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
Emitting alarm calls may be costly,but few studies have asked whether calling increases a caller’s risk of predation and survival.Since observing animals calling and being killed is relatively rare,we capitalized on ...Emitting alarm calls may be costly,but few studies have asked whether calling increases a caller’s risk of predation and survival.Since observing animals calling and being killed is relatively rare,we capitalized on over 24,000 h of observations of marmot colonies and asked whether variation in the rate that yellow-bellied marmots(Marmota faviventer)alarm called was associated with the probability of summer mortality,a proxy for predation.Using a generalized mixed model that controlled for factors that infuenced the likelihood of survival,we found that marmots who called at higher rates were substantially more likely to die over the summer.Because virtually all summer mortality is due to predation,these results suggest that calling is indeed costly for marmots.Additionally,the results from a Cox survival analysis showed that marmots that called more lived signifcantly shorter lives.Prior studies have shown that marmots reduce the risk by emitting calls only when close to their burrows,but this newly quantifed survival cost suggests a constraint on eliminating risks.Quantifying the cost of alarm calling using a similar approach in other systems will help us better understand its true costs,which is an essential value for theoretical models of calling and social behavior.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
Predator dummies are usually used to explore the impact of predator features on the anti-predator behavior of birds.Previous studies have shown that the morphology and behavior of aerial predators can signal different...Predator dummies are usually used to explore the impact of predator features on the anti-predator behavior of birds.Previous studies have shown that the morphology and behavior of aerial predators can signal different threat levels to birds.However,whether subtle changes in ground predator dummies cause changes in the nest defense behavior of parent birds is unclear.In this study,we aimed to investigate whether Japanese Tits(Parus minor)exhibit different nest defense behaviors in response to experimentally manipulated variations in the appearance,posture,and size of virtual snake proxies(common nest predators).During the incubation period,we observed the nest defense behaviors of the parent tits against taxidermized Siberian Ratsnakes(Elaphe schrenckii)with varied characteristics and rubber-made model snakes.The tits exhibited more intense responses to taxidermized large(body length about 120 cm)coiled ratsnakes than to large coiled model snakes.They exhibited weaker responses to taxidermized small(body length about 20 cm)coiled ratsnakes than to taxidermized small sinusoidal ratsnakes.In addition,they exhibited more intense responses to taxidermized large coiled ratsnakes than to taxidermized small coiled ratsnakes,and more intense responses to taxidermized small sinusoidal ratsnakes than to large model snakes.However,there was no difference in the response of tits to taxidermized small sinusoidal ratsnakes and taxidermized large coiled ratsnakes,or to taxidermized small coiled ratsnakes and model snakes.Thus,the presence of scales,a sinusoidal posture,and a large body size of snake dummies can induce more intense behavioral responses in Japanese Tits.We suggested that Japanese Tits can discriminate subtle differences in ground predator dummies of nests and exhibit different nest defense behaviors.展开更多
Artifcial light at night(ALAN)is a common anthropogenic disturbance,which alters animal behavior.However,little is known about the impact of the spectral composition of ALAN and co-occurring predation risk on the beha...Artifcial light at night(ALAN)is a common anthropogenic disturbance,which alters animal behavior.However,little is known about the impact of the spectral composition of ALAN and co-occurring predation risk on the behavior of aquatic organisms.We experimentally investigated how ALAN of different spectra(cool white LED and HPS light)affects the behavior and foraging of Gammarus jazdzewskii(Amphipoda)on chironomid prey,both as a single stressor and in combination with an olfactory predation cue.Gammarids exposed to ALAN in the absence of predation cues consumed less,compared with darkness,mainly due to their lower activity.Moreover,gammarids showed a stronger response to LED light,spending more time in the shelter and increasing prey handling time in this treatment.The addition of predation cues did not enhance the negative impact of ALAN on the foraging success.Gammarids maintained similar consumption levels as in the ALAN treatment without predation cues and in darkness with predation cues.However,gammarids in LED light altered their behavior in response to predation threat:they decreased prey handling time and consumed prey faster,which may have compensated for the higher food demand in stressful conditions.They also tended to exhibit risky behavior,leaving the shelter and moving towards the lit area,presumably to escape and avoid the combined effects of light and predation cues.Therefore,when assessing the effects of ALAN on organisms,light quality and co-occurring biotic factors should be considered,as predator pressure is common in natural environments.展开更多
Avian alarm calls mediate defenses against brood parasites and predators. These calls facilitate communication among adults and alert nestlings to potential danger. While heterospecific call recognition has been exten...Avian alarm calls mediate defenses against brood parasites and predators. These calls facilitate communication among adults and alert nestlings to potential danger. While heterospecific call recognition has been extensively studied in adult birds, nestlings—lacking direct predation experience and heterospecific alarm exposure—represent an ideal system to investigate the response to interspecific warning cues. This study explored the recognition capabilities of 5–6-day-old nestlings in Oriental Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus orientalis), a common host of the Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus). We exposed the nestlings to playbacks of alarm calls directed at parasites and raptors from conspecific, Vinous-throated Parrotbill (Sinosuthora webbiana, sympatric species), Isabelline Shrike (Lanius isabellinus, allopatric species) and Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius, allopatric species) adults. Results indicated that there was no significant difference in the responses of nestlings to the alarm calls of conspecific and allopatric adults directed at cuckoos and sparrowhawks. In addition, interestingly, nestlings significantly reduced their begging in response to conspecific and unfamiliar allopatric Isabelline Shrike and Common Tailorbird alarm calls but exhibited a weak response to the sympatric Vinous-throated Parrotbill. Whether older warbler nestlings with more social experience exhibit stronger responses to the alarm calls of Vinous-throated Parrotbill adults requires further investigation.展开更多
Urban green spaces and parks offer opportunities for retaining and increasing bird richness, diversity, and species abundance. However, urbanisation influences predator–prey interactions, leading to high predation ra...Urban green spaces and parks offer opportunities for retaining and increasing bird richness, diversity, and species abundance. However, urbanisation influences predator–prey interactions, leading to high predation rates in urban areas, in the UK notably through the presence of large populations of domestic cats and increased populations of synanthropic species, such as rats and squirrels. These high predation rates are assumed to be a significant cause of reproductive failure in birds. Some ecologists advocate for the use of buffer zones with reduced human influence to reduce potential hunting pressure in eco-sensitive areas. However, the buffer effect on predation rates of nesting birds in suburban areas is rarely investigated. In this study, we investigated how edge effects (how close nest sites are to housing) and nest height (i.e., ground vs. above-ground) affected nest predation rates in a suburban park using camera traps to monitor artificial nests containing quail eggs. Our hypothesis was that nests in the buffer area (<300 m inward from university boundary) and at low height would suffer higher predation rates than nests in the core area (>300 m from the university boundary) and at height, as the buffer zone effect, and ease of access to ground predators would result in higher predation rates. We found no significant effect of nest height in nest predation rates. However, contrary to our expectations, nests in the core zone suffered higher predation rates than those in the buffer zone, and corvids were responsible for almost half of the egg loss events. We speculate that this may be a consequence of higher levels of anthropogenic disturbance (e.g., pedestrians, dog walking, vehicles) adjacent to our buffer zone acting as a deterrent to avian nest predators. This work suggests that protecting urban sites from disturbance may not always act to support bird abundance.展开更多
Maize is a cornerstone of global food security,but it faces increasing challenges from corn aphids,particularly with the widespread adoption of genetically modified Bt maize.This trend suggests a growing need for sust...Maize is a cornerstone of global food security,but it faces increasing challenges from corn aphids,particularly with the widespread adoption of genetically modified Bt maize.This trend suggests a growing need for sustainable pest control strategies.Methyl salicylate has been proposed as a volatile compound with the potential for managing aphids.In this study,Y-tube olfactometer and Petri dish dispersal assays showed that methyl salicylate can repel wingless and winged aphids at 0.1 to 1,000 ngμL^(-1).Moreover,at concentrations of 100 and 1,000 ngμL^(-1),it was found to attract beneficial insects such as adults and larvae of Harmonia axyridis.Exposing maize plants to methyl salicylate resulted in a prominent reduction in the number of aphids compared to the control.In addition,clip cage experiment assays showed that the nymphal development duration was increased,while the adult duration and generation time were reduced,and the reproductive duration and total number of aphid offspring in plants treated with methyl salicylate were dramatically lower than in the control.Over two years of field trials,methyl salicylate-impregnated alginate beads provided significant reductions in the populations of key aphid species,including Rhopalosiphum padi,Rhopalosiphum maidis,and Aphis gossypii.Concurrently,there were marked increases in the presence of natural predators such as H.axyridis,Propylaea japonica,Syrphus corollae,and Chrysoperla sinica.These compelling results underscore the potential of methyl salicylate as a key component in integrated pest management strategies for maize,offering a green alternative to traditional chemical control.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
Trophic interactions,the fundamental links in food webs,are an important modulator of biodiversity structuring and ecosystem functioning.However,interactions between scorpions and insects remain poorly understood desp...Trophic interactions,the fundamental links in food webs,are an important modulator of biodiversity structuring and ecosystem functioning.However,interactions between scorpions and insects remain poorly understood despite their high biomass and diversity in natural ecosystems and more than 410 million years of evolutionary history.Here we summarize three trophic interaction types from 95 scorpion-insect species pairs in which both scorpions and insects were identified at least to the genus level.Predator-prey relationships were the most documented trophic interactions between scorpions and insects,involving 45 scorpion species from 9 families and 79 insect species from 11 orders.Prey-predator interactions were recorded between 11 species pairs of insects from four orders and scorpions from five families.Parasitiodism was documented between four dipterans(3 families)and five scorpions(3 families).The mega-diversity of insects and the high biomass of scorpion species in natural ecosystems imply that their complex trophic interactions await to be characterized.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
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
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
Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria(PGPR)have been widely used for the promotion of plant performance.Predatory protists can influence the taxonomic and functional composition of rhizosphere bacteria.However,research...Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria(PGPR)have been widely used for the promotion of plant performance.Predatory protists can influence the taxonomic and functional composition of rhizosphere bacteria.However,research on the impact of the interaction between protist and PGPR on plant performance remains at a very early stage.Here,we examined the impacts of individual inoculation of protist(Colpoda inflata,Dimastigella trypaniformis,or Vermamoeba vermiformis)or the PGPR strain Bacillus velezensis SQR9 as well as the co-inoculation of the protist C.inflata and B.velezensis SQR9 on the growth of tomato plants.We found that all individual protists and Bacillus could promote plant growth compared to the control with no microbe inoculation,with the co-inoculation of C.inflata and B.velezensis SQR9 achieving the greatest performance,including plant height,fresh weight,and dry weight.Different protists harbored distinct rhizosphere bacterial communities,with the co-inoculation of protist and Bacillus resulting in the lowest bacterial diversity and driving significant changes in community structure and composition,particularly by increasing the relative abundance of Proteobacteria.Random forest model highlighted Cellvibrio as the most important bacterial predictor of plant growth,which was enriched after protist inoculation,especially after the mixed inoculation of protist and Bacillus.We further found that bacterial functional genes of nitrogen metabolism were the key determinants of plant growth.These results indicate that the interaction between protists and Bacillus can support plant growth by reshaping rhizosphere bacterial community composition and function.Understanding the interaction mechanisms between protist and PGPR is crucial for their effective utilization in sustainable agriculture.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
Pacific sleeper sharks(Somniosus pacificus)have long eluded detailed observations of their deep-sea habitats given their ability to dive to depths exceeding 1,000 m[1-4].A cow carcass was deployed at a depth of 1,629 ...Pacific sleeper sharks(Somniosus pacificus)have long eluded detailed observations of their deep-sea habitats given their ability to dive to depths exceeding 1,000 m[1-4].A cow carcass was deployed at a depth of 1,629 m on the continental slope southeast of Hainan Island in the northern South China Sea,attracting 8 individuals of this enigmatic species[5].Video footage has provided new insights into the predating behavior of Pacific sleeper sharks,capturing multiple sharks launching attacks on the carcass and displaying queuing behavior during feeding.展开更多
Acorns of Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata Maxim. are often predated by small mammals and birds in natural forests. These animals not only eat the acorns during the acorn ripening season, but also cache and hoard most...Acorns of Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata Maxim. are often predated by small mammals and birds in natural forests. These animals not only eat the acorns during the acorn ripening season, but also cache and hoard most of the remaining acorns on the forest floor in the soil for their future use. These buried acorns form the main seed resource for regeneration. Burying depth is potentially important for germination and for seedling development. The effects of burying depth on germination and seedling development in relation to acorn size were studied in an experiment, in which acorns were planted at 6 cm-, 12 cm- and 18 cm-depth. The experimental results showed that fewer acorns germinated as burying depth increased. From the deeply buried acorns fewer seedlings emerged at later time than from those acorns buried less deeply. They appeared to have more difficulties to emerge above-ground than die seedlings from shallowly buried acorns. The deeply buried acorns and their seedlings also appeared to be more susceptible to rot. Acorn size did not significantly affect germination and emergence of the seedlings. As early emerged seedlings had longer developmental periods in their first growing season, and therefore grew better than die late emerged seedlings, seedlings from die shallowly buried acorns took the advantage.展开更多
[Objective] This study was conducted to explore the predation of Pardosa pseudoannulata and Pirata procurva_ on Plutela xylostela larvae. [Method] The quantities of P. xylostela larvae predated by the two spider speci...[Objective] This study was conducted to explore the predation of Pardosa pseudoannulata and Pirata procurva_ on Plutela xylostela larvae. [Method] The quantities of P. xylostela larvae predated by the two spider species at different temperatures and the quantities of P. xylostela larvae predated by P. pseudoannula-ta_in different volumes were analyzed. Based on three factors at five levels, the quadratic general regression rotation combination design was used to study the combined control effect of the two spider species on P. xylostela_larvae and the control effect of P. pseudoannulata on the larvae of P. xylostela and Spodoptera litura. [Result] The quantities of P. xylostela_ larvae predated by the two spider species increased first and then decreased with the increase of temperature, and the functional predation response of P. pseudoannulata and P. procurva_ on the fourth instar larvae of P. xylostela_fitted the Hol ing-Ⅱ model, and the Hol ing-Ⅲmodel could perfect the evaluation on the predation effect. Volume had great effect on the feeding of P. pseudoannulata. lnstantaneous attack ability （a’）, the time to handle one prey （Th） and predation function （a’/Th） in a smal er volume were al higher than that in a larger volume. The predation of the two spider species on P. xylostela_larvae was positively correlated with their densities. The overal effect of the three factors was： the density of P. xylostela＆gt;the density of P. procurva＆gt;the density of P. pseudoannulata. The densities of P. xylostela and S. litura larvae could affect the feeding amount of P. pseudoannulata. But there was no predation preference for P. pseudoannulata on the larvae of P. xylostela and S. litura. [Con-clusion] The results wil provide a reference for the evaluation of control effect of_P. xylostela_by P. pseudoannulata_and P. procurva in the field.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National Geographic Society,UCLA(Faculty Senate and the Division of Life Sciences),a Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory research fellowship,NSF IDBR-0754247,and DEB-1119660 and 1557130 all to D.T.B.DBI-0242960,0731346,1226713,and 1755522 to the RMBL.K.A.was a NSF GRFP fellow during the fnal preparation of this MS。
文摘Emitting alarm calls may be costly,but few studies have asked whether calling increases a caller’s risk of predation and survival.Since observing animals calling and being killed is relatively rare,we capitalized on over 24,000 h of observations of marmot colonies and asked whether variation in the rate that yellow-bellied marmots(Marmota faviventer)alarm called was associated with the probability of summer mortality,a proxy for predation.Using a generalized mixed model that controlled for factors that infuenced the likelihood of survival,we found that marmots who called at higher rates were substantially more likely to die over the summer.Because virtually all summer mortality is due to predation,these results suggest that calling is indeed costly for marmots.Additionally,the results from a Cox survival analysis showed that marmots that called more lived signifcantly shorter lives.Prior studies have shown that marmots reduce the risk by emitting calls only when close to their burrows,but this newly quantifed survival cost suggests a constraint on eliminating risks.Quantifying the cost of alarm calling using a similar approach in other systems will help us better understand its true costs,which is an essential value for theoretical models of calling and social behavior.
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sponsored by National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32271560 to H.W.,32001094 to J.Y.)Natural Science Foundation of Jilin Province,China(No.20230101160JC to L.J.)+1 种基金the Open Project of Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands,Hainan Normal University,China(No.HNSF-OP-202301 to J.Y.)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.2412022ZD019 to J.Y.)。
文摘Predator dummies are usually used to explore the impact of predator features on the anti-predator behavior of birds.Previous studies have shown that the morphology and behavior of aerial predators can signal different threat levels to birds.However,whether subtle changes in ground predator dummies cause changes in the nest defense behavior of parent birds is unclear.In this study,we aimed to investigate whether Japanese Tits(Parus minor)exhibit different nest defense behaviors in response to experimentally manipulated variations in the appearance,posture,and size of virtual snake proxies(common nest predators).During the incubation period,we observed the nest defense behaviors of the parent tits against taxidermized Siberian Ratsnakes(Elaphe schrenckii)with varied characteristics and rubber-made model snakes.The tits exhibited more intense responses to taxidermized large(body length about 120 cm)coiled ratsnakes than to large coiled model snakes.They exhibited weaker responses to taxidermized small(body length about 20 cm)coiled ratsnakes than to taxidermized small sinusoidal ratsnakes.In addition,they exhibited more intense responses to taxidermized large coiled ratsnakes than to taxidermized small coiled ratsnakes,and more intense responses to taxidermized small sinusoidal ratsnakes than to large model snakes.However,there was no difference in the response of tits to taxidermized small sinusoidal ratsnakes and taxidermized large coiled ratsnakes,or to taxidermized small coiled ratsnakes and model snakes.Thus,the presence of scales,a sinusoidal posture,and a large body size of snake dummies can induce more intense behavioral responses in Japanese Tits.We suggested that Japanese Tits can discriminate subtle differences in ground predator dummies of nests and exhibit different nest defense behaviors.
文摘Artifcial light at night(ALAN)is a common anthropogenic disturbance,which alters animal behavior.However,little is known about the impact of the spectral composition of ALAN and co-occurring predation risk on the behavior of aquatic organisms.We experimentally investigated how ALAN of different spectra(cool white LED and HPS light)affects the behavior and foraging of Gammarus jazdzewskii(Amphipoda)on chironomid prey,both as a single stressor and in combination with an olfactory predation cue.Gammarids exposed to ALAN in the absence of predation cues consumed less,compared with darkness,mainly due to their lower activity.Moreover,gammarids showed a stronger response to LED light,spending more time in the shelter and increasing prey handling time in this treatment.The addition of predation cues did not enhance the negative impact of ALAN on the foraging success.Gammarids maintained similar consumption levels as in the ALAN treatment without predation cues and in darkness with predation cues.However,gammarids in LED light altered their behavior in response to predation threat:they decreased prey handling time and consumed prey faster,which may have compensated for the higher food demand in stressful conditions.They also tended to exhibit risky behavior,leaving the shelter and moving towards the lit area,presumably to escape and avoid the combined effects of light and predation cues.Therefore,when assessing the effects of ALAN on organisms,light quality and co-occurring biotic factors should be considered,as predator pressure is common in natural environments.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 32301295 to JW, 32101242 to LM, and 32260253 to LW)High-Level Talents Research Start-Up Project of Hebei University (No. 521100222044 to JW)
文摘Avian alarm calls mediate defenses against brood parasites and predators. These calls facilitate communication among adults and alert nestlings to potential danger. While heterospecific call recognition has been extensively studied in adult birds, nestlings—lacking direct predation experience and heterospecific alarm exposure—represent an ideal system to investigate the response to interspecific warning cues. This study explored the recognition capabilities of 5–6-day-old nestlings in Oriental Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus orientalis), a common host of the Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus). We exposed the nestlings to playbacks of alarm calls directed at parasites and raptors from conspecific, Vinous-throated Parrotbill (Sinosuthora webbiana, sympatric species), Isabelline Shrike (Lanius isabellinus, allopatric species) and Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius, allopatric species) adults. Results indicated that there was no significant difference in the responses of nestlings to the alarm calls of conspecific and allopatric adults directed at cuckoos and sparrowhawks. In addition, interestingly, nestlings significantly reduced their begging in response to conspecific and unfamiliar allopatric Isabelline Shrike and Common Tailorbird alarm calls but exhibited a weak response to the sympatric Vinous-throated Parrotbill. Whether older warbler nestlings with more social experience exhibit stronger responses to the alarm calls of Vinous-throated Parrotbill adults requires further investigation.
文摘Urban green spaces and parks offer opportunities for retaining and increasing bird richness, diversity, and species abundance. However, urbanisation influences predator–prey interactions, leading to high predation rates in urban areas, in the UK notably through the presence of large populations of domestic cats and increased populations of synanthropic species, such as rats and squirrels. These high predation rates are assumed to be a significant cause of reproductive failure in birds. Some ecologists advocate for the use of buffer zones with reduced human influence to reduce potential hunting pressure in eco-sensitive areas. However, the buffer effect on predation rates of nesting birds in suburban areas is rarely investigated. In this study, we investigated how edge effects (how close nest sites are to housing) and nest height (i.e., ground vs. above-ground) affected nest predation rates in a suburban park using camera traps to monitor artificial nests containing quail eggs. Our hypothesis was that nests in the buffer area (<300 m inward from university boundary) and at low height would suffer higher predation rates than nests in the core area (>300 m from the university boundary) and at height, as the buffer zone effect, and ease of access to ground predators would result in higher predation rates. We found no significant effect of nest height in nest predation rates. However, contrary to our expectations, nests in the core zone suffered higher predation rates than those in the buffer zone, and corvids were responsible for almost half of the egg loss events. We speculate that this may be a consequence of higher levels of anthropogenic disturbance (e.g., pedestrians, dog walking, vehicles) adjacent to our buffer zone acting as a deterrent to avian nest predators. This work suggests that protecting urban sites from disturbance may not always act to support bird abundance.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32202311)the Natural Science Foundation of Jilin Province,China(20230101265JC)+1 种基金the Jilin Province Youth Science and Technology Talent Support Project,China(QT202307)the Jilin Province Science and Technology Development Plan Project,China(20220505019ZP).
文摘Maize is a cornerstone of global food security,but it faces increasing challenges from corn aphids,particularly with the widespread adoption of genetically modified Bt maize.This trend suggests a growing need for sustainable pest control strategies.Methyl salicylate has been proposed as a volatile compound with the potential for managing aphids.In this study,Y-tube olfactometer and Petri dish dispersal assays showed that methyl salicylate can repel wingless and winged aphids at 0.1 to 1,000 ngμL^(-1).Moreover,at concentrations of 100 and 1,000 ngμL^(-1),it was found to attract beneficial insects such as adults and larvae of Harmonia axyridis.Exposing maize plants to methyl salicylate resulted in a prominent reduction in the number of aphids compared to the control.In addition,clip cage experiment assays showed that the nymphal development duration was increased,while the adult duration and generation time were reduced,and the reproductive duration and total number of aphid offspring in plants treated with methyl salicylate were dramatically lower than in the control.Over two years of field trials,methyl salicylate-impregnated alginate beads provided significant reductions in the populations of key aphid species,including Rhopalosiphum padi,Rhopalosiphum maidis,and Aphis gossypii.Concurrently,there were marked increases in the presence of natural predators such as H.axyridis,Propylaea japonica,Syrphus corollae,and Chrysoperla sinica.These compelling results underscore the potential of methyl salicylate as a key component in integrated pest management strategies for maize,offering a green alternative to traditional chemical control.
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.
基金supported by the S&T Program of Hebei(the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei,C2024204233)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32170455)the State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation(YJ2020028)。
文摘Trophic interactions,the fundamental links in food webs,are an important modulator of biodiversity structuring and ecosystem functioning.However,interactions between scorpions and insects remain poorly understood despite their high biomass and diversity in natural ecosystems and more than 410 million years of evolutionary history.Here we summarize three trophic interaction types from 95 scorpion-insect species pairs in which both scorpions and insects were identified at least to the genus level.Predator-prey relationships were the most documented trophic interactions between scorpions and insects,involving 45 scorpion species from 9 families and 79 insect species from 11 orders.Prey-predator interactions were recorded between 11 species pairs of insects from four orders and scorpions from five families.Parasitiodism was documented between four dipterans(3 families)and five scorpions(3 families).The mega-diversity of insects and the high biomass of scorpion species in natural ecosystems imply that their complex trophic interactions await to be characterized.
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.
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.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.42377296 and 42107141)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Nos.2023YFD1901402 and 2023YFD1901105)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,China(No.YDZX2025046).
文摘Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria(PGPR)have been widely used for the promotion of plant performance.Predatory protists can influence the taxonomic and functional composition of rhizosphere bacteria.However,research on the impact of the interaction between protist and PGPR on plant performance remains at a very early stage.Here,we examined the impacts of individual inoculation of protist(Colpoda inflata,Dimastigella trypaniformis,or Vermamoeba vermiformis)or the PGPR strain Bacillus velezensis SQR9 as well as the co-inoculation of the protist C.inflata and B.velezensis SQR9 on the growth of tomato plants.We found that all individual protists and Bacillus could promote plant growth compared to the control with no microbe inoculation,with the co-inoculation of C.inflata and B.velezensis SQR9 achieving the greatest performance,including plant height,fresh weight,and dry weight.Different protists harbored distinct rhizosphere bacterial communities,with the co-inoculation of protist and Bacillus resulting in the lowest bacterial diversity and driving significant changes in community structure and composition,particularly by increasing the relative abundance of Proteobacteria.Random forest model highlighted Cellvibrio as the most important bacterial predictor of plant growth,which was enriched after protist inoculation,especially after the mixed inoculation of protist and Bacillus.We further found that bacterial functional genes of nitrogen metabolism were the key determinants of plant growth.These results indicate that the interaction between protists and Bacillus can support plant growth by reshaping rhizosphere bacterial community composition and function.Understanding the interaction mechanisms between protist and PGPR is crucial for their effective utilization in sustainable agriculture.
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part of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory(Zhuhai)projects(SML-2021SP204,SML2024SP022,SML2023SP238,and 40010102)the Guangdong-NSF China Joint Scheme Key Project(U 1701247).
文摘Pacific sleeper sharks(Somniosus pacificus)have long eluded detailed observations of their deep-sea habitats given their ability to dive to depths exceeding 1,000 m[1-4].A cow carcass was deployed at a depth of 1,629 m on the continental slope southeast of Hainan Island in the northern South China Sea,attracting 8 individuals of this enigmatic species[5].Video footage has provided new insights into the predating behavior of Pacific sleeper sharks,capturing multiple sharks launching attacks on the carcass and displaying queuing behavior during feeding.
文摘Acorns of Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata Maxim. are often predated by small mammals and birds in natural forests. These animals not only eat the acorns during the acorn ripening season, but also cache and hoard most of the remaining acorns on the forest floor in the soil for their future use. These buried acorns form the main seed resource for regeneration. Burying depth is potentially important for germination and for seedling development. The effects of burying depth on germination and seedling development in relation to acorn size were studied in an experiment, in which acorns were planted at 6 cm-, 12 cm- and 18 cm-depth. The experimental results showed that fewer acorns germinated as burying depth increased. From the deeply buried acorns fewer seedlings emerged at later time than from those acorns buried less deeply. They appeared to have more difficulties to emerge above-ground than die seedlings from shallowly buried acorns. The deeply buried acorns and their seedlings also appeared to be more susceptible to rot. Acorn size did not significantly affect germination and emergence of the seedlings. As early emerged seedlings had longer developmental periods in their first growing season, and therefore grew better than die late emerged seedlings, seedlings from die shallowly buried acorns took the advantage.
基金Supported by the Science and Technology Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(ASTIP-IBFC09)Technical System of Vegetable Industry of Hunan Province+1 种基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(31501653)Earmarked fund for Modern Agro-industry Technology Research System of China(CARS-19-E09)~~
文摘[Objective] This study was conducted to explore the predation of Pardosa pseudoannulata and Pirata procurva_ on Plutela xylostela larvae. [Method] The quantities of P. xylostela larvae predated by the two spider species at different temperatures and the quantities of P. xylostela larvae predated by P. pseudoannula-ta_in different volumes were analyzed. Based on three factors at five levels, the quadratic general regression rotation combination design was used to study the combined control effect of the two spider species on P. xylostela_larvae and the control effect of P. pseudoannulata on the larvae of P. xylostela and Spodoptera litura. [Result] The quantities of P. xylostela_ larvae predated by the two spider species increased first and then decreased with the increase of temperature, and the functional predation response of P. pseudoannulata and P. procurva_ on the fourth instar larvae of P. xylostela_fitted the Hol ing-Ⅱ model, and the Hol ing-Ⅲmodel could perfect the evaluation on the predation effect. Volume had great effect on the feeding of P. pseudoannulata. lnstantaneous attack ability （a’）, the time to handle one prey （Th） and predation function （a’/Th） in a smal er volume were al higher than that in a larger volume. The predation of the two spider species on P. xylostela_larvae was positively correlated with their densities. The overal effect of the three factors was： the density of P. xylostela＆gt;the density of P. procurva＆gt;the density of P. pseudoannulata. The densities of P. xylostela and S. litura larvae could affect the feeding amount of P. pseudoannulata. But there was no predation preference for P. pseudoannulata on the larvae of P. xylostela and S. litura. [Con-clusion] The results wil provide a reference for the evaluation of control effect of_P. xylostela_by P. pseudoannulata_and P. procurva in the field.
