PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

City-living may make male song sparrows more doting ‘super’ fathers

New research has shown that urban male songbirds do not sacrifice parental care for territorial aggression

2023-08-22
(Press-News.org) When animals settle in new environments, or when their natural habitats are rapidly changed by human influence, their behaviors change. One such behavioral change that has been observed in several bird species that settled in cities is increased aggression, born out of the need to defend territories.

City-living sparrows have, due to lower species density, fewer encounters with their kin than in the countryside. Yet, urban song sparrows have been shown to be consistently more aggressive in defending their territories. Now, a team of researchers in the US has investigated the effects of urbanization and the associated increase in male aggression on the parental care provided by male birds.

“Male songbirds in temperate zones are thought to reduce parental care when they are more aggressive. Yet in this study, we show that urban male song sparrows provided more care for their young,” said Dr Samuel Lane, currently a postdoctoral research fellow at North Dakota State University and lead author of the study completed in the Sewall Lab at Virginia Tech and published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. “Against our expectations, we found that they visited nests more frequently and were more successful parents than rural males.”

Super songbirds

Many songbird species have readily adapted to cities, yet, in these new environments they face challenges not found in their native habitats. One way that animals can cope with those changes is by balancing behaviors to manage energy and time resources better.

If urban male songbirds spend more time securing their territory, it would imply that they have less time to invest into the care of their offspring. Therefore, the researchers expected that more aggressive urban male sparrows were sacrificing parental care for territorial aggression, which in turn was expected to have a negative impact on the survival of their young. To test their thesis, they studied six sites in south-west Virginia characterized by recent urban sprawl over four breeding seasons.

Lane et al. observed that urban males visited their nests significantly more often than their rural fellows. They also began feeding nestlings earlier in the day. “It turns out urban males are super males – able to defend their territories and care for their young,” Lane said.

Born and raised in the city

The researchers also found that hatching and fledging success was significantly higher in urban habitats – despite certain challenges city birds faced. For example, brood parasitism – a behavioral pattern where certain bird species, such as the brown-headed cowbird, use nests of other birds to lay their eggs – was higher in cities. This phenomenon can negatively impact development and survival of the offspring belonging in a nest. On the upside, nest predation rates were significantly lower in the city, contributing to overall higher nesting success.

“It is often assumed that urban areas are more challenging for wild animals,” Lane said. “Our study adds to growing evidence that certain species of songbirds even benefit from living in urban environments when there is sufficient green space for them to find food and nest locations.” The scientists hope ongoing research in this field will contribute to designing urban environments that support wildlife better.

These results, however, should not be generalized to all locations, or other species and animals. The researchers pointed out that studying sites of more intense urbanization or species that cope worse with urbanization might have produced different outcomes.

END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Topology's role in decoding energy of amorphous systems

Topologys role in decoding energy of amorphous systems
2023-08-22
Osaka, Japan – How is a donut similar to a coffee cup? This question often serves as an illustrative example to explain the concept of topology. Topology is a field of mathematics that examines the properties of objects that remain consistent even when they are stretched or deformed—provided they are not torn or stitched together. For instance, both a donut and a coffee cup have a single hole. This means, theoretically, if either were pliable enough, it could be reshaped into the other. This ...

Small urban greening projects can dramatically increase number of insect species in cities

Small urban greening projects can dramatically increase number of insect species in cities
2023-08-22
By increasing the diversity of indigenous plants in urban areas, researchers from the University of Melbourne have seen a seven times increase in the number of insect species in just three years, confirming the ecological benefits of urban greening projects. The findings are published in the British Ecological Society journal, Ecological Solutions and Evidence. The study, conducted in a small greenspace in the City of Melbourne, found that an increase in the diversity and complexity of plant communities leads to a large increase in insect biodiversity, a greater ...

Which is easier to remember, symbols or words?

2023-08-22
Everyday symbols like &?!#@$ are highly memorable, according to new research. The new study led by the University of Waterloo aimed to investigate how well symbols are remembered compared to words with the same meaning.  “Our work is ground-breaking as it highlights how humans remember graphic symbols and logos,” said Myra Fernandes, co-author and professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at Waterloo. “Symbols are particularly useful as they can be used as logos in advertising, as well as offer a faster ...

Study finds no effect of LEED certification on federal buildings’ energy efficiency

2023-08-22
In 2010, the U.S. government announced a multi-billion-dollar plan to improve the energy efficiency of its buildings, including a focus on LEED certification. Used worldwide, LEED—Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design—is a system that rates buildings on energy efficiency. A new study examined the effects of LEED certification on energy efficiency in federal buildings. The study found no effect on average energy consumption, primarily because many other factors come into play when rating energy. The study, by researchers ...

Water harvesting in Death Valley: Conquering the arid wilderness

Water harvesting in Death Valley: Conquering the arid wilderness
2023-08-22
Korea is regarded as a “water-stressed nation.”  Although the country receives an annual precipitation of approximately 1,300mm, it is characterized by concentrated periods and specific regions, thereby giving rise to challenges stemming from water scarcity. The lack of drinking water extends beyond mere inconvenience, posing life-threatening implications for certain individuals. In March 2023, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) released a report highlighting the plight of roughly 190 million children in Africa who suffer from an absence of safe water, resulting in the tragic daily loss of 1,000 children under the age of five. Nations across the globe ...

Driverless cars are no place to relax, new study shows

Driverless cars are no place to relax, new study shows
2023-08-22
Early data on activities that will be unsafe to undertake in automated vehicles has been released. From doing work to watching the world, from social media to resting – preliminary results are in. Research led by RMIT University looked at what happens if a driver is suddenly required to take control of an automated vehicle, such as in an emergency. The series of papers examines how experience and three types of distractions (work, social media and rest) impacted on the driver’s ability to respond. Study lead author in the School of Engineering, Dr Neng Zhang, said ...

CORRECTION: MRI scans improve prostate cancer diagnosis in screening trial

2023-08-22
The REIMAGINE study, published today in BMJ Oncology, is the first study to use MRI scans with prostate specific antigen (PSA) density to assess the need for further standard NHS tests. Of the 29 participants found to have serious prostate cancer, 15 had a ‘low’ PSA score that would have meant they were not referred for further investigation under the current system. Currently, men over 50 in the UK can ask for a PSA test if they are experiencing symptoms or are concerned about prostate cancer. ...

Short-term use of immunosuppressants not linked to cancer risk

Short-term use of immunosuppressants not linked to cancer risk
2023-08-22
Relatively short-term use of immunosuppressant medications to control an inflammatory disease was not associated with an increased risk of later developing cancer, according to new research led by scientists at the University of Pittsburgh and Mass Eye and Ear, a member of the Mass General Brigham health care system, and published today in the journal BMJ Oncology. The findings should provide reassurance to patients and clinicians who may hesitate to prescribe the medications because they are known to increase the risk of cancer in people who ...

New study reveals the most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis, affects 15% of the global population over the age of 30

2023-08-22
**Embargoed until 23.30 [UK time] / 6.30pm [ET] Monday, August 21, 2023** Peer-reviewed / Systematic review and meta-analysis The Lancet: New study reveals the most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis, affects 15% of the global population over the age of 30 Aging, population growth, and obesity are key drivers ●  By 2050, nearly 1 billion people are projected to have osteoarthritis. ●  Obesity is a major contributor to osteoarthritis. In 2020, obesity was responsible for approximately 20% of the disability of osteoarthritis. ●  Osteoarthritis increases with age. For ages 70+, the condition ranked seventh among causes ...

Estrogen receptor mutation study suggests potential treatments for endometrial cancers

Estrogen receptor mutation study suggests potential treatments for endometrial cancers
2023-08-22
Researchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute identified potential new treatment options for people with endometrial cancer. Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological cancer and high levels of estrogen promote its development. The study, published in Molecular Cancer Research discovered that estrogen receptor mutations found in endometrial cancers cause large changes in endometrial cancer cells. Estrogen is a reproductive hormone that binds and activates estrogen receptors. Cancer can cause estrogen receptors to remain in a state of constant activity. That increases shedding of the endometrial ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Sugar, the hidden thermostat in plants

Personality can explain why some CEOs earn higher salaries

This puzzle game shows kids how they’re smarter than AI

Study suggests remembrances of dead played role in rise of architecture in Andean region

Brain stimulation can boost math learning in people with weaker neural connections

Inhibiting enzyme could halt cell death in Parkinson’s disease, study finds

Neurotechnology reverses biological disadvantage in maths learning

UNDER EMBARGO: Neurotechnology reverses biological disadvantage in maths learning

Scientists target ‘molecular machine’ in the war against antimicrobial resistance

Extending classical CNOP method for deep-learning atmospheric and oceanic forecasting

Aston University research: Parents should encourage structure and independence around food to support children’s healthy eating

Thunderstorms are a major driver of tree death in tropical forests

Danforth Plant Science Center adds two new faculty members

Robotic eyes mimic human vision for superfast response to extreme lighting

Racial inequities and access to COVID-19 treatment

Residential segregation and lung cancer risk in African American adults

Scientists wipe out aggressive brain cancer tumors by targeting cellular ‘motors’

Capturability distinction analysis of continuous and pulsed guidance laws

CHEST expands Bridging Specialties Initiative to include NTM disease and bronchiectasis on World Bronchiectasis Day

Exposure to air pollution may cause heart damage

SwRI, UTSA selected by NASA to test electrolyzer technology aboard parabolic flight

Prebiotics might be a factor in preventing or treating issues caused by low brain GABA

Youngest in class at higher risk of mental health problems

American Heart Association announces new volunteer leaders for 2025-26

Gut microbiota analysis can help catch gestational diabetes

FAU’s Paulina DeVito awarded prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Champions for change – Paid time off initiative just made clinical trials participation easier

Fentanyl detection through packaging

Prof. Eran Meshorer elected to EMBO for pioneering work in epigenetics

New 3D glacier visualizations provide insights into a hotter Earth

[Press-News.org] City-living may make male song sparrows more doting ‘super’ fathers
New research has shown that urban male songbirds do not sacrifice parental care for territorial aggression