Toad tadpole aggregation behaviour: evidence for a predator avoidance function

Watt, Penelope J.; Nottingham, Stephen F.; Young, Stephen

doi:10.1006/anbe.1996.0512

Cited by 96 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…A well-developed lateral line system of tadpoles is sensitive to touch and thermal gradients in the water (Lannoo 1999). Many other kinds of behaviors such as association with siblings, kin recognition, and social aggregation are mediated through chemicals (Waldman 1991;Watt et al 1997;Hoff et al 1999). Similarly, waterborne chemical signals seem to be involved in eliciting aversive reactions toward predators, predation risk avoidance (Petranka et al 1987;Hews 1988;Wilson and Lefcort 1993;Stauffer and Semlitsch 1993;Manteifel 1995;Lefcort 1996Lefcort , 1998Kiseleva 1997;Anholt et al 2000), spatial and temporal use of microhabitats in the presence of predators, intraspecific and possibly interspecific interference competitions, inhibition of growth of smaller tadpoles by the larger tadpoles (references in Alford 1999), and so on.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Mechanism of food detection in the tadpoles of the bronze frog Rana temporalis

2004

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Mechanism of food detection in Rana temporalis tadpoles was studied using a rectangular choice tank with end compartments (stimulus zones) providing exclusively visual and/or chemical food cues. Boiled spinach served as the food. The test tadpoles were starved for 24 h before use. They were released from the center of the choice tank (n=24) after 5 min of acclimation to test for end bias and food-detecting mechanism. The number of tadpoles in the two stimulus zones was recorded at 5-min intervals from 10 to 30 min. In the end-bias tests (without food cues) tadpole distribution was comparable at all times in the two compartments of the choice tank, exhibiting no end bias. In tests with the visual food cues provided in one of the stimulus zones, the tadpole distribution was also random. On the other hand, in experiments involving chemical cues emanating from food the tadpoles preferentially associated with the food source in significantly greater numbers compared to the zone lacking food or providing only a visual cue. The experiments with individual test tadpoles also revealed that they detect food based on chemical cues and ruled out "copycat" behavior. These findings on R. temporalis tadpoles reveal that chemical senses predominate over the visual senses in detection of food and foraging.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Mechanism of food detection in the tadpoles of the bronze frog Rana temporalis

2004

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“…Denno and Benrey 1997), or reduce an individual's risk of predation (e.g. Watt et al 1997;Viscido and Wethey 2002). However, living in groups may also entail costs, as it enhances intraspecific competition (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The presence of webbing affects the oviposition rate of two-spotted spider mites, Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae)

2009

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Several species of tetranychid mites including Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) construct complicated three-dimensional webs on plant leaves. These webs provide protection against biotic and abiotic stress. As producing web is likely to entail a cost, mites that arrive on a leaf with web are expected to refrain from producing it, because they will gain the benefit of protection from the existing web. Mites that produce less web may then allocate resources that are not spent on web construction to other fitness-enhancing activities, such as laying eggs. To test this, the oviposition rate of T. urticae adult females was examined on leaves with web. As a control, we used leaves where the web had been removed, hence both types of leaves had been exposed to conspecifics previously and were thus damaged. On leaves with web, the oviposition rate of T. urticae females was higher than on leaves where the web had been removed. Therefore, the presence of web constructed by conspecifics enhanced the oviposition rate of T. urticae females. This provides indirect evidence that mites use the web constructed by conspecifics and thereby save resources that can be allocated to other traits that enhance reproductive success.

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“…For example, more than 50% of fish species form schools (Shaw 1978), and 50% of bird species form feeding flocks (Lack 1968). Grouplevel characteristics-such as regular inter-individual spacing, a particular degree of polarization, or a characteristic group velocity -are generally believed to have important biological consequences (Parrish & Edelstein-Keshet 1999), potentially affecting member fitness by (1) determining foraging success (Cody 1971, Krebs et al 1972, (2) providing defense against, or escape from, predation (Hamilton 1971, Vine 1971, Watt et al 1997, Viscido & Wethey 2002, and (3) improving reproductive success (Lack 1968, Burger & Gochfeld 1991. However, because they result from collective interactions and are not under direct control of any group member, these characteristics are not under simple, direct selection.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Individual behavior and emergent properties of fish schools: a comparison of observation and theory

Viscido¹,

Parrish²,

Grünbaum³

2004

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

178

148

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Polarity, group velocity, and inter-individual spacing are characteristics of fish schools that strongly affect individual school members. However, these characteristics are group-level 'emergent properties': collective outcomes of behavioral interactions among members, not under direct control of any single member. The relationships between members' behaviors and the emergent group properties they produce are complex and poorly understood. In this study, we quantified 3D trajectories of all individual fish within 4-and 8-fish populations of Danio aequipinnatus, using stereo videography and a computerized tracking algorithm. We compared group polarity, group speed, and mean nearest-neighbor distances of schools within these populations to a simulation model that explored how fish responded to attraction/repulsion, alignment and random forces. Real fish exhibited a high degree of temporal variability in both polarity and group speed. Polarity and speed of simulated schools depended very strongly on the strength of the alignment force. Time-averaged polarity of real fish schools was most similar to simulated schools when alignment force was 1 to 5% of the attraction/repulsion force. For both real and simulated fish, a clear relationship existed between group speed and polarity: polarized groups were faster than non-polarized groups. We propose a multi-dimensional state space where several emergent property statistics are represented along the axes, and suggest certain 'preferred' ranges of state space within which animal groups tend to localize, and in which they can sustain distinct types of regular architecture.

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Toad tadpole aggregation behaviour: evidence for a predator avoidance function

Cited by 96 publications

References 19 publications

Mechanism of food detection in the tadpoles of the bronze frog Rana temporalis

Mechanism of food detection in the tadpoles of the bronze frog Rana temporalis

The presence of webbing affects the oviposition rate of two-spotted spider mites, Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Individual behavior and emergent properties of fish schools: a comparison of observation and theory

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