Density, social information, and space use in the common lizard (Lacerta vivipara)
6 pages; International audience; Socially acquired information is widespread in the animal kingdom. Many individuals make behavioral decisions based on such social information. In particular, individuals may decide to leave or select their habitat based on social information. Few studies have investigated the role of density-related information, a potential social cue about habitat quality in dispersal. Here, we tested for the possibility that the phenotype of intruder common lizards (Lacerta vivipara) may inadvertently carry information about their natal population density. We found that such information use is likely. The behavior of focal lizard was influenced by the natal population den…
Age-dependent allocation of carotenoids to coloration versus antioxidant defences.
SUMMARYAging is commonly attributed to age-related changes in oxidative damage due to an increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a weakened efficacy of enzymatic antioxidants. These age-related changes might therefore modify the use of dietary antioxidants, including carotenoids. As carotenoids are closely associated with the expression of secondary sexual signals, the allocation of carotenoids to sexual signal versus antioxidant defences may vary with age. In this study, we explored how carotenoid-based ornament and antioxidant activity varied with age and how an inflammatory-induced oxidative burst affected ornament and antioxidant activity across a range of ages. Using …