Exploratory behavior of a native anuran species with high invasive potential

Abstract

Exploratory behavior can be a key component of survival in novel or changing environments, ultimately determining population establishment. While many studies have investigated the behavior of wild animals in response to novel food items or objects, our understanding of how they explore novel environments is limited. Here, we examine how experience affects the foraging behavior of a species with high invasive potential. In particular, we investigate the movement and behavior of cane toads as a function of experience in a novel environment, and how the presence of food modulates exploration. Cane toads, from a population in their native range, were repeatedly tested in a large, naturalistic arena with or without food present. Both groups exhibited significant but different changes in exploratory behavior. While toads in an environment without food reduced exploratory behavior over trials, those with food present increased both food intake per trial and the directness of their paths to food, resulting in fewer approaches to food patches over time. Our results suggest that cane toads learn patch location and provide preliminary evidence suggesting toads use spatial memory, not associative learning, to locate food. In sum, we show that with experience, cane toads alter their behavior to increase foraging efficiency. This study emphasizes the role of learning in foraging in cane toads, a characteristic that may have facilitated their success as invaders.

Different behavioral profiles between invasive and native nudibranchs: means for invasion success?

“…Thigmotaxis is commonly considered a measure of stress during captivity, hampering cognitive performance ( Harris et al 2009 ). Anxiety-related thigmotaxis usually decreases with increased familiarity with the experimental housing ( Simon et al 1994 ; Miller et al 2018 ), In contrast, we found weak differences in the proportion of time spent wall-following over the trials in G. quadricolor . Although thigmotaxis has not been validated as a boldness assay, it is reasonable to assume a positive relationship between open space use and boldness ( Carlson and Langkilde 2013 ), with thigmotactic individuals enhancing the probability of success in seeking shelters (e.g., Klosinki et al 2022 ), reducing at the same time the risk of being detected by natural enemies ( Harris et al 2009 ).…”

Different behavioural profiles between invasive and native nudibranchs: means for invasion success?

“…Thigmotaxis is commonly considered a measure of stress during captivity, hampering cognitive performance (Harris et al, 2009). Anxiety-related thigmotaxis usually decreases with increased familiarity with the experimental housing (Miller et al, 2018, Simon et al, 1994, as we observed in the native species. In contrast, we found weak differences in the proportion of time spent wall-following over the trials in G. quadricolor.…”

Behaviour in a novel environment provides clues to the success of an invasive species

“…The prolonged swimming could be related to the exploration and recognition of the new environment. Several studies have empirically demonstrated the importance of these behaviours in invasive species (Chapple et al, 2011; Chapple & Wong, 2016; Cote et al, 2010; Miller et al, 2018; Russell et al, 2010). Active exploration provides information about potential resources and risk factors and may be particularly beneficial when animals encounter novel environments.…”