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Ricci LE, Cox M, Manlove KR. Movement decisions driving metapopulation connectivity respond to social resources in a long-lived ungulate, bighorn sheep ( Ovis canadensis). Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20220533. [PMID: 39230452 PMCID: PMC11449200 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The spatial availability of social resources is speculated to structure animal movement decisions, but the effects of social resources on animal movements are difficult to identify because social resources are rarely measured. Here, we assessed whether varying availability of a key social resource-access to receptive mates-produces predictable changes in movement decisions among bighorn sheep in Nevada, the United States. We compared the probability that males made long-distance 'foray' movements, a critical driver of connectivity, across three ecoregions with varying temporal duration of a socially mediated factor, breeding season. We used a hidden Markov model to identify foray events and then quantified the effects of social covariates on the probability of foray using a discrete choice model. We found that males engaged in forays at higher rates when the breeding season was short, suggesting that males were most responsive to the social resource when its existence was short lived. During the breeding season, males altered their response to social covariates, relative to the non-breeding season, though patterns varied, and age was associated with increased foray probability. Our results suggest that animals respond to the temporal availability of social resources when making the long-distance movements that drive connectivity. This article is part of the theme issue 'The spatial-social interface: a theoretical and empirical integration'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Ricci
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University , Logan, UT, USA
| | - Mike Cox
- Nevada Department of Wildlife , Reno, NV, USA
| | - Kezia R Manlove
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University , Logan, UT, USA
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2
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Tosa MI, Biel MJ, Graves TA. Bighorn sheep associations: understanding tradeoffs of sociality and implications for disease transmission. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15625. [PMID: 37576510 PMCID: PMC10416771 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Sociality directly influences mating success, survival rates, and disease, but ultimately likely evolved for its fitness benefits in a challenging environment. The tradeoffs between the costs and benefits of sociality can operate at multiple scales, resulting in different interpretations of animal behavior. We investigated the influence of intrinsic (e.g., relatedness, age) and extrinsic factors (e.g., land cover type, season) on direct contact (simultaneous GPS locations ≤ 25 m) rates of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) at multiple scales near the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. During 2002-2012, male and female bighorn were equipped with GPS collars. Indirect contact (GPS locations ≤ 25 m regardless of time) networks identified two major breaks whereas direct contact networks identified an additional barrier in the population, all of which corresponded with prior disease exposure metrics. More direct contacts occurred between same-sex dyads than female-male dyads and between bighorn groups with overlapping summer home ranges. Direct contacts occurred most often during the winter-spring season when bighorn traveled at low speeds and when an adequate number of bighorn were collared in the area. Direct contact probabilities for all dyad types were inversely related to habitat quality, and differences in contact probability were driven by variables related to survival such as terrain ruggedness, distance to escape terrain, and canopy cover. We provide evidence that probabilities of association are higher when there is greater predation risk and that contact analysis provides valuable information for understanding fitness tradeoffs of sociality and disease transmission potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie I. Tosa
- Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, West Glacier, MT, United States of America
| | - Mark J. Biel
- Glacier National Park, National Park Service, West Glacier, MT, United States of America
| | - Tabitha A. Graves
- Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, West Glacier, MT, United States of America
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3
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Blum ME, Stewart KM, Shoemaker KT, Cox M, Wakeling BF, Dilts TE, Bennett JR, Bleich VC. Changes in selection of resources with reproductive state in a montane ungulate. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:20. [PMID: 37020241 PMCID: PMC10077753 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00378-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Animals select habitats based on food, water, space, and cover. Each of those components are essential to the ability of an individual to survive and reproduce in a particular habitat. Selection of resources is linked to reproductive fitness and individuals likely vary in how they select resources relative to their reproductive state: during pregnancy, while provisioning young when nutritional needs of the mother are high, but offspring are vulnerable to predation, or if they lose young to mortality. We investigated the effects of reproductive state on selection of resources by maternal female desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) by comparing selection during the last trimester of gestation, following parturition when females were provisioning dependent young, and if the female lost an offspring. We captured, and recaptured each year, 32 female bighorn sheep at Lone Mountain, Nevada, during 2016-2018. Captured females were fit with GPS collars and those that were pregnant received vaginal implant transmitters. We used a Bayesian approach to estimate differences in selection between females provisioning and not provisioning offspring, as well as the length of time it took for females with offspring to return levels of selection similar to that observed prior to parturition. Females that were not provisioning offspring selected areas with higher risk of predation, but greater nutritional resources than those that were provisioning dependent young. When females were provisioning young immediately following parturition, females selected areas that were safe from predators, but had lower nutritional resources. Females displayed varying rates of return to selection strategies associated with access to nutritional resources as young grew and became more agile and less dependent on mothers. We observed clear and substantial shifts in selection of resources associated with reproductive state, and females exhibited tradeoffs in favor of areas that were safer from predators when provisioning dependent young despite loss of nutritional resources to support lactation. As young grew and became less vulnerable to predators, females returned to levels of selection that provided access to nutritional resources to restore somatic reserves lost during lactation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus E Blum
- Natural Resources Institute, Texas A&M University, 1001 Holleman Dr, College Station, TX, 77840, USA.
| | - Kelley M Stewart
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St., MS 186, Reno, NV, 89557, USA
| | - Kevin T Shoemaker
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St., MS 186, Reno, NV, 89557, USA
| | - Mike Cox
- Nevada Department of Wildlife, 6980 Sierra Center Parkway #120, Reno, NV, 89511, USA
| | - Brian F Wakeling
- Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT, 59620, USA
| | - Thomas E Dilts
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St., MS 186, Reno, NV, 89557, USA
| | - Joe R Bennett
- Nevada Department of Wildlife, 6980 Sierra Center Parkway #120, Reno, NV, 89511, USA
| | - Vernon C Bleich
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St., MS 186, Reno, NV, 89557, USA
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4
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Dekelaita DJ, Epps CW, German DW, Powers JG, Gonzales BJ, Abella-Vu RK, Darby NW, Hughson DL, Stewart KM. Animal movement and associated infectious disease risk in a metapopulation. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:220390. [PMID: 36756067 PMCID: PMC9890124 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Animal movements among habitat patches or populations are important for maintaining long-term genetic and demographic viability, but connectivity may also facilitate disease spread and persistence. Understanding factors that influence animal movements is critical to understanding potential transmission risk and persistence of communicable disease in spatially structured systems. We evaluated effects of sex, age and Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae infection status at capture on intermountain movements and seasonal movement rates observed in desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) using global positioning system collar data from 135 individuals (27 males, 108 females) in 14 populations between 2013 and 2018, following a pneumonia outbreak linked to the pathogen M. ovipneumoniae in the Mojave Desert, California, USA. Based on logistic regression analysis, intermountain movements were influenced by sex, age and most notably, infection status at capture: males, older animals and uninfected individuals were most likely to make such movements. Based on multiple linear regression analysis, females that tested positive for M. ovipneumoniae at capture also had lower mean daily movement rates that were further influenced by season. Our study provides empirical evidence of a pathogenic infection decreasing an individual's future mobility, presumably limiting that pathogen's ability to spread, and ultimately influencing transmission risk within a spatially structured system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniella J. Dekelaita
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Clinton W. Epps
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - David W. German
- Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Recovery Program, CaliforniaDepartment of Fish and Wildlife, Bishop, CA 93514, USA
| | - Jenny G. Powers
- Biological Resources Division, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525, USA
| | - Ben J. Gonzales
- Wildlife Investigations Laboratory, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1701 Nimbus Road, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670-4503, USA
| | - Regina K. Abella-Vu
- Wildlife Branch, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1812 Ninth Street, Sacramento, CA 95811, USA
| | - Neal W. Darby
- Mojave National Preserve, National Park Service, 2701 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA 92311, USA
| | - Debra L. Hughson
- Mojave National Preserve, National Park Service, 2701 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA 92311, USA
| | - Kelley M. Stewart
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557-0186, USA
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Sifuentes-Lamónt PI, Meza-Herrera CA, Véliz-Deras FG, Alvarado-Espino AS, Alvarado-Espino AV, Calderón-Leyva G, Angel-Garcia O, Carrillo-Moreno DI, Contreras-Villarreal V, Delgado González RA, Bustamante-Andrade JA. Multifaceted Interplay among Social Dominance, Body Condition, Appetitive and Consummatory Sexual Behaviors, and Semen Quality in Dorper Rams during Out-Of-Season and Transition Periods. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12233339. [PMID: 36496859 PMCID: PMC9737712 DOI: 10.3390/ani12233339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Dorper rams (n = 24) were evaluated during the sexual resting season to determine their social rank (SR), either high (HSR) or low (LSR), under intensive management conditions in northern Mexico (25° N). Aggressive behaviors were quantified during male-to-male interactions, and appetitive and consummatory sexual behaviors during male-to-female interactions. Morphometric, live weight (LW), and body condition score (BCS) were recorded. During the early reproductive season, male-to-female behaviors were newly itemized simultaneously by seminal quality and quantity sampling. Finally, the dependent variables of the hemogram components were also quantified. Neither LW (61.25 ± 2.4 kg) nor morphometric variables differed between SR groups. However, BCS (2.25 vs. 2.66 u), sexual behaviors (i.e., approaches: 59.6 vs. 21.73 n, mating with ejaculation: 77.7 vs. 42.86 %, latency to ejaculation: 16.6 vs. 143.07 s), ejaculate volume (0.57 vs. 0.23 mL), and hemogram components favored the HSR rams (p < 0.05). Moreover, in their first male-to-female interaction, >50% of the LSR rams failed to display any sexual activity. HSR rams displayed a greater number of threatening behaviors, managing to displace LSR rams when exposed to estrus ewes during the male sexual resting season; more sexual behaviors; and an increased seminal volume in a non-live weight-dependent fashion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo I. Sifuentes-Lamónt
- Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Unidad Laguna, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, Torreon 27054, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Cesar A. Meza-Herrera
- Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Unidad Regional Universitaria de Zonas Áridas, Bermejillo, 35230, Durango, Mexico
- Correspondence: or (C.A.M.-H.); (F.G.V.-D.)
| | - Francisco G. Véliz-Deras
- Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Unidad Laguna, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, Torreon 27054, Coahuila, Mexico
- Correspondence: or (C.A.M.-H.); (F.G.V.-D.)
| | - Alan S. Alvarado-Espino
- Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Unidad Laguna, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, Torreon 27054, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Ariadna V. Alvarado-Espino
- Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Unidad Laguna, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, Torreon 27054, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Guadalupe Calderón-Leyva
- Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Unidad Laguna, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, Torreon 27054, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Oscar Angel-Garcia
- Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Unidad Laguna, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, Torreon 27054, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Dalia I. Carrillo-Moreno
- Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Unidad Laguna, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, Torreon 27054, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Viridiana Contreras-Villarreal
- Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Unidad Laguna, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, Torreon 27054, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Ramón A. Delgado González
- Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Unidad Laguna, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, Torreon 27054, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Jorge A. Bustamante-Andrade
- Facultad de Agricultura y Zootecnia, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, Gómez Palacio 35111, Durango, Mexico
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Lassis R, Festa‐Bianchet M, Pelletier F. Breeding migrations by bighorn sheep males are driven by mating opportunities. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8692. [PMID: 35342589 PMCID: PMC8928905 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In some species where male mating success largely depends on intrasexual competition, males can adopt migratory or resident strategies to seek breeding opportunities. The resulting mixture of resident and migrant tactics within a population can have important ecological, genetic, and evolutionary consequences for metapopulations. Bighorn sheep Ovis canadensis males establish a linear dominance hierarchy that influences their mating tactics. Some males perform breeding migrations during the pre-rut and rut to seek mating opportunities, but little is known about these seasonal movements. We analyzed presence/absence data for 62 marked bighorn males during six mating seasons (20-32 males/year) in the Sheep River Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada, where hunting was not allowed. On average, about half of males left their natal population to rut elsewhere. The proportion of males leaving (yearly range 15%-69%) increased as the number of resident mature males increased and the populational sex ratio decreased, with fewer females during the pre-rut. Among those leaving the park, 24% did so in October, while the trophy sheep hunting season was open. Detailed monitoring of breeding migrations in protected populations could inform management strategies to limit evolutionary impacts of hunting, which can alter size-dependent mortality and create artificial pressures driving changes on heritable traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roxane Lassis
- Département de biologie et Centre d’Études NordiquesUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuebecCanada
| | - Marco Festa‐Bianchet
- Département de biologie et Centre d’Études NordiquesUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuebecCanada
| | - Fanie Pelletier
- Département de biologie et Centre d’Études NordiquesUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuebecCanada
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7
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Berger DJ, German DW, John C, Hart R, Stephenson TR, Avgar T. Seeing Is Be-Leaving: Perception Informs Migratory Decisions in Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis sierrae). Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.742275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Seasonal migration is a behavioral response to predictable variation in environmental resources, risks, and conditions. In behaviorally plastic migrants, migration is a conditional strategy that depends, in part, on an individual’s informational state. The cognitive processes that underlie how facultative migrants understand and respond to their environment are not well understood. We compared perception of the present environment to memory and omniscience as competing cognitive mechanisms driving altitudinal migratory decisions in an endangered ungulate, the Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis sierrae) using 1,298 animal years of data, encompassing 460 unique individuals. We built a suite of statistical models to partition variation in fall migratory status explained by cognitive predictors, while controlling for non-cognitive drivers. To approximate attribute memory, we included lagged attributes of the range an individual experienced in the previous year. We quantified perception by limiting an individual’s knowledge of migratory range to the area and attributes visible from its summer range, prior to migrating. Our results show that perception, in addition to the migratory propensity of an individual’s social group, and an individual’s migratory history are the best predictors of migration in our system. Our findings suggest that short-distance altitudinal migration is, in part, a response to an individual’s perception of conditions on alterative winter range. In long-distance partial migrants, exploration of migratory decision-making has been limited, but it is unlikely that migratory decisions would be based on sensory cues from a remote target range. Differing cognitive mechanisms underpinning short and long-distance migratory decisions will result in differing levels of behavioral plasticity in response to global climate change and anthropogenic disturbance, with important implications for management and conservation of migratory species.
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Jones AS, Rubin ES, Clement MJ, Harding LE, Mesler JI. Desert bighorn sheep habitat selection, group size, and mountain lion predation risk. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew S. Jones
- Arizona Game and Fish Department 5000 W. Carefree Highway Phoenix AZ 85086 USA
| | - Esther S. Rubin
- Arizona Game and Fish Department 5000 W. Carefree Highway Phoenix AZ 85086 USA
| | - Matthew J. Clement
- Arizona Game and Fish Department 5000 W. Carefree Highway Phoenix AZ 85086 USA
| | - Larisa E. Harding
- Arizona Game and Fish Department 5000 W. Carefree Highway Phoenix AZ 85086 USA
| | - Jacob I. Mesler
- Arizona Game and Fish Department 5000 W. Carefree Highway Phoenix AZ 85086 USA
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Korzan WJ, Summers CH. Evolution of stress responses refine mechanisms of social rank. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 14:100328. [PMID: 33997153 PMCID: PMC8105687 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Social rank functions to facilitate coping responses to socially stressful situations and conditions. The evolution of social status appears to be inseparably connected to the evolution of stress. Stress, aggression, reward, and decision-making neurocircuitries overlap and interact to produce status-linked relationships, which are common among both male and female populations. Behavioral consequences stemming from social status and rank relationships are molded by aggressive interactions, which are inherently stressful. It seems likely that the balance of regulatory elements in pro- and anti-stress neurocircuitries results in rapid but brief stress responses that are advantageous to social dominance. These systems further produce, in coordination with reward and aggression circuitries, rapid adaptive responding during opportunities that arise to acquire food, mates, perch sites, territorial space, shelter and other resources. Rapid acquisition of resources and aggressive postures produces dominant individuals, who temporarily have distinct fitness advantages. For these reasons also, change in social status can occur rapidly. Social subordination results in slower and more chronic neural and endocrine reactions, a suite of unique defensive behaviors, and an increased propensity for anxious and depressive behavior and affect. These two behavioral phenotypes are but distinct ends of a spectrum, however, they may give us insights into the troubling mechanisms underlying the myriad of stress-related disorders to which they appear to be evolutionarily linked.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cliff H Summers
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069 USA.,Neuroscience Group, Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA.,Veterans Affairs Research Service, Sioux Falls VA Health Care System, Sioux Falls, SD 57105 USA
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11
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Love Stowell SM, Gagne RB, McWhirter D, Edwards W, Ernest HB. Bighorn Sheep Genetic Structure in Wyoming Reflects Geography and Management. J Wildl Manage 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sierra M. Love Stowell
- Wildlife Genomics & Disease Ecology Lab, Department of Veterinary SciencesUniversity of Wyoming 1174 Snowy Range Rd Laramie WY 82070 USA
| | - Roderick B. Gagne
- Wildlife Genomics & Disease Ecology Lab, Department of Veterinary SciencesUniversity of Wyoming 1174 Snowy Range Rd Laramie WY 82070 USA
| | - Doug McWhirter
- Wyoming Game and Fish DepartmentJackson Regional Office 420 N Cache St Jackson WY 830001 USA
| | - William Edwards
- Wyoming Game and Fish DepartmentWildlife Health Laboratory 1174 Snowy Range Rd Laramie WY 82070 USA
| | - Holly B. Ernest
- Wildlife Genomics & Disease Ecology Lab, Department of Veterinary SciencesUniversity of Wyoming 1174 Snowy Range Rd Laramie WY 82070 USA
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12
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Lehman CP, Rominger EM, Neiles BY. Mountain goat survival and mortality during a period of increased puma abundance in the Black Hills, South Dakota. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9143. [PMID: 32523807 PMCID: PMC7263294 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated survival and cause-specific mortality for a mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) population during a period when the puma (Puma concolor) population was growing in the Black Hills, South Dakota, 2006–2018. We obtained survival data from 47 adult goats (n = 33 females, n = 14 males). Annual survival varied from 0.538 (95% CI [0.285–0.773]) to 1.00 (95% CI [1.00–1.00]) and puma predation was the primary cause-specific mortality factor over a 12-year period. Cumulative hectares of mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) disturbance was a covariate of importance (wi = 0.972; β = 0.580, 95% CI [0.302–0.859]) influencing survival. To our knowledge, this is the first account of puma being the primary mortality factor of mountain goats over a long-term study. The Black Hills system is unique because we could examine the expanded realized niche of puma in the absence of other large carnivores and their influence on mountain goats. We hypothesize that puma were being sustained at higher densities due to alternate prey sources (e.g., white-tailed deer; Odocoileous virginianus) and this small population of mountain goats was susceptible to predation by one or several specialized puma in the Black Hills. However, we also hypothesize a changing landscape with increased tree mortality due to insect infestation provided conditions for better predator detection by goats and increased survival. Alternatively, open canopy conditions may have increased understory forage production potentially increasing mountain goat survival but we did not evaluate this relationship. Survival and mortality rates of mountain goats should continue to be monitored as this small population may be highly susceptible to population declines due to slow growth rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chadwick P Lehman
- South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks, Custer, SD, United States of America
| | - Eric M Rominger
- New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Santa Fe, NM, United States of America
| | - Brady Y Neiles
- South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks, Custer, SD, United States of America
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Deakin S, Gorrell JC, Kneteman J, Hik DS, Jobin RM, Coltman DW. Spatial genetic structure of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) at the northern limit of their native range. CAN J ZOOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2019-0183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The Canadian Rocky Mountains are one of the few places on Earth where the spatial genetic structure of wide-ranging species has been relatively unaffected by anthropogenic disturbance. We characterized the spatial genetic structure of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis Shaw, 1804) in the northern portion of their range. Using microsatellites from 1495 individuals and mitochondrial DNA sequences from 188 individuals, we examined both broad- and fine-scale spatial genetic structure, assessed sex-biased gene flow within the northern portion of the species range, and identified geographic patterns of genetic diversity. We found that broad-scale spatial genetic structure was consistent with barriers to movement created by major river valleys. The fine-scale spatial genetic structure was characterized by a strong isolation-by-distance pattern, and analysis of neighborhood size using spatial autocorrelation indicated gene flow frequently occurred over distances of up to 100 km. However, analysis of sex-specific spatial autocorrelation and analysis of mitochondrial haplotype distributions failed to detect any evidence of sex-biased gene flow. Finally, our analyses reveal decreasing genetic diversity with increasing latitude, consistent with patterns of post-glacial recolonization of the Rocky Mountains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Deakin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, CW 405, Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Jamieson C. Gorrell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vancouver Island University, 900 Fifth Street, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5S5, Canada
| | - Jeffery Kneteman
- Alberta Environment and Parks, 131 Civic Centre Road, Hinton, AB T7V 2E6, Canada
| | - David S. Hik
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, CW 405, Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada; Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Richard M. Jobin
- Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Branch, 6909 – 116 Street, Edmonton, AB T6H 4P2, Canada
| | - David W. Coltman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, CW 405, Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
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Poisson Y, Festa‐Bianchet M, Pelletier F. Testing the importance of harvest refuges for phenotypic rescue of trophy‐hunted populations. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yoanna Poisson
- Département de biologie Université de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke QC Canada
| | | | - Fanie Pelletier
- Département de biologie Université de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke QC Canada
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15
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Abstract
Aging, or senescence, is a progressive deterioration of physiological function with age. It leads to age-related declines in reproduction (reproductive senescence) and survival (actuarial senescence) in most organisms. However, senescence patterns can be highly variable across species, populations, and individuals, and the reasons for such variations remain poorly understood. Evolutionary theories predict that increases in reproductive effort in early life should be associated with accelerated senescence, but empirical tests have yielded mixed results. Although in sexually size-dimorphic species offspring of the larger sex (typically males) commonly require more parental resources, these sex differences are not currently incorporated into evolutionary theories of aging. Here, we show that female reproductive senescence varies with both the number and sex ratio of offspring weaned during early life, using data from a long-term study of bighorn sheep. For a given number of offspring, females that weaned more sons than daughters when aged between 2 and 7 y experienced faster senescence in offspring survival in old age. By contrast, analyses of actuarial senescence showed no cost of early-life reproduction. Our results unite two important topics in evolutionary biology: life history and sex allocation. Offspring sex ratio may help explain among-individual variation in senescence rates in other species, including humans.
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16
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Pajžlar L, Skok J. Cross-fostering into smaller or older litter makes piglets integration difficult: Suckling stability-based rationale. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2019.104856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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17
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Tombak KJ, Wikberg EC, Rubenstein DI, Chapman CA. Reciprocity and rotating social advantage among females in egalitarian primate societies. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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18
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Habitat use and social mixing between groups of resident and augmented bighorn sheep. Sci Rep 2019; 9:14984. [PMID: 31628362 PMCID: PMC6802186 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51370-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Monitoring dispersal, habitat use, and social mixing of released ungulates is crucial for successful translocation and species conservation. We monitored 127 female bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) released in three populations from 2000 to 2009 to investigate if augmented bighorns expanded and shifted seasonal ranges, used different habitat compared with resident females, and if animals mixed socially. Augmented bighorns in all populations expanded range use compared with residents by shifting utilization distributions. Size of utilization distributions, however, were smaller for augmented females compared with residents in all areas except one. Overlap of seasonal utilization distributions between augmented and resident bighorns and use of slope and elevation differed across populations. In two populations, differences in size and overlap of seasonal utilization distributions and use of slope and elevation supported the hypothesis that habitat use of bighorns in their source area influenced their habitat use after release. Mixing between resident and augmented adult females occurred on average during only 21% of sightings and was similar across populations. Our results clarify how augmented bighorns mix with resident animals and how habitat use is modified following augmentations. Such information is needed to improve bighorn sheep augmentations and can be applied to augmentations of other ungulates.
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19
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Gregorio PF, Panebianco A, Ovejero Aguilar R, Taraborelli PA, Moreno PG, Schroeder NM, Leggieri LR, Marozzi AA, Carmanchahi PD. Linking diet quality and energy demand in free‐living guanacos: an eco‐physiological innovative approach. J Zool (1987) 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- P. F. Gregorio
- Grupo de Investigación en Ecofisiología de Fauna Silvestre‐AUSMA‐INIBIOMA‐CONICET‐UNCo San Martín de los Andes Argentina
| | - A. Panebianco
- Grupo de Investigación en Ecofisiología de Fauna Silvestre‐AUSMA‐INIBIOMA‐CONICET‐UNCo San Martín de los Andes Argentina
| | - R. Ovejero Aguilar
- Instituto de Ecología Regional IER‐CONICET‐UNT Tucumán Argentina
- Laboratorio de ecología conductual instituto de Cs.Ambientales y Evolutivas Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Austral de Chile Valdivia Chile
| | | | - P. G. Moreno
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades (LEcEn) ICiVet‐Litoral‐UNL‐CONICET Esperanza Argentina
| | - N. M. Schroeder
- Laboratorio de Interacciones Ecológicas (LIE) IADIZA‐CONICET‐CCT‐Mendoza Mendoza Argentina
| | - L. R. Leggieri
- Grupo de Investigación en Ecofisiología de Fauna Silvestre‐AUSMA‐INIBIOMA‐CONICET‐UNCo San Martín de los Andes Argentina
| | - A. A. Marozzi
- Grupo de Investigación en Ecofisiología de Fauna Silvestre‐AUSMA‐INIBIOMA‐CONICET‐UNCo San Martín de los Andes Argentina
| | - P. D. Carmanchahi
- Grupo de Investigación en Ecofisiología de Fauna Silvestre‐AUSMA‐INIBIOMA‐CONICET‐UNCo San Martín de los Andes Argentina
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20
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Fattorini N, Brunetti C, Baruzzi C, Chiatante G, Lovari S, Ferretti F. Temporal variation in foraging activity and grouping patterns in a mountain-dwelling herbivore: Environmental and endogenous drivers. Behav Processes 2019; 167:103909. [PMID: 31330169 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2019.103909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2019] [Revised: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In temperate ecosystems, seasonality influences animal behaviour. Food availability, weather, photoperiod and endogenous factors relevant to the biological cycle of individuals have been shown as major drivers of temporal changes in activity rhythms and group size/structure of herbivorous species. We evaluated how diurnal female foraging activity and grouping patterns of a mountain herbivore, the Apennine chamois Rupicapra pyrenaica ornata, varied during a decreasing gradient of pasture availability along the summer-autumn progression (July-October), a crucial period for the life cycle of mountain ungulates. Females increased diurnal foraging activity, possibly because of constrains elicited by variation in environmental factors. Size of mixed groups did not vary, in contrast with the hypothesis that groups should be smaller when pasture availability is lower. Proportion of females in groups increased, possibly suggesting that they concentrated on patchily distributed nutritious forbs. Occurrence of yearlings in groups decreased, which may have depended on dispersal of chamois in this age class. Presence of kids in groups did not show variation through summer-autumn, suggesting a close mother-juvenile relationship even at the end of weaning and/or, possibly, low summer mortality. Both endogenous and environmental factors contribute to shape variation in foraging activity and grouping behaviour in mountain-dwelling herbivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niccolò Fattorini
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena. Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy.
| | - Claudia Brunetti
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena. Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Carolina Baruzzi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena. Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Gianpasquale Chiatante
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Sandro Lovari
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena. Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy; Maremma Natural History Museum, Strada Corsini 5, 58100 Grosseto, Italy
| | - Francesco Ferretti
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena. Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
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Péron G, Bonenfant C, Lemaitre JF, Ronget V, Tidiere M, Gaillard JM. Does grandparental care select for a longer lifespan in non-human mammals? Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blz078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Several non-human mammalian species provide grandparental care but remain fertile until death, unlike our species. This might call into question the ‘grandmother hypothesis’ that the ability to provide grandparental care, associated with an increase in the cost of breeding with age, promote the early cessation of reproduction. Here, we analyse individual longevity records from non-human mammals to determine whether the few species with grandparental care also stand out among mammals in terms of age-specific survival patterns. Indeed, females of species with grandparental care lived on average 43% longer than males (range: 24–61%), compared with 12% in other polygynous species (95% quantile: −8 to 30%), because of low baseline mortality rates and delayed onset of actuarial senescence. We discuss this finding with respect to the ‘stopping early’ vs. ‘living longer’ debate. We review the role of the environmental context and of the decrease in offspring performance with maternal age (Lansing effect). We formalize the idea of a continuum of parental–grandparental allocation instead of a discrete switch to grandparental care only. Lastly, we suggest that the evolution of menopause has been driven by different forces in different species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christophe Bonenfant
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Jean-François Lemaitre
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Victor Ronget
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Morgane Tidiere
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Jean-Michel Gaillard
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Villeurbanne, France
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22
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Festa‐Bianchet M, Côté SD, Hamel S, Pelletier F. Long‐term studies of bighorn sheep and mountain goats reveal fitness costs of reproduction. J Anim Ecol 2019; 88:1118-1133. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Festa‐Bianchet
- Département de biologie Université de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke Québec Canada
- Centre d'études nordiques Québec City Québec Canada
| | - Steeve D. Côté
- Centre d'études nordiques Québec City Québec Canada
- Département de biologie Université Laval Sainte‐Foy Québec Canada
| | - Sandra Hamel
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries, and Economics UiT The Arctic University of Norway Tromsø Norway
| | - Fanie Pelletier
- Département de biologie Université de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke Québec Canada
- Centre d'études nordiques Québec City Québec Canada
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23
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Blank DA. Female-female aggression in goitered gazelles: the desire for isolation. Behav Processes 2019; 164:186-192. [PMID: 31091464 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2019.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2018] [Revised: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/11/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
In contrast to males, which compete with other males for access to mates, females compete with each other for forage-rich sites, birthing grounds, comfortable resting places, and access to sources of water and salt licking locations. This behavior has been observed in many species. However, many agonistic interactions between females occur where resources are not immediately at stake, and the reasons for their rivalry are often unclear. Therefore in this paper, I want to analyze the main causes of female-female aggression in the yearly cycle of goitered gazelles. I found that adult females had conflicts moistly with sub-adult females and less with other adult females; and these behaviors were observed mainly in May, with less in June, and only a few cases displayed during the rest of the year. The months of May-June had the most abundant and highest quality forage of the year, when competition for resources would seem to be least expected. Struggles for resting places occurred throughout the entire year, with only some bias for May that did not represent a primary level of aggression. In reality, the high rate of female-female aggressive interactions was related to the protection of birthing grounds, where mothers isolated themselves to give births, establish a strong selective mother-young bonds, keep their hiding fawns separated from alien offspring (having initial problems with distant visual recognition), and protect them against disturbance from all other females, which can undermine a fawn's hidden status and make it more vulnerable to predation.
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Affiliation(s)
- D A Blank
- Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan; Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresources in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China; Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan.
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24
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Douhard M, Festa-Bianchet M, Hamel S, Nussey DH, Côté SD, Pemberton JM, Pelletier F. Maternal longevity and offspring sex in wild ungulates. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20181968. [PMID: 30963926 PMCID: PMC6408606 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In species with sexual size dimorphism, the offspring of the larger sex usually have greater energy requirements and may lead to greater fitness costs for parents. The effects of offspring sex on maternal longevity, however, have only been tested in humans. Human studies produced mixed results and considerable debate mainly owing to the difficulty of distinguishing the effects of sexual dimorphism from sociocultural factors. To advance this debate, we examined how the relative number of sons influenced maternal longevity in four species of free-living ungulates (Soay sheep Ovis aries; bighorn sheep, Ovis canadensis; red deer, Cervus elaphus; mountain goat, Oreamnos americanus), with high male-biased sexual size dimorphism but without complicating sociocultural variables. We found no evidence for a higher cumulative cost of sons than of daughters on maternal longevity. For a given number of offspring, most females with many sons in all four populations lived longer than females with few sons. The higher cost of sons over daughters on maternal lifespan reported by some human studies may be the exception rather than the rule in long-lived iteroparous species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Douhard
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, CanadaJ1K 2R1
| | - Marco Festa-Bianchet
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, CanadaJ1K 2R1
| | - Sandra Hamel
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Daniel H. Nussey
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Steeve D. Côté
- Département de Biologie et Centre d’études Nordiques, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, CanadaG1V 0A6
| | | | - Fanie Pelletier
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, CanadaJ1K 2R1
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25
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Erwin JA, Vargas K, Blais BR, Bennett K, Muldoon J, Findysz S, Christie C, Heffelfinger JR, Culver M. Genetic assessment of a bighorn sheep population expansion in the Silver Bell Mountains, Arizona. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5978. [PMID: 30533296 PMCID: PMC6276589 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The isolated population of desert bighorn sheep in the Silver Bell Mountains of southern Arizona underwent an unprecedented expansion in merely four years. We hypothesized that immigration from neighboring bighorn sheep populations could have caused the increase in numbers as detected by Arizona Game and Fish Department annual aerial counts. Methods We applied a multilocus genetic approach using mitochondrial DNA and nuclear microsatellite markers for genetic analyses to find evidence of immigration. We sampled the Silver Bell Mountains bighorn sheep before (2003) and during (2015) the population expansion, and a small number of available samples from the Gila Mountains (southwestern Arizona) and the Morenci Mine (Rocky Mountain bighorn) in an attempt to identify the source of putative immigrants and, more importantly, to serve as comparisons for genetic diversity metrics. Results We did not find evidence of substantial gene flow into the Silver Bell Mountains population. We did not detect any new mitochondrial haplotypes in the 2015 bighorn sheep samples. The microsatellite analyses detected only one new allele, in one individual from the 2015 population that was not detected in the 2003 samples. Overall, the genetic diversity of the Silver Bell Mountains population was lower than that seen in either the Gila population or the Morenci Mine population. Discussion Even though the results of this study did not help elucidate the precise reason for the recent population expansion, continued monitoring and genetic sampling could provide more clarity on the genetic demographics of this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Erwin
- Genetics Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America.,James E. Rogers, College of Law, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
| | - Karla Vargas
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
| | - Brian R Blais
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
| | - Kendell Bennett
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
| | - Julia Muldoon
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Department, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
| | - Sarah Findysz
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
| | - Courtney Christie
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
| | - James R Heffelfinger
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America.,Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix, AZ, United States of America
| | - Melanie Culver
- US Geological Survey, Arizona Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America.,Genetics Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America.,School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
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26
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The effect of male age on patterns of sexual segregation in Siberian ibex. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13095. [PMID: 30166602 PMCID: PMC6117266 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31463-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual segregation is very common in sexually size dimorphic ungulates and may be the result of different habitat preferences and/or differential social behaviours of males and females. Various hypotheses have been put forward to explain this phenomenon. In the present research, we examined sexual segregation in a quite poorly understood species, the Siberian ibex. The species presents a marked sexual size dimorphism, with adult males weighing double as much as females. We use the Sexual Segregation and Aggregation Statistics (SSAS) to analyze the sex-age patterns of sexual segregation in this species, to understand the relevance of social factors. Our results show that adult Siberian ibex males were socially segregated from females all year round, except during the rutting season. Furthermore, the degree of segregation between females and males was influenced by the age of males. Moreover, the patterns of social segregation within males also increased with male age, reaching maximum values for males of 9 years-old and older, which means male age plays an important role in the sexual segregation of this species. This study clearly shows that social factors play a key role in the sexual segregation of Siberian ibex.
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27
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Ellis S, Franks DW, Nattrass S, Cant MA, Bradley DL, Giles D, Balcomb KC, Croft DP. Postreproductive lifespans are rare in mammals. Ecol Evol 2018. [PMID: 29531669 PMCID: PMC5838047 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
A species has a post‐reproductive stage if, like humans, a female entering the adult population can expect to live a substantial proportion of their life after their last reproductive event. However, it is conceptually and statistically challenging to distinguish these true post‐reproductive stages from the usual processes of senescence, which can result in females occasionally surviving past their last reproductive event. Hence, despite considerable interest, the taxonomic prevalence of post‐reproductive stages remains unclear and debated. In this study we use life tables constructed from published data on wild populations of mammals, and statistical measures of post‐reproductive lifespans, to distinguish true post‐reproductive stages from artefacts of senescence and demography in 52 species. We find post‐reproductive stages are rare in mammals and are limited to humans and a few species of toothed whales. By resolving this long‐standing debate, we hope to provide clarity for researchers in the field of evolutionary biology and a solid foundation for further studies investigating the evolution and adaptive significance of this unusual life history trait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Ellis
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour University of Exeter Exeter UK
| | | | | | - Michael A Cant
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter Penryn Campus Penryn, Cornwall UK
| | - Destiny L Bradley
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour University of Exeter Exeter UK
| | | | | | - Darren P Croft
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour University of Exeter Exeter UK
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28
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Šárová R, Špinka M, Ceacero F. Higher dominance position does not result in higher reproductive success in female beef cattle. J Anim Sci 2018; 95:3301-3309. [PMID: 28805904 DOI: 10.2527/jas.2017.1415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate whether beef cows that achieve higher dominance status than their age-mates have prolonged reproductive life, increased number of offspring born and weaned, and/or heavier BW of the offspring. We also assessed whether maternal dominance rank affects the offspring sex ratio. We recorded data on 309 potential deliveries of female beef cows with known dominance status in a seasonally pastured herd over a 14-yr period and linked them with yearly records of dominance status of the cows assessed around feeding. We did not find any effect of age-corrected dominance index on cow reproductive success measured as delivery or weaning success, calf birth weight or weaning weight, survival of the cow to the following reproductive season, or sex of the conceived calf (generalized linear models, > 0.05). In conclusion, the results indicate that in a typical situation of pastured beef cattle, there might be no selection for individual striving to achieve higher dominance status.
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29
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Doing what your neighbour does: neighbour proximity, familiarity and postural alignment increase behavioural mimicry. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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30
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Portanier E, Garel M, Devillard S, Marchand P, Andru J, Maillard D, Bourgoin G. Introduction history overrides social factors in explaining genetic structure of females in Mediterranean mouflon. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:9580-9591. [PMID: 29187991 PMCID: PMC5696436 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Revised: 08/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Fine‐scale spatial genetic structure of populations results from social and spatial behaviors of individuals such as sex‐biased dispersal and philopatry. However, the demographic history of a given population can override such socio‐spatial factors in shaping genetic variability when bottlenecks or founder events occurred in the population. Here, we investigated whether socio‐spatial organization determines the fine‐scale genetic structure for both sexes in a Mediterranean mouflon (Ovis gmelini musimon × Ovis sp.) population in southern France 60 years after its introduction. Based on multilocus genotypes at 16 loci of microsatellite DNA (n = 230 individuals), we identified three genetic groups for females and two for males, and concurrently defined the same number of socio‐spatial units using both GPS‐collared individuals (n = 121) and visual resightings of marked individuals (n = 378). The socio‐spatial and genetic structures did not match, indicating that the former was not the main driver of the latter for both sexes. Beyond this structural mismatch, we found significant, yet low, genetic differentiation among female socio‐spatial groups, and no genetic differentiation in males, with this suggesting female philopatry and male‐biased gene flow, respectively. Despite spatial disconnection, females from the north of the study area were genetically closer to females from the south, as indicated by the spatial analysis of the genetic variability, and this pattern was in accordance with the common genetic origin of their founders. To conclude, more than 14 generations later, genetic signatures of first introduction are not only still detectable among females, but they also represent the main factor shaping their present‐time genetic structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elodie Portanier
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive CNRS Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Université de Lyon Villeurbanne France.,Unité Faune de Montagne Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage Juvignac France.,VetAgro Sup - Campus Vétérinaire de Lyon Université de Lyon Marcy l'Etoile France
| | - Mathieu Garel
- Unité Faune de Montagne Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage Juvignac France
| | - Sébastien Devillard
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive CNRS Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Université de Lyon Villeurbanne France
| | - Pascal Marchand
- Unité Faune de Montagne Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage Juvignac France
| | - Julie Andru
- Unité Faune de Montagne Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage Juvignac France.,VetAgro Sup - Campus Vétérinaire de Lyon Université de Lyon Marcy l'Etoile France
| | - Daniel Maillard
- Unité Faune de Montagne Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage Juvignac France
| | - Gilles Bourgoin
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive CNRS Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Université de Lyon Villeurbanne France.,VetAgro Sup - Campus Vétérinaire de Lyon Université de Lyon Marcy l'Etoile France
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31
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32
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Blank D, Ruckstuhl K, Yang W. Development of juvenile goitered gazelle social behavior during the hiding period. Behav Processes 2017; 144:82-88. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Revised: 08/17/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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33
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Monteith KL, Long RA, Stephenson TR, Bleich VC, Bowyer RT, Lasharr TN. Horn size and nutrition in mountain sheep: Can ewe handle the truth? J Wildl Manage 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin L. Monteith
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research UnitDepartment of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming 804 East Fremont St. Laramie WY 82072 USA
| | - Ryan A. Long
- Department of Fish and Wildlife SciencesUniversity of Idaho 875 Perimeter Dr., MS 1142 Moscow ID 83844 USA
| | - Thomas R. Stephenson
- Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Recovery ProgramCalifornia Department of Fish and Wildlife 787 North Main Street, Suite 220 Bishop CA 93514 USA
| | - Vernon C. Bleich
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental ScienceUniversity of Nevada Reno Mail Stop 186, 1664 North Virginia Street Reno NV 89557 USA
| | - R. Terry Bowyer
- Institute of Arctic BiologyUniversity of Alaska Fairbanks Box 757000 Fairbanks AK 99775 USA
| | - Tayler N. Lasharr
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and PhysiologyUniversity of Wyoming Dept. 3166, 1000 E. University Ave Laramie WY 82071 USA
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Douhard M. Offspring sex ratio in mammals and the Trivers-Willard hypothesis: In pursuit of unambiguous evidence. Bioessays 2017; 39. [DOI: 10.1002/bies.201700043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Douhard
- Département de Biologie; Université de Sherbrooke; Sherbrooke Québec Canada
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Festa-Bianchet M, Douhard M, Gaillard JM, Pelletier F. Successes and challenges of long-term field studies of marked ungulates. J Mammal 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyw227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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36
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Female dominance in two basal primates, Microcebus murinus and Microcebus lehilahytsara: variation and determinants. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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37
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Skandrani Z, Bovet D, Gasparini J, Baldaccini NE, Prévot AC. Sociality enhances birds’ capacity to deal with anthropogenic ecosystems. Urban Ecosyst 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-016-0618-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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38
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Borg NJ, Mitchell MS, Lukacs PM, Mack CM, Waits LP, Krausman PR. Behavioral connectivity among bighorn sheep suggests potential for disease spread. J Wildl Manage 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nathan J. Borg
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit; University of Montana; 205 Natural Science Building Missoula MT 59812 USA
| | - Michael S. Mitchell
- US Geological Survey, Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit; University of Montana; 205 Natural Science Building Missoula MT 59812 USA
| | - Paul M. Lukacs
- Wildlife Biology Program; University of Montana; 32 Campus Drive Missoula MT 59812 USA
| | - Curt M. Mack
- Nez Perce Tribe; P.O. Box 1922 McCall ID 83638 USA
| | - Lisette P. Waits
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources; University of Idaho, College of Natural Resources; Room 105 Moscow ID 83844-1136 USA
| | - Paul R. Krausman
- Wildlife Biology Program; University of Montana; 32 Campus Drive Missoula MT 59812 USA
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Roffler GH, Adams LG, Hebblewhite M. Summer habitat selection by Dall’s sheep in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. J Mammal 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyw135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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40
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Doyle RE, Broster JC, Barnes K, Browne WJ. Temperament, age and weather predict social interaction in the sheep flock. Behav Processes 2016; 131:53-8. [PMID: 27542918 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2016.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2015] [Revised: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the current study was to investigate the social relationships between individual sheep, and factors that influence this, through the novel application of the statistical multiple membership multiple classification (MMMC) model. In study one 49 ewes (ranging between 1 and 8 years old) were fitted with data loggers, which recorded when pairs of sheep were within 4m or less of each other, within a social group, for a total of 6days. In study two proximity data were collected from 45 ewes over 17days, as were measures of ewe temperament, weight and weather. In study 1 age difference significantly influenced daily contact time, with sheep of the same age spending an average of 20min 43s together per day, whereas pairs with the greatest difference in age spent 16min 33s together. Maximum daily temperature also significantly affected contact time, being longer on hotter days (34min 40s hottest day vs. 18min 17s coolest day), as did precipitation (29min 33s wettest day vs. 10min 32s no rain). Vocalisation in isolation, as a measure of temperament, also affected contacts, with sheep with the same frequency of vocalisations spending more time together (27min 16s) than those with the greatest difference in vocalisations (19min 36s). Sheep behaviour in the isolation box test (IBT) was also correlated over time, but vocalisations and movement were not correlated. Influences of age, temperature and rain on social contact are all well-established and so indicate that MMMC modelling is a useful way to analyse social structures of the flock. While it has been demonstrated that personality factors affect social relationships in non-human animals, the finding that vocalisation in isolation influences pair social contact in sheep is a novel one.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E Doyle
- Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation (NSW Department of Primary Industries and Charles Sturt University) Locked Bag 588, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia.
| | - John C Broster
- Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation (NSW Department of Primary Industries and Charles Sturt University) Locked Bag 588, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia
| | - Kirsty Barnes
- Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation (NSW Department of Primary Industries and Charles Sturt University) Locked Bag 588, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia
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di Virgilio A, Morales JM. Towards evenly distributed grazing patterns: including social context in sheep management strategies. PeerJ 2016; 4:e2152. [PMID: 27366650 PMCID: PMC4924134 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2016] [Accepted: 05/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background. A large proportion of natural grasslands around the world is exposed to overgrazing resulting in land degradation and biodiversity loss. Although there is an increasing effort in the promotion of sustainable livestock management, rangeland degradation still occurs because animals' foraging behaviour is highly selective at different spatial scales. The assessment of the ecological mechanisms modulating the spatial distribution of grazing and how to control it has critical implications for long term conservation of resources and the sustainability of livestock production. Considering the relevance of social interactions on animals' space use patterns, our aim was to explore the potential effects of including animals' social context into management strategies using domestic sheep grazing in rangelands as case study. Methods. We used GPS data from 19 Merino sheep (approximately 10% of the flock) grazing on three different paddocks (with sizes from 80 to 1000 Ha) during a year, to estimate resource selection functions of sheep grazing in flocks of different levels of heterogeneity. We assessed the effects of sheep class (i.e., ewes, wethers, and hoggets), age, body condition and time since release on habitat selection patterns. Results. We found that social rank was reflected on sheep habitat use, where dominant individuals (i.e., reproductive females) used more intensively the most preferred areas and low-ranked (i.e., yearlings) used less preferred areas. Our results showed that when sheep grazed on more heterogeneous flocks, grazing patterns were more evenly distributed at all the paddocks considered in this study. On the other hand, when high-ranked individuals were removed from the flock, low-ranked sheep shifted their selection patterns by increasing the use of the most preferred areas and strongly avoided to use less preferred sites (i.e., a highly selective grazing behaviour). Discussion. Although homogenization and segregation of flocks by classes are common practices to increase flock productivity, we are proposing an alternative that employs behavioural interactions in heterogeneous flocks to generate more evenly distributed grazing patterns. This practice can be combined with other practices such as rotational grazing and guardian dogs (to decrease mortality levels that may be generated by sheep grazing on more risky habitats). This does not imply any modifications of livestock stocking rates and densities or any additional investments for labour and materials. Considering livestock behaviour is critical for the design of sustainable management practices that balance landscape conservation and livestock productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustina di Virgilio
- Grupo de Ecolgía Cuantitativa, INIBIOMA, CONICET-UnComa , Bariloche , Río Negro , Argentina
| | - Juan Manuel Morales
- Grupo de Ecolgía Cuantitativa, INIBIOMA, CONICET-UnComa , Bariloche , Río Negro , Argentina
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Raghavan B, Erickson K, Kugadas A, Batra SA, Call DR, Davis MA, Foreyt WJ, Srikumaran S. Role of carriers in the transmission of pneumonia in bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis). Biol Open 2016; 5:745-55. [PMID: 27185269 PMCID: PMC4920194 DOI: 10.1242/bio.018234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In the absence of livestock contact, recurring lamb mortality in bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) populations previously exposed to pneumonia indicates the likely presence of carriers of pneumonia-causing pathogens, and possibly inadequate maternally derived immunity. To investigate this problem we commingled naïve, pregnant ewes (n=3) with previously exposed rams (n=2). Post-commingling, all ewes and lambs born to them acquired pneumonia-causing pathogens (leukotoxin-producing Pasteurellaceae and Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae), with subsequent lamb mortality between 4-9 weeks of age. Infected ewes became carriers for two subsequent years and lambs born to them succumbed to pneumonia. In another experiment, we attempted to suppress the carriage of leukotoxin-producing Pasteurellaceae by administering an antibiotic to carrier ewes, and evaluated lamb survival. Lambs born to both treatment and control ewes (n=4 each) acquired pneumonia and died. Antibody titers against leukotoxin-producing Pasteurellaceae in all eight ewes were ‘protective’ (>1:800 and no apparent respiratory disease); however their lambs were either born with comparatively low titers, or with high (but non-protective) titers that declined rapidly within 2-8 weeks of age, rendering them susceptible to fatal disease. Thus, exposure to pneumonia-causing pathogens from carrier ewes, and inadequate titers of maternally derived protective antibodies, are likely to render bighorn lambs susceptible to fatal pneumonia. Summary: Previously exposed bighorn sheep can become carriers and transmit respiratory pathogens to naïve animals. Successive crops of lambs acquire pathogens and inadequate passive immunity and subsequently succumb to pneumonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bindu Raghavan
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology & Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA
| | - Kayla Erickson
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology & Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA
| | - Abirami Kugadas
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology & Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA
| | - Sai A Batra
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology & Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA
| | - Douglas R Call
- Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA
| | - Margaret A Davis
- Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA
| | - William J Foreyt
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology & Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA
| | - Subramaniam Srikumaran
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology & Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA
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Festa-Bianchet M. Offspring sex ratio studies of mammals: Does publication depend upon the quality of the research or the direction of the results? ECOSCIENCE 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/11956860.1996.11682313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Vander Wal E, Gagné-Delorme A, Festa-Bianchet M, Pelletier F. Dyadic associations and individual sociality in bighorn ewes. Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Is dominance the only factor determining access to food in an agonistic context? An experiment with captive male mouflon. Acta Ethol 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10211-015-0226-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Godde S, Côté SD, Réale D. Female mountain goats, Oreamnos americanus , associate according to kinship and reproductive status. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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48
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Sex-specific demography and generalization of the Trivers-Willard theory. Nature 2015; 526:249-52. [PMID: 26390152 DOI: 10.1038/nature14968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2014] [Accepted: 07/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The Trivers-Willard theory proposes that the sex ratio of offspring should vary with maternal condition when it has sex-specific influences on offspring fitness. In particular, mothers in good condition in polygynous and dimorphic species are predicted to produce an excess of sons, whereas mothers in poor condition should do the opposite. Despite the elegance of the theory, support for it has been limited. Here we extend and generalize the Trivers-Willard theory to explain the disparity between predictions and observations of offspring sex ratio. In polygynous species, males typically have higher mortality rates, different age-specific reproductive schedules and more risk-prone life history tactics than females; however, these differences are not currently incorporated into the Trivers-Willard theory. Using two-sex models parameterized with data from free-living mammal populations with contrasting levels of sex differences in demography, we demonstrate how sex differences in life history traits over the entire lifespan can lead to a wide range of sex allocation tactics, and show that correlations between maternal condition and offspring sex ratio alone are insufficient to conclude that mothers adaptively adjust offspring sex ratio.
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Vander Wal E, Festa-Bianchet M, Réale D, Coltman DW, Pelletier F. Sex-based differences in the adaptive value of social behavior contrasted against morphology and environment. Ecology 2015; 96:631-41. [PMID: 26236860 DOI: 10.1890/14-1320.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The adaptive nature of sociality has long been a central question in ecology and evolution. However, the relative importance of social behavior for fitness, compared to morphology and environment, remains largely unknown. We assessed the importance of sociality for fitness (lamb production and survival) in a population of mark6d bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) over 16 years (n = 1022 sheep-years). We constructed social networks from observations (n = 38,350) of group membership (n = 3150 groups). We then tested whether consistent individual differences in social behavior (centrality) exist and evaluated their relative importance compared to factors known to affect fitness: mass, age, parental effects, and population density. Sheep exhibited consistent individual differences in social centrality. Controlling for maternal carryover effects and age, the positive effect of centrality in a social network on adult female lamb production and survival was equal or greater than the effect of body mass or population density. Social centrality had less effect on male survival and no effect on adult male lamb production or lamb survival. Through its effect on lamb production and survival, sociality in fission-fusion animal societies may ultimately influence population dynamics equally or more than morphological or environmental effects.
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Daughters are more strongly attached to their mother than sons: a possible mechanism for early social segregation. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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