Does foraging mode influence life history traits? A comparative study of growth, maturation and survival of two species of sympatric snakes from south-eastern Australia

Webb, Jonathan K.; BROOK, BARRY W.; Shine, Richard

doi:10.1111/j.1442-9993.2003.tb00282.x

Cited by 22 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…sit-and-wait) foragers, active foragers or herbivores according to their foraging mode (Cooper, 1995). Researchers have suggested that foraging mode might be closely related to an animal's morphological, physiological and ecological characteristics and life-history traits (Huey and Pianka, 1981;Webb et al, 2003). Swimming performance, metabolic characteristics and digestive capacity may also change according to foraging behaviour in fishes and other animals (Perry, 1999;Newland et al, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The behavioural, digestive and metabolic characteristics of fishes with different foraging strategies

Zeng

et al. 2009

Journal of Experimental Biology

100

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SUMMARYTo test the hypothesis that digestion has a more notable physiological effect on ambush foragers than on active foragers, we investigated the behavioural, digestive and metabolic characteristics, as well as the postprandial locomotory capacity, of four species of juvenile fish distributed along the Yangtze River, China, with distinct foraging strategies. The ambush foraging southern catfish (Silurus meridionlis) had the fewest movements per minute (MPM), lowest per cent time spent moving (PTM), slowest critical swimming speed (U crit ), lowest maintenance metabolism (V O2rest ) and lowest maximum locomotory metabolism (V O2max ). However, the southern catfish had the highest feeding level and maximum feeding metabolism (V O2peak ) and the greatest decrease in U crit after consumption of a large meal. Thus, this fish is highly adapted to its ambush behavioural strategy and sedentary life style. In the herbivorous grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus), a low digestive capacity led to little change in postprandial locomotory performance, which benefits its frequent grazing behaviour. In this species, the greater amount of energy spent on routine activity and avoiding predators versus U crit might be related to its herbivorous life style and high predation risk. The active foraging crucian carp (Carassius auratus) adopts a unique high energy cost strategy that allows for high capacity in both routine activity and digestion, and the great flexibility of its cardio-respiratory capacity (increased V O2max after feeding) guarantees a small decrease in U crit even after maximum feeding. Finally, the sluggish foraging darkbarbel catfish (Pelteobagrus vachelli) has low digestive and locomotory capacity, but its energy-efficient venomous defence strategy may be related to its abundance. These results show that the digestive, behavioural and metabolic strategies differ among these fish species. The locomotory capacity in the sedentary fishes decreased profoundly after feeding, whereas it decreased little or not at all in the active fishes. The maintenance of high locomotory capacity after eating in the active fishes is probably related to a large metabolic capacity, a lower digestive capacity or an improvement in cardio-respiratory capacity after feeding.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The behavioural, digestive and metabolic characteristics of fishes with different foraging strategies

Zeng

et al. 2009

Journal of Experimental Biology

100

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“…In this area, rock outcrops form sandstone cliffs that are bordered by eucalyptus forest. The high cliffs allow sunlight to penetrate to the ground at the cliff edges and sunexposed rocks at these sites often shelter reptiles, especially during cooler months of the year (see Webb, Brook & Shine, 2003).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In early spring 2007 we surveyed three additional study sites once each for reptiles; these sites have regularly been surveyed since 1992 (see Webb et al, 2003; and periodically are disturbed by reptile collectors (Webb et al, 2002). Disturbance occurred 3-5 months before our surveys.…”

Section: Field Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Subtle – but easily reversible – anthropogenic disturbance seriously degrades habitat quality for rock‐dwelling reptiles

Pike

Croak

Webb

et al. 2010

Animal Conservation

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Even apparently subtle disturbance to habitat may have severe long-term consequences if that disturbance alters specific microhabitat features upon which animals depend. For example, in south-eastern Australia, the endangered broadheaded snake Hoplocephalus bungaroides and its prey (velvet geckos Oedura lesueurii) shelter in narrow crevices beneath sun-warmed rocks. Humans frequently displace rocks while searching for snakes and lizards, and these reptiles are rarely found under such displaced rocks (even when the rocks superficially appear suitable). We quantified disturbance to rock outcrops and show that most disturbance was subtle (rocks were typically displaced o30 cm from their original position), but that disturbed rocks harbored fewer reptiles than undisturbed rocks. In a field experiment, we replaced half of the rocks back to their original positions to test whether crevice structure and microclimates differed between disturbed and restored rocks. Crevices beneath displaced rocks were larger and cooler than those beneath restored rocks, and precise repositioning of rocks enhanced usage by reptiles. Both crevice size and temperature influence reptile retreat-site selection; hence, minor displacement of overlying rocks reduces habitat quality by modifying critical crevice attributes. The subtlety of this disturbance suggests that even wellintentioned researchers could damage habitat during field surveys. Conservation of rock outcrop systems requires efforts to reduce rock disturbance, and to educate those searching for animals beneath rocks about the importance of replacing rocks properly. Encouragingly, if rocks are not completely removed, disturbed outcrops can be quickly and easily restored by returning displaced rocks to their original locations.

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“…In the Nowra region, both sexes attain maturity at age 2 years, but males attain larger body sizes (mean snout-vent length = 448 mm) than females (mean snout-vent length (SVL)=391 mm). Females are viviparous and produce small clutches (mean clutch sizes of 4) each year (Shine 1984;Webb et al 2002Webb et al , 2003.…”

Section: Study Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this species, males engage in ritualized combat and attain larger body sizes than females (Shine 1984;Webb et al 2003). In southeast NSW, small-eyed snakes rarely bask in the open; instead, during the cooler months (autumn to late spring), small-eyed snakes thermoregulate beneath small sunexposed Bhot rocks^ (Pringle et al 2003;Webb et al 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Territoriality in a snake

Webb

Scott

Whiting

et al. 2015

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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Territorial behaviour, whereby dominant animals gain priority access to critical resources, is widespread in some animal lineages, but rare in others. Theory suggests that territoriality will evolve only when animals can economically defend sites that contain critical resources (typically mates, sometimes food). In striking contrast to their close relatives the lizards, male defence of territories for access to mates has not been reported in snakes. In south-eastern Australia, receptive female small-eyed snakes thermoregulate under Bhot rocks^, concentrating mating opportunities and thus, potentially allowing males to enhance their fitness by defending these rocks from rivals. We videotaped staged contests between resident and intruder males and analysed data on cohabitation patterns from a long-term (21 years) markrecapture study. In staged contests, males actively defended hot rocks from intruder males; and thus, larger males actively displaced their smaller rivals. In the wild, larger males were found under rocks with more or larger females. These results suggest that the thermally driven concentration of female small-eyed snakes has rendered hot rocks economically defensible, and thus favoured the evolution of territoriality in a snake.

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Does foraging mode influence life history traits? A comparative study of growth, maturation and survival of two species of sympatric snakes from south-eastern Australia

Cited by 22 publications

References 53 publications

The behavioural, digestive and metabolic characteristics of fishes with different foraging strategies

The behavioural, digestive and metabolic characteristics of fishes with different foraging strategies

Subtle – but easily reversible – anthropogenic disturbance seriously degrades habitat quality for rock‐dwelling reptiles

Territoriality in a snake

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