University of Chicago & Lincoln Park Zoo
presenting
Wednesday, May 25th
at 12pm
in the Biopsychological Sciences Building (BPSB)
Room 122
940 E 57th St.
graduate student in Ecology and Evolution at the University of Chicago
Wednesday, MAY 18
12pm
Biopsychological Sciences Building (BPSB) Room 122
ABSTRACT:
Coloration is involved in almost every aspect of an animal’s biology, from thermoregulation and vitamin fixation to predator-prey interactions and sexual selection. This has generated a seemingly endless array of dynamically-evolvig coloration phenotypes across the tree of animals. Poison frogs of the family Dendrobatidae exhibit wide variation in coloration. Within this group, bright colorations have evolved independently at least five times, and are known to be involved in predator avoidance, sexual selection, and territoriality. To understand the mechanisms behind the evolution of conspicuous coloration, I study the genus Phyllobates, where plain bright-yellow species have evolved independently two or three times from dark ancestors with yellow dorsal stripes. In this seminar, I combine results from comparative phylogenetics and field experiments to elucidate the role of predation pressures on the evolution of coloration in this group of frogs, and explore the genetic mechanisms behind this process based on preliminary exome sequencing results.
Comparative Behavioral Biology is proud to welcome:
from the Lincoln Park Zoo
in Biopsychological Sciences Building (BPSB) Room 122
940 E 57th St.
Abstract: Free-roaming dogs are both a public health and conservation concern because of their potential to transmit diseases such as rabies. Understanding domestic dog population dynamics and how they are impacted by interventions, such as rabies vaccination, is vital for the planning and implementing of such disease control efforts. Our four-year longitudinal study compared the demography of free-roaming domestic dogs in villages with and without a rabies vaccination campaign near Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.
We identified and followed the life histories of 2,649 owned free-roaming domestic dogs living in four rural villages west of Serengeti National Park. Two villages were part of an existing annual domestic dog rabies vaccination program while two villages were not engaged in any disease control efforts. We revisited households annually and collected dog health, demographic and ownership practice data.
Adult dogs (>12mos) had overall higher survival than puppies in all villages. We observed a male-biased sex ratio across all age classes and higher adult male dog survival. Within the vaccination villages, vaccinated dogs had a decreased risk of death. However, overall mortality in one non-vaccination village was significantly higher than in the two vaccination villages and other non-vaccination village. Dogs in poor body condition had lower survival than dogs in ideal body condition in all villages. Sickness and spotted hyena, Crocuta crocuta, predation were the two main causes of dog death.
Free-roaming domestic dogs in rural communities exist in the context of their human owners as well as the surrounding wildlife. Our results suggest that vaccination alone does not impact domestic dog population dynamics and highlights the need to examine ownership practices. Understanding the role of dogs and their care within these communities is important, particularly in areas where this widespread carnivore can have public health and wildlife conservation implications.
Wednesday, April 20 @12pm
Biopsychological Sciences Building (BPSB) Room 122
940 E 57th St
Abstract: Since 1985 a resident community of Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis), and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), have been studied underwater in the Bahamas. Over 200 individuals of both species have been identified and observed over the years. In addition to life history information, genetics and distribution, underwater dolphin behavior is recorded using underwater video cameras with hydrophone input. Dolphins use three main types of acoustic signals: frequency modulated whistles (narrowband with harmonics), echolocation (broadband clicks) and burst pulsed sounds (packets of closely spaced broadband clicks). We will look at both narrowband and broadband technology that is used to record and categorize dolphins. In addition to recording dolphin vocalizations, we will explore the use of current pattern recognition software to help categorize sounds, and an underwater interface for cognitive work with wild dolphins in the Bahamas.
Comparative Behavioral Biology Presents
University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences
Giving TWO talks:
and
PLEASE NOTE THE LOCATION CHANGE FOR EACH OF THESE LECTURES!
and PLEASE CONTACT ME to schedule a meeting or to attend LUNCH or DINNER with Marlene: cfleener@uchicago.edu
Comparative Behavioral Biology Presents:
ABSTRACT: The science of animal welfare integrates tools from multiple disciplines to evaluate an animal’s physical, mental and emotional well-being. I will present research that demonstrates how welfare science can objectively evaluate emotionally-charged topics such as whether restricting the opportunity to breed or placing animals in public view affects the welfare of primates in captivity. I will report on behavioral and cognitive studies conducted with chimpanzees at the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage Trust in Zambia and with Japanese macaques at Lincoln Park Zoo, and demonstrate how the integration of behavioral and cognitive approaches can be applied to evaluate and ultimately enhance the welfare of primates in human care.
Comparative Behavioral Biology Presents:
Lincoln Park Zoo
Wednesday, February 24 @ 12pm
in Biopsychological Sciences Building (BPSB), 940 E 57th St., Seminar Room 122
ABSTRACT: Animals in the zoo environment are exposed to a multitude of sounds. Some sounds, such as those from the visiting public, are inexorable components of the sound environment of a zoo and may, in some cases, have a negative impact on the behavior of animals. Auditory masking of visitor noise, such as from waterfall features, may alleviate adverse effects of noise but this has not yet been evaluated. Other sounds, such as music or habitat sounds, may be introduced in an attempt to enrich the animals but their utility is questionable. This project investigated the influence of the sound environment on four species of callitrichine monkeys: pied tamarin, white-fronted marmoset, golden lion tamarin, and callimico. The goal of this research was to identify enriching and adverse sound environments and, in the case of the latter, evaluate strategies to ameliorate this effect and promote positive welfare.
Comparative Behavioral Biology Presents:
The University of Massachusetts, Amherst & University of Utah
Wednesday, February 10 @ 12pm
in Biopsychological Sciences Building (BPSB), 940 E 57th St., Seminar Room 122
ABSTRACT: Genitalia may evolve via several processes, including sperm competition, cryptic female choice or sexually antagonistic coevolution. Bats present an excellent group for investigations of male genital elaborations. Amid diverse ecologies and mating systems bats have three types of reproductive delays including; delayed fertilization, implantation and development. Sperm storage also termed ‘delayed fertilization’ (DF) occurs when females store sperm prior to ovulating. By increasing the time over which fertilization occurs, DF may result in increased sperm competition or cryptic female choice and glans elaborations. I discuss data indicating that taxa with DF have more elaborations (spines), which may function for locking, sperm removal or female stimulation. Moving beyond bats I will summarize what is known about similar elaborations in other mammalian taxa. Finally, I address the important but tricky question: what does it mean to store sperm (DF)? The answer has clear implications for natural selection, mating system evolution, and sexual conflict but the criteria for defining female sperm storage are unclear. This is particularly true of female mammals which often lack specialized sperm storage structures. However in regards to sperm storage in mammals – bats remain the ‘champions’ and present valuable study species for those interested in mammalian sperm storage.
If you would like to meet with this speaker during her visit, please contact me at cfleener@uchicago.edu
Comparative Behavioral Biology Presents:
University of Chicago Neurobiology, Ragsdale Lab
Wednesday, February 3rd @12pm
Biopsychological Sciences Building (BPSB), 940 E 57th St, Seminar Room 122
ABSTRACT: Octopuses are unique among invertebrates for their massive brains and sophisticated behaviors. However, octopus neurobiology has been greatly hindered due to the lack of molecular data. To investigate molecular mechanisms of octopus neurobiology, we have sequenced the octopus genome and transcriptomes. These data provide us with fascinating insights into octopus brain development and senescence.
Comparative Behavioral Biology presents
Professor of Biology at Bucknell University; Research Associate at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution
Wednesday, January 27 @12pm
Biopsychological Sciences Building (BPSB), 940 E. 57th St., Seminar Room 122
DeeAnn Reeder is a broadly trained Mammalogist who studies biodiversity, animal behavior, disease ecology/physiology, conservation – and the integration of these fields. Her talk will integrate her three primary areas of scholarship: (1) global mammal biodiversity in which she is the managing editor of the Mammal Species of the World Project, (2) ecophysiology of White-nose Syndrome in North American Bats, and (3) biodiversity, disease, and conservation in South Sudan. Although she is primarily recognized as a bat biologist, her work incorporates other mammal groups, including carnivores, rodents, and primates.
