prefers higher temperatures than its current environment. These traits enable the marsh frog to potentially benefit from a warmer climate, expand its range, and increase its invasion success.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Robert Schabetsberger, Christian D. Jersabek, Alexander Maringer, Daniel Kreiner, Magdalena Kaltenbrunner, Pavlina Blazkova, Petr Pokorny, Mathieu Denoel, Heimo Emmerstorfer, Cvetka Lipovnik, Herbert Woelger
Summary: Introduction of fish into fishless high-altitude lakes negatively impacts biodiversity. Eradicating alien fish through intensive fishing is expensive and challenging in productive lakes. The draining of Lake Sulzkarsee in Austria, combined with sediment treatment, was partially successful in eliminating fish, but the introduced minnows survived and reproduced. The recovery of indicator species was short-lived when minnows returned after the failed eradication attempt. Purse seines were found to be the most efficient gear for catching minnows. These findings highlight the difficulty of draining deep mountain lakes and the need for sediment treatment to ensure complete fish removal.
Article
Ecology
Fabien Pille, Laura Pinto, Mathieu Denoel
Summary: Freshwater predators, specifically post-metamorphic anurans, exhibit a diverse trophic spectrum by foraging in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats. This study focused on the foraging habits of introduced marsh frogs and found that they have generalist and opportunistic feeding strategies. The study also highlighted the potential ecological control that these frogs have on pond communities, exerting predation pressure on a wide range of organisms. The results suggest that considering the functional traits and microhabitats of consumed prey can aid in understanding the specific components of pond communities targeted by anuran predation. Furthermore, the study raises concerns about the predatory role of introduced marsh frogs in the context of biological invasions.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2023)
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.