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Articles by Barbara Caspers
Reflective interdisciplinarity in practice: integrating biology and philosophy in studies of individualization
Abstract Interdisciplinary research is widely acknowledged as a valuable means of knowledge production and as crucial for addressing complex scientific and societal problems. Interdisciplinary research takes many forms, and this article offers a novel case study of a distinctive form of interdisciplinarity, reflective interdisciplinarity. The article analyzes interdisciplinary research undertaken by philosophers of biology and empirically working biologists studying individualization.
Individual variation in perceived density of conspecifics and its impacts on the realization of ecological niches
How do individuals perceive their environment? ‘Perception' is the process through which an animal receives, processes, and interprets information about its surroundings in order to inform behavioural decisions. Such information about the environment is gained using different ‘sensory modalities' (see Glossary for definition of terms), such as chemical, tactile, acoustic, visual, or electric cues (Table 1).
The impact of urbanisation on social behaviour: a comprehensive review
I. INTRODUCTION Urbanisation is rapidly expanding and is a well-established global threat to wildlife and biodiversity (McKinney, 2006; Shochat et al., 2010).
From larval stage to adulthood? Habitat type-specific chemical fingerprints of fire salamander larvae might give first indication for adult mate preference
Abstract Assortative mating can play a major role in the divergence of a population with gene flow. In a fire salamander population near Bonn, Germany, the larvae differ genetically according to the habitat type they are found in, i.e. ponds or streams. Neither sound nor vision are a source for assortative mating in fire salamanders, but it is known that females can discriminate between sexes and habitat types of the males based on chemical cues.
Chemical signatures in the preen oil of pied flycatchers: testing reproducibility and exploring ontogeny
Introduction The uropygial gland (or preen gland) is the main secretory gland of the skin of birds, producing preen oil, a waxy secretion which birds spread onto their plumage during preening (Jacob and Ziswiler 1982). Preen oil consists of a complex cocktail of chemicals that varies in composition within and between individuals (Grieves et al. 2022). The adaptive function of preen oil has been extensively studied but remains debated (reviewed by Moreno-Rueda 2017).
Animal research revisited - the case of behavioural studies
Keywords animal behavioural research species conservation animal welfare ethical considerations animal experiments Animal experiments differ Animal research is a deeply controversial topic, with some people asking for the complete abolition of all procedures involving animals and others expressing strong support. Thereby, opponents usually base their attitude on the suffering of the animals involved, while supporters highlight the benefits of the experiments and the lack of alternatives [1].
Tonic immobility behaviour does not differ between fire salamander larvae from ponds and streams
1 INTRODUCTION Tonic immobility is an antipredator behaviour which is well known from several species (e.g., Damas-Moreira, 2021; Konishi et al., 2020; Li et al., 2019; Sazima, 1974). It describes an innate and reversable reflex in which the individual remains motionless in a distinct posture pretending to be dead (Baškiera & Gvoždík, 2021; Páez et al., 2023; Toledo et al., 2010).
Volatile organic compounds in preen oil and feathers - a review
I. INTRODUCTION For a long time avian olfaction was poorly understood and one of the least studied aspects of a bird's physiology, with birds assumed to be anosmic or at best microsmatic (Audubon, 1826, cited by Stager, 1967; see Table 1 for glossary).
Preen oil composition of Pied Flycatchers is similar between partners but differs between sexes and breeding stages
METHODS Study species and population We studied Pied Flycatchers from an established nestbox population in a lowland mixed coniferous forest near Elbergen in NW Germany (52°27′N, 7°15′E; for details on the study site see Altenkirch & Winkel 1991). The Pied Flycatcher is a common medium-sized (13 cm; 9–22 g) passerine bird with a wide distribution in the Palaearctic, and is a trans-Saharan migrant that arrives between late March and early May on European breeding grounds.
The Power of Infochemicals in Mediating Individualized Niches
Highlights Individual differences are central in behavior, ecology, and evolution, because they determine which selective factors are relevant for an individual in interaction with its environment; yet ecological niches have rarely been studied on an individual level. The subset of the species’ niche realized by an individual is called its individualized niche and is implemented by three major processes: choice, conformance, and construction.
Focus on Integrating Mechanism and Function
Behavioural Ecology as a discipline has focused on the adaptive value of behavioural strategies, and how these vary with ecological context. This, in turn, was a response to Niko Tinbergen’s plea for greater attention to studies of survival value, as articulated in his classic 1963 paper, On the Aims and Methods of Ethology. In this paper, Tinbergen discussed the various ways in which one could ask why an organism behaved as it did.
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