Domestication constrains the ability of dogs to convey emotions via facial expressions in comparison to their wolf ancestors

Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are the domestically bred descendant of wolves (Canis lupus). However, selective breeding has profoundly altered facial morphologies of dogs compared to their wolf ancestors. We demonstrate that these morphological differences limit the abilities of dogs to successfully produce the same affective facial expressions as wolves. We decoded facial movements of captive wolves during social interactions involving nine separate affective states. We used linear discriminant analyses to predict affective states based on combinations of facial movements. The resulting confusion matrix demonstrates that specific combinations of facial movements predict nine distinct affective states in wolves; the first assessment of this many affective facial expressions in wolves. However, comparative analyses with kennelled rescue dogs revealed reduced ability to predict affective states. Critically, there was a very low predictive power for specific affective states, with confusion occurring between negative and positive states, such as Friendly and Fear. We show that the varying facial morphologies of dogs (specifically non-wolf-like morphologies) limit their ability to produce the same range of affective facial expressions as wolves. Confusion among positive and negative states could be detrimental to human–dog interactions, although our analyses also suggest dogs likely use vocalisations to compensate for limitations in facial communication

Breeding male grey seals exhibit similar activity budgets across varying exposures to human activity

Human-wildlife interactions can be incidental or direct through activities such as wildlife tourism. In the presence of anthropogenic activities, some animals exhibit behavioural alterations such as increased vigilance or spatial displacement. Thus, chronic exposure could be adverse to individual fitness through loss of energy or time. Pinnipeds are exposed to human activities in the aquatic environment and on land, but the degree of exposure varies across a species' geographic distribution. For example, breeding colonies of grey seals Halichoerus grypus along the mainland coast of England are exposed to anthropogenic disturbance in the forms of tourism and military activities; however, many offshore colonies are relatively undisturbed. Due to the recent expansion of mainland colonies, the impacts of human presence during the breeding season are of urgent interest for managers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to test for any behavioural adjustments associated with anthropogenic presence by comparing the activity budgets of individual male grey seals at a mainland colony with activity budgets from 2 isolated colonies. We found no evidence of differences in the male activity budgets for time spent in non-active behaviours across colonies, and of the 3 colonies, males on the mainland spent the least amount of time alert. This indicates that as capital breeders, selection for conservation of energy is potentially overriding short-term costs of local stressors or that males at the mainland colony have habituated to human presence. Our results demonstrate the importance of understanding species-and life history-stage-specific selection pressures when considering management actions.PostprintPeer reviewe

Assessing the utility and limitations of accelerometers and machine learning approaches in classifying behaviour during lactation in a phocid seal

Background Classifying behaviour with animal-borne accelerometers is quickly becoming a popular tool for remotely observing behavioural states in a variety of species. Most accelerometry work in pinnipeds has focused on classifying behaviour at sea often quantifying behavioural trade-offs associated with foraging and diving in income breeders. Very little work to date has been done to resolve behaviour during the critical period of lactation in a capital breeder. Capital breeding phocids possess finite reserves that they must allocate appropriately to maintain themselves and their new offspring during their brief nursing period. Within this short time, fine-scale behavioural trade-offs can have significant fitness consequences for mother and offspring and must be carefully managed. Here, we present a case study in extracting and classifying lactation behaviours in a wild, breeding pinniped, the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus). Results Using random forest models, we were able to resolve 4 behavioural states that constitute the majority of a female grey seals’ activity budget during lactation. Resting, alert, nursing, and a form of pup interaction were extracted and classified reliably. For the first time, we quantified the potential confounding variance associated with individual differences in a wild context as well as differences due to sampling location in a largely inactive model species. Conclusions At this stage, the majority of a female grey seal’s activity budget was classified well using accelerometers, but some rare and context-dependent behaviours were not well captured. While we did find significant variation between individuals in behavioural mechanics, individuals did not differ significantly within themselves; inter-individual variability should be an important consideration in future efforts. These methods can be extended to other efforts to study grey seals and other pinnipeds who exhibit a capital breeding system. Using accelerometers to classify behaviour during lactation allows for fine-scale assessments of time and energy trade-offs for species with fixed stores

The Importance of Direct and Indirect Trophic Interactions in Determining the Presence of a Locally Rare Day-Flying Moth

Ecosystem engineers affect other organisms by creating, maintaining or modifying habitats, potentially supporting species of conservation concern. However, it is important to consider these interactions alongside non-engineering trophic pathways. We investigated the relative importance of trophic and non-trophic effects of an ecosystem engineer, red deer, on a locally rare moth, the transparent burnet ( Zygaena purpuralis ). This species requires specific microhabitat conditions, including the foodplant, thyme, and bare soil for egg-laying. The relative importance of grazing (i.e., trophic effect of modifying microhabitat) and trampling (i.e., non-trophic effect of exposing bare soil) by red deer on transparent burnet abundance are unknown. We tested for these effects using a novel method of placing pheromone-baited funnel traps in the field. Imago abundance throughout the flight season was related to plant composition, diversity and structure at various scales around each trap. Indirect effects of red deer activity were accounted for by testing red deer pellet and trail presence against imago abundance. Imago abundance was positively associated with thyme and plant diversity, whilst negatively associated with velvet grass and heather species cover. The presence of red deer pellets and trails were positively associated with imago abundance. The use of these sites by red deer aids the transparent burnet population via appropriate levels of grazing and the provision of a key habitat condition, bare soil, in the form of deer trails. This study shows that understanding how both trophic and non-trophic interactions affect the abundance of a species provides valuable insights regarding conservation objectives

Reactive stress-coping styles show more variable reproductive expenditure and fitness outcomes

Stress-coping styles dictate how individuals react to stimuli and can be measured by the integrative physiological parameter of resting heart-rate variability (HRV); low resting HRV indicating proactive coping styles, while high resting HRV typifies reactive individuals. Over 5 successive breeding seasons we measured resting HRV of 57 lactating grey seals. Mothers showed consistent individual differences in resting HRV across years. We asked whether proactive and reactive mothers differed in their patterns of maternal expenditure and short-term fitness outcomes within seasons, using maternal daily mass loss rate to indicate expenditure, and pup daily mass gain to indicate within season fitness outcomes. We found no difference in average rates of maternal daily mass loss or pup daily mass gain between proactive and reactive mothers. However, reactive mothers deviated more from the sample mean for maternal daily mass and pup daily mass gain than proactive mothers. Thus, while proactive mothers exhibit average expenditure strategies with average outcomes, expenditure varies much more among reactive mothers with more variable outcomes. Overall, however, mean fitness was equal across coping styles, providing a mechanism for maintaining coping style diversity within populations. Variability in reactive mothers’ expenditures and success is likely a product of their attempts to match phenotype to prevailing environmental conditions, achieved with varying degrees of success

Magnetron Development

Contains reports on two research projects

A Guided Tour of Issues and Trends: The Thirteenth Annual Health Sciences Lively Lunch

In this year\u27s sponsored but no holds barred lunch, the conference theme, Too much is not enough , resonates. Lunch host, Wendy Bahnsen from Rittenhouse offers a brief greeting, and Ramune Kubilius provides the traditional “year in review” synopsis. Moderator Andrea Twiss-Brooks sets the scene and provides a brief introduction to issues of current interest in the health sciences information arena. Topics of this session include: methods of measurement of health sciences journal use (Deborah Blecic); shared collection development and policies (Elizabeth Ketterman); scholarly communication activities in health sciences libraries (Robin Champieux); current challenges, trials, pitfalls and successes of e-books in the health sciences (Anneliese Taylor); provision of information resources for basic scientists (Marysue Schaffer)

Differential transport and local translation of cytoskeletal, injury-response, and neurodegeneration protein mRNAs in axons

Recent studies have begun to focus on the signals that regulate axonal protein synthesis and the functional significance of localized protein synthesis. However, identification of proteins that are synthesized in mammalian axons has been mainly based on predictions. Here,weusedaxonspurifiedfromculturesofinjury-conditionedadultdorsalrootganglion(DRG)neuronsandproteomicsmethodology to identify axonally synthesized proteins. Reverse transcription (RT)-PCR from axonal preparations was used to confirm that the mRNA for each identified protein extended into the DRG axons. Proteins and the encoding mRNAs for the cytoskeletal proteins �-actin, peripherin, vimentin, �-tropomyosin 3, and cofilin 1 were present in the axonal preparations. In addition to the cytoskeletal elements, several heat shock proteins (HSP27, HSP60, HSP70, grp75, �B crystallin), resident endoplasmic reticulum (ER) proteins (calreticulin, grp78/BiP, ERp29), proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases (ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1, rat ortholog of human DJ-1/Park7, �-synuclein, superoxide dismutase 1), anti-oxidant proteins (peroxiredoxins 1 and 6), and metabolic proteins (e.g., phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK 1), � enolase, aldolase C/Zebrin II) were included among the axonally synthesized proteins. Detection of the mRNAs encoding each of the axonally synthesized proteins identified by mass spectrometry in the axonal compartment indicates that th

Magnetron Development

Contains reports on three research projects