Thursday, June 21st

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Session 1 (British Indian Ocean Time; GMT +6; CST +12)

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Topic: Conservation

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1700 Biotweeps Organising Team (@biotweeps; @thonoir; @DaniRabaiotti; @ItatiVCS; @KJames_IntBio; @CanopyRobin; @alegnacamargo29)

 

Welcome to #BTCon18

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1715 Invited presentation - Monica Granados (@Monsauce)

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Using fish feeding behaviour as an early warning tool in freshwater ecosystems 

Climate change has profoundly impacted the structure and function of ecosystems. Rising temperatures not only spur the extinction and migration of species, but also alter the structure of who-eats-whom in an ecosystem. When warming has differential effects on adjacent habitats, it can disrupt the movement of species between these habitats. In freshwater ecosystems, climate warming is rendering shallow littoral areas less habitable for some omnivores, meaning they venture and feed less in these shallow areas resulting in a loss of stability. Here, we present a novel conservation tool which tracks the movement between habitats or coupling of food webs by omnivores. Using stable isotope data, we analysed coupling in lakes along a climate gradient in Ontario. By identifying where coupling was weak we could detect which lakes are more prone to the loss of stability. We argue that food web structure is promising early warning indicator for the loss of stability and a powerful monitoring tool. 

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1745 Susan Cheyne (@DrSusanCheyne), Borneo Nature Foundation
 

Cryptic Predators: Searching for the 5 Cats of Borneo

All 5 cat species are under threat throughout Indonesian Borneo. There is limited information on the distribution or conservation challenges facing clouded leopards and the 4 smaller cat species in Indonesian Borneo. We are surveying understudied landscapes to assess felid distribution and anthropogenic impacts to help inform conservation actions.
Keywords: felid, Borneo, conservation, camera-trap
 

1800 Pelf-Nyok Chen (@pelf81), Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia
 

Saving the critically endangered river terrapins

River terrapins are only found in Thailand, Cambodia and Pen. Malaysia. They're critically endangered due to consumption of their eggs, fishing gears and habitat destruction. We collect and incubate their eggs, head-start the hatchlings, then release them into the river. This is the first community-based terrapin conservation project in Malaysia.
Keywords: terrapin, turtle, conservation, awareness
 

1815 Dave Hemprich-Bennett (@hammerheadbat), Queen Mary University of London
Tor Kemp (@Tor_85)
 

DNA barcoding, logging, and the diets of tropical insectivorous bats

Much of SE Asia has been selectively logged, and its important to know the conservation value of these areas. We captured insect-eating bats across Sabah, Borneo, and classed the DNA in their guano to assess their feeding ecology at each site, creating mathematical networks with the resulting data. We also took a gratuitous amount of bat-photos.
Keywords: Bats, conservation, genetics, networks
 

1830 Alex Evans (@alexevans91), University of Leeds
Joseph Llanos (@joe_llanos), William Kunin (NA), Sophie Evison (@Sop_Evo)
 

The indirect effects of pesticides on pollinator parasite prevalence

Insect pollinators are experiencing worldwide declines that are correlated with pesticide exposure and disease prevalence. By conducting pollinator surveys in agricultural sites and screening for parasites in solitary bees, we highlight the importance of understanding how the interactions between pesticides and parasites affect wild pollinators.
Keywords: pollinators, bees, pesticides, parasites
 

1845 Lucy Mitchell (@lucyjayneryan), University of York
 

Changing habitat selection of the nocturnal nightjar

What do out nocturnal nightjars need? These cryptic insectivores are hard to track down, so to understand their breeding needs better, we use tail-attached GPS units to study movement patterns and foraging locations to plan best-practice management for population growth. High individual variation indicates the need for a mosaic of habitats onsite.
Keywords: #conservation, #movement, #foraging, #ecology
 

1900 Tom Bradfer-Lawrence (@_EcologyTom), University of Stirling
Nick Gardner, Daisy Dent (@DaisyDent)

Canopy & Understory Bird Assemblages in Neotropical Secondary Forest

Using a novel survey method in Neotropical secondary forest we showed that, relative to understory assemblages, canopy bird assemblages: were less influenced by secondary forest age and isolation; had higher species richness; had greater variation in both dietary breadth and body mass.
Keywords: #Ornithology, #Canopy, #Conservation

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Topic: Molecular/micro

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1930 Invited presenter - Andrew J. Crawford (@CrawfordAJ), Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.

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Environmental history is written in the DNA of tropical frogs 

Half of all frog species in the World are found in South America. The western Amazonian rain forest has the greatest frog diversity in one spot. The Andes mountains have the greatest total number of species. This makes Brazil and Colombia the #1 and #2 most frog-rich countries in the World. To find out why, we need to know the evolutionary history of these species and the history of the South American environment. The history of any species is written in its DNA. Comparing sequences of DNA from different species or populations we can figure out who is related to whom and when they diverged from their common ancestor. The genealogical record written in the DNA of species can also provide clues about the history of the environment in which these species live. Frogs are a particularly useful study case for learning about environmental history from DNA sequence variation because frogs can’t fly, can’t survive in salt water, move relatively little, and are sensitive to environmental extremes such as lack of water.

 

During my #BTCon18 session, I hope to show examples of how the @CrawLab uses DNA sequences and a little evolutionary theory to answer questions such as: Why so many species? Where did they come from? Where are they found now? How old are these species? How are new species formed? How have frogs adapted to their environment? What conservation challenges do frogs face in Central and South America?

 

Along the way I hope to highlight the work of wonderful collaborators @vickyflechas @guarnitron @MrCulebra @jeff_streicher @andrepazv and @kwren88, among others.

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2000 Kaberi Datta (@littleloonykd), University of Calcutta, India
 

Why do hearts fail after a heart attack?
Heart failure is a major complication after a heart attack. It happens due to cardiac remodeling. This study determined what sort of cellular networks and proteins were involved in remodeling the heart for failure. We found changes in cardiac metabolism and a unique expression of cytoskeletal proteins that may explain heart function deterioration.
Keywords: heart-failure, infarction, cardiac, remodeling
 

2015 Arno Fricke (@Arno_Fry), University College Cork (UCC)
@newtrients_ucc (is our project handle)
 

Transforming dairy wastewater into bioplastic
Degradable, microbial bioplastic could substitute petrochemical plastic in the future. My PhD project aims to: utilize dairy processing wastewater as a resource, produce bioplastics and remediate the wastewater at the same time. All of this is possible by naturally adapting bacteria to improve their performance.
Keywords: bioeconomy, bioplastics, biotechnology, bacteria,
 

2030 Alicia Mateos Cardenas (@AliciaMateos_), University College Cork
 

Microplastic pollution in freshwater environments
Microplastics (MP) are plastic particles smaller than 5 mm. These particles are widespread in oceans, rivers and lakes. The objective of my project is to explore the potential toxicological effects of MP on freshwater organisms. This will inform monitoring programmes and Irish regulatory policy.
Keywords: microplastics, plastic pollution, ecotoxicology, freshwater
 

2045 Sergio Nigenda-Morales (@SergioNigenda), Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad
Matthew Gompper, David Valenzuela-Galván, Anna Lay, Karen Kapheim (@KarenKapheim), Christine Hass, Susan Booth-Binczik, Gerald Binczik, Ben Hirsch, Maureen McColgin, John Koprowski, Katherine McFadden, Robert Wayne, Klaus Peter-Koepfli
 

Putting the evolutionary history of the white-nosed coati (Nasua narica) upside-down
The white-nosed coati (Nausa narica) and other procyonids are thought to be of North American origin, invading South America after the rise of the Isthmus of Panama. With molecular phylogeograpic analyses we show N. narica may have evolved in SA and colonized NA before the IP closure, having important evolutionary implications for procyonids.
Keywords: phylogeography, evolution, coati, biogeography

 

2100 Inivited presenter - Elisabeth Bik (@MicrobiomDigest)

uBiome San Francisco

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The vaginal microbiome: Women and their microbial BFFs

The human body is home to complex communities of microbes: the human microbiome. Most of these microbes are bacteria, and most of these live in our gut. But vaginas contain microbes as well. Which microbes “down there” are our friends, and which are the ones that cause bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, infertility, or cervical cancer? How can we keep vaginas healthy and happy, and what do we need to do in case of a microbial imbalance? If you are interested in science, have a vagina, or love vaginas owned by others, you do not want to miss this #BTCon18 thread. 

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Session 2 (Greenwich Meridian Time; BIOT -6; CST +6)

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Topic: Interdisciplinary

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1700 Invited presenter - Nathali Pettorelli (@Pettorelli)

Zoological Society of London

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How satellite imagery is transforming conservation science

This presentation will explore how remote sensing, and particularly satellite remote sensing, is changing our capacity to monitor biodiversity and derive an ecological understanding of the natural world. The talk will first introduce the different types of sensors currently onboard satellites, and explain how they differ in what they can do. Using case studies, the presentation will then highlight the diversity of approaches available to monitor species and ecosystems and illustrate the challenges currently hampering broader use. The talk will conclude with a discussion on current and future opportunities for satellite data to inform large scale biodiversity monitoring schemes, and a perspective on how satellite information may support a shift from compositional to functional conservation.

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1730 Tuomas Aivelo (@aivelo), University of Helsinki
Anna Uitto 

Teachers’ approaches to genetics teaching
We interviewed Finnish upper secondary school biology teachers and asked how they choose contents for their genetics course. We built a tentative model with Grounded Theory and identified three distinct approaches to genetics, which mirrored teachers’ willingness to discuss controversial, societal or sensitive issues with students.
Keywords: #STEM #scienceed #teachered #genetics
 

1745 Purva Kulkarni (@Purva_Kulkarni), Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW)
Purva Kulkarni, Rutger Wilschut, Koen Verhoeven, Wim van der Putten, Paolina Garbeva

LAESI- MSI as a tool to differentiate the root metabolome of native and range expanding plant species
Popular mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) ionization approaches can alter biochemical status of samples. We used laser assisted electrospray ionization (LAESI) MSI to study metabolomic diversity in range-expanding & native plant roots. Results revealed clear differences in their metabolite profiles making it an ideal tool for untargeted metabolomics.
Keywords: #metabolomics #ImagingMS #LAESIMSI #untargetedMetabolomics
 

1800 Sheryl Hosler (@RvingNaturalist), Northern Illinois University
Nicholas A. Barber (@BarberEcology), Holly P. Jones (@DocHPJones)

Dung Beetle Functional Traits Related to Restoration Management Practices in Tallgrass Prairie
Ecosystems can be restored and evaluated using functional trait analysis. We examined dung beetle communities in restored tallgrass prairie. Bison and fire presence interact to increase dung beetle abundance in sites. We recommend that managers consider the arthropod community when making management decisions.
Keywords: restoration, ecology, prairie, beetles
 

1815 Natasha Klappstein (@NJKlappstein), University of Alberta
Andrew Derocher (@AEDerocher), Ron Togunov (@RTogunov)

Going against the flow: sea ice drift and polar bear population decline in western Hudson Bay (WH)
Sea ice drifts and thus increases energy costs for polar bears if they move against the ice. We examined bear movement and ice drift patterns in WH, where the population has declined. Contrary to findings in other populations, our results suggest that ice drift is not a substantial threat to WH bears and decreased foraging may be a larger concern.
Keywords: #polarbears #seaice #climatechange #animalmovement
 

1830 Madeline Cashion (@madforsharks), UBC Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries

What's the (shark) catch?
Effective management of marine fisheries relies on accurate, comprehensive reports of the species caught. These data are lacking for sharks and rays, a threatened group of fishes. Our study estimates which species have been caught in the Mediterranean and Black Seas from 1950-2014. We newly identify 1/2 million t of catch by species and country.
Keywords: #sharks, #fisheries, #bycatch, #BigData
 

1845 Zac Baynham-Herd (@ZacBaynhamHerd), University of Edinburgh
Aidan Keane (@aidank), Nils Bunnefeld (@bunnefeld), Steve Redpath, Tom Molony

 

Conservation conflict interventions
Conservation conflicts are widespread and framed in different ways. We identify technical, cognitive, economic, enforcement and stakeholder-based conflict intervention recommendations. We find that these interventions associate with different conflict behaviors and frames and are rarely supported by strong scientific evidence or Theories of Change
Keywords: #conservation, #humanwildlifeconflict, #behavior, #intervention

 

1900 Invited presenter - Timotee Poisot (@tpoi)

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Cleaning up the mess: why using networks can help community ecology

Graph theory is a branch of mathematics, and ecologists usually avoid these. But because it offers a formalism to represent interactions between objects, graph theory (and the broader field of network science) is a powerful tool to describe and understand how ecological communities assemble and persist. Based on recent reviews of the literature, I will provide an illustrated introduction to the use of networks in community ecology, and discuss how we can build ambitious research projects within this framework.

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Topic: Health/disease

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1930 Invited presenter - Tora K. Smulders-Srinivasan (@toraks), Teesside University

 

Racing fruit flies to discover more about how Parkinson’s disease makes brain cells die

Parkinson’s disease affects neurons (brain cells or nerve cells) in people and causes many difficulties for them. Scientists have found out what some problems with the neurons are — and one of those is the mitochondria in the neurons. Mitochondria are the parts of our cells that convert the energy from the food we eat (carbohydrates, sugars, fats, etc.) into a form of energy that the cells can use (ATP). Neurons use a lot of energy so are very affected by mitochondrial problems and mitochondria seem to be part of what is going wrong in affected Parkinson’s disease neurons. Knowing that other researchers had figured out some really exciting details about what’s going wrong in Parkinson’s, all in fruit fly models (Drosophila melanogaster), and what they found in flies applies to what is going on in the brains of people with Parkinson’s, I decided to study the details of mitochondria in neurons affected by Parkinson’s disease in the fruit fly model system. The Parkinson’s mutant flies don’t climb as well as the normal flies — I am using that difference to see what happens when different parts of the mitochondria are defective as well. So I run races with the different flies to see if they get faster or slower depending which parts of the mitochondria are defective. I hope that understanding more about the details of the possible roles of mitochondria in Parkinson’s neurons will help us to design better treatments.

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2000 Ashley Edes (@ashley_edes), The Ohio State University

Rearing history, allostatic load, and health in zoo gorillas
Early life adversity (ELA) may disrupt physiology, or allostatic load (AL), and increase morbidity and mortality risk. As capture may represent ELA in primates, I tested for differences in AL between zoo-born (ZB) and wild-caught (WC) gorillas (n=63). WC gorillas had significantly higher AL than ZB, suggesting greater risk for poor health outcomes.
Keywords: gorillas, stress, adversity, health
 

2015 Adam Hayward (@adhayward18), Moredun Research Institute
Jessica Leivesley (@jess_leivesley), Luc Bussiere (@luc_bussiere), Josephine Pemberton, Jill Pilkington (@soaysheep), Ken Wilson (@spodoptera007)

Survival costs of reproduction are mediated by parasites in wild Soay sheep
As any parent knows, children are costly. We found that reproduction in female wild sheep led to heavier parasite infections. Heavier infections led to reduced survival, but direct effects of reproduction on survival were weak. Our results show the key role parasites play in the trade-off between reproduction and survival faced by all animals.
Keywords: lifehistory, tradeoff, ecoimmunology, parasites
 

2030 Amy Sweeny (@arsweeny), University of Edinburgh
Amy Pedersen (@amybpedersen), Saudamini Venkatesan (@vsmini), Simon Babayan (@SimonAB)

Improved nutrition increases resistance to helminthes and anthelminthic efficacy in wild and laboratory mice
Nutrition plays a key role in host health, but is difficult to study in the wild. By experimentally supplementing nutrition of wild and captive wood mice, we show that improved nutrition can increase resistance to helminths and investment in immunity, suggesting that nutrition is an important consideration for parasite infections in the wild.
Keywords: nutrition, immunity, disease, ecology
 

2045 Maureen Williams (@modubs11), Trinity College Dublin
Celia Holland, Ian Donohue (@donohueian)

How parasites & warming impact the function of ecologically important invertebrates
The impact of parasitic infection & a warming climate is only now becoming clear. By combining host energy budgets with trials on behavioral manipulation, predation & scavenging across temperatures, we show temperature moderates physiology, infection influences feeding preferences, & both parasitism & temperature modify anti-predator behavior.
Keywords: Parasites, Climate Change, Behaviour, Function
 

2100 Katherine Raines (@anchorage40), University of Stirling
David Copplestone (@dcoppl), Matt Tinsley (@matt__tinsley)

Parasite exposure exacerbates the effects of radiation for bumblebees living in Chernobyl
What are the consequences for bumblebees living in Chernobyl? Using lab and field studies in Chernobyl we tested effects of radiation on bumblebees. We found greater number of parasites caused fitness loss in both lab and Chernobyl with radiation exposure. For the first time, we understand how the effects of radiation are exacerbated by other stressors in wildlife.
Keywords: bumblebee, Chernobyl, radiation, parasite

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Session 3 (Central Standard Time; GMT -6; BIOT -12)

 

Topic: Science communication

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1700 Invited presenter - Melissa Cristina Márquez (@mcmsharksxx)

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Who lives, who dies, who tells their story: Sharks through various culture lenses and how policy reflects that perception

Public opinion and attitude towards wildlife can significantly affect the implementation and success of conservation initiatives. In extreme cases, negative public perception towards species of concern can result in failure of conservation efforts. A universal fear of sharks has not always been present and the portrayal of sharks has evolved over the years from worship to disdain. There are a myriad of factors that may influence attitude towards wildlife. This includes the attitude towards wildlife and perception of the value of wildlife. Understanding these factors that influence attitudes will in turn influence wildlife management decisions and their success. Numerous studies have been conducted on the ecology and biology of Chondrichthyans (sharks, skates, rays, and chimaeras), but few have highlighted peoples’ attitudes towards these species in particular. This research delves into the history, mythology, legends, and folklore around Chondrichthyans worldwide and if the portrayal of sharks in a culture (good or bad) is reflected in their policy and conservation protections. Results found that the region’s beliefs was not always reflected in policy, conservation efforts, or protection. This presentation will suggest ways to involve locals (including indigenous communities) in citizen science projects for a goal of achieving a long-term “co-existing with wildlife” mindset.

 

1730 Silvia Margarita Carrillo Saucedo (@maguecita7), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Sarahi Alfaro (@sarah_alfaroo), María Haro Reyna (@Haro_Reyna), José Fernando Franco, Eduardo Avilés

From soil to cultivar
Mix the talents of a scientist in process, a visual artist, a musician and an engineer and it will be a fun way to see science. We present an animation done in an interdisciplinary way to explain the symbiosis between fungi and plants.
Keywords: mycorrhiza, symbiosis, animation, cutoff

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1745 Erin Ryan (@erinatmanryan), BC SPCA
Sara Dubois (@saradubois)

In the name of conservation: Seven questions to ask before conducting wildlife control
Wildlife control – the lethal or non-lethal management of wild animal to restrict their activities – is often controversial because inhumane and ineffective strategies are used. Asking these seven questions based on international consensus principles ensures wildlife control programs are evidence-based and fully consider ethical concerns.
Keywords: wildlifecontrol, appliedbiology, animalwelfare, compassionateconservation
 

1800 Marcus Chua (@marcuschua), Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, NUS; George Mason University
Sheema A. Aziz

Into the light: Atypical diurnal foraging activity of Blyth’s horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus lepidus on Tioman Island, Malaysia
Diurnal flight and feeding in insectivorous bats are atypical behaviours. We present the first known observations of diurnal flight and hunting activity of the Blyth's horseshoe bat (R. lepidus) on Tioman Island, Malaysia recorded using visual and acoustic monitoring. The bats do so possibly because there are no daytime avian predators there.
Keywords: acoustic monitoring, daylight, foraging behaviour, tropical forest
 

1815 Adam Britton (@adambritton), Charles Darwin University

How crocodile attacks can be used to save people's lives and conserve crocodiles
Conservation of crocodiles is challenging when their recovery increases the risk of attacks on people. To find potential solutions we set up a database (CrocBITE) and used historical records of over 4,000 attacks to learn how to better prevent attacks in the future, which means people are more likely to tolerate the presence of crocodiles.
Keywords: management, conservation, wildlife, conflict

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Topic: Ecology

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1900 Invited presenter - Cam Houser (@camhouser), Virginia Tech, Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation

Randy Wynne, Val Thomas, Martha Anderson, Yun Yang

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Using remote sensing to understand relationships between forest structure and evapotranspiration

Vegetation structure is a key ecosystem property influencing the atmosphere-land surface energy balance. The vertical structure of canopies can alter the movement of wind, heat, and moisture throughout ecosystems. Forests are of particular interest as they are highly variable and structurally complex compared to grasslands and agricultural systems. We have been working to understand relationships between forest structure and surface energy fluxes such as evapotranspiration (ET) across space and time. In this presentation, I will talk about the ways we are using remote sensing to mapping energy fluxes and characterize vegetation structure to address questions related to drought monitoring and forest management.

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1930 Kathleen Farley (@WoodcockWatchNJ), Rutgers University-Newark
Claus Holzapfel (@Tafelente)

Decisions on the Fly: Why do degraded habitats attract American Woodcock?
@WoodcockwatchNJ investigates how American Woodcock (AMWO) use degraded habitat for courtship in urban NJ. 2017 data shows more birds and longer courtship seasons in urban, more degraded regions. Habitat analysis shows food more than vegetation community
Keywords: JerseyDoodles, ornithology, birds

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1945 Alexa Varah (@alexa_varah), Institute of Zoology
Prof Simon Potts (@SimonGPotts), Dr Jo Smith, Dr Hannah Jones

Delivering multiple ecosystem services in UK agriculture – can agroforestry do it all?
Agricultural intensification causes trade-offs between food production and environmental quality. Could agroforestry reconcile these conflicts? Results suggest yes: production efficiency, biodiversity, pollination, and in some instances also carbon stock, were higher in agroforestry than monoculture in six UK sites studied over three years.
Keywords: agroforestry, sustainable, agriculture, EcosystemServices
 

2000 Ramesh Laungani (@DrRamBio), Doane University
Bret Andrew, Patrick Thimes, Ivy Banks, Erin Lahowetz, Ali Fletcher

Impact of biochar on grassland plants
Soil biochar (BC) addition fights climate change by storing carbon (C), but BCs impact on plants is unclear. We studied 1) BC impacts on grass & soil CO2 flux, 2) BC stability. We found: 1) higher % roots w/ BC, 2) soil CO2 flux changes w/ BC type, 3) high BC stability. BC may enhance C storage by shifting plant allocation, but depends on BC type.
Keywords: biochar, grasslands, climatechange
 

2015 Kirsty MacLeod (@kirstyjean), Pennsylvania State University
Tracy Langkilde (@TracyLangkilde),  Michael Sheriff (@SheriffLab)

Stress kills: maternal glucocorticoid treatment during gestation reduces female survival and reproductive success in eastern fence lizards
Stressful encounters elevate glucocorticoid hormone levels. Fundamental to understanding the ecological role of stress is determining the fitness effects of such elevations. We show that female eastern fence lizards treated daily with glucocorticoids experienced higher mortality, and reduced reproductive success than control females. Stress kills!
Keywords: stress, endocrinology, lizards, ecology
 

2030 Greg Albery (@gfalbery), University of Edinburgh
Fiona Kenyon, Daniel Nussey, Josephine Pemberton,  Rum Deer Research (@RumDeerResearch)

Reproduction and helminths in wild red deer
Reproduction in wild mammals reduces the resources available for the immune system, and as such animals that have reproduced should be less resistant to parasites. However, it is difficult to show tradeoffs between reproduction, immunity and parasitism in the wild, and then to separate costs associated with different components of reproduction. Over two years we have used a wild population of individually recognised red deer on the Isle of Rum to investigate adaptive immunity and gastrointestinal helminth parasitism and their associations with female reproduction. I will present analyses linking reproduction to reduced immunity, increased parasitism and a resultant reduction in future fitness, offering rare and compelling evidence for a life history-immune tradeoff in a wild mammal.
Keywords: ecoimmunology, parasites, tradeoff
 

2045 Angela Camargo-Sanabria (@alegnacamargo29), CONACYT - Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua
Eduardo Mendoza, Francisco J. Espinosa-García, Miguel Martínez-Ramos, Wolfgang Stuppy, Rodolfo Dirzo

Post-dispersal seed removal by large and small Neotropical mammals varies with seed traits and animal body size
We used a set of experimental exclosures to assess the effect of animal body size (medium-large vs. small mammals) on seed removal of tree species varying in nutrient content and defenses. Chemical defenses were more important than nutritional content. Comparatively, small mammals had a greater relative importance as removers than large mammals.
Keywords: LacandonForest, SecondaryMetabolites, SeedPredation, TropicalMammals
 

2100 Avery Scherer (@crabduchess), El Colegio de la Frontera Sur Chetumal
Yann Hénaut

Social learning as an ecological mechanism of invasion success in the red lionfish Pterois volitans
Researchers hypothesize the ability to learn by observing facilitates invasive species integration into new habitats. We tested the capacity of lionfish to learn to avoid novel habitat by observing distressed conspecifics in this habitat. Early results suggest lionfish learn through multiple pathways and prioritize diverse sources of information.
Keywords: invasives, lionfish, behavior, learning