Utjecaj obogaćivanja okoliša na brzinu habituacije zidne gušterice (Podarcis muralis) u zatočeništvu

master's thesis

• Title (english): Impact of environmental enrichment on habituation period of the Common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) in captivity
• Author: Neven Marković
• Mentor: Duje Lisičić (mentor)
• Committee member: Duje Lisičić (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Sanja Gottstein (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Mladen Maradin (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Karmen Fio Firi (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Blanka Cvetko Tešović (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Science; (Department of Biology); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2023-09-18, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: NATURAL SCIENCES; Biology

Abstract

Pri proučavanju obrazaca ponašanja laboratorijskih životinja, uključujući habituaciju kao
jednostavan oblik učenja, često se koriste testovi istraživanja ponašanja. Svrha obogaćivanja
okoliša životinja u zatočeništvu jest podići kvalitetu života na višu razinu povećanjem interakcije
s okolinom. U slučaju održavanja gušterica u zatočeništvu dokazano je da vrlo važnu ulogu ima
kemosenzorno obogaćivanje. Za provedbu ovog istraživanja, ulovljeno je 20 ženki i 20 mužjaka
odraslih jedinki zidne gušterice (Podarcis muralis). Dvotjedni tretman kemosenzornog
obogaćivanja uključivao je prikupljanje mirisa jedinki pomoću destiliranom vodom namočenih
filter papira koji su se postavljali u skloništa za gušterice. Mirisi nepoznate gušterice su postavljani
u kutove terarija tretirane skupine, dok su se kontrolnoj skupini postavljali filter papiri bez mirisa.
U drugom tjednu tretmana sve jedinke podvrgnute su testu otvorenog polja u kojem je snimano
istraživačko ponašanje. Promatrane varijable, ukupna količina kretanja i učestalost palucanja
jezikom, analizirane su korištenjem računalnog programa EthoVision XT 15. Rezultati potvrđuju
bržu habituaciju tretiranih gušterica u odnosu na kontrolnu skupinu. Utvrđena je tendencija
postizanja uniformnijeg odgovora tretiranih jedinki. Smatram kako je vrlo važno laboratorijskim
istraživanjima doprinijeti novim spoznajama vezanim uz obogaćivanje okoliša gmazova i drugih
slabije istraživanih skupina organizama te mogućnostima njihove aktivne primjene.

Abstract (english)

While studying behavior in laboratory animals, including habituation as a simple form of learning,
behavioral tests are often used. The purpose of environmental enrichment is to improve the quality
of life in captive animals by increasing interaction with surroundings. In the case of keeping lizards
in captivity, chemosensory enrichment plays very important role. For implementation of this
research, 20 female and 20 male adult common wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) were caught. The
two-week chemosensory enrichment treatment included individuals’ odor collection by using
distilled water-soaked filter papers placed in lizard shelters. Odors of unknown lizards were placed
in corners of the terrarium of experimental group, while odorless filter papers were placed in
control group. In the second week of treatment all individuals underwent an open field test in which
exploratory behavior was recorded. Observed variables, total amount of movement and frequency
of tongue flicking were analyzed using the EthoVision XT 15 software. The results confirm that
treated lizards habituated faster compared to the control group. A tendency to achieve more
uniform response of the treated individuals was determined. I believe it is very important to
contribute to new insights through laboratory research related to environmental enrichment of
reptiles and other less researched groups of organisms and the possibilities of their active
application.

• Keywords: kemorecepcija; kemosenzorno obogaćivanje; laboratorijske životinje; palucanje jezikom; Test otvorenog polja
• Keywords (english): chemoreception; chemosensory enrichment; laboratory animals; tongue flicking; open field test
• Language: croatian
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:217:137049
• Study programme: Title: Enviromental Sciences; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra struke znanosti o okolišu (magistar/magistra struke znanosti o okolišu)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Embargoed access; Embargo expiration date: 2025-09-18
• Created on: 2023-11-15 13:25:29