Articles tagged with Foraging Behavior
Researchers found that ants tend to avoid parts of impediments that slow them down, similar to how light rays take time-reducing paths. The study used lens-shaped impediments and observed that ants diverged from the center on convex lenses and converged on concave lenses.
Researchers at Mississippi State University have successfully bred heat-tolerant annual ryegrass using recurrent phenotypic selection. The new germplasm can germinate and survive under high temperature stress conditions, allowing for late summer or early fall planting in the Southeast, increasing grazing days in winter and spring.
Novel feeds made from microalgae, insect protein and oils could partially substitute fishmeal and oil in aquaculture feeds without negative impacts on efficiency or omega-3 profiles. This study predicts future aquaculture production growth between 37-98% depending on consumer preferences.
A Rutgers-led study found that oyster aquaculture along the Delaware Bay does not significantly impact four shorebird species, including the federally threatened red knot. The research team discovered a small reduction in shorebird presence, but no detectable impact on foraging behavior.
Researchers found that longer alfalfa harvest intervals in the southeastern US result in positive outcomes, with harvesting at 42-day intervals producing maximum productivity. Growing alfalfa in mixtures with tall fescue also yields greatest forage mass and nutritive value.
A study found that flowering strips benefit bumble bee colony reproduction by providing floral resources, but also increases the risk of a certain pathogen infection rate. However, the impact on foraging behavior and mortality was not significant.
A study by researchers at the University of Exeter found that captive otters tend to play with stones more when they are hungry. The behavior is thought to be linked to excitement for food, rather than practice for foraging skills.
A study published in Nature Climate Change used tracking data from crabeater seals to build a habitat model of krill distribution along the western Antarctic Peninsula. The researchers project that areas of krill habitat will shrink and move farther offshore, affecting species such as penguins and fur seals.
Researchers found that New Zealand blue whales forage more in areas with dense and shallow krill patches. The study also revealed the importance of drone footage in understanding surface feeding behavior, providing insights into decision-making processes and prey response.
Researchers found that dynamic illumination, like water caustics in coral reefs, can increase attack latency for fish. This delay can be maximized in shallow water with fine scale and sharp water caustics.
A team of scientists led by Michelle Staudinger calls for increased study of sand lance, a crucial food source for seabirds and marine mammals. The research highlights the need for better understanding of sand lance's biology and populations to inform conservation efforts.
Research shows that bats rely on listening to their fellow bats' echolocation calls when hunting over insect-poor farmland. In contrast, they hunt individually in forest areas with more abundant prey. The study highlights the importance of population density for successful joint hunting and potential extinction threats
Researchers observed flashing color displays in Humboldt squids when foraging with others, suggesting a sophisticated form of communication. The study found that this visual signaling can influence the squids' behavior, potentially enhancing pattern visibility under low light conditions.
Sea turtles eat ocean plastics due to their smell, which is caused by a coating of algae and microorganisms on the plastic. This can lead to blockages in their digestive systems and even illness.
A study published in Ecology found that a native sweat bee species, Halictus ligatus, has a daily routine that makes it a promising pollinator. The bees were found to consistently visit the same plant species day-to-day, making them valuable for commercial crop pollination.
Scientists propose that whales migrate to low latitudes to molt, shedding their skin in a process similar to birds and mammals. This drives their long-distance migrations, which can be thousands of miles round trip, with significant impact on local ecosystems.
Scientists at Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown designed an experiment where mice had to infer water reward locations using indirect evidence. The study revealed key brain regions involved in inference and compared mouse performance to a human version of the task, highlighting the cognitive skill's importance.
When provided with a reliable shrimp dinner, cuttlefish eat fewer crabs during the day, showcasing selective foraging behavior. They adapt quickly to changes in their environment by leveraging past experiences and adjusting their strategy accordingly.
A new mathematical framework developed by NYU Tandon researchers predicts that interaction among diverse individuals can speed consensus. The model accounts for varying individual performance and communication connections within a group.
Researchers studied geomagnetic imprinting in fruit flies using laboratory experiments. They found that the flies can learn and remember a magnetic field associated with a specific location and transmit this information to their offspring.
A team of researchers created a computer model that predicts the migration patterns of sea turtle hatchlings after they leave Florida's shores. The model takes into account ocean circulation data and sea turtle nesting and stranding information to inform conservation efforts and guide policies.
Researchers tracked common noctule bat trajectories in Berlin to find that they mostly avoid built-up areas with artificial light. Instead, they use dark corridors like forests, parks, and watercourses for commuting and foraging.
Leafcutter ants can predict adverse weather by sensing changes in atmospheric pressure, allowing them to collect and store the largest possible amount of food. Under low pressure, scouts leave the nest faster, increasing foraging efficiency and cutting more leaves.
Larger whales consume more prey and have higher energy efficiency due to their size. Filter-feeding whales, however, exhibit rapid increases in energy from food, potentially driving evolutionary pathways to gigantism.
A study found that certain bulbs can persist in warm-season lawns, providing nutrition for pollinating insects. Five bulbs persisted for multiple years, including crocus and grape hyacinth, which attracted pollinators. The researchers suggest incorporating proven forage sources into landscapes to support pollinator health.
Bison in Yellowstone engineer the range to their benefit by manipulating the landscape through grazing, affecting plant growth patterns. This allows them to maintain high-quality diets despite not following the broader pattern of spring green-up.
Researchers find epigenetic regulator CoRest plays a major role in differentiating social behavior in ants, influencing foraging and defense behaviors. Reprogramming of Major soldier ants to forage was shown to occur through transient epigenetic plasticity linked to long-lasting behavioral change.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine discovered an epigenetic pathway that controls social behavior in carpenter ants. The study found that Major ant soldiers can be successfully reprogrammed up to 5 days after they hatch, but not beyond 10 days, revealing a narrow window of epigenetic plasticity.
Researchers found that the daily foraging activity of European nightjars more than doubles during moon-lit nights, leading to synchronized migrations about 10 days after full moons. This suggests that cyclic influences can synchronize pulses of migration.
A new study proposes that private property rights were a driving force behind the Neolithic Agricultural Revolution, rather than increased labor productivity. The research suggests that early farming communities adopted private property to facilitate broader applications and limit costly conflicts.
Seabirds (Manx shearwaters) use spatial cognition to navigate back to their home colonies with accurate directional knowledge. However, they do not encode specific routes or anticipate obstacles encountered during foraging trips.
A new study published in Science sheds light on how our ancestors fed themselves, dramatically changing the world to grow food. By 3,000 years ago, intensive farming was common, reshaping environments for human sustenance.
Research in forager honeybees suggests that changes in a vibration-sensitive neuron enhance waggle dance communication. The older bees demonstrate more precise connections to other brain regions and better signaling, allowing them to effectively convey information through the waggle dance.
Researchers found that memory plays a crucial role in guiding mule deer migrations, with past migration routes and seasonal ranges having a significant influence on their choice of path. This cognitive map helps animals navigate tens to hundreds of miles between seasonal ranges.
A study by University of Wyoming scientists found that energy development leads to a significant loss of deer forage due to human disturbance, with indirect losses exceeding direct habitat loss. Deer favor areas with high sagebrush growth but avoid areas near oil and gas infrastructure, resulting in a 10.5% decrease in forage use.
Researchers use machine learning to analyze mouse behavior while foraging for food, identifying 71 reproduceable behavioral sequences as the underlying building blocks for more complex behavior patterns. The study reveals genetic influence over behavior and provides a new approach to understanding complex behaviors in humans.
A new study found that prescription medication Escitalopram can inhibit fish foraging and eating behavior, particularly in males. The inhibitory effect was more pronounced in males than females, highlighting a sex-based difference in aquatic wildlife response to environmental pollutants.
Researchers developed a fundamental model of collective movement that predicts optimal strategies for animal groups. By considering how individual movements should be optimized for colony success, the team found that animals like ants should allocate their foragers to areas with high probabilities of finding food.
A study by Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology reveals that humans and chimpanzees travel with different linearity when approaching out-of-sight food locations. Humans tend to have higher linearity in familiar areas, while chimpanzees exhibit the opposite pattern.
A new study reveals that humans' presence creates a 'landscape of fear,' causing large carnivores to suppress their behavior and allowing rodents to forage more intensively. This shift has significant consequences for the entire food web, highlighting the need for ecologists to understand human-wildlife interactions.
Researchers predict blue whales' most likely foraging areas and times using satellite tracking data and environmental factors. The model improves understanding of the species-environment relationship, helping inform population management decisions amid climate change.
Small mammals use roadside vegetation foraging in Canada, contrary to assumptions that wildlife passages are only for crossing. The study suggests maintaining habitat between highways could attract animals to roads, increasing the risk of collisions.
Researchers observed bonobos in swamps foraging on aquatic herbs rich in iodine, a critical nutrient for brain development. This finding suggests that prehistoric humans may have obtained iodine from natural sources, potentially explaining their nutritional needs.
A new study finds that climate change will benefit giant petrels with warmer weather and improved foraging conditions, allowing them to dominate access to carrion on land and travel less at sea. However, females may be harmed by increased longline fishing, which could impair their survival.
Male dolphins in Shark Bay form strong bonds based on shared foraging techniques, exhibiting homophilous behavior that benefits mating success. This study provides new insight into the social habits of tool-using dolphins, challenging long-held assumptions about their solitary nature.
A global survey of 25,363 beekeepers found that honey bee colonies declined by 16%, with higher losses in some regions. Beekeepers who moved their colonies to access other forage or pollination faced fewer losses than those who kept them in the same place.
An analysis of 41 ancient African genomes suggests that the spread of herding and farming into eastern Africa occurred in phases, with multiple movements of - and gene flow among - ancestrally distinct groups. The study reveals varying cultural responses and blurred archaeological boundaries as groups adopted each other's practices.
In a study on Egyptian fruit bats, researchers found that females consistently take food from male peers and eventually mate with them. The findings support the 'food-for-sex' hypothesis in this species.
Researchers studied African penguins' responses to changes in local fish abundance, finding that penguins' foraging behavior and chick body condition are directly linked to fish availability. The study suggests that penguins could be key indicators of local ecosystem health, informing fisheries management and conservation efforts.
A study of Agta hunter-gatherers in the Philippines found that those who adopt farming work around 10 hours a week longer than their forager neighbours, impacting women's lives disproportionately. The research suggests that agriculture may not represent progress as previously thought.
Research from Göttingen reveals that wild red deer grazing in open landscapes can contribute to the conservation of protected habitats. The proportion of plant growth eaten by wild red deer is comparable to extensive grazing by farm livestock.
A Rutgers-led study found that female and male bees of the same species visit different flowers for food, with females collecting pollen at greater rates than males. The research suggests targeting flower preferences to maintain genetically diverse bee populations.
Research suggests that horses' legs adapted for endurance travel, with single-toed forms emerging as a dominant lineage. The 'spring foot' enabled energy-efficient locomotion, allowing early single-toed horses to thrive in cooler and drier climates.
A recent study found that pesticide cocktails can harm honey bees, reducing their survival and causing abnormal behavior. The research, led by the University of California San Diego, showed that combining Sivanto with a common fungicide can synergistically harm bee behavior and survival, depending on seasonality and bee age.
Researchers found that injecting manure into the soil versus broadcasting it on the surface can conserve nitrogen, while planting rye as a winter cover crop or double-cropping rye and corn can increase forage production. By incorporating these strategies, dairy farmers can reduce nitrogen loss and improve water quality.
Virginia Tech researchers Margaret Couvillon and Roger Schürch have decoded the universal language of honey bees, allowing scientists to interpret the insects' sophisticated communications. By deciphering waggle dances, they hope to better understand pollinators' preferred forages and food sources.
Elk exhibit minimal avoidance of wolves due to philopatry, returning to familiar foraging areas despite small risk of predation. The study's findings suggest that wolves have negligible impacts on elk movements, contradicting previous theories.
Researchers suggest that snail and clam shells found at Caribbean archaeological sites may indicate child involvement in foraging and grocery shopping. Children's contributions to their own subsistence were more efficient and meaningful than previously thought, changing the way archaeologists think about site materials and distribution.
Researchers found that honey bee colonies foraging on land with a strong cover of clover species and alfalfa do significantly better than those in crop fields. Higher levels of vitellogenin stores are associated with increased colony size, antioxidant enzymes, and disease resistance.
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis discovered that honey bees produce distinct cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles based on age, which affects their social recognition and interaction with other bees within the colony. This study sheds light on the complex mechanisms of nestmate recognition in social insects.