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Factors affecting predators' search for cryptic prey
Kuncová, Aneta ; Exnerová, Alice (advisor) ; Hotová Svádová, Kateřina (referee)
This thesis is focused on selected mechanisms, which affect predators' search for cryptic prey. The purpose was to compare information concerning existence, content, duration and circumstances related to formation of a visual search image and it's existence in relation to other sensual modalities. The search image research was carried on many animal species, both invertebrates and vertebrates, with most experiments being carried on birds, specifically blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata) and pidgeons (Columba livia). There are many alternative explanations for the results of those experiments, either negating the search image's existence or just adding to it. The majority of studies agrees upon the existence of search image, but the circumstances of it's formation, as well as its duration and content are specific both for different kinds of predators (depending on their foraging strategies) and different kinds of prey. The differences can also be found in the search image's duration, depending on 5 predator's foraging strategy and encounter frequency with target prey. A decrease in this frequency results in disappearance of search image for the given prey. The experiments also show that the information content concerning the searched target, an essential part of the search image, depends on the prey's...
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Antipredatory function of aggregations in aposematic prey
Mitlenerová, Barbora ; Exnerová, Alice (advisor) ; Pipek, Pavel (referee)
Aggregation is a very important strategy of many organisms. It occurs in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Besides other functions (foraging, thermoregulation, maintenance of humidity protection against dessication, epigamic, hibernation or aestivation), aggregation also carries out antipredatory function. Aggregation of animals may reduce the risk of attacks by predators and prey mortality. Reduction of the attack probability might be caused by the predator confusion effect, lower risk of prey detectability, dilution effect, more effective vigilance of aggregation members and increase of strength of the warning signal produced by aposematic prey. Experimental studies, focused on the role of aposematic coloration in antipredatory functions use usually birds as predators. There are many kinds of insects, such as true bugs or mealworms, or artificial prey used as a prey in the experiments. The combination of aposematic signals and gregariousness of prey might have a significant influence on both probability and frequency of predator attacks. The length of predator's hesitation before the attack and the attack intensity used on attack may differ according to the coloration and presentation (gregariousness) of the prey and therefore the chance of survival varies. Aggregation may also improve...
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Factors affecting predators' search for cryptic prey
Kuncová, Aneta ; Exnerová, Alice (advisor) ; Hotová Svádová, Kateřina (referee)
This thesis is focused on selected mechanisms, which affect predators' search for cryptic prey. The purpose was to compare information concerning existence, content, duration and circumstances related to formation of a visual search image and it's existence in relation to other sensual modalities. The search image research was carried on many animal species, both invertebrates and vertebrates, with most experiments being carried on birds, specifically blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata) and pidgeons (Columba livia). There are many alternative explanations for the results of those experiments, either negating the search image's existence or just adding to it. The majority of studies agrees upon the existence of search image, but the circumstances of it's formation, as well as its duration and content are specific both for different kinds of predators (depending on their foraging strategies) and different kinds of prey. The differences can also be found in the search image's duration, depending on 5 predator's foraging strategy and encounter frequency with target prey. A decrease in this frequency results in disappearance of search image for the given prey. The experiments also show that the information content concerning the searched target, an essential part of the search image, depends on the prey's...
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Reactions of naive avian predators to aposematic prey.
KARLÍKOVÁ, Zuzana
Various types of naive predators are used in order to answer the questions which are related to the evolution of aposematism. However it?s unknown if we can generalize results of these experiments with naive birds of different kinds and history. Reactions of naive domestic chicks and naive great tits to aposematic and cryptic prey that were used in similar experiments were investigated and compared.
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