Outstanding issues in the study of antipredator defenses
Abstract Protective defense mechanisms are well documented across the animal kingdom, but there are still examples of antipredator defenses that do not fit easily into the current conceptualization. They either fall within the intersection of multiple mechanisms or fail to fall neatly into pre‐exist...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10803 |
| _version_ | 1797373144453873664 |
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| author | Yuqian Huang Tim Caro |
| author_facet | Yuqian Huang Tim Caro |
| author_sort | Yuqian Huang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Protective defense mechanisms are well documented across the animal kingdom, but there are still examples of antipredator defenses that do not fit easily into the current conceptualization. They either fall within the intersection of multiple mechanisms or fail to fall neatly into pre‐existing categories. Here, using Endler's predatory sequence as a framework, we identify problematic examples of antipredator defenses, separating them into protective mechanisms that are difficult to classify and those which act sequentially depending on context. We then discuss three ways of improving underlying terminological and definitional problems: (1) issues with English and polysemy, (2) overlapping aspects of similar mechanisms, and (3) unclear definitions. By scrutinizing the literature, we disentangle several opaque areas in the study of protective defense mechanisms and highlight questions that require further research. An unclear conceptual framework for protective defense mechanisms can lead to misconceptions in understanding the costs and benefits of defenses displayed by animals, while interchangeable terminologies and ambiguous definitions can hinder communication in antipredator studies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T18:45:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-725c39b9636f480baa2cd398ef69b81c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T18:45:04Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-725c39b9636f480baa2cd398ef69b81c2023-12-29T00:26:15ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582023-12-011312n/an/a10.1002/ece3.10803Outstanding issues in the study of antipredator defensesYuqian Huang0Tim Caro1School of Biological Sciences University of Bristol Bristol UKSchool of Biological Sciences University of Bristol Bristol UKAbstract Protective defense mechanisms are well documented across the animal kingdom, but there are still examples of antipredator defenses that do not fit easily into the current conceptualization. They either fall within the intersection of multiple mechanisms or fail to fall neatly into pre‐existing categories. Here, using Endler's predatory sequence as a framework, we identify problematic examples of antipredator defenses, separating them into protective mechanisms that are difficult to classify and those which act sequentially depending on context. We then discuss three ways of improving underlying terminological and definitional problems: (1) issues with English and polysemy, (2) overlapping aspects of similar mechanisms, and (3) unclear definitions. By scrutinizing the literature, we disentangle several opaque areas in the study of protective defense mechanisms and highlight questions that require further research. An unclear conceptual framework for protective defense mechanisms can lead to misconceptions in understanding the costs and benefits of defenses displayed by animals, while interchangeable terminologies and ambiguous definitions can hinder communication in antipredator studies.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10803antipredatordefense behaviorprotective coloration |
| spellingShingle | Yuqian Huang Tim Caro Outstanding issues in the study of antipredator defenses Ecology and Evolution antipredator defense behavior protective coloration |
| title | Outstanding issues in the study of antipredator defenses |
| title_full | Outstanding issues in the study of antipredator defenses |
| title_fullStr | Outstanding issues in the study of antipredator defenses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Outstanding issues in the study of antipredator defenses |
| title_short | Outstanding issues in the study of antipredator defenses |
| title_sort | outstanding issues in the study of antipredator defenses |
| topic | antipredator defense behavior protective coloration |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10803 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yuqianhuang outstandingissuesinthestudyofantipredatordefenses AT timcaro outstandingissuesinthestudyofantipredatordefenses |