Biology subjects

d'Isa, R.

Publications and source records attributed to d'Isa, R..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Killer Mice: First Documentation of Lethal and Near-Lethal Attacks on Bank Voles by Free-Living Yellow-Necked Mice

In nature, the most common drivers of lethal aggression are predation and territorial defense. In northeastern Poland, the yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis) coexists with several rodent species, including the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus). Compared to voles, A. flavicollis is larger, physically stronger, more aggressive, and dominant in the social ecosystem. However, no visually documented instance of a lethal attack by this species has been reported up to date. Here, we present the first recorded case of a fatal attack by a yellow-necked mouse following an encounter with a bank vole. A near-lethal attack is also reported. Importantly, these attacks were not predatory, as no consumption occurred. The attacks appeared instead to be related to interspecies competition, i.e., to competitive interactions between two species that live in the same habitat and use the same type of resources. Notably, while the aggressiveness of yellow-necked mice towards bank voles was known, it was unknown that it could take such extreme forms. Since, in rodents, most competition-related agonistic interactions are aimed at distancing the competitor, the physical destruction of the competitor appears as a surprisingly extreme way of addressing the game of interspecies competition through definitive removal of the opponent. Our observations highlight the need for further research on interspecific aggression among small mammals. They also emphasize the importance of field-based methods, such as camera trapping and continuous video monitoring, which allow for direct observation of animal behavior in natural settings and can reveal rare or previously overlooked interactions.

animal behavior and cognition↗

bioRxiv2026

Chronoecological interactions: Temporal niche-switching by black-striped mice after agonistic food competition with a dominant sympatric mouse species

When novel nutrient-rich food sources become available to species sharing the same natural habitat, interspecies competition may arise, yielding insights into the ecological and social dynamics of the observed species. Here, we investigated food consumption patterns, and consequent social interactions, by two sympatric species of mice in response to a novel nutrient-rich food source. By deploying, in the mices natural habitat, baited video-monitored chambers, we collected, over a 5-month period, 1805 observations of food visiting by Apodemus agrarius and Apodemus flavicollis. We also documented interspecific encounters, with 86.7% of the cases showing agonism. In these interspecies agonistic encounters, A. flavicollis was always the initiator of agonism, attacking within 2 sec in 92.3% of the cases, and being dominant over A. agrarius in 84.6%. Analysis of food visiting behavior revealed that, initially, both species preferred nocturnality. However, after the interspecies fights, A. agrarius switched its temporal preference to diurnality, leading to temporal niche segregation between the two species and a significant reduction of interspecies encounters. Moreover, A. agrarius demonstrated hour-specific avoidance of A. flavicollis, visiting significantly less in hours with A. flavicollis compared to hours without. Through temporal niche switching, A. agrarius managed to access the food source safely, without fights. In contrast, A. flavicollis remained consistently nocturnal across the entire study. Notably, our study presents the first 24h foraging actogram for free-living rodents. Moreover, while rodent interspecific competition is a well-known phenomenon, most of what we know about it comes from indirect observations. Direct observations of rodent interspecific interactions in nature are rare. Our work is the first direct (video-monitored) observation of temporal switch-inducing interspecies interactions in nature. As free-living rodents are currently considered a major model system for the study of interspecific competition, these results may offer precious insights for a better understanding of social dynamics, especially in asymmetric relationships. Furthermore, our findings highlight the significance of considering temporal dynamics in studies of interspecific interactions.

animal behavior and cognition↗

bioRxiv2018

Modulation of ERK1/MAPK3 potentiates ERK nuclear signalling, facilitates neuronal cell survival and improves memory in mouse models of neurodegenerative disorders

Cell signalling mechanisms are central to neuronal activity and their dysregulation may lead to neurodegenerative processes and associated cognitive decline. So far, a major effort has been directed toward the dissection of disease specific pathways with the still unmet promise to develop precision medicine strategies. With a different approach, here we show that a selective genetic potentiation of neuronal ERK signalling prevents cell death in vitro and in vivo in the mouse brain while ERK attenuation does the opposite. This neuroprotective effect can also be induced pharmacologically by a cell permeable peptide mimicking the loss of ERK1 MAP kinase, leading to a selective enhancement of ERK2 mediated nuclear cell signalling. The drug treatment prevents neurodegeneration in mouse models of Huntingtons (HD), Alzheimers (AD), and Parkinsons disease (PD). Importantly, the selective potentiation of ERK2 signalling facilitates both structural and synaptic plasticity, enhances cognition in healthy mice and rescues mild cognitive impairments in both models of AD and HD. Altogether, our observation truly represents a remarkable example of a shared molecular mechanism across multiple neurodegenerative disorders and a potentially valuable therapeutic target for neuro-enhancement.

neuroscience↗