Common Cuckoos(Cuculus canorus) parasitize nests of small passerines.e Cuckoo chicks cause the death of their nest-mates when evicting eggs or nestlings from the nests;consequently,hosts su er from a high loss of repr...Common Cuckoos(Cuculus canorus) parasitize nests of small passerines.e Cuckoo chicks cause the death of their nest-mates when evicting eggs or nestlings from the nests;consequently,hosts su er from a high loss of reproduction.Host adaptations against parasitism,e.g.,by egg discrimination behavior,and cuckoo counter-adaptations to hosts,e.g.,by mimetic eggs,are often regarded as a result of the arms race between the two interacting species.In Hungary Great Reed Warblers(Acrocephalus arundinaceus) are the main hosts of cuckoos,su ering from heavy parasitism(ca.40-65%).e Oriental Reed Warbler(A.orientalis),formerly a subspecies of the Great Reed Warbler(A.a.orientalis),is also a highly parasitized host in Japan(25-40%).We compared main characteristics of Cuckoo parasitism in these two distant areas from the Western and Eastern Palearctic by comparing cuckoo egg mimicry.We measured color characteristics of host and parasitic eggs by spectrophotometer.Visual modeling revealed lower chromatic distances between Cuckoo and host eggs in Hungary than in Japan,but high variation both in host and Cuckoo eggs may cause matching problems in Hungary.Achromatic(brightness) di erence between host and Cuckoo eggs were lower in Japan than in Hungary,and it proved to be the most important factor a ecting egg rejection.Hosts rejected Cuckoo eggs at similar frequencies(37% and 35% in Hungary and Japan,respectively).Host adaptation,i.e.,egg rejection behavior,seems to be preceding Cuckoo counter-adaptations to hosts in Japan.We suggest that the Cuckoo-Great/Oriental Reed Warbler relationships developed in alternative ways in Japan and Hungary,and they represent di erent stages of their arms race.展开更多
One of important tasks of IFToMM is attraction of youth attention to profound study of mechanism and machine science. To solve this task, special youth programs are developed, various discounts are provided for young ...One of important tasks of IFToMM is attraction of youth attention to profound study of mechanism and machine science. To solve this task, special youth programs are developed, various discounts are provided for young researchers＇ participation in IFToMM congresses and conferences. A new progressive type of such an activity is organization of Student International Olympiads （SIO） on Mechanism and Machine Science （MMS） which can be considered a new advantageous form of MMS study. The paper describes experiences of organization and holding the first SIO MMS, which took place on April 19-21,2011 in Izhevsk （Russia） at Izhevsk State Technical University.展开更多
Accurate assessment of the probability of success in an aggressive confrontation with a conspecific is critical to the survival and fitness of the individuals. Various game theory models have examined these assessment...Accurate assessment of the probability of success in an aggressive confrontation with a conspecific is critical to the survival and fitness of the individuals. Various game theory models have examined these assessment strategies under the assumption that contests should favor the animal with the greater resource-holding potential （RHP）, body size typically being the proxy. Mutual assessment asserts that an individual can assess their own RHP relative to their opponent, allowing the inferior animal the chance to flee before incurring unnecessary costs. The model of self-determined persistence, however, assumes that an individual will fight to a set personal threshold, independ- ent of their opponent＇s RHP. Both models have been repeatedly tested using size as a proxy for RHP, with neither receiving unambiguous support. Here we present both morphological and neuro- physiological data from size-matched and mismatched stalk-eyed fly fights. We discovered differ- ing fighting strategies between winners and losers. Winners readily escalated encounters to higher intensity and physical contact and engaged in less low-intensity, posturing behaviors compared with losers. Although these fighting strategies were largely independent of size, they were associ- ated with elevated levels of 5-HT. Understanding the neurophysiological factors responsible for mediating the motivational state of opponents could help resolve the inconsistencies seen in cur- rent game theory models. Therefore, we contend that current studies using only size as a proxy for RHP may be inadequate in determining the intricacies of fighting ability and that future studies investigating assessment strategies and contest outcome should include neurophysiological data.展开更多
基金supported by the bilateral project of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)the Hungarian Academy of Sciences to F.T. and C.M. 2003-2005+1 种基金by the Hungarian Scienti c Research Fund (OTKAgrant No.T35015,48397 and 83217) to C.M. e Duna-Ipoly and Kiskunság National Parks provided permissions for research
文摘Common Cuckoos(Cuculus canorus) parasitize nests of small passerines.e Cuckoo chicks cause the death of their nest-mates when evicting eggs or nestlings from the nests;consequently,hosts su er from a high loss of reproduction.Host adaptations against parasitism,e.g.,by egg discrimination behavior,and cuckoo counter-adaptations to hosts,e.g.,by mimetic eggs,are often regarded as a result of the arms race between the two interacting species.In Hungary Great Reed Warblers(Acrocephalus arundinaceus) are the main hosts of cuckoos,su ering from heavy parasitism(ca.40-65%).e Oriental Reed Warbler(A.orientalis),formerly a subspecies of the Great Reed Warbler(A.a.orientalis),is also a highly parasitized host in Japan(25-40%).We compared main characteristics of Cuckoo parasitism in these two distant areas from the Western and Eastern Palearctic by comparing cuckoo egg mimicry.We measured color characteristics of host and parasitic eggs by spectrophotometer.Visual modeling revealed lower chromatic distances between Cuckoo and host eggs in Hungary than in Japan,but high variation both in host and Cuckoo eggs may cause matching problems in Hungary.Achromatic(brightness) di erence between host and Cuckoo eggs were lower in Japan than in Hungary,and it proved to be the most important factor a ecting egg rejection.Hosts rejected Cuckoo eggs at similar frequencies(37% and 35% in Hungary and Japan,respectively).Host adaptation,i.e.,egg rejection behavior,seems to be preceding Cuckoo counter-adaptations to hosts in Japan.We suggest that the Cuckoo-Great/Oriental Reed Warbler relationships developed in alternative ways in Japan and Hungary,and they represent di erent stages of their arms race.
文摘One of important tasks of IFToMM is attraction of youth attention to profound study of mechanism and machine science. To solve this task, special youth programs are developed, various discounts are provided for young researchers＇ participation in IFToMM congresses and conferences. A new progressive type of such an activity is organization of Student International Olympiads （SIO） on Mechanism and Machine Science （MMS） which can be considered a new advantageous form of MMS study. The paper describes experiences of organization and holding the first SIO MMS, which took place on April 19-21,2011 in Izhevsk （Russia） at Izhevsk State Technical University.
文摘Accurate assessment of the probability of success in an aggressive confrontation with a conspecific is critical to the survival and fitness of the individuals. Various game theory models have examined these assessment strategies under the assumption that contests should favor the animal with the greater resource-holding potential （RHP）, body size typically being the proxy. Mutual assessment asserts that an individual can assess their own RHP relative to their opponent, allowing the inferior animal the chance to flee before incurring unnecessary costs. The model of self-determined persistence, however, assumes that an individual will fight to a set personal threshold, independ- ent of their opponent＇s RHP. Both models have been repeatedly tested using size as a proxy for RHP, with neither receiving unambiguous support. Here we present both morphological and neuro- physiological data from size-matched and mismatched stalk-eyed fly fights. We discovered differ- ing fighting strategies between winners and losers. Winners readily escalated encounters to higher intensity and physical contact and engaged in less low-intensity, posturing behaviors compared with losers. Although these fighting strategies were largely independent of size, they were associ- ated with elevated levels of 5-HT. Understanding the neurophysiological factors responsible for mediating the motivational state of opponents could help resolve the inconsistencies seen in cur- rent game theory models. Therefore, we contend that current studies using only size as a proxy for RHP may be inadequate in determining the intricacies of fighting ability and that future studies investigating assessment strategies and contest outcome should include neurophysiological data.
