Benefits and limitations of three-dimensional printing technology for ecological research

Behm, Jocelyn E.; Waite, Brenna R.; Hsieh, S. Tonia; Helmus, Matthew R.

doi:10.1186/s12898-018-0190-z

Cited by 30 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…For instance, in thermal ecology, 3D printed lizard models were used as "more standard, lighter, durable, and inexpensive" alternatives to the traditional copper hollow electroformed models for field studies about their thermal properties (Watson & Francis, 2015). In another study, 3D printed lizards were also found to be more efficient than clay models in studies of predation rate (Behm et al, 2018) (Figure 2A). In functional ecology, key questions often involve studying the impact of specific morphological properties of the organism (or part of it).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…The technology is mature enough for widespread use for research, education and outreach in multiple fields (Lücking, Sambale, Beutel, & Scheper, 2015;Ambrosi & Pumera, 2016;Patra & Young, 2016). However, the use of 3D printing still remains relatively rare in biology, and ecology and evolutionary biology makes no exception (but see Behm, Waite, Hsieh, & Helmus, 2018;Walker & Humphries, 2019). Figure 1.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A brief overview of 3D printing use in ecology and evolution 3D printing has opened a world of possibilities for the design and creation of customized objects. Recent reviews offer a relatively comprehensive synthesis of the current use of 3D printed objects in ecology and evolution (Behm et al, 2018;Walker & Humphries, 2019). Here, we give a brief overview of the most frequent applications, grouped into three main categories ( Figure 2): replicas of biological material, technical tools, and customized experimental devices.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Examples of use of 3D printed objects in ecological and evolutionary research and education. Replicas of biological material, such as (A) lizard models to study predation rate (Behm et al, 2018), (B) scent-free flowers to disentangle visual and olfactory cues produced by orchids (Policha et al, 2016), (C) flower corollas of specific mathematically characterized shapes to test the foraging behaviour of pollinators (Campos et al, 2015), (D) eggs to study egg rejection among robins (Igic et al, 2015), (E) cervical vertebra of the dwarf elephant Palaeoloxodon tiliensis (Mitsopoulou et al, 2015), and (F) insects used in outreach activities targeted at blind people (Laurentino, 2019). Customized experimental material to be used in the field or in the lab, such as (G) artificial landscape microcosms to study protist (meta)population dynamics (Morel Journel & Schtickzelle, in prep.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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3D Printing for Ecology and Evolution: A Hands-on Guide to Turn an Idea into Reality

Schtickzelle¹,

Laurent²,

Morel‐Journel³

2020

Preprint

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3D printing is described as the third industrial revolution: its impact is global in industry and progresses every day in society. It presents a huge potential for ecology and evolution, sciences with a long tradition of inventing and creating objects for research, education and outreach. Its general principle as an additive manufacturing technique is relatively easy to understand: objects are created by adding material layers on top of each other. Although this may seem very straightforward on paper, it is much harder in the real world. Specific knowledge is indeed needed to successfully turn an idea into a real object, because of technical choices and limitations at each step of the implementation. This article aims at helping scientists to jump in the 3D printing revolution, by offering a hands-on guide to current 3D printing technology. We first give a brief overview of uses of 3D printing in ecology and evolution, then review the whole process of object creation, split into three steps: (1) obtaining the digital 3D model of the object of interest, (2) choosing the 3D printing technology and material best adapted to the requirements of its intended use, (3) pre-and post-Preprints (www.preprints.org) | NOT PEER-REVIEWED | Posted: 12 March 2020

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

3D Printing for Ecology and Evolution: A Hands-on Guide to Turn an Idea into Reality

Schtickzelle¹,

Laurent²,

Morel‐Journel³

2020

Preprint

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“…Because these decoys can be so easily made, researchers can cheaply create numerous mounts that are almost disposable, minimize pseudoreplication, and enhance reliability in ethological studies (Parker, Greig, Nakagawa, Parra, & Dalisio, 2018). 3D printing is revolutionizing many different disciplines within ecology and evolution (Behm, Waite, Hsieh, & Helmus, 2018;Domingue et al, 2015;Igic et al, 2015;Porter, Adriaens, Hatton, Meyers, & McKittrick, 2015;Qing & Bert, 2018), and in the future, advanced modifications, such as iridescent or UV-matched paint colours, instead of animal skins, could remove the need to use live animals in a range of behavioural tests.…”

Section: Seasonal Trade-offs Between Aggression and Parental Care Havementioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating seasonal patterns of female aggression: Case study in a cavity‐nesting bird with intense female–female competition

2019

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Seasonal plasticity in aggression is likely to be shaped by the contexts in which aggression is beneficial, as well as the constraints inherent in its underlying mechanisms. In males, seasonal plasticity in testosterone (T) secretion is thought to underlie seasonal plasticity in conspecific aggression, but it is less clear how and why female aggression may vary across different breeding stages. Here, we integrate functional and mechanistic perspectives to begin to explore seasonal patterns of conspecific aggression in female tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), a songbird with intense female–female competition and T‐mediated aggression. Female tree swallows elevate T levels during early breeding stages, coinciding with competition for nest boxes, after which time T levels are roughly halved. However, females need to defend ownership of their nesting territory throughout the breeding season, suggesting it may be adaptive to maintain aggressive capabilities, despite low T levels. We performed simulated territorial intrusions using 3D‐printed decoys of female tree swallows to determine how their aggressive response to a simulated intrusion changes across the breeding season. First, we found that 3D‐printed decoys produce data comparable to stage‐matched studies using live decoys, providing researchers with a new, more economical method of decoy construction. Further, female aggressiveness remained relatively high through incubation, a period of time when T levels are quite low, suggesting that other mechanisms may regulate conspecific female aggression during parental periods. By showing that seasonal patterns of female aggression do not mirror the established patterns of T levels in this highly competitive bird, our findings provide a unique glimpse into how behavioural mechanisms and functions may interact across breeding stages to regulate plasticity.

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Using eDNA and SCUBA surveys for detection and monitoring of a threatened marine cryptic fish

Bessell

Appleyard

Stuart‐Smith

et al. 2023

Aquatic Conservation

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Quantification of species’ spatial distributions and population trends is crucial for successful conservation efforts. Obtaining sufficient population data, however, is often difficult in the marine environment, especially for rare fish and invertebrate species that are small, cryptic and very difficult to detect. This study sought to understand the effort required to search for undiscovered populations of small, cryptic, marine species in shallow vegetated coastal habitats and track population numbers, using the Critically Endangered red handfish (Thymichthys politus) as a representative species. A sampling strategy was designed using a combination of environmental DNA (eDNA) and structured underwater scuba surveys of life‐like 3D‐printed ‘handfish replicas’ to estimate detectability and ultimately determine whether current population monitoring is adequately covering the remaining habitat occupied by the species. Tested over scales of hundreds of metres to kilometres, the eDNA assays performed relatively poorly in situ, detecting red handfish presence in only ~13% of samples collected from the centre of a known, yet low‐density, red handfish site. In contrast, underwater searches for independently placed handfish replicas by scuba divers indicated that mean detection probabilities at finer scales (~100 m) ranged from 57 to 97%. Near certain (95% probability) detection of an adult handfish was achievable with only one to three surveys (300 m2 belt transects), depending on the habitat complexity. While other species will vary in detectability using eDNA and underwater searches, these findings give insight into the general effort required for the detection of small, rare species inhabiting vegetated coastal environments. Such knowledge not only helps to refine monitoring and conservation efforts for known threatened species, but may also assist in identifying other inconspicuous species whose population declines may otherwise go unnoticed.

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Benefits and limitations of three-dimensional printing technology for ecological research

Cited by 30 publications

References 60 publications

3D Printing for Ecology and Evolution: A Hands-on Guide to Turn an Idea into Reality

3D Printing for Ecology and Evolution: A Hands-on Guide to Turn an Idea into Reality

Evaluating seasonal patterns of female aggression: Case study in a cavity‐nesting bird with intense female–female competition

Using eDNA and SCUBA surveys for detection and monitoring of a threatened marine cryptic fish

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