The Cognitive Ecology of Stimulus Ambiguity: A Predator–Prey Perspective

Leavell, Brian C.; Bernal, Ximena E.

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2019.07.004

Cited by 35 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 128 publications

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“…In the case of wax moths, however, it is the difference in the temporal structure of conspecific calls (ultrasonic clicks delivered at a rate of 80-100/s) and bat calls (short pulses at rates of < 30/s) that can be used for discrimination, despite their similar spectra (Greenfield and Weber 2000). For a more general treatment on how stimulus ambiguity shapes animal decisions, see Leavell and Bernal (2019).…”

Section: A More Naturalistic View For Sensory Coding Of Bat Predator Cuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurophysiology goes wild: from exploring sensory coding in sound proof rooms to natural environments

Römer

2021

J Comp Physiol A

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To perform adaptive behaviours, animals have to establish a representation of the physical “outside” world. How these representations are created by sensory systems is a central issue in sensory physiology. This review addresses the history of experimental approaches toward ideas about sensory coding, using the relatively simple auditory system of acoustic insects. I will discuss the empirical evidence in support of Barlow’s “efficient coding hypothesis”, which argues that the coding properties of neurons undergo specific adaptations that allow insects to detect biologically important acoustic stimuli. This hypothesis opposes the view that the sensory systems of receivers are biased as a result of their phylogeny, which finally determine whether a sound stimulus elicits a behavioural response. Acoustic signals are often transmitted over considerable distances in complex physical environments with high noise levels, resulting in degradation of the temporal pattern of stimuli, unpredictable attenuation, reduced signal-to-noise levels, and degradation of cues used for sound localisation. Thus, a more naturalistic view of sensory coding must be taken, since the signals as broadcast by signallers are rarely equivalent to the effective stimuli encoded by the sensory system of receivers. The consequences of the environmental conditions for sensory coding are discussed.

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Section: A More Naturalistic View For Sensory Coding Of Bat Predator Cuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurophysiology goes wild: from exploring sensory coding in sound proof rooms to natural environments

Römer

2021

J Comp Physiol A

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“…Decision-making is vulnerable to misinformation because deciphering uncertain information is cognitively taxing (1,2). Although heuristic approaches (or rules of thumb) can reduce cognitive costs (3), they can result in misguided and costly decisions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Instead, when negotiating information-rich environments, many decision makers are thought to become "Bayesian updaters" (4), using both previous experience and new information to guide optimal choices. Information that proves useful or reliable motivates positive future responses, while useless or unrewarding information is filtered into the perceptual background and ignored thereafter (1). Tactical misinformation, or "fake news," can succeed if it diverts the selective attention of decision makers by changing the perceived value of information.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Misinformation tactics protect rare birds from problem predators

et al. 2021

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Efficient decision-making integrates previous experience with new information. Tactical use of misinformation can alter choice in humans. Whether misinformation affects decision-making in other free-living species, including problem species, is unknown. Here, we show that sensory misinformation tactics can reduce the impacts of predators on vulnerable bird populations as effectively as lethal control. We repeatedly exposed invasive mammalian predators to unprofitable bird odors for 5 weeks before native shorebirds arrived for nesting and for 8 weeks thereafter. Chick production increased 1.7-fold at odor-treated sites over 25 to 35 days, with doubled or tripled odds of successful hatching, resulting in a 127% increase in modeled population size in 25 years. We demonstrate that decision-making processes that respond to changes in information reliability are vulnerable to tactical manipulation by misinformation. Altering perceptions of prey availability offers an innovative, nonlethal approach to managing problem predators and improving conservation outcomes for threatened species.

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“…Individual variability may manifest in a variety of ecological processes that are based on genetic diversity or the plastic expression of phenotypic traits driven by heterogeneous experiences. Organisms may differ in their metabolic rate and energy allocation (Careau et al 2008), sensory perception and responses to stimuli (Leavell and Bernal 2019), assessments of risk (Peacor et al 2020), and diet specialization (Melián et al 2014). Optimal foraging theory predicts utilization of the relatively most valuable portion of the resource pool; however, divergence in valuation criteria driven by alternate phenotypic traits can promote unique resource specialization patterns at the individual level.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distributive stress: individually variable responses to hypoxia expand trophic niches in fish

Steube

Altenritter

Walther

2021

Ecology

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Environmental stress can reshape trophic interactions by excluding predators or rendering prey vulnerable, depending on the relative sensitivity of species to the stressor. Classical models of food web responses to stress predict either complete predator exclusion from stressed areas or complete prey vulnerability if predators are stress tolerant. However, if the consumer response to the stress is individually variable, the result may be a distributive stress model (DSM) whereby predators distribute consumption pressure across a range of prey guilds and their trophic niche is expanded. We test these models in one of the largest hypoxic “Dead Zones” in the world, the northern Gulf of Mexico, by combining geochemical tracers of hypoxia exposure and isotope ratios to assess individual‐level trophic responses. Hypoxia‐exposed fish occupied niche widths that were 14.8% and 400% larger than their normoxic counterparts in two different years, consistent with variable displacement from benthic to pelagic food webs. The degree of isotopic displacement depended on the magnitude of hypoxia exposure. These results are consistent with the DSM and highlight the need to account for individually variable sublethal effects when predicting community responses to environmental stress.

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The Cognitive Ecology of Stimulus Ambiguity: A Predator–Prey Perspective

Cited by 35 publications

References 128 publications

Neurophysiology goes wild: from exploring sensory coding in sound proof rooms to natural environments

Neurophysiology goes wild: from exploring sensory coding in sound proof rooms to natural environments

Misinformation tactics protect rare birds from problem predators

Distributive stress: individually variable responses to hypoxia expand trophic niches in fish

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