It’s a trap! Invasive common mynas learn socially about control-related cues

Diquelou, Marie C.; Griffin, Andrea S.

doi:10.1093/beheco/arz079

Cited by 7 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 75 publications

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“…Mynas were also good observational learners. They remembered a "dangerous" human after observing a staged catching event (Diquelou and Griffin, 2019) and became more wary (increase in locomotion) in the location of such an aversive event (Griffin and Boyce, 2009). Observing the behavior of an alarmed conspecific when the source of the threat was not visible, however, did not affect the observers behavior (Griffin et al, 2010).…”

Section: Vertebratesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Can Cognitive Ability Give Invasive Species the Means to Succeed? A Review of the Evidence

2020

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Invasive species are a global conservation problem that have an enormous economic cost. Understanding the attributes of invasive species and what makes them successful at colonizing and flourishing in novel environments is therefore essential for preventing and ameliorating their negative impact. Learning ability and behavioral flexibility-the ability to adjust behavior flexibly when conditions change including to learn to solve novel problems or existing problems in a novel way, are thought to play a key role during invasions although cognitive ability is rarely considered in studies of invasive species. We begin by reviewing the evidence that flexible learning and problem solving can influence invasion success in both invertebrates and vertebrates. We also review brain size as an index of cognitive ability with respect to invasion success. We then focus on the specific attributes of cognition that are likely to be important for species entering novel environments as they learn the location of resources (e.g., food, shelter), and as they encounter and interact with conspecifics, heterospecifics, and potential predators. We suggest that enhanced spatial learning ability in conjunction with behavioral flexibility are likely to be adaptive. Furthermore, good memory retention and the ability to learn from others (both conspecifics and heterospecifics) are beneficial. Finally, we suggest future directions for studying the link between cognition, fitness, and invasion success. Studies of closely related "invasive" and "non-invasive" species, as well as invasive populations and their source, should provide important baseline information about the potential role of cognitive ability in determining invasion success. We also advocate an experimental approach. In particular, we borrow methods from experimental evolutionary ecology. We suggest that experimental studies in which potential invasive species can be assayed for behavior and their cognitive ability measured prior to population-level release on small islands will help inform us about the potential role of cognitive ability in determining the fitness of invasive species. The idea that cognitive ability may determine invasion success is only now starting to gain traction. This is a rich field worthy of further study that will help us better understand what makes a successful invasive species.

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Section: Vertebratesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Can Cognitive Ability Give Invasive Species the Means to Succeed? A Review of the Evidence

2020

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“…While a number of studies have demonstrated that animals learn socially about novel predators (Griffin, 2004), only a handful of studies to date have examined the importance of social learning in allowing animals to avoid threats encountered in urban environments. For example, common mynas (A. tristis) appear to use social cues to infer danger associated with pest control measures, showing higher wariness of a location after seeing a conspecific being captured in that location (Griffin and Boyce, 2009;Diquelou and Griffin, 2019). Studies of urban corvids also provide evidence of social learning: American crows (C. brachyrhynchos) will gather to mob individual people seen capturing crows; this behaviour persists in future encounters with the person, and appears to spread to other birds not present at the initial capture event (Cornell et al, 2012).…”

Section: Social Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Animal Cognition in an Urbanised World

Lee

Thornton

2021

Front. Ecol. Evol.

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Explaining how animals respond to an increasingly urbanised world is a major challenge for evolutionary biologists. Urban environments often present animals with novel problems that differ from those encountered in their evolutionary past. To navigate these rapidly changing habitats successfully, animals may need to adjust their behaviour flexibly over relatively short timescales. These behavioural changes, in turn, may be facilitated by an ability to acquire, store, and process information from the environment. The question of how cognitive abilities allow animals to avoid threats and exploit resources (or constrain their ability to do so) is attracting increasing research interest, with a growing number of studies investigating cognitive and behavioural differences between urban-dwelling animals and their non-urban counterparts. In this review we consider why such differences might arise, focusing on the informational challenges faced by animals living in urban environments, and how different cognitive abilities can assist in overcoming these challenges. We focus largely on birds, as avian taxa have been the subject of most research to date, but discuss work in other species where relevant. We also address the potential consequences of cognitive variation at the individual and species level. For instance, do urban environments select for, or influence the development of, particular cognitive abilities? Are individuals or species with particular cognitive phenotypes more likely to become established in urban habitats? How do other factors, such as social behaviour and individual personality, interact with cognition to influence behaviour in urban environments? The aim of this review is to synthesise current knowledge and identify key avenues for future research, in order to improve our understanding of the ecological and evolutionary consequences of urbanisation.

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“…Changes in space use can also alter the ecological impact of a species. For example, common mynas undergo heavy trapping pressure in suburban habitats where the human demographic is particularly intolerant of the species (Diquelou, 2017). In the long-term, this could cause mynas to invade more pristine habitats to escape trapping pressure, which would increase the likelihood of competitive interactions with native secondary cavity-nesting birds.…”

Section: Potential Consequences Of Behavioral Responsesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Attention to whether and how wildlife is changing as a consequence of lethal control is quasi inexistent, even though some have begun examining how removing invasive and pest species might alter ecological function, and warning that such interventions might have unexpected/undesirable consequences (Zavaleta et al, 2001;Wallach et al, 2010;Kopf et al, 2017). The possibility that wildlife responds adaptively, which is relevant to both maintaining the effectiveness of population management, and understanding more generally how wild populations respond to anthropic influences, has been almost completely neglected until very recently (Côté et al, 2014;Diquelou et al, 2018;Diquelou and Griffin, 2019). Furthermore, a broad understanding of the proximate mechanisms underpinning change and how this knowledge can be used by managers has so far been overlooked (Diquelou et al, 2018;Závorka et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioral Responses of Invasive and Nuisance Vertebrates to Harvesting: A Mechanistic Framework

Diquelou

Griffin

2020

Front. Ecol. Evol.

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Wildlife species are harvested for a variety of purposes. This is known to drive phenotypic change, particularly in the context of exploitative harvesting. As the impact of invasive alien species grows, and new conflicts with nuisance species arise, management of these problematic species has emerged as a key topic. Yet there is little to no attention directed to whether and how species are changing as a consequence of lethal control, particularly in terms of their behavior. In this synthesis, we draw attention to the fact that nuisance and invasive species undergoing control are likely to exhibit behavioral change. First, we highlight the potential consequences of behavioral responses to control on species' management and ecological impact. Second, we provide a framework of mechanisms that can lead to behavioral responses to lethal control. Three categories are described: evolutionary mechanisms, cognitive mechanisms, and stress mechanisms. Understanding which mechanism underlies a behavioral response is paramount as it allows to predict how prevalent the response will be in the population. We argue for increased monitoring of behavior by managers and more research efforts into the mechanisms of behavioral responses to novel threats in order to better predict and mitigate unforeseen and unwanted behavioral change.

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It’s a trap! Invasive common mynas learn socially about control-related cues

Cited by 7 publications

References 75 publications

Can Cognitive Ability Give Invasive Species the Means to Succeed? A Review of the Evidence

Can Cognitive Ability Give Invasive Species the Means to Succeed? A Review of the Evidence

Animal Cognition in an Urbanised World

Behavioral Responses of Invasive and Nuisance Vertebrates to Harvesting: A Mechanistic Framework

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