Caterpillars(Lepidoptera and Symphyta larvae)employ diverse visual defensive tactics,and effectiveness of such tactics may be highly dynamic across time due to seasonal changes in the predator assemblages and their pr...Caterpillars(Lepidoptera and Symphyta larvae)employ diverse visual defensive tactics,and effectiveness of such tactics may be highly dynamic across time due to seasonal changes in the predator assemblages and their preferences.However,this has rarely been studied especially in tropical regions.Here we assessed temporal changes in the defensive value of caterpillar color and shape,using six types of plasticine dummy caterpillars:three colors(green,black,and white)x two shapes(curled and straight).These dummy caterpillars were deployed five times over different seasons in tropical forests of Xishuangbanna(China)and,as a comparison,twice in a temperate forest of Hirosaki(Japan).The colors and shapes of dummy caterpillars simulate visual traits of black sawfly larvae which take the curled resting posture in tropical rainforests of Xishuangbanna,apparently masquerading excrements commonly found on plants,while in Hirosaki there is no black-curled sawfly larvae and few excrements on plants.Wc found no significant effects of caterpillar colors or shapes on predation in Hirosaki.In contrast,black and curled caterpillars received significantly lower predation by birds in Xishuangbanna constantly across time.However,we were unable to provide evidence that the black-curled sawfly larvae are masquerading as excrements.Shapes of the dummy caterpillars also affected the predation by ants and parasitoid wasps at certain times.This is the first report on ecological function of the curled posture of sawfly larvae,and we demonstrated the importance to assess the temporal dynamics of predation and effectiveness of defensive tactics in tropical forests.展开更多
Multilevel society is one of the most complex social systems in natural ecosystems and is a typical feature among some primates.Given the potential connection between social behavior and gut microbiome composition,the...Multilevel society is one of the most complex social systems in natural ecosystems and is a typical feature among some primates.Given the potential connection between social behavior and gut microbiome composition,the multilevel social system could affect the primate gut microbiome.Here,based on long-term observation(e.g.social unit dynamics,transfer,and behavior),we investigated this potential integrating 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and behavior data in Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys(Rhinopithecus bieti),which possess a multilevel social group based on one male units(OMUs,each unit with several breeding females and their offspring)and all-male unit(AMU,several bachelor males residing together).We found that the mean unweighted Unifrac distance between adult males from different OMUs was significantly lower than that between adult females from different OMUs(paired Wilcoxon test,P=0.007).There was no significant difference in the mean unweighted Unifrac distance between females within the same OMU or between females from different OMUs.These findings indicated the potential connection between the defense and invasion of social units and the gut microbiome community in wild Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys.We speculated that the resident males of OMUs displaying a significantly higher similarity in the gut microbial community than that of adult females in separate OMUs might be associated with the sexual differences in their interactions and from previously having cohabitated together in the AMU.Therefore,this study suggested that multilevel societies might have an effect on the gut microbial community in this wild nonhuman primate species.展开更多
基金supported by Yunnan postdoctoral research project,Yunnan postdoctoral orientation training project,Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS)(Grant No.XDB31000000)the CAS 135 Programs(2017XTBG-T01 and 2017XTBG-F01)+2 种基金National Natural Science Foundation of China General Program(31770472Shirakami Research Center for Environmental Sciences,Hirosaki Universitysupported by the CAS President's International Fellowship Initiative(2018PC0031)。
文摘Caterpillars(Lepidoptera and Symphyta larvae)employ diverse visual defensive tactics,and effectiveness of such tactics may be highly dynamic across time due to seasonal changes in the predator assemblages and their preferences.However,this has rarely been studied especially in tropical regions.Here we assessed temporal changes in the defensive value of caterpillar color and shape,using six types of plasticine dummy caterpillars:three colors(green,black,and white)x two shapes(curled and straight).These dummy caterpillars were deployed five times over different seasons in tropical forests of Xishuangbanna(China)and,as a comparison,twice in a temperate forest of Hirosaki(Japan).The colors and shapes of dummy caterpillars simulate visual traits of black sawfly larvae which take the curled resting posture in tropical rainforests of Xishuangbanna,apparently masquerading excrements commonly found on plants,while in Hirosaki there is no black-curled sawfly larvae and few excrements on plants.Wc found no significant effects of caterpillar colors or shapes on predation in Hirosaki.In contrast,black and curled caterpillars received significantly lower predation by birds in Xishuangbanna constantly across time.However,we were unable to provide evidence that the black-curled sawfly larvae are masquerading as excrements.Shapes of the dummy caterpillars also affected the predation by ants and parasitoid wasps at certain times.This is the first report on ecological function of the curled posture of sawfly larvae,and we demonstrated the importance to assess the temporal dynamics of predation and effectiveness of defensive tactics in tropical forests.
基金support was provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32070454)the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program(No.2019QZKK0501)+2 种基金the project of the National Key Programme of Research and Development,Ministry of Science and Technology(No.2016YFC0503200)Sichuan Science and Technology Program(2021JDRC0024)the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions(PAPD).
文摘Multilevel society is one of the most complex social systems in natural ecosystems and is a typical feature among some primates.Given the potential connection between social behavior and gut microbiome composition,the multilevel social system could affect the primate gut microbiome.Here,based on long-term observation(e.g.social unit dynamics,transfer,and behavior),we investigated this potential integrating 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and behavior data in Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys(Rhinopithecus bieti),which possess a multilevel social group based on one male units(OMUs,each unit with several breeding females and their offspring)and all-male unit(AMU,several bachelor males residing together).We found that the mean unweighted Unifrac distance between adult males from different OMUs was significantly lower than that between adult females from different OMUs(paired Wilcoxon test,P=0.007).There was no significant difference in the mean unweighted Unifrac distance between females within the same OMU or between females from different OMUs.These findings indicated the potential connection between the defense and invasion of social units and the gut microbiome community in wild Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys.We speculated that the resident males of OMUs displaying a significantly higher similarity in the gut microbial community than that of adult females in separate OMUs might be associated with the sexual differences in their interactions and from previously having cohabitated together in the AMU.Therefore,this study suggested that multilevel societies might have an effect on the gut microbial community in this wild nonhuman primate species.
