Nest predation is the leading cause of reproductive failure in birds and a major driving force in the evolution of anti-predation strategies.Current studies on the anti-predation strategies of birds driven by predatio...Nest predation is the leading cause of reproductive failure in birds and a major driving force in the evolution of anti-predation strategies.Current studies on the anti-predation strategies of birds driven by predation pressure have mainly focused on adults.However,the detection and behavioral responses of nestlings toward predation risk require further investigation.In this study,we examined nestling responses to predator sounds.Two species of nestlings,the Reed Parrotbill(Paradoxornis heudei)and Vinous-throated Parrotbill(Sinosuthora webbiana),were exposed to the Sparrowhawk(Accipiter nisus,less common)and Oriental Magpie(Pica serica,more common),which are predator species,the Oriental Turtle Dove(Streptopelia orientalis),which is a commonly found harmless species,and background noise.Our findings revealed that compared to pre-playback of natural begging and playback of background noise and Oriental Turtle Dove sounds,playback of the two predator types decreased the total begging time and total number of calls of the two nestlings species,with the calls of the Sparrowhawk leading to greater suppression of nestling begging behavior than those of the Oriental Magpie.Therefore,our results indicated that these nestlings were able to distinguish predators from harmless species based on auditory cues.展开更多
Rice crops are frequently threatened by pests such as rice planthoppers(Nilaparvata lugens,Sogatella furcifera,and Laodelphax striatellus)and leafhoppers(Cicadellidae),which cause significant yield losses.Accurate ide...Rice crops are frequently threatened by pests such as rice planthoppers(Nilaparvata lugens,Sogatella furcifera,and Laodelphax striatellus)and leafhoppers(Cicadellidae),which cause significant yield losses.Accurate identification of both pest developmental stages and their natural predators is crucial for effective pest control and maintaining ecological balance.However,conventional field surveys are often subjective,inefficient,and lack traceability.To overcome these limitations,this study proposed RiceInsectID,a two-stage cascaded detection method designed to identify and count tiny rice pests and their natural predators from white flat plate images captured by head-worn AR glasses.The method recognizes 25 insect classes,including 17 instars of rice planthoppers,2 instars of leafhoppers,4 spider species(Araneae),as well as Miridae and rove beetles(Staphylinidae Latreille).At the first coarse-grained detection stage,16 visually similar classes are consolidated into 6 broader categories and detected using an enhanced YOLOv6 model.To improve small object detection and address class imbalance,the fullregion overlapping sliding slices and target pasting(FOSTP)algorithm was applied,increasing the mean average precision at a 50%IoU threshold(mAP50)by 35.46%over the baseline YOLOv6.Feature extraction and fusion were further improved by incorporating an efficient channel attention path aggregation feature pyramid network(ECA-PAFPN)and adaptive structure feature fusion(ASFF)modules,while the balanced classification mosaic(BCM)enhanced detection of minority classes.With test-time augmentation(TTA),mAP50 improved by an additional 2.06%,reaching 84.71%.At the second fine-grained classification stage,each of the six broad classes from the first stage is further classified using individual ResNet50 models.Online data augmentation and transfer learning were employed to significantly enhance generalization.Compared with the baseline YOLOv6,the two-stage cascaded method improved recall by 4.06%,precision by 3.79%,and the F1-score by 3.92%.Overall,RiceInsectID achieved 82.85%recall,80.62%precision,and an F1-score of 81.72%,demonstrating an efficient and practical solution for monitoring tiny rice pests and their natural predators in paddy fields.This study provides valuable insights for ecosystem monitoring and supporting sustainable pest management in rice agriculture.展开更多
Tool use-once considered rare in insects-has been documented in a crafty predator.Researchers from China Agricultural University,and two institutions under the Chinese Academy of Sciences-the Xishuangbanna Tropical Bo...Tool use-once considered rare in insects-has been documented in a crafty predator.Researchers from China Agricultural University,and two institutions under the Chinese Academy of Sciences-the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden(XTBG)and the Institute of Zoology-revealed that the assassin bug Pahabengkakia piliceps weaponizes resin from stingless bee nests to trick its prey.展开更多
Ensuring food security for a rapidly growing global population amidst resource limitations and climate change is a major challenge.Agroforestry an ecologically sustainable land-use system that integrates trees,crops,a...Ensuring food security for a rapidly growing global population amidst resource limitations and climate change is a major challenge.Agroforestry an ecologically sustainable land-use system that integrates trees,crops,and sometimes livestock offers significant promise by enhancing biodiversity,ecosystem services,and agricultural productivity.A central concern in such systems is pest management,which traditionally relies on chemical pesticides.However,their excessive use has led to environmental degradation,pest resistance,and health hazards.This review explores the potential of insectivorous birds as natural pest control agents in agroforestry systems.It focuses on how habitat features,vegetation complexity,and species-specific behaviors influence bird-mediated biological control.Insectivorous birds manage pest populations through direct predation,targeting a range of insect pests including caterpillars,beetles,and grasshoppers.Their foraging activity helps maintain pest populations below the economic threshold.Vegetation strata comprising ground cover,shrubs,understory,and canopy offer diverse foraging niches and nesting habitats that enhance bird diversity and functional roles.Pest control efficiency is closely linked to seasonality,resource availability,and habitat structure.Differentiating between beneficial(predatory)and pestiferous birds is essential to maximize ecosystem services and minimize crop losses or damage to beneficial insects.Conservation of beneficial bird species,informed vegetation planning,and regular monitoring are vital to strengthening multitrophic interactions and achieving sustainable pest control.Future research should focus on bird behavior,predator-prey interactions,and habitat management to optimize bird-friendly pest regulation strategies in agroforestry landscapes.展开更多
Paternal predation risk can program offspring phenotypes via maternal responses and epigenetic marks of spermatozoa.However,the processes and consequences of this experience in biparental species are unknown.Here,we e...Paternal predation risk can program offspring phenotypes via maternal responses and epigenetic marks of spermatozoa.However,the processes and consequences of this experience in biparental species are unknown.Here,we examined how preconception and postconception paternal cat odor(CO)exposure affects anxiety-like behavior and antipredator response in Brandt’s voles(Lasiopodomys brandtii).We found that preconception paternal CO exposure inhibited maternal investment when offspring were raised by mothers alone,while postconception exposure increased paternal investment towards the offspring raised by both parents.The increased paternal behavior may be associated with an increasing grooming behavior received from their mates,which alleviated the anxiety-like behavior in CO-exposed males.Both paternal experiences increased the levels of anxiety-like behavior in adolescent offspring but differentially altered adult phenotypes.Specifcally,adult females from preconception CO-exposed fathers spent less time in defensive concealing,whereas the offspring of postconception CO-exposed fathers showed more in response to acute cat urine exposure.Correspondingly,baseline corticosterone levels were decreased and increased in these offspring,respectively.Our results indicate that in biparental species,paternal predation risk exposure affects offspring phenotypes in pathway-dependent and age-specifc manners and that only the presence of both parents can elicit adaptive responses to a high predation-risk environment.展开更多
The rapid expansion of Internet of Things(IoT)networks has introduced challenges in network management,primarily in maintaining energy efficiency and robust connectivity across an increasing array of devices.This pape...The rapid expansion of Internet of Things(IoT)networks has introduced challenges in network management,primarily in maintaining energy efficiency and robust connectivity across an increasing array of devices.This paper introduces the Adaptive Blended Marine Predators Algorithm(AB-MPA),a novel optimization technique designed to enhance Quality of Service(QoS)in IoT systems by dynamically optimizing network configurations for improved energy efficiency and stability.Our results represent significant improvements in network performance metrics such as energy consumption,throughput,and operational stability,indicating that AB-MPA effectively addresses the pressing needs ofmodern IoT environments.Nodes are initiated with 100 J of stored energy,and energy is consumed at 0.01 J per square meter in each node to emphasize energy-efficient networks.The algorithm also provides sufficient network lifetime extension to a resourceful 7000 cycles for up to 200 nodes with a maximum Packet Delivery Ratio(PDR)of 99% and a robust network throughput of up to 1800 kbps in more compact node configurations.This study proposes a viable solution to a critical problem and opens avenues for further research into scalable network management for diverse applications.展开更多
Globally,fish are frequently introduced beyond their native range.Some,like Ponto-Caspian gobies,are becoming invasive,achieving high colo-nization rates and constituting frequent prey for native predators.However,lit...Globally,fish are frequently introduced beyond their native range.Some,like Ponto-Caspian gobies,are becoming invasive,achieving high colo-nization rates and constituting frequent prey for native predators.However,little is known about the effectiveness of antipredator behaviors of the invaders,which may shape their role in the invaded community and contribute to the invasion success.We compared antipredator behaviors of invasive gobies and native fish species after their detection by the predator,when the danger becomes direct.We studied 2 fish pairs,each consisting of an invasive and native species co-occurring in the environment and belonging to the same prey guild:(1)the racer goby Babka gymnotrachelus versus European bulhead Cottus gobio,(2)the monkey goby Neogobius fluviatilis versus gudgeon Gobio gobio,facing a naive predator(the Eurasian perch Perca fluviatilis).We analyzed behaviors of single prey individuals(escaping,staying in shelter,and activity)and sin-gle predators(activity,searching,following,capturing,and latency to prey consumption).In the predator presence,the bullhead was less active and more often managed to escape after capture than the racer goby.The gudgeon escaped before the capture more often than the monkey goby.The predator succeeded later with the bullhead compared to racer goby,whereas no differences in ingestion time occurred between the gudgeon and monkey goby.The results suggest that,in terms of hunting effort of native predators,the invasive gobies are equivalent to or more profitable prey than their native analogs,which can facilitate the integration of the gobies into local food webs.展开更多
Many prey species rely on publicly available personal and social information regarding local predation threats to assess risks and make contextappropriate behavioral decisions.However,in sexually dimorphic species,mal...Many prey species rely on publicly available personal and social information regarding local predation threats to assess risks and make contextappropriate behavioral decisions.However,in sexually dimorphic species,males and females are expected to differ in the perceived costs and/orbenefts associated with predator avoidance decisions.Recent studies suggest that male Trinidadian guppies(Poecilia reticulata)show reducedor absent responses to acute personal information cues,placing them at greater risk of predation relative to females.Our goal here was totest the hypothesis that adult(reproductively active)male guppies rely on social information to limit potential costs associated with their lack ofresponse to risky personal cues.Adult male guppies were exposed to personal chemosensory cues(either conspecifc alarm cues(AC),a novelodor,or a water control)in the presence of a shoal of three females inside a holding container that allowed the transmission of visual but notchemical cues.At the same time,we exposed females to either risk from AC or no risk,resulting in the display of a range of female behavior,from calm to alarmed,available as social information for males.Alarmed females caused male fright activity to increase and male interest infemales to decrease,regardless of the personal cue treatment.These results indicate that male guppies rely more on female information regarding predation risk than their own personal information,probably to balance trade-offs between reproduction and predator avoidance.展开更多
There is growing interest in the role that apex predators play in shaping terrestrial ecosystems and maintaining tro- phic cascades. In line with the mesopredator release hypothesis, Australian dingoes （Canis lupus d...There is growing interest in the role that apex predators play in shaping terrestrial ecosystems and maintaining tro- phic cascades. In line with the mesopredator release hypothesis, Australian dingoes （Canis lupus dingo and hybrids） are assumed by many to regulate the abundance of invasive mesopredators, such as red foxes Vulpes vulpes and feral cats Fells catus, thereby providing indirect benefits to various threatened vertebrates. Several recent papers have claimed to provide evidence for the bio- diversity benefits of dingoes in this way. Nevertheless, in this paper we highlight several critical weaknesses in the methodologi- cal approaches used in many of these reports, including lack of consideration for seasonal and habitat differences in activity, the complication of simple track-based indices by incorporating difficult-to-meet assumptions, and a reduction in sensitivity for as-sessing populations by using binary measures rather than potentially continuous measures. Of the 20 studies reviewed, 15 of them （75%） contained serious methodological flaws, which may partly explain the inconclusive nature of the literature investigating interactions between invasive Australian predators. We therefore assert that most of the ＂growing body of evidence＂ for meso- predator release is merely an inconclusive growing body of literature only. We encourage those interested in studying the eco- logical roles of dingoes relative to invasive mesopredators and native prey species to account for the factors we identify, and cau- tion the value of studies that have not done so [Current Zoology 57 （5）： 568-583, 2011].展开更多
Although it is well known that birds can assess predation risk through visual and auditory cues, there has been little research into whether similar processes occur with olfactory cues. We examined the role of odor cu...Although it is well known that birds can assess predation risk through visual and auditory cues, there has been little research into whether similar processes occur with olfactory cues. We examined the role of odor cues in assessing nest predation risk in four species of passerine birds in New Zealand. We compared the ability of two introduced European species （common starling Sturnus vulgaris and song thrush Turdus philomelos） and two native New Zealand species （rifleman Acanthisitta chloris and South Island robin Petroica australis） to respond to the scent of rat urine placed in the nest. Rats are an introduced predator in New Zealand and we expected the native birds, which did not co-evolve with any mammalian predators, to lack behavioral adaptations to the scent of rats at their nest. As expected, both riflemen and robins failed to show any change in their behavior at their nest when rat urine was present compared to a control period in which no scent was present. However, a similar lack of re- sponse was observed in the introduced song thrush; only the common starling changed its behavior in the presence of the rat urine Starlings with rat urine at the nest box were more likely to hesitate before entering and they also approached the nest, but refused to enter more often in the presence of rat scent. Both responses suggest they detected the presence of a predator and changed their behavior to minimize risk to themselves. Although based on a small number of species, our results suggest that responses to pre- dator scent may be less common in New Zealand species, and may be a factor contributing to the vulnerability of native birds to introduced mammalian predators [Current Zoology 61 （1）： 34-41, 2015].展开更多
Predator odors can elicit fear responses in prey and predator odor recognition is generally associated with physiological responses. Prey species are often more likely to respond to the odor of familiar ra- ther than ...Predator odors can elicit fear responses in prey and predator odor recognition is generally associated with physiological responses. Prey species are often more likely to respond to the odor of familiar ra- ther than alien predators. However, predator na＇ivety in an introduced prey species has rarely been investigated. We examined the physiological response, as shown by changes in ventilatory vari- ables, of an introduced terrestrial herbivore, the European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus, in Australia, to the odor of potential predators and to control odors （distilled water and horse）, to explore if res- ponses were limited to historical （cat and fox） predators, or extended to historically novel predators （snake and quoll）. All odors except distilled water elicited a response, with rabbits showing long- term higher respiratory frequencies and lower tidal volumes after introduction of the odors, indi- cating an increase in alertness. However, the intensity of the rabbits＇ reaction could not be directly linked to any pattern of response with respect to the history of predator-prey relationships. Rabbits exhibited significantly stronger reactions in response to both cat and quoll odors than they did to dis- tilled water, but responses to horse, fox, and snake odor were similar to that of water. Our results show that the introduced rabbit can respond to both historical and novel predators in Australia, and suggest that shared evolutionary history is not necessarily a prerequisite to predator odor recognition.展开更多
Predation is an important ecological constraint that influences communication in animals.Fish respond to predators by adjusting their visual signaling behavior,but the responses in calling behavior in the presence of ...Predation is an important ecological constraint that influences communication in animals.Fish respond to predators by adjusting their visual signaling behavior,but the responses in calling behavior in the presence of a visually detected predator are largely unknown.We hypothesize that fish will reduce visual and acoustic signaling including sound levels and avoid escalating fights in the presence of a predator.To test this we investigated dyadic contests in female croaking gouramis(Trichopsis vittata,Osphronemidae)in the presence and absence of a predator(Astronotus ocella-tus,Cichlidae)in an adjoining tank.Agonistic behavior in T.vittata consists of lateral(visual)displays,antiparallel circling,and production of croaking sounds and may escalate to frontal displays.We analyzed the number and duration of lateral display bouts,the number,duration,sound pressure level,and dominant frequency of croaking sounds as well as contest outcomes.The number and duration of lateral displays decreased significantly in predator when compared with nopredator trials.Total number of sounds per contest dropped in parallel but no significant changes were observed in sound characteristics.In the presence of a predator,dyadic contests were decided or terminated during lateral displays and never escalated to frontal displays.The gouramis showed approaching behavior toward the predator between lateral displays.This is the first study supporting the hypothesis that predators reduce visual and acoustic signaling in a vocal fish.Sound properties,in contrast,did not change.Decreased signaling and the lack of escalating contests reduce the fish's conspicuousness and thus predation threat.展开更多
Factors related to the invasion process, such as high abundance of invaders, residence time, and functional distinctiveness, are well documented, but less attention has been given to the effects of antipredator strate...Factors related to the invasion process, such as high abundance of invaders, residence time, and functional distinctiveness, are well documented, but less attention has been given to the effects of antipredator strategy of invasive species during colonization. In this study, we explored the antipredator strategy of an introduced species by comparing the predator avoidance behaviors of two native anuran species and one introduced （“exotic”） species in the presence of different predators. The two native anuran species used in the study were Black-spotted Pond FrogRana nigromaculata and Terrestrial Frog Rana limnocharis. The introduced （invasive） species used was American bullfrogLithobates catesbeianus. Chinese pond turtleChinemys reevesii, Red-backed rat snakeElaphe rufodorsata, and Big-headed turtle Platysternon megacephalum were used as predator species. Chinese pond turtles and Red-backed rat snakes are native predators of Black-spotted Pond Frogs and Terrestrial Frogs, while Big-headed turtles are novel （“unfamiliar”） to the two frogs. All three predator species are novel （“unfamiliar”） to the American bullfrog. The results show that tadpoles of the two native species displayed behaviors of recognizing the two native predators, but did not display the capability of identifying the novel predator. Results from our study also suggest that American bullfrog tadpoles exhibited strong antipredator behavioral responses by displaying the capability of identifying “unfamiliar” predators without cohabitation history and prior exposure to them. Such antipredator behavioral responses could have resulted in more favorable outcomes for an invading species during the invasive introductory process.展开更多
Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) arises when wildlife shares the same physical space with humans. HWC, particularly livestock predation results in great negative impacts both to pastoralist and carnivores. Various approa...Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) arises when wildlife shares the same physical space with humans. HWC, particularly livestock predation results in great negative impacts both to pastoralist and carnivores. Various approaches including compensation, livestock guarding, translocation of the problematic predator, and predator-proof bomas (PPB) have been used to mitigate such conflicts. We assessed PPB in mitigating human-predator conflict in Loitokitok sub-county by focusing on its effectiveness, most problematic predator, community’s perceptions, and comparing the PPB and traditional bomas characteristics. Data were obtained from 90 homesteads in Olgulului, Mbirikani and Kimana/Tikondo group ranches. Correlation and paired t-tests were used to analyze the data. Our findings suggest that the boma sizes correlated with the total number of livestock in the boma (r = 0.386, n = 90, p = 0.000) but not the number of people. Hyena and lion accounted for the highest loss of shoats and cattle, with hyena mostly killing shoats (37%) and lions preying largely on cattle (34%). The most problematic predator was as hyena (68%). We found positive relationships between the most problematic predator and total number of livestock (r = 0.319, n = 90, p = 0.002), and boma circumference (r = 0.295, n = 90, p = 0.005). Livestock predation was high in boma during the wet seasons (April, September, October and December). The erection of PPB reduced livestock predation by 91.11% (n = 45) and time spend guarding livestock at night. We recommend a continuous maintenance of the PPB as a long term solution to livestock loss at night and a close guarding of livestock during the day by adults to reduce day time predations.展开更多
Transgenic Bt rice has been shown to be an effective means of controlling Lepidoptera pests of rice. However, the potential roles of transgenic rice on planthoppers and their predators need to be investigated before i...Transgenic Bt rice has been shown to be an effective means of controlling Lepidoptera pests of rice. However, the potential roles of transgenic rice on planthoppers and their predators need to be investigated before its commercialization. Population density, species dominance and population dynamics are important parameters of arthropods populations in field. So the impacts of three transgenic Bt rice strains expressing crylAb/crylAc, crylC and cry2A on population density, species dominance and population dynamics of three species of planthoppers （Nilaparvata lugens, Sogatella furcifera and Laodelphax striatellus） and their three main predators （ Cyrtorhinus lividipennis, Pirata subpiraticus and Theridium octomaculatum） were evaluated at three sites in Hubei Province, China, in the current study. The results showed that among three species of planthoppers, both in transgenic and non-transgenic rice field, the predominant species ofplanthoppers within phytophagous guild was S. furcifera at any site either growing season （46-50%）. Significantly higher population density ofN. lugens was observed in T2A-1 field relative to Minghui 63 field at Wuxue in 2010. The species dominance of predator, P. subpiraticus, in TT51 field was significantly higher than that in T 1 C-19 and T2A-1 fields in 2009 at Xiaogan site. Sampling date significantly influenced six arthropods except for P. subpiraticus in 2010. The interaction between rice strain^sampling date had no significant adverse effects on the population dynamics of three species of planthoppers and their predators, except for several individual species in 2009. The interaction among rice strain^sampling date^sampling site also had no significant effect on six arthropods except for S. furcifera in 2009. The results indicated that transgenic Bt rice expressing crylAb/crylAc, cry2A and crylC had no significant adverse effects on the population dynamics of three planthoppers and their predators in most investigated data and sampling site.展开更多
Among-population differences in morphology and behaviors such as boldness have been shown to co-vary with eco- logical conditions, including predation regime. However, between- and within-population covariation of pre...Among-population differences in morphology and behaviors such as boldness have been shown to co-vary with eco- logical conditions, including predation regime. However, between- and within-population covariation of predator defense mor- phology with variation in behaviors relevant to ecology and evolution （boldness, exploration, activity, sociability and aggressive- ness, often defined as personality traits when they are consistent across time and contexts） have never been quantified together in a single study in juvenile fish from populations found in contrasting environments. We measured predator defense morphology differences between adults from two freshwater populations of threespine sticklebacks with different ecological conditions. We then quantified five behaviors in juveniles from both populations raised in a common environment. Wild-caught adults showed significant differences in predator defense morphology. One population had significantly lower lateral plate number, shorter dorsal spine, pelvic spine and pelvic girdle. Furthermore, 61% of individuals from that population showed an absence of pelvic spine and girdle. At the population level, we found that differences in defense morphology in adults between the two lakes were coupled with differences in behaviors in juveniles raised in a common environment. Levels of activity, aggressiveness and boldness were higher in juveniles from the population lacking predator defense structures. At the individual level, anti-predator morphology of adult females could not predict their offspring＇s behavior, but juvenile coloration predicted individual boldness in a popula- tion-specific manner. Our results suggest that ecological conditions, as reflected in adult predator defense morphology, also affect juvenile behavior in threespine sticklebacks, resulting in trait co-specialization, and that there is a genetic or epigenetic compo- nent to these behavioral differences [Current Zoology 58 （1）： 53-65, 2012].展开更多
Transgenic insect-resistant cotton is being increasingly planted in Xinjiang cotton-planting regions, where geographical climate conditions and species composition of pests and natural enemies are greatly unique in Ch...Transgenic insect-resistant cotton is being increasingly planted in Xinjiang cotton-planting regions, where geographical climate conditions and species composition of pests and natural enemies are greatly unique in China. Limited studies have been conducted on the ecological impacts of transgenic insect-resistant cotton, especially for transgenic double genes （Bt＋CpTI） cotton, in this region. In this study, the potential effects of transgenic Bt＋CpTI cotton on the seasonal abundance of non-target pests and predators were assessed from 2009 to 2011 in Korla, Xinjiang. The results showed that species composition and seasonal abundance of 5 groups of pests and 5 groups of predators were not significantly different between transgenic Bt＋CpTI cotton and non-transgenic cotton every year. It suggests that transgenic Bt＋CpTI cotton per se does not affect the population dynamics of non-target pests and predators on this crop in Xinjiang.展开更多
A class of nonlinear predator prey reaction diffusion systems for singularly pe rturbed problems are considered.Under suitable conditions, by using theory of di fferential inequalities the existence and asymptotic be...A class of nonlinear predator prey reaction diffusion systems for singularly pe rturbed problems are considered.Under suitable conditions, by using theory of di fferential inequalities the existence and asymptotic behavior of solution for in itial boundary value problems are studied.展开更多
Background: The Emei Shan Liocichla(Liocichla omeiensis) is a globally vulnerable babbler, endemic to southwestern China. We investigated its nest predators, nest-site selection and nest success at the Laojunshan Nati...Background: The Emei Shan Liocichla(Liocichla omeiensis) is a globally vulnerable babbler, endemic to southwestern China. We investigated its nest predators, nest-site selection and nest success at the Laojunshan National Nature Reserve in Sichuan, China in order to identify the precise nesting-habitat requirements of the species, and to test whether the nest-site-selection cues, preferred by the Emei Shan Liocichla, are positively associated with nest success.Methods: We used infrared cameras to determine nest predators. We compared the microhabitat attributes between nest and random sites, as well as successful and failed nests. We used Binary Logistic Regression to determine the most important variables affecting nest-site selection of the Emei Shan Liocichla. We used the nest survival analysis in Program MARK to estimate daily nest survival rates(DSR). Nest success was calculated using the Mayfield method.Results: In total 56 nests were found. The DSR for all nests that contained at least one egg was 0.9564 ± 0.0091(95 % CI 0.9346–0.9711)(n = 40), while the total nest success was 27.5 %. We identified four categories of predators in 10 nest predation events, i.e. squirrels(n = 5), snakes(n = 3), raptors(n = 1) and wasps(n = 1). We found that:(1) nest predation was the primary reason for nest failure of the Emei Shan Liocichla,(2) tree cover, bamboo cover, liana abundance and distance to forest edge or gap were the most important variables affecting nest-site selection of this species, and(3) the nest-site-selection variables we measured appeared not to be positively associated with nest success.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the Emei Shan Liocichla tended to select nest sites near forest edges or gaps with good concealment and that nest-site selection by this species was nonrandom but not necessarily adaptive. Reducing forest-edge development and protecting bamboo stands should be effective for conservation of this species.展开更多
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32301295 to J.W.,32101242 to L.M.and 32260253 to L.W.)High-Level Talents Research Start-Up Project of Hebei University (521100222044 to J.W.)。
文摘Nest predation is the leading cause of reproductive failure in birds and a major driving force in the evolution of anti-predation strategies.Current studies on the anti-predation strategies of birds driven by predation pressure have mainly focused on adults.However,the detection and behavioral responses of nestlings toward predation risk require further investigation.In this study,we examined nestling responses to predator sounds.Two species of nestlings,the Reed Parrotbill(Paradoxornis heudei)and Vinous-throated Parrotbill(Sinosuthora webbiana),were exposed to the Sparrowhawk(Accipiter nisus,less common)and Oriental Magpie(Pica serica,more common),which are predator species,the Oriental Turtle Dove(Streptopelia orientalis),which is a commonly found harmless species,and background noise.Our findings revealed that compared to pre-playback of natural begging and playback of background noise and Oriental Turtle Dove sounds,playback of the two predator types decreased the total begging time and total number of calls of the two nestlings species,with the calls of the Sparrowhawk leading to greater suppression of nestling begging behavior than those of the Oriental Magpie.Therefore,our results indicated that these nestlings were able to distinguish predators from harmless species based on auditory cues.
基金supported by the National Key Research Program of China during the 14th Five-Year Plan Period(Grant No.2021YFD1401100)the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.LTGN24C140007)the‘San Nong Jiu Fang’Sciences and Technologies Cooperation Project of Zhejiang Province,China(Grant No.2024SNJF010)。
文摘Rice crops are frequently threatened by pests such as rice planthoppers(Nilaparvata lugens,Sogatella furcifera,and Laodelphax striatellus)and leafhoppers(Cicadellidae),which cause significant yield losses.Accurate identification of both pest developmental stages and their natural predators is crucial for effective pest control and maintaining ecological balance.However,conventional field surveys are often subjective,inefficient,and lack traceability.To overcome these limitations,this study proposed RiceInsectID,a two-stage cascaded detection method designed to identify and count tiny rice pests and their natural predators from white flat plate images captured by head-worn AR glasses.The method recognizes 25 insect classes,including 17 instars of rice planthoppers,2 instars of leafhoppers,4 spider species(Araneae),as well as Miridae and rove beetles(Staphylinidae Latreille).At the first coarse-grained detection stage,16 visually similar classes are consolidated into 6 broader categories and detected using an enhanced YOLOv6 model.To improve small object detection and address class imbalance,the fullregion overlapping sliding slices and target pasting(FOSTP)algorithm was applied,increasing the mean average precision at a 50%IoU threshold(mAP50)by 35.46%over the baseline YOLOv6.Feature extraction and fusion were further improved by incorporating an efficient channel attention path aggregation feature pyramid network(ECA-PAFPN)and adaptive structure feature fusion(ASFF)modules,while the balanced classification mosaic(BCM)enhanced detection of minority classes.With test-time augmentation(TTA),mAP50 improved by an additional 2.06%,reaching 84.71%.At the second fine-grained classification stage,each of the six broad classes from the first stage is further classified using individual ResNet50 models.Online data augmentation and transfer learning were employed to significantly enhance generalization.Compared with the baseline YOLOv6,the two-stage cascaded method improved recall by 4.06%,precision by 3.79%,and the F1-score by 3.92%.Overall,RiceInsectID achieved 82.85%recall,80.62%precision,and an F1-score of 81.72%,demonstrating an efficient and practical solution for monitoring tiny rice pests and their natural predators in paddy fields.This study provides valuable insights for ecosystem monitoring and supporting sustainable pest management in rice agriculture.
文摘Tool use-once considered rare in insects-has been documented in a crafty predator.Researchers from China Agricultural University,and two institutions under the Chinese Academy of Sciences-the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden(XTBG)and the Institute of Zoology-revealed that the assassin bug Pahabengkakia piliceps weaponizes resin from stingless bee nests to trick its prey.
文摘Ensuring food security for a rapidly growing global population amidst resource limitations and climate change is a major challenge.Agroforestry an ecologically sustainable land-use system that integrates trees,crops,and sometimes livestock offers significant promise by enhancing biodiversity,ecosystem services,and agricultural productivity.A central concern in such systems is pest management,which traditionally relies on chemical pesticides.However,their excessive use has led to environmental degradation,pest resistance,and health hazards.This review explores the potential of insectivorous birds as natural pest control agents in agroforestry systems.It focuses on how habitat features,vegetation complexity,and species-specific behaviors influence bird-mediated biological control.Insectivorous birds manage pest populations through direct predation,targeting a range of insect pests including caterpillars,beetles,and grasshoppers.Their foraging activity helps maintain pest populations below the economic threshold.Vegetation strata comprising ground cover,shrubs,understory,and canopy offer diverse foraging niches and nesting habitats that enhance bird diversity and functional roles.Pest control efficiency is closely linked to seasonality,resource availability,and habitat structure.Differentiating between beneficial(predatory)and pestiferous birds is essential to maximize ecosystem services and minimize crop losses or damage to beneficial insects.Conservation of beneficial bird species,informed vegetation planning,and regular monitoring are vital to strengthening multitrophic interactions and achieving sustainable pest control.Future research should focus on bird behavior,predator-prey interactions,and habitat management to optimize bird-friendly pest regulation strategies in agroforestry landscapes.
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31770422 and 31900334)Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(BK20190910)+2 种基金Postdoctoral Science Foundation of China(2018M630610 and 2019T120468)Students’Project for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program of Yangzhou University(XCX20230796)Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions.
文摘Paternal predation risk can program offspring phenotypes via maternal responses and epigenetic marks of spermatozoa.However,the processes and consequences of this experience in biparental species are unknown.Here,we examined how preconception and postconception paternal cat odor(CO)exposure affects anxiety-like behavior and antipredator response in Brandt’s voles(Lasiopodomys brandtii).We found that preconception paternal CO exposure inhibited maternal investment when offspring were raised by mothers alone,while postconception exposure increased paternal investment towards the offspring raised by both parents.The increased paternal behavior may be associated with an increasing grooming behavior received from their mates,which alleviated the anxiety-like behavior in CO-exposed males.Both paternal experiences increased the levels of anxiety-like behavior in adolescent offspring but differentially altered adult phenotypes.Specifcally,adult females from preconception CO-exposed fathers spent less time in defensive concealing,whereas the offspring of postconception CO-exposed fathers showed more in response to acute cat urine exposure.Correspondingly,baseline corticosterone levels were decreased and increased in these offspring,respectively.Our results indicate that in biparental species,paternal predation risk exposure affects offspring phenotypes in pathway-dependent and age-specifc manners and that only the presence of both parents can elicit adaptive responses to a high predation-risk environment.
文摘The rapid expansion of Internet of Things(IoT)networks has introduced challenges in network management,primarily in maintaining energy efficiency and robust connectivity across an increasing array of devices.This paper introduces the Adaptive Blended Marine Predators Algorithm(AB-MPA),a novel optimization technique designed to enhance Quality of Service(QoS)in IoT systems by dynamically optimizing network configurations for improved energy efficiency and stability.Our results represent significant improvements in network performance metrics such as energy consumption,throughput,and operational stability,indicating that AB-MPA effectively addresses the pressing needs ofmodern IoT environments.Nodes are initiated with 100 J of stored energy,and energy is consumed at 0.01 J per square meter in each node to emphasize energy-efficient networks.The algorithm also provides sufficient network lifetime extension to a resourceful 7000 cycles for up to 200 nodes with a maximum Packet Delivery Ratio(PDR)of 99% and a robust network throughput of up to 1800 kbps in more compact node configurations.This study proposes a viable solution to a critical problem and opens avenues for further research into scalable network management for diverse applications.
基金supported by Narodowe Centrum Nauki(NCN Grant No.2016/23/B/NZ8/00741,PI:TK).
文摘Globally,fish are frequently introduced beyond their native range.Some,like Ponto-Caspian gobies,are becoming invasive,achieving high colo-nization rates and constituting frequent prey for native predators.However,little is known about the effectiveness of antipredator behaviors of the invaders,which may shape their role in the invaded community and contribute to the invasion success.We compared antipredator behaviors of invasive gobies and native fish species after their detection by the predator,when the danger becomes direct.We studied 2 fish pairs,each consisting of an invasive and native species co-occurring in the environment and belonging to the same prey guild:(1)the racer goby Babka gymnotrachelus versus European bulhead Cottus gobio,(2)the monkey goby Neogobius fluviatilis versus gudgeon Gobio gobio,facing a naive predator(the Eurasian perch Perca fluviatilis).We analyzed behaviors of single prey individuals(escaping,staying in shelter,and activity)and sin-gle predators(activity,searching,following,capturing,and latency to prey consumption).In the predator presence,the bullhead was less active and more often managed to escape after capture than the racer goby.The gudgeon escaped before the capture more often than the monkey goby.The predator succeeded later with the bullhead compared to racer goby,whereas no differences in ingestion time occurred between the gudgeon and monkey goby.The results suggest that,in terms of hunting effort of native predators,the invasive gobies are equivalent to or more profitable prey than their native analogs,which can facilitate the integration of the gobies into local food webs.
基金supported by Concordia University and funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada(Discovery Grant to G.E.B.,and an E.W.R.SteacieMemorial Fellowship to M.C.O.F.).
文摘Many prey species rely on publicly available personal and social information regarding local predation threats to assess risks and make contextappropriate behavioral decisions.However,in sexually dimorphic species,males and females are expected to differ in the perceived costs and/orbenefts associated with predator avoidance decisions.Recent studies suggest that male Trinidadian guppies(Poecilia reticulata)show reducedor absent responses to acute personal information cues,placing them at greater risk of predation relative to females.Our goal here was totest the hypothesis that adult(reproductively active)male guppies rely on social information to limit potential costs associated with their lack ofresponse to risky personal cues.Adult male guppies were exposed to personal chemosensory cues(either conspecifc alarm cues(AC),a novelodor,or a water control)in the presence of a shoal of three females inside a holding container that allowed the transmission of visual but notchemical cues.At the same time,we exposed females to either risk from AC or no risk,resulting in the display of a range of female behavior,from calm to alarmed,available as social information for males.Alarmed females caused male fright activity to increase and male interest infemales to decrease,regardless of the personal cue treatment.These results indicate that male guppies rely more on female information regarding predation risk than their own personal information,probably to balance trade-offs between reproduction and predator avoidance.
文摘There is growing interest in the role that apex predators play in shaping terrestrial ecosystems and maintaining tro- phic cascades. In line with the mesopredator release hypothesis, Australian dingoes （Canis lupus dingo and hybrids） are assumed by many to regulate the abundance of invasive mesopredators, such as red foxes Vulpes vulpes and feral cats Fells catus, thereby providing indirect benefits to various threatened vertebrates. Several recent papers have claimed to provide evidence for the bio- diversity benefits of dingoes in this way. Nevertheless, in this paper we highlight several critical weaknesses in the methodologi- cal approaches used in many of these reports, including lack of consideration for seasonal and habitat differences in activity, the complication of simple track-based indices by incorporating difficult-to-meet assumptions, and a reduction in sensitivity for as-sessing populations by using binary measures rather than potentially continuous measures. Of the 20 studies reviewed, 15 of them （75%） contained serious methodological flaws, which may partly explain the inconclusive nature of the literature investigating interactions between invasive Australian predators. We therefore assert that most of the ＂growing body of evidence＂ for meso- predator release is merely an inconclusive growing body of literature only. We encourage those interested in studying the eco- logical roles of dingoes relative to invasive mesopredators and native prey species to account for the factors we identify, and cau- tion the value of studies that have not done so [Current Zoology 57 （5）： 568-583, 2011].
文摘Although it is well known that birds can assess predation risk through visual and auditory cues, there has been little research into whether similar processes occur with olfactory cues. We examined the role of odor cues in assessing nest predation risk in four species of passerine birds in New Zealand. We compared the ability of two introduced European species （common starling Sturnus vulgaris and song thrush Turdus philomelos） and two native New Zealand species （rifleman Acanthisitta chloris and South Island robin Petroica australis） to respond to the scent of rat urine placed in the nest. Rats are an introduced predator in New Zealand and we expected the native birds, which did not co-evolve with any mammalian predators, to lack behavioral adaptations to the scent of rats at their nest. As expected, both riflemen and robins failed to show any change in their behavior at their nest when rat urine was present compared to a control period in which no scent was present. However, a similar lack of re- sponse was observed in the introduced song thrush; only the common starling changed its behavior in the presence of the rat urine Starlings with rat urine at the nest box were more likely to hesitate before entering and they also approached the nest, but refused to enter more often in the presence of rat scent. Both responses suggest they detected the presence of a predator and changed their behavior to minimize risk to themselves. Although based on a small number of species, our results suggest that responses to pre- dator scent may be less common in New Zealand species, and may be a factor contributing to the vulnerability of native birds to introduced mammalian predators [Current Zoology 61 （1）： 34-41, 2015].
文摘Predator odors can elicit fear responses in prey and predator odor recognition is generally associated with physiological responses. Prey species are often more likely to respond to the odor of familiar ra- ther than alien predators. However, predator na＇ivety in an introduced prey species has rarely been investigated. We examined the physiological response, as shown by changes in ventilatory vari- ables, of an introduced terrestrial herbivore, the European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus, in Australia, to the odor of potential predators and to control odors （distilled water and horse）, to explore if res- ponses were limited to historical （cat and fox） predators, or extended to historically novel predators （snake and quoll）. All odors except distilled water elicited a response, with rabbits showing long- term higher respiratory frequencies and lower tidal volumes after introduction of the odors, indi- cating an increase in alertness. However, the intensity of the rabbits＇ reaction could not be directly linked to any pattern of response with respect to the history of predator-prey relationships. Rabbits exhibited significantly stronger reactions in response to both cat and quoll odors than they did to dis- tilled water, but responses to horse, fox, and snake odor were similar to that of water. Our results show that the introduced rabbit can respond to both historical and novel predators in Australia, and suggest that shared evolutionary history is not necessarily a prerequisite to predator odor recognition.
基金This study was funded by the Austrian Science Fund[FWF Grant No.P31045 to F.L.].
文摘Predation is an important ecological constraint that influences communication in animals.Fish respond to predators by adjusting their visual signaling behavior,but the responses in calling behavior in the presence of a visually detected predator are largely unknown.We hypothesize that fish will reduce visual and acoustic signaling including sound levels and avoid escalating fights in the presence of a predator.To test this we investigated dyadic contests in female croaking gouramis(Trichopsis vittata,Osphronemidae)in the presence and absence of a predator(Astronotus ocella-tus,Cichlidae)in an adjoining tank.Agonistic behavior in T.vittata consists of lateral(visual)displays,antiparallel circling,and production of croaking sounds and may escalate to frontal displays.We analyzed the number and duration of lateral display bouts,the number,duration,sound pressure level,and dominant frequency of croaking sounds as well as contest outcomes.The number and duration of lateral displays decreased significantly in predator when compared with nopredator trials.Total number of sounds per contest dropped in parallel but no significant changes were observed in sound characteristics.In the presence of a predator,dyadic contests were decided or terminated during lateral displays and never escalated to frontal displays.The gouramis showed approaching behavior toward the predator between lateral displays.This is the first study supporting the hypothesis that predators reduce visual and acoustic signaling in a vocal fish.Sound properties,in contrast,did not change.Decreased signaling and the lack of escalating contests reduce the fish's conspicuousness and thus predation threat.
基金provided by the Doctor’s Start-up Foundation of Anhui Normal University and the National Natural Science Foundation of China
文摘Factors related to the invasion process, such as high abundance of invaders, residence time, and functional distinctiveness, are well documented, but less attention has been given to the effects of antipredator strategy of invasive species during colonization. In this study, we explored the antipredator strategy of an introduced species by comparing the predator avoidance behaviors of two native anuran species and one introduced （“exotic”） species in the presence of different predators. The two native anuran species used in the study were Black-spotted Pond FrogRana nigromaculata and Terrestrial Frog Rana limnocharis. The introduced （invasive） species used was American bullfrogLithobates catesbeianus. Chinese pond turtleChinemys reevesii, Red-backed rat snakeElaphe rufodorsata, and Big-headed turtle Platysternon megacephalum were used as predator species. Chinese pond turtles and Red-backed rat snakes are native predators of Black-spotted Pond Frogs and Terrestrial Frogs, while Big-headed turtles are novel （“unfamiliar”） to the two frogs. All three predator species are novel （“unfamiliar”） to the American bullfrog. The results show that tadpoles of the two native species displayed behaviors of recognizing the two native predators, but did not display the capability of identifying the novel predator. Results from our study also suggest that American bullfrog tadpoles exhibited strong antipredator behavioral responses by displaying the capability of identifying “unfamiliar” predators without cohabitation history and prior exposure to them. Such antipredator behavioral responses could have resulted in more favorable outcomes for an invading species during the invasive introductory process.
文摘Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) arises when wildlife shares the same physical space with humans. HWC, particularly livestock predation results in great negative impacts both to pastoralist and carnivores. Various approaches including compensation, livestock guarding, translocation of the problematic predator, and predator-proof bomas (PPB) have been used to mitigate such conflicts. We assessed PPB in mitigating human-predator conflict in Loitokitok sub-county by focusing on its effectiveness, most problematic predator, community’s perceptions, and comparing the PPB and traditional bomas characteristics. Data were obtained from 90 homesteads in Olgulului, Mbirikani and Kimana/Tikondo group ranches. Correlation and paired t-tests were used to analyze the data. Our findings suggest that the boma sizes correlated with the total number of livestock in the boma (r = 0.386, n = 90, p = 0.000) but not the number of people. Hyena and lion accounted for the highest loss of shoats and cattle, with hyena mostly killing shoats (37%) and lions preying largely on cattle (34%). The most problematic predator was as hyena (68%). We found positive relationships between the most problematic predator and total number of livestock (r = 0.319, n = 90, p = 0.002), and boma circumference (r = 0.295, n = 90, p = 0.005). Livestock predation was high in boma during the wet seasons (April, September, October and December). The erection of PPB reduced livestock predation by 91.11% (n = 45) and time spend guarding livestock at night. We recommend a continuous maintenance of the PPB as a long term solution to livestock loss at night and a close guarding of livestock during the day by adults to reduce day time predations.
基金supported by the National Genetically Modified Organisms Breeding Major Project:Technology of Environmental Risk Assessment on Transgenic Rice (2008ZX08011-001)Technology of Environment Risk Assessment of Transgenic Rice on Rice Planthopper Population (2009ZX08011-009B)
文摘Transgenic Bt rice has been shown to be an effective means of controlling Lepidoptera pests of rice. However, the potential roles of transgenic rice on planthoppers and their predators need to be investigated before its commercialization. Population density, species dominance and population dynamics are important parameters of arthropods populations in field. So the impacts of three transgenic Bt rice strains expressing crylAb/crylAc, crylC and cry2A on population density, species dominance and population dynamics of three species of planthoppers （Nilaparvata lugens, Sogatella furcifera and Laodelphax striatellus） and their three main predators （ Cyrtorhinus lividipennis, Pirata subpiraticus and Theridium octomaculatum） were evaluated at three sites in Hubei Province, China, in the current study. The results showed that among three species of planthoppers, both in transgenic and non-transgenic rice field, the predominant species ofplanthoppers within phytophagous guild was S. furcifera at any site either growing season （46-50%）. Significantly higher population density ofN. lugens was observed in T2A-1 field relative to Minghui 63 field at Wuxue in 2010. The species dominance of predator, P. subpiraticus, in TT51 field was significantly higher than that in T 1 C-19 and T2A-1 fields in 2009 at Xiaogan site. Sampling date significantly influenced six arthropods except for P. subpiraticus in 2010. The interaction between rice strain^sampling date had no significant adverse effects on the population dynamics of three species of planthoppers and their predators, except for several individual species in 2009. The interaction among rice strain^sampling date^sampling site also had no significant effect on six arthropods except for S. furcifera in 2009. The results indicated that transgenic Bt rice expressing crylAb/crylAc, cry2A and crylC had no significant adverse effects on the population dynamics of three planthoppers and their predators in most investigated data and sampling site.
文摘Among-population differences in morphology and behaviors such as boldness have been shown to co-vary with eco- logical conditions, including predation regime. However, between- and within-population covariation of predator defense mor- phology with variation in behaviors relevant to ecology and evolution （boldness, exploration, activity, sociability and aggressive- ness, often defined as personality traits when they are consistent across time and contexts） have never been quantified together in a single study in juvenile fish from populations found in contrasting environments. We measured predator defense morphology differences between adults from two freshwater populations of threespine sticklebacks with different ecological conditions. We then quantified five behaviors in juveniles from both populations raised in a common environment. Wild-caught adults showed significant differences in predator defense morphology. One population had significantly lower lateral plate number, shorter dorsal spine, pelvic spine and pelvic girdle. Furthermore, 61% of individuals from that population showed an absence of pelvic spine and girdle. At the population level, we found that differences in defense morphology in adults between the two lakes were coupled with differences in behaviors in juveniles raised in a common environment. Levels of activity, aggressiveness and boldness were higher in juveniles from the population lacking predator defense structures. At the individual level, anti-predator morphology of adult females could not predict their offspring＇s behavior, but juvenile coloration predicted individual boldness in a popula- tion-specific manner. Our results suggest that ecological conditions, as reflected in adult predator defense morphology, also affect juvenile behavior in threespine sticklebacks, resulting in trait co-specialization, and that there is a genetic or epigenetic compo- nent to these behavioral differences [Current Zoology 58 （1）： 53-65, 2012].
基金the 973 Program (2001CB109004and 2007CB109202)the Key Projects for Breeding Genetically Modified Organisms of China (2011ZX0811-002 and 2009ZX08011-008B)
文摘Transgenic insect-resistant cotton is being increasingly planted in Xinjiang cotton-planting regions, where geographical climate conditions and species composition of pests and natural enemies are greatly unique in China. Limited studies have been conducted on the ecological impacts of transgenic insect-resistant cotton, especially for transgenic double genes （Bt＋CpTI） cotton, in this region. In this study, the potential effects of transgenic Bt＋CpTI cotton on the seasonal abundance of non-target pests and predators were assessed from 2009 to 2011 in Korla, Xinjiang. The results showed that species composition and seasonal abundance of 5 groups of pests and 5 groups of predators were not significantly different between transgenic Bt＋CpTI cotton and non-transgenic cotton every year. It suggests that transgenic Bt＋CpTI cotton per se does not affect the population dynamics of non-target pests and predators on this crop in Xinjiang.
基金Supported by important study project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(9 0 2 1 1 0 0 4 ) and by the"Hundred Talents'Project"of Chinese Academy of Sciences
文摘A class of nonlinear predator prey reaction diffusion systems for singularly pe rturbed problems are considered.Under suitable conditions, by using theory of di fferential inequalities the existence and asymptotic behavior of solution for in itial boundary value problems are studied.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31272330)the Scientific Research Innovation Team Projects of Leshan Normal University
文摘Background: The Emei Shan Liocichla(Liocichla omeiensis) is a globally vulnerable babbler, endemic to southwestern China. We investigated its nest predators, nest-site selection and nest success at the Laojunshan National Nature Reserve in Sichuan, China in order to identify the precise nesting-habitat requirements of the species, and to test whether the nest-site-selection cues, preferred by the Emei Shan Liocichla, are positively associated with nest success.Methods: We used infrared cameras to determine nest predators. We compared the microhabitat attributes between nest and random sites, as well as successful and failed nests. We used Binary Logistic Regression to determine the most important variables affecting nest-site selection of the Emei Shan Liocichla. We used the nest survival analysis in Program MARK to estimate daily nest survival rates(DSR). Nest success was calculated using the Mayfield method.Results: In total 56 nests were found. The DSR for all nests that contained at least one egg was 0.9564 ± 0.0091(95 % CI 0.9346–0.9711)(n = 40), while the total nest success was 27.5 %. We identified four categories of predators in 10 nest predation events, i.e. squirrels(n = 5), snakes(n = 3), raptors(n = 1) and wasps(n = 1). We found that:(1) nest predation was the primary reason for nest failure of the Emei Shan Liocichla,(2) tree cover, bamboo cover, liana abundance and distance to forest edge or gap were the most important variables affecting nest-site selection of this species, and(3) the nest-site-selection variables we measured appeared not to be positively associated with nest success.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the Emei Shan Liocichla tended to select nest sites near forest edges or gaps with good concealment and that nest-site selection by this species was nonrandom but not necessarily adaptive. Reducing forest-edge development and protecting bamboo stands should be effective for conservation of this species.
