Efeitos da habituação à presença humana nas respostas de fuga por caranguejos chama-maré
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Data
2022-11-16
Autores
Rodriguez, Gabriel Bovolon [UNESP]
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Editor
Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
Resumo
Habituação é um processo de aprendizagem no qual os animais diminuem a resposta a um estímulo repetitivo. Essa capacidade de filtrar estímulos é importante pois os animais podem manter suas atividades essenciais, como o forrageio. Espécies que vivem em constante contato com seres humanos, como os caranguejos chama-maré, podem se habituar à presença humana. Todavia, tal conhecimento ainda é pouco compreendido entre espécies brasileiras. O presente estudo testou se caranguejos chama-maré, Leptuca leptodactyla, são habituados à presença humana e como a habituação altera o comportamento dos indivíduos (e.g., retomada de forrageio). Nossa hipótese é que os indivíduos da população antropizada são mais tolerantes à aproximação de um observador e retomam suas atividades mais rapidamente que indivíduos da população não-antropizada (e.g., passam menos tempo dentro da toca). O estudo foi realizado em Ubatuba, SP, com 80 machos adultos de duas populações de distintos graus de influência antropogênica. O experimento ocorreu em julho de 2022 e envolveu a aproximação de um observador às tocas dos indivíduos e a resposta dos indivíduos foi gravada em vídeo. Contrariamente ao esperado, os indivíduos da população antropizada foram menos tolerantes, passando maior tempo dentro da toca, além de demorarem mais para retomar as atividades pré-estímulo (e.g., forrageio). Portanto, os caranguejos da população antropizada não se habituaram à presença humana, comprometendo o tempo de forrageio, o que pode consequentemente prejudicar outras demandas energéticas, como a reprodução ou disputa por tocas e territórios. Esses resultados auxiliam na compreensão sobre o processo de aprendizado em invertebrados e sua capacidade de seleção de estímulos, assim como contribuem para o entendimento do impacto das interações ser humano-vida selvagem.
Habituation is a learning process in which animals decrease the response to a repetitive stimulus. The ability to filter out stimuli is important because animals can maintain their essential activities, such as foraging. Species that live in constant contact with humans, such as fiddler crabs, can habituate to human presence. However, such knowledge is still poorly understood among Brazilian species. The present study tested whether fiddler crabs Leptuca leptodactyla are habituated to human presence and how habituation alters individuals' behavior (e.g., resuming foraging). Our hypothesis is that individuals living in highly anthropized mangroves are more tolerant to the approach of an observer and resume their activities more quickly than individuals from the non-anthropized population (e.g., they spend less time inside their burrow). The study was carried out in Ubatuba, SP, with 80 adult males from two populations with different degrees of anthropogenic influence. The experiment took place in July 2022 and consisted in the approach of an observer to the burrows, and the response of the individuals was recorded on video. Contrary to our hypothesis, individuals from the anthropized population were less tolerant, spending more time inside the burrow, taking longer to resume their pre-stimulus activities (e.g., forage). Therefore, fiddler crabs from the anthropogenic population were not habituated to human presence, potentially compromising foraging, which can consequently jeopardize other energetic demands, such as reproduction or territoriality. These results help us understand the learning process in invertebrates and their ability to select of stimuli, as well as contribute to understanding the impacts of human-wildlife interactions.
Habituation is a learning process in which animals decrease the response to a repetitive stimulus. The ability to filter out stimuli is important because animals can maintain their essential activities, such as foraging. Species that live in constant contact with humans, such as fiddler crabs, can habituate to human presence. However, such knowledge is still poorly understood among Brazilian species. The present study tested whether fiddler crabs Leptuca leptodactyla are habituated to human presence and how habituation alters individuals' behavior (e.g., resuming foraging). Our hypothesis is that individuals living in highly anthropized mangroves are more tolerant to the approach of an observer and resume their activities more quickly than individuals from the non-anthropized population (e.g., they spend less time inside their burrow). The study was carried out in Ubatuba, SP, with 80 adult males from two populations with different degrees of anthropogenic influence. The experiment took place in July 2022 and consisted in the approach of an observer to the burrows, and the response of the individuals was recorded on video. Contrary to our hypothesis, individuals from the anthropized population were less tolerant, spending more time inside the burrow, taking longer to resume their pre-stimulus activities (e.g., forage). Therefore, fiddler crabs from the anthropogenic population were not habituated to human presence, potentially compromising foraging, which can consequently jeopardize other energetic demands, such as reproduction or territoriality. These results help us understand the learning process in invertebrates and their ability to select of stimuli, as well as contribute to understanding the impacts of human-wildlife interactions.
Descrição
Palavras-chave
Comportamento, Etologia, Leptuca leptodactyla, Aprendizagem, Antropização, Behaviour, Ethology, Learning, Anthropogenic disturbances, Predator response