Find research datasets worth reusing

opencc-by-4.0May 2019View details →

An experimental investigation on the water retention behaviour of a silty soil for the computation of the lateral earth thrust on a retaining wall.

The dataset is linked with the conference paper available open access with the same title. In the excel file, each spreadsheet reports the data of the figures available in the manuscript.

opencc-by-4.0Dec 2016View details →

Behavioural Impact of Enclosure Relocation on Asiatic Elephants (Elephas maximus) in Artis Royal Zoo, Amsterdam.

It can have negative consequences when the standards of well-being of animal are not met in a captive environment. The main priority of this study was to determine whether a more enriched enclosure could reduce stereotypic behaviour and increase natural behaviours in captive Asiatic elephants, and thus increase well-being. In order to answer this question the Asiatic elephants in Artis Royal Zoo were studied. Artis Royal Zoo had built a new enclosure to improve the well-being of their elephants. Activity budgets of the three elephants of both the new and old enclosure were studied. Observation was done over a period of three months ,between April 2017 and July 2017 for a total of 26 days. Only Thong-Thai, mother of Yindee and Sanuk, exhibited stereotypic behaviour. There was a significant difference found between the stereotypic behaviour averages per enclosure when consume/forage behaviour and enclosures were included in the model. Both Thong-Thai and Yindee reduced their consume/foraging behaviour when relocated. All three elephants increased in walking behaviour when relocated with a maximum difference exhibited by Yindee. Only Yindee increased in enrichment use behaviour. Also, like Rees (2009), a negative correlation was found between stereotypic behaviour and consume/foraging behaviour in both enclosures. The behavioural data can only give an indication of improved well-being and we may not have seen extreme positive signs yet but we can say that the new enclosure provides a more abundant set of options to the elephants. These extra options remove mental and physical barriers and stimulate the animal to exhibit natural behaviour which can only be a good thing (McPhee & Carlstead, 2010).

opencc-zeroApr 2024View details →

Data from: The effect of environmental variation on the relationship between survival and risk-taking behaviour in a migratory songbird

Temporal changes in environmental conditions may play a major role in the year-to-year variation in fitness consequences of behaviours. Identifying environmental drivers of such variation is crucial to understand the evolutionary trajectories of behaviours in natural contexts. However, our understanding of how environmental variation influences behaviours in the wild remains limited. Using data collected over 14 breeding seasons from a collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) population, we examined the effect of environmental variation on the relationship between survival and risk-taking behaviour, a highly variable behavioural trait with great evolutionary and ecological significance. Specifically, using annual recapture probability as a proxy of survival, we evaluated the specific effect of predation pressure, food availability and mean temperature on the relationship between annual recapture probability and risk-taking behaviour (measured as flight initiation distance, FID). We found a negative trend, as the relationship between annual recapture probability and FID decreased over the study years, and changed from positive to negative. Specifically, in the early years of the study, risk-avoiding individuals exhibited a higher annual recapture probability, whereas in the later years, risk-avoiders had a lower annual recapture probability. However, we did not find evidence that any of the considered environmental factors mediated the variation in the relationship between survival and risk-taking behaviour.

opencc-by-4.0Apr 2024View details →

data and code from: Submissive behaviour is affected by group size in a social fish

This repository contains data on individual aggression and submissive behaviour, collected during laboratory observations of agonistic interactions within Neolamprologus pulcher daffodil cichlids social groups, and the R code used to analyse the data.

Data for: Domestic cat accelerometer data calibrated with behaviours

Observing animals in the wild often poses extreme challenges, but animal-borne accelerometers are increasingly revealing unobservable behaviours. Automated machine learning streamlines behaviour identification from the substantial datasets generated during multi-animal, long-term studies, however, the accuracy of such models depends on the qualities of the training data. We examined how data processing influenced the predictive accuracy of random forest (RF) models, leveraging the easily observed domestic cat (Felis catus) as a model organism for terrestrial mammalian behaviours. Nine indoor domestic cats were equipped with collar-mounted tri-axial accelerometers, and behaviours were recorded alongside video footage. From this calibrated data, eight datasets were derived with; (i) additional descriptive variables; (ii) altered frequencies of acceleration data (40 Hz vs. a mean over 1 second); and (iii) standardised durations of different behaviours. These training datasets were used to generate RF models which were validated against calibrated cat behaviours before identifying behaviours of five free-ranging tag-equipped cats. These predictions were compared to those identified manually to validate the accuracy of the RF models for free-ranging animal behaviours. RF models accurately predicted the behaviours of indoor domestic cats (F-measure up to 0.96) with discernible improvements observed with post-data-collection processing. Additional variables, standardized durations of behaviours, and higher recording frequencies improved model accuracy. However, prediction accuracy varied with different behaviours, where high-frequency models excelled in identifying fast paced behaviours (e.g. locomotion), while lower frequency models (1 Hz) more accurately identified slower, aperiodic behaviours such as grooming and feeding, particularly when examining free-ranging cat behaviours. While RF modelling offered a robust means of behaviour identification from accelerometer data, field validations were important to validate model accuracy for free-ranging individuals. Future studies may benefit from employing similar data processing methods that enhance RF behaviour identification accuracy, with extensive advantages for investigations into ecology, welfare, and management of wild animals.

Behavioural changes in aposematic Heliconius melpomene butterflies in response to their predatory bird calls

Prey-predator interactions have resulted in the evolution of many anti-predatory traits. One of them is the ability of prey to listen to predators and avoid them. Although prey anti-predatory behavioural responses to predator auditory cues are well described in a wide range of taxa, studies on whether butterflies change their behaviours in response to their predatory calls are lacking. Heliconius butterflies are unpalatable and form Müllerian mimicry rings as morphological defence strategies against their avian predators. Like many other butterflies in the Nymphalidae family, some Heliconius butterflies possess auditory organs, which are hypothesized to assist with predator detection. Here we test whether Heliconius melpomene changes their behaviour in response to their predatory bird calls by observing the behaviour of male and female H. m. plessini exposed to calls of Heliconius avian predators: rufous-tailed jacamar, migratory Eastern kingbird, and resident tropical kingbird. We also exposed them to the calls of the toco toucan, a frugivorous bird as a control bird call, and an amplified greenhouse background noise as a noise control. We found that individuals changed their behaviour in response to Jacamar calls only. Males increased their walking and fluttering behaviour, while females did not change their behaviour during the playback of the jacamar call. Intersexual behaviours like courtship, copulation, and abdomen lifting did not change in response to bird calls. Our findings suggest that despite having primary predatory defences like toxicity and being in a mimicry ring, H. m. plessini butterflies changed their behaviour in response to predator calls. Furthermore, this response was predator-specific, as H. m. plesseni did not respond to either the Eastern kingbird or the tropic kingbird calls. This suggests that Heliconius butterflies may be able to differentiate predatory calls, and potentially the birds associated with those calls.

Risky sexual behaviours and utilization of HIV testing services among the adolescent girls and young women aged between 15-24 years in Kibra Sub County, Nairobi County, Kenya

Introduction: HIV remains a significant global health challenge, disproportionately affecting adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). HIV testing is crucial in controlling the infection and reducing its prevalence. Understanding risky sexual behaviors among AGYW is pivotal in aligning prevention interventions. Despite global prevention efforts, testing gaps persist among AGYW, linked to risky sexual behavior (RSB). This study explores the association between these behaviors and HIV testing utilization among AGYW (aged 15-24) in Kibra Sub County, Nairobi. Methods: A cross-sectional study sampled 379 AGYW from three wards in Kibra Sub County in Nairobi County. To be an eligible participant, one must have been a resident for at least one year before the time of the study and aged between 15-24 years, employing standardized structured interviewer-administered questionnaires and statistical analyses. Results were analyzed using Chi-square tests and logistic regression. Data was collected between June to July 2023. Results: Overall, HIV testing prevalence was 60.7% (n=230). Those aged 20-24 were 71.3% (n=164), with secondary education were 63.5% (n=146) and married 28.7% (66) were more likely to undergo testing. Participants engaging in risky behaviors such as lack of condom use (3.96 times more likely), experiencing gender-based violence (4.65 times more likely), or contracting STIs (2.85 times more likely) had higher odds of seeking HIV testing services. Conclusion: This study establishes a clear link between risky sexual behaviors and HIV testing among AGYW, with a 60.7% testing prevalence; however, gaps still exist. Efforts to enhance testing rates are vital. Interventions should align with acceptable methods, focusing on this high-risk group to ensure effective HIV care and prevention.

opencc-by-4.0May 2024View details →

Data and Scripts associated with "Fisher activity patterns show potential for behavioural adaptations to human modified landscapes"

Script and data for running both models from manuscript. Data contains daily and nightly mean activity levels (ODBA) for fisher captured from 2021-2023 in Rhode Island, USA.

Finotypic plasticity: Predator-induced plasticity in fin size, darkness, and display behaviour in a teleost fish

Fish fins are remarkable devices of propulsion. Fin morphology is intimately linked to locomotor performance, and hence to behaviours that influence fitness, such as foraging and predator avoidance. This foreshadows a connection between fin morphology and variation in predation risk. Yet, whether prey can adjust fin morphology according to changes in perceived risk within their lifetime (a.k.a. predator-induced plasticity) remains elusive. Here, we quantify the structural size of five focal fins in crucian carp (Carassius carassius) following controlled manipulations to perceived predation risk (presence/absence of pike Esox lucius). We also assess if crucian carp respond to increased predation risk by shifts in dorsal fin colouration, and test for differences in how fish actively use their dorsal fins by quantifying the area of the fin displayed in behavioural trials. We find that crucian carp show phenotypic plasticity with regard to fin size as predator-exposed fish consistently have larger fins. Individuals exposed to perceived predation risk also increased dorsal fin darkness and actively displayed a larger area of the fin to potential predators. Our result thus provides compelling evidence for predator-induced fin enlargement, which should result in enhanced escape swimming performance. Moreover, fin-size plasticity may evolve synergistically with fin colouration and display behaviour, and we suggest that the adaptive value of this synergy is to enhance the silhouette of deep-bodied and hard-to-capture prey to deter gape-limited predators prior to an attack. Together, our results provide new perspectives on the role of predation risk for the development and evolution of fins.

Data from: Fake news? The impact of information mismatch in mating behaviour

Multiple cues are often used for mate choice in complex environments, potentially entailing mismatches between different sources of information. We address the consequences thereof for receivers using the spider mite Tetranychus urticae, in which virgin females are highly valuable mates compared to mated females, given first male sperm precedence. Accordingly, males prefer virgins and distinguish them using cues from the females and/or that are present on the substrate. Whereas the former are more reliable, the latter may allow for a faster or more long-distance response. However, there can be mismatched information between cues as females move and/or mate. Here, we tested the consequences thereof by exposing males to mated or virgin females on patches previously impregnated with cues deposited by females of either mating status. Male mating attempts were solely affected by substrate cues while female acceptance and the number of mating events were independently affected by both cues. Copulation duration, in contrast, depended mainly on the mating status of the female, with the number of copulations and the total time spent mating being intermediate in environments with mismatched information. Ultimately, male survival costs mirrored male investment in mating. These results suggest that, in environments with mismatched information, the substrate cues left by females are instrumental for males to find their mates, but they can also lead to males paying survival costs without the associated benefit of mating effectively, or suffering reduced costs at the expense of losing effective mating opportunities. The benefit of using multiple cues will then hinge upon the frequency of information mismatch, which itself should vary with the dynamics of populations.

Data from: Behavioural responses of brown bears to roads and hunting disturbance

Harvest regulations commonly attenuate the consequences of hunting on specific segments of a population. However, regulations may not protect individuals from non-lethal effects of hunting and their consequences remain poorly understood. In this study, we compared the movement rates of Scandinavian brown bears (Ursus arctos, n = 47) across spatiotemporal variations in risk in relation to the onset of bear hunting. We tested two alternative hypotheses based on whether behavioural responses to hunting involve hiding or escaping. If bears try to reduce risk exposure by avoiding being detected by hunters, we expect individuals from all demographic groups to reduce their movement rate during the hunting season. On the other hand, if bear avoid hunters by escaping, we expect them to increase their movement rate in order to leave high-risk areas faster. We found an increased movement rate in females accompanied by dependent offspring during the morning hours of the bear hunting season, a general decrease in movement rate in adult lone females, and no changes in males and subadult females. The increased movement rate that we observed in females with dependant offspring during the hunting season was likely an antipredator response because it only occurred in areas located closer to roads, whereas the decreased movement rate in lone females could be either part of a seasonal activity patterns or be associated with an increased selection for better concealment. Our study suggests that female brown bears accompanied by offspring likely move faster in high-risk areas to minimize risk exposure as well as the costly trade-offs (i.e., time spent foraging versus time spent hiding) typically associated with anti-predator tactics that involve changes in resource selection. Our study also highlights the importance of modeling fine-scale spatiotemporal variations in risk to adequately capture the complexity in behavioural responses caused by human activities in wildlife.

Navigating the landscape of fear: Fruit flies exhibit distinct anti-predator and anti-parasite defensive behaviours

Most organisms are at risk of being consumed by a predator or infected by a parasite at some point in their life. Theoretical constructs such as the landscape of fear (perception of risk) and non-consumptive effects (NCEs, costly responses sans predation or infection) have been proposed to describe and quantify anti-predator and anti-parasite responses. How prey/host species identify and respond to these risks determines their survival, reproductive success and, ultimately, fitness. Most studies to date have focused on either predator-prey or parasite-host interactions, yet habitats and ecosystems contain both parasitic and/or predatory species that represent a complex and heterogenous mosaic of risk factors. Here, we experimentally investigated the behavioural responses of a cactophilic fruit fly, Drosophila nigrospiracula, exposed to a range of species that include parasites (ectoparasitic mite), predators (jumping spiders), as well harmless heterospecifics (non-parasitic mites, ants and weevils). We demonstrate that D. nigrospiracula can differentiate between threat and non-threat species, increase erratic movements and decrease velocity in the presence of parasites, but decrease erratic movements and time spent grooming in the presence of predators. Of particular importance, flies could distinguish between parasitic female mites and non-parasitic male mites of the same species, and respond accordingly. We also show that the direction of these non-consumptive effects differ when exposed to parasitic mites (i.e., risk of infection) versus spiders (i.e., risk of predation). Given the opposing effects of predation versus infection risk on fly behaviour, we discuss potential trade-offs between parasite and predator avoidance behaviours. Our findings illustrate the complexity of risk assessment in a landscape of fear and the fine-tuned non-consumptive effects that arise in response. Moreover, this study is the first to examine these behavioural NCEs in a terrestrial system.

Sexually antagonistic coevolution of the male nuptial gift and female feeding behaviour in decorated crickets

The evolution of nuptial gifts has traditionally been considered a harmonious affair, providing benefits to both mating partners. There is growing evidence, however, that receiving a nuptial gift can be actively detrimental to the female. In decorated crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus), males produce a gelatinous spermatophylax that enhances sperm transfer but provides little nutritional benefit and hinders female post-copulatory mate choice. Here, we examine the sexually antagonistic coevolution of the spermatophylax and the female feeding response to this gift in G. sigillatus maintained in experimental populations with either a male-biased or female-biased adult sex ratio. After 25 generations, males evolving in male-biased populations produced heavier spermatophylaxes with a more manipulative combination of free amino acids than those evolving in female-biased populations. Moreover, when the spermatophylax originated from the same selection regime, females evolving in male-biased populations always had shorter feeding durations than those evolving in female-biased populations indicating the evolution of greater resistance. Across populations, female feeding duration increased with the mass and manipulative combination of free amino acids in the spermatophylax suggesting sexually antagonistic coevolution. Collectively, our work demonstrates a key role for interlocus sexual conflict and sexually antagonistic coevolution in the mating system of G. sigillatus.

Data from: Identification of reindeer fine-scale foraging behaviour using tri-axial accelerometer data

Animal behavioural responses to the environment ultimately affect their survival. Monitoring animal fine-scale behaviour may improve understanding of animal functional response to the environment and provide an important indicator of the welfare of both wild and domesticated species. In this study, we illustrate the application of collar-attached acceleration sensors for investigating reindeer fine-scale behaviour. Using data from 19 reindeer, we tested the supervised machine learning algorithms random forests, support vector machines, and hidden Markov models to classify reindeer behaviour into seven classes: grazing, browsing low from shrubs or browsing high from trees, inactivity, walking, trotting, and other behaviours. We implemented leave-one-subject-out cross-validation to assess generalizable results on new individuals. Our main results illustrated that hidden Markov models were able to classify collar-attached accelerometer data into all our pre-defined behaviours of reindeer with reasonable accuracy while random forests and support vector machines were biased towards dominant classes. Random forests using 5-second windows had the highest overall accuracy (85%), while hidden Markov models were able to best predict individual behaviours and handle rare behaviours such as trotting and browsing high. We conclude that hidden Markov models provide a useful tool to remotely monitor reindeer and potentially other large herbivore species behaviour. These methods will allow us to quantify fine-scale behavioural processes in relation to environmental events.

Observations of moose behaviour and foraging choices in summer

Understanding how the nutritional properties of food resources drive foraging choices is important for the management and conservation of wildlife populations. For moose (Alces alces), recent experimental and observational studies during the winter have shown macronutrient balancing between available protein (AP) and highly metabolizable macronutrients (total non-structural carbohydrates [TNC] and lipids). Here, we combined the use of continuous-recording camera collars with plant nutrient analyses and forage availability measurements to obtain a detailed insight into the food and nutritional choices of three wild moose in Norway over a five-day period in summer. We found that moose derived their macronutrient energy primarily from carbohydrates (74.2%), followed by protein (13.1%), and lipids (12.7%). Diets were dominated by deciduous tree browse (71%). Willows (Salix spp.) were selected for and constituted 51% of the average diet. Moose consumed 25 different food items during the study period of which nine comprised 95% of the diet. Moose tightly regulated their intake of protein to highly metabolizable macronutrients (AP:TNC+lipids). They did this by feeding on foods that most closely matched the target macronutrient ratio such as Salix spp., or by combining nutritionally imbalanced foods (complementary feeding) in a non-random manner that minimized deviations from the intake target. The observed patterns of macronutrient balancing aligned well with the findings of winter studies. Differential feeding on nutritionally balanced downy birch (Betula pubescens) leaves versus imbalanced twigs+leaves across moose individuals indicated that macronutrient balancing may occur on as fine a scale as foraging bites on a single plant species. Utilized forages generally met the suggested requirement thresholds for the minerals calcium, phosphorus, copper, molybdenum, and magnesium but tended to be low in sodium. Our findings offer new insights into the foraging behavior of a model species in ungulate nutritional ecology and contribute to informed decision-making in wildlife and forest management.

Behaviour of dissolved inorganic salts in the cooling water of a nuclear power plant open recirculation system and formation of water discharge

The main problem in the operation of nuclear power plants is the scale formation of mineral impurities in an open recirculating system. However, water discharge from an open recirculating system into water bodies can lead to changes in the chemical equilibrium of wastewater components and requires constant monitoring. The purpose of this study was to analyse the behaviour of dissolved inorganic salts in water in an open recirculating system during water treatment using the example of the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant. Moreover, the analysis impact of their discharge with return water in the Styr River. The dissolved inorganic salt concentration has a significant impact on the efficiency of the system and the environment of an open recirculating system power plant. Altogether, each dissolved inorganic salt component was analysed separately using standard measurement methods, using statistical methods of data processing, and correlation analysis. In addition, the annual discharge of the dissolved inorganic salts components was calculated and the amount of discharge was assessed for compliance with the maximum discharge limit. Thus, the influence of the formation of the dissolved inorganic salts and changes in their concentration value during the discharge of returned water into a natural water body was analysed.

opencc-by-4.0May 2024View details →

Classification of African ground pangolin behaviour based on accelerometer readouts: validation of bio-logging methods

Data and R Scripts for the manuscript titled "Classification of African ground pangolin behaviour based on accelerometer readouts: validation of bio-logging methods". Code is for labelling accelerometer data and running a random forest model. Script01. Label the accelerometer data with behavioural labels from BORIS Script02. Create summary metrics and resample frequencies. This includes code adapted from (Clark, 2019; Clark et al., 2022). https://ore.exeter.ac.uk/repository/handle/10871/120152, https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v701/p145-157/ Script03. Run random forest for each frequency and smoothing window. AccelerometerData.zip containes Files grouped by individual. For each individual there is: Accelerometer_data: Accelerometer data. ID: BORIS behaviour output ID_labs: Labelled accelerometer data

Data from: Hyperbolic discounting underpins response curves of mammalian avoidance behaviour

As humans clear natural habitat they are brought into increased conflict with wild animals. Some conflict is direct (e.g., elevated exposure of people to predators), some indirect (e.g., abandoning suitable habitat because of human activity). The magnitude of avoidance is expected to track frequency of human activity, but the type of response is an open question. We postulated that animals do not respond passively to increased disturbance, nor does response follow a power law; instead, their ability to estimate magnitude leads to 'discounting' behaviour, as in classic time-to-reward economic models in which individuals discount larger value (or risk) in more distant time. We used a ten-year camera dataset from southern California to characterise response curves of seven mammal species. Bayesian regressions of two non-discounting models (exponential and inverse polynomial) and two discounting models (hyperbolic and harmonic) revealed that the latter better fit response curves. The Arps equation, from petroleum extraction modelling, was used to estimate a discount exponent, a taxon-specific 'sensitivity' to humans, yielding a general model across species. Although discounting can mean mammal activity recovers rapidly after disturbance, increased recreational pressure on reserves limits recovery potential, highlighting a need to strike a balance between animal conservation and human use.

opencc-by-4.0Jun 2024View details →

Walker et al - Prolactin and the shared regulation of parental care and cooperative helping behaviour in white-browed sparrow weaver societies - Data Set

This file provides the data set supporting the analyses presented in a Walker et al manuscript titled "Prolactin and the shared regulation of parental care and cooperative helping behaviour in white-browed sparrow weaver societies" at first submission for review.