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Maximising survival by shifting the daily timing of activity.

ABSTRACT: Maximising survival requires animals to balance the competing demands of maintaining energy balance and avoiding predation. Here, quantitative modelling shows that optimising the daily timing of activity and rest based on the encountered environmental conditions enables small mammals to maximise survival. Our model shows that nocturnality is typically beneficial when predation risk is higher during the day than during the night, but this is reversed by the energetic benefit of diurnality when food becomes scarce. Empirical testing under semi-natural conditions revealed that the daily timing of activity and rest in mice exposed to manipulations in energy availability and perceived predation risk is in line with the model's predictions. Low food availability and decreased perceived daytime predation risk promote diurnal activity patterns. Overall, our results identify temporal niche switching in small mammals as a strategy to maximise survival in response to environmental changes in food availability and perceived predation risk.

SUBMITTER: van der Vinne V

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6899458 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Maximising survival by shifting the daily timing of activity.

van der Vinne Vincent V Tachinardi Patricia P Riede Sjaak J SJ Akkerman Jildert J Scheepe Jamey J Daan Serge S Hut Roelof A RA

Ecology letters 20191016 12

Maximising survival requires animals to balance the competing demands of maintaining energy balance and avoiding predation. Here, quantitative modelling shows that optimising the daily timing of activity and rest based on the encountered environmental conditions enables small mammals to maximise survival. Our model shows that nocturnality is typically beneficial when predation risk is higher during the day than during the night, but this is reversed by the energetic benefit of diurnality when fo ...[more]

PMID: 31617283

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Project description:The competition for nutrients in overnourished and still-growing adolescent sheep negatively impacts gestation length, colostrum supply and lamb birthweight, all of which may affect neonatal morbidity and survival to weaning. Herein perinatal complications and the requirement for supplementary feeding were analysed in relation to gestational-intake, and the degree of premature delivery and prenatal growth-restriction exhibited. Pregnancies were established by embryo transfer and the mean/standard deviation (SD) gestation length and birthweight of the optimally-fed control group (n = 100) was used to define early delivery and reduced birthweight categories (1.5 and 3.0 SDs below the control mean for each aspect). Control lambs were largely delivered at term (94%), and had a normal birthweight (92%), while very preterm (≤139days, 18.5%) and preterm delivery (140-142days, 54.8%), extremely low birthweight (ELBW; females ≤2838g and males ≤3216g, 21.1%) and low birthweight (LBW; females 2839 to ≤4001g and males 3217 to ≤4372g, 32.2%), were common in the overnourished group (n = 270, P<0.001). Accordingly, overnourished dams were more likely to lamb without assistance while the incidence of major dystocia was greater in controls. Initial lamb vigour at birth was independent of gestational-intake, delivery or birthweight category but both ELBW and very premature lambs required more assistance with feeding in the first 24h postnatal, primarily reflecting low colostrum availability. Indeed, relative to normal, ELBW lambs had a greater risk of experiencing mismothering, and enhanced likelihood of requiring supplementary feeding throughout the neonatal period (P<0.001). ELBW lambs also had a greater possibility of respiratory issues at birth (P<0.01) and renal complications (P<0.001), while very preterm delivery was associated with an increased risk of gastrointestinal tract problems (P<0.01). In spite of these complications, all-cause mortality was low (5.4%) suggesting that our proactive neonatal care regime can overcome many of the issues associated with extreme prematurity and low birthweight.

Project description:ImportanceLimited research has described the timing of acquisition of the broad range of skills required for the transition to adulthood.ObjectiveTo describe the timing of the shift of responsibility for daily tasks from parent to child.DesignThis study used an existing data set of parent responses to 49 items in the Responsibility domain of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory Computer Adaptive Tests.ParticipantsA U.S. nationally representative sample of 2,205 typically developing children and youth ages 0 to 20 yr.Outcomes and measuresDescriptive analyses focused on two ages: (1) starting age (when >50% of parents reported their child was taking at least some responsibility for a task) and (2) full responsibility age (when >50% of parents reported their child was taking full responsibility for the task).ResultsThe process of shifting responsibility for daily life tasks from parent to child typically occurred over a long period. Many task items had an interval of 5 yr from starting age to full responsibility age; the longest interval was 15 yr. Youth began assuming responsibility for more complex tasks and tasks that involved more risk at ages 10 to 15.Conclusions and relevanceResults can serve as a reference for the timing of the transition to greater self-management of daily life tasks across childhood and adolescence. Timing of responsibility shifts may reflect a combination of development of underlying capacities and social transitions. Executive functioning may be especially relevant for management of the more complex tasks required in daily life in adulthood.What this article addsThe transfer of responsibility for managing tasks of daily life from parents to children often extends over a period of many years. Clinicians may find the results helpful when discussing the future with parents of young people with disabilities and other chronic conditions and the tasks that their children must learn to manage for independent living as an adult.

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Maximising survival by shifting the daily timing of activity.

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Maximising survival by shifting the daily timing of activity.

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