Rodents in the arena: a critical evaluation of methods measuring personality traits

Mazzamuto, Maria Vittoria; Cremonesi, Giacomo; Santicchia, Francesca; Preatoni, Damiano; Martinoli, Adriano; Wauters, Luc A.

doi:10.1080/03949370.2018.1488768

Cited by 38 publications

(77 citation statements)

References 78 publications

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“…Further, we observed high repeatability in the boldness of deer mice, which reinforces the fact that any effect of the habituation to trap confinement on behavior is minimal. In studies where behaviors are only marginally repeatable, it may, however, be especially important to control for test repeat number during analysis to more accurately estimate the proportion of the variance that can be attributed to individual differences [45,[61][62][63][64].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of trap confinement on personality measurements in two terrestrial rodents

2020

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In recent years, consistent individual differences in behavior, or personalities, have been a topic of increasing interest as researchers strive to understand and predict the responses of individuals and populations to anthropogenic changes. Behavioral studies in wild populations often require that animals are live trapped before behavioral observation can occur, and this is especially true in studies investigating animal personalities. However, it is unknown whether the amount of time confined to a live trap may regulate the behavior of trapped individuals. Specifically, if the duration of trap confinement directly influences behavior, then by obtaining wild animals through live trapping we may be confounding the very measurements of greatest interest. To investigate whether the duration of trap confinement influences the behavior of trapped individuals, we performed a study on two small mammal species, focusing specifically on personality traits. We positioned high-definition trail cameras facing Longworth small mammal traps in the field to observe capture events and record the time of capture. We then measured personality in captured deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and southern red-backed voles (Myodes gapperi) using three standardized tests, and through linear and generalized linear models we found that the time an animal had spent confined to a trap before testing did not affect 86% of behaviors exhibited. Our results showed two weak behavioral effects of confinement duration on boldness and docility resulting from an interaction between the duration of confinement and whether or not an individual was naïve to trapping. Our results suggest that behavioral measurements of wild, trapped small mammals are not determined by the time spent confined to a trap. However, researchers should use caution and consider whether an animal is naïve to trapping during analysis since habituation to the live trap may play a role in the effects of confinement duration on behavior. OPEN ACCESSCitation: Brehm AM, Tironi S, Mortelliti A (2020) Effects of trap confinement on personality measurements in two terrestrial rodents. PLoS ONE 15(1): e0221136. https://doi.org/10. Observations 43� Only results from the top model (based on AICc scores) are shown. We have omitted occasions where the null model was the top model. See materials and methods for more information.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of trap confinement on personality measurements in two terrestrial rodents

2020

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“…Bell et al showed in a meta-analysis of repeatability of independent experiments from different research groups for animal behavior that many behavioral types are more consistent within individuals than previously assumed [2]. In addition, Mazzamuto et al underline the importance of method validation to ensure that the intended parameter is really captured [38]. Given that there is growing concern regarding reproducibility of experimental data in biomedical science [39], we are convinced that a documented validation of the habituation data is a beneficial approach in all fields of animal behavioral science to increase the reliability and reproducibility of experimental data.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Repeatability analysis improves the reliability of behavioral data

et al. 2020

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“…Behavioral types, or personality traits, have direct implications for fitness, since they can govern habitat use, social interactions, dispersal and responses to risk [ 15 , 19 ]. Given that many species have been found to exhibit intra-individual consistencies and inter-individual variation for behaviors and habituation [ 15 , 17 , 20 ], this is an important aspect to consider in a comparative study examining behavioral responses of multiple species to novelty.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bigger doesn’t mean bolder: behavioral variation of four wild rodent species to novelty and predation risk following a fast-slow continuum

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Shaner

et al. 2020

Front Zool

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Background Understanding how wild species respond to novel situations with associated risk can provide valuable insights for inter-specific behavioral variation and associations with pace-of-life (POL). Rodents, a globally distributed and diverse taxonomic group, have been the subjects of countless studies emulating risky situations. Controlled laboratory experiments with a focus on wild-caught species provide the opportunity to test fine-scale behavioral responses to contexts of risk with ecological implications. For example, assessing the importance of predator cues eliciting antipredator responses, as well as whether wild rodents embody behavioral plasticity and repertoires, illustrated by habituation and variation in behavioral traits, respectively. Results In this comparative study, we examined multiple behavioral responses of four rodent species in eastern Taiwan (three native species Mus caroli, Apodemus agrarius, Rattus losea, and one invasive, Rattus exulans) exposed to an unfamiliar microenvironment and novel cue from an allopatric predator, the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis). All wild-caught animals were subjected to two consecutive nights of experimental trials in a laboratory setting. Behavioral responses to a novel situation during the first trial differed between species; smaller species investing more time in non-defensive behaviors compared to the larger species. More specifically, the smaller species M. caroli and A. agrarius allocated more time to exploration and foraging, whereas the larger rat species R. exulans and R. losea spent more time motionless or concealing. During the second trial, the addition of leopard cat cues did not elicit antipredator behaviors, but rather, rodents were found to exhibit increased non-defensive behaviors, specifically foraging efforts. Conclusions Our results suggest that these four species do largely follow a behavioral fast-slow continuum with the two smaller mice species demonstrating increased boldness in a novel context compared to the larger rat species. Also, the wild populations of rodents in eastern Taiwan may be naïve to leopard cats. Finally, the rodents in our study demonstrated habituation to the microenvironment, indicating they possess adaptive capacity.

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Rodents in the arena: a critical evaluation of methods measuring personality traits

Cited by 38 publications

References 78 publications

Effects of trap confinement on personality measurements in two terrestrial rodents

Effects of trap confinement on personality measurements in two terrestrial rodents

Repeatability analysis improves the reliability of behavioral data

Bigger doesn’t mean bolder: behavioral variation of four wild rodent species to novelty and predation risk following a fast-slow continuum

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