51 posts · 27,531 views
My blog is a quirky collection of tantalizing biology information. Each week I review a paper (Carin's Paper Pick O' the Week), interview a biology professor (Nerd Corner), and post a Cool Biology Job.
Dr. Carin Bondar
51 posts
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- September 30, 2011
- 11:39 AM
- 171 views
- June 28, 2011
- 05:00 PM
- 571 views
Is your crappy boyfriend stressing you out? You are not alone…
by Dr. Carin Bondar in Dr. Carin Bondar - Biologist With a Twist
Stuck in a bad relationship are you? Join the club. Many members of the animal kingdom are ‘doing it’ with mediocre mates on a daily basis for a variety of reasons including the lack of ability to find someone better, forced copulations, social protocols and much more. But have you ever considered that hooking up [...]... Read more »
Pryke, S., Rollins, L., Buttemer, W., & Griffith, S. (2011) Maternal stress to partner quality is linked to adaptive offspring sex ratio adjustment. Behavioral Ecology, 22(4), 717-722. DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arr040
- June 22, 2011
- 03:17 PM
- 589 views
Do Not Sex Your Sibs: Lessons from a Butterfly
by Dr. Carin Bondar in Dr. Carin Bondar - Biologist With a Twist
First – a little sidebar note…
I’m so thrilled that my website has been named a finalist in ‘The Scientist’s Labby Awards’! I’m the ONLY indie blogger in the final 5 websites, so I’m pretty darn proud of myself I would be very grateful if you would cast a vote in my direction for [...]... Read more »
Välimäki, P., Kivelä, S., & Mäenpää, M. (2011) Mating with a kin decreases female remating interval: a possible example of inbreeding avoidance. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-011-1213-3
- June 8, 2011
- 11:39 AM
- 332 views
Don’t discriminate against handicapped spiders just because their webs look a little different…
by Dr. Carin Bondar in Dr. Carin Bondar - Biologist With a Twist
Handicapped spiders?
Yes indeed. Field observations of a variety of arachnid species in the wild reveal that up to 40% of adults are missing at least one appendage. Spiders, along with many other invertebrates and some vertebrates, can undergo a process called ‘autotomy’ – the reflexive capacity to lose a limb. The ability [...]... Read more »
Guffey, C. (1999) Costs associated with leg autotomy in the harvestmen Leiobunum nigripes and Leiobunum vittatum (Arachnida: Opiliones). Canadian Journal of Zoology. DOI: 10.1139/cjz-77-5-824
Pasquet A, Anotaux M, & Leborgne R. (2011) Loss of legs: is it or not a handicap for an orb-weaving spider?. Die Naturwissenschaften. PMID: 21533554
- June 2, 2011
- 03:11 PM
- 327 views
Biology, meet physics: Torpedo-like Emperor Penguins can show us a thing or two about air lubrication…
by Dr. Carin Bondar in Dr. Carin Bondar - Biologist With a Twist
Did you ever pause for a moment to consider the plight of the short-limbed emperor penguin as it attempts to exit the water to jump onto an ice shelf? No, I hadn’t either; but when I saw this research paper it struck me that this act is really quite a conundrum for these birds. [...]... Read more »
John Davenport, Roger Hughes, Mark Shorten, & Poul Larsen. (2011) Drag reduction by air release promotes fast ascent in jumping emperor penguins—a novel hypothesis. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 171-182. info:/doi: 10.3354/meps08868
- April 18, 2011
- 01:29 PM
- 697 views
Gardening on a coral reef? A promising new alternative to passive management techniques…
by Dr. Carin Bondar in Dr. Carin Bondar - Biologist With a Twist
The practice of silviculture has been alive and well in the terrestrial ecosystems of our planet for a few centuries. From Latin roots, the term essentially means to grow (culture) the forest (silvi). Such a practice has made both economic and ecological sense in a myriad of biomes on each and every continent. [...]... Read more »
Horoszowski-Fridman, Y., Izhaki, I., & Rinkevich, B. (2011) Engineering of coral reef larval supply through transplantation of nursery-farmed gravid colonies. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. DOI: 10.1016/j.jembe.2011.01.005
- April 11, 2011
- 09:14 PM
- 420 views
Two is cozy – Eleven is a crowd. Benefits to polyandry in a foam-nesting treefrog…
by Dr. Carin Bondar in Dr. Carin Bondar - Biologist With a Twist
Simultaneous polyandry describes a mating system in which a female mates with multiple males within a very short timeframe. Such a strategy is quite common among invertebrates, where females have sperm storage organs and can utilize the powers of ‘cryptic female choice’ to select the prize winning seed once the deed has been done. Simultaneous [...]... Read more »
Byrne, P., & Whiting, M. (2011) Effects of simultaneous polyandry on offspring fitness in an African tree frog. Behavioral Ecology, 22(2), 385-391. DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arq153
- April 6, 2011
- 02:12 PM
- 601 views
She’s having a baby! I think?! A promising new technique for pregnancy sampling in wild cetaceans…
by Dr. Carin Bondar in Dr. Carin Bondar - Biologist With a Twist
Assessment of the reproductive status of wild cetaceans (dolphins, whales and porpoises) is difficult and therefore not often practiced or accomplished. Fecal and/or blood samples are effective techniques for use with captive and stranded individuals; however, these kinds of fluids aren’t so easy to obtain from specimens in their natural habitat. Researchers primarily rely on [...]... Read more »
Pérez, S., García-López, �., Stephanis, R., Giménez, J., García-Tiscar, S., Verborgh, P., Mancera, J., & Martínez-Rodriguez, G. (2011) Use of blubber levels of progesterone to determine pregnancy in free-ranging live cetaceans. Marine Biology. DOI: 10.1007/s00227-011-1676-9
Stephanis, R., Verborgh, P., Pérez, S., Esteban, R., Minvielle-Sebastia, L., & Guinet, C. (2008) Long-term social structure of long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) in the Strait of Gibraltar. acta ethologica, 11(2), 81-94. DOI: 10.1007/s10211-008-0045-2
- March 31, 2011
- 08:25 PM
- 658 views
Five minutes of love for momma warthogs…
by Dr. Carin Bondar in Dr. Carin Bondar - Biologist With a Twist
Group-living confers significant benefits in terms of protection from predation and thermoregulation, and is commonly observed in groups of herbivorous mammals. Populations of warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus) in the South African savanna live in groups; however, recent studies on group dynamics in these organisms shows that size and composition varies greatly thoughout the year. General associations [...]... Read more »
White, A., & Cameron, E. (2011) Evidence of helping behavior in a free-ranging population of communally breeding warthogs. Journal of Ethology. DOI: 10.1007/s10164-011-0268-y
- March 28, 2011
- 04:14 PM
- 699 views
You can take a horse out of the wild, but you cannot take the wild out of a horse…
by Dr. Carin Bondar in Dr. Carin Bondar - Biologist With a Twist
Feral horse populations are alive and well on several continents including North America, Europe, Australia and India. Feral horses – referring to specimens that are free roaming but with a domesticated ancestry – live in herds (harems) that are comprised of a dominant stallion, sub-dominant males, and several females. The majority of the foals in [...]... Read more »
Bartoš, L., Bartošová, J., Pluháček, J., & Šindelářová, J. (2011) Promiscuous behaviour disrupts pregnancy block in domestic horse mares. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-011-1166-6
- March 22, 2011
- 02:43 PM
- 623 views
Hello Marine Biologists! What did you do at work today?
by Dr. Carin Bondar in Dr. Carin Bondar - Biologist With a Twist
For those of you that may not be able to guess it from reading my blog – here’s a little factiod: I love, rather LOVE, biology. I’m often daydreaming about various organisms or landscapes – thinking about what it would be like to investigate certain phenomena. It would be nice [...]... Read more »
Zhu, B., Pan, K., & Wang, G. (2011) Effects of host starvation on the symbiotic dinoflagellates from the sea anemone Stichodactyla mertensii. Marine Ecology, 32(1), 15-23. DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0485.2010.00405.x
Portnova, D., Mokievsky, V., & Soltwedel, T. (2011) Nematode species distribution patterns at the Håkon Mosby Mud Volcano (Norwegian Sea). Marine Ecology, 32(1), 24-41. DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0485.2010.00403.x
Lazar, B., Gračan, R., Katić, J., Zavodnik, D., Jaklin, A., & Tvrtković, N. (2011) Loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) as bioturbators in neritic habitats: an insight through the analysis of benthic molluscs in the diet. Marine Ecology, 32(1), 65-74. DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0485.2010.00402.x
- March 16, 2011
- 03:53 PM
- 549 views
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Indeed…
by Dr. Carin Bondar in Dr. Carin Bondar - Biologist With a Twist
It’s a favorite book among children and parents alike (my own family included): ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ by Eric Carle. The book keeps it pretty straightforward – a caterpillar eats whatever it comes across until it’s time to cocoon and become a butterfly. However, in biological reality nothing is ever that simple…
Caterpillars are group-living organisms. [...]... Read more »
McClure, M., Ralph, M., & Despland, E. (2011) Group leadership depends on energetic state in a nomadic collective foraging caterpillar. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-011-1167-5
Petit, O., & Bon, R. (2010) Decision-making processes: The case of collective movements. Behavioural Processes, 84(3), 635-647. DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2010.04.009
- February 28, 2011
- 02:03 PM
- 726 views
Reflections on Biology and Motherhood: Where do Homo sapiens Fit In?
by Dr. Carin Bondar in Dr. Carin Bondar - Biologist With a Twist
This post originally appeared on the Scientific American guest blog on Friday, February 25th.
As a mom to three young primates, I spend a lot of time thinking about the large role that biology plays in my life. After all, nothing could be more important (biologicaly speaking) than birthing and raising these offspring. It’s [...]... Read more »
Dirks W, Humphrey LT, Dean MC, & Jeffries TE. (2010) The relationship of accentuated lines in enamel to weaning stress in juvenile baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis). Folia primatologica; international journal of primatology, 81(4), 207-23. PMID: 21124031
Hoffman, C., Higham, J., Mas-Rivera, A., Ayala, J., & Maestripieri, D. (2010) Terminal investment and senescence in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) on Cayo Santiago. Behavioral Ecology, 21(5), 972-978. DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arq098
TRIVERS, R. (1974) Parent-Offspring Conflict. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 14(1), 249-264. DOI: 10.1093/icb/14.1.249
- February 16, 2011
- 04:23 PM
- 471 views
Mark Burnett VS Charles Darwin in an Epic Battle of Immunity
by Dr. Carin Bondar in Dr. Carin Bondar - Biologist With a Twist
On this, the eve of the 100th season of Survivor, I have myself contemplating the state of immunity.
Perhaps I’ve also been contemplating it since I’ve spent the last 3.5 weeks dealing with a nasty flu bug that has made its rounds to all members of my family. This month of fitfull sleep, endless vomit and [...]... Read more »
Cotter, S., & Kilner, R. (2010) Personal immunity versus social immunity. Behavioral Ecology, 21(4), 663-668. DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arq070
Shutler, D., & Campbell, A. (2007) Experimental addition of greenery reduces flea loads in nests of a non-greenery using species, the tree swallow Tachycineta bicolor. Journal of Avian Biology, 38(1), 7-12. DOI: 10.1111/j.2007.0908-8857.04015.x
Massey, R., Buckling, A., & Peacock, S. (2001) Phenotypic switching of antibiotic resistance circumvents permanent costs in Staphylococcus aureus. Current Biology, 11(22), 1810-1814. DOI: 10.1016/S0960-9822(01)00507-3
Prendeville HR, & Stevens L. (2002) Microbe inhibition by Tribolium flour beetles varies with beetle species, strain, sex, and microbe group. Journal of chemical ecology, 28(6), 1183-90. PMID: 12184396
- February 7, 2011
- 12:26 PM
- 596 views
Messing with the minds of embryonic cuttlefish…
by Dr. Carin Bondar in Dr. Carin Bondar - Biologist With a Twist
an exploration into connections between the sensory modalities of a marine predator.
~~
Cephalopods are known as the ‘charismatic megafauna’ of the invertebrate world. We humans are generally fascinated by their stealth, their ability to camouflage, and their massive brains. The physical form of cephalopods is so different from our own that we find them [...]... Read more »
Guibé M, Boal JG, & Dickel L. (2010) Early exposure to odors changes later visual prey preferences in cuttlefish. Developmental psychobiology, 52(8), 833-7. PMID: 21157990
- January 24, 2011
- 04:35 PM
- 539 views
One of the first published accounts of sexual selection in koala bears: What does it take for koala boys to get lucky?
by Dr. Carin Bondar in Dr. Carin Bondar - Biologist With a Twist
Biologists don’t know a whole lot about sexual selection in Koala bears; however, there are clear reasons for our knowledge gap. First, these notoriously cute and cuddly little marsupials spend a good deal of their time high in the treetops chewing on Eucalyptus leaves (rather than engaging in complicated courtship battles). Indeed – in [...]... Read more »
Ellis, W., & Bercovitch, F. (2011) Body size and sexual selection in the koala. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-010-1136-4
- January 18, 2011
- 02:05 PM
- 516 views
Thrilled to have been selected for Open Lab 2011! Here is my post about jarringly awesome sex in earwigs:
by Dr. Carin Bondar in Dr. Carin Bondar - Biologist With a Twist
Size really does matter! Well endowed male earwigs have their cake and eat it too…
~~
Many animal species employ a polyandrous sexual system, where one female mates with many males and stores sperm in a specialized storage organ. Since fertilization doesn’t take place immediately (in some cases females can store viable sperm for several weeks), males [...]... Read more »
Lieshout, E. (2010) Male genital length and mating status differentially affect mating behaviour in an earwig. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-010-1021-1
- January 6, 2011
- 02:06 PM
- 563 views
Sub-Social Spiders Give New Meaning to the Term ‘Yummy Mummy’
by Dr. Carin Bondar in Dr. Carin Bondar - Biologist With a Twist
The sub-social spider Stegodyphus lineatus is one of the few invertebrate species to provide parental care. Females provide regurgitated food meals to their offspring for a two-week period after they hatch – the only food they consume during this time. You might imagine that it’s important for mommy to make sure that her diet is [...]... Read more »
Salomon, M., Mayntz, D., Toft, S., & Lubin, Y. (2010) Maternal nutrition affects offspring performance via maternal care in a subsocial spider. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-010-1132-8
- December 22, 2010
- 06:19 PM
- 384 views
River otter latrines: so much more than just a pile of poop!
by Dr. Carin Bondar in Dr. Carin Bondar - Biologist With a Twist
Did you know that river otters come out of the water to do their business? Indeed, instead of fouling their pristine river habitats, they crawl up onto the river banks when nature comes ‘a calling. And they don’t just spread their scat around willly-nilly – they have specifically designated latrines. Have a little respect for [...]... Read more »
Depue, J., & Ben-David, M. (2010) River Otter Latrine Site Selection in Arid Habitats of Western Colorado, USA. Journal of Wildlife Management, 74(8), 1763-1767. DOI: 10.2193/2008-065
- November 29, 2010
- 06:40 PM
- 563 views
River Disturbance Affects the Level of Cannibalism in a Fishing Spider…
by Dr. Carin Bondar in Dr. Carin Bondar - Biologist With a Twist
A true appreciation of biodiversity comes with the realization that no animal is an island. The complex meshwork of interactions between organisms is something that we, as biologists and naturalists, may never fully comprehend. Both direct and indirect interactions can affect ecosystem processes, to varying extents and at several scales. Interactions can involve both biotic [...]... Read more »
Greenwood, M., McIntosh, A., & Harding, J. (2010) Disturbance across an ecosystem boundary drives cannibalism propensity in a riparian consumer. Behavioral Ecology, 21(6), 1227-1235. DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arq140
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