Predator-induced phenotypic plasticity in tadpoles: extension or innovation?

Phenotypic plasticity, the ability of a trait to change as a function of the environment, is central to many ideas in evolutionary biology. A special case of phenotypic plasticity observed in many organisms is mediated by their natural predators. Here, we used a predator-prey system of dragonfly larvae and tadpoles to determine if predator-mediated phenotypic plasticity provides a novel way of surviving in the presence of predators (an innovation) or if it represents a simple extension of the way noninduced tadpoles survive predation. Tadpoles of Limnodynastes peronii were raised in the presence and absence of predation, which then entered a survival experiment. Induced morphological traits, primarily tail height and tail muscle height, were found to be under selection, indicating that predator-mediated phenotypic plasticity may be adaptive. Although predator-induced animals survived better, the multivariate linear selection gradients were similar between the two tadpole groups, suggesting that predator-mediated phenotypic plasticity is an extension of existing survival strategies. In addition, nonlinear selection gradients indicated a cost of predator-induced plasticity that may limit the ability of phenotypic plasticity to enhance survival in the presence of predators

Parâmetros ruminais e desaparecimento da MS, PB e FDN da forragem em bovinos suplementados em pastagem na estação seca Ruminal parameters and DM, CP and NDF forage disappearance of supplemented steers under grazing, during the dry season

O trabalho foi conduzido com o objetivo de determinar o efeito de suplementos concentrados com diferentes degradabilidades da proteína (alta-70%, média-50% e baixa-30%) e o efeito da quantidade dos mesmos (0,5, 1,0 e 1,5 kg de MS/dia) sobre os parâmetros ruminais (pH e N-NH3) e o desaparecimento da MS, PB e FDN da forragem em bovinos pastejando Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu no período da seca. Foram utilizados 10 novilhos canulados no rúmen com peso médio de 354 kg em um esquema fatorial com três repetições (blocos). Não houve influência da degradabilidade protéica e/ou quantidade de suplemento sobre os valores de pH ruminal, que variaram de 6,38 a 6,91. As concentrações de N-NH3 ruminal foram crescentes com o aumento da degradabilidade do suplemento e quantidade de suplementação, sendo maiores uma hora após o fornecimento do suplemento e decrescendo até cinco horas. O tratamento-controle apresentou concentrações de N-NH3 consideradas adequadas para boa atividade microbiana. Não houve efeito da degradabilidade protéica do suplemento ou quantidade na degradação ruminal da MS, PB e da FDN da forragem, não diferindo do tratamento-controle. Quanto aos parâmetros de degradação ruminal da forrageira, os valores médios foram de 29% para a fração solúvel da PB e de de 47% para a insolúvel potencialmente degradável, com taxa de degradação de 4,88%. Para FDN, a fração potencialmente degradável foi de 56% e a taxa de degradação, de 4,33%.<br>The objective this work was to evaluate the effect of protein supplements with three degradability levels (high-70%, medium-50% and low-30%) at three levels (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 kg/day) on the ruminal pH, N-NH3 and DM, CP, NDF degradability of forage fed steers grazing Brachiaria brizantha cv. Maradu, during the dry season. The experiment design was a randomized complete block with three replications (grazing periods) and the supplement treatments were arranged in a factorial 3x3. Ten rumen-fistuled steers with 354 kg live weight, were used. There was not effect of the protein degradability and/or level of supplementation on the ruminal pH values with variety from 6.38 to 6.91. The concentrations of N-NH3 ruminal increased as the degradability and levels of supplementation increased, and were higher one hour after feeding, and decreasing until five hours. The control showed N-NH3 concentrations within the limits considered adequate for a good microbial activity. There was no effect of the protein degradability and/or level of supplementation on the CP and NDF ruminal degradation of forage, and these values were not different from the control, where 29% CP constituted the soluble fraction and 47% was the insoluble potentially degradable, with the rate of degradation of 4.88%. NDF was 56% potentially degradable at the rate of 4.33%

Predator-specific changes in the morphology and swimming performance of larval Rana lessonae

1. We investigated the morphological responses of larval Rana lessonae to the presence of two predators with substantially different prey-detection and capture techniques; larval dragonflies (Aeshna cyanea) and the Pumpkinseed Sunfish (Lepomis gibossus). 2. We also examined the functional implications of any predator-induced morphological variation on their swimming ability by assessing performance during the initial stages of a startle response. 3. We found the morphological responses of larval R. lessonae were dependent on the specific predator present. Tadpoles raised in the presence of dragonfly larvae preying upon conspecific tadpoles developed total tail heights 5.4% deeper and tail muscles 4.7% shallower than tadpoles raised in a non-predator environment, while tadpoles raised with sunfish possessed tails 2% shallower and tail muscles 2.5% higher than non-predator-exposed tadpoles. 4. Predator-induced morphological variation also significantly influenced swimming performance. Tadpoles raised with sunfish possessed swimming speeds 9.5 and 14.6% higher than non- and dragonfly predator groups, respectively. 5. Thus, the expression of these alternative predator-morphs leads to a functional trade-off in performance between the different environments

The influence of visual and tactile stimulation on growth and metamorphosis in anuran larvae

1.   Sensory modalities that allow tadpoles to assess their environment, and subsequently mediate their development, are not well understood. 2.   By putting clay model tadpoles into the tanks with live tadpoles we have enhanced tactile and visual stimuli for tadpoles of three species ( Rana sylvatica , Bufo americanus and Xenopus laevis ) in a controlled fashion. The goal was to determine whether visual and tactile cues in the absence of chemical signals influenced tadpole growth and development. 3.   The response to enhanced visual and tactile stimuli was strong in Rana , intermediate in Xenopus , but absent in Bufo tadpoles. Rana tadpoles that experienced both stimuli enhanced developed the fastest and metamorphosed at the smallest body size. Development was slower in the treatments with only one stimulus enhanced, and slowest in the controls. 4.   Our results suggest that tadpoles use both vision and mechanoreception for environment assessment, and that they are able to modify their growth and developmental rates in response to sensory enrichment. 5.   Tadpoles exposed to the combination of visual and tactile stimulation showed the highest whole-body content of the stress hormone corticosterone, suggesting that the enhanced stimuli were experienced as stressful. Corticosterone is known to synergize with thyroid hormone to promote metamorphosis.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/74112/1/j.1365-2435.2005.01051.x.pd

Does culture intersect with gender of the child in mothers’ guidance of preschoolers’ puzzle solving?

Adult guidance in socio-cultural contexts was found to promote the development of problem solving abilities in young children. In this context, I aimed to explore if mothers' guidance across cultural groups was varied by the gender of the child in a collaborative puzzle solving context, using selected groups of Anglo-Australian and immigrant Indian communities. Fourteen Anglo-Australian and eight immigrant Indian mothers' interactions with their preschool aged male and female children in a puzzle solving context were videotaped to examine intersections of culture with the gender of the child in their guidance. The conclusions of the Χ2 analysis are mothers' verbal guidance and volitional control did not vary as a factor of the child's gender. In contrast, there were variations in the mothers' regulation of puzzle solving and nonverbal guidance provided to children. As immigrant Indian mothers promoted interdependency, Anglo-Australian mothers promoted independence in guiding their male children's puzzle solving. The implications of the results are that educators need to understand culturally or gender based variations in guidance of young children's learning and use that knowledge to promote cultural and gender equity in educational practices