Orb-web spiders and their webs constitute an ideal model system in which to study behavioural flexibility and spatial cognition in invertebrates due to the easily quantifiable nature of the orb web. A large number of ...Orb-web spiders and their webs constitute an ideal model system in which to study behavioural flexibility and spatial cognition in invertebrates due to the easily quantifiable nature of the orb web. A large number of studies demonstrate how spiders are able to modify the geometry of their webs in response to a range of different conditions including the ability to adapt their webs to spatial constraints. However, the mechanisms behind this impressive web-building flexibility in these cognitively limited animals remain poorly explored. One possible mechanism though may be spatial learning during the spiders＇ exploration of their immediate surroundings. This review discusses the importance of exploration behaviour, the reliance on simple behavioural rules, and the use of already laid threads as guidelines for web-building in orb-web spiders. The focus is on the spiders＇ ability to detect and adapt their webs to space limitations and other spatial disruptions. I will also review the few published studies on how spatial information is gathered during the exploration phase and discuss the possibility of the use of ＇cognitive map＇-like processes in spiders. Finally, the review provides suggestions for designing experimental studies to shed light on whether spiders gather metric information during the site exploration （cognitive map hypothesis） or rely on more simple binary information in combination with previously laid threads to build their webs （stigmergy hypothesis）.展开更多
Human-wildlife conflict has been one of the most trouble-causing issues in many areas of Nepal including Eastern Nepal. This study assessed the human-wildlife conflict status in Paschim Kusaha Village of Koshi Tappu W...Human-wildlife conflict has been one of the most trouble-causing issues in many areas of Nepal including Eastern Nepal. This study assessed the human-wildlife conflict status in Paschim Kusaha Village of Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve(KTWR), Sunsari District, Nepal. Data were collected from 47 respondents of different households through questionnaire surveys and formal and informal interviews. Results revealed that the most destructive wild animals were wild elephants, wild boar,and wild water buffalo and the most raided crops were paddy(63.83 %), maize(19.15%), and potato(17.02%). Most of the encounters between humans and wildlife were recorded at night(after dusk and before dawn)(78.72%). Local people were suffering from damage of physical properties, human harassment or nuisance, and depredation of cropland due to wild animals.A total of 70% of respondents had a positive attitude towards conservation despite disturbing human mortality records(22deaths in the last five years) from the reserve area and surrounding. Awareness of wildlife behavior together with conservation and easy access to compensation schemes were suggested to minimize conflicts in the area.展开更多
The production of novel behavioral sequences that gives rise to animal innovation and creativity is one of the most intriguing aspects of behavioral evolution. Numerous studies have recently documented the abundance a...The production of novel behavioral sequences that gives rise to animal innovation and creativity is one of the most intriguing aspects of behavioral evolution. Numerous studies have recently documented the abundance and diversity of innova- tive and creative behaviors between and within species, yet the ability to innovate or to act creatively has mainly been described and quantified as a measure of animals＇ cognitive ability without explicit reference to cognitive mechanisms that may account for these behaviors. Here we discuss the creative process from a computational point of view and suggest such a mechanistic frame- work. In light of recent research on human creativity, animal learning, and animal problem solving, we suggest that animal crea- tivity is best understood as the production of context-appropriate novel behavioral sequences, which may be facilitated by the ability to learn the regularities in the environment and to represent them hierarchically, allowing for generalization. We present a cognitive framework that we recently developed, which employs domain-general mechanisms and has been used in the modeling of a range of sequential behaviors, from animal foraging to language acquisition, and apply it to behavioral innovation. In a series of simulations, we show how innovation and creative behavior can be produced by this learning mechanism, as it constructs a network representing the statistical regularities of the environment. We use the simulations to demonstrate the role of particular cognitive parameters in this process and to highlight the effects of the learning dynamics and individual experience on creativity展开更多
文摘Orb-web spiders and their webs constitute an ideal model system in which to study behavioural flexibility and spatial cognition in invertebrates due to the easily quantifiable nature of the orb web. A large number of studies demonstrate how spiders are able to modify the geometry of their webs in response to a range of different conditions including the ability to adapt their webs to spatial constraints. However, the mechanisms behind this impressive web-building flexibility in these cognitively limited animals remain poorly explored. One possible mechanism though may be spatial learning during the spiders＇ exploration of their immediate surroundings. This review discusses the importance of exploration behaviour, the reliance on simple behavioural rules, and the use of already laid threads as guidelines for web-building in orb-web spiders. The focus is on the spiders＇ ability to detect and adapt their webs to space limitations and other spatial disruptions. I will also review the few published studies on how spatial information is gathered during the exploration phase and discuss the possibility of the use of ＇cognitive map＇-like processes in spiders. Finally, the review provides suggestions for designing experimental studies to shed light on whether spiders gather metric information during the site exploration （cognitive map hypothesis） or rely on more simple binary information in combination with previously laid threads to build their webs （stigmergy hypothesis）.
文摘Human-wildlife conflict has been one of the most trouble-causing issues in many areas of Nepal including Eastern Nepal. This study assessed the human-wildlife conflict status in Paschim Kusaha Village of Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve(KTWR), Sunsari District, Nepal. Data were collected from 47 respondents of different households through questionnaire surveys and formal and informal interviews. Results revealed that the most destructive wild animals were wild elephants, wild boar,and wild water buffalo and the most raided crops were paddy(63.83 %), maize(19.15%), and potato(17.02%). Most of the encounters between humans and wildlife were recorded at night(after dusk and before dawn)(78.72%). Local people were suffering from damage of physical properties, human harassment or nuisance, and depredation of cropland due to wild animals.A total of 70% of respondents had a positive attitude towards conservation despite disturbing human mortality records(22deaths in the last five years) from the reserve area and surrounding. Awareness of wildlife behavior together with conservation and easy access to compensation schemes were suggested to minimize conflicts in the area.
基金We would like to thank Corina Logan and an anonymous reviewer for their comments, which helped improve this manuscript. OK was partially supported by a Dean＇s scholarship from the Faculty of Life Sciences at Tel- Aviv University and by a Wolf Foundation award. AL and OK were partially supported by the Israel Science Foundation grant no. 1312/11.
文摘The production of novel behavioral sequences that gives rise to animal innovation and creativity is one of the most intriguing aspects of behavioral evolution. Numerous studies have recently documented the abundance and diversity of innova- tive and creative behaviors between and within species, yet the ability to innovate or to act creatively has mainly been described and quantified as a measure of animals＇ cognitive ability without explicit reference to cognitive mechanisms that may account for these behaviors. Here we discuss the creative process from a computational point of view and suggest such a mechanistic frame- work. In light of recent research on human creativity, animal learning, and animal problem solving, we suggest that animal crea- tivity is best understood as the production of context-appropriate novel behavioral sequences, which may be facilitated by the ability to learn the regularities in the environment and to represent them hierarchically, allowing for generalization. We present a cognitive framework that we recently developed, which employs domain-general mechanisms and has been used in the modeling of a range of sequential behaviors, from animal foraging to language acquisition, and apply it to behavioral innovation. In a series of simulations, we show how innovation and creative behavior can be produced by this learning mechanism, as it constructs a network representing the statistical regularities of the environment. We use the simulations to demonstrate the role of particular cognitive parameters in this process and to highlight the effects of the learning dynamics and individual experience on creativity
