State-dependent foraging: lactating voles adjust their foraging behavior according to the presence of a potential nest predator and season

Liesenjohann, Thilo; Liesenjohann, Monique; Trebatická, Lenka; Sundell, Janne; Haapakoski, Marko; Ylönen, Hannu; Eccard, Jana A.

doi:10.1007/s00265-015-1889-x

Cited by 8 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Nevertheless, dilution through “encounter reduction” reduces infection in host populations irrespective of host density 47 . In an experimental study, the presence of common shrews changed bank vole behavior, resulting in lactating females visiting fewer supplementary feeding stations 56 . Common shrews are opportunistic predators and may prey on vole nestlings, and the two species share above ground runways and tunnels 54 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Declining ecosystem health and the dilution effect

Khalil

Ecke

Evander

et al. 2016

Sci Rep

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The “dilution effect” implies that where species vary in susceptibility to infection by a pathogen, higher diversity often leads to lower infection prevalence in hosts. For directly transmitted pathogens, non-host species may “dilute” infection directly (1) and indirectly (2). Competitors and predators may (1) alter host behavior to reduce pathogen transmission or (2) reduce host density. In a well-studied system, we tested the dilution of the zoonotic Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) in bank voles (Myodes glareolus) by two competitors and a predator. Our study was based on long-term PUUV infection data (2003–2013) in northern Sweden. The field vole (Microtus agrestis) and the common shrew (Sorex araneus) are bank vole competitors and Tengmalm’s owl (Aegolius funereus) is a main predator of bank voles. Infection probability in bank voles decreased when common shrew density increased, suggesting that common shrews reduced PUUV transmission. Field voles suppressed bank vole density in meadows and clear-cuts and indirectly diluted PUUV infection. Further, Tengmalm’s owl decline in 1980–2013 may have contributed to higher PUUV infection rates in bank voles in 2003–2013 compared to 1979–1986. Our study provides further evidence for dilution effect and suggests that owls may have an important role in reducing disease risk.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This solitary small-sized insectivore can be found in most habitat types 55 . Recent studies have shown that the presence of common shrews influences the behavior and home range of lactating female bank voles 54 56 . Thus, the common shrew may dilute PUUV infection in bank voles through influencing bank vole behavior.…”

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confidence: 99%

Declining ecosystem health and the dilution effect

Khalil

Ecke

Evander

et al. 2016

Sci Rep

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“…Additionally, the reproductive strategy of bank voles could diminish the impact of maternal transmission as mothers are often pregnant with the next litter while nursing, which results in short lactation periods (approx. three weeks [ 63 ]), where the offspring receive relatively little maternal care since mothers must leave the nest for prolonged periods to forage [ 64 ]. Indeed, vertical transmission in another rodent species (wood mice, Apodemus sylvaticus ) only resulted in a slightly higher similarity between the gut microbiota of mother–offspring pairs (approx.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of past and present habitat on the gut microbiota of a wild rodent

Scholier,

Lavrinienko,

Kallio

et al. 2024

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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The response of the gut microbiota to changes in the host environment can be influenced by both the host's past and present habitats. To quantify their contributions for two different life stages, we studied the gut microbiota of wild bank voles ( Clethrionomys glareolus ) by performing a reciprocal transfer experiment with adults and their newborn offspring between urban and rural forests in a boreal ecosystem. Here, we show that the post-transfer gut microbiota in adults did not shift to resemble the post-transfer gut microbiota of animals ‘native’ to the present habitat. Instead, their gut microbiota appear to be structured by both their past and present habitat, with some features of the adult gut microbiota still determined by the past living environment (e.g. alpha diversity, compositional turnover). By contrast, we did not find evidence of the maternal past habitat (maternal effects) affecting the post-transfer gut microbiota of the juvenile offspring, and only a weak effect of the present habitat. Our results show that both the contemporary living environment and the past environment of the host organism can structure the gut microbiota communities, especially in adult individuals. These data are relevant for decision-making in the field of conservation and wildlife translocations.

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“…(1) Timing predator exposure Many animals appear to assess threat level in a given situation and can adjust their behaviour accordingly (Houston, McNamara, & Hutchinson, 1993;Verdolin, 2006;Thaler, McArta, & Kaplan, 2012;Liesenjohann et al, 2015;Hefty & Stewart, 2019). For example, black-capped chickadees (Parus atricapillus) achieve maximal efficiency when foraging directly next to a food source (Lima, 1985).…”

Section: Predator Avoidancementioning

confidence: 99%

The ecological significance of time sense in animals

Garcia

Dyer

et al. 2020

Biological Reviews

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Time is a fundamental dimension of all biological events and it is often assumed that animals have the capacity to track the duration of experienced events (known as interval timing). Animals can potentially use temporal information as a cue during foraging, communication, predator avoidance, or navigation. Interval timing has been traditionally investigated in controlled laboratory conditions but its ecological relevance in natural environments remains unclear. While animals may time events in artificial and highly controlled conditions, they may not necessarily use temporal information in natural environments where they have access to other cues that may have more relevance than temporal information. Herein we critically evaluate the ecological contexts where interval timing has been suggested to provide adaptive value for animals. We further discuss attributes of interval timing that are rarely considered in controlled laboratory studies. Finally, we encourage consideration of ecological relevance when designing future interval‐timing studies and propose future directions for such experiments.

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State-dependent foraging: lactating voles adjust their foraging behavior according to the presence of a potential nest predator and season

Cited by 8 publications

References 48 publications

Declining ecosystem health and the dilution effect

Declining ecosystem health and the dilution effect

Effects of past and present habitat on the gut microbiota of a wild rodent

The ecological significance of time sense in animals

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