Mammalian Insectivores Exert Top‐Down Effects on <i>Azteca</i> Ants

Hirsch, Ben T.; Martinez, Daniel Toyos; Kurten, Erin L.; Brown, Danielle D.; Carson, Walter P.

doi:10.1111/btp.12128

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…recruitment and understorey species composition (Cherry, Conner, & Warren, 2015; Cherry, Warren, & Conner, 2016). Removal or exclusion of predators has also been paired with camera traps to measure predation effects on nest size of colonial insects (Hirsch, Martinez, Kurten, Brown, & Carson, 2014) and nest survival of ground‐nesting birds (Oppel et al., 2014) and reptiles (van Veen & Wilson, 2017).…”

Section: Experimental Applications Of Camera Traps To Predator–prey Ementioning

confidence: 99%

Zooming in on mechanistic predator–prey ecology: Integrating camera traps with experimental methods to reveal the drivers of ecological interactions

Smith

Suraci

Hunter

et al. 2020

Journal of Animal Ecology

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Camera trap technology has galvanized the study of predator–prey ecology in wild animal communities by expanding the scale and diversity of predator–prey interactions that can be analysed. While observational data from systematic camera arrays have informed inferences on the spatiotemporal outcomes of predator–prey interactions, the capacity for observational studies to identify mechanistic drivers of species interactions is limited. Experimental study designs that utilize camera traps uniquely allow for testing hypothesized mechanisms that drive predator and prey behaviour, incorporating environmental realism not possible in the laboratory while benefiting from the distinct capacity of camera traps to generate large datasets from multiple species with minimal observer interference. However, such pairings of camera traps with experimental methods remain underutilized. We review recent advances in the experimental application of camera traps to investigate fundamental mechanisms underlying predator–prey ecology and present a conceptual guide for designing experimental camera trap studies. Only 9% of camera trap studies on predator–prey ecology in our review use experimental methods, but the application of experimental approaches is increasing. To illustrate the utility of camera trap‐based experiments using a case study, we propose a study design that integrates observational and experimental techniques to test a perennial question in predator–prey ecology: how prey balance foraging and safety, as formalized by the risk allocation hypothesis. We discuss applications of camera trap‐based experiments to evaluate the diversity of anthropogenic influences on wildlife communities globally. Finally, we review challenges to conducting experimental camera trap studies. Experimental camera trap studies have already begun to play an important role in understanding the predator–prey ecology of free‐living animals, and such methods will become increasingly critical to quantifying drivers of community interactions in a rapidly changing world. We recommend increased application of experimental methods in the study of predator and prey responses to humans, synanthropic and invasive species, and other anthropogenic disturbances.

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Section: Experimental Applications Of Camera Traps To Predator–prey Ementioning

confidence: 99%

Zooming in on mechanistic predator–prey ecology: Integrating camera traps with experimental methods to reveal the drivers of ecological interactions

Smith

Suraci

Hunter

et al. 2020

Journal of Animal Ecology

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“…Thus, vertebrate predators rather than ants might have played a primary role in the evolution of soldier patrolling. In line with this idea, while N. corniger occurrence (reported as Nasutitermes costalis ) on trees was found to be negatively affected even by generalist ants (Jutsum, Cherret, & Fisher, ), the termite's nest density and size distribution were unresponsive to changes in anteater density, suggesting that N. corniger is well adapted to neutralize anteater attacks (Hirsch, Martinez, Kurten, Brown, & Carson, ). While the mechanism behind the latter is not entirely clear, the current findings suggest that colonies exposed to such predators could develop an ever stronger patrolling response as they experience successive structural injuries throughout their ontogeny, mediated by the accumulation of alarm pheromones (Cristaldo et al., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

What drives patrolling behaviour by nasute termites? A model and an empirical assessment

Pequeno

2017

Ethology

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Animals have evolved a number of antipredator strategies, which can reflect both intrinsic and extrinsic factors related to predation risk. In many termite species, a chemically armed soldier caste known as “nasute” engages in patrols upon breaching of foraging galleries, suggesting an adaptive response to imminent risk of mortality. However, the drivers of this collective behaviour are poorly understood. Here, I describe and test a qualitative model of patrolling behaviour upon gallery breaching by the arboreal termite Nasutitermes corniger (Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae). Patrolling behaviour is postulated to change throughout colony ontogeny, thus scaling with colony size. Further, this pattern is expected to be modulated by extrinsic cues for predation risk. Accordingly, patroller number increased with tree circumference at breast height, a surrogate for colony size. However, for any tree size, more soldiers engaged in patrols after repeated breaching, suggesting sensitization to structural damage. In parallel, patrolling rate (i.e., patroller number per time unit) was higher in smaller trees due to a disproportionate increase in patrol duration with patroller number. However, this response only occurred after repeated breaching; otherwise, patrolling rate was constant across tree sizes. Overall, patrolling behaviour by N. corniger seems to reflect intrinsic risks related to colony growth, adjusted by the extrinsic risk imposed by structural damage.

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“…Nonetheless, this guild needs coverage of gallery and riparian forest, due to their dependency on this kind of habitats for thermoregulation (Camilo-Alves & Mourão, 2006), resting (Mourão & Medri, 2007), and finding food resources in the arboreal insect nests (Montgomery & Lubin, 1977). Mammalian terrestrial insectivores have a key role in topdown effects on their prey on the ground as well on trees and lianas (e.g., termites, ants, bees) (Gallo et al, 2017;Hirsch et al, 2014). Therefore, conservation of this guild is important to regulate trophic interactions in savanna ecosystems.…”

Section: Se-1 and Se-2mentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural differences in mammal assemblages between savanna ecosystems of the Colombian Llanos

et al. 2019

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The Colombian Orinoquia region is characterized by a high diversity of mammals, which is associated with complex ecosystems that include large extensions of Neotropical savannas (known locally as “Llanos Orientales”). Despite accelerated anthropogenic transformations in savanna ecosystems, the knowledge to design effective conservation strategies, such as the distribution of mammal assemblages, is still lacking for this region. In this paper, we evaluate if assemblages of medium and large mammals (i.e., species richness, relative abundance and the contribution of the different trophic guilds) are homogeneous across the Colombian Llanos by comparing three savanna ecosystems: floodplains savannas associated with an Andean river, aeolian floodplains savannas and highland savannas. After a sampling effort of 3,150 camera trap/days, we recorded 16 mammal species from the three savanna ecosystems. We compared the three assemblages and their constituent trophic guilds by ANOSIM and SIMPER non-parametric permutation tests. The three assemblages differed in composition, structure and trophic guilds. The floodplains savannas, associated to an Andean river, present the highest diversity, contrastingly, the high-plain associated with the Guyanese Shield presents the lowest diversity. This pattern could be explained due to the greatest floristic diversity, complex vegetation structure and more fertile soils present in the riparian forests of the floodplains savannas, despite being the most anthropogenically transformed. The carnivores were the most variable category and herbivores were the most abundant. Our results show that the diversity of medium and large mammals is heterogeneously distributed in the Colombian Llanos. Therefore, it is necessary to implement targeted conservation strategies according to the characteristics, local fragility of each ecosystem in the territory and each species response by local conditions.

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Mammalian Insectivores Exert Top‐Down Effects on Azteca Ants

Cited by 5 publications

References 54 publications

Zooming in on mechanistic predator–prey ecology: Integrating camera traps with experimental methods to reveal the drivers of ecological interactions

Zooming in on mechanistic predator–prey ecology: Integrating camera traps with experimental methods to reveal the drivers of ecological interactions

What drives patrolling behaviour by nasute termites? A model and an empirical assessment

Structural differences in mammal assemblages between savanna ecosystems of the Colombian Llanos

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