The landscape of fear: Why some free-ranging rodents choose repeated live-trapping over predation risk and how it is associated with the physiological stress response

Hernández, Miguel Cruz; Navarro-Castilla, Álvaro; Planillo, Aimara; Sánchez-González, Beatriz; Barja, Isabel

doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2018.09.007

Cited by 14 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 83 publications

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“…Nevertheless, this result would be in accordance with other studies that discovered no effect of predator cues on feeding behaviour [12, 13]. As we suggested previously, traps could have been perceived as a refuge against predators, allowing them to feed in a secure environment [8, 37]. Another plausible explanation would be that due to individuals remaining several hours under the influence of predation cues, they must resume their feeding activity in order to not compromise their survival [43, 46].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…Predator scents have been previously demonstrated to modify food intake [8, 11]; however, the direction of this association is not clear since there is evidence of both an increase and a decrease in the food intake. In our study, we hypothesise that traps could have provided the mice with a safe space to handle the food resources [8, 37]. As a consequence, these mice may have chosen to feed because they were sheltered against predator attacks.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although we expected a decrease in food intake in traps treated with fox faeces it appears that the presence of predator faeces does not affect food intake in this setting. As discussed above, the shelter provided by the traps against predators could have allow the mice to not interrupt foraging [8, 37]. Since mice remained trapped during the whole night, it may not be fitness-enhancing to stop feeding for such long periods of time [43, 46].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Wood mouse feeding effort and decision-making when encountering a restricted unknown food source

2019

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Animals making foraging decisions must balance the energy gained, the time invested, and the influence of key environmental factors. In our work, we examined the effect of predation risk cues and experience on feeding efforts when a novel food resource was made available. To achieve this, we live-trapped wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus in Monte de Valdelatas (Madrid), where 80 Sherman traps were set in four plots. Traps were subjected to two food-access difficulties in treatments consisting of three consecutive nights: open plastic bottles (easy) and closed bottles (difficult), both using corn as bait. To simulate predation risk, we set fox faeces in half of the traps in each plot. We also considered moonlight (medium/low) as an indirect predation risk cue. We analysed whether bottles had been bitten by mice and the gnawed area of each bottle was measured. Our results indicated that food access difficulty, experience, and predation risk determined mice feeding decisions and efforts. The ability of mice to adapt feeding effort when a new food source is available was demonstrated because a higher proportion of closed bottles exhibited bite marks and the gnawed area was bigger. Moreover, mouse experience was determinant in the use of this new resource since recaptured mice gnawed broader orifices in the bottles and the gnawed area increased each time an individual was recaptured. Additionally, direct predation risk cues prompted mice to bite the bottles whereas the effect of different moon phases varied among the food access treatments. This study provides direct evidence of formidable efficacy of wild mice to exploit a new nutrient resource while considering crucial environmental factors that shape the decision-making procedure.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Wood mouse feeding effort and decision-making when encountering a restricted unknown food source

2019

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“…Nevertheless, this result would be in accordance with other studies that discovered no effect of predator cues on feeding behaviour [20, 21, 80]. As we suggested before, traps could have been perceived as a refuge against predators, allowing them to feed in a secure environment [16, 63]. Another plausible explanation would be that due to individuals remained several hours under the influence of this predation cues, they have to resume their feeding activity in order to not compromise their survival [77, 81].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…Predator scents have been previously demonstrated to modify food intake [16, 17, 19, 62], however, the direction of this association is not clear since there is evidence of both a rise and a decrease in the food intake. In our study, we hypothesise that traps could have provided mice a safe space to handle the food resources [16, 63], as a consequence, mice might have chosen to feed because they were sheltered against predator attacks. Alternatively, predation risk could have trigger physiological stress response in mice [28] and the immediate mobilization of energy could have stimulated mice to bite the food containers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Resourceful mice do not starve: feeding efforts and decision-making process under a restricted unknown food source

Hernández

Navarro-Castilla

Barja

2019

Preprint

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23Foraging decisions must balance the energy gained, the time investment and the 24 influence of key environmental factors. In our work, we aimed to examine the 25 importance of predation risk cues and experience in the feeding efforts and decision-26 making process when a novel food resource is presented. To achieve this, free ranging 27 wood mice Apodemus sylvaticus were live-trapped in "Monte de Valdelatas" (Madrid) 28 by setting 80 Sherman traps in 4 plots. Traps were subjected to two food access 29 difficulties three-night consecutive treatments: open plastic bottles and closed bottles, 30 both using corn as bait. To generate predation risk, we set fox faeces in half of the traps 31 in each plot. Also, we considered indirect predator cues as the moon phase. We analyse 32 whether mice had bitten the bottles and the area gnawed of each bottle was measured. 33 We discovered that mice feeding decisions and efforts were driven by food access 34 difficulty, experience and predation risk. The ability of mice to properly balance their 35 energy budget was probed since they bit and performed bigger orifices in the closed 36 bottles, hence, individuals can adapt the feeding effort when a new food source is 37 available. Moreover, experience was determinant in the use of this new resource since 38 recaptured mice gnawed the bottles more successfully and the skill was improved each 39 time an individual was recaptured. Additionally, direct predation risk cues prompt mice 40 to bite the bottles whereas the effect of different moon phases varied among the 41 treatments. This is the first study that provides direct evidence of wild mice formidable 42 efficacy to exploit a new nutrient resource while deepening in crucial environmental 43 factors that shape decision-making procedure. 44 Keywords 45 Apodemus sylvaticus, food access, energy budget, predation risk, decision making, 46 learning, moonlight 48 Wild animals must cope with unpredictable environmental demands. In this 49 particular setting, choices made by animals when selecting food and regulating intake 50 aim to satisfy their specific levels of nutrient requirements [1, 2, 3]. The variable time 51 and space food availability challenge animals to select the type of food which best 52 meets their nutrient demands and to evaluate if it counterbalances the energetic effort 53 they have to make to obtain it [4]. These changeable environmental conditions have led 54 to the development of a wide array of adaptations to efficiently satisfy the energetic 55 requirements of all life forms [5, 6, 7], making possible for them to exploit and utilize 56 heterogeneous food sources. The mechanisms which underlay feeding choices are rather 57 diverse, being both endogenous and environmental factors involved in the decision 58 process [8, 9, 10, 11, 12]. It is known that animals possess the ability to learn about the 59 characteristics of the items in their diet and that feeding choices are experience 60 dependent [12, 13, 14, 15, 16]. In this manner, experience and learning ...

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The role of steroid hormones and individual traits in food intake in the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus)

Navarro-Castilla

Sánchez-González

Barja

2019

Sci Nat

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The landscape of fear: Why some free-ranging rodents choose repeated live-trapping over predation risk and how it is associated with the physiological stress response

Cited by 14 publications

References 83 publications

Wood mouse feeding effort and decision-making when encountering a restricted unknown food source

Wood mouse feeding effort and decision-making when encountering a restricted unknown food source

Resourceful mice do not starve: feeding efforts and decision-making process under a restricted unknown food source

The role of steroid hormones and individual traits in food intake in the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus)

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