All articles tagged with #behavioral ecology
A Biological Reviews study analyzing hundreds of reports across 207 snake species finds that cannibalism is widespread and has evolved at least 11 times, indicating it’s an adaptive survival strategy in response to ecological stress and food scarcity—occurring in both the wild and captivity to regulate populations and boost ecological fitness; some experts caution against broad generalizations across all species.
Scientists studying streaked shearwaters found that these seabirds almost never defecate while resting on water and do so more than five times an hour during flight, revealing an unexpectedly high frequency of excretion.
Researchers have studied the lancet liver fluke, a parasitic flatworm that turns ants into zombies, to understand how parasites manipulate host behavior. The fluke infects ants, migrates to their brain, and causes them to climb to the top of a blade of grass, where they are more likely to be eaten by grazing animals. The worms then settle in the animal's liver, lay eggs, and continue their life cycle. The study found that air temperature plays a role in the ants' behavior, with cooler temperatures triggering the ants to remain attached to the grass. Understanding parasite behavior could enhance knowledge about their sophistication and potential implications for human infections.