Of city and village mice: behavioural adjustments of striped field mice to urban environments

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 10(1)

Published: Aug. 3, 2020

Abstract A fundamental question of current ecological research concerns the drives and limits species responses to human-induced rapid environmental change (HIREC). Behavioural HIREC are a key component because behaviour links individual population community changes. Ongoing fast urbanization provides an ideal setting test functional role for HIREC. Consistent behavioural differences between conspecifics (animal personality) may be important determinants or constraints animals’ adaptation urban habitats. We tested whether rural populations small mammals differ in mean trait expression, flexibility repeatability behaviours associated risk-taking exploratory tendencies. Using standardized field, we quantified spatial exploration boldness striped field mice ( Apodemus agrarius , n = 96) from nine sub-populations, presenting different levels urbanisation anthropogenic disturbance. The level positively correlated with boldness, flexibility, dwellers being bolder, more explorative flexible some traits than conspecifics. Thus, individuals seem distribute non-random way response human disturbance based on their characteristics. Animal personality might therefore play successful coping challenges

Language: Английский

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Big City Living: A Global Meta-Analysis Reveals Positive Impact of Urbanization on Body Size in Lizards

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 8

Published: Nov. 27, 2020

Urban environments pose different selective pressures than natural ones, leading to changes in animal behavior, physiology, and morphology. Understanding how animals respond urbanization could inform the management of urban habitats. Non-avian reptiles have important roles ecosystems worldwide, yet their responses not been as comprehensively studied those mammals birds. However, unlike birds, most cannot easily move away from disturbances, making pressure adapt especially strong. In recent years, there has a surge research on lizards urbanization, no formal synthesis determined what makes an lizard, other words, which phenotypic traits are likely change with direction? Here, we present qualitative literature quantitative phylogenetic meta-analysis comparing between non-urban lizard populations. The robust finding our analysis is that larger counterparts. This result remained consistent sexes taxonomic groups. Hence, pass through filter access better resources, more time for foraging, and/or selection attaining body size. Other results included increase diameters perches used longer limb digit lengths, although this may be increased were bolder, active or exploratory, did differ immune Overall, studies biased few geographic regions taxa. More 70% all data came three species anoles family Dactyloidae , it difficult generalize patterns clades. Thus, needed across multiple taxa habitats produce meaningful predictions help conservation ecological communities.

Language: Английский

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Small mammal personalities generate context dependence in the seed dispersal mutualism

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 119(15)

Published: April 4, 2022

Mutualisms are foundational components of ecosystems with the capacity to generate biodiversity through adaptation and coevolution give rise essential services such as pollination seed dispersal. To understand how mutualistic interactions shape communities ecosystems, we must identify mechanisms that underlie their functioning. One mechanism may drive mutualisms vary in space time is unique behavioral types, or personalities, individuals involved. Here, our goal was examine interindividual variation dispersal mutualism role different personalities play. In a field experiment, observed individual deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) known personality traits predating dispersing seeds natural environment classified all made by either positive negative. We then scored on continuum from antagonistic found within population scatter hoarders, some more than others one factor driving this distinction animal personality. Through empirical work, provide conceptual advancement study integrating it intraspecific variation. These findings indicate previously overlooked generating context dependence plant–animal suggest diversity have important consequences for functioning mutualisms.

Language: Английский

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Behavioural correlations across multiple stages of the antipredator response: do animals that escape sooner hide longer?

Animal Behaviour, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 185, P. 175 - 184

Published: Feb. 4, 2022

Language: Английский

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Behavioral syndromes vary among geographically distinct populations in a reptile

Behavioral Ecology, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 30(2), P. 393 - 401

Published: Nov. 25, 2018

A key goal in the study of animal personalities is to determine their adaptive potential and importance for behavioral evolution. Behavioral syndromes are evolutionarily intriguing because they suggest that an change one behavior requires a concomitant shift another. Within species, might be constrained by intrinsic mechanisms restrict behaviors from evolving independently. Alternatively, correlations easily decoupled over short evolutionary time scales due variation selective pressures between environments. In this regard, comparative studies explore differences diverse aspects personality geographically distinct populations can provide valuable insights into processes acting on different tendencies. Accordingly, we investigated how types differed across four delicate skink, Lampropholis delicata. We found strong evidence mean trait-level activity, exploration, boldness populations, suggesting adaptation local environmental conditions. Similarly, within-population involving varied substantially populations. However, did find consistent within- among-population correlation activity syndrome relatively stable could explain divergence exploration there may thermal physiological limiting activity-exploration skink. Broadly, argue some more than others, should regularly considered within framework.

Language: Английский

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An experimental evaluation of foraging decisions in urban and natural forest populations of Anolis lizards

Urban Ecosystems, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 20(5), P. 1011 - 1018

Published: Feb. 7, 2017

Language: Английский

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Repeatability and degree of territorial aggression differs among urban and rural great tits (Parus major)

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 8(1)

Published: March 22, 2018

Abstract Animals in urban habitats face many novel selection pressures such as increased human population densities and disturbance. This is predicted to favour bolder more aggressive individuals together with greater flexibility behaviour. Previous work has focussed primarily on studying these traits captive birds shown aggression reduced consistency between (behavioural syndromes) from populations. However, personality (consistency within a behavioural trait) not been well studied the wild. Here we tested whether free-living male great tits show territorial than rural counterparts. We also predictions that both syndromes would lower found populations were appeared levels of individual repeatability (personality) predicted. no effect urbanisation (correlations multiple traits). Our results indicate environments may which exhibit within-trait be essential success holding territories. Determining how impact key fitness will important predicting animals cope ongoing urbanisation.

Language: Английский

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Variation in boldness and novelty response between rural and urban predatory birds: The Chimango Caracara, Milvago chimango as study case

Behavioural Processes, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 173, P. 104064 - 104064

Published: Jan. 30, 2020

Language: Английский

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Adaptations of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) to urban environments in Sydney, Australia

Journal of Urban Ecology, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 6(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2020

Abstract With urban encroachment on wild landscapes accelerating globally, there is an urgent need to understand how wildlife adapting anthropogenic change. We compared the behaviour of invasive red fox (Vulpes vulpes) at eight and peri-urban areas Sydney, Australia. observed around a lure activity patterns those potential prey two domestic predators (dogs—Canis lupus familiaris cats—Felis catus). assessed influence site type, vegetation cover, distance from habitation behaviour, temporal foxes. Urban foxes were marginally more nocturnal than in (88% overlap). There was greater overlap with introduced mammalian (90% vs 84% peri-urban). Red overlapped 78% cats, but only 20% dogs, across both types. The high degree cats most likely explained by these species, while pet dogs are generally kept yards or indoors night. behavioural differences we documented suggest they may adapt human modifications presence, being and/or confident areas.

Language: Английский

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Chromosome-scale genome assembly of the brown anole (Anolis sagrei), an emerging model species

Communications Biology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 5(1)

Published: Oct. 25, 2022

Rapid technological improvements are democratizing access to high quality, chromosome-scale genome assemblies. No longer the domain of only most highly studied model organisms, now non-traditional and emerging species can be genome-enabled using a combination sequencing technologies assembly software. Consequently, old ideas built on sparse sampling across tree life have recently been amended in face genomic data drawn from growing number high-quality reference genomes. Arguably valuable those long-studied for which much is already known about their biology; what many term species. Here, we report complete brown anole, Anolis sagrei - lizard widely variety disciplines was long overdue. This exceeds vast majority existing reptile snake genomes contiguity (N50 = 253.6 Mb) annotation completeness. Through analysis this population resequence data, examine history repetitive element accumulation, identify X chromosome, propose hypothesis evolutionary fusions between autosomes that led sex chromosomes A. sagrei.

Language: Английский

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