A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Predation selects for low resting metabolic rate and consistent individual differences in anti-predator behavior in a beetle
Authors: Indrikis Krams, Inese Kivleniece, Aare Kuusik, Tatjana Krama, Todd M Freeberg, Raivo Mänd, Jolanta Vrublevska, Markus J Rantala, Marika Mänd
Publisher: SPRINGER HEIDELBERG
Publication year: 2013
Journal: Acta ethologica
Journal name in source: ACTA ETHOLOGICA
Journal acronym: ACTA ETHOL
Number in series: 3
Volume: 16
Issue: 3
First page : 163
Last page: 172
Number of pages: 10
ISSN: 0873-9749
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10211-013-0147-3
Abstract
Significant between-individual variation in resting metabolic rate (RMR) of animals is a widespread phenomenon that may have important implications for our understanding of variation in behavior and animal personality. By using wild caught mealworm beetles, Tenebrio molitor, we examined the relationships among survival rate under predator tests, individual response latency time to become immobile under the risk of predation, duration of immobility time, and RMR. Individuals with higher levels of RMR were bold, and bold individuals were found to be more exposed to the risk of bird predation. We found that RMR was positively correlated with the latency of immobility response and negatively correlated with the total duration of immobility. The correlation between behavioral responses suggests a behavioral syndrome in the anti-predator behavior of T. molitor. The results indicate that energy metabolism may be part of a syndrome that involves behavior and life history traits in animals.
Significant between-individual variation in resting metabolic rate (RMR) of animals is a widespread phenomenon that may have important implications for our understanding of variation in behavior and animal personality. By using wild caught mealworm beetles, Tenebrio molitor, we examined the relationships among survival rate under predator tests, individual response latency time to become immobile under the risk of predation, duration of immobility time, and RMR. Individuals with higher levels of RMR were bold, and bold individuals were found to be more exposed to the risk of bird predation. We found that RMR was positively correlated with the latency of immobility response and negatively correlated with the total duration of immobility. The correlation between behavioral responses suggests a behavioral syndrome in the anti-predator behavior of T. molitor. The results indicate that energy metabolism may be part of a syndrome that involves behavior and life history traits in animals.
UTU Research Portal