Relationship between exploratory activity and adrenocortical activity in the black rat (<i>Rattus rattus</i>)

Vobrubová, Barbora; Fraňková, Marcela; Štolhoferová, Iveta; Kaftanová, Barbora; Rudolfová, Veronika; Chomik, Aleksandra; Chumová, Petra; Stejskal, V.; Palme, Rupert; Frynta, Daniel

doi:10.1002/jez.2440

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…5 lx) and the experiments were recorded on a video camera in the experimenter’s absence. The experiments were performed between 6:30 p.m. and 1 a.m., matching the peak activity period of black rats ( Vobrubová et al 2021 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

How to explore a new environment: exploratory tactics of the black rat (Rattus rattus)

Štolhoferová,

Rudolfová,

Skalíková

et al. 2024

Current Zoology

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The black rat (Rattus rattus) is a unique model for studying exploratory tactics due to its enormous colonizing potential. Considerable behavioral variability and consistent interindividual differences might help populations inhabit new environments and persist there even under intense pressure. Additionally, the affinity of the black rat for climbing might be another advantage, widening their potential niche. In this study, we describe the exploratory tactics of the black rats when introduced to a novel environment. In the first experiment, we tested 12 rats and calculated repeatability of their behaviors across 12 sessions of an enriched open field test. We concluded that climbing is a highly repeatable behavior that serves as an important source of interindividual variability. In the second experiment, we tested 24 black rats in a unique L-shaped arena. Each rat was tested twice. We found that the majority of rats distributed their activity evenly, exploring each part of the apparatus for a similar amount of time, thus maximizing their chances of finding resources. Nevertheless, these ‘even’ explorers still greatly differed in their level of activity, orderliness and affinity for climbing, generating large variability. In contrast, the minority of rats concentrated their activity only on a section of the new environment and were therefore characterized as selective explorers. Overall, we concluded that a combination of such exploratory tactics as well as a bias for even explorers enables black rats to quickly colonize new environments and persist there even under unfavorable conditions.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

How to explore a new environment: exploratory tactics of the black rat (Rattus rattus)

Štolhoferová,

Rudolfová,

Skalíková

et al. 2024

Current Zoology

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“…The hole‐board test is often used to measure exploration of rodents (e.g., T. striatus , Rattus rattus , and M. arvalis ) by recording head‐dip rate and head‐dip time proportion for a tested individual by using a plastic plate with holes within an experimental chamber (Herde & Eccard, 2013; Martin & Réale, 2008; Vobrubová et al, 2021) (Figure 1). Individuals that have a higher rate or proportion of head‐dip in the holes are higher in exploration (Herde & Eccard, 2013; Martin & Réale, 2008).…”

Section: Methods Of Experimentationmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review to the methods of personality measurements in wild animals

Cheng,

He,

Zhang

et al. 2023

Wildlife Letters

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One of the challenges in the study of animal personalities is to select a suitable method to measure personality. Here, we reviewed the three common methods (traits rating, behavioral coding, and experimentation) used in animal personality measurement in wild animals. For each method, we summarized its experimental animals and conditions, advantages, and disadvantages in personality measurement. One method could be used to measure the personalities of different animal species, and different methods could be used to measure the personality of one animal species. Overall, traits rating was used to test the personalities of large animals (e.g., primates), behavioral coding was conducted both in large and small animals (e.g., primates, birds, rodents, and fishes), whereas experimentation was used in small animals (e.g., rodents, birds, amphibians, and insects). Although the methods of experimentation were originally designed for model animals (e.g., mice and rats), some of them were used to test the personalities of wild animals under indoor conditions, in which the experimental animals were transferred from the field to the laboratory. Unfortunately, few studies have estimated the applicability of these methods to wild animals. In the future, effective methods of personality measurement are needed for wild animals, especially the methods that can be used in the field.

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Individual differences in behaviour are related to metabolism, stress response, testosterone, and immunity in the subterranean rodent Ctenomys talarum

Fanjul,

Cutrera,

Luna

et al. 2023

Behavioural Processes

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Relationship between exploratory activity and adrenocortical activity in the black rat (Rattus rattus)

Cited by 4 publications

References 58 publications

How to explore a new environment: exploratory tactics of the black rat (Rattus rattus)

How to explore a new environment: exploratory tactics of the black rat (Rattus rattus)

A review to the methods of personality measurements in wild animals

Individual differences in behaviour are related to metabolism, stress response, testosterone, and immunity in the subterranean rodent Ctenomys talarum

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