Native animals are facing long-term coexistence with invasive plants worldwide,the impacts of which on animal behavior remain poorly known.Potential ecological traps could threaten native birds breeding in invasive pl...Native animals are facing long-term coexistence with invasive plants worldwide,the impacts of which on animal behavior remain poorly known.Potential ecological traps could threaten native birds breeding in invasive plant habitats,but behavioral strategies for birds to avoid such risks are few concerned.The invasion of Smooth Cordgrass(Spartina alterniflra) has seriously varied the vegetation landscape in the coastal wetlands of eastern China,and affected the habitat selection of native birds.Here,we investigated the nesting and breeding characteristics of a common native passerine,the Vinous-throated Parrotbill(Sinosuthora webbiana),in habitats dominated by native Common Reed(Phragmites australis) and exotic cordgrass.We found that parrotbills could complete their breeding cycle in cordgrass habitat.Most nest failure was attributed to predation in native habitat but tide inundation in cordgrass habitat.However,the nest success rate and daily survival rate(DSR) in cordgrass habitat were higher.Moreover,nest height was markedly higher in cordgrass habitat and was the most important influencing variable(positively correlated with the DSR).These results suggest that cordgrass habitat is a potential ecological trap due to the tide inundation,but some parrotbills seem to effectively avoid this risk by increasing nest height.Our study reveals that a native passerine changes its nesting behavior to accommodate invasive plant habitat and highlights that habitat changes caused by invasive plants may drive the adaptive evolution of native animal behavior.The limitation of these results must be acknowledged for the small sample size,and there is a need for a larger sample and long-term data for further verification.展开更多
Vertebrate embryos require access to water;however,many species nest in terrestrial habitats that vary considerably in moisture content.Oviparous,non-avian reptiles have served as models to understand how environmenta...Vertebrate embryos require access to water;however,many species nest in terrestrial habitats that vary considerably in moisture content.Oviparous,non-avian reptiles have served as models to understand how environmental factors,like moisture availability,influence development because eggs are often exposed to prevailing environments in the absence of parental care.Though much research demonstrates the importance of water absorption by eggs,many ecological factors that influence moisture availability in natural nests have received little attention.For example,the type of substrate in which nests are constructed is understudied.We experimentally incubated eggs of the brown anole lizard(Anolis sagrei)in 2 naturally occurring nest substrates that were treated with varying amounts of water to determine how natural substrates influence development at different moisture concentrations.One substrate consisted of sand and crushed seashells and the other was mostly organic material(i.e.decayed plant material).Both are common nesting substrates at our field site.When controlling for water uptake by eggs,we found that egg survival and hatchling phenotypes were similar between substrates;however,embryos developed more quickly in the sand/shell substrate than the organic substrate,indicating substrate-specific effects on embryo physiology.These results demonstrate that different natural substrates can result in similar developmental outcomes if the water available to eggs is comparable;however,some aspects of development,like developmental rate,are affected by the type of substrate,independent of water availability.Further study is required to determine how natural substrates influence embryo physiology independent of water content.展开更多
为了解东方田鼠(Microtusfortis)筑巢行为在不同环境条件下的适应性进化。在实验室内采用48 h等级法和连续144 h巢材获取重量法,比较了东方田鼠长江亚种(M. f. calamorumt)和指名亚种(M. f. fortis)筑巢行为。结果表明,东方田鼠指名亚...为了解东方田鼠(Microtusfortis)筑巢行为在不同环境条件下的适应性进化。在实验室内采用48 h等级法和连续144 h巢材获取重量法,比较了东方田鼠长江亚种(M. f. calamorumt)和指名亚种(M. f. fortis)筑巢行为。结果表明,东方田鼠指名亚种和长江亚种皆能主动获取巢材并建筑质量良好的巢,具有稳定的筑巢行为;东方田鼠两个亚种的筑巢行为在利用巢材能力(P <0.01)和获取巢材能力(P <0.05)上皆具有显著性差异;指名亚种雌雄个体在利用巢材(P <0.05)和获取巢材的能力(P<0.05)上皆具有显著差异,而长江亚种在这两个方面都不存在性别差异。展开更多
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32171526,32201267)Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province(2208085QC71)the Key University Science Research Project of Anhui Province(KJ2020A0085,KJ2021A0128).
文摘Native animals are facing long-term coexistence with invasive plants worldwide,the impacts of which on animal behavior remain poorly known.Potential ecological traps could threaten native birds breeding in invasive plant habitats,but behavioral strategies for birds to avoid such risks are few concerned.The invasion of Smooth Cordgrass(Spartina alterniflra) has seriously varied the vegetation landscape in the coastal wetlands of eastern China,and affected the habitat selection of native birds.Here,we investigated the nesting and breeding characteristics of a common native passerine,the Vinous-throated Parrotbill(Sinosuthora webbiana),in habitats dominated by native Common Reed(Phragmites australis) and exotic cordgrass.We found that parrotbills could complete their breeding cycle in cordgrass habitat.Most nest failure was attributed to predation in native habitat but tide inundation in cordgrass habitat.However,the nest success rate and daily survival rate(DSR) in cordgrass habitat were higher.Moreover,nest height was markedly higher in cordgrass habitat and was the most important influencing variable(positively correlated with the DSR).These results suggest that cordgrass habitat is a potential ecological trap due to the tide inundation,but some parrotbills seem to effectively avoid this risk by increasing nest height.Our study reveals that a native passerine changes its nesting behavior to accommodate invasive plant habitat and highlights that habitat changes caused by invasive plants may drive the adaptive evolution of native animal behavior.The limitation of these results must be acknowledged for the small sample size,and there is a need for a larger sample and long-term data for further verification.
基金The research was approved by Auburn University IACUC(protocol 2019-3465)This study was supported by funds from Auburn University.J.M.H.was supported by the National Science Foundation(NSF DEB-1942145 to DAW)during the preparation of this manuscript.
文摘Vertebrate embryos require access to water;however,many species nest in terrestrial habitats that vary considerably in moisture content.Oviparous,non-avian reptiles have served as models to understand how environmental factors,like moisture availability,influence development because eggs are often exposed to prevailing environments in the absence of parental care.Though much research demonstrates the importance of water absorption by eggs,many ecological factors that influence moisture availability in natural nests have received little attention.For example,the type of substrate in which nests are constructed is understudied.We experimentally incubated eggs of the brown anole lizard(Anolis sagrei)in 2 naturally occurring nest substrates that were treated with varying amounts of water to determine how natural substrates influence development at different moisture concentrations.One substrate consisted of sand and crushed seashells and the other was mostly organic material(i.e.decayed plant material).Both are common nesting substrates at our field site.When controlling for water uptake by eggs,we found that egg survival and hatchling phenotypes were similar between substrates;however,embryos developed more quickly in the sand/shell substrate than the organic substrate,indicating substrate-specific effects on embryo physiology.These results demonstrate that different natural substrates can result in similar developmental outcomes if the water available to eggs is comparable;however,some aspects of development,like developmental rate,are affected by the type of substrate,independent of water availability.Further study is required to determine how natural substrates influence embryo physiology independent of water content.
文摘为了解东方田鼠(Microtusfortis)筑巢行为在不同环境条件下的适应性进化。在实验室内采用48 h等级法和连续144 h巢材获取重量法,比较了东方田鼠长江亚种(M. f. calamorumt)和指名亚种(M. f. fortis)筑巢行为。结果表明,东方田鼠指名亚种和长江亚种皆能主动获取巢材并建筑质量良好的巢,具有稳定的筑巢行为;东方田鼠两个亚种的筑巢行为在利用巢材能力(P <0.01)和获取巢材能力(P <0.05)上皆具有显著性差异;指名亚种雌雄个体在利用巢材(P <0.05)和获取巢材的能力(P<0.05)上皆具有显著差异,而长江亚种在这两个方面都不存在性别差异。
