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434 results for “conspecifics”
FIGURE 2 in On the identities of Nepinnotheres vicajii (Chhapgar, 1957) and Arcotheres casta (Antony & Kuttyamma, 1971) from western India: conspecificity and taxonomy (Decapoda, Brachyura, Pinnotheridae)
FIGURE 2. Arcotheres vicajii (Chhapgar, 1957) comb. nov., female (CW 8.6 mm, CL 7.7 mm) (LFSC.ZRC-115), Mumbai, India. A, carapace; B, right chela outer view; C, right chela inner view; D, pleon; E, frontal view; F, left MXP3. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.
Data from: Conspecific olfactory preferences and interspecific divergence in odor cues in a chickadee hybrid zone
Understanding how mating cues promote reproductive isolation upon secondary contact is important in describing the speciation process in animals. Divergent chemical cues have been shown to act in reproductive isolation across many animal taxa. However, such cues have been overlooked in avian speciation, particularly in passerines, in favor of more traditional signals such as song and plumage. Here we aim to test the potential for odor to act as a mate choice cue, and therefore contribute to premating reproductive isolation between the black-capped (Poecile atricapillus) and Carolina chickadee (P. carolinensis) in eastern Pennsylvania hybrid zone populations. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, we document significant species differences in uropygial gland oil chemistry, especially in the ratio of ester to non-ester compounds. We also show significant preferences for conspecific over heterospecific odor cues in wild chickadees using a Y-maze design. Our results suggest that odor may be an overlooked but important mating cue in these chickadees, potentially promoting premating reproductive isolation. We further discuss several promising avenues for future research in songbird olfactory communication and speciation.
Data from: Conspecifics, not pollen, reduce omnivore prey consumption
Pollen can decrease (via reduced consumption) or increase (via numerical response) an omnivores consumption of animal prey. Although pollen can increase predation pressure through numerical responses of omnivores, pollen may also suppress predation by increasing omnivore interactions with conspecifics. Despite this potential, studies of the impacts of pollen on predation by omnivores often overlook the effect of these tissues on intraspecific interactions between omnivores. We designed three studies to examine how Spartina foliosa pollen and conspecific density impact scale insect prey consumption by ladybeetle (Naemia seriata) omnivores. First, we assessed how pollen impacts scale insect consumption by isolated ladybeetles. Second, we measured how pollen influences ladybeetle prey suppression when numerical responses were possible. Third, because initial experiments suggested the consumption rates of individual ladybeetles depended on conspecific density, we compared per capita consumption rates of ladybeetles across ladybeetle density. Pollen did not influence prey consumption by isolated ladybeetles. When numerical responses were possible, pollen did not influence total predation on prey despite increasing ladybeetle density, suggesting that pollen decreased per capita prey consumption by ladybeetles. The discrepancy between these studies is likely a consequence of differences in ladybeetle density— the presence of only two other conspecifics decreased per capita prey consumption by 76%. Our findings suggest that pollen may not alter the population level effects of omnivores on prey when omnivore numerical responses are offset by reductions in per capita predation rate.
Large mammalian herbivores contribute to conspecific negative density dependence in a temperate forest
<p>1. The Janzen-Connell Hypothesis (JCH) predicts that density-responsive and host-specific natural enemies limit the population sizes of abundant species. Importantly, these interactions help to maintain local community diversity through time. While ample evidence exists for the demographic predictions of the JCH, it remains unclear which natural enemies drive these dynamics across different plant communities.</p> <p>2. While large mammalian herbivores are often assumed to lack the specialized diet needed to drive Janzen-Connell effects, they do show a degree of host-preference that could drive density-dependent plant demography. However, the potential role of large mammalian herbivores in Janzen-Connell interactions has only rarely been investigated.</p> <p>3. Using 204 seedling transects (1 x 10 m) at 51 sites across a 900-hectare forested reserve in southwestern Pennsylvania (USA), we examined the role that large mammals play in driving conspecific negative density dependence (CNDD) in temperate tree seedlings. Individual fences were erected around half of the transects (N=102) to exclude large mammals, and were paired with adjacent unfenced transects. Within transects, a total of ~15,000 individual seedlings were monitored over three growing seasons.</p> <p>4. Demographic neighborhood models were constructed to examine the influence of neighborhood composition and density on seedling survival and growth. An interaction term between conspecific neighbor density and fencing treatment was included to test the hypothesis that large herbivores cause CNDD.</p> <p>5. We found that seedling survival was influenced by both conspecific neighbor density and fencing. CNDD was strongest when large mammals were allowed access to seedlings, and these results were driven by two abundant taxa (Prunus serotina and Fraxinus spp). Despite evidence that large mammals mediate CNDD, we found no effect of fencing on rarified species richness or evenness in seedling transects during the study.</p> <p>6. Synthesis: Debate regarding the role of large herbivores in fostering the diversity and stability of forest communities continues. Our results indicate that large mammalian herbivores can cause CNDD in some temperate tree species, but whether they help to promote community diversity over time remains unclear. Further research is needed to assess the role of large mammalian herbivores in driving conspecific negative density dependence in plant communities.</p>
Hopping on: Conspecific traveller density within a vehicle regulates parasitic hitchhiking between ephemeral microcosms
<p>Hitchhikers (phoretic organisms) identify their vehicles using species-specific visual, chemical and vibrational cues. However, what factors influence their choice between vehicles of the same species has rarely been investigated.</p> <p>Hitchhikers must not only avoid overcrowded vehicles but may also need to travel with conspecifics to ensure mates at their destination. Hence, a trade-off between overcrowding and presence of conspecifics likely determines choice of a vehicle especially when destination sites are distant, ephemeral and unique.</p> <p>Here, we investigate whether a trade-off between the presence of conspecifics vs overcrowding by conspecifics or heterospecifics on a vehicle affects hitchhiker choice. We also investigate the sensory modality responsible for this choice. We experimentally examine these questions using a phoretic nematode community (containing plant- and animal-parasitic taxa) obligately associated with a brood-site pollination mutualism. In this model system nematodes co-travel with conspecifics and heterospecifics on pollinators as vehicles, between ephemeral plant brood-sites to complete their developmental life cycle. In this system, hitchhiker overcrowding has proven negative impacts on vehicle and plant fitness. We expected nematodes to respond to conspecifics and heterospecific density on offered vehicles when making their choice.</p> <p>We found that animal-parasitic nematodes preferred vehicles containing some conspecifics within a certain density range. However, plant-parasitic nematodes preferentially boarded vehicles that were devoid of conspecifics or had few conspecifics. Plant parasites that preferred empty vehicles likely hitchhiked in pairs. Both nematode types employed volatile cues to discriminate between vehicles with different conspecific nematode densities. Our results suggest that vehicle overcrowding by conspecifics, most likely, guaranteed access to mates at the destination determined hitchhiker choice. Surprisingly, and contrary to our expectations, plant- and animal-parasitic nematodes did not respond to heterospecific crowding on vehicles and did not discriminate between vehicles with different heterospecific nematode densities. The reason for this lack of response to heterospecific presence is unknown.</p> <p>This study not only shows that phoretic organisms use different strategies while choosing a vehicle but also confirms that density-dependent effects can ensure the stability and persistence of phoretic interactions in a mutualism by balancing overcrowding against reproductive assurance.</p>
Data from: Experimental evidence of early costs of reproduction in conspecific viviparous and oviparous lizards
Reproduction entails costs, and disentangling the relative importance of each stage of the reproductive cycle may be important to assess the costs and benefits of different reproductive strategies. We studied the early costs of reproduction in oviparous and viviparous lizard females of the bimodal reproductive species Zootoca vivipara. Egg-retention time in oviparous females is approximately one third of the time in viviparous females. We compared the vitellogenesis and egg-retention stages which are common to both reproductive modes. Precisely, we monitored the thermoregulatory behaviour, the weight gain and the immunocompetence of the females. Moreover, we injected an antigen in half of the females (immune challenge) to study the trade-offs between reproductive mode and immune performance, and between different components of the immune system. Finally, we experimentally induced parturition in viviparous females at the time of egg-laying in oviparous females. Oviparous and viviparous females did not show strong differences in response to the immune challenge. However, viviparous females spent more time thermoregulating while partially hidden and gained more weight than oviparous females. The greater weight gain indicates that the initial period of egg-retention is less costly for viviparous than for oviparous females or that viviparous females are able to save and accumulate energy at this period. This energy may be used by viviparous females to cope with the subsequent costs of the last two thirds of the gestation. Such an ability to compensate the higher costs of a longer egg-retention period may account for the frequent evolution of viviparity in squamate reptiles.
Data from: Imprinting can cause a maladaptive preference for infectious conspecifics
Recognizing and associating with specific individuals, such as conspecifics or kin, brings many benefits. One mechanism underlying such recognition is imprinting: the long-term memory of cues encountered during development. Typically, juveniles imprint on cues of nearby individuals and may later associate with phenotypes matching their 'recognition template'. However, phenotype matching could lead to maladaptive social decisions if, for instance, individuals imprint on the cues of conspecifics infected with directly transmitted diseases. To investigate the role of imprinting in the sensory ecology of disease transmission, we exposed juvenile guppies, Poecilia reticulata, to the cues of healthy conspecifics, or to those experiencing disease caused by the directly transmitted parasite Gyrodactylus turnbulli. In a dichotomous choice test, adult 'disease-imprinted' guppies preferred to associate with the chemical cues of G. turnbulli-infected conspecifics, whereas 'healthy-imprinted' guppies preferred to associate with cues of uninfected conspecifics. These responses were only observed when stimulus fish were in late infection, suggesting imprinted fish responded to cues of disease, but not of infection alone. We discuss how maladaptive imprinting may promote disease transmission in natural populations of a social host.
Data from: Spatial patterns of the frog Oophaga pumilio in a plantation system are consistent with conspecific attraction
The conspecific attraction hypothesis predicts that individuals are attracted to conspecifics because conspecifics may be cues to quality habitat and/or colonists may benefit from living in aggregations. Poison frogs (Dendrobatidae) are aposematic, territorial, and visually oriented – three characteristics which make dendrobatids an appropriate model to test for conspecific attraction. In this study, we tested this hypothesis using an extensive mark-recapture dataset of the strawberry poison frog (Oophaga pumilio) from La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. Data were collected from replicate populations in a relatively homogenous Theobroma cacao plantation, which provided a unique opportunity to test how conspecifics influence spatial ecology of migrants in a controlled habitat with homogeneous structure. We predicted that (1) individuals entering a population would aggregate with resident adults, (2) migrants would share sites with residents at greater frequency than expected by chance, and (3) migrant home-ranges would have shorter nearest-neighbor distances (NND) to residents than expected by chance. The results were consistent with these three predictions: relative to random simulations, we observed significant aggregation, home-range overlap, and NND distribution functions in four, five, and six, respectively, of the six migrant-resident groups analyzed. Conspecific attraction may benefit migrant O. pumilio by providing cues to suitable home sites and/or increasing potential for social interactions with conspecifics; if true, these benefits should outweigh the negative effects of other factors associated with aggregation. The observed aggregation between migrant and resident O. pumilio is consistent with conspecific attraction in dendrobatid frogs, and our study provides rare support from a field setting that conspecific attraction may be a relevant mechanism for models of anuran spatial ecology.
Data from: Space use and social association in a gregarious ungulate: testing the conspecific attraction and resource dispersion hypotheses
Animals use a variety of proximate cues to assess habitat quality when resources vary spatiotemporally. Two nonmutually exclusive strategies to assess habitat quality involve either direct assessment of landscape features or observation of social cues from conspecifics as a form of information transfer about forage resources. The conspecific attraction hypothesis proposes that individual space use is dependent on the distribution of conspecifics rather than the location of resource patches, whereas the resource dispersion hypothesis proposes that individual space use and social association are driven by the abundance and distribution of resources. We tested the conspecific attraction and the resource dispersion hypotheses as two nonmutually exclusive hypotheses explaining social association and of adult female caribou (Rangifer tarandus). We used location data from GPS collars to estimate interannual site fidelity and networks representing home range overlap and social associations among individual caribou. We found that home range overlap and social associations were correlated with resource distribution in summer and conspecific attraction in winter. In summer, when resources were distributed relatively homogeneously, interannual site fidelity was high and home range overlap and social associations were low. Conversely, in winter when resources were distributed relatively heterogeneously, interannual site fidelity was low and home range overlap and social associations were high. As access to resources changes across seasons, caribou appear to alter social behavior and space use. In summer, caribou may use cues associated with the distribution of forage, and in winter caribou may use cues from conspecifics to access forage. Our results have broad implications for our understanding of caribou socioecology, suggesting that caribou use season‐specific strategies to locate forage. Caribou populations continue to decline globally, and our finding that conspecific attraction is likely related to access to forage suggests that further fragmentation of caribou habitat could limit social association among caribou, particularly in winter when access to resources may be limited.
Too much is bad: increasing numbers of livestock and conspecifics reduce body mass in an avian scavenger
Individual traits such as body mass can serve as early warning signals of changes in the fitness prospects of animal populations facing environmental impacts. Here, taking advantage of a 19-year monitoring, we assessed how individual, population and environmental factors modulate long-term changes in the body mass of Canarian Egyptian vultures. Individual vulture body mass increased when primary productivity was highly variable, but decreased in years with a high abundance of livestock. We hypothesized that carcasses of wild animals, a natural food resource that can be essential for avian scavengers, could be more abundant in periods of weather instability but depleted when high livestock numbers lead to over-grazing. In addition, increasing vulture population numbers also negatively affect body mass suggesting density-dependent competition for food. Interestingly, the relative strength of individual, population and resource availability factors on body mass changed with age and territorial status, a pattern presumably shaped by differences in competitive abilities and/or age-dependent environmental knowledge and foraging skills. Our study supports that individual plastic traits may be extremely reliable tools to better understand the response of secondary consumers to current and future natural and human-induced environmental changes.
Data from: DNA sequence variation among conspecific accessions of the legume Coursetia caribaea reveals geographically localized clades here ranked as species
Coursetia caribaea is geographically and morphologically the most variable species in the genus Coursetia and in the tribe Robinieae (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae). Because of potentially undetected species, we assessed the phylogenetic relationships among the eight taxonomic varieties of C. caribaea. Sampling included nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer sequences from 489 Robinieae accessions representing all varieties of C. caribaea and 38 of the 40 species of Coursetia, in addition to chloroplast trnD-trnT sequences from 186 accessions. Separate and combined phylogenetic analyses resolved a clade of conspecific accessions of the Bolivian C. caribaea var. astragalina as sister to the central Andean Coursetia grandiflora clade. Also distantly related to Coursetia caribaea var. caribaea accessions were those of the coastal Oaxacan C. caribaea var. pacifica, which formed the sister clade to accessions of the central Andean C. caribaea var. ochroleuca. The estimated mean ages of the stem clades for these three lineages, 11, 7.7, and 7.7 Ma, respectively, contrasted to the estimated mean ages of the corresponding crown clades of 0, 0, and 1.5 Ma. The contrasting stem and crown ages suggest that these taxa, appropriately ranked as species, Coursetia astragalina, Coursetia diversifolia, and Coursetia ochroleuca, each have persisted over evolutionary time frames as distinct geographically localized populations in seasonally dry tropical forests and woodlands.
Data from: Nestling and adult sparrows respond differently to conspecific dialects
Understanding the causes and consequences of divergence in mate recognition traits has long been a fundamental question in evolutionary biology. In songbirds, songs are culturally transmitted, and cultural divergence can generate discrete geographic variation in song (i.e., dialects). Understanding how responses to within- versus across-species variation in songs changes across life stages may shed light on the functional significance of population divergence in learned traits. Here, we use a novel combination of song playbacks to adult and nestling golden-crowned sparrows to compare responses to local conspecific, foreign conspecific and heterospecific songs prior to and after song learning. We found that nestlings respond equally little to both foreign conspecific and heterospecific songs. By contrast, the response of adult males to foreign conspecific songs was stronger than their response to heterospecific song, but weaker than their response to local conspecific song. Our study suggests that early local experience may interact with conspecific biases prior to song learning, in a way that has not been previously documented. Our results illustrate the importance of studying behavior at multiple life stages in order to better understand the effect of early experience on cultural and biological evolution.
Data from: Cryptic choice of conspecific sperm controlled by the impact of ovarian fluid on sperm swimming behaviour
Despite evidence that variation in male-female reproductive compatibility exists in many fertilization systems, identifying mechanisms of cryptic female choice at the gamete level has been a challenge. Here, under risks of genetic incompatibility through hybridization, we show how salmon and trout eggs promote fertilization by conspecific sperm. Using in vitro fertilization experiments that replicate the gametic micro-environment, we find complete inter-fertility between both species. However, if either species' ova were presented with equivalent numbers of both sperm types, conspecific sperm gained fertilization precedence. Surprisingly, the species' identity of the eggs did not explain this cryptic female choice, which instead was primarily controlled by conspecific ovarian fluid, a semi-viscous, protein-rich solution which bathes the eggs and is released at spawning. Video-analyses revealed that ovarian fluid doubled sperm motile lifespan, and straightened swimming trajectory, behaviours allowing chemoattraction up a concentration gradient. To confirm chemoattraction, cell migration tests through membranes containing pores that approximated to the egg micropyle showed that conspecific ovarian fluid attracted many more spermatozoa though the membrane, compared with heterospecific fluid or water. These combined findings together identify how cryptic female choice can evolve at the gamete level and promote reproductive isolation, mediated by a specific chemoattractive influence of ovarian fluid on sperm swimming behaviour.
Data from: Effects of forest plantations on the genetic composition of conspecific native Aleppo pine populations
Afforestation is a common and widespread management practice throughout the world, yet its implications for the genetic diversity of native populations are still poorly understood. We examined the effect of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) plantations on the genetic composition of nearby conspecific native populations. We focused on two native populations in Israel with different levels of isolation from the surrounding plantations and compared the genetic diversity of naturally established young trees within the native populations with that of local native adults, using nine nuclear microsatellite markers. We found that the genetic composition of the recruits was significantly different from that of local adults in both populations, with allelic frequency changes between generations that could not be ascribed to random drift, but rather to substantial gene flow from the surrounding planted Aleppo pine populations. The more isolated population experienced a lower gene flow level (22%) than the less isolated population (49%). The genetic divergence between native populations at the adult-tree stage (Fst = 0.32) was more than twice as high as that of the young trees naturally established around native adults (Fst = 0.15). Our findings provide evidence for a rapid genetic homogenization process of native populations following the massive planting efforts in the last decades. These findings have important implications for forest management and nature conservation and constitute a warning sign for the risk of translocation of biota for local biodiversity.
Data from: Sharing an environment with sick conspecifics alters odors of healthy animals
Body odors change with health status and the odors of sick animals can induce avoidance behaviors in healthy conspecifics. Exposure to sickness odors might also alter the physiology of healthy conspecifics and modify the odors they produce. We hypothesized that exposure to odors of sick (but non-infectious) animals would alter the odors of healthy cage mates. To induce sickness, we injected mice with a bacterial endotoxin, lipopolysaccharide. We used behavioral odor discrimination assays and analytical chemistry techniques followed by predictive classification modeling to ask about differences in volatile odorants produced by two types of healthy mice: those cohoused with healthy conspecifics and those cohoused with sick conspecifics. Mice trained in Y-maze behavioral assays to discriminate between the odors of healthy versus sick mice also discriminated between the odors of healthy mice cohoused with sick conspecifics and odors of healthy mice cohoused with healthy conspecifics. Chemical analyses paired with statistical modeling revealed a parallel phenomenon. Urine volatiles of healthy mice cohoused with sick partners were more likely to be classified as those of sick rather than healthy mice based on discriminant model predictions. Sickness-related odors could have cascading effects on neuroendocrine or immune responses of healthy conspecifics, and could affect individual behaviors, social dynamics, and pathogen spread.
Data from: Predation risk perception, food density and conspecific cues shape foraging decisions in a tropical lizard
When foraging, animals can maximize their fitness if they are able to tailor their foraging decisions to current environmental conditions. When making foraging decisions, individuals need to assess the benefits of foraging while accounting for the potential risks of being captured by a predator. However, whether and how different factors interact to shape these decisions is not yet well understood, especially in individual foragers. Here we present a standardized set of manipulative field experiments in the form of foraging assays in the tropical lizard Anolis cristatellus in Puerto Rico. We presented male lizards with foraging opportunities to test how the presence of conspecifics, predation-risk perception, the abundance of food, and interactions among these factors determines the outcome of foraging decisions. In Experiment 1, anoles foraged faster when food was scarce and other conspecifics were present near the feeding tray, while they took longer to feed when food was abundant and when no conspecifics were present. These results suggest that foraging decisions in anoles are the result of a complex process in which individuals assess predation risk by using information from conspecific individuals while taking into account food abundance. In Experiment 2, a simulated increase in predation risk (i.e., distance to the feeding tray) confirmed the relevance of risk perception by showing that the use of available perches is strongly correlated with the latency to feed. We found Puerto Rican crested anoles integrate instantaneous ecological information about food abundance, conspecific activity and predation risk, and adjust their foraging behavior accordingly.
Data from: Egg morphology fails to identify nests parasitized by conspecifics in common pochard: a test based on protein fingerprinting and including female relatedness
Conspecific brood parasites lay eggs in nests of other females of the same species. A variety of methods have been developed and used to detect conspecific brood parasitism (CBP). Traditional methods may be inaccurate in detecting CBP and in revealing its true frequency. On the other hand more accurate molecular methods are expensive and time consuming. Eadie developed a method for revealing CBP based on differences in egg morphology. That method is based on Euclidean distances calculated for pairs of eggs within a clutch using standardized egg measurements (length, width and weight). We tested the applicability of this method in the common pochard Aythya ferina using nests that were identified as parasitized (39 nests) or non-parasitized (16 nests) based on protein fingerprinting of eggs. We also analyzed whether we can distinguish between parasitic and host eggs in the nest. We found that variation in MED can be explained by parasitism but there was a huge overlap in MED between parasitized and non-parasitized nests. MED also increased with clutch size. Using discriminant function analysis (DFA) we found that only 76.4% of nests were correctly assigned as parasitized or nonparasitized and only 68.3% of eggs as parasitic or host eggs. Moreover we found that MED in parasitized nests increased with relatedness of the females that laid eggs in the nest. This finding was supported by positive correlation between MED and estimated relatedness in female–female pairs. Although variation in egg morphology is associated with CBP, it does not provide a reliable clue for distinguishing parasitized nests from non-parasitized nests in common pochard.
Data from: Interacting with the enemy: indirect effects of personality on conspecific aggression in crickets
In animal contests, individuals respond plastically to the phenotypes of the opponents that they confront. These "opponent"—or "indirect"—effects are often repeatable, for example, certain opponents consistently elicit more or less aggressiveness in others. "Personality" (repeatable among-individual variation in behavior) has been proposed as an important source of indirect effects. Here, we repeatedly assayed aggressiveness of wild-caught adult male field crickets Gryllus campestris in staged dyadic fights, measuring aggressiveness of both contestants. Measurements of their personality in nonsocial contexts (activity and exploration behavior) enabled us to ask whether personality caused indirect effects on aggressiveness. Activity, exploration, and aggressiveness were positively associated into a behavioral syndrome eliciting aggressiveness in conspecifics, providing direct evidence for the role of personality in causing indirect effects. Our findings imply that a multivariate view of phenotypes that includes indirect effects greatly improves our ability to understand the ecology and evolution of behavior.
Data from: A likelihood-based approach for assessment of extra-pair paternity and conspecific brood parasitism in natural populations
Genotypes are frequently used to assess alternative reproductive strategies such as extra-pair paternity and conspecific brood parasitism in wild populations. However, such analyses are vulnerable to genotyping error or molecular artefacts that can bias results. For example, when using multilocus microsatellite data, a mismatch at a single locus, suggesting the offspring was not directly related to its putative parents, can occur quite commonly even when the offspring is truly related. Some recent studies have advocated an ad-hoc rule that offspring must differ at more than one locus in order to conclude that they are not directly related. While this reduces the frequency with which true offspring are identified as not directly related young, it also introduces bias in the opposite direction, wherein not directly related young are categorized as true offspring. More importantly, it ignores the additional information on allele frequencies which would reduce overall bias. In this study, we present a novel technique for assessing extra-pair paternity and conspecific brood parasitism using a likelihood-based approach in a new version of program cervus. We test the suitability of the technique by applying it to a simulated data set and then present an example to demonstrate its influence on the estimation of alternative reproductive strategies.
Data from: Transcriptomic responses to conspecific and congeneric competition in co-occurring Trifolium
Species coexistence requires differential response to inter- and intraspecific competition, typically conceptualized as niche differentiation. Coexistence of close relatives therefore poses an interesting scenario with regards to niche differentiation since these species generally have many traits in common due to shared ancestry. Native Californian Trifolium assemblages are locally diverse and represent a unique system for understanding competitive interactions among close relatives. We conducted two similar greenhouse studies in which Trifolium fucatum was grown alone, with a conspecific competitor, and with a congeneric competitor (Trifolium macraei). In the first study, we assessed biomass production in T. fucatum, and in the second study we conducted an RNAseq analysis of T. fucatum roots to test for differentially expressed genes that may mediate competitive interactions and potentially coexistence. Compared to plants grown alone, competition (i.e. growth in the same pot) with a conspecific resulted in a greater reduction in biomass than competition with a congener, as predicted by theory. However, competition with a congener resulted in twice as many differentially expressed genes as competition with a conspecific. Annotations of identified genes differentiating congeneric from conspecific competition suggest several functions attributed to interactions with third-party organisms, including nodulation with rhizobial mutualists, and defence responses against pathogens and herbivores. In addition, salt-responsive genes and an iron transporter were differentially expressed in congeneric competition, and comparisons of sodium and iron concentrations in field soils where these species are found showed that T. fucatum occurs in higher sodium and iron microsites than T. macraei. Thus, the transcriptome highlighted abiotic niche axes worth pursuing in future ecological experiments as potential mediators of coexistence. We also found a subset of genes that responded similarly to both congeneric and conspecific competition in both direction and magnitude, indicating some conserved responses to competition, regardless of neighbour identity. Synthesis. Transcriptomic analyses represent novel tools for identifying the molecular mechanisms underlying interactions among species. Working iteratively with ecological experimentation and observation, transcriptomes may allow us to identify novel dimensions of the n-dimensional niche that determine species' distributions and their ability to coexist.
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Allen Brain Atlas
Allen Brain Atlas is an Allen Institute collection of brain map atlases, datasets, APIs, and analysis tools covering mouse, human, and non-human primate brain resources.
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.
DANDI Archive for NWB datasets
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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.
OpenNeuro
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