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PubMed2005

Neuropathologically distinct prion strains give rise to similar temporal profiles of behavioral deficits.

Mouse-adapted scrapie strains have been characterized by vacuolation profiles and incubation times, but the behavioral consequences have not been well studied. Here, we compared behavioral impairments produced by ME7, 79A, 22L, and 22A strains in C57BL/6J mice. We show that early impairments on burrowing, glucose consumption, nesting and open field activity, and late stage motor impairments show a very similar temporal sequence in ME7, 79A, and 22L. The long incubation time of the 22A strain produces much later impairments. However, the strains show clear late stage neuropathological differences. All strains showed clear microglial activation and synaptic loss in the hippocampus, but only ME7 and 79A showed significant CA1 neuronal death. Conversely, 22L and 22A showed significant cerebellar Purkinje neuron loss. All strains showed marked thalamic neuronal loss. These behavioral similarities coupled with clear pathological differences could serve to identify key circuits whose early dysfunction underlies the neurological effects of different prion strains.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Tests of landscape influence: nest predation and brood parasitism in fragmented ecosystems.

The effects of landscape fragmentation on nest predation and brood parasitism, the two primary causes of avian reproductive failure, have been difficult to generalize across landscapes, yet few studies have clearly considered the context and spatial scale of fragmentation. Working in two river systems fragmented by agricultural and rural-housing development, we tracked nesting success and brood parasitism in > 2500 bird nests in 38 patches of deciduous riparian woodland. Patches on both river systems were embedded in one of two local contexts (buffered from agriculture by coniferous forest, or adjacent to agriculture), but the abundance of agriculture and human habitation within 1 km of each patch was highly variable. We examined evidence for three models of landscape effects on nest predation based on (1) the relative importance of generalist agricultural nest predators, (2) predators associated with the natural habitats typically removed by agricultural development, or (3) an additive combination of these two predator communities. We found strong support for an additive predation model in which landscape features affect nest predation differently at different spatial scales. Riparian habitat with forest buffers had higher nest predation rates than sites adjacent to agriculture, but nest predation also increased with increasing agriculture in the larger landscape surrounding each site. These results suggest that predators living in remnant woodland buffers, as well as generalist nest predators associated with agriculture, affect nest predation rates, but they appear to respond at different spatial scales. Brood parasitism, in contrast, was unrelated to agricultural abundance on the landscape, but showed a strong nonlinear relationship with farm and house density, indicating a critical point at which increased human habitat causes increased brood parasitism. Accurate predictions regarding landscape effects on nest predation and brood parasitism will require an increased appreciation of the multiple scales at which landscape components influence predator and parasite behavior.

Agriculture↗

PubMed1977

Agonistic display and spacing in the black-headed gull, Larus ridibundus.

Black-headed gulls nesting on islands in a marsh habitat had a higher breeding success than those nesting on the periphery of the colony. Island birds maintained close inter-nest distances whereas peripheral nests were spaced further apart as predation of eggs increased. These changes in spacing corresponded with changes in the response distances of agonistic displays. There was no change during incubation for island birds but peripheral birds displayed to intruders at much greater distances than during pair formation. Island birds were more likely to attack and display more frequently to intruders than peripheral birds. However, in one season the peripheral birds were more aggressive during pair formation because of an increase in intrusions by unpaired females.

Aggression↗

PubMed2001

Effects of androgens on social behavior and morphology of alternative reproductive males of the Azorean rock-pool blenny.

In the Azorean rock-pool blenny Parablennius sanguinolentus parvicornis two sequential reproductive tactics occur. Larger and older males establish breeding territories, while some of the smaller males become attached to nest-holder territories, acting as satellites on these territories, which they help to defend while trying parasitic fertilizations when females go in the nests to spawn. In the present paper we tested the effects of the androgens 17alpha-methyltestosterone (MT) and 11-ketotestosterone (KT) in the expression of male secondary sex characters and bourgeois behavior in satellite males. One week after satellites were implanted with Silastic tubes containing MT, KT, or castor oil (control), androgen-treated satellites had developed male secondary sex traits such as longer and wider male-type genital papilla and anal glands that secrete a sex pheromone, both traits being less expressed or absent, respectively, in satellite males. Androgen treatment had no effect on the gonadosomatic index or on the development of the testicular gland. KT treatment had a positive effect on relative liver weight. In terms of behavior, androgen-implanted individuals were less aggressive both in a mirror test and toward females when these were introduced into their tanks. MT-treated individuals spend more time inside the provided nests. Only androgen-implanted satellites managed to have the females entering their nests. When given a chance in a group tank either to try to attract females to their own nest or to act as satellites of an already established nest-holder's nest, MT-implanted males spent significantly more time in their own nest than near the nest-holder nest. These data suggest that androgens, particularly testosterone, may be involved in mating tactic switching in this species.

Aggression↗

PubMed2006

The nested variant of urothelial carcinoma: an aggressive tumor closely simulating benign lesions.

The "nested" variant is a rare form of urothelial carcinoma and its biologic behavior is highly aggressive. Herein two new cases of nested variant of urothelial carcinoma with immunohistochemical examination are presented. In one of the cases, the tumor extended through the bladder wall into the perivesicular soft tissue, prostatic urethra and left vesicula seminalis, and metastasized to obturator lymph nodes. In the other case, invasion of muscular layer was observed and three recurrences were developed during a follow-up period of 23 months. Both tumors of our study demonstrated high p53 and Ki-67 indices, supporting the aggressive nature of such tumors.

Aged↗

PubMed1982

Strain-typical patterns of pregnancy-induced nestbuilding in mice: maternal and experiential influences.

Pregnant C57BL/6J mice incorporate less material into maternal nests and build fewer fully enclosed nests than do pregnant DBA/2J mice. These strain differences are not ameliorated by additional reproductive experience since multiparous animals also exhibit a similar pattern. Reciprocally-crossed hybrid females exhibit DBA-like levels of pregnancy-induced nestbuilding and cross-fostered C57BL and DBA females retain the phenotype of their strain. Experiential and maternal environmental factors apparently are not responsible for strain differences in pregnancy-induced nestbuilding. Differences in ovarian function and/or central neural tissue sensitivity to ovarian hormones may modulate strain differences in pregnancy-induced nestbuilding.

Animals↗

PubMed1984

Long-term alterations in the maternal behavior of neonatally undernourished rats.

The effect of early food and sensory deprivation on the maternal responsiveness of female rats was investigated. Animals that were neonatally undernourished by daily mother-litter separation (involving both food and sensory deprivation) showed significant deficits in maternal care, consisting of a reduction in nest rating, nursing time, and retrieving responses. Moreover, they exhibited exaggerated grooming and circling movements in comparison with the controls. Dams neonatally undernourished by the nipple-ligation of their mothers (a method that minimizes sensory deprivation) displayed less alterations in maternal behavior, and no significant differences in grooming and circling from the controls. The data suggest that nest rating, nursing time, and retrieving latency are closely related to food restriction, while the frequency of grooming and circling behavior are primarily associated with sensory deprivation. These results support the view that environmental influences related to food intake and sensory stimulation, interacting at critical stages of brain development, are essential for the maturation of adult behavioral patterns.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Variation in energy expenditure among black-legged kittiwakes: effects of activity-specific metabolic rates and activity budgets.

We sought to determine the effect of variation in time-activity budgets (TABs) and foraging behavior on energy expenditure rates of parent black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla). We quantified TABs using direct observations of radio-tagged adults and simultaneously measured field metabolic rates (FMR) of these same individuals (n=20) using the doubly labeled water technique. Estimated metabolic rates of kittiwakes attending their brood at the nest or loafing near the colony were similar (ca. 1.3 x basal metabolic rate [BMR]), although loafing during foraging trips was more costly (2.9 x BMR). Metabolic rates during commuting flight (7.3 x BMR) and prey-searching flight (6.2 x BMR) were similar, while metabolic rates during plunge diving were much higher (ca. 47 x BMR). The proportion of the measurement interval spent foraging had a positive effect on FMR (R2=0.68), while the combined proportion of time engaged in nest attendance and loafing near the colony had a negative effect on FMR (R2=0.72). Thus, more than two-thirds of the variation in kittiwake FMR could be explained by the allocation of time among various activities. The high energetic cost of plunge diving relative to straight flight and searching flight suggests that kittiwakes can optimize their foraging strategy under conditions of low food availability by commuting long distances to feed in areas where gross foraging efficiency is high.

Alaska↗

PubMed2005

Olfactory conditioning experiments in a food-searching passerine bird in semi-natural conditions.

Because passerine birds have a very small relative olfactory bulb size, they have been considered to have weak olfactory capacities for decades. Recent investigations however suggest that breeding female blue tits (Parus caeruleus) are sensitive to lavender odour in the reproductive context of building and maintaining the nest. Here, we present results of an olfactory conditioning experiment in blue tits held in semi-natural conditions during the breeding season. We show that captive male blue tits, trained to associate lavender odour with a food reward, are more attracted to an empty feeder box emitting lavender odour than an odourless empty feeder box. Females did not distinguish significantly between empty feeders with and without lavender odour during the test phase, although they responded positively at the end of the training phase. These results suggest that male blue tits can use olfaction in a context not related to nest building. Additional experiments will be required to better understand the observed sex differences in response to the experimental set up, and in what context free-ranging individuals use olfaction.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Genetic perspectives on the natural history of fish mating systems.

Molecular analyses of bird and mammal populations have shown that social mating systems must be distinguished from genetic mating systems. This distinction is important in fishes also, where the potential for extrapair spawning and intraspecific brood parasitism is especially great. We review studies on fishes that have used molecular markers to document biological parentage and genetic mating systems in nature, particularly in species with extended parental care of offspring. On average, nest-guarding adults parented about 70-95% of their custodial offspring, and approximately one-third of the nests were cuckolded to some extent. Furthermore, nearly 10% of the assayed nests contained offspring tended by foster fathers either because of nest takeovers or egg thievery. On average, fish that provide parental care on nests spawned with more mates than did fish with internal fertilization and pregnancy. Overall, genetic markers have both confirmed and quantified the incidence of several reproductive and other social behaviors of fishes, and have thereby enhanced our knowledge of piscine natural history.

Animals↗

PubMed1984

Factors in the dose-response effect of testosterone in the male ring dove.

The dose-response effect of testosterone propionate on six behavioral patterns was examined in the castrated male ring dove. There was no dose-response effect when all behaviors were compared on the 13th day, the last day of systemic injection. However, a discernible dose-response effect in two behavioral patterns (Bow-coos and Nest-coos) was found on the day when maximal response was manifested. The latency (days) of maximal response differs from one behavioral pattern to the next, but is generally constant for each behavioral pattern at all dose levels.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Effects of dietary methylmercury on reproductive behavior of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas).

We examined the effects of dietary methylmercury on the production of testosterone in and the reproductive behavior of male fish. Juvenile fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) were fed one of three diets contaminated with methylmercury at concentrations of 0.06 (control), 0.87 (low), and 3.93 (medium) microg Hg/g dry weight. After attaining sexual maturity, fish were paired for mating, and male behaviors were recorded. Carcass mercury and plasma testosterone concentrations also were measured. No significant differences were found in the amount of time spent by male fish in nest preparation or courtship activities, but dietary methylmercury suppressed mating behavior. Fish that were fed control diets spent approximately 5% of their time spawning; fish that were fed methylmercury-contaminated diets spent approximately 0.5% of their time spawning. Total mercury concentration in the carcass was not correlated with any individual reproductive behavior but was correlated with hypoactivity. Fish that were fed the low- and medium-methylmercury diets and with mean carcass concentrations of 0.71 to 4.2 microg Hg/g dry weight spent an average of 19 to 26% of their time being inactive; control fish with an average of 0.07 microg Hg/g dry weight spent only 8% of their time being inactive. No significant difference was found in testosterone concentrations among dietary treatments; however, testosterone was positively correlated with individual nest preparatory, courtship, and spawning behaviors and negatively correlated with the total amount of time spent in all nonreproductive behaviors. The relation between testosterone, reproductive behavior, and spawning success suggests that altered behavior is, in part, responsible for suppression of reproduction in methylmercury-exposed fish. Moreover, reproductive behavior may be more sensitive than steroid hormones to alteration by dietary methylmercury.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Ovarian involvement in the suppression of luteinizing hormone in the incubating turkey (Meleagris gallopavo).

A series of experiments were conducted to elucidate the role of the ovary in incubation behavior-associated luteinizing hormone (LH) suppression. Ovariectomy (Ovx) increased (p < 0.05) serum LH levels in nonphotostimulated, laying and photorefractory turkeys but not in incubating birds (p > 0.05). Ovx had no effect on intramuscularly injected mammalian luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (4 micrograms/kg i.m.)-induced LH in incubating hens, but enhanced the LH response in laying hens. Serum LH and prolactin (Prl) were unaffected by Ovx, and nest deprivation (ND) decreased Prl levels (p < 0.05) with no effect on serum LH of incubating turkeys. However, serum LH increased (p < 0.05) and Prl decreased in Ovx-ND birds. Prl mRNA abundance (11.9 +/- 1.2 ng/microgram total RNA) decreased following Ovx (3.4 +/- 0.4 ng/microgram total RNA) or ND (3.6 +/- 0.5 ng/microgram total RNA). Nest deprivation increased LH beta mRNA (2.5-fold) which was further increased (4.8-fold) by Ovx. Hypothalamic GnRH-I and GnRH-II contents increased (p < 0.05) in Ovx-ND turkeys. We conclude that serum LH suppression during incubation behavior requires ovarian participation acting synergistically with elevated Prl and/or nesting stimulus on hypothalamic GnRH, and that the concentration fo LH beta mRNA may be a limiting factor in LH secretion.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Female presence affects male behavior and testosterone levels in the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris).

In this study, we confronted individually housed male European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) with a female conspecific for 60 min to study the consequences on behavior and plasma testosterone (T) concentrations. Control males experienced a similar procedure, the only difference being that they were tested in the absence of a female. Female presence significantly affected both behavior and plasma T levels of male starlings. Experimental males spent significantly more time singing in the nest box and flew significantly more into the nest box with green nesting material during female presentations than during control periods. Control males never showed these mate attraction behaviors. In total 5 of the 16 experimental males did not respond behaviorally to the female stimulus bird (NR males). In contrast to T levels of control males, plasma T concentrations of both experimental males that did respond to the female (R males) and of NR males (which only perceived the female stimulus) were positively influenced by female presentation. The time spent singing in the nest box by experimental males (R and NR males combined) during female presence tended to be positively correlated with changes in plasma T levels. Finally, before introduction of a female, plasma T levels of R males were significantly higher than those of NR males indicating that individually housed males respond to the presence of a female conspecific by increasing their mate attraction behaviors only when a threshold plasma T concentration has been reached.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

Time-contingent change in infanticide and parental behavior induced by ejaculation in male mice.

About 50% of sexually-naive male CF-1 mice (Mus musculus) commit infanticide (kill young). But, 80-90% of male mice commit infanticide between 1-4 days after mating. Between 12 and 50 days after mating infanticide is inhibited and most males (80-100%) behave parentally toward young (they build a nest, retrieve and groom the young, and hover over the young to keep them warm). Beginning at 60 days after mating, infanticide is again facilitated and parental behavior is inhibited (70-80% of males commit infanticide). The facilitation and inhibition of infanticide as a function of time after mating is mediated by the act of ejaculating rather than by mounting and intromitting during mating or by cohabiting with a female either before or after mating. The experience of committing infanticide either prior to mating or within the first 4 days after mating does not influence the facilitation of parental behavior that occurs 12 days after mating. But, repeated contact with young after males become parental serves to maintain parental behavior for an extended period of time. The age of the young (newborn-20 days old) utilized as stimulus animals does not influence these time-dependent changes in the behavior of male mice after ejaculation. This phenomenon is unique in that a response (infanticide) to a novel stimulus (young) is facilitated, then inhibited, and then facilitated again as a function of time between an event (ejaculation) and exposure to the novel stimulus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adaptation, Biological↗

PubMed1984

Two kinds of timing in circadian incubation rhythm of ring doves.

Ring dove males share incubation with females by sitting on the nest for a block of time in the middle of the day. The timing of nest exchanges was studied by experimentally delaying the onset, in the morning, of the male's sitting bout. Such delays induced a concomitant but smaller delay in the offset of the male's sitting bout in the afternoon. The female, however, approached the nest to start her bout of sitting at the usual time in the afternoon even though her previous sitting bout had ended later than usual. These findings, together with data on interactions between the pair at the afternoon exchange, suggest that the behavior of the sitting male reflects an interval timing mechanism initiated with the onset of his sitting bout. In contrast the attempts to regain the nest by the nonsitting female probably reflect a circadian oscillation.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Organization of work via a natural substance: regulation of nest construction in social wasps.

In social insects, colony-level complexity emerges from simple individual-level behaviors and interactions. In the evolution of insect societies, selection has acted to promote efficiency through division of labor. Nest construction of social wasps is an excellent model system to study division of labor and the performance of a decentralized behavioral regulation. After re-examination of Jeanne's (1996) demand-driven "non-taskmates feedback" hypothesis, an alternative mechanism is suggested whereby the regulation of behavior is based on a natural substance (water) which is itself also a building material. By experimenting with a simple model system, we show that the model's predictions agree with observational data and cover a wide range of evolutionary transitions. According to the internal and external parameters, the colony builds up storage of water that is used both as regulator and building material. Through individual interactions, pulp foragers and water foragers emerge from general laborers and their ratio becomes balanced. The emergent foragers ensure both the stabilization of the quantity of stored water and the steady construction of the nest according to the given conditions. Perturbations of the system alter colony-level dynamics in a similar way as was observed in nature: water and pulp addition increase pulp arrivals and building rate; removal of pulp foragers decreases pulp input and construction rate, but not the water influx; removal of water foragers causes overcompensation of water input after a delay. After comparing the predictions of the model to natural data, assumptions found in the literature on organization of work and regulation of behavior are re-examined. A new, more parsimonious model of organization of work is proposed that may cover wide variety of cases where hormones and learning cannot be accounted for the regulation of behavior.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

Intracranial prolactin perfusion induces incubation behavior in turkey hens.

Intracranial perfusion of ovine prolactin (oPrl) via osmotic pump in laying turkey hens caused a sudden onset in incubation behavior, defined as an increase in nest visits. The hens also displayed a gradual decrease in egg laying during the time they were receiving oPrl, another indicator of the onset of incubation. Circulating immunoreactive turkey Prl levels fell during the perfusion period, even though the hens were displaying persistent nesting activity and reduced egg laying. No effects on serum LH were noted. Perfusion of oPrl during the first 14 days of photostimulation delayed the onset of egg laying by several days. No effects on serum Prl or serum LH were noted. It is suggested that incubation behavior is facilitated by central levels of Prl.

Animals↗