Find research datasets worth reusing
Search datasets from major research repositories and use ShareScore to quickly assess how well each record supports discovery, access, and reuse.
28
datasets available to search
ShareScore release 0.9.0
Dataset results
28 results for “behavioral niche”
Data and code from: A timid choice: Risk-taking behavior predicts individualized niche in a varying landscape of safety
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
Artificial selection for predatory behavior results in dietary niche differentiation in an omnivorous mammal
<p>The diet of an individual is a result of the availability of dietary items and the individual's foraging skills and preferences. Behavioral differences may thus influence diet variation, but the evolvability of diet choice through behavioral evolution has not been studied. We used experimental evolution combined with a field enclosure experiment to test whether behavioral selection leads to dietary divergence. We analysed the individual dietary niche via stable isotope ratios of nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C) in the hair of an omnivorous mammal, bank vole, from 4 lines selected for predatory behavior and 4 unselected control lines. Predatory voles had higher hair δ15N values than control voles, supporting our hypothesis that predatory voles would consume a higher trophic level diet (more animal vs. plant foods). This difference was significant in the early but not the late summer season. The δ13C values also indicated a seasonal change in the consumed plant matter and a difference in food sources among selection lines in the early summer. These results imply that environmental factors interact with evolved behavioral tendencies to determine dietary niche heterogeneity. Behavioral selection thus has potential to contribute to the evolution of diet choice and ultimately the species' ecological niche breadth.</p>
Allometry of behavior and niche differentiation among congeneric African antelopes
<p>Size-structured differences in resource use stabilize species' coexistence in animal communities, but what behavioral mechanisms underpin these niche differences? Behavior is constrained by morphological and physiological traits that scale allometrically with body size, yet the degree to which behaviors exhibit allometric scaling remains unclear; empirical datasets often encompass broad variation in environmental context and phylogenetic history, which complicates the detection and interpretation of scaling relationships between size and behavior. We studied the movement and foraging behaviors of three sympatric, congeneric spiral-horned antelope species (<em>Tragelaphus</em> spp.) that differ in body mass—bushbuck (<em>Tragelaphus sylvaticus</em>, 26–40 kg), nyala (<em>Tragelaphus angasii</em>, 57–83 kg), and greater kudu (<em>Tragelaphus strepsiceros</em>,<em> </em>80–142 kg)—in an African savanna ecosystem where (i) food was patchily distributed due to ecosystem engineering by fungus-farming termites and (ii) predation risk was low due to the extirpation of several large carnivores. Because foraging behavior is directly linked to traits that scale allometrically with size (e.g., metabolic rate, locomotion), we hypothesized that habitat use and diet selection would likewise exhibit nonlinear scaling relationships. All three antelope species selected habitats near termitaria, hotspots of abundant, high-quality forage. Experimental removal of forage from termite mounds sharply reduced the use of those mounds by bushbuck, confirming that habitat selection was resource-driven. Strength of selection for termite mounds scaled negatively and nonlinearly with body mass, as did recursion (frequency with which individuals revisited locations), whereas home-range area and mean step length scaled positively and nonlinearly with body mass. All species disproportionately ate mound-associated plant taxa; nonetheless, forage selectivity and dietary composition, richness, and quality all differed among species, reflecting the partitioning of shared food resources. Dietary protein exhibited the theoretically predicted negative allometric relationship with body mass, whereas digestible-energy content scaled positively. Our results demonstrate cryptic size-based separation along spatial and dietary niche axes—despite superficial similarities among species—consistent with the idea that body-size differentiation is driven by selection for divergent resource-acquisition strategies, which in turn underpin coexistence. Foraging and space-use behaviors were nonlinearly related to body mass, supporting the hypothesis that behavior scales allometrically with size. However, explaining the variable functional forms of these relationships is a challenge for future research.</p>
Organismal effects of heat in a fixed ecological niche: Implications on the role of behavioral buffering in our changing world
<p>Increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves generate new challenges for many organisms. Our understanding of the ecological predictors of thermal vulnerability is improving, yet, at least in endotherms, we are still only beginning to understand one critical component of predicting resilience: exactly how do wild animals cope with sub-lethal heat? In wild endotherms, most prior work focuses on one or a few traits, leaving uncertainty about organismal consequences of heatwaves. Here, we experimentally generated a 2.8<span><span><span> </span></span></span><span>°</span>C heatwave for free-living nestling tree swallows (<em><span>Tachycineta bicolor</span></em>). Over a week-long period coinciding with the peak of post-natal growth, we quantified a suite of traits to test the hypotheses that (a) behavioral or (b) physiological responses may be sufficient for coping with inescapable heat. Heat-exposed nestlings increased panting and decreased huddling, but treatment effects on panting dissipated over time, even though heat-induced temperatures remained elevated. Physiologically, we found no effects of heat on: gene expression of three heat shock proteins in blood, muscle, and three brain regions; secretion of circulating corticosterone at baseline or in response to handling; and telomere length. Moreover, heat had a positive effect on growth and a marginal, but not significant, positive effect on subsequent recruitment. These results suggest that nestlings were generally buffered from deleterious effects of heat, with one exception: heat-exposed nestlings exhibited lower gene expression for superoxide dismutase, a key antioxidant defense. Despite this one apparent cost, our thorough organismal investigation indicates general resilience to a heatwave that may, in part, stem from behavioral buffering and acclimation. Our approach provides a mechanistic framework that we hope will improve understanding of species persistence in the face of climate change.</p>
Artificial selection for predatory behavior results in dietary niche differentiation in an omnivorous mammal
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
Allometry of behavior and niche differentiation among congeneric African antelopes
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
Organismal effects of heat in a fixed ecological niche: Implications on the role of behavioral buffering in our changing world
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
Data from: Fibroblasts modulate epithelial cell behavior within the proliferative niche and differentiated cell zone within a human colonic crypt model
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
Habitat selection and refuge-use by a color polymorphic salamander reveal behavioral niche differences
<p>Color polymorphic species provide an excellent opportunity to investigate the ecology and evolution of intraspecific niche differences. The red-backed salamander, <em>Plethodon cinereus</em>, is a fully terrestrial lungless salamander with two common color forms, striped and unstriped. Previous research suggests the morphs may be differentially adapted to surface and subsurface microhabitats, with the unstriped morph being more fossorial. This hypothesis predicts that the unstriped morph should be more sensitive to the risks of surface activity (e.g., thermal stress, dehydration, predation), and therefore be more selective than striped morphs when choosing soil surface microhabitats. To test this hypothesis, we experimentally manipulated leaf litter mass in small forest patches (~0.45m<sup>2</sup>). Leaf litter addition reduced soil temperatures, buffered against changes in air temperature, and likely provided physical protection from predators. Over three years, we found that unstriped adults responded positively to leaf litter addition, but striped adults did not. In addition, unstriped morphs spent significantly more time in protective refuges (opaque, moistened tubes) than striped morphs in laboratory assays. Taken together, the field and laboratory results support the hypothesis that the unstriped morph is more sensitive to the risks of surface activity, and therefore is more likely to be fossorial. This difference in microhabitat use, combined with spatiotemporal variation in leaf litter accumulation on the forest floor, may play an important role in the maintenance of the polymorphism.</p>
Behavioral responses by a bumble bee to competition with a niche-constructing congener
<ul> <li><span>While feeding, foragers can alter their environment. Such alteration constitutes ecological niche construction (ENC) if it enables future benefits for the constructor and conspecific individuals. The environmental modification may also affect non-constructing, bystander species, especially if they share resources with constructor species. If so, ENC could confer the constructor species a competitive advantage by both enhancing its foraging returns and reducing those of bystander species. </span></li> <li><span>Expectations – (E1) ENC frequency should vary positively with the recent and current density of the constructor species, and (E2) constructors should use modifications disproportionately. In contrast, bystanders should (E3) experience intensified competition for the affected resource, and (E4) exhibit diverse, possibly mitigating, responses to ENC, depending on opportunity and relative benefits. </span></li> <li><span>We investigated these expectations in Argentina for competition for <i>Fuchsia magellanica</i> nectar between an invasive bumble bee, <i>Bombus terrestris</i> (<i>terr</i>: putative constructor), that often bites holes at the bases of floral tubes to rob nectar, and native <i>B. dahlbomii</i> (<i>dahl</i>: bystander), which normally accesses <i>Fuchsia</i> nectar through the flower mouth (front visits). Robbing holes constitute ENC, as they persist until the 7-day flowers wilt. The dynamics of the incidence of robbed flowers, abundance of both bees, and the number and types of their flower visits (front or robbing) were characterised by alternate-day surveys of plants during 2.5 months.</span></li> <li><span>After initially accessing <i>Fuchsia</i> nectar via front visits, <i>terr</i> switched to robbing and its abundance on <i>Fuchsia</i> increased 20-fold within 10 days (E2). Correspondingly, the incidence of robbed flowers varied positively with recent and past <i>terr</i> abundance (E1). In contrast, <i>dahl</i> abundance remained low and varied negatively with the incidence of robbed flowers (E3). When <i>terr</i> ceased visiting <i>Fuchsia</i>, <i>dahl</i> abundance increased six-fold within 10 days (E3), possibly because many <i>dahl</i> previously had avoided competition with <i>terr</i> by feeding on other plant species (E4). While <i>terr</i> was present, <i>dahl</i> on <i>Fuchsia</i> used front visits (tolerance) or used existing robbing holes (adoption: E4). The diverse <i>dahl</i> responses suggest partial compensation for competition with<i> terr</i>.</span></li> <li><span>ENC alters competitive asymmetry, favouring constructor species. However, bystander responses can partially offset this advantage, perhaps facilitating coexistence. </span></li> </ul>
Data from: Patch size as a niche dimension: aquatic insects behaviorally partition enemy-free space across gradients of patch size
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
Data from: Thermoregulatory behavior limits local adaptation of thermal niches and confers sensitivity to climate change
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
Behavioral responses by a bumble bee to competition with a niche-constructing congener
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
Habitat selection and refuge-use by a color polymorphic salamander reveal behavioral niche differences
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
Supplementary material 2 from: Vázquez-López M, Morrone JJ, Ramírez-Barrera SM, López-López A, Robles-Bello SM, Hernández-Baños BE (2020) Multilocus, phenotypic, behavioral, and ecological niche analyses provide evidence for two species within Euphonia affinis (Aves, Fringillidae). ZooKeys 952: 129-157. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.952.51785
Raw morphometric data and collection information
Supplementary material 1 from: Vázquez-López M, Morrone JJ, Ramírez-Barrera SM, López-López A, Robles-Bello SM, Hernández-Baños BE (2020) Multilocus, phenotypic, behavioral, and ecological niche analyses provide evidence for two species within Euphonia affinis (Aves, Fringillidae). ZooKeys 952: 129-157. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.952.51785
Tables S1, S2, S3. Sampling, genbank sequences and sequences of primers
Figure 1 from: Vázquez-López M, Morrone JJ, Ramírez-Barrera SM, López-López A, Robles-Bello SM, Hernández-Baños BE (2020) Multilocus, phenotypic, behavioral, and ecological niche analyses provide evidence for two species within Euphonia affinis (Aves, Fringillidae). ZooKeys 952: 129-157. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.952.51785
Figure 1 Geographic distribution and morphotypes of Euphonia affinis, sampling, phylogeny, and haplotype networks. A geographic distribution of E. affinis: in blue E. a. godmani, in yellow E. a. affinis, and in red E. a. olmecorum (Geographic distribution modified from NatureServe shapefile in ArcGIS, ArcMAP 10.2.2; Esri, Redlands, CA, USA). Tissue sampling locations are indicated by circles in the map. Plumage morphotypes of E. a. godmani (female and male) with white undertail coverts, and E. a. affinis (female and male) with yellow undertail coverts. The previously proposed subspecies E. a. olmecorum (not shown) is similar to E. a. affinis, but paler plumage in females and a purple-blue back in males have been reported. B haplotype networks obtained for the mitochondrial gene ND2 and the nuclear genes ODC, MUSK, GAPDH intron 11, and BRM intron 15. Samples from the western distribution, assigned as E. a. godmani, are shown in blue and from the eastern distribution, assigned as E. a. affinis are indicated in yellow, E. a. olmecorum in red. C bayesian Inference concatenated phylogeny of E. a. godmani (west) and E. a. affinis-E. a. olmecorum (eastern Mexico, Central America).
Figure 4 from: Vázquez-López M, Morrone JJ, Ramírez-Barrera SM, López-López A, Robles-Bello SM, Hernández-Baños BE (2020) Multilocus, phenotypic, behavioral, and ecological niche analyses provide evidence for two species within Euphonia affinis (Aves, Fringillidae). ZooKeys 952: 129-157. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.952.51785
Figure 4 Vocalization analysis. Boxplot of note emission rate A and PCA of measured vocal characters B Calls differ between the two groups in temporal structure, but not in frequency or number of notes.
Figure 6 from: Vázquez-López M, Morrone JJ, Ramírez-Barrera SM, López-López A, Robles-Bello SM, Hernández-Baños BE (2020) Multilocus, phenotypic, behavioral, and ecological niche analyses provide evidence for two species within Euphonia affinis (Aves, Fringillidae). ZooKeys 952: 129-157. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.952.51785
Figure 6 Equivalence and similarity tests in environmental space for E. a. affinis and E. a. godmani. A PCA of Ecological niche for of E. affinis lineages and the variables contribution to the analyses. The gray gradient indicates the density of the occurrences of the lineages, and the dashed and solid line indicates the 50% and 100% of the environmental background B graphical results of the equivalency tests comparing the two lineages. For both tests (equivalence and similarity) we only presented values for the D metrics. For all graphs the D observed values of the overlap niche analyses are present with the black diamond. The p value is showing in each graphic, all of them not significant for these analyses C graphical results of the similarity test comparing the two lineages in both directions (E. a. affinis vs. E. a. godmani and vice versa), ns = Not significant, p > 0.05.
Figure 5 from: Vázquez-López M, Morrone JJ, Ramírez-Barrera SM, López-López A, Robles-Bello SM, Hernández-Baños BE (2020) Multilocus, phenotypic, behavioral, and ecological niche analyses provide evidence for two species within Euphonia affinis (Aves, Fringillidae). ZooKeys 952: 129-157. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.952.51785
Figure 5 Ecological niche modelling and its projection in the geographic areas for E. a. affinis (yellow) and E. a. godmani (blue). In all four panels (a-d), the contribution values of each environmental variable of ENM's is illustrated in the left and the projection of the Ecological niche conditions in the geographic distribution area is shown in the maps. a Ecological Niche projected in the current geographic distribution area of E. affinis and E. a. godmani. b ENM's projected into the geography for each lineage. c ENM of E. a. affinis and E. a. godmani projected in the Last Maximum Glacial ecological conditions. d ENM of E. a. affinis and E. a. godmani projected in the Last Inter Glacial ecological conditions.
ScienceDex guides
Understand access before you commit
These curated guides explain access requirements, typical timelines, costs, and reuse considerations for widely used research datasets.
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
DANDI is a BRAIN Initiative archive for publishing and sharing neurophysiology data, including electrophysiology, optophysiology, and behavioral data packaged as NWB and related standards.
International Brain Laboratory public data
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
OpenNeuro is a free, open platform for sharing neuroimaging datasets, with public search, dataset pages, and download paths for web, S3, DataLad, and the OpenNeuro CLI.