Fear alone may be enough to cause vulnerable species to go extinct, according to a new University of Guelph study.
Prof. Ryan Norris has discovered that the mere smell of a predator affects the reproductive success of fruit flies.
Fear alone may be enough to cause vulnerable species to go extinct, according to a new University of Guelph study.
Prof. Ryan Norris has discovered that the mere smell of a predator affects the reproductive success of fruit flies.
“This finding sheds light on the role fear plays in animal extinction,” said Norris, an integrative biology professor who conducted the study with McGill University professor Kyle Elliott.
“When fruit flies spend more time looking out for predators, they likely spend less time feeding, which influences their condition and subsequent reproductive success.”
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Photo via University of Guelph.
