Prior experience of captivity affects behavioural responses to `novel' environments

Information ecology theory predicts that prior experience influences current behaviour, even if the information is acquired under a different context. However, when individuals are tested to quantify personality, cognition, or stress, we usually assume that the novelty of the test is consistent among individuals. Surprisingly, this ‘gambit of prior experience’ has rarely been explored. Therefore, here we make use of a wild population of great tits (Parus major) to test if prior experience of handling and captivity influences common measures of exploration (open field tests in two novel contexts: room and cage arenas), social response (simulated using a mirror), and behavioural stress (breathing rate). We found that birds with prior experience of captivity (caught previously for unrelated learning and foraging experiments) were more exploratory, but this depended on age: exploration and captivity experience (in terms of both absolute binary experience and the length of time spent in captivity) were associated more strongly in young (first-winter) birds than in adults. However, there was no association of prior experience of captivity with social response and breathing rate, and nor did the measures of exploration correlate. Together our results suggest that re-testing of individuals requires careful consideration, particularly for younger birds, and previous experiences can carry over and affect behaviours differently.Peer reviewe

Putting Parasemia in its phylogenetic place : a molecular analysis of the subtribe Arctiina (Lepidoptera)

Despite being popular among amateur and professional lepidopterologists and posing great opportunities for evolutionary research, the phylogenetic relationships of tiger moths (Erebidae: Arctiinae) are not well resolved. Here we provide the first phylogenetic hypothesis for the subtribe Arctiina with the basic aim of clarifying the phylogenetic position of the Wood Tiger Moth Parasemia plantaginis Hubner, a model species in evolutionary ecology. We sampled 89 species in 52 genera within Arctiina s.l., 11 species of Callimorphina and two outgroup species. We sequenced up to seven nuclear genes (CAD, GAPDH, IDH, MDH, Ef1, RpS5, Wingless) and one mitochondrial gene (COI) including the barcode region (a total of 5915 bp). Both maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference resulted in a well-resolved phylogenetic hypothesis, consisting of four clades within Arctiina s.s. and a clade comprising spilosomine species in addition to Callimorphina and outgroups. Based on our results, we present a new classification, where we consider the Diacrisia clade, Chelis clade, Apantesis clade, Micrarctia Seitz and Arctia clade as valid genera within Arctiina s.s., whereas Rhyparia Hubner syn.n. and Rhyparioides Butler syn.n. are synonymized with Diacrisia Hubner; Neoarctia Neumoegen & Dyar syn.n., Tancrea Pungeler syn.n., Hyperborea Grum-Grshimailo syn.n., Palearctia Ferguson syn.n., Holoarctia Ferguson syn.n., Sibirarctia Dubatolov syn.n. and Centrarctia Dubatolov syn.n. are synonymized with Chelis Rambur; Grammia Rambur syn.n., Orodemnias Wallengren syn.n., Mimarctia Neumoegen & Dyar syn.n., Notarctia Smith syn.n. and Holarctia Smith syn.n. are synonymized with Apantesis Walker; and Epicallia Hubner syn.n., Eucharia Hubner syn.n., Hyphoraia Hubner syn.n., Parasemia Hubner syn.n., Pericallia Hubner syn.n., Nemeophila Stephens syn.n., Ammobiota Wallengren syn.n., Platarctia Packard syn.n., Chionophila Guenee syn.n., Eupsychoma Grote syn.n., Gonerda Moore syn.n., Platyprepia Dyar syn.n., Preparctia Hampson syn.n., Oroncus Seitz syn.n., Acerbia Sotavalta syn.n., Pararctia Sotavalta syn.n., Borearctia Dubatolov syn.n., Sinoarctia Dubatolov syn.n. and Atlantarctia Dubatolov syn.n. are synonymized with Arctia Schrank, leading to 33 new genus-level synonymies. Our focal species Arctia plantaginiscomb.n. is placed as sister to Arctia festivacomb.n., another widespread aposematic species showing wing pattern variation. Our molecular hypothesis can be used as a basis when adding more species to the tree and tackling interesting evolutionary questions, such as the evolution of warning signalling and mimicry in tiger moths.Peer reviewe

Multimodal Aposematic Signals and Their Emerging Role in Mate Attraction

Chemically defended animals often display conspicuous color patterns that predators learn to associate with their unprofitability and subsequently avoid. Such animals (i.e., aposematic), deter predators by stimulating their visual and chemical sensory channels. Hence, aposematism is considered to be "multimodal." The evolution of warning signals (and to a lesser degree their accompanying chemical defenses) is fundamentally linked to natural selection by predators. Lately, however, increasing evidence also points to a role of sexual selection shaping warning signal evolution. One of the species in which this has been shown is the wood tiger moth, Arctia plantaginis, which we here put forward as a promising model to investigate multimodality in aposematic and sexual signaling. A. plantaginis is an aposematic diurnal moth which exhibits sexually dimorphic coloration as well as sex-limited polymorphism in part of its range. The anti-predator function of its coloration and, more recently, its chemical defenses (even when experimentally decoupled from the visual signals), has been well-demonstrated. Interestingly, recent studies have revealed differences between the two male morphs in mating success, suggesting a role of coloration in mate choice or attraction, and providing a possible explanation for its sexual dimorphism in coloration. Here, we: (1) review the lines of evidence showing the role of predation pressure and sexual selection in the evolution of multimodal aposematic signals in general, and in the wood tiger moth in particular; (2) establish gaps in current research linking sexual selection and predation as selective pressures on aposematic signals by reviewing a sample of the literature published in the last 30 years; (3) highlight the need of identifying suitable systems to address simultaneously the effect of natural and sexual selection on multimodal aposematic signals; and (4) propose directions for future research to test how aposematic signals can evolve under natural and sexual selection.Peer reviewe

The dual role of rivers in facilitating or hindering movements of the false heath fritillary butterfly

Background Species movement responses to landscape structures have been studied using a variety of methods, but movement research is still in need of simple methods that help predicting and comparing movements across structurally different landscapes. We demonstrate how habitat-specific movement models can be used to disentangle causes of differentiated movement patterns in structurally different landscapes and to predict movement patterns in altered and artificial landscapes. In our case study, we studied the role of riparian landscapes to the persistence of the endangered false heath fritillary butterfly (Melitaea diamina) in its newly discovered coastal distribution region in Finland. We compared the movement parameters of the riparian population to two reference populations by using capture-recapture data and habitat-specific diffusion modelling, and analysed the role of the river and riverbank buffer zones in facilitating or hindering false heath fritillary movement with movement simulations. Results The riparian population of the false heath fritillary did not show major differences to reference populations in terms of movement parameters within breeding habitat, high-quality matrix and low-quality matrix. However, movement simulations showed that the habitat-specific movement parameters estimated for the false heath fritillary can lead into markedly different movement patterns in structurally different landscapes. An artificial riparian landscape mimicking those of the coastal distribution resulted into more directional, longitudinal movements both parallel and perpendicular to the river than a more mosaic-like landscape, but the existence of the river in the landscape reduced movements across the river. Conclusions Our study demonstrates how habitat-specific movement models enable comparisons of movement patterns across structurally different real, altered and artificial landscapes. As such, they can be used to compare movement parameters across populations, to study the effects of management interventions to endangered species and to identify areas that have high sensitivity to individual movement. In our case study, the river is shown to perform a dual role for the movements of the riparian false heath fritillary population. Whereas the river acts as a moderate movement barrier for the false heath fritillary, the longitudinal configuration of riverbank habitats provides a means especially for the male false heath fritillaries to move across the landscape.Peer reviewe

The dual role of rivers in facilitating or hindering movements of the false heath fritillary butterfly

Background Species movement responses to landscape structures have been studied using a variety of methods, but movement research is still in need of simple methods that help predicting and comparing movements across structurally different landscapes. We demonstrate how habitat-specific movement models can be used to disentangle causes of differentiated movement patterns in structurally different landscapes and to predict movement patterns in altered and artificial landscapes. In our case study, we studied the role of riparian landscapes to the persistence of the endangered false heath fritillary butterfly (Melitaea diamina) in its newly discovered coastal distribution region in Finland. We compared the movement parameters of the riparian population to two reference populations by using capture-recapture data and habitat-specific diffusion modelling, and analysed the role of the river and riverbank buffer zones in facilitating or hindering false heath fritillary movement with movement simulations. Results The riparian population of the false heath fritillary did not show major differences to reference populations in terms of movement parameters within breeding habitat, high-quality matrix and low-quality matrix. However, movement simulations showed that the habitat-specific movement parameters estimated for the false heath fritillary can lead into markedly different movement patterns in structurally different landscapes. An artificial riparian landscape mimicking those of the coastal distribution resulted into more directional, longitudinal movements both parallel and perpendicular to the river than a more mosaic-like landscape, but the existence of the river in the landscape reduced movements across the river. Conclusions Our study demonstrates how habitat-specific movement models enable comparisons of movement patterns across structurally different real, altered and artificial landscapes. As such, they can be used to compare movement parameters across populations, to study the effects of management interventions to endangered species and to identify areas that have high sensitivity to individual movement. In our case study, the river is shown to perform a dual role for the movements of the riparian false heath fritillary population. Whereas the river acts as a moderate movement barrier for the false heath fritillary, the longitudinal configuration of riverbank habitats provides a means especially for the male false heath fritillaries to move across the landscape.Peer reviewe

Geographic mosaic of selection by avian predators on hindwing warning colour in a polymorphic aposematic moth

Warning signals are predicted to develop signal monomorphism via positive frequency-dependent selection (+FDS) albeit many aposematic systems exhibit signal polymorphism. To understand this mismatch, we conducted a large-scale predation experiment in four countries, among which the frequencies of hindwing warning coloration of the aposematic moth,Arctia plantaginis,differ. Here we show that selection by avian predators on warning colour is predicted by local morph frequency and predator community composition. We found +FDS to be the strongest in monomorphic Scotland and lowest in polymorphic Finland, where the attack risk of moth morphs depended on the local avian community. +FDS was also found where the predator community was the least diverse (Georgia), whereas in the most diverse avian community (Estonia), hardly any models were attacked. Our results support the idea that spatial variation in predator communities alters the strength or direction of selection on warning signals, thus facilitating a geographic mosaic of selection.Peer reviewe

Evolution of signal diversity : predator-prey interactions and the maintenance of warning colour polymorphism in the wood tiger moth Arctia plantaginis

Aposematic organisms avoid predation by advertising defences with warning signals. The theory of aposematism predicts warning signal uniformity, yet variation in warning coloration is widespread. The chemically defended wood tiger moth Arctia plantaginis shows both geographic variation and local polymorphism in warning coloration. In this thesis, I studied whether predation by local avian predators is driving the evolution of wood tiger moth warning colours. The close relatives of the wood tiger moth designated here to genus Arctia do not show similar colour polymorphism. The wood tiger moth is thus apparently under evolutionary radiation and provides a natural laboratory for observing current selection and studying the mechanisms leading to population divergence. We found evidence of positive frequency-dependent selection as predicted by aposematic theory, but the direction and strength of selection varied geographically. Variation in predator behaviour and the quality and abundance of alternative prey affected selection on wood tiger moth warning colour. Experiments with wild-caught blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) and great tits (Parus major) indicate, that colour is of foremost importance in prey discrimination and avoidance generalization. Birds did not generalize their learned avoidance among morphs, but could generalize between vaguely similar prey species showing similar warning colours. I conclude, that a) the evolution of wood tiger moth warning coloration is driven by predation of local avian predators, b) the direction of selection is affected by variation in predator and prey qualities at different levels (from individuals to communities), which can contribute to the maintenance of polymorphism, and that c) the strength of selection can vary spatially and temporally, and be counterbalanced or overruled by other evolutionary processes, promoting variation in warning colour

Reed Warbler Hosts Do Not Fine-Tune Mobbing Defenses During the Breeding Season, Even When Cuckoos Are Rare

Hosts of brood parasitic cuckoos often employ mobbing attacks to defend their nests and, when mobbing is costly, hosts are predicted to adjust their mobbing to match parasitism risk. While evidence exists for fine-tuned plasticity, it remains unclear why mobbing does not track larger seasonal changes in parasitism risk. Here we test a possible explanation from parental investment theory: parents should defend their current brood more intensively as the opportunity to replace it declines (re-nesting potential), and therefore "counteract" any apparent seasonal decline to match parasitism risk. We take advantage of mobbing experiments conducted at two sites where reed warblers (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) experience (in Italy), or do not experience (in Finland), brood parasitism. We predicted that mobbing of cuckoos should be higher overall in Italy, but remain constant over the season as in other parasitised sites, whereas in Finland where cuckoos do not pose a local threat, we predicted that mobbing should be low at the beginning of the season but increase as re-nesting potential declined. However, while cuckoos were more likely to be mobbed in Italy, we found little evidence that mobbing changed over the season at either the parasitized or non-parasitized sites. This suggests that re-nesting potential has either little influence on mobbing behavior, or that its effects are obscured by other seasonal differences in ecology or experience of hosts.Peer reviewe

Digitaalinen oppimispeli VauvaPolku : Vanhemmuuteen valmistautumista pelillisen oppimisen keinoin

Tässä tutkimuksessa selvitettiin digitaalisen VauvaPolku-oppimispelin soveltuvuutta perhevalmennukseen sekä oppimispelin hyötyjä asiakkaiden ja työntekijöiden näkökulmista. Vanhemmuuteen valmentava oppimispeli kehitettiin Tieteen tiedotus ry:n rahoituksella ja tutkimuksen rahoitti Kunnallisalan kehittämissäätiö (1.10.2017–28.2.2019). Oppimispelin uutuusarvona oli soveltaa pelillistä oppimista koskeva tutkimustieto ja osaaminen vanhemmuuden ja perheen arjen tukemiseen. Uuden työvälineen tavoitteena oli hyödyttää vanhempien lisäksi myös ammattilaisia ja perhepalvelujen tuottajia. VauvaPolku-oppimispeli syntyi aikana, jolloin perhepalveluja oltiin kehittämässä aiempaa ennaltaehkäisevämpään suuntaan. Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriön johtamassa Lapsi- ja perhepalveluiden muutosohjelmassa (Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö, 2016) haluttiin lisätä näyttöön perustuvien menetelmien käyttöä, hyödyntää digitaalisia menetelmiä, parantaa palvelujen saatavuutta ja kehittää työtä asiakkaiden osallisuutta tukevaan suuntaan. Digitalisaatio sote-alalla haastaa kuntia kehittämään myös perhevalmennusta vastaamaan tämän päivän perheiden tarpeisiin. Kansainvälisissä perhevalmennusohjelmissa (ks. Alakärppä, Sevón & Rönkä, 2019) kasvokkaisten menetelmien rinnalla käytetään yhä enenevästi erilaisia teknologisia sovelluksia. Näiden etuina on helppo saavutettavuus, riippumattomuus ajasta ja paikasta sekä monipuolisuus. Tutkimukset osoittavat, että digitaaliset menetelmät ovat tehokkaita, varsinkin yhdistettynä ammattilaisilta saatuun henkilökohtaiseen ohjaukseen (Gilmer ym., 2016). Tässä tutkimusraportissa kuvataan, onnistuiko VauvaPolku-oppimispeli ajanmukaistamaan kuntien perhevalmennusta, ja mitä vanhemmat sekä työntekijät tästä uudenlaisesta perhevalmennuksen menetelmästä ajattelivat.nonPeerReviewe