Optimal Foraging In A Uniform Habitat: The Search Mechanism Of The Green Lacewing,
2013
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Optimal Foraging In A Uniform Habitat: The Search Mechanism Of The Green Lacewing, Alan B. Bond
Alan B. Bond
The effects of food deprivation and prey contact on the components of searching behavior in larval green lacewings (Chrysopa carnea Stephens) were examined to test the applicability of optimal foraging theory to predation in a uniform habitat. Variation in foraging intensity was primarily the result of changes in the meander. Modulation of the response to prey contact with increasing deprivation involved changes in the velocity and the response persistence and suggested the occurrence of adaptation to inferred differences in the spatial distribution of the prey. The ratio of giving-up times at different levels of deprivation was in accordance with the …
Pinyon Jays Use Transitive Inference To Predict Social Dominance,
2013
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Pinyon Jays Use Transitive Inference To Predict Social Dominance, Guillermo Paz-Y-Miño C, Alan B. Bond, Alan Kamil, Russell P. Balda
Alan B. Bond
Living in large, stable social groups is often considered to favor the evolution of enhanced cognitive abilities, such as recognizing group members, tracking their social status and inferring relationships among them. An individual’s place in the social order can be learned through direct interactions with others, but conflicts can be time-consuming and even injurious. Because the number of possible pairwise interactions increases rapidly with group size, members of large social groups will benefit if they can make judgments about relationships on the basis of indirect evidence. Transitive reasoning should therefore be particularly important for social individuals, allowing assessment of relationships …
Cognitive Representation In Transitive Inference: A Comparison Of Four Corvid Species,
2013
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Cognitive Representation In Transitive Inference: A Comparison Of Four Corvid Species, Alan B. Bond, Cynthia A. Wei, Alan C. Kamil
Alan B. Bond
During operant transitive inference experiments, subjects are trained on adjacent stimulus pairs in an implicit linear hierarchy in which responses to higher ranked stimuli are rewarded. Two contrasting forms of cognitive representation are often used to explain resulting choice behavior. Associative representation is based on memory for the reward history of each stimulus. Relational representation depends on memory for the context in which stimuli have been presented. Natural history characteristics that require accurate configural memory, such as social complexity or reliance on cached food, should tend to promote greater use of relational representation. To test this hypothesis, four corvid species …
Visual Predators Select For Crypticity And Polymorphism In Virtual Prey,
2013
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Visual Predators Select For Crypticity And Polymorphism In Virtual Prey, Alan B. Bond, Alan Kamil
Alan B. Bond
Cryptically colored animals commonly occur in several distinct pattern variants. Such phenotypic diversity may be promoted by frequency-dependent predation, in which more abundant variants are attacked disproportionately often, but the hypothesis has never been explicitly tested. Here we report the first controlled experiment on the effects of visual predators on prey crypticity and phenotypic variance, in which blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata) searched for digital moths on computer monitors. Moth phenotypes evolved via a genetic algorithm in which individuals detected by the jays were much less likely to reproduce. Jays often failed to detect atypical cryptic moths, confirming frequency- dependent selection …
Toward A Resolution Of The Paradox Of Aggressive Displays: Ii. Behavioral Efference And The Communication Of Intentions,
2013
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Toward A Resolution Of The Paradox Of Aggressive Displays: Ii. Behavioral Efference And The Communication Of Intentions, Alan B. Bond
Alan B. Bond
An inference from game-theory models of animal conflict is that adversaries should not inform one another about their level of aggressive motivation. This poses a paradox for the traditional ethological account of graded aggressive displays because it is usually assumed that the adaptive significance of these behavior patterns lies in their making such information available. To resolve the paradox, I propose that communication is only an incidental effect of displays, and that their primary adaptive function is regulation of the intensity of aggressive encounters through positive feedback on aggressive motivation, a process termed "behavioral efference." Evidence in support of this …
Cognition As An Independent Variable: Virtual Ecology,
2013
University of Nebraska at Lincoln
Cognition As An Independent Variable: Virtual Ecology, Alan C. Kamil, Alan B. Bond
Alan B. Bond
On close examination, human cultural artifacts bear the unmistakable impress of the structure of the human mind: our tools, habitations. and methods of communication have been molded to suit the strengths and limitations of the human cognitive system (Nosman 1988). It has not commonly been emphasized. however. that similar shaping processes have taken place over the course of biological evolution in response to the cognitive features of other, nonhuman species (Bonner 1980; von Frisch 1974). Cognitive influences are particularly evident in the modifications of color patterns and behavior of prey species that take advantage of biases and constraints in the …
A Method For Estimating Marine Habitat Values Based On Fish Guilds, With Comparisons Between Sites In The Southern California Bight,
2013
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
A Method For Estimating Marine Habitat Values Based On Fish Guilds, With Comparisons Between Sites In The Southern California Bight, Alan B. Bond, John S. Stephens, Jr., Daniel J. Pondella, Ii, M. James Allen, Mark Helvey
Alan B. Bond
Habitat valuation is an essential tool for tracking changes in habitat quality and in adjudicating environmental mitigation. All current methods for estimating habitat values of coastal marine sites rely heavily on the opinion of experts or on data variables that can readily be manipulated to influence the outcome. As a result, unbiased, quantitative comparisons between the values of different marine habitats are generally unavailable. We report here on a robust, objective technique for the valuation of marine habitats that makes use of data that are commonly gathered in surveys of marine fish populations: density, fidelity, and mean size. To insure …
Social Complexity And Transitive Inference In Corvids,
2013
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Social Complexity And Transitive Inference In Corvids, Alan B. Bond, Alan Kamil, Russell P. Balda
Alan B. Bond
The social complexity hypothesis asserts that animals living in large social groups should display enhanced cognitive abilities along predictable dimensions. To test this concept, we compared highly social pinyon jays, Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus, with relatively nonsocial western scrub-jays, Aphelocoma californica, on two complex cognitive tasks relevant to the ability to track and assess social relationships. Pinyon jays learned to track multiple dyadic relationships more rapidly and more accurately than scrub-jays and appeared to display a more robust and accurate mechanism of transitive inference. These results provide a clear demonstration of the association between social complexity and cognition in animals.
Unexpected Phylogenetic Positions Of The Genera Rupirana And Crossodactylodes Reveal Insights Into The Biogeography And Reproductive Evolution Of Leptodactylid Frogs,
2013
University of Richmond
Unexpected Phylogenetic Positions Of The Genera Rupirana And Crossodactylodes Reveal Insights Into The Biogeography And Reproductive Evolution Of Leptodactylid Frogs, Antoine Foquet, Boris Leonardo Blotto, Maximiliano Manuel Maronna, Vanessa Kruth Verdade, Flora Acuña Juncá, Rafael O. De Sá, Miguel Trefaut Rodrigues
Biology Faculty Publications
Despite major progress in deciphering the amphibian tree of life by molecular phylogenetics, we identified two questions remaining to be answered regarding relationships within Hyloidea, the clade of South American origin that comprises most extant anuran diversity. A few genera like Rupirana and Crossodactylodes have enigmatic phylogenetic positions, and relationships among major lineages within some families like Leptodactylidae remain ambiguous. To resolve these specific questions we used two approaches (1) a complete matrix approach representing >6.6 kb, including most major Hyloidea lineages (61 terminals) combining different methods of phylogenetic reconstruction and measures of node support; and (2) a supermatrix approach …
Ecology And Flock-Following Behavior Of The Wedge-Billed Woodcreeper In Eastern Ecuador,
2013
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Ecology And Flock-Following Behavior Of The Wedge-Billed Woodcreeper In Eastern Ecuador, Abigail Darrah
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The wedge-billed woodcreeper (Glyphorynchus spirurus) is a common understory suboscine passerine of lowland Neotropical rainforests. It frequently joins mixed-species understory flocks but also regularly forages alone, and thus is an excellent model species on which to conduct comparative behavioral observations to examine the hypothesized costs and benefits of flock-following. Individuals exhibit variable flocking propensities (proportion of time spent with flocks), and thus observing the correlations between flocking propensity and physical and environmental factors can provide further insight into the importance of flock-following to the ecology of this species. Despite its abundance at many sites and its wide geographic range, surprisingly …
The Life History Of Larinus Minutus, A Biological Control Agent Of Invasive Knapweeds, And Its Dispersal From Release Sites In Arkansas,
2013
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
The Life History Of Larinus Minutus, A Biological Control Agent Of Invasive Knapweeds, And Its Dispersal From Release Sites In Arkansas, Adam M. Alford
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Larinus minutus Gyllenhal, a biological control agent of invasive knapweeds, has become established in several states and provinces since initial North American introduction in 1991. In order to reduce growing spotted knapweed populations in Northwest Arkansas, Larinus minutus (a biological control agent of spotted knapweed) was released annually from 2008-2011. Little is known about the larval development of this species, although the widespread use of this insect has provided research describing detailed host range and generalized life history. The speed and extent of the spread of this weevil from release sites following introduction have not been reported. This research described …
How Do Prey Refuges Affect Predator-Prey Interactions?,
2013
University of Rhode Island
How Do Prey Refuges Affect Predator-Prey Interactions?, Justin Vendettuoli
Senior Honors Projects
While it is well known that predators eat their prey, prey that avoid predation risk can also incur substantial fitness costs through risk-induced changes in survival and reproduction, growth, and morphology. Changes in prey that occur without the predator physically consuming the prey are referred to as ‘non-consumptive effects’. One way to reduce the risk of predation is to use a refuge. While refuge use may reduce predation risk, however, it may also be costly to the prey. These costs may include within-refuge competition for resources, which can alter prey population dynamics, coexistence, and metapopulation dynamics. While these costs may …
Predation And Behavioral Plasticity In Green Swordtails: Mate Choice In Females And Exploratory Behavior In Males,
2013
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Predation And Behavioral Plasticity In Green Swordtails: Mate Choice In Females And Exploratory Behavior In Males, Andrew J. Melie
School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
Two studies were carried out with green swordtails, Xiphophorus helleri, to investigate the effect of predation on swordtail behavior, and to determine how behavioral plasticity operates in both a mate choice and an anti-predator context. Male green swordtails vary in colorful conspicuous traits, e.g. the colorful dorsal fin and sword. Female swordtails have a preexisting bias for males with a sword, and prefer long-sworded males to short-sworded males, but this preference is plastic. The first study examined predator-related plasticity in the behavior of males differing in size. Smaller males showed greater behavioral plasticity; they were more active in the absence …
Modeling Parasitism Rate And Parasitism Risk: An Illustration
Using A Colonially Nesting Songbird, The Red-Winged Blackbird
Agelaius Phoeniceus,
2013
University of Nebraska-Lincoln,
Modeling Parasitism Rate And Parasitism Risk: An Illustration Using A Colonially Nesting Songbird, The Red-Winged Blackbird Agelaius Phoeniceus, Max Post Van Der Burg, Larkin A. Powell, Andrew J. Tyre
Andrew J Tyre
Ornithologists interested in the drivers of nest success and brood parasitism benefit from the development of new analytical approaches. One example is the development of so-called “log exposure” models for analyzing nest success. However, analyses of brood parasitism data have not kept pace with developments in nest success analyses. The standard approach uses logistic regression which does not account for multiple parasitism events, nor does it prevent bias from using observed proportions of parasitized nests. Likewise, logistic regression analyses do not capture fine scale temporal variation in parasitism. At first glance, it might be tempting to apply log exposure models …
Spontaneous Male Death And Monogyny In The Dark Fishing Spider Dolomedes Tenebrosus Hentz, 1843 (Araneae, Pisauridae),
2013
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Spontaneous Male Death And Monogyny In The Dark Fishing Spider Dolomedes Tenebrosus Hentz, 1843 (Araneae, Pisauridae), Steven K. Schwartz
School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
Male animals typically attempt to mate with multiple females in order to increase their reproductive success. In some species, however, males instead invest in fertilizing the eggs of a single female. Monogyny (male monogamy) is found in a diverse assemblage of taxa, and recent theoretical work reveals that a male-biased sex ratio can favor the evolution of this relatively rare mating system. We integrate this theoretical framework with field observations and laboratory experiments involving the sexually size dimorphic fishing spider, Dolomedes tenebrosus. Results from mating trials revealed a novel form of self-sacrifice behavior where males spontaneously die when they …
A Woolly Monkey Travel Guide: An Assessment Of The Foraging Patterns Among Lagothrix Poeppigii On Sumak Allpa Island, Ecuador,
2013
SIT Study Abroad
A Woolly Monkey Travel Guide: An Assessment Of The Foraging Patterns Among Lagothrix Poeppigii On Sumak Allpa Island, Ecuador, Adrienne Mathis
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
This project was conducted to assess the foraging patterns of a troupe of seven woolly monkeys, Lagothrix poeppigii, on Sumak Allpa island in the eastern part of the Ecuadorian Amazon. Recently, many studies concerning woolly monkey foraging and nutrition have been conducted near this area in Yasuní National Park, and these studies have defined this species of monkey as generalized frugivores (Stevenson, 2004). During this study, we observed the monkeys during 22 separate foraging sessions and recorded which plant families and species the troupe foraged from during these sessions. We then mapped the locations of the species which the …
The Advertisement Calls And Distribution Of Two Sympatric Species Of Chiasmocleis (Méhely 1904) (Anura, Microhylidae, Gastrophryninae) From The Atlantic Forest,
2013
University of Richmond
The Advertisement Calls And Distribution Of Two Sympatric Species Of Chiasmocleis (Méhely 1904) (Anura, Microhylidae, Gastrophryninae) From The Atlantic Forest, Mauricio C. Florani, Caio Vinicus De Mira Mendes, Iuri Ribeiro Dias, Danilo Silva Ruas, João Fillipe Riva Tonini, Rafael O. De Sá
Biology Faculty Publications
The advertisement calls of Chiasmocleis cordeiroi and C. crucis are described for populations from the municipalities of Igrapiúna and Camacan, respectively, state of Bahia, Brazil. Both calls consist of multipulsed notes produced in series. Differences between the two calls are: dominant frequency, higher in C. cordeiroi (range 4500–4898 Hz; C. crucis range 4069–4435 Hz); note rate, higher in C. cordeiroi (range 6.20–7.46 s/note; C. crucis range 5.17–5.59 s/note); pulse rate, higher in C. cordeiroi (151.82–194.83 s/note; C. crucis range 125.30– 142.12 s/note); and the structure of the modulation patterns of the notes. Moreover, the advertisement calls of C. crucis and …
Carrion Beetle (Coleoptera: Silphidae) Carcass Selection: Effects Of Carcass Mass And Site Fidelity,
2013
Old Dominion University
Carrion Beetle (Coleoptera: Silphidae) Carcass Selection: Effects Of Carcass Mass And Site Fidelity, Jonathan M. Schmude
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
This study investigated reproductive behaviours of the carrion beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae) of southeastern Virginia. Carrion beetles have been known to have ranges of carcass masses used for reproductive behaviors. In this study, pitfall traps were baited with 25g, 50g, or 75g of a cat food/mackerel mixture and left to decay and attract beetles for one week to investigate if any Silphidae species prefer a single mass over another. This study investigated the carcass bait mass that is used on the subfamily and species level, and how the beetle mass plays a role in preference. The study also investigated the effect …
Fallow Deer Polyandry Is Related To Fertilization Insurance,
2013
Queen Mary University of London
Fallow Deer Polyandry Is Related To Fertilization Insurance, Elodie F. Briefer, Mary E. Farrell, Thomas J. Hayden, Alan G. Mcelligott
Ethology Collection
Polyandry is widespread, but its adaptive significance is not fully understood. The hypotheses used to explain its persistence have rarely been tested in the wild and particularly for large, long-lived mammals. We investigated polyandry in fallow deer, using female mating and reproduction data gathered over 10 years. Females of this species produce a single offspring (monotocous) and can live to 23 years old. Overall, polyandry was evident in 12 % of females and the long-term, consistent proportion of polyandrous females observed, suggests that monandry and polyandry represent alternative mating strategies. Females were more likely to be polyandrous when their first …
Acute Toxicity Of Copper Sulfate And Potassium Dichromate On Stygobiont Proasellus: General Aspects Of Groundwater Ecotoxicology And Future Perspectives,
2013
University of Copenhagen
Acute Toxicity Of Copper Sulfate And Potassium Dichromate On Stygobiont Proasellus: General Aspects Of Groundwater Ecotoxicology And Future Perspectives, Ana Reboleira, Nelson Abrantes, Pedro Oromí, Fernando Gonçalves
Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira
Karst systems harbor large groundwater resources for human consumption and represent an important habitat for rare and unprotected specialized animals, the so-called stygofauna. Due to the highly adapted features towards underground life, together with the geographic isolation provided by the subterranean aquifers, groundwater-dwelling animals may lose the ability to face sudden changes on their ecosystems, and therefore the risk of extinction is remarkably high. A little is known about their sensitiveness, especially linked to contamination pressure in urbanized karst areas. Understanding the impact of contaminants on stygofauna is important for setting groundwater environmental quality and management of karst systems. We …
