Download or read book Mechanisms Affecting Predation Success in Wolf Spiders written by Matthew M. Steffenson and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 86 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Predator-prey interactions play a role in community structure through a variety of different mechanisms including direct consumption, density-mediated indirect effects, and trait-mediated indirect effects. Understanding factors that can influence the efficacy of direct consumption on prey populations can help us to identify the strength of the impact predators can have on lower trophic levels. My dissertation research focuses on how mechanisms like sexual dimorphism, impaired body condition, and starvation stress alter how effective an intermediate predator (i.e. a predator that occupies an intermediate position in the food web) can be in direct consumption of prey. Using wolf spiders as my model, and a combination of laboratory experimental foraging trials and field experiment approaches, I assessed the effectiveness of spiders as predators. My main questions were how sexual dimorphism and limb autotomy affect predatory behaviors in wolf spiders. I also examined the effect of starvation on fitness and immunological trade-offs using biochemical immune assays This research reveals that female wolf spiders are more effective at direct consumption of prey than males due to a combination of body size, trophic morphology, and behavioral dimorphisms. Limb autotomy had no significant effect on foraging success in wolf spiders, although there was a trend of leg autotomy having a negative impact on prey capture ability. Lastly, starvation of spiders leads to an energetic trade-off where individuals appear to sacrifice physiological condition for investment into immune defense. Findings from this dissertation can be utilized to help further our understanding of how predator-prey interactions shape community structure.
Download or read book Impacts of an Herbicide and Predator Cues on a Generalist Predator in Agricultural Systems written by Kerri M. Wrinn and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 90 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Animals use chemical cues for signaling between species. However, anthropogenic chemicals can interrupt this natural chemical information flow, affecting predator- prey interactions. I explored how a glyphosate-based herbicide influenced the reactions of Pardosa milvina, a common wolf spider in agricultural systems, to its predators, the larger wolf spider, Hogna helluo and the carabid beetle, Scarites quadriceps. First, I tested the effects of exposure to herbicide and chemical cues from these predators on the activity, emigration, and survival of P. milvina in laboratory and mesocosm field experiments. In the presence of H. helluo cues in the laboratory, P. milvina always decreased activity and increased time to emigration. However, in the presence of S. quadriceps cues, these spiders only decreased activity and increased time to emigration when herbicide was also present. Presence of predator cues and herbicide did not affect the emigration of P. milvina from field mesocosms, but survival was highest for spiders exposed to S. quadriceps cues alone and lowest for those exposed to herbicide alone. Secondly, I tested the effects of predator cues, herbicide and prey availability on foraging and reproduction in female P. milvina. Spiders offered more prey captured and consumed more, while those exposed to H. helluo cues consumed less. Availability of prey and exposure to predator cues and herbicide in foraging trials had interactive effects on P. milvina's subsequent reproductive success. In the low prey treatments, exposure to predator cues and herbicide each reduced reproductive success. In the high prey treatments, exposure to herbicide reduced reproductive success for spiders also exposed to S. quadriceps cues, but increased reproductive success for spiders also exposed to H. helluo cues. Finally, I exposed juvenile P. milvina to S. quadriceps cues and herbicide but found no effect of either on the spider's growth and development. Together, these results indicate that predation risk and herbicide application likely interact in complex ways to affect the movement, reproduction and survival of a major arthropod predator in agricultural systems, and thus may have complex effects on the food web.
Download or read book The Impact of Avian Predation on the Brush legged Wolf Spider Schizocosa Ocreata Hentz and Anti predator Responses to Avian Cues written by Anne K. Lohrey and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 64 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This research aimed to quantify the potential for avian predation on Schizocosa ocreata wolf spiders in the field and its impact on spider behavior. In a field study, enclosures that excluded birds had a higher proportion of spiders remaining at the end of the experiment than enclosures that allowed birds access. Additionally, observational data confirmed that some bird species seen active at the study site eat spiders presented in feeding trials. These data suggest that bird predation impacts survival of S. ocreata in the field. In the laboratory, I tested spiders' recognition of and behavioral responses to sensory cues indicating the presence of avian predators. Courting male S. ocreata responded to avian acoustic stimuli (bird calls) with anti-predator behavior, which supports the hypothesis that bird predation limits survival of S. ocreata and may be an important selective factor on the evolution of behavior in this species of wolf spider.
Download or read book Behaviour and Ecology of Spiders written by Carmen Viera and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-11-02 with total page 448 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Within the last few decades, arachnology in the Neotropical region has experienced a great development filling the knowledge gap in one of the most diverse regions of the world. Nevertheless, large geographical areas remain poorly sampled, especially within the Amazon, and new genera and species have been continuously discovered, even in urban areas. In congruence with the recent improvements in research, several aspects of the ecology, behaviour and natural history of spiders, such as interactions with other predators and parasitoids, social interactions, dispersal patterns, habitat requirements, mating behaviors, among others, are being carefully investigated. These recent contributions incorporate substantial information on the preexisting knowledge on these subjects every year. Our main objective with this book is to present a summary on these new researches and on the currently knowledge on the main subjects involved in the general theme, emphasizing the contribution of the rich fauna of the Neotropical region to the research of behaviour and ecology of the spiders.
Download or read book Biology of Spiders written by Rainer Foelix and published by OUP USA. This book was released on 2011-05-05 with total page 428 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the only books to treat the whole spider, from its behavior and physiology to its neurobiology and reproductive characteristics, Biology of Spiders is considered a classic in spider literature. First published in German in 1979, the book is now in its third edition, and has established itself as the supreme authority on these fascinating creatures. Containing five hundred new references, this book incorporates the latest research while dispelling many oft-heard myths and misconceptions that surround spiders. Of special interest are chapters on the structure and function of spider webs and silk, as well as those on spider venom. A new subchapter on tarantulas will appeal especially to tarantula keepers and breeders. The highly accessible text is supplemented by exceptional, high-quality photographs, many of them originals, and detailed diagrams. It will be of interest to arachnologists, entomologists, and zoologists, as well as to academics, students of biology, and the general reader curious about spiders.
Download or read book Canopy Arthropods written by Nigel E. Stork and published by Springer. This book was released on 1997 with total page 592 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As forests are cut down, altered and fragmented, the communities of organisms associated with them are also affected. Predictions of global species extinction rates based on forest loss range 1% to 10% each decade. Because arthropods comprise the largest component of animal species richness, it is inevitable that many arthropod species will become extinct. Millions of these species are thought to live in the forest canopy. During the last twenty years recognition of the importance of canopy arthropods to global biodiversity and the crucial roles arthropods play in forests has led to a revolution in the study and understanding of the arthropod community structure in the forest canopy. Recent advances have been greatly aided by the development of improved sampling techniques and new methods of access to the forest canopy. Canopy Arthropods brings together for the first time a wide range of the most recent studies of arthropods living in forest canopies and comes from a truly international team of contributors.
Download or read book Predator Prey Dynamics written by Michael R. Conover and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2007-03-30 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Humans, being visually oriented, are well versed in camouflage and how animals hide from predators that use vision to locate prey. However, many predators do not hunt by sight; they hunt by scent. This raises the question: do survival mechanisms and behaviors exist which allow animals to hide from these olfactory predators? If so, what are they, a
Download or read book Factors Affecting the Distribution of Brine Flies diptera Ephydridae in Inland and Coastal Saline Habitats written by Mark Acker Barnby and published by . This book was released on 1985 with total page 504 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Habitat Structure written by S.S. Bell and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 451 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We conceived the idea for this book after teaching a graduate seminar on 'Habitat Complexity' at The University of South Florida. Discussions during the seminar led us to conclude that similar goals were to be found in studies of the topic that spanned the breadth of ecological research. Yet, the exact meaning of 'habitat structure', and the way in which it was measured, seemed to differ widely among subdisciplines. Our own research, which involves several sorts of ecology, convinced us that the differences among subdisciplines were indeed real ones, and that they did inhibit communica tion. We decided that interchange of ideas among researchers working in marine ecology, plant-animal interactions, physiological ecology, and other more-or-less independent fields would be worthwhile, in that it might lead to useful generalizations about 'habitat structure'. To foster this interchange of ideas. we organized a symposium to attract researchers working with a wide variety of organisms living in many habitats, but united in their interest in the topic of 'habitat structure'. The symposium was held at The University of South Florida's Chinsegut Hill Conference Center, in May. 1988. We asked participants to think about 'habitat structure' in new ways; to synthesize important, but fragmented, information; and. perhaps. to consider ways of translating ideas across systems. The chapters contained in this book reflect the participants' attempts to do so. The book is divided into four parts, by major themes that we have found useful categorizations.
Download or read book Effects of Predation Risk on Escape and Display Behavior in a Wolf Spider written by Matthew Kevin Nelson and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 78 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Sperm Competition and the Evolution of Animal Mating systems written by Robert L. Smith and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2012-12-02 with total page 710 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sperm Competition and the Evolution of Animal Mating Systems describes the role of sperm competition in selection on a range of attributes from gamete morphology to species mating systems. This book is organized into 19 chapters and begins with the conceptualization of sperm competition as a subset of sexual selection and its implications for the insects. The following chapter describes the relationship between multiple mating and female fitness, with an emphasis on determining the conditions under which selection on females is likely to counteract selection on males for avoiding sperm competition. Other chapters consider the female perspective on sperm competition; the evolutionary causation at the level of the individual male gamete; and the correlation of high paternal investment and sperm precedence in the insects. The remaining chapters are arranged phylogenetically and explore the sperm competition in diverse animal taxa, such as the Drosophila, Lepidoptera, spiders, amphibians, and reptiles. These chapters also cover the evolution of direct versus indirect sperm transfer among the arachnids or the problem for kinship theory presented by multiple mating and sperm competition in the Hymenoptera. This book further discusses the remarkable potential for sperm competition among certain temperate bat species whose females store sperm through winter hibernation and the mixed strategies and male-caused female genital trauma as possible sperm competition adaptations in poeciliid fishes. The concluding chapter examines the predictions concerning testes size and mating systems in the primates and the possible role of sperm competition in human selection. This book is of great value to reproductive biologists and researchers.
Download or read book Spider Behaviour written by Marie Elisabeth Herberstein and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2011-01-27 with total page 417 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Spiders are often underestimated as suitable behavioural models because of the general belief that due to their small brains their behaviour is innate and mostly invariable. Challenging this assumption, this fascinating book shows that rather than having a limited behavioural repertoire, spiders show surprising cognitive abilities, changing their behaviour to suit their situational needs. The team of authors unravels the considerable intra-specific as well as intra-individual variability and plasticity in different behaviours ranging from foraging and web building to communication and courtship. An introductory chapter on spider biology, systematics and evolution provides the reader with the necessary background information to understand the discussed behaviours and helps to place them into an evolutionary context. Highlighting an under-explored area of behaviour, this book will provide new ideas for behavioural researchers and students unfamiliar with spiders as well as a valuable resource for those already working in this intriguing field.
Download or read book Medical and Veterinary Entomology written by Gary R. Mullen and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2009-04-22 with total page 646 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Medical and Veterinary Entomology, Second Edition, has been fully updated and revised to provide the latest information on developments in entomology relating to public health and veterinary importance. Each chapter is structured with the student in mind, organized by the major headings of Taxonomy, Morphology, Life History, Behavior and Ecology, Public Health and Veterinary Importance, and Prevention and Control. This second edition includes separate chapters devoted to each of the taxonomic groups of insects and arachnids of medical or veterinary concern, including spiders, scorpions, mites, and ticks. Internationally recognized editors Mullen and Durden include extensive coverage of both medical and veterinary entomological importance. This book is designed for teaching and research faculty in medical and veterinary schools that provide a course in vector borne diseases and medical entomology; parasitologists, entomologists, and government scientists responsible for oversight and monitoring of insect vector borne diseases; and medical and veterinary school libraries and libraries at institutions with strong programs in entomology. Follows in the tradition of Herm's Medical and Veterinary Entomology The latest information on developments in entomology relating to public health and veterinary importance Two separate indexes for enhanced searchability: Taxonomic and Subject New to this edition: Three new chapters Morphological Adaptations of Parasitic Arthropods Forensic Entomology Molecular Tools in Medical and Veterinary Entomology 1700 word glossary Appendix of Arthropod-Related Viruses of Medical-Veterinary Importance Numerous new full-color images, illustrations and maps throughout
Download or read book Alternative Reproductive Tactics written by Rui F. Oliveira and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2008-03-13 with total page 490 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The study of alternative reproductive tactics (the behavioural strategies used by individuals to increase their reproductive success) is an evolutionary puzzle, and one of great interest to researchers. For instance, why do some males guard both nest and eggs, while others sneak into nests while pairs are spawning and fertilise those eggs? The field offers a special opportunity to study the evolution and functional causes of phenotypic variation, which is a general problem in the field of evolutionary biology. By integrating both mechanistic (psychological) and evolutionary (behavioural ecology) perspectives and by covering a great diversity of species, Alternative Reproductive Tactics addresses this integrated topic of longstanding interest, bringing together a multitude of otherwise scattered information in an accessible form that is ideal for graduate students and researchers.
Download or read book Spider Physiology and written by Jerome Casas and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2011-12-13 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Table of contents vol. 41: The Sensory and Behavioural Biology of Whip Spiders (Arachnida, Amblypygi) Dynamic Population Structure and the Evolution of Spider Mating Systems Spider Cognition The Form and Function of Spider Orb Webs: Evolution from Silk to Ecosystems
Download or read book The Comity of Spiders written by William Syer Bristowe and published by . This book was released on 1939 with total page 332 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
