Previous research topics
Behavioural adjustments to risk
Personality & Cognition
Animal personality has been documented for numerous animal species. In particular, risk-taking is a trait that varies among indviduals in natural populations and has far-reaching ecological consequences. In past projects, we have investigated the link between animal personality and various aspects of animal behavior, ranging from antipredatory behaviour, cognitive processes and learning to individual risk landscapes.
Projects
- Patterns and consequences of individual landscapes of risk (Dr. Dammhahn)
- HIREC: human-induced rapid environmental change: Adaptation of small mammals to an urban lifestyle (Dr. Valeria Mazza)
- Personality and associative learning (Dr. Valeria Mazza)
- Personality and cognition: A case study on spacial learing in bank voles (Stefanie Storch, Masterarbeit)
- Is risky behaviour during foraging a personality trait? (Pauline Lange, Masterarbeit)
- Slow explorers get further: An ecological validation of individual differences in exploratory behaviour in the bank vole (Sophie Eden, Masterarbeit)
- Phenotypic plasticity in life history and personality (Antje Herde, PhD 2010-2015)
- Consistent individual differences in social behaviour of bank voles (Katharina Hurtienne, Masterarbeit)
- Is personality connected with risk behaviour, activity range and survival in the wild (Remco Folkertsma, Masterarbeit)
- Indiviudual behaviour in common voles (Linda Jaworski, Masterarbeit)
- Age and sex specific differences in personality in common voles (Florian Spiegel, Diplomarbeit)
- Individuality and behaviour of small mammals: Interactions (Sebastian Spiegel, Diplomarbeit)
- The influende of personality, population density and weather on capturing success of common voles (Beatrice Kreiner, Masterarbeit)
- Antipredatory response of different vole species to a virtual bird of prey (Stephanie Niemeier, Masterarbeit; Stefanie Brandes, Bachelorarbeit)
Funding
DFG: Muster und Konsequenzen individueller Risikolandschaften (Dammhahn 2017-21)
BMBF: Bridgeing in Biodiversity Science (Rural- Urban coupling, u.a. Eccard 2015-2020)
DFG: Phänotypische Plastizität im Verhalten und der Lebensgeschichte in kurzlebigen, iteroparen Säugetieren (Eccard 2010-2013)
DFG (Eccard): Foraging in a risky world (2004-2010)
Publications
Mazza, V, Jacob, J, Dammhahn, M, Zaccaroni, M, Eccard, JA: Individual variation in cognitive styles affects foraging and anti-predatory strategies in a small mammal. (Submitted 1/18)
Mazza, V, Eccard JA, Zaccaroni, M, Jacob, J, Dammhahn M: (2018) The fast and the flexible: cognitive styles drieves individual variation in cognition in a small mammal. Animal Behaviour (in press)
Herde, A., Eccard, J. A. 2013. Consistency in boldness, activity and exploration at different stages of life. BMC Ecology, 13(1): 49. PDF
Eccard, J. A., Herde, A. 2013. Seasonal variation in the behaviour of a short-lived rodent. BMC Ecology, 13(1): 43. PDF
Eccard, J. A., Jokinen, E. I., Ylönen, H. 2011 Loss of density-dependence and incomplete control by dominant breeders in a territorial species with density outbreaks. BMCEcology 11:16 PDF
Eccard, J. A., Rödel, H. G. 2011 Optimizing temperament through litter size in short-lived, iteroparous mammals in seasonal environments. Developmental Psychobiology 53(6): 585-591 PDF
Antipredatory behaviour
Prey has developed specific and unspecific adaptive behavioural responses in order to stay alive. We investigate behavior of prey species in risk-uniform landcapes, where all locations are equally risky and foragers have to avoid risks by increasing their efficiency
Publications
Eccard JA, Meißner JK, Heurich M (2015) European Roe Deer Increase Vigilance When Faced with Immediate Predation Risk by Eurasian Lynx. Ethology 121:1-11. DOI:10.1111/eth.12420
Liesenjohann T, Liesenjohann M, Trebaticka L, Sundell J, Haapakoski M, Ylönen H, Eccard JA (2015) State-dependent foraging: lactating voles adjust their foraging behavior according to the presence of a potential nest predator and season. Behav Ecol Sociobiol. 69(5): 747–754. doi:10.1007/s00265-015-1889-x
Eccard JA, Liesenjohann T (2014) The Importance of Predation Risk and Missed Opportunity Costs for Context-Dependent Foraging Patterns. PLoS ONE 9(5): e94107. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0094107
Eccard, J. A., Liesenjohann, T. 2008. Foraging Decisions in Risk-Uniform Landscapes. PLoS ONE 3(10): e3438. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0003438
Eccard, J. A., Pusenius, J., Sundell, J., Ylönen, H., Halle, S. 2008. Foraging patterns of voles at heterogeneous avian and uniform mustelid predation risk. Oecologia 157(4): 725-734. 10.1007/s00442-008-1100-4
Liesenjohann, T., Eccard, J. A. 2008. Foraging under uniform risk from different types of predators. BMC Ecology, 8:19,http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1472-6785-8-19
Ylönen, H., Eccard, J. A., Jokinen, I. E., Sundell, J. 2006. Is the antipredatory response in behaviour reflected in stress measured in faecal corticosteroids? Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology, 60(3): 350-358. PDF
Ylönen, H., Sundell, J., Eccard, J. A., Tiilikainen, R., Horne, T. 2003. Weasels' (Mustela nivalis nivalis) preference for olfactory cues of the vole (Clethrionomys glareolus). Ecology, 84(6): 1147-1152. PDF
Sundell, J., Eccard, J. A., Tiilikainen, R., Ylönen, H. 2003. Predation rate, prey preference and predator switching: experiments on voles and weasels. Oikos, 101(3): 615-623.
Sexual conflicts
Mate choice
Polyandry, i.e. mating with multiple males within one reproductive event, is now accepted to be one of the most significant female reproductive behaviours. Its adaptive functions and its consequences on male reproductive success, however, are still not identified in most species. In collaboration with Ines Klemme in Finland we study causes and consequences of polyandry in a mammal species the bank vole (Myodes glareolus).
Projects
- Reprodictione behaviour under predation risk: Do mothers trade-off safety of their nestlings against future reproduction? (Dr. Merel Breedveld, Dr. Daniela Reil)
- Reproductive behaviour of bank vole females as a function of infanticide risk and mating interest (Annika Schirmer, Masterarbeit; Remco Folkertsma)
- Trade-offs between current and future reproduction in Myodes glareolus (Janine Räthke, Bachelorarbeit; Tatjana Knopp)
Funding
DFG: Reprodictione behaviour under predation risk: Do mothers trade-off safety of their nestlings against future reproduction?
Collaborations
Ines Klemme & Hannu Ylönen, Jyväskylä, Finland
Publications
Eccard, JA, Reil, D, Folkersma, R, Schirmer, A (2018) The scent of risk: Behavioural adaptations to current and future reproduction in response to infanticide risk by unfamiliar males. Under Revision 18/02
Eccard JA, Dammhahn M, & Ylönen H (2017) The Bruce effect revisited: is pregnancy termination in female rodents an adaptation to ensure breeding success in pairs in low density phases? Oecologia 185: 81-94. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5596041/
Klemme I, Bäumer J, Eccard J A and Ylönen H (2014), Polyandrous females produce sons that are successful at post-copulatory competition. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 27: 457–465. doi: 10.1111/jeb.12334
Klemme, I., Kataja-aho. S., Eccard. J. A., Ylonen, H. 2012. Variable mode of estrus affects female decision for multiple mating. Behavioral Ecology 23(2):361-367 doi: 10.1093/beheco/arr193
Eccard, J. A., Wolf, J. B. W. 2009. Multipaternity rates: importance of litter size and confidence intervals. Animal Behaviour, 78: 563-571. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2009.04.008 - Supplemental Calculator for paternity share: R-script
Klemme, I., Eccard, J. A., Ylönen, H. 2006. Do female bank voles mate multiply to improve on prevoius mates? Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiolgy, 60(3): 415-421. PDF[E1]
Klemme, I., Eccard, J. A., Gerlach, G., Horne, T., Ylönen, H. 2006. Does it pay to be adominant male in a promiscuous species? Annales Zoologici Fennici, 43(3): 248–257. PDF[E2]
Klemme, I., Ylönen, H., Eccard, J. A. 2007. Why do female bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus, mate multiply? Animal Behaviour, 73(4): 623-628. PDF
Klemme, I., Ylönen, H., Eccard, J. A. 2007. Reproductive success of male bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus): the effect of operational sex ratio and body size. Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology, 61(12): 1911-1918. PDF
Klemme, I., Ylönen, H., Eccard, J. A. 2008. Long term fitness benefits of polyandry in a small mammal, the bank vole Clethrionomys glareolus. Proceedings of the Royal Society, Series B. 27(1638)5: 1095-1100. PDF
Pregnancy replacement in mammals – all costs or hidden benefits for females?
The adaptive value of many behavioural processes may relate to very specific biological or social situations. The Bruce effect reported from different mammalian taxa describes the blocking of an early pregnancy in reaction to the confrontation to a new, unknown male. It probably has high energetic costs for the female, especially if a broader, less mechanistic definition of the pregnancy termination also in later stages of the pregnancy is applied. The adaptive value has been debated as a counterstrategy to potential future infanticide by the new male (infanticide avoidance hypothesis), but also lab artefacts were considered since in rodent species the effect was reported only from laboratory conditions. We (Eccard et al. 2017) showed in rodents in experimental, near natural conditions that the Bruce effect was restricted to isolated, breeding pairs and may be adaptive in fluctuation rodent populations during low density phases. We also found that half of the test females replaced pregnancies when encountering a new male while the other half did not, which raised questions about the adaptive value and biological function of the process, potentially in mate choice. In the current project we will experimentally disentangle potential adaptive and mechanistic explanations for pregnancy replacements, namely sequential mate choice or inbreeding avoidance.
The project is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).
Publications
Eccard J.A., Dammhahn M, & Ylönen H (2017) The Bruce effect revisited: is pregnancy termination in female rodents an adaptation to ensure breeding success in pairs in low density phases? Oecologia 185: 81-94. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00442-017-3904-6
Diseases
Hanta Virus
Dr. Daniela Reil
Beech mast, vole population dynamics and the puumula virus (PUUV), a hanta virus are closely connected.
Current topics
Forecasting rodent dynamics and zoonotic diseases
Collaborations
Dr. Jens Jacob (Julius Kühn Institute Münster)
Prof. Dr. Rainer G. Ulrich (Friedrich Löffler Institute)
Publications
Reil, D., Imholt, C., Drewes, S., Ulrich, R. G., Eccard, J. A., Jacob, J. (2015) Environmental conditions in favour of a hantavirus outbreak in 2015 in Germany? Zoonoses and Public Health. DOI: 10.1111/zph.12217
Reil, D., Imholt, C., Eccard, J.A., Jacob, J (2015) Beech fructification and bank vole population dynamics - combined analyses of promoters of human Puumala virus infections in Germany. Plos ONE, D-14-56977R2
Imholt, C., Reil, D., Eccard, J. A., Jacob, D., Hempelmann, N., Jacob, J. (2014) Quantifying the past and future impact of climate on outbreak patterns of bank voles (Myodes glareolus). Pest Management Science, Band: 71, Heft: 2, Seite(n):166-172, ISSN/ISBN: 1526-498
Immune system
Dr. Karin Schneeberger
An individuals immune system depends on various biotic and abiotic factors. In short-lived, fast-reproducing species, the immunocompetence to fight pathogens is strongly connected to survival and reproductive output, and thus to fitness. We aim at studying aspects of the immune system of small mammals during their entire life-span, as well as under different circumstances.
Projects
- Influence of repeated immune challenges on the life-span of short-lifed mammals
- Immunosenescence
- Influence on urban-rural gradients on blood parameters in humans and animals
Collaborations
Gábor Czirják (Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, IZW)
Rodent biodiversity and rodent-born diseases
Managing biodiversity in forests and urban green spaces - dilution and amplification effects of rodent microbiome and rodent-borne diseases
The project aims at elucidating the interrelations between wildlife biodiversity and dynamics of zoonotic disease at local and European scales using standardised assessments. Recently identified new key research directions will be implemented to addressed these issues:
1) interactions among multiple infectious agents on a multi-pathogen level,
2) the simultaneous consideration of the biotic environment (microbiome) in interaction with multiple pathogen diversity levels,
3) the influence of temporal dynamics, including climate change scenarios,
4) the integration of socio-economic contexts.
We will focus on rodent-borne disease dynamics in European temperate forests and urban green spaces. Small mammals, especially rodents, are important reservoirs for the transmission of infectious diseases; forests and urban green spaces are environments where rodents are abundant, human-wildlife interactions are likely occur, and efforts are undertaken to preserve biodiversity. Using small mammal sampling and large pathogen and microbiome community investigation, we will establish an up-to-date, open, comprehensive database of rodent-borne pathogens circulating in western-central European countries. Eco-epidemiological approaches will improve our understanding of microbial interactions and the processes that influence pathogen transmission within rodent populations. Moreover, we will develop mathematical models based on our data to analyse the influence of spatiotemporal scales as well as pathogen-microbiome interactions on the relationships between biodiversity and diseases. We will forecast, through cutting-edge mathematical modelling, what could be the impact of biological conservation strategies on epidemiological patterns of zoonotic pathogens outbreaks. Throughout the project, sociologists will be at the core of partners interactions to help them establishing transdisciplinary collaborations with relevant stakeholders and designing effective knowledge exchanges with these latter. Overall, this project will provide proof-of-concept that joint strategies between public health and conservation biology programs can help to prevent emergence of zoonotic pathogens. Resulting data will be discussed with stakeholders to improve disease prevention policies by working on biodiversity management strategies as well as surveillance, training and awareness campaigns with active participation of all stakeholders.
The project is funded by the DFG (national funding agency) within the EU-Biodiversa programs and runs 2020-2022.
It is carried out by a consortium led by Nathalie Charbonnel (INRA, Montpellier, France) with other partners from IRD (Montpellier, France), Irstea (Grenoble, France), Institute of Technology (Ireland), Medical University of Gdansk (Poland), University of Antwerp (Belgium) and University of Potsdam.
Project members
Jasmin Firozpoor
Publications
Vodjerek L , Firozpoor J , Rödel HG , Eccard JA (2025) Risking infanticide or losing precious time? Delay of reproduction in a short-lived mammal. Open Access Behavioral Ecology, Volume 36, Issue 4, July/August 2025, araf041, doi.org/10.1093/beheco/araf041
Related links
Project site in BiodivERsA brochure (PDF 243KB)
The Anthropocene
Urbanisation
These projects were aimed at identifying the key functional traits of individuals that meet the challenges created by urban environments. Individual variation can drive and constrain animals’ adaptations to human-induced rapid environmental changes (HIREC). Behavioural and cognitive adaptations are likely to play a major role in coping with anthropogenic change because behaviour largely determines how individuals interact with their surroundings. Also, behavioural responses typically occur faster, and are more rapidly reversible, than other responses to environmental change. Ongoing fast urbanisation provides a natural laboratory in which to improve our understanding of the functional role of behaviour for responses to HIREC, as well as the role humans play in eco-evolutionary dynamics. Characterizing traits that enable successful species to thrive in urban habitats might therefore help to illuminate the determinants of successful adaptation to human-altered environments and rapidly-changing conditions, as well as allowing more effective mitigation strategies of the impact on anthropogenic destruction.
Projects
- Examine small rodent community in urban and rural landscapes using both AgroScapeLab and CityScapeLab (Valeria Mazza, Dr. Melanie Dammhahn)
- Small mammal community composition along an urbanisation gradient (Martin Steffen, Masterthesis)
- Behavioural adjustments to urbanisation (Dr. Valeria Mazza, Dr. Melanie Dammhahn, Prof. Dr. Jana Eccard)
Collaborations
Leibniz Institut for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Technische Universität Berlin
“Bridging in Biodiversity Science” (BIBS)
Funding
Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)
Publications
Mazza V, Czyperreck I, Eccard J.A., Dammhahn M (2021) Cross-context responses to novelty in rural and urban small mammals. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 9:661971. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2021.661971
Mazza V & Guenther A (2021) City mice and country mice: innovative problem-solving in rural and urban non-commensal rodents. Animal Behaviour 172(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.12.007
Mazza V, Dammhahn M, Lösche E, Eccard J.A. (2020) Small mammals in the big city: Behavioural adjustments of non‐commensal rodents to urban environments. Global Change Biology 26(11):6326-37. DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15304
Dammhahn M, Mazza V, Schirmer A, Göttsche C, Eccard J.A. (2020) Of city and village mice: behavioural adjustments of striped field mice to urban environments. Scientific reports 2020 10(1):1-12. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-69998-6
Light pollution
Artificial light is affecting the behaviour and physiology of animals and people. With the advance of LED technology street lights and solar garden lights, artificial illumination will become even more abundant, but their effects on wildlife are not well understood.
Projects
- Effects of lightpollution on ground beetles (Vera Kaunath, Masterthesis)
- Effects of different qualities and intensities of atrificial light and its long-term effects on behaviour and physiology of small mammals (Julia Hoffmann, PhD Thesis)
- Personality dependent behavioural response to artificial light at night in bank voles (Myodes glareolus) (Linda Rüsen, Masterthesis)
- The influence of different spectra of light on the activity of Carabus nemoralis and Anoplotrupes stercorosus (Susann Hübner, Masterthesis)
- Effect of artificial light on the activity and space use of small mammals (Marcus Walther, Bachelorthesis)
- Effect of LED garden lights on winter survival and reproduction of small mammals (Julia Hoffmann, Masterthesis)
Collaborations
Franz Hölker (IGB, Verlust der Nacht), Rupert Palme (Vet. Science, Vienna)
Funding
Deutsche Bundersstiftung Umwelt (DBU, for Julia Hoffmann)
Agricultural land use and biodiversity
Agricultural use of our landscapes strongly affects biodiversity, animal communities, animal movement in the landscape and eco health. Studies are part of the “AgroScapeLabs”, which aims to explore the landuse effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning across scales in an agriculturally used landscape.
Projects
- Animal movement patterns across habitats: connecting biodiversity (Gabriele Kowalski, PhD project)
- Effects of land use and landscape structure on distribution and prevalence of tick and lyme disease (Christiane Hönicke, PhD project)
- Effect of crop types and seasonality on bat activity - Ecosystem services of bats in agricultural landscapes? (Olga Heim, PhD project)
- Abiotic and vegetation effect on the abundance of ticks searching for hosts (Jörg Jäger, Masterthesis)
- Insect diversity and biomass on different crop types (Lukas Lorenz, Masterthesis)
- Edge effect in bats at the hedgerow-farmland interface (Jelena Schulze, Masterthesis)
- Bat activity and diversity at forest-farmland interfaces (Johannes Lenski, Masterthesis)
- Bat activity on different crops (Assja Schröder, Masterthesis)
Collaborations
- PD Dr. Christian Voigt (Leibniz Institut for Zoo and Wildlife Research, IZW), Berlin
- Prof. Dr. Boris Schröder-Esselbach (Technische Universität Braunschweig)
- Prof. Dr. Jasmin Joshi (Universität Potsdam)
- Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) Müncheberg
Funding
University of Potsdam, Leibniz Institut for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Landscape Research
Publications
Heim O, Schröder A, Eccard J.A., Jung K, Voig C (2016) Seasonal activity patterns of European bats above intensively used farmland. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment. 233:130-139. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2016.09.002
Heim O, Lorenz L, Kramer-Schadt S, Jung K, Voigt C, Eccard J.A. (2017) Landscape and scale dependent spatial niches of bats foraging above intensively used arable fields. Ecological Processes (accepted May 2017)
Biodiversity mechanisms
BioMove - Connecting movement ecology and biodiversity
The movement of organisms affects biodiversity affects movement affects biodiversity. Mechanisms, however, are poorly understood and may include mobile linkers and equalizing-stability mechanisms. In the BioMove Graduate School we will study these mechanisms and systems in a top-down (biodiversity to movement) and bottom-up (movement to biodiversity) approach, using observational and experimental field studies as well as modelling.
Projects
- Intraspecific trait variation in movement behavior as mechanims for species coexistence (Filippa Erixon, BioMove, cohort III, project 1)
- Movement in a Lanscape of Fear (LoF) - Cascading effects on biodiversity and coexistence (Molly Gilmour, BioMove, cohort III, project 4)
- Intraspecific trait variation in movement behavior as mechanims for species coexistence (Alexander Milles, BioMove, Cohort II, project 1)
- Indirect, tri-trophic effects of fear on biodiversity (Clara Ferreira, BioMove, cohort II, project 4)
- Consistent individual differences in movement-related behaviour (Annika Schirmer, PhD project)
- Animal movement patterns across habitats: connecting biodiversity (Gabriele Kowalski, PhD project)
Collaborations
BioMove Team
Funding
DFG: Verknüpfung von Bewegungsökologie und Biodiversitätsforschung in dynamischen Agrarlandschaften (BioMove, 2015-2018)
Publications
Erixon F, Krämer F, Eccard JA, Gilmour M, Dammhahn M (2025) A timid choice: risk-taking behavior predicts individualized niche in a varying landscape of safety. Oikos
Florian Jeltsch, Manuel Roeleke, Ahmed Abdelfattah, Robert Arlinghaus, Gabriele Berg, Niels Blaum, Luc De Meester, Elke Dittmann, Jana Anja Eccard, Bertrand Fournier, Ursula Gaedke, Cara Gallagher, Lynn Govaert, Mark Hauber, Jonathan M Jeschke, Stephanie Kramer-Schadt, Anja Linstädter, Ulrike Lucke, Valeria Mazza, Ralf Metzler, Claas Nendel, Viktoriia Radchuk, Matthias C Rillig, Masahiro Ryo, Katharina Scheiter, Ralph Tiedemann, Britta Tietjen, Christian C Voigt, Guntram Weithoff, Justyna Wolinska, Damaris Zurell (2025). The need for an individual-based global change ecology. Individual-based Ecology 1: e148200.
Parry V, Kiemel K, Pawlak J, Eccard JA, Tiedemann R, Weithoff G (2024) Drivers of zooplankton dispersal in a pond metacommunity. Hydrobiologia, Volume 851, pages 2875–2893
Pohle J, Signer J, Eccard JA, Dammhahn M, Schlaegel U (2024) How to account for behavioral states in step-selection analysis: a model comparison. Zoological Science.
Wiebke U; Fischer C, Kramer-Schadt S, Pirhofer Walzl K, Eccard JA, Wevers JP, Hardert A, Sliwinski K, Crawford MS, Glemnitz M, Blaum N (2023) The secret life of wild animals revealed by accelerometer data: how landscape diversity and seasonality influence the behavioural types of European hares. Landscape Ecology
Ferreira CM, Dammhahn M, Eccard JA (2023) So many choices, so little time: Food preference and movement vary with the landscape of fear. Ecology and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10330
Ferreira CM, Dammhahn M, Eccard JA (2022) Forager-mediated cascading effects on food resource species diversity. Ecology and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9523
Eccard JA, Ferreira CM, Peredo Arce A, Dammhahn M (2022) Top-down effects of foraging decisions on local, landscape and regional biodiversity of resources (DivGUD). Ecology Letters. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.13901
Milles A, Dammhahn M, Grimm V (2020). Intraspecific trait variation in personality‐related movement behavior promotes coexistence. Oikos. https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.07431
Stiegler J, Kiemel K, Eccard JA, Fischer C, Hering R, Ortmann S, Strigl L, Tiedemann R, Ullmann W, Blaum N (2022). Seed traits matter — endozoochoric dispersal through a pervasive mobile linker. Ecology and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8440
Schirmer, A., Hoffmann, J., Eccard, J.A., Dammhahn, M. (2020) My niche: individual spatial niche specialization affects within- and between-species interactions. Proc. R. Soc. B 287: 20192211. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2019.2211
Schlägel U, Grimm V, Blaum N, Colangeli P, Dammhahn, M., Eccard, J.A., Hausmann S, Herde A, Hofer H, Joshi J, Kramer-Schadt S, Litwin M, Lozada-Gobilard S, Müller M, Müller T, Nathan R, Petermann J, Pirhofer-Walzl K, Radchuk V, Jeltsch F(2019). Movement-mediated community assembly and coexistence. 10.32942/osf.io/d8a4m.
Kowalski, G.J., Grimm V, Herde A, Guenther A, Eccard, J.A. (2019) Does animal personality affect movement in habitat corridors? Experiments with common voles (Microtus arvalis) using different corridor widths. Animals 9(6), 291, doi.org/10.3390/ani9060291
Schirmer, A., Herde A, Eccard, J.A., Dammhahn, M. (2019) Individuals in space: Personality-dependent space use, movement and microhabitat use facilitate individual spatial niche spezialisation. Oecologia, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-019-04365-5
Interspecific interactions
Interspecific territoriality, aggressiveness, behavioural disturbance and even predation are mechanisms of interference between species, and occur in a wide range of animal communities. Interindividual differences within a species may facilitate coexistence with other species by creating individualized niches.
The project aims at investigating the inter-individual differences in movement-related behaviours of two small mammals, how they influence the spatial behaviour of individuals and the resulting impact on individual and ecological fitness. Therefore in a first step the natural variation in behavioural types in both coexisting species will be quantified using already established personality tests, as well as their spatial distribution within and space use of a heterogeneous habitat assessed using capture-mark-recapture and automatic radio-tracking. Furthermore fitness proxies will be measured. In a second step, an experimental approach will be taken in which the variation in behavioural types will be manipulated to assess its influence on the coexistence of the study species.
Projects
- Consistent individual differences in movement-related behaviour (Annika Schirmer, PhD project)
- Interaktionen von Kleinsäugern, Grabeverhalten in Hochterrarien (Franka Schultke)
- Artinteraktionen bei Wühlmäusen an Futterstellen (Christin Hoffmann, Bachelorthesis)
- From inference to predation (Monique Liesenjohann, PhD project)
Collaborations
Hannu Ylönen (Finland), Rupert Palme (Vienna)
Funding
- DFG (Dammhahn): Consistent individuel differences in movement-related behaviour (i.e. activity, exploration and risk-taking) as equaliting and stabilizing mechanisms influencing species persistence and coexistence in dynamic anthropogenic landscapes (P01 in BioMove GraKo, 2015-2018)
- DFG (Eccard): Separating effects of competrition, interference and predation (2008-2015)
- Academy of Finland Post-Doc Position (Eccard): From competition to interference (2002-2004)
Publications
Schirmer A, Hoffmann J, Eccard JA, Dammhahn M (2020) My niche: individual spatial niche specialization affects within- and between-species interactions. Proc. R. Soc. B 287: 20192211. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2019.2211
Liesenjohann, M., Liesenjohann, T., Trebaticka, L., Haapakoski, M., Sundell, J., Ylönen, H., Eccard, J. A. 2011. From interference to predation: type and effects of direct interspecific interactions of small mammals. Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology 65(11): 2079-2089 PDF
Liesenjohann, M., Liesenjohann, T., Palme, R., Eccard, J. A. 2013. Differential behavioural and endocrine responses of common voles (Microtus arvalis) to nest predators and resource competitors. BMC Ecology, 13(1): 33. PDF
Liesenjohann M., Barber A., Eccard, J. A. Adjustments of the burrow system of semi-fossorial small mammals as response to nest predation and resource competition (submitted).
Eccard, J. A., Fey, K., Caspers, B., Ylönen, H. 2011. Breeding state and season affect interspecific interaction types: indirect resource competition and direct interference. Oecologia, 167(3): 623-633. PDF
Haupt, M., Eccard, J. A., Winter, Y. 2010. Does spatial learning ability of common voles (Microtus arvalis) and bank voles (Myodes glareolus) constrain foraging efficiency? Animal Cognition, 13(6): 783-91. PDF
Eccard, J. A., Ylönen, H. 2003. Who bears the costs of interspecific competition in an age structured population? Ecology, 84(12): 3284-3293. PDF
Eccard, J. A., Ylönen, H. 2002. Direct interference or indirect exploitation? An experimental study of fitness costs of interspecific competition in voles. Oikos, 99(3): 580-590. PDF
Eccard, J. A., Ylönen, H. 2007. Costs of coexistence along a gradient of competitor densities: an experiment with arvicoline rodents. JournalofAnimalEcology, 76(1): 65-71. PDF
Eccard, J. A., Ylönen, H. 2003. Interspecific competition in small rodents: from populations to individuals. Evolutionary Ecology, 17(4): 423-440. PDF
Eccard, J. A., Klemme, I., Horne, T., Ylönen, H. 2002. Effects of competition and season on survival and maturation of young bank vole females. Evolutionary Ecology, 16(2): 85-99. PDF
Environmental interactions
Seasonality
For any iteroparous animal in a seasonal environment, the timing of breeding is of essential importance. Surviving the harsh non-breeding season, entering breeding condition, and establishing a territory at the optimal time are important factors in determining subsequent breeding success. Onset of breeding depends on conspecific density and annual variation in food resources. Season on the other hand affects animals behavior and interaction with other species.
Publications
Eccard, J. A., Herde, A. 2013. Seasonal variation in the behaviour of a short-lived rodent. BMC Ecology, 13(1): 43. PDF
Eccard, J. A., Fey, K., Caspers, B. A., Ylönen, H. 2011. Breeding state and season affect interaction types: indirect resource competition and direct interference. Oecologia, 1-11 PDF
von Blanckenhagen, F., Eccard, J. A., Ylönen, H. 2007. Animal protein as a constraint in spring reproduction in the bank vole? Ecoscience, 14: 323-329. PDF
Eccard, J. A., Ylönen, H. 2006. Adaptive food choice of bank voles in a novel environment: choices benefit reproductive status during winter and spring. AnnalesZoologiciFennici, 43(1): 2-8. PDF
Ylönen, H., Eccard, J. A. 2004. Does quality of winter food affect female spring condition and breeding in the bank vole? Ecoscience, 11(1): 1-5. PDF
Eccard, J. A., Ylönen, H. 2001. Initiation of breeding after winter in Clethrionomys – the effects of food quality and population density. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 79(10): 1743-1753.
Genomics
Global climate is changing rapidly and may impact species phenology and range distribution. Although evolutionary responses to climate change are thought to be widespread, so far there is little evidence in mammals. We want to uncover the genetic signatures of adaptation to climate in voles (Myodes glareolus and Microtus arvalis). We will be looking for covariation between climatic variables and genome wide variation in single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The genomes from individuals from several populations across Europe will be sequenced using next generation sequencing. To reveal true signatures of adaptation to climate we will be probing across a temporal, latitudinal and altitudinal gradient.
Project
Genomic adaptations of small mammals across temporal, latitudinal and altitudinal gradients (Remco Folkertsma, PhD projekt)
Collaborations
- Michael Hofreiter (University of Potsdam)
- Gerald Heckel (University of Bern, Schweiz)
- Jens Jacob (University of Münster)
- Heikki Hentonen (University of Helsinki, Finland)
Funding
Forschungsschwerpunktprogramm (Research Area), University of Potsdam
Cognition & Innovation
Learning and decision-making in small mammals
Patterns of individual differences in cognition have been studied systematically in the last decade, but causes and consequences of this variation are still largely unclear. A recent hypothesis suggests that one predictor of individual variation in cognition is animal personality, and specifically that personality types are linked to cognitive strategies through a speed–accuracy trade-off (Carere & Locurto 2011; Sih & Del Giudice 2012).
In this project we test specific predictions of this hypothesis, measuring individual differences in learning speed and flexibility of small mammals, along with decision-making and personality traits exploration, activity and boldness.
We combine laboratory tests with controlled experiments under natural and semi-natural conditions, adopting established methodologies from personality research as well as developing suitable protocols to test individuals’ decision-making in ecologically-relevant dimensions.
Publications
Mazza V, Eccard JA, Zaccaroni M, Jacob J, Dammhahn M (2018) The fast and the flexible: cognitive style drives individual variation in cognition in a small mammal. Animal Behaviour 137(1). doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.01.011
Mazza V, Jacob J, Dammhahn M, Zaccaroni M, Eccard JA (2019) Individual variation in cognitive style reflects foraging and anti-predator strategies in a small mammal. Scientific Reports 9:10157. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-46582-1
Mazza V, Dammhahn M, Eccard JA, Palme R, Zaccaroni M, Jacob J (2019) Coping with style: individual differences in responses to environmental variation. Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology 73:142. doi.org/10.1007/s00265-019-2760-2
Urban cognition
Characterizing traits that enable successful animals to thrive in urban habitats will help to illuminate the determinants of successful adaptation to human-induced rapid environmental change (HIREC; Sih et al., 2011), as well as allowing more effective mitigation strategies of the impact on anthropogenic destruction.
Innovation - the ability to produce new behaviours or to apply novel solutions to old problems (e.g. Kummer & Goodall, 1985; Reader & Laland, 2003) - has been proposed as a major predictor to the successful establishment and permanency in novel or altered habitats (e.g. Sol et al., 2002, 2013). Therefore, it might be a key trait in adapting to and persisting in urban landscapes (e.g. Ducatez et al., 2020; Sih, 2013; Sol, 2009).
In this ongoing project, we investigate among-individual variation in behavioural flexibility and innovation propensity in various small mammals species. Directly in the wild and on a completely voluntary basis.
Project members
Dr. Valeria Mazza
Publications
Dammhahn M, Mazza V, Schirmer A, Göttsche C, Eccard JA. (2020) Of city and village mice: behavioural adjustments of striped field mice to urban environments. Scientific reports 2020 10(1):1-12. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-69998-6
Mazza V & Guenther A (2021) City mice and country mice: innovative problem-solving in rural and urban non-commensal rodents. Animal Behaviour 172(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.12.007
Mazza V, Czyperreck I, Eccard, J A & Dammhahn, M (2021) Cross-context responses to novelty in rural and urban small mammals. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 9:661971. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2021.661971
Innovation: from diffusion to fitness consequences
Innovation is the ability to produce new behaviours or to apply novel solutions to old problems, introducing novel variants into a population's behavioural repertoire. While individual animals often produce innovations, only a few of these novel behavioural variants are transmitted, maintained, adopted and integrated in the population’s repertoire.
To increase our understanding of the evolutionary importance of innovativeness, as well as the role of individual characteristics in the diffusion of innovations within populations, we analyse the interplay between personality, innovation propensity and spread of innovations in replicated populations of house mice (Mus musculus domesticus) living under semi-natural conditions.
This project was jointly developed with Dr. Anja Guenther and is funded by the German Science Foundation (DFG) (GU 1665/5-1 | MA 9757/2-1).
Project members
Alexandros Vezyrakis
Dr. Valeria Mazza
Link
Max Planck Institute Research Group Behavioural Ecology of Individual Differences