Systematic reviews and maps as tools for applying behavioral ecology to management and policy

Tracking devices have become small enough to be widely applied to arthropods to study their movement. However, possible side effects of these devices on arthropod performance and behaviour are rarely considered. We performed a systematic review of 173 papers about research in which tracking devices—radio frequency identification (RFID), harmonic radar and radio telemetry tags—were attached to terrestrial arthropods. The impact of such tags was quantified in only 12% of the papers, while in 40% the potential impact was completely disregarded. Often‐cited rules of thumb for determining appropriate tag weight had either no empirical basis or were misconstrued. Several properties of a tracking device (e.g. weight, balance, size, drag) can affect different aspects of an arthropod's life history (e.g. energy, movement, foraging, mating). The impact can differ among species and environments. Taken together, these tag effects can influence the reliability of obtained movement data and conclusions drawn from them. We argue that the impact of tracking devices on arthropods should be quantified for each (a) study species, (b) tag type, and (c) environmental context. As an example, we include a low‐effort impact study of the effect of an RFID tag on a digger wasp. Technological advancements enable studying the movement of arthropods in unprecedented detail. However, we should adopt a more critical attitude towards the use of tracking devices on terrestrial arthropods. The benefits of tracking devices should be balanced against their potential side effects on arthropods and on the reliability of the resulting data.

show abstract

“…Data deposited in the Dryad Digital Repository https ://doi. org/10.5061/dryad.x0k6d jhfq (Batsleer et al, 2020).…”

Section: Data Ava I L a B I L I T Y S Tat E M E N Tmentioning

confidence: 99%

The neglected impact of tracking devices on terrestrial arthropods

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…6 Tools like Systematic Reviews and Systematic Maps has been suggested to facilitate use of behavioural studies in conservation management and policy. 129 In EU and the U.S. there is a growing interest for such methodology in chemicals regulation. 130 Currently, to claim that behavioural endpoints are relevant at the population level (according to the current EU regulation), their connection to survival rate, reproduction rate and developmental effects needs to be established.…”

Section: ) Lack Of Promotion Of Behavioural Endpoints In Chemicals Lmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emerging investigator series: use of behavioural endpoints in the regulation of chemicals

Ågerstrand

Arnold

Balshine

et al. 2020

Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Our advisory group consisted of 15 researchers (including the authors) from various international institutions (8 different countries) with expertise in behavioral ecology, animal cognition, conservation biology, and conservation planning. We acknowledged that conservation management decisions are often made without evidence of the effectiveness of interventions on animal behavior (see [18]). We jointly conceived of topics that are of broad importance, for which studies exist (in both primary and gray literature), and for which outcomes are not well understood (i.e., there is no general agreement upon the effectiveness of the intervention).…”

Section: Stakeholder Engagementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We jointly conceived of topics that are of broad importance, for which studies exist (in both primary and gray literature), and for which outcomes are not well understood (i.e., there is no general agreement upon the effectiveness of the intervention). In all, we formulated a number of systematic review and systematic map questions that fell within the one of three broad categories of conservation concern (see [19]): (1) using animal behavior to improve the outcomes of conservation translocations, (2) detrimental effects of noise and light pollution on wildlife populations, and (3) using behavioral cues to attract animals for conservation purposes (see Additional material in [18]).…”

Section: Stakeholder Engagementmentioning

confidence: 99%

What is the effectiveness of using conspecific or heterospecific acoustic playbacks for the attraction of animals for wildlife management? A systematic review protocol

Putman

Blumstein

2019

Environ Evid

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Many animals are attracted to the sounds of their conspecifics and some are attracted to the sounds of other species. Therefore, wildlife managers have begun to capitalize on this attraction to lure animals to specific places by broadcasting vocalizations-a method referred to as acoustic playback. Playbacks have been conducted to attract animals for capture, encourage birds to use specific nest boxes, attract animals to safe locations where they can breed, or to lure animals to habitats away from human disturbances. However, there has been no evaluation of the general effectiveness of this intervention on the attraction of animals for wildlife management. We describe a protocol to systematically review the literature of the effectiveness of using playbacks so that conservation practitioners can make informed wildlife management decisions. Methods:The review will examine primary field studies that use acoustic playbacks to attract animals for wildlife management. Playbacks could be of conspecifics, heterospecifics, or both. We will search various bibliographic databases, online search engines, and specialist websites for relevant studies. We will screen studies first on title and abstract, then on full text. We will only include studies that measure quantitative results. Relevant outcomes will include the attraction of animals to playbacks and encompass various management goals: to capture the animal, to persuade the animal to use a new breeding location, and/or to persuade the animal to settle in a location during the study duration. Studies must be based on comparison between conditions before and after intervention, on comparison between treatment and control plots, or both. Inter-reviewer consistency in article inclusion will be performed with 10% of the titles and abstracts and 10% of the full texts. We will critically appraise the literature based on study type and design, sample sizes, study duration, and other aspects of methodology. We will extract data and metadata including various potential effect modifiers (e.g., taxon). Finally, we will evaluate the effectiveness of playbacks through a narrative synthesis of the evidence, and quantitative synthesis (i.e., meta-analysis) if sufficient data (more than two studies) of similar outcomes are found.

show abstract

Systematic reviews and maps as tools for applying behavioral ecology to management and policy

Cited by 56 publications

References 50 publications

The neglected impact of tracking devices on terrestrial arthropods

The neglected impact of tracking devices on terrestrial arthropods

Emerging investigator series: use of behavioural endpoints in the regulation of chemicals

What is the effectiveness of using conspecific or heterospecific acoustic playbacks for the attraction of animals for wildlife management? A systematic review protocol

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About