Articles tagged with Foraging Behavior
A Penn-led team has discovered that caste-specific behaviors in ant colonies can be directly altered by changing the balance of epigenetic chemicals. The study found that compounds inhibiting histone acetylation increased foraging behavior in minors, while injecting these inhibitors into young major ants also boosted foraging activity.
A study by Deakin University researchers found that little penguins associate with each other to hunt schooling prey, despite not being more successful individually. The birds may trade off solo hunting benefits for improved prey detection and avoidance of predation.
Researchers found that female raft spiders test males before attacking, rather than being inherently aggressive. The study suggests factors like male size and age may play a role in determining aggression.
Researchers found that stimulating brain receptors for ghrelin, a hormone that increases appetite, increases food-related behaviors such as gathering and consuming food. Blocking ghrelin receptors in the brain prevents these behaviors, suggesting a crucial role of brain receptors in regulating food intake.
The red clover genome provides a valuable tool for improving the beneficial traits of this important forage crop, including its ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen and provide protein-rich livestock feed. The genome assembly will pave the way towards genomics-assisted breeding methods for forage legumes.
A new study reveals differences in seal species' behavior, influencing effective measures to mitigate seal-fishery conflict. The study suggests that developing fishing gear and practices can provide more effective mitigation measures than removing individual seals away from fishing gear.
Researchers at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture are conducting a four-year study on forage production for organic dairy herds in the southeastern US. The project aims to identify suitable forage combinations that promote productivity, animal health, and economic efficiency.
Scientists have determined a female bias of 2.83 females to each male among 69 green turtles sampled in San Diego Bay, revealing potential feminization due to climate change. The study provides a safe and effective method for determining the sex of immature turtles using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
A UC San Diego study found that more connected chambers in ant nests increase social interactions, allowing ants to quickly communicate good food sources. The spatial organization of a nest has a greater impact on collective behavior than the number of workers.
Researchers found that caffeinated nectar tricks honey bees into valuing it as a higher quality forage, leading to increased foraging and recruitment behaviors. The study suggests that plants may be using caffeine as a way to deceive pollinators.
Researchers found that blue whales feed infrequently when krill are sparse and intensively when density increases, consuming more energy from the densest patches. This lunge-feeding strategy allows them to maximize energy gain while conserving oxygen, supporting their massive body size.
New study recommends four rhizoma peanut selections for ornamental use, with potential benefits including increased canopy cover duration and reduced maintenance needs. The plant's ability to thrive in both full sun and shaded conditions makes it a viable turf alternative.
Research by Cornell University found family farm managers in NY make $22,000 less annually, yet experience non-financial rewards like socioemotional wealth and future ownership opportunities.
A collaboration between UK, Colombia and Kenya institutions aims to improve Brachiaria forage crops with drought and pest-resistance. The project uses genomic technologies to develop new varieties under physical stresses.
Researchers found that stressed juvenile finches learn foraging skills exclusively from unrelated adult birds, ignoring their parents. This change may help avoid negative feedback loops and potentially more adaptive behaviors.
Recent studies published in Journal of Animal Science explore ways to boost beef and dairy production using marginal lands and fibrous byproducts. Benefits include reduced costs, improved ecological balance, and opportunities for new producers to enter the market.
Researchers argue that increasing the use of forages to feed livestock can enhance food security and improve productive capacity in poor producers. They suggest introducing new forage varieties and animal management practices to specific farming areas, as well as coordinated efforts by farmers, extension workers, and scientists.
In a surprising co-existence, Ethiopian wolves have adapted to forage among grazing gelada monkey herds, capturing rodents more successfully. The study found that geladas consistently avoid aggressive dogs but flee great distances when encountering Ethiopian wolves, suggesting a non-threatening behavior between the two species.
Research reveals chimpanzees have an innate predisposition to manipulate objects, while bonobos do not. Young bonobos spent more time with their mothers and had fewer social partners than young chimpanzees.
A new study reveals that hawkmoths' vision is finely attuned to the swaying of flowers in the breeze, enabling them to track wind-tossed flowers under low-light conditions. The researchers found that the moth's tracking responses were slower in dark conditions, but only when the artificial flower moved at high frequencies.
Declines in Pacific herring and surf smelt have been observed in the most densely populated areas of Puget Sound, while jellyfish blooms have increased, diverting energy away from highly productive forage species. This shift may affect larger fish, birds, and marine mammals, highlighting the need for habitat protection and restoration.
Researchers used high-throughput sequencing to analyze fecal DNA of saddleback tamarins, identifying 20 families and genera of invertebrates consumed. This study complements behavioral observations and ecological sampling, providing insight into the monkeys' foraging strategies.
Researchers tracked loggerheads from Dry Tortugas National Park to Bahamas, finding they spend most of their lives there before returning to nest. This new information helps identify areas for conservation efforts to protect the threatened northwest Atlantic population.
Researchers found that northern Europeans rejected farming during the Neolithic period, unlike southern and central regions which adopted it. This discovery reveals two cultural trajectories in Europe thousands of years ago.
Researchers analyzed ancient ornamental beads to understand cultural interactions during farming's introduction in Europe. North European populations showed resistance to new bead types, maintaining the same personal ornaments for centuries.
A new study by Heather Mattila reveals that inadequate access to pollen during larval development has lasting effects on adult honey bees' performance and productivity. The study found that pollen-stressed bees were lighter, died younger, and had impaired foraging and waggle dancing abilities.
A new study reveals that fishing likely contributes to population collapses in forage fish, including herring, anchovies, and sardines. The research suggests that suspension of fishing when populations fall below half their average can prevent 64% of collapses with minimal impact on fisheries.
Researchers found that bats follow a set of internal 'traffic rules' while foraging, including chasing and avoiding collisions. By copying nearby individuals' flight directions within a short time frame, bats can efficiently navigate their surroundings.
Researchers found that bats follow a set of 'traffic rules' when foraging, including chasing, turning, and avoiding collisions. The bats swap leadership roles during these interactions by copying the previous individual's flight direction up to 500 milliseconds earlier.
A two-year study found that flower strips on farms in the UK increased common bumblebee populations by significantly boosting their numbers and nesting density. The research suggests that targeted agri-environment schemes can boost bee populations, particularly for common species, but may not benefit rarer species as much.
A new study has identified two major foraging grounds of the Mediterranean green turtle and recommends the creation of a new Marine Protected Area to preserve the vulnerable species. The researchers tracked 34 female turtles from breeding grounds in Cyprus, Turkey, Israel, and Syria over 8,521 tracking days.
Researchers at Texas A&M AgriLife Research found that water is the biggest factor affecting corn silage quality in the region. Irrigation levels between 65-75% of evapotranspiration resulted in decreased yield and quality.
Researchers tracked thousands of bees and found that younger bees starting to forage earlier led to a decline in the colony's overall performance. This younger population was more likely to die on its first flights, leading to catastrophic consequences for the colony.
Researchers tracked female black-tailed deer's movements and found their home ranges were very small, averaging 0.74 square kilometers, with core areas of just 0.08 km². This site familiarity helps them survive by knowing the best foraging spots and avoiding risky territories.
Bats utilize a unique 'supper's ready' homing call that alerts other bats to the presence of enticing prey over 328 feet away. This reciprocal eavesdropping mechanism enhances their collective chances of feeding, even in highly-dispersed insect patches.
Researchers found that hunter-gatherers had stronger bones compared to farmers from the same region, with a 20% difference in bone mass. The study suggests that physical activity is key to preventing bone weakening and conditions like osteoporosis.
A study by Timothy M. Ryan and Colin N. Shaw found that the agriculturalists had significantly lower bone mass than foragers, while the bone characteristics of more mobile foragers overlapped with those of nonhuman primates.
Researchers found that great tits learn new foraging techniques by observing others in their social network, adopting the dominant behavior and creating a stable tradition. Even when birds discover multiple methods, they tend to conform to the majority behavior, passing it down to the next generation.
Dwarf mongooses show real-time behavioral plasticity in response to threat indicators, altering their behavior based on environmental conditions and social signals. This flexible decision-making allows them to optimize foraging time versus vigilance, ensuring survival in a vulnerable predator-rich environment.
Mexican free-tailed bats employ a unique strategy by jamming the sonar of competitors to capture prey in complete darkness. The researchers observed that bats almost always missed their prey when another bat was jamming them, and this behavior increased with precise timing and frequency.
Traditional stories from around the world reveal five 'fitness costs' of warfare for women, including being killed, captured, or having offspring killed. These stories suggest that ancestral women developed tactics to increase their survival chances, such as manipulating male behavior and using defensive strategies.
Researchers observed large parties of chimpanzees foraging crops at night in maize fields of Kibale National Park, Uganda. Chimpanzees also presented few signs of vigilance and anxiety during nighttime crop-raids, indicating a high level of adaptability to human activities.
A study found that artificial light in city centres extends the daily activities of blackbirds, allowing them to forage for longer. Males are more active later than females due to their larger eyes and differing sensitivity to light.
Researchers found that hunters reduced small animal hunting and switched to cheaper ammunition, but large animals remained threatened. Taxing gunshots is an effective conservation measure for small animals, but higher taxes are needed for large ones.
A study of wild East African chimpanzees found that females with high levels of male competition experience lower C-peptide levels, indicating energy deficit and potential weight loss. This can negatively affect their reproductive ability and fertility rates.
Researchers found desert long-eared bats changed their diet from mostly scorpions on the ground to catching flying insects when prey was scarce. The change involved altered call and flight behavior, indicating potential flexibility in echolocation.
Researchers found that 70% of little penguins' foraging tracks were associated with other penguins and 40% exhibited synchronized diving. These behaviors suggest group foraging and synchronization of underwater movements in little penguins.
A 2°C rise in temperature could improve photosynthesis and antioxidant protection in plants like Stylosanthes capitata Vogel. Leaf area index increased by 32%, aboveground biomass production by 16%.
Researchers tracked hundreds of honey bees using RFID tags, discovering that some foraging bees are much busier than others. When these busy bees disappear, others take their place, forming a 'reserve force'. The study, published in Animal Behaviour, sheds light on hive dynamics and the role of individual variation.
Researchers tracked seals' movements using GPS and found some individuals repeatedly visiting offshore wind farms, where they foraged on turbines and pipelines. This behavior suggests that man-made structures serve as attractive hunting grounds, potentially impacting seal populations and prey availability.
A study published in Functional Ecology found that long-term pesticide exposure hampers bumblebees' ability to collect pollen. Bees exposed to neonicotinoid pesticides became less successful at collecting pollen and developed different flower preferences over time.
Researchers found that Indiana bats make social contacts during foraging and that these connections can influence their roosting behavior. The study suggests that social dynamics play a crucial role in the survival of this endangered species.
A recent study found that sea otter females must provide 930 MJ of energy to raise a pup to independence, equivalent to 96% increase in daily metabolic rate. This extreme exertion may contribute to poor condition and high mortality rates among sea otter mothers.
Researchers tracked northern gannets' movement and behaviour using GPS devices, finding that fishing vessels influence their distribution and foraging patterns. The study suggests each boat can significantly impact seabirds within a 22km diameter circle surrounding it.
Researchers found that individual ants' experiences contribute to their foraging success and lead to an optimization of the path. The collective behavior of ants forms a highly efficient complex network, applicable not only to animals with homes but also to human behavioral patterns.
Researchers analyzed honeybee waggle dances to evaluate EU agri-environment schemes, finding they benefit bees. The study used a novel source of data to monitor large land areas and provide information on landscape quality.
In the first study of its kind, scientists tracked young king penguins exploring new habitats and eventually developing their foraging skills similarly to their parents. The study found that young penguins undertake large-scale movements at sea and use similar habitat to find food as adults.
Researchers discovered that male big brown bats use uniquely distinctive calls to signal they want a meal, while females primarily forage near family members. These social calls were previously unknown and have been found in over 96% of recorded instances.
Male big brown bats emit a unique 'back off' call, dubbed FMB, which warns other bats to keep away from claimed prey, increasing the caller's success in snagging insects. The call is only emitted by males and helps establish dominance or claim territory.
Bumblebees demonstrate remarkable learning feats, including solving increasingly complex problems and sharing knowledge through social learning. Experienced bees can solve new problems, while inexperienced ones give up, showcasing scaffold learning.