Article
Ecology
Paula L. Perrig, Sergio A. Lambertucci, Emiliano Donadio, Justine A. Smith, Arthur D. Middleton, Jonathan N. Pauli
Summary: This study investigated the response of Andean condors to predation risk and found that they searched for carrion in areas where pumas had killed camelids. However, condors avoided exploiting carrion in areas with high vegetation and steep slopes, indicating that they primarily manage risk by identifying safe foraging sites.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Miguel A. Bedoya-Perez, Anna Le, Iain S. McGregor, Mathew S. Crowther
Summary: The study found that wild brown rats exhibit clear responses to domestic cat fur odor cues, but their behavioral response is highly adaptable and finely tuned to balance the trade-off between food and predation risk.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alison L. Greggor, Bryce Masuda, Jacqueline M. Gaudioso-Levita, Jay T. Nelson, Thomas H. White, Debra M. Shier, Susan M. Farabaugh, Ronald R. Swaisgood
Summary: Animal translocations often fail due to predation after release, but anti-predator training can help released animals adapt to natural predators. This study details the development and execution of an anti-predator training regime for critically endangered Hawaiian crows, highlighting the importance of attention to detail in reintroduction programs.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anthony Santana Ferreira, Renato Gomes Faria
Summary: Predator-prey dynamics play a crucial role in the natural structuring of communities, with our study revealing that predation risk in semi-arid environments is more influenced by seasonality rather than habitat structural complexity. Specifically, the overall attack rate was found to be 19% higher in the dry season.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Francois Dumont, Eric Lucas, Oscar Alomar
Summary: The study found that cannibalism by male Macrolophus pygmaeus significantly reduced the number of hatched eggs, posing a greater risk to mirid eggs than intraguild predation. Female M. pygmaeus responded to potential intraguild predators by laying fewer eggs on upper leaves, indicating a strategy to avoid competition. Cannibalism could potentially regulate zoophytophagous predator populations and minimize crop damage risk associated with these biological control agents.
Article
Zoology
Lucas David Jungblut, Marilina Raices, Laura Rincon-Camacho, Andrea Gabriela Pozzi
Summary: Chemical cues play a crucial role in providing information about predation risk in amphibians. Specifically, in anuran tadpoles, these cues trigger changes in behavior, morphology, and growth and development. The presence of epidermal giant cells (GCs) has been suggested as the cellular origin of these cues, and their appearance is correlated with the production of alarm cues. This study provides experimental evidence supporting the role of GCs as the source of alarm cues in Bufonidae larvae.
Article
Zoology
Geslaine Rafaela Lemos Goncalves, Milena Regina Wolf, Mariana Antunes, Felipe Wanderley Amorim, Maria Lucia Negreiros-Fransozo, Antonio Leao Castilho
Summary: This study investigated the ontogeny of symbiosis between the spider crab Libinia ferreirae and the host medusa Lychnorhiza lucerna in marine environments. The researchers described the type of relationship, the temporal correlation, and the food habits of the species. They found that more than 50% of the sampled crabs were symbionts, particularly in early life stages. Symbiosis was observed throughout most of the year and the crab benefited from the relationship by using the medusa's captured food resources and gaining essential conditions for its survival.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
James Barr, Catherine A. Boisvert, Kate Trinajstic, Philip W. Bateman
Summary: This study investigates the changes in tail autotomy of Egernia kingii lizards during their growth. The study finds that adult lizards retain more autotomizable vertebrae, which is related to their increased size and strength. Despite relying less on tail autotomy, adult lizards still retain the ability to self-amputate their tails as a last line of defense.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(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
Behavioral Sciences
Brandon A. Guell, Karen M. Warkentin
Summary: Phyllomedusid treefrogs hatch prematurely to avoid predation, but the success of escaping varies among different species. The study found that the lower escape success rate in Agalychnis spurrelli is related to the timing and threshold of vestibular mechanosensory function.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Francois Therrien, Darla K. Zelenitsky, Kohei Tanaka, Jared T. Voris, Gregory M. Erickson, Philip J. Currie, Christopher L. Debuhr, Yoshitsugu Kobayashi
Summary: Researchers have discovered a juvenile tyrannosaurid specimen containing the hindlimbs of two yearling caenagnathid dinosaurs in its abdominal cavity, providing direct evidence of a dietary shift in tyrannosaurids during growth. Juvenile tyrannosaurids may have hunted small and young dinosaurs until reaching a certain size, at which point they transitioned to feeding on dinosaurian megaherbivores. This dietary shift may have played a key role in the evolutionary success of tyrannosaurids.
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)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Andrea Melotto, Gentile Francesco Ficetola, Elisa Alari, Samuele Romagnoli, Raoul Manenti, Emilie Snell-Rood
Summary: During biotic invasions, native prey may struggle with recognizing and responding to novel predators, but mechanisms exist to help prey overcome evolutionary naivety. Studies have shown that different amphibian species exhibit varied behavioral responses to cues associated with an invasive predator, with species that share coevolutionary history with native predators showing more refined responses to the invasive predator.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Justine A. Smith, Kaitlyn M. Gaynor, Justin P. Suraci
Summary: Human activities have led to declines in animal populations globally through direct and indirect pathways, including numerical effects and non-lethal effects. Mismatches between the risk associated with anthropogenic stimuli and the response by wild animals amplify the lethal and non-lethal effects. Errors in detecting, assessing, and responding to different stimuli can affect individual fitness and population dynamics.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Monika Sysiak, Barbara Pietrzak, Matylda Kubiak, Anna Bednarska, Andrzej Mikulski
Summary: By perceiving conspecific chemical cues, damselfly larvae are able to recognize the presence of other cannibals, which provides additional benefits for hunting and defense. However, it is unclear whether these cues inform individuals of danger or food availability in cannibalistic interactions. This study aimed to investigate the response of Ischnura elegans larvae to chemical cues from older conspecific larvae, and found that they exhibit anti-predator defense mechanisms in response to these cues, balancing prey-catching with staying safe.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Peng Li, John J. Wiens
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive comparison of the types of traits that can drive diversification in lizard and snake families. It shows that the rate of range expansion is the most important variable for explaining diversification rates and richness patterns in squamates.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Javier Mendez-Narvaez, Karen M. Warkentin
Summary: This study investigates the responses of early-stage terrestrial development frogs to water constraints and ammonia toxicity. The results show that species adapted to dry conditions can prevent ammonia toxicity by increasing urea excretion and ammonia tolerance. This has important implications for terrestrial-breeding frogs.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Julie Jung, Ming Guo, Mark E. Crovella, J. Gregory McDaniel, Karen M. Warkentin
Summary: Embryos of red-eyed treefrogs hatch prematurely to escape from egg predators, and they use multiple vibration properties, including temporal pattern elements, to inform their hatching response. They can also utilize long gaps within a rhythmic pattern of vibrations as indicators of risks. Embryo behavior is contextually modulated and can effectively distinguish between risk cues and benign stimuli.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Rollie M. Grinder, John J. Wiens
Summary: Climate change poses a major threat to global biodiversity, particularly tropical species. This study finds that tropical species are more vulnerable to climate change due to their narrower physiological tolerances, higher frequency of climate-related local extinctions, and narrower thermal niche widths. The study further reveals that niche width and the extent of climate change can predict the frequency of local extinctions, while latitude alone does not significantly predict local extinctions.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Marina Garrido-Priego, David Aragones, H. Christoph Liedtke, Andrew Whitworth, Ivan Gomez-Mestre
Summary: Habitat encroachment can have devastating effects on biodiversity, particularly for amphibians. Using remote sensing and ecological niche modeling, we identified the abiotic factors associated with the distribution of the endemic frog Phyllobates vittatus in Costa Rica. Our models were informed by field observations, data from other researchers, and citizen science, providing a comprehensive database of P. vittatus occurrences. The results showed that elevation, forest percentage, distance to water bodies, temperature range, and precipitation variables shape the species' ecological niche, which is primarily found in protected areas. The study identified isolated populations, potential reintroduction areas, and suggests adjusting the conservation status of P. vittatus to Endangered. Further surveys and population evaluations are needed to ensure long-term protection of the species.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Elena K. Gomez, Alina Chaiyasarikul, Brandon A. Guell, Karen M. Warkentin
Summary: The arboreal embryos of red-eyed treefrogs hatch prematurely to escape from predators and escape success increases with age. Older embryos are more likely to hatch pre-emptively and avoid direct attacks, while younger embryos are more likely to be attacked again after their egg capsule is ruptured. This ontogenetic adaptation to changing risk trade-offs strongly contributes to the developmental increase in escape success.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
John J. J. Wiens
Summary: Understanding the origins of different species richness patterns is important in ecology and evolutionary biology. Most studies have focused on spatial and clade-based species richness patterns, but there is a need to also consider trait-based richness patterns. Trait-based richness patterns are relevant to various ecological and evolutionary topics and are most often explained by the age of states within a group, rather than differences in transition rates or diversification rates. There is a lack of understanding and emphasis on trait-based richness patterns, and further research is needed to address unanswered questions.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Kristen E. E. Saban, Yan-Fu Qu, John J. J. Wiens
Summary: By comparing patterns of phylogenetic conservatism among 10 niche variables in major clades of land vertebrates, we found that phylogenetic signal of niche variables does not disappear over deep timescales. Additionally, alpha niche traits are more conservative and exhibit slower rates of evolution than beta niche variables.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniel M. Portik, Jeffrey W. Streicher, David C. Blackburn, Daniel S. Moen, Carl R. Hutter, John J. Wiens
Summary: The data available for reconstructing molecular phylogenies are highly disparate, with some studies having high genetic marker data for few species, while others have low data availability across many taxa. In this study, the researchers show that it is possible to integrate these two types of data to address relationships among hundreds of species using frog data. By combining phylogenomic and supermatrix datasets, they were able to successfully reconstruct a well-supported tree among families, even with high amounts of missing data.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Brandon A. Guell, Karen M. Warkentin
Summary: This study uses long-term observations and machine learning analyses to determine the factors that predict explosive breeding events of gliding treefrogs on Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula, with heavy rainfall during the afternoon and evening being the strongest predictor.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Kim L. Holzmann, Ramona L. Walls, John J. Wiens
Summary: Climate change has already caused local extinction in many plants and animals, and as it accelerates, the pace of extinction may also speed up. This study examined this hypothesis in a montane lizard and found that the rates of local extinction have tripled in the past 7 years compared to the previous 42 years. Genomic data played a role in predicting populations that survived and those that went extinct.
Article
Ecology
Zachary Emberts, Ummat Somjee, John J. Wiens
Summary: Allometry refers to the scaling relationship between a trait and body size, which can explain morphological variation within and among species. In a study of giant mesquite bugs, it was found that large males with large weapons successfully secured mates, while small males with small weapons could also access mates. These two patterns together contribute to the evolution of the allometric slope of the sexually selected weapon.
Article
Ecology
Melissa Van Kleeck-Hann, John J. Wiens
Summary: The study analyzes weapon evolution in chamaeleonid lizards, finding that all 11 weapons have evolved multiple times and that their origins are generally more frequent than losses. The study also identifies hotspots for weapon evolution associated with larger male body size.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniel M. Portik, Jeffrey W. Streicher, John J. Wiens
Summary: Large-scale, time-calibrated phylogenies from supermatrix studies are crucial for evolutionary and ecological studies. Anuran amphibians face issues with existing supermatrix estimates due to limited loci, leading to discordant relationships. A new combined matrix with 5,242 species and 307 markers showed generally concordant higher-level relationships with phylogenomic analyses, despite extensive missing data.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gen Morinaga, John J. Wiens, Daniel S. Moen
Summary: The contribution of adaptive radiation to the diversity of species and phenotypes in a major group has not been well studied. This study analyzes data from 1226 frog species across 43 families and finds that less than half of the frog families resemble adaptive radiations. However, these adaptive-radiation-like families contain a significant proportion of both morphological and species diversity.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)