När det är mörkt tycker jag om att gå hem. Det är oftast utifrån mina nattliga vandringar jag producerar, samlar och ser samband då jag i ensam tystnad möter nya rum och konstellationer som uppstår och försvinner i  staden. Jag fotograferar till blivande målningar, filmar eller tar objekt från platser för att använda i mitt arbete. Denna text koncentrerar sig främst kring de platser jag ser på, tankar kring dem och hur de överförs till att bli måleri.

1 Abstract: Multimodal signaling is quite common in nature. Even if we focus only on signaling among prey and its predator, we can still find many examples of communication combining more than one modality (vision, hearing, smell, taste). This thesis is about multimodal warning visual and olfactory signaling between true bugs (Heteroptera) and their avian predators. Aldehydes are an important compound of repellent secretion of most true bug species. They are considered to have defence effects against predators. In our experiments, we tested the effect of aldehydes mixture on behaviour of predators - naive hand-reared and experienced wild-caught adult great tits (Parus major) - towards several kinds of prey - aposematic true bugs Pyrrhocoris apterus, nonaposematic true bugs Pyrrhocoris tibialis and red painted mealworms (Tenebrio molitor larvae). We were focusing on the effect of aldehydes on initial reaction, learning process and predator's memory. Aldehydes elicited innate wariness in naive hand- reared great tits towards aposematic P. apterus, but not towards P. tibialis. Therefore it seems possible, that aldehydes act as a signal of unpalatability for naive predators, but only in multimodal combination with visual warning signal. Similar effect of aldehydes was not found in experiments with wild-caught...

Aposematic species of true bugs (Heteroptera) have multimodal signalization, which warns potential predators. This signalization consists of optical (coloration), chemical (unpalatable or repugnant substance) and acoustic (stridulation) warning signals. The aim of this thesis was to test whether the selected chemical substances have antipredatory function towards avian predators. Antipredatory function is anticipated in the chemical substances that form the majority in secretion in many taxa of true bugs (aldehydes and tridecane). In experiments with wild-caught great tits (Parus major) and blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) we tested if chemical substances and age of birds have influence on the latency related to the first manipulation with the prey. It was found that both species of tits reacted aversively to the mixture of aldehydes (2-decenal, 2-octenal, 2-hexenal) and to the total secretion of metathoracic glands of Graphosoma lineatum, whereas the mixture of the aldehydes with tridecane did not have any effect. The effect of age was not significant. We also tested the influence of immediate experience with striated shieldbug Graphosoma lineatum on naive great tits and their reactions to the prey with olfactoric signal of the shieldbug. Additionally, we investigated whether tested chemicals cause...

The ability to memorize and recognize edible prey from inedible prey is essential for an individuals survival. Many species use aposematic signals for their defense. These are most often represented by distinctive colors or contrast patterns. The aim of this study was to find out in which time the memory consolidation for aposematic pray is achieved and if color or pattern increase its memorability. The choosen model species was the Great tit (Parus major). The comparision was done between handreared naïve birds and wild-caught adults of different age and sex. During the discriminatory task of consolidation experiment, birds were simultaneously presented with palatable and unpalatable prey in the form of paper dummies of bugs, differing in color (red versus green). The birds were divided into three groups with a different interval (0, 1 or 3 hours) for consolidation. The results of consolidation test show that adult birds were more successfull in solving the task than juvenile birds. The only difference between the experimental groups was that the group with one-hour interval achieved better results than other groups. The effect of color of palatable and unpalatable prey on discrimination learning was also found only in adults. Memorability of warning signals was tested using paper bugs of...

Heliconius butterflies exhibit Müllerian mimicry, in which two or more unpalatable species share a mutual advantage from having a common conspicuous colour pattern. These tropical butterflies have impressive visual signals, which are under conflicting selection pressures, as they are used in choosing potential mates and defending against visual predators through aposematic coloration. As both selection pressures are likely to be strong, different elements of the signal might be adapted for different receivers. Here, I combine sensory ecology with behavioural ecology to explain Heliconius colours signals of different co-mimic pairs. I explore how mimicry in Heliconius is perceived both from the perspective of predators and conspecifics, using visual abilities of both butterflies and birds. The different visual sensitivities of avian predators, H. erato females and males make them to perceive Heliconius coloration in different ways. My work suggests that having the ability to see in the ultra-violet light range enables higher discrimination between co-mimics both for birds and butterflies. Heliconius warning colours transmit a consistent signal across time of the day and habitat in a tropical forest for avian vision. In contrast through Heliconius vision there is evidence that patterns are more conspicuous in their own habitats. All these traits could facilitate communication between co-mimics and reduce the cost of confusion in courtship while still maintaining the advantages of Müllerian mimicry against predation. I conducted a field experiment to show that attack rates on a novel distasteful butterfly reduced over time, suggesting that Heliconius wing colouration can enhance aversion among predators. Finally, I have shown that Heliconius butterflies use leaf shape as a cue to approach their host plants, demonstrating the potential for Heliconius to drive negative frequency dependent selection on the leaf shape of their Passiflora host plants. Overall these results highlight ecological interactions between Heliconius butterflies, their predators and host plants.

Submitted by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2018-02-28T16:12:09Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Jaires Gomes de Oliveira Filho - 2018.pdf: 1814554 bytes, checksum: 3897a940820688b6672b09b6a409c4b8 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2018-02-28T16:12:35Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Jaires Gomes de Oliveira Filho - 2018.pdf: 1814554 bytes, checksum: 3897a940820688b6672b09b6a409c4b8 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-02-28T16:12:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Jaires Gomes de Oliveira Filho - 2018.pdf: 1814554 bytes, checksum: 3897a940820688b6672b09b6a409c4b8 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-02-21 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, the "brown dog tick", preferentially parasite the domestic dog, in the latter can parasite others mammals species including humans. This tick demonstrates a hunting behavior by its host, being widely attracted by the bark and the CO2 among other signs related to the presence of its hosts. Despite being commonly found parasite on dogs, it is known that some breeds such as beagles are less parasitic than other breeds like English Cocker Spaniel which can present a parasitic load about up to 11.5 times higher than mongrel dogs. It is notable a capacity of ticks and other arthropods in their hosts in relation to desirable or undesirable characteristics that can perceive these by means of chemoreception of volatile compounds emanated by these hosts. This adaptive tool is called olfactory aposematism. Olfactory apostotism is capable of an ectoparasite in avoiding its hosts through a perception of a volatile chemical emanated by it that signals a negative adaptive response to the arthropod. Usually this response may be linked to immune factors, excessive grooming, inaccessibility or other factors. One of the big problems nowadays undoubtedly is the control of ticks and diseases that are transmitted to their hosts during the blood repast. One of the alternatives for control of parasitism in order to deter ticks from the search for their hosts is a use of compounds found in resistant hosts that are interpreted by these arthropods as non-hosts. These compounds demonstrate a more specific activity between arthropod parasites and their hosts, since they were selected during an adaptation between species involved in this parasite-host relationship forging bases of parasite selection by susceptible and resistant hosts. / Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, também conhecido como “carrapato marrom do cão”, parasita preferencialmente o cão doméstico, no entanto pode parasitar inúmeras outras espécies mamíferas inclusive seres humanos. Este carrapato demonstra um comportamento de busca ativa por seu hospedeiro, sendo amplamente atraído pelo latido e pelo CO2 e outros sinais relacionados a presença de seus hospedeiros. Apesar de parasitar preferencialmente cães sabe-se que algumas raças como o beagle são menos parasitadas que outras raças como Cocker spaniel inglês que podem apresentar uma carga parasitaria cerca de até 11,5 vezes maior que cães mestiços. É notável a capacidade de carrapatos e demais artrópodes tem em selecionar seus hospedeiros em relação a características desejáveis ou indesejáveis que conseguem perceber destes, por meio da quimiorrecepção de compostos voláteis emanados pelos hospedeiros. A esta ferramenta adaptativa damos o nome aposematismo olfativo que é capacidade de um de parasito em evitar seus hospedeiros mediante a percepção de um químico emanado por este que sinalize uma resposta adaptava negativa ao artrópode. Geralmente esta resposta pode estar ligada a fatores imunes, excesso de grooming ou inacessibilidade ou demais fatores. Um dos grandes problemas na atualidade sem dúvida e o controle de carrapatos e doenças que são transmitem a seus hospedeiros durante o repasto sanguíneo. Uma das alternativas para o controle de parasitismo afim de dissuadir os carrapatos da busca por seus hospedeiros é uma utilização de compostos encontrados em hospedeiros resistentes que são interpretados por estes artrópodes como não hospedeiros. Estes compostos demonstram atividade mais especifica entre artrópode parasitos e seus hospedeiros, pois foram selecionados durante uma adaptação entre espécies envolvidas nesta relação parasitohospedeiro forjando bases da seleção de parasitos por hospedeiros suscetíveis e resistentes.

So far, nobody examined a human reaction on aposematic signals. I used red firebug's coloration and its modifications in color and pattern for testing the human reactions. People showed refusing reaction on white color and on some types of eye spots. There is a big difference between reactions on red color and black color in different human groups. This needs further research.

So far, nobody examined a human reaction on aposematic signals. I used red firebug's coloration and its modifications in color and pattern for testing the human reactions. People showed refusing reaction on white color and on some types of eye spots. There is a big difference between reactions on red color and black color in different human groups. This needs further research.

Social learning is a topic of many studies. We tested the effect of social learning on the acquisition of avoidance against aposematic prey. We have chosen wild-caught adult and naive hand-reared juvenile great tits (Parus major) as a model predator species, because their individual avoidance learnig of aposematic prey is well-studied. We used red and green paper dummies of bugs with a mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) stuck underneath as an artificial prey. Mealworms were soaked in water or in bitter-tasting solution of quinine. We used two types of conspecific demonstrators - naive birds that showed aversive reactions while tasting an unpalatable prey and experienced birds that were trained not to handle the unpalatable pray at all. We compared effects of both demonstrators on discrimination learning and we tested whether these effects differ in adult and juvenile birds. Observing an experienced demonstrator had an effect on the performance of observers at the beginning of learning process. The observers did not reject the unpalatable prey completely, but the number of trials in which they correctly chose the palatable prey was higher in comparison with birds that observed naive demonstrators and birds from the control group with no demonstrator. Latencies to handle the unpalatable prey in the first...

The present PhD thesis comprises four published research papers and two manuscripts in preparation dealing with importace of particular parts of the warning signal in protection of insect prey against avian predators.