Linking animal behavior to ecosystem change in disturbed environments

Abstract

Environmental disturbances often cause individuals to change their behavior. The behavioral responses can induce a chain of reactions through the network of species interactions, via consumptive and trait mediated connections. Given that species interactions define ecosystem structure and functioning, changes to these interactions often have ecological repercussions. Here, we explore the transmission of behavioral responses through the network of species interactions, and how the responses influence ecological conditions. We describe the underlying mechanisms and the ultimate impact that the behavioral responses can have on ecosystem structure and functioning, including biodiversity and ecosystems stability and services. We explain why behavioral responses of some species have a larger impact than that of others on ecosystems, and why research should focus on these species and their interactions. With the work, we synthesize existing theory and empirical evidence to provide a conceptual framework that links behavior responses to altered species interactions, community dynamics, and ecosystem processes. Considering that species interactions link biodiversity to ecosystem functioning, a deeper understanding of behavioral responses and their causes and consequences can improve our knowledge of the mechanisms and pathways through which human activities alter ecosystems. This knowledge can improve our ability to predict the effects of ongoing disturbances on communities and ecosystems and decide on the interventions needed to mitigate negative effects.

Habitat use and diurnal activity budget of blue bulls (Boselaphus tragocamelus) in the Lumbini Heritage Site, Nepal

“…Behavioral responses of animals are influenced by their physical and habitat conditions (Rahman & Candolin 2022). Our study was performed in LHS to assess the behavior of blue bull.…”

The effects of climate change on the ecology of fishes

“…Recent advances have allowed for experimental conditions to better mimic those of natural environments [65], including the use of complex mesocosms [66] or natural analogues of climate change [67,68]. Most behavioural studies have also focussed on single species, limiting our understanding of how behavioural changes of multiple interacting species can affect communities and food webs [69]. Upscaling species-to community-level behavioural responses to multiple stressors is required for a more comprehensive and realistic picture of the effects of climate change on aquatic communities [2].…”

MoveR: an R package for easy processing and analysis of animal video-tracking data

“…Studying animal movement patterns and behaviors is paramount to understanding ecological and evolutionary processes and developing effective species management strategies. Animal movements and behavior are often considered the first response to environmental changes or stressful conditions (e.g., pollution, climate change, introduction of non-native species) [1,2], making them valuable tools to infer underlying animal's internal states, sensory biases, and behavioral types. Therefore, changes in movement patterns and behavioral traits are increasingly considered a highly integrative and relevant endpoint to assess the effect of global changes and anthropogenic stress on organisms (e.g., ecotoxicology, conservation biology) [3][4][5].…”