Download or read book The Influence of Predation Risk on the Foraging and Territorial Behavior of the Ozark Zigzag Salamander Plethodon Angusticalvius written by R. Todd Watson and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 102 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Effects of Prior Exposure to Predatory Chemical Cues on Territorial and Foraging Behaviors of the Ozark Zigzag Salamander Plethodon Angusticlavius written by Jennifer K. Parsons and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 118 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Detection of chemical cues is important for avoidance of predation for many prey animals. Previous experiments have shown that Ozark zigzag salamanders (Plethodon angusticlavius) make behavioral changes when in direct contact with predatory chemical cues. I predicted that prior exposure to a predator cue would also affect the subsequent behavior of these salamanders. I collected chemical cues from ringneck snakes (Diadophis punctatus) which are known predators of these salamanders. Salamanders were exposed to either the predator cue or a blank control for 5 min, then returned to their home Petri dishes and observed. Salamanders exposed to snake cues showed significant changes in activity, including an increase in time spent in escape behavior. These results suggest that salamanders avoid areas where they have had previous encounters with predators. In a second experiment, the effects of prior exposure to predator cues on territoriality were tested. After 5 min of exposure to either the snake cue or blank control, salamanders were returned to either their home chamber alongside an intruding salamander or they were introduced into the home chamber of a resident. Territorial behaviors were recorded for 15 min. Resident salamanders tended to be more aggressive than intruders. Residents previously exposed to snake cues increased chemosensory sampling behavior (nose taps), while the opposite trend was observed for intruders. Additionally, residents whose opponents were exposed to snake cues increased the frequency of Walk Under, a specific aggressive behavior, while intruders with predator exposed opponents decreased the frequency of Walk Under events.
Download or read book Territorial Behavior of the Ozark Zigzag Salamander Plethodon Angusticlavius Altered by Mode of Predator Cue and Sex of Intruder written by Sarah E. Heimbach and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 80 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Territorial defense in many species must be balanced with trade-offs in activities such as reproduction and predator avoidance. Adjusting behavior based on current assessments of predation risk and the cost of maintaining or gaining a territory is one way that individuals can balance trade-offs to maximize fitness. I conducted two experiments to determine how Ozark zigzag salamanders, Plethodon angusticlavius, adjust their territorial behavior-based predation risk. First, I tested whether male and female territorial intruders changed their competitive behavior according to whether predation risk is assessed via unimodal (chemical) or multimodal (chemical + physical) cues. Females and males responded differently to unimodal and multimodal cues with females generally responding similarly to all predator cues, and males responding to multimodal cues in an additive manner. Second, I determined whether predation risk affected competitive behavior differentially based on whether the intruder salamander was in a territory marked by a same-sex or different-sex residents. Overall, the territorial behavior of both male and female intruders was moderated by the presence of a predator, but the effect differed based on the sex of both the intruder and the resident salamander. The results of these two experiments suggest that P. angusticlavius salamanders adjust their territorial behavioral in the presence of predation risk based on the source of the information (unimodal vs multimodal cues) and the sex of nearby individuals (potential mates or competitors).
Download or read book Response of the Ozark Zigzag Salamander Plethodon Angusticlavius to High and Low Level Threats written by Morgan L. Presley and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 78 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Under most natural conditions, there is a trade-off between foraging efficiency and anitpredatory vigilance. This study examined the foraging tactics of the Ozark zigzag salamander (Plethodon angusticlavius) under low and high levels of threat. I predicted that the salamander would specialize on the most profitable prey type under low levels of threat but would forage randomly under high threat. Salamanders in the blank treatment did not specialize on high-calorie prey, probably because they required more handling time than low-calorie prey. Salamanders consumed fewer prey under high levels of threat but salamanders exhibited intermediate foraging levels under low levels of threat, which were substrate markings from a five-lined skink (Eumeces fasciatus). This result may indicate that salamanders and skinks are competitors or skinks are predators of salamanders. This study also examined the aggressive and antipredatory behaviors of salamanders toward skinks. Small salamanders were more aggressive in the presence of a large skink while large salamanders were more submissive. Salamanders decreased nose tapping in the presence of a large skink. Salamanders behaved differently toward small skinks than they did conspecifics. These data suggest that small salamanders may view large skinks as potential predators but probably do not view skinks as competitors.
Download or read book A Role for Parasites in the Behavior of the Ozark Zigzag Salamander plethodon Angusticlavius written by Daria Sonya Maksimowich and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Territorial Behavior in Southern Red backed and Ozark Zigzag Salamanders written by Colton Savage Lynn and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 86 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Territorial disputes are common among terrestrial woodland salamanders (genus Plethodon). Males and females of both Ozark zigzag (P. angusticlavius) and southern red-backed (P. serratus) salamanders are territorial, but differing costs and benefits between sexes may influence the expression of territorial behavior. I compared the competitive and exploratory behavior of males and females of both species in laboratory experiments. Competitive behavior was assessed through staged contests between same-sex, same-sized conspecifics. There were no differences between males and females for territory owners (residents). Female intruders were more aggressive than male intruders, spending more time in and performing higher grades of the All Trunk Raised display (an aggressive posture). Females were also significantly more cautious than males about leaving territories during the exploration trials. Overall, P. angusticlavius showed more aggressive, submissive, and exploratory behavior, and were less cautious about leaving territories than P. serratus. The differences between males and females likely reflect a difference in the costs and benefits of territory ownership for males and females. Females fight harder to gain and hold territories, and are less willing to leave, which may indicate that the cost of not having a territory is greater for females.
Download or read book Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles written by and published by . This book was released on 1963 with total page 554 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles written by American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Herpetological Catalogue Committee and published by . This book was released on 1971 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Identification of Sex and Parasitism Via Chemical Cues by the Ozark Zigzag Salamander written by Benjamin David Dalton and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 84 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Chemical communication is the primary mode of information transfer among woodland salamanders of the genus Plethodon. These cues have been shown to convey a wide variety of information, and are used to establish territorial boundaries. Responses to chemical cues can include changes in both behavior and energy consumption. The ability of Ozark zigzag salamanders, Plethodon angusticlavius, to detect the sex of a conspecific through chemical substrate markings has not been assessed. In addition, some populations of P. angusticlavius are naturally infected with the ectoparasitic mite Hannemania eltoni. Parasitism can impact both the behavior and metabolism of the host as well as the behavior of others towards the parasitized individual. I examined whether sex and parasitism of the cue donor and receiver influenced behavioral and metabolic responses in P. angusticlavius. In laboratory trials, behavior of P. angusticlavius was influenced by the sex and parasite load of the cue donors and receivers. Behavioral responses were also influenced by whether the receiver was in its own territory or in the territory of the cue donor. Metabolic responses were not affected by the sex or parasite load of the cue donor, but males had higher metabolic rates than females, even after adjusting for differences in body size. Overall, my study indicates that both sex and parasitism can be detected via chemical cues in this species, and the nature of the response depends on residency status, sex, and parasite load of the receiver.
Download or read book Honest Signaling in Aggressive Contests Between Ozark Zigzag Salamanders Plethodon Angusticlavius written by Rachel Bortosky and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 76 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Communication of information concerning the sender's quality or intentions is essential for maintaining territories, courtship, and mating. For signals to be favored by natural selection, they must benefit both the sender and the receiver. A dishonest signal that provides misleading information about quality or intent should therefore be selected against. Honest signals prevent cheating because they are constrained by factors such as the energetic costs of the signal. I tested the hypothesis that "All Trunk Raised" (ATR), a behavior that occurs in territorial contests in terrestrial salamanders, is an honest indicator of aggressive intent. In staged contests between pairs of Ozark zigzag salamanders (Plethodon angusticlavius), individuals that performed bites spent more time exhibiting ATR prior to biting than individuals that did not bite. In addition, I examined whether ATR is an energetically costly behavior. In trials where the diet of the intruder was manipulated, high-quality intruders tended to perform more ATR than low-quality intruders. In metabolic rate trials, individuals that performed more ATR produced more CO2. These results support the hypothesis that ATR is an honest indicator of aggressive intent in this species.
Download or read book Influence of Physical Stress Sex and Body Size on Metabolic Rates of Ozark Zigzag Salamanders Plethodon Angusticlavius written by Kyle M. Shull and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 42 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Behavioral Ecology of the Eastern Red backed Salamander written by Robert G. Jaeger and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2016-08-04 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The small, terrestrial eastern red-backed salamander is abundant on many forest floors of northeastern North America. Dr. Robert Jaeger and many of his graduate students spent over 50 years studying this species in New York and Virginia, using ecological techniques in forests and behavioral experiments in laboratory chambers in an attempt to understand how this species interacts with other species in the forest and the components of its intra- and intersexual social behaviors. The competitive and social behaviors of this species are unusually complex for an amphibian. This species is highly aggressive towards other similar-size species where they cohabit in forests, often leading to very little geographic overlap between the species. The authors examine the fascinating behavioral traits of this species including social monogamy, mutual mate guarding, sexual coercion, inter-species communication, and conflict resolution.
Download or read book Disturbance Predation Risk and Social Environment Create Predictable Spatial Patterns in Animal Foraging Behavior and Trophic Interactions written by Savannah Lynn Bartel and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Animal foraging behavior not only affects individual fitness of animals but can also mediate the magnitude of granivory and herbivory of plant communities. As a result, understanding how aspects of the environment affect animal foraging behavior is critical to predicting how changes in the environment may directly affect animal populations and indirectly affect plant communities. Since animals must avoid attack by predators or costly encounters with conspecific competitors while foraging, animal behavior may be shaped by characteristics of the environment that predict the likelihood of predation or intraspecific competition. Disturbances, such as fire and forest harvest, can have profound impacts on habitat characteristics (e.g., vegetative concealment from predators) that affect the identity and behavior of animals foraging in a habitat. Moreover, the legacies of historic disturbances, like past agricultural land use in restored habitats, can also impact habitat structure and, as a consequence, animal foraging behavior. By conducting an experiment that coupled canopy harvesting at sites containing both post-agricultural land use and nonagricultural land use, I found that land-use history and canopy harvesting determine the outcomes of seed-granivore interactions by modifying environmental characteristics relevant to mammal behavior. Seed predation rates in harvested plots were positively correlated with cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus) foraging activity, which was lower in post-agricultural harvested plots than in nonagricultural harvested plots. In unharvested plots, seed predation increased with fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) activity, but fox squirrels were not affected by land-use history. In another experiment that measured white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) foraging and antipredator behavior across longleaf pine woodlands varying in past land use and contemporary fire frequency, I found that frequent fires generated riskier habitats for deer, but deer utilized different antipredator strategies while foraging in habitats with different land-use histories. Experimental manipulation of acoustic predator cues (i.e., coyote (Canis latrans) vocalizations) revealed that deer only modify their foraging behavior in response to a direct cue of predator activity in frequently burned, nonagricultural woodlands. Long-term herbivore exclosures revealed that deer herbivory only reduced deer-preferred plant species richness in infrequently burned woodlands, where deer perceptions of risk were lower. These results suggest that past and present disturbances can interact to generate "landscapes of fear" in which spatial variation in deer antipredator behavior may help explain large-scale patterns in plant communities. Omnivorous predators, such as coyotes, that consume both animal prey and fleshy fruits may also affect plant communities as agents of seed dispersal. Since coyote foraging decisions determine individual diet and space use, understanding how aspects of the environment affect individual coyote foraging decisions is essential to understanding how environmental changes may affect seed dispersal by coyotes. By experimentally manipulating seed association with coyote scat and granivore access to seeds, I found that seed dispersal in coyote scat reduced predation of larger seeds by rodents but increased predation of smaller seeds by arthropods. Coyote scat composition was also important in affecting rodent seed predation such that seed predation was lower in the presence of meat-rich scat compared with fruit-rich scat. These results illustrate that individual coyote foraging decisions can have cascading effects on seed dispersal and survival. In an experiment evaluating how time of day and conspecific activity affect coyote foraging decisions, I found that coyotes were more likely to investigate experimental resource patches towards the end of the diel activity period and were less likely to consume resources at patches that were visited by other conspecifics. Collectively, these studies illustrate that individual coyote foraging decisions may plan an important role in mediating seed dispersal and survival, and coyote foraging decisions may be shaped by an individual's social environment.
Download or read book Behavioral Responses to Interspecific Chemical Cues are Zigzag Salamanders Plethodon Dorsalis Able to Assess Predation Risks written by Leah H. Lavoie and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 122 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Behavioral and Metabolic Responses of the Southern Red backed Salamander Plethodon Serratus to Predatory Stimuli written by Nathan L. Windel and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book A Behavioral Syndrome in the Southern Red backed Salamander Plethodon Serratus written by Travis West Reeder and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Animals generally are predicted to behave in ways that are presumed to maximize fitness, such as retreating at the sign of a predator or being aggressive in mating competitions and territorial conflicts. However, responses to specific stimuli can be highly variable, which in part can be explained by individual "personalities" or "behavioral syndromes". There has been little study concerning whether behavioral syndromes are stable or can be modified by personal experience. In this study, I compared behavior of adult southern red-backed salamanders (Plethodon serratus) in two contexts: (1) exploring unfamiliar territory, and (2) learning to adopt a foraging task. A behavioral syndrome was present for females; individuals that excelled in the foraging task also had a tendency to travel greater distances from their territories compared to individuals that were less successful in the foraging task. In contrast, males failed to show any consistency in behaviors between the two contexts. Operant conditioning experiments tested whether negative reinforcement influenced the behavioral syndrome of females. Within-context changes in behavior were weak, but there were significant changes in cross-context behavior suggesting behavioral syndrome instability in these salamanders. These results could help explain why the syndrome is absent in males, and raises questions regarding the evolution of behavioral syndromes.
Download or read book Territorial Behavior in the Salamander Plethodon Albagula written by Heather Dawn Forster and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 60 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
