Ecological novelty and the emergence of evolutionary traps.
TL;DR: A conceptual framework for explaining the susceptibility of animals to traps is summarized that integrates the cost-benefit approach of standard behavioral ecology with an evolutionary approach (reaction norms) to understanding cue-response systems (signal detection).
Abstract: Human-induced rapid environmental change (HIREC; e.g., climate change or exotic species) has caused global species declines. Although behavioral plasticity has buffered some species against HIREC, maladaptive behavioral scenarios called 'evolutionary traps' are increasingly common, threatening the persistence of affected species. Here, we review examples of evolutionary traps to identify their anthropogenic causes, behavioral mechanisms, and evolutionary bases, and to better forecast forms of HIREC liable to trigger traps. We summarize a conceptual framework for explaining the susceptibility of animals to traps that integrates the cost-benefit approach of standard behavioral ecology with an evolutionary approach (reaction norms) to understanding cue-response systems (signal detection). Finally, we suggest that a significant revision of conceptual thinking in wildlife conservation and management is needed to effectively eliminate and mitigate evolutionary traps.
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TL;DR: This review considers the pivotal role that behavior plays in determining the fate of species under human-induced environmental change and discusses the importance of behavioral plasticity and whether adaptive plastic responses are sufficient in keeping pace with changing conditions.
Abstract: Humans have brought about unprecedented changes to environments worldwide. For many species, behavioral adjustments represent the first response to altered conditions. In this review, we consider the pivotal role that behavior plays in determining the fate of species under human-induced environmental change and highlight key research priorities. In particular, we discuss the importance of behavioral plasticity and whether adaptive plastic responses are sufficient in keeping pace with changing conditions. We then examine the interplay between individual behavioral responses and population processes and consider the many ways in which changes in behavior can affect ecosystem function and stability. Lastly, we turn to the evolutionary consequences of anthropogenic change and consider the impact of altered behaviors on the evolutionary process and whether behavior can facilitate or hinder adaptation to environmental change.
638 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the need for research to understand how green spaces size, connectedness, and type influence the community, population, and life-history dynamics of multiple taxa in cities.
Abstract: As urban areas expand, understanding how ecological processes function in cities has become increasingly important for conserving biodiversity. Urban green spaces are critical habitats to support biodiversity, but we still have a limited understanding of their ecology and how they function to conserve biodiversity at local and landscape scales across multiple taxa. Given this limited view, we discuss five key questions that need to be addressed to advance the ecology of urban green spaces for biodiversity conservation and restoration. Specifically, we discuss the need for research to understand how green space size, connectedness, and type influence the community, population, and life-history dynamics of multiple taxa in cities. A research framework based in landscape and metapopulation ecology will allow for a greater understanding of the ecological function of green spaces and thus allow for planning and management of green spaces to conserve biodiversity and aid in restoration activities.
365 citations
TL;DR: This work systematically review the ecological traps literature to describe the geographical and taxonomic distribution of efforts to study traps, examine how different traps vary in the strength of their effects on preference and fitness, and evaluate the robustness of methods being used to identify traps.
Abstract: Ecological traps, which occur when animals mistakenly prefer habitats where their fitness is lower than in other available habitats following rapid environmental change, have important conservation and management implications. Empirical research has focused largely on assessing the behavioural effects of traps, by studying a small number of geographically close habitat patches. Traps, however, have also been defined in terms of their population-level effects (i.e. as preferred habitats of sufficiently low quality to cause population declines), and this is the scale most relevant for management. We systematically review the ecological traps literature to (i) describe the geographical and taxonomic distribution of efforts to study traps, (ii) examine how different traps vary in the strength of their effects on preference and fitness, (iii) evaluate the robustness of methods being used to identify traps, and (iv) determine whether the information required to assess the population-level consequences of traps has been considered. We use our results to discuss key knowledge gaps, propose improved methods to study traps, and highlight fruitful avenues for future research.
208 citations
Cites background or methods from "Ecological novelty and the emergenc..."
...Both the relative attractiveness and fitness costs of traps will influence how they affect animals [5], and we also examined if traps that are most attractive to animals are those with the greatest fitness costs....
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...Furthermore, the ‘ecological trap’ concept was originally formulated on studies with birds, and while a wide range of taxa are affected [5], is this diversity studied commonly? Animals may differ considerably in terms of the likelihood of maladaptive responses to HIREC [3], and taxonomic biases in research effort may mean we understand only a subset of this variability....
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...In two comprehensive reviews, Robertson and coworkers [5,7] identified studies that meet these criteria and assessed many of the characteristics of traps....
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...This work has provided a solid framework for assessing maladaptive responses to HIREC and important insights including: (i) a broad array of anthropogenic activities can cause traps; (ii) most studies are of ‘severe’ traps, potentially reflecting a reporting bias against ‘equal preference’ traps; and (iii) changes in both cue sets and resource values cause severe traps in most cases [5]....
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...[5,7,10,11]), there has been limited exploration of strategies for preventing their formation or mitigating their impacts (but see [8,12,13])....
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TL;DR: This review proposes five categories of ALAN impact on nocturnal insects, highlighting past research and identifying key knowledge gaps, and concludes with a summary of relevant literature on bioluminescent fireflies, which emphasizes the unique vulnerability of terrestrial light‐based communication systems to artificial illumination.
Abstract: In recent decades, advances in lighting technology have precipitated exponential increases in night sky brightness worldwide, raising concerns in the scientific community about the impact of artificial light at night (ALAN) on crepuscular and nocturnal biodiversity. Long-term records show that insect abundance has declined significantly over this time, with worrying implications for terrestrial ecosystems. The majority of investigations into the vulnerability of nocturnal insects to artificial light have focused on the flight-to-light behavior exhibited by select insect families. However, ALAN can affect insects in other ways as well. This review proposes five categories of ALAN impact on nocturnal insects, highlighting past research and identifying key knowledge gaps. We conclude with a summary of relevant literature on bioluminescent fireflies, which emphasizes the unique vulnerability of terrestrial light-based communication systems to artificial illumination. Comprehensive understanding of the ecological impacts of ALAN on diverse nocturnal insect taxa will enable researchers to seek out methods whereby fireflies, moths, and other essential members of the nocturnal ecosystem can coexist with humans on an increasingly urbanized planet.
185 citations
TL;DR: It is argued that the dramatic declines of the Wall Brown in NW Europe may be an example of a developmental trap, which is discussed within an integrated framework for assessing the vulnerability of species to climate change.
Abstract: Climate warming affects the rate and timing of the development in ectothermic organisms. Short-living, ectothermic organisms (including many insects) showing thermal plasticity in life-cycle regulation could, for example, increase the number of generations per year under warmer conditions. However, changed phenology may challenge the way organisms in temperate climates deal with the available thermal time window at the end of summer. Although adaptive plasticity is widely assumed in multivoltine organisms, rapid environmental change could distort the quality of information given by environmental cues that organisms use to make developmental decisions. Developmental traps are scenarios in which rapid environmental change triggers organisms to pursue maladaptive developmental pathways. This occurs because organisms must rely upon current environmental cues to predict future environmental conditions and corresponds to a novel case of ecological or evolutionary traps. Examples of introduced, invasive species are congruent with this hypothesis. Based on preliminary experiments, we argue that the dramatic declines of the Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) in NW Europe may be an example of a developmental trap. This formerly widespread, bivoltine (or even multivoltine) butterfly has become a conundrum to conservationist biologists. A split-brood field experiment with L. megera indeed suggests issues with life-cycle regulation decisions at the end of summer. In areas where the species went extinct recently, 100% of the individuals developed directly into a third generation without larval diapause, whereas only 42.5% did so in the areas where the species still occurs. Under unfavourable autumn conditions, the attempted third generation will result in high mortality and eventually a lost or ‘suicidal’ third generation in this insect with non-overlapping, discrete generations. We discuss the idea of a developmental trap within an integrated framework for assessing the vulnerability of species to climate change.
164 citations
References
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Book•
25 Jan 1991TL;DR: This book discusses Detection and Discrimination of Compound Stimuli: Tools for Multidimensional Detection Theory and Multi-Interval Discrimination Designs and Adaptive Methods for Estimating Empirical Thresholds.
Abstract: Both a user's guide and a theoretical exposition of modern detection theory, incorporating recent developments and covering the two major alternative versions of detection theory.
6,408 citations
Book•
01 Jan 1978
TL;DR: In this paper, natural selection and life histories are modeled in behavioural ecology evolution of life histories human behavioural ecology, and exploitation of resources is discussed in terms of competition for resources interactions between predators and prey.
Abstract: Part 1 Natural selection and life histories: evolutionary models in behavioural ecology evolution of life histories human behavioural ecology Part 2 Exploitation of resources: decision-making competition for resources interactions between predators and prey Part 3 Sexual selection and reproductive strategies: sexual selection parental investment mating systems Part 4 Co-operation and conflict: co-operative breeding in birds and mammals conflict and co-operation in insects communication
3,259 citations
TL;DR: The existence of behavioral syndromes focuses the attention of behavioral ecologists on limited (less than optimal) behavioral plasticity and behavioral carryovers across situations, rather than on optimal plasticity in each isolated situation.
Abstract: Recent studies suggest that populations and species often exhibit behavioral syndromes; that is, suites of correlated behaviors across situations. An example is an aggression syndrome where some individuals are more aggressive, whereas others are less aggressive across a range of situations and contexts. The existence of behavioral syndromes focuses the attention of behavioral ecologists on limited (less than optimal) behavioral plasticity and behavioral carryovers across situations, rather than on optimal plasticity in each isolated situation. Behavioral syndromes can explain behaviors that appear strikingly non-adaptive in an isolated context (e.g. inappropriately high activity when predators are present, or excessive sexual cannibalism). Behavioral syndromes can also help to explain the maintenance of individual variation in behavioral types, a phenomenon that is ubiquitous, but often ignored. Recent studies suggest that the behavioral type of an individual, population or species can have important ecological and evolutionary implications, including major effects on species distributions, on the relative tendencies of species to be invasive or to respond well to environmental change, and on speciation rates. Although most studies of behavioral syndromes to date have focused on a few organisms, mainly in the laboratory, further work on other species, particularly in the field, should yield numerous new insights.
2,954 citations
TL;DR: The End of Poverty: Economic possibilities for our time as discussed by the authors is a book review of the book written by Jeffrey Sacks (2005), an American renounced economist and director of the Earth Institute, Columbia University.
Abstract: This paper is a book review of the book ‘The End of Poverty: Economic possibilities for our time’ written by Nobel Laureate Jeffrey Sacks (2005), an American renounced economist and director of the Earth Institute, Columbia University. In the book, Sachs talks about global poverty issues and their miseries in poor countries. Moreover, he provides statistics with examples of the many problems related to economic, educational, population, cultural, health and environmental issues. He narrates in detail the poverty of Malawi, Bangladesh, Kenya, India and Bolivia. The book compares and contrasts the economic histories of China, Russia and India. The book also narrates the current Chinese and Indian economic booms in the global context. The book contains economic histories of many countries; it has many suggestions for economic policy reforms and cooperation among rich and poor countries. It contains suggestions for improving donor funding plans, and strategies for ending poverty in poor countries. Jeffrey Sachs describes World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) activities and their wrong, stereotypical funding policies and strategies for different countries, particularly those in Africa. He identifies information technology (IT) flow, different technological innovations, technological change and its development (invention of the steam engine, use of coal, invention of the rail engine and railway, electrification of industry) and their contributions to world development. Poor countries are using less IT and technology; however. as a result, they get fewer benefits from them than rich countries. Hence there are needs for use of more IT in poor countries. The book suggests simultaneous trade investments in and aid to poor countries for their socio-economic development, in addition to technology and energy support to them. Moreover, at the end of the book, Jeffrey Sachs provides nine tips / actions / steps for ending poverty around the world: 1) adopt a plan of action; 2) raise the voice of the poor; 3) redeem the role of the United States in the World; 4) rescue the IMF and the World Bank (they have been misused as creditors; 5) run agencies, rather than international institutions, that represent all of the 182 member governments; 6) strengthen the United Nations; 7) harness global science; 8) promote sustainable development; 9) make a personal commitment. Author: Visiting Professor, Chittagong University, Bangladesh. Visiting Scholar, Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Canada. Associate Professor, Noble International University, USA. However, to fulfill Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), it is urgently necessary that rich countries donate the 0.7% Gross National per Capita (GNP) to poor countries that they committed to at the 1949 and other UN Conventions. Poverty exists in both poor and rich countries; therefore, it is necessary to challenge globalization with acts for proglobalization (good things) and initiate green social economic projects and services in rich as well as poor countries for the sake of ending their poverty.
1,851 citations
TL;DR: It is suggested that behavioral syndromes could play a useful role as an integrative bridge between genetics, experience, neuroendocrine mechanisms, evolution, and ecology.
Abstract: A behavioral syndrome is a suite of correlated behaviors expressed either within a given behavioral context (e.g., correlations between foraging behaviors in different habitats) or across different contexts (e.g., correlations among feeding, antipredator, mating, aggressive, and dispersal behaviors). For example, some individuals (and genotypes) might be generally more aggressive, more active or bold, while others are generally less aggressive, active or bold. This phenomenon has been studied in detail in humans, some primates, laboratory rodents, and some domesticated animals, but has rarely been studied in other organisms, and rarely examined from an evolutionary or ecological perspective. Here, we present an integrative overview on the potential importance of behavioral syndromes in evolution and ecology. A central idea is that behavioral correlations generate tradeoffs; for example, an aggressive genotype might do well in situations where high aggression is favored, but might be inappropriate...
1,766 citations