Monika Sysiak
Research interests
- Predator–prey interactions
- Behavioral ecology
- Chemical communication in aquatic ecosystems
- Phenotypic plasticity
- Freshwater invertebrate ecology
Research projects
Ongoing:
- Elucidating ecological and developmental causes of asexual reproduction and colony formation in flatworms (Polish Returns NAWA, no. BPN/PPO/2023/1/00002), principal investigator: dr Ludwik Gąsiorowski
Completed:
- Chemical communication in aquatic ecosystems: predator fear as another information not to be ignored by prey (2018/31/N/NZ8/03800), principal investigator: Monika Sysiak
- The effects of microplastics on several ecological interactions between aquatic organisms (2019/35/B/NZ8/04523), principal investigator: dr Piotr Maszczyk
- Mechanisms of animal behavioural individuality emergence (2016/23/D/NZ8/01736), principal investigator: dr Barbara Pietrzak
Publications
Sysiak, Monika; Babkiewicz, Ewa; Zebrowski, Marcin Lukasz; Rutkowska, Katarzyna; Kunjiappan, Selvaraj; Lee, Jae-Seong; Maszczyk, Piotr
Elevated temperature enhances task performance by improving cognitive abilities in common rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) Journal Article
In: Sci Rep, vol. 15, no. 1, 2025, ISSN: 2045-2322.
@article{Sysiak2025c,
title = {Elevated temperature enhances task performance by improving cognitive abilities in common rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus)},
author = {Monika Sysiak and Ewa Babkiewicz and Marcin Lukasz Zebrowski and Katarzyna Rutkowska and Selvaraj Kunjiappan and Jae-Seong Lee and Piotr Maszczyk},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-025-92499-3},
issn = {2045-2322},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-12-00},
urldate = {2025-12-00},
journal = {Sci Rep},
volume = {15},
number = {1},
publisher = {Springer Science and Business Media LLC},
abstract = {<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title>
<jats:p>The thermal sensitivity of task performance in ectothermic organisms may depend on how temperature affects mobility, cognitive ability, or their interaction. Furthermore, these processes may vary with experience or task difficulty. To test these predictions, we performed mesocosm experiments with common rudd (<jats:italic>Scardinius erythrophthalmus</jats:italic>) foraging for a high-density food reward (<jats:italic>Artemia salina</jats:italic> nauplii) across consecutive daily sessions under varying task difficulties (short, medium, and long distances to the reward, and presence or absence of experienced individuals) at two temperatures (16–26 °C). Results indicated that the thermal sensitivity of task performance ranged from <jats:italic>Q</jats:italic>
<jats:sub>
<jats:italic>10</jats:italic>
</jats:sub> = 2 to 9 across all treatments, peaking during the second and third sessions when fish learned the reward location most intensively. <jats:italic>Q</jats:italic>
<jats:sub>
<jats:italic>10</jats:italic>
</jats:sub> values increased with task difficulty, reaching their highest levels when inexperienced fish navigated long distances to the reward and foraged without guidance. In contrast, the thermal sensitivity of mobility remained stable across sessions, with a maximum <jats:italic>Q</jats:italic>
<jats:sub>
<jats:italic>10</jats:italic>
</jats:sub> of 2. The significantly higher thermal sensitivity of task performance compared to mobility, along with its positive relationship with task difficulty, suggests that performance improvements at elevated temperatures are driven not only by increased mobility but also by enhanced cognitive processes.</jats:p>},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title>
<jats:p>The thermal sensitivity of task performance in ectothermic organisms may depend on how temperature affects mobility, cognitive ability, or their interaction. Furthermore, these processes may vary with experience or task difficulty. To test these predictions, we performed mesocosm experiments with common rudd (<jats:italic>Scardinius erythrophthalmus</jats:italic>) foraging for a high-density food reward (<jats:italic>Artemia salina</jats:italic> nauplii) across consecutive daily sessions under varying task difficulties (short, medium, and long distances to the reward, and presence or absence of experienced individuals) at two temperatures (16–26 °C). Results indicated that the thermal sensitivity of task performance ranged from <jats:italic>Q</jats:italic>
<jats:sub>
<jats:italic>10</jats:italic>
</jats:sub> = 2 to 9 across all treatments, peaking during the second and third sessions when fish learned the reward location most intensively. <jats:italic>Q</jats:italic>
<jats:sub>
<jats:italic>10</jats:italic>
</jats:sub> values increased with task difficulty, reaching their highest levels when inexperienced fish navigated long distances to the reward and foraged without guidance. In contrast, the thermal sensitivity of mobility remained stable across sessions, with a maximum <jats:italic>Q</jats:italic>
<jats:sub>
<jats:italic>10</jats:italic>
</jats:sub> of 2. The significantly higher thermal sensitivity of task performance compared to mobility, along with its positive relationship with task difficulty, suggests that performance improvements at elevated temperatures are driven not only by increased mobility but also by enhanced cognitive processes.</jats:p>
<jats:p>The thermal sensitivity of task performance in ectothermic organisms may depend on how temperature affects mobility, cognitive ability, or their interaction. Furthermore, these processes may vary with experience or task difficulty. To test these predictions, we performed mesocosm experiments with common rudd (<jats:italic>Scardinius erythrophthalmus</jats:italic>) foraging for a high-density food reward (<jats:italic>Artemia salina</jats:italic> nauplii) across consecutive daily sessions under varying task difficulties (short, medium, and long distances to the reward, and presence or absence of experienced individuals) at two temperatures (16–26 °C). Results indicated that the thermal sensitivity of task performance ranged from <jats:italic>Q</jats:italic>
<jats:sub>
<jats:italic>10</jats:italic>
</jats:sub> = 2 to 9 across all treatments, peaking during the second and third sessions when fish learned the reward location most intensively. <jats:italic>Q</jats:italic>
<jats:sub>
<jats:italic>10</jats:italic>
</jats:sub> values increased with task difficulty, reaching their highest levels when inexperienced fish navigated long distances to the reward and foraged without guidance. In contrast, the thermal sensitivity of mobility remained stable across sessions, with a maximum <jats:italic>Q</jats:italic>
<jats:sub>
<jats:italic>10</jats:italic>
</jats:sub> of 2. The significantly higher thermal sensitivity of task performance compared to mobility, along with its positive relationship with task difficulty, suggests that performance improvements at elevated temperatures are driven not only by increased mobility but also by enhanced cognitive processes.</jats:p>
Sysiak, Monika; Baczyński, Jakub; Mikulski, Andrzej
Non‐Consumptive Effects of Cannibalism Elicit a Metabolic Response in Dragonfly Larvae Journal Article
In: Ecology and Evolution, vol. 15, no. 2, 2025, ISSN: 2045-7758.
@article{Sysiak2025,
title = {Non‐Consumptive Effects of Cannibalism Elicit a Metabolic Response in Dragonfly Larvae},
author = {Monika Sysiak and Jakub Baczyński and Andrzej Mikulski},
doi = {10.1002/ece3.70852},
issn = {2045-7758},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-02-00},
urldate = {2025-02-00},
journal = {Ecology and Evolution},
volume = {15},
number = {2},
publisher = {Wiley},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Sysiak, Monika; Maszczyk, Piotr; Mikulski, Andrzej
Threat to the predator suppresses defence of its prey Journal Article
In: R. Soc. Open Sci., vol. 12, no. 1, 2025, ISSN: 2054-5703.
@article{Sysiak2025b,
title = {Threat to the predator suppresses defence of its prey},
author = {Monika Sysiak and Piotr Maszczyk and Andrzej Mikulski},
doi = {10.1098/rsos.241711},
issn = {2054-5703},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-01-00},
urldate = {2025-01-00},
journal = {R. Soc. Open Sci.},
volume = {12},
number = {1},
publisher = {The Royal Society},
abstract = {<jats:p>
Many studies have shown that prey can optimize their defence mechanisms based on cues indicating predator presence and pressure. However, little is known about whether prey can assess the actual threat by considering both predator density and the motivational state of cannibalistic predators, which can be influenced by threats from higher order predators. We conducted laboratory experiments to test the hypothesis that high predator density, combined with chemical cues indicating predator stress (e.g. alarm and disturbance cues), may inhibit prey defences. Using
<jats:italic>Daphnia</jats:italic>
and Zygoptera/Anisoptera larvae, we observed that
<jats:italic>Daphnia’s</jats:italic>
strong response to low-density predator kairomones was suppressed when exposed to high-density predator kairomones and disturbance cues. Surprisingly, we found no evidence of a suppressive response to alarm cues. Our study is to our knowledge, the first to show that prey uses predator stress cues to avoid unnecessary defences, suggesting a ‘cascade of fear’ in which fear at one trophic level reduces fear at a lower level. Furthermore, it is to our knowledge the first to demonstrate that prey can reduce their anti-predator response in the presence of high densities of cannibalistic predators.
</jats:p>},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
<jats:p>
Many studies have shown that prey can optimize their defence mechanisms based on cues indicating predator presence and pressure. However, little is known about whether prey can assess the actual threat by considering both predator density and the motivational state of cannibalistic predators, which can be influenced by threats from higher order predators. We conducted laboratory experiments to test the hypothesis that high predator density, combined with chemical cues indicating predator stress (e.g. alarm and disturbance cues), may inhibit prey defences. Using
<jats:italic>Daphnia</jats:italic>
and Zygoptera/Anisoptera larvae, we observed that
<jats:italic>Daphnia’s</jats:italic>
strong response to low-density predator kairomones was suppressed when exposed to high-density predator kairomones and disturbance cues. Surprisingly, we found no evidence of a suppressive response to alarm cues. Our study is to our knowledge, the first to show that prey uses predator stress cues to avoid unnecessary defences, suggesting a ‘cascade of fear’ in which fear at one trophic level reduces fear at a lower level. Furthermore, it is to our knowledge the first to demonstrate that prey can reduce their anti-predator response in the presence of high densities of cannibalistic predators.
</jats:p>
Many studies have shown that prey can optimize their defence mechanisms based on cues indicating predator presence and pressure. However, little is known about whether prey can assess the actual threat by considering both predator density and the motivational state of cannibalistic predators, which can be influenced by threats from higher order predators. We conducted laboratory experiments to test the hypothesis that high predator density, combined with chemical cues indicating predator stress (e.g. alarm and disturbance cues), may inhibit prey defences. Using
<jats:italic>Daphnia</jats:italic>
and Zygoptera/Anisoptera larvae, we observed that
<jats:italic>Daphnia’s</jats:italic>
strong response to low-density predator kairomones was suppressed when exposed to high-density predator kairomones and disturbance cues. Surprisingly, we found no evidence of a suppressive response to alarm cues. Our study is to our knowledge, the first to show that prey uses predator stress cues to avoid unnecessary defences, suggesting a ‘cascade of fear’ in which fear at one trophic level reduces fear at a lower level. Furthermore, it is to our knowledge the first to demonstrate that prey can reduce their anti-predator response in the presence of high densities of cannibalistic predators.
</jats:p>
Sysiak, Monika; Pietrzak, Barbara; Kubiak, Matylda; Bednarska, Anna; Mikulski, Andrzej
Chemical cannibalistic cues make damselfly larvae hide rather than hunt Journal Article
In: Sci Rep, vol. 13, no. 1, 2023, ISSN: 2045-2322.
@article{Sysiak2023,
title = {Chemical cannibalistic cues make damselfly larvae hide rather than hunt},
author = {Monika Sysiak and Barbara Pietrzak and Matylda Kubiak and Anna Bednarska and Andrzej Mikulski},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-023-40732-2},
issn = {2045-2322},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-12-00},
urldate = {2023-12-00},
journal = {Sci Rep},
volume = {13},
number = {1},
publisher = {Springer Science and Business Media LLC},
abstract = {<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Adopting cannibalism substantially affects individual fitness, and recognizing the presence of other cannibals provides additional benefits such as the opportunity to prepare for hunting or defense. This recognition can be facilitated by perceiving conspecific chemical cues. Their role in cannibalistic interactions is less studied than in interspecific predation and it is unclear whether these cues inform individuals of danger or of food availability. Interpretation of these cues is crucial to balance the costs and benefits of anti-predator and feeding strategies, which can directly influence individual fitness. In this study we aimed to test whether damselfly larvae shift towards bolder and more exploratory (cannibalistic) behavior, or become more careful to avoid potential cannibals (as prey) in response to such cues. We conducted behavioral and respiratory experiments with <jats:italic>Ischnura elegans</jats:italic> larvae to investigate their response to chemical cues from older and larger conspecific larvae. We found that <jats:italic>I. elegans</jats:italic> larvae decrease their activity and shift their respiratory-related behavior, indicating activation of anti-predator defense mechanisms in response to conspecific chemical cues. Our findings indicate that individuals exposed to conspecific chemical cues balance catching prey with staying safe.</jats:p>},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Adopting cannibalism substantially affects individual fitness, and recognizing the presence of other cannibals provides additional benefits such as the opportunity to prepare for hunting or defense. This recognition can be facilitated by perceiving conspecific chemical cues. Their role in cannibalistic interactions is less studied than in interspecific predation and it is unclear whether these cues inform individuals of danger or of food availability. Interpretation of these cues is crucial to balance the costs and benefits of anti-predator and feeding strategies, which can directly influence individual fitness. In this study we aimed to test whether damselfly larvae shift towards bolder and more exploratory (cannibalistic) behavior, or become more careful to avoid potential cannibals (as prey) in response to such cues. We conducted behavioral and respiratory experiments with <jats:italic>Ischnura elegans</jats:italic> larvae to investigate their response to chemical cues from older and larger conspecific larvae. We found that <jats:italic>I. elegans</jats:italic> larvae decrease their activity and shift their respiratory-related behavior, indicating activation of anti-predator defense mechanisms in response to conspecific chemical cues. Our findings indicate that individuals exposed to conspecific chemical cues balance catching prey with staying safe.</jats:p>