Field Of Animal Behavior Research Articles

How to train your dragon: absolute conditioning in larval dragonflies.

Insects, despite possessing relatively small brains, exhibit noteworthy adaptive behaviors, making them intriguing subjects for understanding learning mechanisms. This study explores the learning capabilities of dragonfly larvae (Anisoptera: Aeshnidae) in conditioning experiments, shedding light on the cognitive processes that underpin their remarkable abilities. As apex predators, dragonflies play a crucial role in ecosystems, necessitating a diverse range of learning behaviors for survival and reproductive success. We addressed whether dragonfly larvae can differentiate between different colored stimuli and associate color with prey. Our experimental design demonstrated that dragonfly larvae are able to recognize conditioning stimuli. The findings contribute valuable insights into the cognitive abilities of dragonflies, suggesting that these insects can learn and discriminate colors of stimuli. Overall, this research broadens our understanding of insect learning and cognition, contributing to the broader field of animal behavior and memory.

Minimizing observer bias in animal behavior studies revisited: Improvement, but a long way to go

AbstractFor decades, texts on methods in animal behavior research have stressed the need for observers of behavior to work to minimize potential unconscious biases in their coding of data. Two major ways of minimizing these biases are to carry out data coding blind to the key comparisons being made in the study and to have high inter‐observer reliability. Over 10 years ago, Burghardt et al. (2012, Ethology, 118, 511) reviewed five major journals in the field of animal behavior and coded randomly selected articles from five decadal volumes (1970 to 2010). That earlier article found poor rates of reporting these two common methods for minimizing potential biases. Here, we carried out similar coding for the 2020 volumes from those same five journals. We found that rates of reporting have increased in all five journals – some substantially. However, rates of reporting still lag behind the journal Infancy, which publishes research on human infant development and relies on many of the same behavioral observation and coding methods used by animal behavior researchers. Given increased calls for transparency and reproducibility in many different fields of scientific study, we argue that we – researchers, reviewers, and editors – can and need to do better at making sure we are actively conducting research in ways to minimize potential observer biases.

Scientific impact of Chilean-based animal behavioralists is positively associated with co-authorships from developed countries, high impact factor journals, but not with gender

BackgroundPrevious bibliometric studies in scientific researchers from developed countries generally support that sharing efforts during research enhances productivity and impact and suggest these effects may be important for researchers from less developed countries exhibiting more exiguous science budgets. We examined whether researchers in the field of animal behavior in an economically less developed country compensate for this burden by collaborating with researchers from developed countries, and whether this effect is gender specific.MethodsWe quantified collaborations of 30 Chilean-based focal animal behavioralists with peers from developed countries based on co-authorships within 664 animal behavior papers. We examined whether the mean number, or mean proportion of such co-authorships was positively associated with productivity (number of research papers) and impact (h-index, citations per research paper) when gender, author role (i.e., first or corresponding author), and other covariates were considered. We complemented these analyses with a survey to focal researchers to estimate the perceived relevance of collaborations with peers from developed countries.ResultsThe h-index, but not the number of animal behavior papers published by focal researchers, increased with the mean number (but not with the mean proportion) of international co-authors from developed countries, an effect not gender-specific, but that supported the perceived importance of collaborations with peers from developed countries. The number of papers and the individual impact of focal researchers increased with academic age. The number of citations of individual papers increased with journal impact factor, year since publication, but not with the role (first or corresponding author) played by collaborators from developed countries.ConclusionsOur bibliometric and survey-based approach supported that establishing collaborations with researchers from developed countries and publishing in high impact factor journals are correlated with the career-long impact of Chilean-based animal behavioralists, and that this association is not contingent on gender, or influenced by the role (first or corresponding author) played by collaborators.

Doing better for understudied species: Evaluation and improvement of a species-general animal welfare assessment tool for zoos

Accredited zoos and aquariums are required to have a welfare assessment process in place for the animals in their care. However, welfare assessment theoretical frameworks and methodologies vary widely. Previous studies have shown that taxonomic biases in research are found broadly within the field of animal behavior and specifically within applied animal welfare science, which could translate to taxonomic biases in applied welfare assessment tools. After creating and then using a species-general welfare assessment at Lincoln Park Zoo for 2.5 years, we sought to examine whether there were systematic differences in welfare scores for different taxa. There were 939 Welfare Discussion Tools completed for 174 species between July 2019 and – December 2021, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. We found that, broadly, no taxonomic group scored higher than mammals on overall welfare scores, input (resource-based) scores, or output (animal-based) scores. Raters also provided fewer incomplete responses (in the form of “not applicable” or “I don’t know” judgments) for mammals than for other taxonomic groups. Integrating these findings with input from welfare scientists, animal caretakers, behavioral husbandry experts and veterinary staff, we modified our original welfare assessment tool to broaden the taxonomic relevance of the tool. Copies of the original tool and the updated/modified tool are included to serve as a model for institutions developing or revising their own welfare assessment tools.

The use of gaze to study cognition: limitations, solutions, and applications to animal welfare.

The study of gaze responses, typically using looking time paradigms, has become a popular approach to improving our understanding of cognitive processes in non-verbal individuals. Our interpretation of data derived from these paradigms, however, is constrained by how we conceptually and methodologically approach these problems. In this perspective paper, we outline the application of gaze studies in comparative cognitive and behavioral research and highlight current limitations in the interpretation of commonly used paradigms. Further, we propose potential solutions, including improvements to current experimental approaches, as well as broad-scale benefits of technology and collaboration. Finally, we outline the potential benefits of studying gaze responses from an animal welfare perspective. We advocate the implementation of these proposals across the field of animal behavior and cognition to aid experimental validity, and further advance our knowledge on a variety of cognitive processes and welfare outcomes.

Mixed-species groups and the question of dominance in the social ecosystem.

Dominance interactions and hierarchies are of long-standing interest in the field of animal behaviour. Currently, dominance hierarchies are viewed as complex social structures formed by repeated interactions between individuals. Most studies on this phenomenon come from single-species groups. However, animals are constantly surrounded by and interact with individuals of other species. Behaviour and social interactions of individuals can be shaped by the presence or behaviour of other species in their social ecosystem, which has important implications for social behaviour in groups. Given how ubiquitous mixed-species animal groups are, deeper study of the relationships between mixed-species group (MSG) structure and dominance will be key to understanding constraints on individual behaviour and decision making. Here we call for more research into dominance interactions among individuals in MSGs. Greater understanding of the dynamics of dominance relationships among individuals in MSGs, whose size and composition can change considerably over shorter and longer term time frames, will be crucial to understanding their structure and functioning. This article is part of the theme issue 'Mixed-species groups and aggregations: shaping ecological and behavioural patterns and processes'.

Through Hawks’ Eyes: Synthetically Reconstructing the Visual Field of a Bird in Flight

Birds of prey rely on vision to execute flight manoeuvres that are key to their survival, such as intercepting fast-moving targets or navigating through clutter. A better understanding of the role played by vision during these manoeuvres is not only relevant within the field of animal behaviour, but could also have applications for autonomous drones. In this paper, we present a novel method that uses computer vision tools to analyse the role of active vision in bird flight, and demonstrate its use to answer behavioural questions. Combining motion capture data from Harris’ hawks with a hybrid 3D model of the environment, we render RGB images, semantic maps, depth information and optic flow outputs that characterise the visual experience of the bird in flight. In contrast with previous approaches, our method allows us to consider different camera models and alternative gaze strategies for the purposes of hypothesis testing, allows us to consider visual input over the complete visual field of the bird, and is not limited by the technical specifications and performance of a head-mounted camera light enough to attach to a bird’s head in flight. We present pilot data from three sample flights: a pursuit flight, in which a hawk intercepts a moving target, and two obstacle avoidance flights. With this approach, we provide a reproducible method that facilitates the collection of large volumes of data across many individuals, opening up new avenues for data-driven models of animal behaviour.

What is a fish? The life and legend of David L.G. Noakes

David Lloyd George Noakes (1942–2020) is best known for his insatiable curiosity, his quick wit and dry sense of humor, his scientific contributions to the field of animal behaviour, and his ability to form and maintain long-lasting connections. His research interests were vast but remained grounded in early life history, behaviour, social behaviour, the evolution of behaviour, behavioural genetics, and evolutionary ecology. David had a remarkable ability to establish and maintain strong connections within the international academic community. David was also internationally recognized for his numerous contributions as a scientific editor, promoting accessibility to the international community that he served. We memorialize David’s legacy in this tribute article, ensuring that his accomplishments and the momentous impact he had on the scientific community are not soon forgotten.

An inclusive venue to discuss behavioural biology research: the first global Animal Behaviour Twitter Conference

Social media platforms, such as Twitter, provide the opportunity for academics to network and to disseminate research to colleagues and the general public. More recently, Twitter in particular has become a platform for hosting academic conferences in addition to or as an alternative to either traditional in-person academic conferences or virtual conferences, now typical since the onset of COVID. The Animal Behavior Society (ABS) and the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) hosted their first global Animal Behaviour Twitter Conference in January 2021, in which researchers in animal behaviour from around the world shared recent work with fellow academics. Here, we explore the impact of the first global Animal Behaviour Twitter Conference (#AnimBehav2021) using questionnaires and Web site analytics to assess the dissemination of research and networking opportunities the event provided. Ultimately, this Animal Behaviour Twitter Conference increased the global reach and the accessibility of communicating animal behaviour research in comparison to in-person events. Furthermore, we use this case study to describe the logistics of organizing a Twitter conference in the field of animal behaviour, the novel opportunities this conference brought along and how other academic societies in behavioural biology can adapt our approach and benefit from this conference format.

活跃性和社会性对中华倒刺鲃集群行为的影响

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 活跃性和社会性对中华倒刺鲃集群行为的影响 DOI: 10.5846/stxb202106021452 作者: 作者单位: 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 国家自然科学基金（NSFC31670418）；重庆市自然科学基金（cstc2018jcyjAX0150，cstc2021jcyj-msxmX0835） Effects of activity and sociability on shoaling behavior of Spinibarbus sinensis Author: Affiliation: Fund Project: 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:为考察群体中不同的个性组成对鱼类集群行为的影响及其内在机制，选取中华倒刺鲃（Spinibarbus sinensis）幼鱼为实验对象，依次测定其活跃性和社会性，随后分别根据活跃性和社会性的高低分为高、低和混合活跃性（或社会性）鱼群，考察鱼群中不同个性组成对集群时的整体运动特征以及每尾鱼的个体运动特征的影响。研究发现：（1）中华倒刺鲃的个性特征稳定且个体间变异较大；（2）高活跃性鱼群的运动时间比和速度同步性均大于低活跃性鱼群，而混合鱼群位于二者之间且与两个同质性鱼群均无显著差异；高社会性鱼群速度同步性显著小于低社会性和混合社会性鱼群，而后两者之间没有显著差异。（3）活跃性特征与集群运动时每尾鱼的运动特征（速度及其同步性等）相关，社会性特征不仅与上述运动特征关联，还与凝聚力大小（距鱼群质心距离）相关。研究表明：（1）鱼群的活跃性和社会性组成均对集群行为产生重要影响，但其内在机制截然不同。主要表现为：就活跃性而言，群体的运动状态是由群体中所有成员共同决定（平均决定机制）；就社会性而言，少数低社会性成员对鱼群的运动水平表现有着主导作用（少数决定机制）；（2）实验鱼的活跃性在集群行为中得到了较大程度的保留，可能是其平均决定机制的基础；实验鱼的社会性和集群时凝聚力的关联可能是其少数决定机制的原因。中华倒刺鲃稳定的个性变异、个性组成与鱼群运动特征的密切关联及其内在机制的复杂性可能有利于该物种在多变的环境条件下完成不同的生理活动，具有重要的生态意义。 Abstract:Animal personalities are defined as consistent individual differences in behaviors across contexts and time. Recently, the ecological relevance of personalities in fish species has drawn much attention from behavioral ecologists, and scientists assumed that how fish group members adjust their personalities thus to maintain consensus direction alignment and speed synchronization during shoaling might be of utmost importance in the field of animal behavior. To investigate the effect of personality composition on the characteristics of shoaling behavior and its internal mechanism in juvenile Qingbo (Spinibarbus sinensis), we measured the personality traits (i.e. activity and sociability), the collective motion of fish shoals (six individuals each shoal and 14 shoals each treatment) with different personality composition (proactive, reactive and heterogenous personality shoals), and the individuality of motion of each group member. The main results are as follows:(1) Qingbo showed stable personality traits with relatively large inter-individual variation indicated by high intraclass correlation coefficient and large coefficient of variation. (2) The high-activity shoals presented more percent time spent moving (approximately 18%) and higher synchronization of swimming speed (approximately 3%) compared to those of low-activity shoals, whereas there was no significant difference between either homogeneous shoal and the heterogenous personality shoal. Furthermore, the synchronization of swimming speed of high-sociability shoal was significantly lower than those of low-activity (approximately 4%) and heterogenous shoals (approximately 3%), whereas there was no significant difference in the latter two treatments. (3) The activity trait was positively correlated with the motion characteristics (such as swimming speed and its synchronization) of each group member during shoaling. The sociability trait was not only correlated (negatively) with above mentioned motion characteristics, but also negatively correlated with the group cohesion. The results suggest that:(1) the personality composition has profound effect on shoaling behavior, but with distinctly different underlying mechanisms. The shoaling behavior characteristics of the group comprised members with different activity trait are mainly determined by all the members of the group, i.e. average-determined mechanism. However, the shoaling behavior characteristics is mainly determined by a few members with the lowest sociability score, i.e. minority-determined mechanism. (2) The activity trait of the experimental fish can withhold to a large extend which might be the fundament of the average-determined mechanism. However, the positive correlation between sociability trait and group cohesion might be at least one reason for the minority-determined mechanism. In all, the stable personality with larger inter-individual variation, the close relationship between personality traits and the motion characteristics, and the complicated mechanism underlying the relationship might beneficial for Qingbo to fulfill their physiological activities under a changeable environment. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

A comparison of low‐cost behavioral observation software applications for handheld computers and recommendations for use

AbstractIn the field of animal behavior and behavioral ecology, many standardized methods to observe animal behavior were established in the last decades. While the protocols remained similar, behavioral researchers can take advantage of technological advancements to enter observations directly onto a handheld computer (phone, tablet, etc.), saving time and potentially increasing fidelity of recordings. However, we now have the choice between many different platforms for recording behavioral observations. Our challenge is choosing the most appropriate platform that fits a particular study question, research design, budget, and desired amount of preparatory time. Here, we review six low‐cost software applications for handheld computers that are available for real‐time entry of behavioral observations: Animal Behaviour Pro, Animal Observer, BORIS, CyberTracker, Prim8, and ZooMonitor. We discuss the preliminary decisions that have to be made about the study design, and we assess the six applications by providing the advantages and disadvantages of each platform and an overall application comparison. In our supplemental material, we illustrate the setup and data collection routines, and how to customize certain platforms so they will work more effectively for particular study aims or sampling methods. Our goal is to help researchers make calculated decisions about what behavioral observation platform is best for their study system and question.

Animal social networks: an introduction for complex systems scientists

AbstractMany animals live in societies where individuals frequently interact socially with each other. The social structures of these systems can be studied in depth by means of network analysis. A large number of studies on animal social networks in many species have in recent years been carried out in the biological research field of animal behaviour and have provided new insights into behaviour, ecology and social evolution. This line of research is currently not so well connected to the field of complex systems as could be expected. The purpose of this article is to provide an introduction to animal social networks for complex systems scientists and highlight areas of synergy. We believe that an increased integration of animal social networks with the interdisciplinary field of complex systems, and networks would be beneficial for various reasons. Increased collaboration between researchers in this field and biologists studying animal social systems could be valuable in solving challenges that are of importance to animal social network research. Furthermore, animal social networks provide the opportunity to investigate hypotheses about complex systems across a range of natural real-world social systems. In this article, we describe what animal social networks are and main research themes where they are studied; we give an overview of the methods commonly used to study animal social networks; we highlight challenges in the study of animal social networks where complex systems expertise may be particularly valuable; and we consider aspects of animal social networks that may be of particular interest to complex systems researchers. We hope that this will help to facilitate further interdisciplinary collaborations involving animal social networks and further integration of these networks into the field of complex systems.

The Status and Value of Replications in Animal Behavior Science

Replications are widely considered an essential tool to evaluate scientific claims. However, many fields have recently reported that replication rates are low and - when they are conducted - many findings do not successfully replicate. These circumstances have led to widespread debates about the value of replications for research quality, credibility of research findings, and factors contributing to current problems with replicability. This special issue brings together researchers from various areas within the field of animal behavior to offer their perspective on the status and value of replications in animal behavior science.

Integrated clinical animal behaviour

Abstract In this paper I outline the drawbacks with the two main behavioural approaches to animal behaviour problems and argue that each alone is insufficient to underpin a field of clinical animal behaviour. Applied ethology offers an interest in an animal’s spontaneous behaviour in natural contexts, understood within an ecological and evolutionary framework but lacks an awareness of mechanisms that can be manipulated to modify the behaviour of individual animals. Behaviourism in the form of Applied Behavior Analysis offers a toolkit of techniques for modifying the behaviour of individual animals, but has seldom been applied to non-human species, and often overlooks phylogenetic aspects of behaviour. Notwithstanding the historical animosities between the two fields of animal behaviour they are philosophically highly compatible — both being empiricist schools stemming ultimately from Darwin’s insights. Though each individually is incomplete, I argue that an integrated approach that synthesizes the strengths of each holds great promise in helping the many animals who need our assistance to survive and thrive in human-dominated environments.

The role of diversity in science: a case study of women advancing female birdsong research

Researchers of different genders and backgrounds contribute greatly to the diversity of questions and approaches in science. Historically birdsong was studied primarily as a male trait. However, as researchers in the field of animal behaviour have become more diverse, women have made substantial contributions to the birdsong literature, including through the study of female birdsong. We investigated the influence of gender on research topic and asked: are research articles on female birdsong disproportionately authored by women? We surveyed published ‘female song’ papers within the last 20 years, recording counts of author gender and authorship position (first, middle, last). We compared these data to a control group of ‘birdsong’ papers that were matched by journal and publication date. We found strong associations between research topic and author gender. First authors of female birdsong papers are significantly more likely to be women: women now make up 68% of first authors on female birdsong papers whereas women are only 44% of the first authors on general birdsong papers. Our case study suggests that women are making a greater contribution to the emerging field of female birdsong. This discrepancy demonstrates the importance of diversity in addressing previously understudied areas of science. Increasing diversity in science can lead to new approaches for studying behaviour, ecology and conservation.

How Approaches to Animal Swarm Intelligence Can Improve the Study of Collective Intelligence in Human Teams.

Researchers of team behavior have long been interested in the essential components of effective teamwork. Much existing research focuses on examining correlations between team member traits, team processes, and team outcomes, such as collective intelligence or team performance. However, these approaches are insufficient for providing insight into the dynamic, causal mechanisms through which the components of teamwork interact with one another and impact the emergence of team outcomes. Advances in the field of animal behavior have enabled a precise understanding of the behavioral mechanisms that enable groups to perform feats that surpass the capabilities of the individuals that comprise them. In this manuscript, we highlight how studies of animal swarm intelligence can inform research on collective intelligence in human teams. By improving the ability to obtain precise, time-varying measurements of team behaviors and outcomes and building upon approaches used in studies of swarm intelligence to analyze and model individual and group-level behaviors, researchers can gain insight into the mechanisms underlying the emergence of collective intelligence. Such understanding could inspire targeted interventions to improve team effectiveness and support the development of a comparative framework of group-level intelligence in animal and human groups.

It's FAB! – Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians (FABC)

The Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians (FABC) has been set up to support the development of clinical animal behaviourists in the UK. The organisation engenders a culture of collaboration and inclusivity within the field of animal behaviour, nurtures professional development, and champions multidisciplinary cross-specialism working.

Crossing the divide between academic research and practical application of ethology and animal behavior information on commercial livestock and poultry farms

There are young managers in commercial animal agriculture in the United States, United Kingdom, Asia, and other countries, who are unaware of the scientific field of animal ethology. They may have an agricultural degree with no training in animal behavior. Some have no idea that scientists have already conducted many research studies on animal behavior. In this opinion paper, the author discusses ways to cross this divide. Basic animal behavior principles should be taught to both veterinary and animal science undergraduate students. The basic information that should be taught to undergraduates is: 1) Behavioral principles of livestock handling, 2) importance of good stockmanship to improve animal productivity, 3) principles of animal learning, 4) bull, ram and boar safety, 5) the importance of behavioral needs and environmental enrichment, 6) how to recognize abnormal behaviors, and 7) formation of dominance hierarchies. This material should be in introductory courses with practical explanations about why it is important. For example, a nutritionist needs to understand how dominance behavior may reduce access to feed. When I communicate directly with students, they are eager to learn about behavior. Students should also be taught to use the major academic databases. The second step is that researchers must communicate with producers in jargon-free language. The third step is training graduate students for management jobs on farms or research careers in industry. In the developed countries, there is a shortage of academic positions for new Ph.D.’s. Graduates in animal behavior subjects can have excellent careers outside of academia. Training in animal behavior may help them influence the policies of their employers to improve animal welfare. There are also factors in the future that may block free flow of scientific information. Unfortunately, some research results remain proprietary commercial industry information and they are not published in the scientific literature. To promote the spread of knowledge, academic researchers should avoid signing long-term non-disclosure agreements with industry. These agreements may block scientific publication. Everybody in the field of animal behavior needs to communicate outside their field and explain why behavior is important.

Giraffe social preferences are context dependent

The dynamic nature of animal societies often hides multiple layers of complexity. The field of animal behaviour is rapidly advancing with the development of increasingly sophisticated analytical methods that allow scientists to identify complex and nuanced drivers of social patterns. The resurgent interest in giraffe sociality illustrates this by challenging the early view that individuals interact at random; it became clear that, instead, giraffes can be organized into multilevel societies, apparently founded on preferred associations. However, it is unclear whether such enduring associations result from active choice for specific individuals. The extent to which other social and asocial factors can contribute to an individual's inclusion in groups remains underexplored. Here we assess how context affects social preferences at the individual level by evaluating grouping patterns of giraffes in different behavioural states, habitats and levels of disturbance. When we controlled for potential class-based (as opposed to individual-based) assortment of individuals by sex, age and gregariousness, we found that giraffes only exhibited individual social preferences when foraging, with minor influence of habitat complexity or level of disturbance. Our results indicate that behavioural context is a major driver of giraffe social association. This strengthens recent evidence of complex social systems in giraffes and suggests that classic metrics of social relationships (such as association indices) may be too coarse, concealing true social preferences in wild populations.

Phylogenetic patterns in learning and decision making in pit vipers (Viperidae: Crotalinae)

Learning is a key behavioural adaptation allowing animals to respond to complex and changing environments. Although the field of animal behaviour has seen an increase in the taxonomic breadth of learning studies in recent decades, investigations within an explicit, broad phylogenetic framework are rare, curtailing our understanding of the evolution of learning and advanced cognition. Pit vipers (Viperidae: Crotalinae) represent a particularly interesting taxon in which to study patterns in learning as they are widely studied, have had learning documented in many species, occupy a range of ecological niches and possess vast and varied natural history traits. We investigated the latency to decision in a laboratory thermal maze in 13 species of pit viper (7 species of rattlesnakes and 6 species of nonrattlesnake pit viper) and one true viper species (the puff adder, Bitis arietans (Viperidae: Viperinae), as an outgroup comparison). Relative to the other pit vipers, rattlesnakes uniformly and quickly (after only one trial) decreased their latency to respond to thermal stress; their latency remained low and uniform across the remaining 11 trials. All other pit viper species failed to modify their behaviour across trials and maintained a consistent latency across all 12 trials, as did the puff adder. This pattern could reflect differential learning abilities between rattlesnake and nonrattlesnake pit vipers. Our results underscore the advantages of incorporating a broad phylogenetic perspective when investigating learning and comparative cognition.