Mind the trap: large-scale field experiment shows that trappability is not a proxy for personality

Brehm, Allison M.; Mortelliti, Alessio

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.06.009

Cited by 34 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…Using mark-recapture techniques, we used three standardised tests and behavioural tracking software to measure personality in 648 free-ranging individuals from three study species: the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), the southern red-backed vole (Myodes gapperi) and the northern short-tailed shrew (Blarina brevicauda). Previous work on these study populations confirms that our trapping is not biased towards certain personality types (Brehm & Mortelliti 2018). In a seed predation experiment ( Fig.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 83%

“…The PEF is an experimental forest where units were chosen at random and logged separately with different silvicultural treatments (minimum of two replicates per treatment). Management units average 8.5 ha in area (range 8.1–16.2 ha) and nearly 25 ha of forest has remained unmanaged since the late 1800s and serves as reference (Brissette & Kenefic ; Brehm & Mortelliti ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We conducted this study in the Penobscot Experimental Forest (PEF, 44°51' N, 68°37' W) which is located in east-central As part of a fully controlled and replicated field experiment, we implemented a large-scale mark-recapture study on six trapping grids: two reference and four experimental. Reference grids were in the unmanaged forest and experimental grids were located in either even-aged forest or two-stage shelterwood with retention (each with two replicates) (Brehm & Mortelliti 2018). Each trapping grid was 0.81 ha in area and consisted of 100 flagged points spaced 10 m apart.…”

Section: Study Site and Small Mammal Trappingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Land‐use change and the ecological consequences of personality in small mammals

et al. 2019

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Many plants rely on animals for seed dispersal, but are all individuals equally effective at dispersing seeds? If not, then the loss of certain individual dispersers from populations could have cascade effects on ecosystems. Despite the importance of seed dispersal for forest ecosystems, variation among individual dispersers and whether land‐use change interferes with this process remains untested. Through a large‐scale field experiment conducted on small mammal seed dispersers, we show that an individual's personality affects its choice of seeds, as well as how distant and where seeds are cached. We also show that anthropogenic habitat modifications shift the distribution of personalities within a population, by increasing the proportion of bold, active, and anxious individuals and in‐turn affecting the potential survival and dispersal of seeds. We demonstrate that preserving diverse personality types within a population is critical for maintaining the key ecosystem function of seed dispersal.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 83%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Study Site and Small Mammal Trappingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Land‐use change and the ecological consequences of personality in small mammals

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“…All captured individuals were sexed and marked individually by cutting their fur and released at the place of capture. Traps were checked twice a day, in the morning starting at 7 a.m. and in the evening starting at 5 p.m. Water voles were live-trapped according to the standard method: traps protecting animals from bad weather conditions, grass used as bedding material, large amount of food and checking traps twice daily limited animal stress (e.g., Brehm & Mortelliti, 2018;Fletcher & Boonstra, 2006;Melis, Holmern, Ringsby, & Saether, 2011).…”

Section: Water Vole Trappingmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of American mink odour on the spatial distribution and behaviour of water voles

et al. 2019

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The perception and assessment of predation risk often cause changes in the activities of animals and induce behavioural responses that may in turn affect their movements and distribution. To simulate high predation risk in a midfield pond riparian habitat, we used fresh faeces from ranch American mink Neovison vison and recorded behavioural responses of water voles Arvicola amphibius. In areas where mink odour was deployed, the numbers of captured vole individuals and their trappability were significantly lower than in control areas. Several voles migrated from the zones with deployed mink faeces to the areas without faeces, thus proving that increased predation risk affects the distribution of individuals in a population. The response to mink odour was much more pronounced in females than in males; in areas with deployed mink faeces, not a single female was trapped. We conclude that although American mink is a non‐native, invasive predator, water voles respond to mink odour by reducing their activity and/or by avoiding places with higher predation risk.

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“…Specifically, we sought to determine whether confinement duration affects the behaviors exhibited in routine behavioral tests. To meet this objective, we conducted a field experiment focused on the deer mouse ( Peromyscus maniculatus ) and the southern red-backed vole ( Myodes gapperi ), which have been the subject of previous personality studies (16,39). Using high-definition trail cameras positioned on Longworth small mammal traps in the field, we quantified the duration of time that individuals had spent inside a trap before behavior was observed in standardized behavioral tests the following morning.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of trap confinement on personality measurements in two terrestrial rodents

Brehm

Tironi

Mortelliti

2019

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8In recent years individual differences in the behavior of animals, or personalities, have been 9 shown to influence the response of individuals to changing environments and have important 10 ecological implications. As researchers strive to understand and predict the responses of 11 individuals and populations to anthropogenic changes, personality studies in wild populations 12 will likely continue to increase. Studies of personality in wild populations often require that 13 animals are live-trapped before behavioral observation can occur; however, it is unknown what 14 impact live trapping may have on the behavior of trapped individuals. Specifically, if the 15 duration of trap confinement directly influences behavior, then by obtaining wild animals 16 through live-trapping are we confounding the very measurements we are most interested in? To 17 investigate this question, we performed a study using two small mammal species. We positioned 18 high-definition trail cameras on Longworth small mammal traps in the field to observe capture 19 events and record the time of capture. We then measured personality in captured deer mice 20 (Peromyscus maniculatus) and southern red-backed voles (Myodes gapperi) using three 21 standardized tests. With a repeatability analysis, we confirmed which behaviors could be 22 considered personality traits, and through linear and generalized linear models, we found that the 23 time an animal had spent confined to a trap before testing did not affect the majority of behaviors 24 exhibited. Our results showed two weak behavioral effects of confinement duration on boldness 25 and docility depending on whether an individual had been trapped previously. Our results 26 suggest that personality measurements of wild, trapped small mammals are not determined by 27 trapping procedures, but that researchers should control for whether an animal is naïve to 28 trapping during analysis.Over the past few decades, the acknowledgement that many species of animals display 32 consistent individual differences in behavior, or personalities, has become widespread (1-4). 33Personalities are heritable (5), have consequences for fitness (6-9), and can limit the ability of 34 individuals to exhibit behavioral plasticity (10) resulting in trade-offs where certain personality 35 types perform well in some ecological contexts but not in others (11). Because individual 36 personalities can determine the response of individuals to changing environments (12,13) and 37 have important ecological implications (14-16), personality studies in wild populations will 38 likely continue to increase as researchers strive to understand and predict the responses of 39 individuals and populations to anthropogenic changes (17)(18)(19)(20). 40Studies of personality in wild populations usually require that wild animals are live-41 trapped so that one or more standardized behavioral tests can be undertaken (21-24) but see (25) 42 for a method of personality observation in non-captured animals. Because being trapped may 43 induce st...

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Mind the trap: large-scale field experiment shows that trappability is not a proxy for personality

Cited by 34 publications

References 67 publications

Land‐use change and the ecological consequences of personality in small mammals

Land‐use change and the ecological consequences of personality in small mammals

The influence of American mink odour on the spatial distribution and behaviour of water voles

Effects of trap confinement on personality measurements in two terrestrial rodents

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