Articles tagged with Foraging Behavior
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A study found that fruit flies with a full microbiome can choose to feed on larger but less nutritious droplets of food, whereas those without gut bacteria are limited to smaller droplets containing essential amino acids. This allows scientists to develop strategies to control invasive pests.
Researchers tracked bat species with unpredictable food sources using miniature sensors, finding that they foraged socially when food was scarce. In contrast, bats with predictable food sources foraged alone. The study suggests that social foraging may be a strategy to exploit ephemeral resources.
A new study by Johns Hopkins Medicine reveals that humans are hardwired to maximize rewards, leading to faster movement towards desirable outcomes. The research found that richer rewards result in quicker eye movements and decision-making, with implications for understanding human behavior and economic theory.
Researchers found that ants' subdivision into groups reduces disease risk by changing behavior and interaction patterns. Colonies protect the queen and most valuable individuals from pathogens, with a high correlation between predicted spore load and mortality.
Researchers analyzed the flight patterns of swifts, discovering that they spend most of their time gliding and using rising currents to power their movements. This unique strategy allows them to extract energy from the air almost for free, making their foraging capabilities extremely efficient.
Researchers found that plants developed ant-friendly traits long after ants started relying on them for food and habitat. Plants use ants to spread seeds and act as bodyguards, while ants benefit from rich nectar and shelter in hollow thorns.
A new study led by James Crall at Harvard University found that exposure to neonicotinoid pesticides has profound effects on a host of social behaviors in bees, including reduced nursing of larvae and decreased social interaction. The study also showed that pesticides impair bees' ability to regulate temperatures inside the nest.
The American Association of Feline Practitioners has released a consensus statement on feline feeding programs, highlighting the importance of allowing normal feeding behaviors such as hunting and foraging to occur in the home environment. This can help alleviate or prevent stress-related issues like cystitis and obesity.
Researchers at Hokkaido University discovered that social behavior in eusocial species like sweat bees is more attributed to cooperative behavior than genetic similarity. This finding challenges previous theories and suggests that the benefit of grouping is a key factor in the evolution of cooperation, including among humans.
Researchers found that treating ants with dopamine increased individual foraging trips and sensitivity to humidity. The team also used a dopamine inhibitor to verify their results, showing that increased dopamine levels led to more foraging and improved colony behavior.
Research reveals that desert ants can learn and retain up to 14 distinct food-associated odors, a crucial adaptation for navigating diverse food sources. This memory lasts for up to 26 days in nearly half of the ants tested, outlasting their average life expectancy.
A new study examines mountain gorilla foraging habits in Rwanda, highlighting the need to adapt local land use practices to mitigate human-wildlife conflict. The research reveals that accessing sodium-rich foods can lead to increased risk of hypothermia and crop damage, emphasizing the importance of reevaluating agricultural practices.
A new virus has been discovered that may help combat invasive fire ants by reducing their foraging activity and altering their dietary preferences. However, this could also impact the efficacy of conventional chemical control methods.
Researchers found that migratory ungulates develop and persist migration behaviors through social learning of local knowledge. Reintroduced populations showed better green-surfing ability over time, demonstrating the importance of cultural transmission in these nomadic mammals.
Researchers discovered that mice, rats, and humans all exhibit the sunk cost fallacy, preferring to continue with a choice despite clear evidence of a better alternative. The study used economic games to test species' willingness to wait for rewards, finding that all three groups became more reluctant to quit as time passed.
A new study in mice, rats, and humans reveals that longer waiting periods for rewards strengthen a sunk cost bias, causing individuals to be less willing to give up pursuit of the reward. The researchers discuss three possible explanations for this phenomenon, which may help improve decision-making.
Diagnosis is a collaborative process that involves patient participation and clinician inquiry. By allowing patients to describe their symptoms and concerns, physicians can gather valuable information and narrow down potential diagnoses.
Research shows bears disperse seeds through their scat, benefiting small mammals like mice and voles. These animals feed on the seeds, sometimes further dispersing them, creating a network of seed-filled hoards.
Researchers found that changes in sea surface temperature during late winter have a significant impact on juvenile survival, with reduced food availability due to warmer waters. The study suggests that climate change will lead to a faster decline in albatross populations.
A new study reveals that making changes to farmed fish and livestock diets can prevent the depletion of wild forage fish populations by 2050. Eliminating their use in food for farmed carp, pigs, and poultry would be most beneficial, reducing pressure on forage fish over time.
Researchers developed a novel hormone analysis technique to measure the effects of fishing gear entanglement on North Atlantic right whales. The study found that entanglement can cause severe stress responses, starvation, and changes in migration patterns.
Researchers at the University of Toronto found that vervet monkeys use heuristics to plan their routes when foraging for food, finding relatively short paths without much thought. This ability is similar to that of humans and highlights the cognitive abilities of these primates.
A study published in Scientific Reports found microfossils of fish and plant remains in a Mesolithic skeleton, providing evidence of a varied diet that included both aquatic and terrestrial food sources. The discovery sheds light on the lifestyle of early people in the Mediterranean region during this period.
New research by University of Bristol researchers found that dwarf mongooses can quantify earlier acts of cooperation and provide suitable levels of delayed rewards. The study shows that mongooses have sufficient cognitive ability to trade goods and services with their groupmates, with grooming being traded for sentinel behavior.
Researchers from the University of Chicago and University of Nebraska discovered that Australian fairy-wrens can recognize individual birds from other species and form stable, positive relationships. This cooperation allows them to better defend their territories and share benefits such as increased foraging success and reduced vigilance.
The Matabele ant, a species of termite-eating ant, uses detours to increase its speed while traveling back to the nest. By taking the quickest route rather than the shortest one, they reduce their travel time by an average of 35%. This navigational skill is unique to this species and allows individual ants to make decisions independently.
Researchers use time-lapse video observations to determine the foraging success of Emperor penguins, which is crucial in understanding their diet and adaptability to a warming Antarctic. The study's findings may inform conservation measures to protect the critically endangered species.
Researchers found that desert ants look back precisely at the nest entrance while performing pirouetting motions, suggesting they use the magnetic field as an orientation cue. The ants' ability to integrate this information with other navigational cues like the sun and landmarks is still unknown.
Scientists have discovered that sarcoptic mange causes significant loss of body heat and increased metabolic rate in Tasmanian wombats, leading to reduced foraging and increased mortality. The research suggests that dietary supplementation may help address these issues, offering new hope for the management of wombat mange.
Researchers at Monterey Bay Aquarium discovered sea turtles using their flippers to handle prey, a behavior thought to be unlikely in marine tetrapods. This 'exaptation' suggests flippers may have been adapted for novel tasks 70 million years earlier than previously thought.
Researchers found that common ravens use food calls to convey age and sex information, allowing individuals to assess competition and decision-making processes. This cognitive ability enables ravens to extract useful data from these vocal signals, which may aid in foraging success.
Researchers found that Risso's dolphins gather information from previous dives and combine it with present experience to optimize their dives. The dolphins adjust their strategy based on the depth distribution and availability of prey, showcasing advanced planning abilities.
A study found that half of pink-footed geese migrating to Denmark now stay for the winter, exploiting maize crops. This change is driven by increasing food availability, which may lead to agricultural conflicts and air traffic issues.
Researchers discovered patterns of behavior across different stages of life in C. elegans worms, showing that genetic differences and neuromodulators contribute to individuality. The team found that removing serotonin reduced unique foraging behaviors, highlighting the importance of diversity in species survival.
Researchers at Penn State are studying methods for raising heritage-breed turkeys, which sell for four times the cost of commercial birds. The birds have distinct characteristics, such as smaller breasts and gamier flavor, and require alternative production methods due to their natural breeding and dietary needs. The study's first phas...
Researchers identified annual ryegrass as the most economically viable option to provide early season forage after alfalfa winterkill. This forage crop offers high yields and nutrient content, making it an effective way for farmers to offset losses.
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London used harmonic radar technology to study how bees develop efficient routes. They found that experienced bees use a combination of visiting feeders in the same order and flying along habitual flight paths to reduce travel distance.
Research by UCL shows that hunter-gatherer storytellers played a crucial role in promoting co-operative and egalitarian values. The study found that skilled storytellers had greater reproductive success, were more likely to be co-operated with, and lived in camps with higher levels of cooperation.
Researchers found that new immigrants initially provide little information to help the group but become fully integrated and valued members within five months. They suggest that an integration period is necessary before the benefits of an increased group size can be realized.
Researchers have identified two key locations to protect sea turtles: the waters off eastern Central Florida and the Great Bahama Bank. The study found that females who eat in southern areas tend to have more offspring, highlighting the importance of understanding where they forage.
New research finds that medium-sized carnivores spend the most time looking for food, making them more vulnerable to environmental changes. The study reveals a mathematical model predicting vulnerability based on body size and prey availability, highlighting the impact of habitat loss and climate change on predators.
Researchers found that individual blue whales prefer to roll to the right most of the time, but shift to left-side rolls in shallow water to hunt small prey. This study provides the first evidence of handedness in blue whales and highlights their adaptability when it comes to feeding behaviors.
Grey seal pups from Welsh colonies were more likely to dive in shallower water than males, reaching the seabed more frequently and having greater feeding opportunities. The study provides insights into the initial foraging behaviour of grey seal pups around the UK, crucial for future protection of their habitat.
A study published in Scientific Reports reveals how Cape Town's baboons use a sit-and-wait tactic before raiding homes and gardens in search of food. The research shows that only 10% of their foraging time is spent on raids, highlighting the extreme behavioral flexibility of these canny primates.
Researchers discovered that duck embryos have a high density of rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors, making them more sensitive to touch. This specialization is crucial for ducks' tactile foraging abilities, which differ from those of visual-dependent chickens.
Green turtles breed in Cyprus and forage in Lake Bardawil, a new important feeding ground discovered using stable isotope ratios and satellite tracking. The study found that 82% of female turtles show high consistency in their isotope ratios, indicating they return to the same places.
Wind turbines placed along mountain ridges might disrupt bat foraging and navigation patterns. Bats often use these areas for open-space foraging and launching into the sky, attracting them to wind turbines.
A new study sheds light on the molecular mechanism that shapes behavior in fruit flies, revealing a causal link between epigenetics and genetics. Researchers found that epigenetic marks interact with genes to regulate differences in feeding behaviors.
Researchers studied dive patterns of five toothed whale species in the Bahamas and found that two beaked whale species took exceptionally long, deep dives for their size. This suggests that these whales may extend their foraging dives by shifting from aerobic to anaerobic respiration.
A new study by the University of Minnesota reveals that warm-season annual grasses have good potential for use in horse pastures. These grasses provide horses with more summer grazing options and offer improved nutritional profiles compared to cool-season grasses.
A study predicts that climate change will reduce the growth and stature of big bluestem grass by up to 60 percent in the next 75 years. The change is mainly attributed to altered rainfall patterns, which could lead to a fundamental shift in the Midwestern ecosystem.
Researchers predict warming temperatures will alter forage growing season timing but have minimal effect on summer heat stress in dairy cattle. Poultry producers may benefit from lower energy costs, while beef cattle production could increase due to warmer conditions and more forage availability.
Researchers found that individual characteristics, such as speed and exploratory tendency, significantly impact the cohesion, movement dynamics, and foraging performance of schooling fish. The study provides insights into how inter-individual differences drive collective behavior and group functioning.
Researchers found that birds use olfaction to navigate over long distances, outperforming previous theories about the role of Earth's magnetic field. The study tracked Scopoli's shearwaters and showed that anosmic birds followed a different orientation pattern during their return journeys.
Research shows smooth-coated otters adopt a 'copy when young' strategy to solve puzzles, with young otters learning faster than parents. This social learning behavior may help improve reintroduction programs for endangered otter species.
A UCLA study reveals that older, sociable capuchins invent more new social behaviors, while younger monkeys innovate in different categories. The research found 187 innovations, with most occurring in the investigative category.
The American pika's behavioral adaptations to climate change include shifting mating seasons, migrations, and adjustments in feeding and foraging strategies. However, these adaptations are limited by physiology and may incur costly trade-offs with other essential activities.
Two studies reveal that gut bacteria in fruit flies affect their foraging behavior and reproductive success, with beneficial microbes preferred over less-beneficial ones. The research also suggests that these effects can be passed down to the next generation.
Researchers found that bumble bees create more efficient foraging routes when larger flowers are available, as they can quickly recognize and navigate to the next nearest flower. This study suggests that learning is a choice that foragers make based on the cost-benefit balance of learning, depending on circumstances.
Researchers found that foraging honeybees and nurse bees have synchronized circadian clocks, despite their constant activity. The study reveals that a functional clock is crucial for these animals, even in environments without day-night cycles.