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Occupancy-frequency distribution of birds in land-sharing and -sparing urban landscapes in Europe
Climate change is associated with asynchrony in arrival between two sympatric cuckoos and both host arrival and prey emergence
Matching the timing of spring arrival to the breeding grounds with hosts and prey is crucial for migratory brood parasites such as cuckoos. Previous studies have focused mostly on phenological mismatch between a single cuckoo species and its hosts but information regarding climate-driven mismatch between multiple sympatric cuckoo species and their hosts and invertebrate prey is still lacking. Here, we analysed long-term data (1988–2023) on the first arrival date of two declining migratory cuckoo species and their 14 migratory host species breeding in sympatry and prey emergence date in Tatarstan (southeast Russia). We found that the common cuckoo ( Cuculus canorus ; wintering in Africa) generally arrived on breeding grounds earlier than the oriental cuckoo ( Cuculus optatus ; wintering in southeast Asia and Australia). Both cuckoos have advanced their arrival dates over 36 years but less than their hosts, potentially resulting in an increasing arrival mismatch between cuckoos and their hosts. Moreover, cuckoo arrival advanced less than the emergence date of their prey over time. These observations indicate that climate change may disrupt co-fluctuation in the phenology of important life stages between multiple sympatric brood parasites, their hosts and prey with potential cascading consequences for population dynamics of involved species.
Locomotor Activity of Ixodes ricinus Females in 900 MHz Electromagnetic Field
Mobile telecommunications technologies have become an indispensable part of people’s lives of all ages around the world. They affect personal life and social interactions and are a work tool in the work routine. Network availability requirements and the quality of the Internet connection are constantly increasing, to which telecommunications providers are responding. Humans and wildlife live in the permanent presence of electromagnetic radiation with just a minor knowledge of the impact this radiation has. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of a 900 MHz electromagnetic field (EMF) on the locomotor behavior of female Ixodes ricinus ticks under laboratory conditions. Experiments were performed in the radiation-shielded tube (RST) test and radiation-shielded circular open-field arena placed in an anechoic chamber. Altogether, 480 female I. ricinus ticks were tested. In the RST arena, no differences in preference for irradiated and shielded parts of experimental modules were observed; in the open-field arena, the time spent and the trajectory passed was significantly longer in the part exposed to the EMF.
Gender differences in birding specialization from 25 countries: effects are large in skill/knowledge and minimal in commitment
Abstract This study investigates gender differences in birding specialization, a leisure activity characterized by three dimensions: skill/knowledge, behavior, and psychological commitment. We used data from a worldwide survey during December 19th 2020 and April 16th 2021 from 25 countries and psychometrically validated instruments. A total of 4006 people (2737 men, 1269 women; mean age 50.13 years, SD = 16.5) participated in the study. Meta-analytical tools were used to analyze the results. Men reported higher levels of skill/knowledge (effect size d = 0.75), behavior ( d = 0.43), and psychological commitment ( d = 0.18) than women. Gender-related differences in skill/knowledge correlated with gender equality indices, indicating that differences between men and women are large in more gender-equal societies. Gender-related behavioral differences reflect societal constraints on women’s leisure due to care responsibilities, while men’s higher skills could be related to competitive tendencies in birding. The results align with the “gender-equality paradox,” suggesting greater gender differences in contexts of higher societal equality. Recommendations for future research include considering initiation age of the leisure activity, lifetime leisure/recreational experience, and societal factors influencing gender-specific participation in cognitive leisure activities.
Among the trees: shade promotes the growth and higher survival of juvenile toads
getation, including trees, significantly shapes microhabitats for amphibians due to the leaf litter input, providing stable shelter, creating a microclimate or indirectly through trophic interactions. It is known that some species can survive in a highly modified urban environment. Species associated with open space can find stable habitats in urban and human-transformed areas, but is the impact of shading (presence of canopy cover) significant in their case? We focus on the effect of solar exposure on the growth rate of juvenile green toads Bufotes viridis in fruit and canopy manipulation treatments. The main aim of the study was to examine the selected habitat traits promoting post-metamorphic growth of the green toad in semi-open enclosures. We investigated differences between exposure/land cover variants, i.e., sunny site (open area with direct solar exposure) and shadow site (shady site with a tree canopy cover). Using imitation fruits and real cherry plum Prunus cerasifera fruits (non-native tree species), we checked whether amphibian growth is related to the additional structure that fruit lying on the ground created (a more heterogeneous surface structure) or to a trophic character (additional food source due to attracting invertebrates). We conducted a 40-day rearing experiment in three variants with two replications in semi-open enclosures with 20 juvenile toads each. We found differences in snout-vent length and body mass index investigated due to site exposure during post-metamorphic growth. The survival rate of juvenile toads in the shaded site was higher than in sunny sites. We demonstrated a positive effect of the tree’s shade, regardless of the fleshy fruit’s presence on the ground. Toads benefit from developing at sites with reduced solar exposure (i.e., with a tree canopy), resulting in intensive growth and higher survival rate. Thus, there is an opportunity for planners and urban authorities to manage habitats for amphibian conservation purposes by creating a shaded zone, even for open habitat species, especially in transformed areas such as cities. Our results indicate that the beneficial effect of the lying fruit on the growth of juveniles is limited to specific conditions, and understanding this requires further research.
Opportunities and Limitations of Molecular Methods for Studying Bat-Associated Pathogens
Bats have been identified as reservoirs of zoonotic and potentially zoonotic pathogens. Significant progress was made in the field of molecular biology with regard to infectious diseases, especially those that infect more than one species. Molecular methods, sequencing and bioinformatics have recently become irreplaceable tools in emerging infectious diseases research and even outbreak prediction. Modern methods in the molecular biology field have shed more light on the unique relationship between bats and viruses. Here we provide readers with a concise summary of the potential and limitations of molecular methods for studying the ecology of bats and bat-related pathogens and microorganisms.
Urban intensity gradients shape community structure, life‐history traits and performance in a multitrophic system
Abstract Urban ecosystems are formed by pronounced socio‐ecological gradients, which are distinct from other ecosystems and can simultaneously filter and promote taxa, ultimately affecting their interactions. However, the strength of the effect of filtering and facilitation across the different trophic levels could vary among biotic and abiotic factors. Here, we investigate the effects of habitat amount, temperature and host‐enemy biotic interactions in shaping communities of cavity‐nesting bees and wasps and their natural enemies. We installed trap‐nests in 80 sites distributed along urban intensity gradients in five European cities (Antwerp, Paris, Poznan, Tartu and Zurich). We quantified the species richness and abundance of hosts and their natural enemies, as well as two performance traits (survival and parasitism) and two life‐history traits (sex ratio and number of offspring per nest for the hosts). We analysed the importance of the abiotic and biotic variables using generalised linear models and multi‐model inference. We found that habitat amount was the main driver of multiple host responses, with larger habitat amounts resulting in higher species richness and abundance for hosts and natural enemies, as well as a larger probability of survival and a larger number of brood cells for hosts. Local resources proxies shaped both bees and wasps and indicate different uses of existing vegetation between bees and wasps. Temperature proxies had a minor role in shaping host and natural enemies. Biotic interactions were a main driver of host and enemy community structure, with natural enemies being strongly affected by host availability, that is, with direct density‐dependence between hosts and their natural enemies. Overall, our study highlights the importance of habitat amount and temperature in shaping urban food webs, as well as on biotic interactions through direct effects on hosts responses and the subsequent consequences for their natural enemies. As cities prepare to tackle the consequences of global change, strategies that make it possible to maintain habitat and mitigate urban overheating emerge as a key urban adaptation for biodiversity conservation.
Harnessing iEcology data to uncover invasive species behaviour
Abstract Invasive animal species threaten ecosystems, biodiversity and human livelihoods. Behavioural traits such as boldness, exploratory tendencies, learning ability and social interactions are known to influence invasion success. Yet these behavioural traits remain underexplored due to challenges in observing behaviour across large spatial and temporal scales. The emerging field of iEcology—studying ecology using digital data such as online photos, videos, sounds and text, generated for other purposes—offers a novel and scalable approach for investigating invasive species behaviour. Here, we demonstrate the application of iEcology to uncover novel insights into the behaviour of invasive species, such as dominance over the native species, interactions with native species or increased tolerance to humans, all critical for assessing species' invasion potential and management. We also discuss challenges of applying iEcology to studying the behaviour of invasive animals and highlight the need for careful validation and complementary methods. Finally, we highlight ways and provide a workflow to maximise the potential of iEcology for advancing the study of invasive species behaviour. We advocate for integrating iEcology into invasion science to advance our understanding of animal behaviours accompanying invasion success and ultimately to support the monitoring, management and mitigation strategies of biological invasions. We argue that iEcology is best viewed as a complementary tool that enriches traditional behavioural ecology and invasion biology, enabling rapid, accessible insights into one of the most urgent ecological issues of our time.
