Pub Date : 2023-11-20DOI: 10.1007/s42991-023-00385-0
Samara Brandsen, Louise S. Vermorken, Henry J. Kuipers, Sip E. van Wieren, Inger K. de Jonge, Martijn J. A. Weterings
Antipredator responses could affect nutrient intake, which could lead to nutritional deficits. However, little is known about the antipredator response of small herbivores because most are nocturnal or crepuscular and therefore very difficult to study in the field. Therefore, we experimentally assessed the effect of a reactive response to predation risk on the nutrient (i.e., phosphorous) intake of the European hare (Lepus europaeus) using three different playback sounds. Additionally, we studied the time spent being costly vigilant, the time spent foraging, and the vegetation height in which the hares were present using accelerometers and GPS. Our results showed that elevated predation risk from our playback experiment did not affect the (1) phosphorus intake, (2) time spent being costly vigilant, and (3) time spent in tall vegetation. However, elevated predation risk did increase the time spent foraging. Possibly hares spent more time foraging with an increased predation risk because hares cannot seek refuge from predators. Additionally, the effect on phosphorus intake could be weak because phosphorous intake does not benefit a flight escape, while the reactive response acts late in the predation sequence limiting the effect on hare ecology. Prey anti-predator responses seem strongly related to the escape tactics of prey species that can differ between different habitats and the time of the day. More detailed field studies are necessary to get a better insight into species’ anti-predator-food tactics.
{"title":"Reactive response to predation risk affects foraging time of hares, yet not their phosphorus intake","authors":"Samara Brandsen, Louise S. Vermorken, Henry J. Kuipers, Sip E. van Wieren, Inger K. de Jonge, Martijn J. A. Weterings","doi":"10.1007/s42991-023-00385-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-023-00385-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Antipredator responses could affect nutrient intake, which could lead to nutritional deficits. However, little is known about the antipredator response of small herbivores because most are nocturnal or crepuscular and therefore very difficult to study in the field. Therefore, we experimentally assessed the effect of a reactive response to predation risk on the nutrient (i.e., phosphorous) intake of the European hare (<i>Lepus europaeus</i>) using three different playback sounds. Additionally, we studied the time spent being costly vigilant, the time spent foraging, and the vegetation height in which the hares were present using accelerometers and GPS. Our results showed that elevated predation risk from our playback experiment did not affect the (1) phosphorus intake, (2) time spent being costly vigilant, and (3) time spent in tall vegetation. However, elevated predation risk did increase the time spent foraging. Possibly hares spent more time foraging with an increased predation risk because hares cannot seek refuge from predators. Additionally, the effect on phosphorus intake could be weak because phosphorous intake does not benefit a flight escape, while the reactive response acts late in the predation sequence limiting the effect on hare ecology. Prey anti-predator responses seem strongly related to the escape tactics of prey species that can differ between different habitats and the time of the day. More detailed field studies are necessary to get a better insight into species’ anti-predator-food tactics.</p>","PeriodicalId":49888,"journal":{"name":"Mammalian Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2023-11-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138524114","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-11-08DOI: 10.1007/s42991-023-00384-1
Scott M. Appleby, Niko Balkenhol
Abstract In an effort to ameliorate the impacts of climate change, forest managers in Central Europe increasingly turn to conifer species that produce higher yields and are better adapted to projected future climatic conditions. Though small mammals are an important component of the forest ecosystem, the impacts of enriching native broadleaf forests with conifers on small mammal communities are not well understood. We conducted mark–recapture surveys of small mammals to ascertain differences in their community structure among stands of two conifers (native Norway spruce Picea abies and non-native Douglas fir Pseudotsuga menziesii ) and the dominant broadleaf in the region, European beech ( Fagus sylvatica ). After estimating the density of two common species, the yellow-necked mouse Apodemus flavicollis and bank vole Clethrionomys glareolus , we found that the population density of each is positively related to the proportion of beech and negatively to the proportion of conifers in each stand, though these effects of stand composition are smaller than the positive effect of herb cover. Increasing Norway spruce proportion reduced monthly survival of small mammals, while Douglas fir proportion had a positive effect on survival. We conclude that the two conifer species have similar impacts on small mammal density, though overall small mammal survival was significantly lower on plots with Norway spruce. This suggests that increasing the proportion of Douglas fir at the expense of Norway spruce may be possible without significantly changing local patterns of small mammal population density, but further research is necessary to elucidate the exact impacts of these two conifer species on small mammal demography and behavior.
{"title":"Douglas fir and Norway spruce have similar effects on small mammal density, but not survival, in Central European managed forests","authors":"Scott M. Appleby, Niko Balkenhol","doi":"10.1007/s42991-023-00384-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-023-00384-1","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract In an effort to ameliorate the impacts of climate change, forest managers in Central Europe increasingly turn to conifer species that produce higher yields and are better adapted to projected future climatic conditions. Though small mammals are an important component of the forest ecosystem, the impacts of enriching native broadleaf forests with conifers on small mammal communities are not well understood. We conducted mark–recapture surveys of small mammals to ascertain differences in their community structure among stands of two conifers (native Norway spruce Picea abies and non-native Douglas fir Pseudotsuga menziesii ) and the dominant broadleaf in the region, European beech ( Fagus sylvatica ). After estimating the density of two common species, the yellow-necked mouse Apodemus flavicollis and bank vole Clethrionomys glareolus , we found that the population density of each is positively related to the proportion of beech and negatively to the proportion of conifers in each stand, though these effects of stand composition are smaller than the positive effect of herb cover. Increasing Norway spruce proportion reduced monthly survival of small mammals, while Douglas fir proportion had a positive effect on survival. We conclude that the two conifer species have similar impacts on small mammal density, though overall small mammal survival was significantly lower on plots with Norway spruce. This suggests that increasing the proportion of Douglas fir at the expense of Norway spruce may be possible without significantly changing local patterns of small mammal population density, but further research is necessary to elucidate the exact impacts of these two conifer species on small mammal demography and behavior.","PeriodicalId":49888,"journal":{"name":"Mammalian Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135341227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract The ability to alter the mass of energetically consumptive organs in response to seasonal variation in nutritional access has been demonstrated in several species from temperate climates, but less so from other climate zones. We predicted that adult striped mice ( Rhabdomys pumilio ) from the Succulent Karoo semi-desert in South Africa have lower organ masses during the hot summer dry season with low food availability ( n = 28) when compared to the food-rich wet season ( n = 25) as a possible adaptation to reduced energy expenditure. Food availability in the wet season was more than twice than that of the dry season. Body mass was positively correlated with most organ masses considered, except for the spleen. Mandible length, as a non-plastic measure of body size, was positively correlated with the mass of heart and stomach. Relative to body mass and to mandible length, kidneys and the small intestine were heavier in the wet season than during the dry season in both sexes. Liver masses were greater in females (but smaller in males) during the wet season, possibly due to increased female reproductive investment during this season. Both sexes had relatively heavier brains (by 9.6% on average) during the wet season than during the dry season, which is the first indication of the Dehnel phenomenon in a rodent, in a subtropical climate, and in the southern hemisphere. Future studies will have to test whether this change in brain size is reversible. Having relatively smaller brains during the dry season could be a mechanism to reduce energy consumption. In conclusion, our study indicates that striped mice may save energy during the food restricted dry season by reducing energetically expensive organ masses, including brain mass.
{"title":"African striped mice have relatively smaller brains in the food deprived dry season than in the wet season","authors":"Jessica Mulvey, Neville Pillay, Lindelani Makuya, Heiko G. Rödel, Carsten Schradin","doi":"10.1007/s42991-023-00383-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-023-00383-2","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The ability to alter the mass of energetically consumptive organs in response to seasonal variation in nutritional access has been demonstrated in several species from temperate climates, but less so from other climate zones. We predicted that adult striped mice ( Rhabdomys pumilio ) from the Succulent Karoo semi-desert in South Africa have lower organ masses during the hot summer dry season with low food availability ( n = 28) when compared to the food-rich wet season ( n = 25) as a possible adaptation to reduced energy expenditure. Food availability in the wet season was more than twice than that of the dry season. Body mass was positively correlated with most organ masses considered, except for the spleen. Mandible length, as a non-plastic measure of body size, was positively correlated with the mass of heart and stomach. Relative to body mass and to mandible length, kidneys and the small intestine were heavier in the wet season than during the dry season in both sexes. Liver masses were greater in females (but smaller in males) during the wet season, possibly due to increased female reproductive investment during this season. Both sexes had relatively heavier brains (by 9.6% on average) during the wet season than during the dry season, which is the first indication of the Dehnel phenomenon in a rodent, in a subtropical climate, and in the southern hemisphere. Future studies will have to test whether this change in brain size is reversible. Having relatively smaller brains during the dry season could be a mechanism to reduce energy consumption. In conclusion, our study indicates that striped mice may save energy during the food restricted dry season by reducing energetically expensive organ masses, including brain mass.","PeriodicalId":49888,"journal":{"name":"Mammalian Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135325879","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-10-26DOI: 10.1007/s42991-023-00381-4
Huiqing Chen, Guozhen Shang, Xueqin Wu, Lu Zhang, Xin Dong, Yifan Cao, Yan Wu, Jianghui Bian
{"title":"Effects of dietary protein on the individual fitness of plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae)","authors":"Huiqing Chen, Guozhen Shang, Xueqin Wu, Lu Zhang, Xin Dong, Yifan Cao, Yan Wu, Jianghui Bian","doi":"10.1007/s42991-023-00381-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-023-00381-4","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49888,"journal":{"name":"Mammalian Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136381929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-10-25DOI: 10.1007/s42991-023-00382-3
Ilpo Kojola, Heikki Henttonen, Samuli Heikkinen, Nathan Ranc
Abstract The Eurasian golden jackal ( Canis aureus ) has been rapidly expanding its distribution range in Europe. Whether jackals will be able to adapt to new environmental conditions in northern Europe remains largely unresolved. Herein we provide additional evidence for the species’ ability to colonize northern environments by presenting the new records of golden jackal occurrence in Finland. During 2018–2022, golden jackals were recorded at six localities of which one located in southern, four in central and one in northern Finland. We drafted potential main routes of dispersal movements by jackals in northern Europe, and discuss ecology and management of this newly colonizing species in Finland.
{"title":"Golden jackal expansion in northernmost Europe: records in Finland","authors":"Ilpo Kojola, Heikki Henttonen, Samuli Heikkinen, Nathan Ranc","doi":"10.1007/s42991-023-00382-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-023-00382-3","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The Eurasian golden jackal ( Canis aureus ) has been rapidly expanding its distribution range in Europe. Whether jackals will be able to adapt to new environmental conditions in northern Europe remains largely unresolved. Herein we provide additional evidence for the species’ ability to colonize northern environments by presenting the new records of golden jackal occurrence in Finland. During 2018–2022, golden jackals were recorded at six localities of which one located in southern, four in central and one in northern Finland. We drafted potential main routes of dispersal movements by jackals in northern Europe, and discuss ecology and management of this newly colonizing species in Finland.","PeriodicalId":49888,"journal":{"name":"Mammalian Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135218364","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-10-20DOI: 10.1007/s42991-023-00380-5
Stephen N. Harris, Terry J. Doonan, Erin L. Hewett Ragheb, David S. Jachowski
{"title":"Home range, movement, and activity patterns of the Florida spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius ambarvalis) in prairie habitat","authors":"Stephen N. Harris, Terry J. Doonan, Erin L. Hewett Ragheb, David S. Jachowski","doi":"10.1007/s42991-023-00380-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-023-00380-5","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49888,"journal":{"name":"Mammalian Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135617480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-10-16DOI: 10.1007/s42991-023-00379-y
Stephen Jonah Dias
{"title":"Factors influencing latrine site selection of smooth-coated otters (Lutrogale perspicillata) in traditional estuarine agroecosystems of Goa, India","authors":"Stephen Jonah Dias","doi":"10.1007/s42991-023-00379-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-023-00379-y","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49888,"journal":{"name":"Mammalian Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136113870","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-10-04DOI: 10.1007/s42991-023-00378-z
Urjit Bhatt, Salvador Lyngdoh
{"title":"Do dholes segregate themselves from their sympatrids? Habitat use and carnivore co-existence in the tropical forest","authors":"Urjit Bhatt, Salvador Lyngdoh","doi":"10.1007/s42991-023-00378-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-023-00378-z","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49888,"journal":{"name":"Mammalian Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135592404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-09-20DOI: 10.1007/s42991-023-00377-0
Govan Pahad, Bettine Jansen van Vuuren, Claudine Montgelard
Abstract Myosorex varius is a South African generalist shrew, which has been found to consist of several genetic clades across its range. A northern clade inhabits the more mesic, summer-rainfall areas of grassland and savannah in the east of South Africa. A southern clade occupies areas of fynbos in the south, and can be further divided into a western subclade occupying winter-rainfall areas and an eastern subclade occupying areas with aseasonal rainfall. Non-South-African members of the African genus Myosorex primarily are limited to isolated montane habitats along the East African Rift System. Here, we used palaeoclimatic niche modelling to examine the effects of Pliocene and Pleistocene climate change on the distributions of M. varius , its clades and the genus as a whole. Results indicate that repeated cycles of range expansion during glacial periods and fragmentation during interglacials are responsible for current phylogeographic patterns within M. varius . Based on their close alignment with rainfall zones and lack of genetic mixing despite areas of contact, it is likely that these (sub)clades are locally adapted to their respective areas. Earlier climatic fluctuations allowed the genus to ‘island hop’ south from East Africa along the East African Rift System, expanding in range during cooler periods and retreating to montane refugia during warmer periods. Areas currently occupied by Myosorex species largely correspond with predicted montane refugia that have allowed them to survive previous warm periods.
{"title":"Palaeoclimatic niche modelling reveals the phylogeographic history of the South African shrew Myosorex varius and the colonisation route of the genus Myosorex (Mammalia, Soricidae) from East Africa","authors":"Govan Pahad, Bettine Jansen van Vuuren, Claudine Montgelard","doi":"10.1007/s42991-023-00377-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-023-00377-0","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Myosorex varius is a South African generalist shrew, which has been found to consist of several genetic clades across its range. A northern clade inhabits the more mesic, summer-rainfall areas of grassland and savannah in the east of South Africa. A southern clade occupies areas of fynbos in the south, and can be further divided into a western subclade occupying winter-rainfall areas and an eastern subclade occupying areas with aseasonal rainfall. Non-South-African members of the African genus Myosorex primarily are limited to isolated montane habitats along the East African Rift System. Here, we used palaeoclimatic niche modelling to examine the effects of Pliocene and Pleistocene climate change on the distributions of M. varius , its clades and the genus as a whole. Results indicate that repeated cycles of range expansion during glacial periods and fragmentation during interglacials are responsible for current phylogeographic patterns within M. varius . Based on their close alignment with rainfall zones and lack of genetic mixing despite areas of contact, it is likely that these (sub)clades are locally adapted to their respective areas. Earlier climatic fluctuations allowed the genus to ‘island hop’ south from East Africa along the East African Rift System, expanding in range during cooler periods and retreating to montane refugia during warmer periods. Areas currently occupied by Myosorex species largely correspond with predicted montane refugia that have allowed them to survive previous warm periods.","PeriodicalId":49888,"journal":{"name":"Mammalian Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136310934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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