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505 results for “specialist”
Native generalist natural enemies and an introduced specialist parasitoid together control an invasive forest insect
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Data from: Different genetic structures revealed resident populations of a specialist parasitoid wasp in contrast to its migratory host
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Seasonal role of a specialist predator in rodent cycles: Ermine-lemming interactions in the High Arctic
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Data from: Insights into the population genetics of an extreme habitat specialist, the wood ant commensal Formicoxenus nitidulus
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Contrasting effects of host or local specialization: widespread haemosporidians are host generalist whereas local specialists are locally abundant
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Data from: The spotted parrotfish genome provides evolutionary insight into the ecological adaptation of a keystone dietary specialist
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Shifts from non-obligate generalists to obligate specialists in simulations of mutualistic network assembly
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Data from: Underrepresentation of dietary specialist larval Lepidoptera in small forest fragments: Testing alternative mechanisms
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Tool use aids prey-fishing in a specialist predator of stingless bees
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Data for: Specialist carabids in mixed montane forests are positively associated with biodiversity-oriented forestry and abundance of roe deer
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Data from: Disease from leaves to landscapes: Viral hotspots are determined by spatial arrangement and phytochemistry of host plants in specialist caterpillars
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Environmental stochasticity increases extinction risk to a greater degree in pollination specialists than in generalists
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Swim with the tide: tactics to maximise prey detection by a specialist predator, the greater sea snake (Hydrophis major)
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>The fitness of a predator depends upon its ability to locate and capture prey; and thus, increasing dietary specialization should favor the evolution of species-specific foraging tactics tuned to <span><span>taxon</span></span>-specific habitats and cues. Within marine environments, prey detectability (e.g., via visual or chemical cues) is affected by environmental conditions (e.g., water clarity and tidal flow), such that specialist predators would be expected to synchronize their foraging activity with cyclic variation in such conditions. In the present study, we combined behavioral-ecology experiments on captive sea snakes and their prey (catfish) with acoustic tracking of free-ranging sea snakes, to explore the use of waterborne chemical cues in this predator-prey interaction. In coral-reef ecosystems of New Caledonia, the greater sea snake (<i>Hydrophis major</i>) feeds only upon striped eel catfish (<i>Plotosus lineatus</i>). Captive snakes became more active after exposure to waterborne chemical cues from catfish, whereas catfish did not avoid <span><span>chemical</span></span> cues from snakes. Movement patterns of tracked snakes showed that individuals were most active on a rapidly falling tide, which is the time when <span><span>chemical</span></span> cues from hidden catfish are <span><span>likely to be</span></span> most readily available to a foraging predator. By synchronizing foraging effort with the tidal cycle, greater sea snakes may be able to exploit the availability of chemical cues during a rapidly falling tide to maximize efficiency in locating and capturing prey. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
Elevated atmospheric concentrations of CO2 increase endogenous immune function in a specialist herbivore
<p>1. Animals rely on a balance of endogenous and exogenous sources of immunity to mitigate parasite attack. Understanding how environmental context affects that balance is increasingly urgent under rapid environmental change. In herbivores, immunity is determined, in part, by phytochemistry which is plastic in response to environmental conditions. Monarch butterflies, <i>Danaus plexippus,</i> consistently experience infection by a virulent parasite, <i>Ophryocystis elektroscirrha</i>, and some medicinal milkweed (<i>Asclepias</i>) species, with high concentrations of toxic steroids (cardenolides), provide a potent source of exogenous immunity. 2. We investigated plant-mediated influences of elevated CO<sub>2</sub> (eCO<sub>2</sub>) on endogenous immune responses of monarch larvae to infection by <i>O. elektroscirrha</i>. Recently, transcriptomics have revealed that infection by <i>O. elektroscirrha </i>does not alter monarch immune gene regulation in larvae, corroborating that monarchs rely more on exogenous than endogenous immunity. However, monarchs feeding on medicinal milkweed grown under eCO<sub>2</sub> lose tolerance to the parasite, associated with changes in phytochemistry. Whether changes in milkweed phytochemistry induced by eCO<sub>2</sub> alter the balance between exogenous and endogenous sources of immunity remains unknown. 3. We fed monarchs two species of milkweed; <i>A. curassavica</i> (medicinal) and <i>A. incarnata </i>(non-medicinal) grown under ambient CO<sub>2</sub> (aCO2) or eCO<sub>2</sub>. We then measured endogenous immune responses (phenoloxidase activity, hemocyte concentration, and melanization strength), along with foliar chemistry, to assess mechanisms of monarch immunity under future atmospheric conditions. 4. The melanization response of late-instar larvae was reduced on medicinal milkweed in comparison to non-medicinal milkweed. Moreover, the endogenous immune responses of early-instar larvae to infection by <i>O. elektroscirrha</i> were generally lower in larvae reared on foliage from aCO<sub>2</sub> plants and higher in larvae reared on foliage from eCO<sub>2</sub> plants. When grown under eCO<sub>2</sub>, milkweed plants exhibited lower cardenolide concentrations, lower phytochemical diversity, and lower nutritional quality (higher C:N ratios). Together, these results suggest that the loss of exogenous immunity from foliage under eCO<sub>2</sub> results in increased endogenous immune function. 5. Animal populations face multiple threats induced by anthropogenic environmental change. Our results suggest that shifts in the balance between exogenous and endogenous sources of immunity to parasite attack may represent an underappreciated consequence of environmental change. </p>
Strategies in herbivory by mammals revisited: The role of liver metabolism in a juniper specialist ( Neotoma stephensi ) and a generalist ( Neotoma albigula )
Although herbivory is widespread among mammals, few species have adopted a strategy of dietary specialization. Feeding on a single plant species often exposes herbivores to high doses of similar plant secondary metabolites (PSMs), which may exceed the animal's detoxification capacities. Therefore, theory predicts that specialists will have unique detoxification mechanisms to process high levels of dietary toxins. To evaluate this hypothesis, we compared liver metabolism of a juniper specialist, Neotoma stephensi (diet >85% juniper), to that of a sympatric generalist, N. albigula (diet ≤30% juniper). Specifically, we quantified the content of a key detoxification enzyme, cytochrome P450 2B (CYP2B) in liver microsomes, as well as the microsomal turnover of α-pinene, the most abundant terpene in the juniper species consumed by the specialist woodrat. In both Neotoma species, a 30% juniper diet increased CYP2B content (2-3x) and α-pinene turnover rates (4-fold). In N. stephensi, higher levels of dietary juniper (60% and 100%) further induced CYP2B content and increased turnover rates of α-pinene. Although no species-specific differences in α-pinene turnover rates were observed at 30% dietary juniper, CYP2B content was 1.7x higher in N. stephensi than in N. albigula (p<0.01). In N. stephensi, the rates of α-pinene turnover increased with dietary juniper and were positively correlated with CYP2B content. The ability of N. stephensi to elevate CYP2B content and rate of α-pinene turnover with increasing levels of juniper in the diet (from 30-100%) may facilitate juniper specialization in this species.
Small fish, large river: surprisingly minimal genetic structure in a dispersal-limited, habitat specialist fish
<p>Genetic connectivity is expected to be lower in species with limited dispersal ability and a high degree of habitat specialization (intrinsic factors). Also, gene flow is predicted to be limited by habitat conditions such as physical barriers and geographic distance (extrinsic factors). We investigated the effects of distance, intervening pools, and rapids on gene flow in a species, the Tuxedo Darter (<i>Etheostoma lemniscatum</i>), a habitat specialist that is presumed to be dispersal-limited. We predicted that the interplay between these intrinsic and extrinsic factors would limit dispersal and lead to genetic structure even at the small spatial scale of the species range (a 38.6 km river reach). The simple linear distribution of <i>E. lemniscatum </i>allowed for an ideal test of how these factors acted on gene flow and allowed us to test expectations (e.g., isolation-by-distance) of linearly distributed species. Using 20 microsatellites from 163 individuals collected from 18 habitat patches, we observed low levels of genetic structure that were related to geographic distance and rapids, though these factors were not barriers to gene flow. Pools separating habitat patches did not contribute to any observed genetic structure. Overall, <i>E. lemniscatum</i> maintains gene flow across its range and is comprised of a single population. Due to the linear distribution of the species, a stepping stone model of dispersal best explains the maintenance of gene flow across its small range. In general, our observation of higher than expected connectivity likely stems from an adaptation to disperse due to temporally unstable and patchy habitat.</p>
Changes in arthropod community but not plant quality benefit a specialist herbivore on plants under reduced water availability
<p>Plants growing under reduced water availability can affect insect herbivores differently, in some instances benefitting them. However, the forces mediating these positive impacts remain mostly unclear. To identify how water availability impacts plant quality and multitrophic interactions, we conducted manipulative field studies with two populations of the specialist herbivore <i>Pieris rapae</i>, and its host plant, <i>Rorippa indica</i>. We found that <i>P. rapae </i>larvae experienced higher survival on <i>R. indica</i> growing under low water availability compared with plants grown under high water availability. Higher survival of eggs and larvae was related to the reduced abundance of other herbivores and natural enemies. Water availability had differential impacts on other members of the herbivore community by altering plant quality. Low water availability decreased the quality of <i>R. indica</i> to most herbivores, as indicated by reduced abundance in the field and decreased relative growth rate in laboratory feeding assays. In contrast, <i>P. rapae </i>larval performance was not affected by sympatric <i>R. indica </i>grown under different water availability. These results indicate that local <i>P. rapae</i> populations possess physiological adaptations to overcome fluctuations in host quality. Our findings illustrate that reduced water availability is beneficial to a specialist herbivore but detrimental to most other herbivores. Our work highlights the complex effects of the arthropod communities associated with plants in determining the impacts of water availability on insect herbivores.</p>
Data from: Changes in behavior are unable to disrupt a trophic cascade involving a specialist herbivore and its food plant
Changes in ecological conditions can induce changes in behavior and demography of wild organisms, which in turn may influence population dynamics. Black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) nesting in colonies on the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta (YKD) in western Alaska have declined substantially (~50%) since the turn of the century. Black brant are herbivores that rely heavily on Carex subspathacea (Hoppner's sedge) during growth and development. The availability of C. subspathacea affects gosling growth rates, which subsequently affect pre‐ and postfledging survival, as well as size and breeding probability as an adult. We predicted that long‐term declines in C. subspathacea have affected gosling growth rates, despite the potential of behavior to buffer changes in food availability during brood rearing. We used Bayesian hierarchical mixed‐effects models to examine long‐term (1987–2015) shifts in brant behavior during brood rearing, forage availability, and gosling growth rates at the Tutakoke River colony. We showed that locomotion behaviors have increased (β = 0.05, 95% CRI: 0.032–0.068) while resting behaviors have decreased (β = −0.024, 95% CRI: −0.041 to −0.007), potentially in response to long‐term shifts in forage availability and brood density. Concurrently, gosling growth rates have decreased substantially (β = −0.100, 95% CRI: −0.191 to −0.016) despite shifts in behavior, mirroring long‐term declines in the abundance of C. subspathacea (β = −0.191, 95% CRI: −0.355 to −0.032). These results have important implications for individual fitness and population viability, where shifts in gosling behavior putatively fail to mitigate long‐term declines in forage availability.
Shorebird feeding specialists differ in how environmental conditions alter their foraging time
<p>Feeding specialisation is a common cause of individual variation. Fitness payoffs of specialisation vary with environmental conditions, but the underlying behavioural mechanisms are poorly understood. Such mechanistic knowledge, however, is crucial to reliably predict responses of heterogeneous populations to environmental change. We quantified spatiotemporal allocation of foraging behaviour in wintering Eurasian oystercatchers (<i>Haematopus ostralegus</i>), a species in which feeding specialisation can be inferred from bill shape. We combined GPS and accelerometer data to quantify foraging time of 64 individuals for every tidal period in one or two winter seasons. Individuals varied widely in foraging time (3.7-6.5 hours per tidal period) and individuals that spend more time foraging had lower inferred survival. Feeding specialisation appeared a major determinant of individual variation in foraging time and its spatiotemporal allocation. Visually-hunting worm specialists foraged more during day-time and complemented intertidal foraging with grassland foraging when the exposure of intertidal flats was limited and nights were well-illuminated. Shellfish specialists increased total foraging time in cold weather, whereas foraging time of worm specialists decreased as frosty grasslands became inaccessible. Our results imply that worm specialists may be most sensitive to cold snaps and day-time disturbance, while shellfish specialists are most sensitive to high water levels. These behavioural responses can be implemented in population models to predict the vulnerability of heterogeneous populations to environmental change, and thereby provide a shortcut to long-term population studies that require fitness data across many years and conditions to make similar projections.</p>
Data from: The demography of a resource specialist in the tropics: Cecropia trees and the fitness of three-toed sloths
Resource specialists persist on a narrow range of resources. Consequently, the abundance of key resources should drive vital rates, individual fitness and population viability. While Neotropical forests feature both high levels of biodiversity and numbers of specialist species, no studies have directly evaluated how the variation of key resources affects the fitness of a tropical specialist. Here, we quantified the effect of key tree species density and forest cover on the fitness of three-toed sloths (Bradypus variegatus), an arboreal folivore strongly associated with Cecropia trees, in Costa Rica using a multi-year demographic, genetic and space use dataset. We found that the density of Cecropia trees was strongly and positively related to both adult survival and reproductive output. A matrix model parameterized with Cecropia-demography relationships suggested positive growth of sloth populations, even at low densities of Cecropia (0.7 trees/ha). Our study shows the first direct link between the density of a key resource to demographic consequences of a tropical specialist, underscoring the sensitivity of tropical specialists to the loss of a single key resource, but also point to targeted conservation measures to increase that resource. Finally, our study reveals that previously disturbed and regenerating environments can support viable populations of tropical specialists.
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Allen Brain Atlas
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Annotated Behaviour and Observability Dataset (ABODe)
ABODe is a University of Edinburgh DataShare dataset for behavior classification in group-housed mice using home-cage video, identities, bounding boxes, ground-plate positions, and annotator labels.
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The International Brain Laboratory public data releases expose standardized mouse decision-making experiments, including Neuropixels recordings, widefield calcium imaging, behavior, and session metadata accessed through the ONE API.
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