Introduction
What is antagonism in the context of mutualistic interaction?
Interactions where one organism negatively impacts another
What were the three types of behavioral assays used to assess the personality traits of deer mice?
Emergence Test, open-field test, and a handling bag test
Why is seed dispersal considered a "conditional mutualism"?
Various biotic and abiotic factors, like the ratio of seeds to dispersers, influence whether interactions lean towards mutualistic or antagonistic.
Where was the study conducted, and what type of forest is the site?
The Penobscot Experimental Forest in Maine, a mixed conifer-deciduous forest dominated by a shade-tolerant conifers
What term is used to describe seed dispersal by animals who intentionally transport to catch seeds?
"Synzoochory"
What percentage of white pine seeds were removed from the sites by deer mice?
44.5% of white pine seeds
How do bold and timid mice differ in their treatment of acorns?
Bold mice: more likely to cache acorns intact near the surface
Timid mice: more likely to consume or bury them underground, which reduces chances for germination.
What trapping method was used to capture small mammals, and what bait was used?
Longworth small mammals trap, baited with a mixture of sunflower seeds, oats, and freeze-dried mealworms.
What essential services do mutualistic interactions support in ecosystems?
Pollination and seed dispersal
On the antagonism-mutualism continuum, did deer mice on average have positive or negative scores for seed interactions?
What hypothesis suggests that in a mast year, the effects of personality on mutualistic behavior might be lessened?
The Predator Satiation Hypothesis
How were animals marked and identified for tracking in the study?
Fitted with PIT tags and ear tags and given unique haircuts for visual identification
What is the goal of this study regarding mutualism and animal personality?
Examine variation in seed dispersal mutualism and identify the role different animal personalities play in these interactions
For red oak seed scores, how did the deer mice's boldness or timidness impact their placement on the antagonism-mutualism continuum?
Timid deer mice tended to be more antagonistic on the continuum for red oak seeds
Why might future studies need to consider body condition in assessing personality effects on mutualistic behaviors?
Body condition may influence an individual's likelihood to cache seeds
How were seed interactions tracked to determine whether they were positive or negative?
UV fluorescent tracking powder and UV fluorescent paint
What might happen to mutualistic relationships if certain personalities are lost from a population due to environmental changes?
Shift the balance to antagonism, potentially disrupting essential mutualistic relationships and affecting ecosystem stability.
Which factors, other than personality influenced scores on the antagonism-mutualism continuum for white pine seeds?
Body condition index and Forest types
How might the removal of bolder mice/individuals from a population affect mutualistic interactions?
Potentially reducing seed dispersal effectiveness and impacting ecosystem health
What modeling technique was used to assess individual seed interactions, and how did it account for repeated measures?
Mixed-effects models