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Costa-Pereira R, Shaner PJL. The spatiotemporal context of individual specialization in resource use and environmental associations. J Anim Ecol 2024. [PMID: 38706400 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
1. Individual niche specialization is widespread in natural populations and has key implications for higher levels of biological organization. This phenomenon, however, has been primarily quantified in resource niche axes, overlooking individual variation in environmental associations (i.e. abiotic conditions organisms experience). 2. Here, we explore what we can learn from a multidimensional perspective of individual niche specialization that integrates resource use and environmental associations into a common framework. 3. By combining predictions from theory and simple simulations, we illustrate how (i) multidimensional intraspecific niche variation and (ii) the spatiotemporal context of interactions between conspecifics scale up to shape emergent patterns of the population niche. 4. Contemplating individual specialization as a multidimensional, unifying concept across biotic and abiotic niche axes is a fundamental step towards bringing this concept closer to the n-dimensional niche envisioned by Hutchinson.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raul Costa-Pereira
- Department of Animal Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Pei-Jen Lee Shaner
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien, Taiwan
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2
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Minasandra P, Jensen FH, Gersick AS, Holekamp KE, Strauss ED, Strandburg-Peshkin A. Accelerometer-based predictions of behaviour elucidate factors affecting the daily activity patterns of spotted hyenas. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230750. [PMID: 38026018 PMCID: PMC10645113 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230750] [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: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Animal activity patterns are highly variable and influenced by internal and external factors, including social processes. Quantifying activity patterns in natural settings can be challenging, as it is difficult to monitor animals over long time periods. Here, we developed and validated a machine-learning-based classifier to identify behavioural states from accelerometer data of wild spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), social carnivores that live in large fission-fusion societies. By combining this classifier with continuous collar-based accelerometer data from five hyenas, we generated a complete record of activity patterns over more than one month. We used these continuous behavioural sequences to investigate how past activity, individual idiosyncrasies, and social synchronization influence hyena activity patterns. We found that hyenas exhibit characteristic crepuscular-nocturnal daily activity patterns. Time spent active was independent of activity level on previous days, suggesting that hyenas do not show activity compensation. We also found limited evidence for an effect of individual identity on activity, and showed that pairs of hyenas who synchronized their activity patterns must have spent more time together. This study sheds light on the patterns and drivers of activity in spotted hyena societies, and also provides a useful tool for quantifying behavioural sequences from accelerometer data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranav Minasandra
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Organismal Biology, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Frants H. Jensen
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
- Biology Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Andrew S. Gersick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Computer Science, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Kay E. Holekamp
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Eli D. Strauss
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Ariana Strandburg-Peshkin
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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3
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Evans AL, Fuchs B, Singh NJ, Thiel A, Giroud S, Blanc S, Laske TG, Frobert O, Friebe A, Swenson JE, Arnemo JM. Body mass is associated with hibernation length, body temperature, and heart rate in free-ranging brown bears. Front Zool 2023; 20:27. [PMID: 37587452 PMCID: PMC10433566 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-023-00501-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite centuries of research, debate remains on the scaling of metabolic rate to mass especially for intraspecific cases. The high variation of body mass within brown bears presents a unique opportunity to study the intraspecific effects of body mass on physiological variables. The amplitude of metabolic rate reduction in hibernators is dependent on body mass of the species. Small hibernators have high metabolic rates when euthermic but experience a drastic decrease in body temperature during torpor, which is necessary to reach a very low metabolic rate. Conversely, large hibernators, such as the brown bear (Ursus arctos), show a moderate decrease in temperature during hibernation, thought to be related to the bear's large size. We studied body mass, abdominal body temperature, heart rate, and accelerometer-derived activity from 63 free-ranging brown bears (1-15 years old, 15-233 kg). We tested for relationships between body mass and body temperature, heart rate, and hibernation duration. RESULTS The smallest individuals maintained lower body temperatures during hibernation, hibernated longer, and ended hibernation later than large bears. Unlike body temperature, winter heart rates were not associated with body mass. In summer, the opposite pattern was found, with smaller individuals having higher body temperature and daytime heart rates. Body mass was associated with body temperature in the winter hypometabolic state, even in a large hibernating mammal. Smaller bears, which are known to have higher thermal conductance, reached lower body temperatures during hibernation. During summer, smaller bears had higher body temperatures and daytime heart rates, a phenomenon not previously documented within a single mammalian species. CONCLUSION We conclude that the smallest bears hibernated more deeply and longer than large bears, likely from a combined effect of basic thermodynamics, the higher need for energy savings, and a lower cost of warming up a smaller body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina L Evans
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, 2418, Elverum, Norway.
| | - Boris Fuchs
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, 2418, Elverum, Norway
| | - Navinder J Singh
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Forest Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Alexandra Thiel
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, 2418, Elverum, Norway
| | - Sylvain Giroud
- Reseach Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Savoyenstraße 1, 1160, Vienna, Austria
- Energetics Lab, Department of Biology, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, USA
| | - Stephane Blanc
- Hubert Curien Multidisciplinary Institute, UMR 7178 CNRS/UDS, 23 Rue Becquerel, 67087, Strasbourg, France
| | - Timothy G Laske
- Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Ole Frobert
- Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Andrea Friebe
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, 7485, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jon E Swenson
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Post Box 5003, 1432, Ås, Norway
| | - Jon M Arnemo
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, 2418, Elverum, Norway
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Forest Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden
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4
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Serieys LE, Bishop JM, Rogan MS, Smith JA, Suraci JP, O’Riain MJ, Wilmers CC. Anthropogenic activities and age class mediate carnivore habitat selection in a human-dominated landscape. iScience 2023; 26:107050. [PMID: 37534145 PMCID: PMC10391726 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Human activities increasingly challenge wild animal populations by disrupting ecological connectivity and population persistence. Yet, human-modified habitats can provide resources, resulting in selection of disturbed areas by generalist species. To investigate spatial and temporal responses of a generalist carnivore to human disturbance, we investigated habitat selection and diel activity patterns in caracals (Caracal caracal). We GPS-collared 25 adults and subadults in urban and wildland-dominated subregions in Cape Town, South Africa. Selection responses for landscape variables were dependent on subregion, animal age class, and diel period. Contrary to expectations, caracals did not become more nocturnal in urban areas. Caracals increased their selection for proximity to urban areas as the proportion of urban area increased. Differences in habitat selection between urban and wildland caracals suggest that individuals of this generalist species exhibit high behavioral flexibility in response to anthropogenic disturbances that emerge as a function of habitat context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurel E.K. Serieys
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa
- Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
- Panthera, New York, NY 10018, USA
- Cape Leopard Trust, Cape Town 7966, South Africa
| | - Jacqueline M. Bishop
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa
| | - Matthew S. Rogan
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa
- Natural State, Nanyuki, Kenya
| | - Justine A. Smith
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Justin P. Suraci
- Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
- Conservation Science Partners, Inc. Truckee, CA 96161, USA
| | - M. Justin O’Riain
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa
| | - Christopher C. Wilmers
- Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
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5
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Gilbert NA, McGinn KA, Nunes LA, Shipley AA, Bernath-Plaisted J, Clare JDJ, Murphy PW, Keyser SR, Thompson KL, Maresh Nelson SB, Cohen JM, Widick IV, Bartel SL, Orrock JL, Zuckerberg B. Daily activity timing in the Anthropocene. Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:324-336. [PMID: 36402653 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Animals are facing novel 'timescapes' in which the stimuli entraining their daily activity patterns no longer match historical conditions due to anthropogenic disturbance. However, the ecological effects (e.g., altered physiology, species interactions) of novel activity timing are virtually unknown. We reviewed 1328 studies and found relatively few focusing on anthropogenic effects on activity timing. We suggest three hypotheses to stimulate future research: (i) activity-timing mismatches determine ecological effects, (ii) duration and timing of timescape modification influence effects, and (iii) consequences of altered activity timing vary biogeographically due to broad-scale variation in factors compressing timescapes. The continued growth of sampling technologies promises to facilitate the study of the consequences of altered activity timing, with emerging applications for biodiversity conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil A Gilbert
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Kate A McGinn
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Laura A Nunes
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Amy A Shipley
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Jacy Bernath-Plaisted
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - John D J Clare
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Penelope W Murphy
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Spencer R Keyser
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Kimberly L Thompson
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), 04103 Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Germany
| | - Scott B Maresh Nelson
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Jeremy M Cohen
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Ivy V Widick
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Savannah L Bartel
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - John L Orrock
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Benjamin Zuckerberg
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
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6
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Corral L, Frink TJ, Fontaine JJ. Is time partitioning the currency of coexistence for a grassland canid community? WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/wlb3.01027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Corral
- Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and School of Natural Resources, Univ. of Nebraska‐Lincoln Lincoln NE USA
| | | | - Joseph J. Fontaine
- Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and School of Natural Resources, Univ. of Nebraska‐Lincoln Lincoln NE USA
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7
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Jakopak RP, Sawyer H, LaSharr TN, Randall J, Dwinnell SP, Fralick GL, Monteith KL. Diel timing of migration is not plastic in a migratory ungulate. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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8
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Donatelli A, Mastrantonio G, Ciucci P. Circadian activity of small brown bear populations living in human-dominated landscapes. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15804. [PMID: 36138081 PMCID: PMC9499929 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20163-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Whereas numerous studies on large carnivores have focused on analyzing spatial patterns and habitat use, the temporal dimension of their activity has been relatively little investigated, making this a topic of growing interest, especially in human-dominated landscapes. Relict and isolated Apennine brown bears (Ursus arctos marsicanus) have been living in a human-modified landscape since millennia, but no information is available on their activity patterns. By means of GPS telemetry (26,880 GPS locations collected from 18 adult Apennine brown bears) we investigated their circadian rhythms, using hourly movement rates as an index of bear activity. Based on a Bayesian modeling approach, circadian activity of Apennine brown bears was described by a bimodal curve, with peaks of activity around sunrise and sunset. We revealed seasonal effects, with bears exhibiting higher movement rates throughout the mating season, but no relevant influence of sex. In addition, bears increased their movement rate at distances < 100–500 m to roads and settlements exclusively during spring and late summer, suggesting a trade-off between foraging opportunities and risk avoidance. The absence of a marked nocturnality in Apennine brown bears suggests a relatively low degree of habitat encroachment and disturbance by humans. Yet, the occurrence of crepuscular activity patterns and the responses in proximity of anthropogenic landscape features likely indicate a coadaptation by bears to human presence through a shift in their temporal niche. Further studies should aim to unveil fitness implications of such modifications in activity patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurora Donatelli
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Ciucci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
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9
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Kawamura K, Jimbo M, Adachi K, Shirane Y, Nakanishi M, Umemura Y, Ishinazaka T, Uno H, Sashika M, Tsubota T, Shimozuru M. Diel and monthly activity pattern of brown bears and sika deer in the Shiretoko Peninsula, Hokkaido, Japan. J Vet Med Sci 2022; 84:1146-1156. [PMID: 35811130 PMCID: PMC9412065 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.21-0665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammals exhibit several types of diel activity pattern, including nocturnal, diurnal,
crepuscular, and cathemeral. These patterns vary inter- and intra-specifically and are
affected by environmental factors, individual status, and interactions with other
individuals or species. Determining the factors that shape diel activity patterns is
challenging but essential for understanding the behavioral ecology of animal species, and
for wildlife conservation and management. Using camera-trap surveys, we investigated the
species distributions and activity patterns of terrestrial mammals on the Shiretoko
Peninsula, Hokkaido, Japan, with particular focus on brown bears and sika deer. From June
to October 2019, a total of 7,530 observations were recorded by 65 camera-traps for eight
species, including two alien species. The diel activity pattern of brown bears was
diurnal/crepuscular, similar to that of bears in North America, but different from
European populations. Bear observations were more frequent during the autumnal hyperphagia
period, and adult females and sub-adults were more diurnal than adult males. In addition,
bears inside the protected area were more diurnal than those outside it. These findings
suggest that appetite motivation, competitive interactions between conspecifics, and human
activities potentially affect bear activity patterns. Similar to other sika deer
populations and other deer species, the diel activity patterns of sika deer were
crepuscular. Deer showed less variation in activity patterns among months and sex-age
classes, while adult males were observed more frequently during the autumn copulation
period, suggesting that reproductive motivation affects their activity patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kei Kawamura
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University
| | - Mina Jimbo
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University
| | | | - Yuri Shirane
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University.,Hokkaido Research Organization
| | | | | | | | - Hiroyuki Uno
- Institute of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
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10
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Thiel A, Giroud S, Hertel AG, Friebe A, Devineau O, Fuchs B, Blanc S, Støen OG, Laske TG, Arnemo JM, Evans AL. Seasonality in Biological Rhythms in Scandinavian brown Bears. Front Physiol 2022; 13:785706. [PMID: 35600291 PMCID: PMC9118031 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.785706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological rhythms, such as rhythms in activity and body temperature, are usually highly synchronized and entrained by environmental conditions, such as photoperiod. However, how the expression of these rhythms changes during hibernation, when the perception of environmental cues is limited, has not yet been fully understood for all hibernators, especially in the wild. The brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Scandinavia lives in a highly seasonal environment and adapts to harsh winter conditions by exhibiting hibernation, characterized by reduced metabolism and activity. In this study, we aimed to explore the expression of biological rhythms in activity, body temperature and heart rate of free-ranging brown bears over the annual cycle, including active, hibernation and the transition states around den entry and exit. We found that rhythms in physiology and activity are mostly synchronized and entrained by the light-dark cycle during the bears’ active state with predominantly diel and ultradian rhythms for body temperature, activity and heart rate. However, during hibernation, rhythms in body temperature and heart rate were considerably slowed down to infradian rhythms, influenced by the amount of snow in the denning area, whereas rhythms in activity remained diel. Rhythms in the transition states when bears prepared for entering or coming out of hibernation state displayed a combination of infradian and diel rhythms, indicating the preparation of the body for the change in environmental conditions. These results reveal that brown bears adjust their biological rhythms to the seasonal environment they inhabit. Rhythms in physiology and activity show simultaneity during the active state but are partly disconnected from each other during hibernation, when bears are most sheltered from the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Thiel
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, Norway
| | - Sylvain Giroud
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anne G Hertel
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Andrea Friebe
- Scandinavian Brown Bear Research Project, Orsa, Sweden.,Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Olivier Devineau
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, Norway
| | - Boris Fuchs
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, Norway
| | - Stephane Blanc
- IPHC, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.,UMR7178, CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Timothy G Laske
- Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Jon M Arnemo
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, Norway.,Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Alina L Evans
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, Norway
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11
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Gracanin A, Mikac KM. Camera traps reveal overlap and seasonal variation in the diel activity of arboreal and semi-arboreal mammals. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-021-00218-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
AbstractOur study aimed to investigate seasonal variation in the activity of arboreal and semi-arboreal mammals and investigate their overlap in temporal activity, as well temporal shifts in activity because of behavioural interference. In our camera trapping study in a fragmented landscape in south-eastern Australia, a total of ten arboreal and semi-arboreal species were found, with 35,671 independent observations recorded over 6517 camera trap nights. All species were found to be nocturnal; however, a notable number of daytime observations were made for several species (i.e. brown antechinus, Antechinus stuartii; sugar glider, Petaurus breviceps; bush rat, Rattus fuscipes; brown rat, Rattus norvegicus). Seasonal variations in diel activity were observed through an increase in crepuscular activity in spring and summer for antechinus, sugar gliders, brown rats, brushtail possums, Trichosurus vulpecula and ringtail possums, Pseudocheirus peregrinus. Diel activity overlap between species was high, that is 26/28 species comparisons had overlap coefficients (Δ) > 0.75. The species pair with the least amount of overlap was between southern bobucks, Trichosurus cunninghami and brown antechinus (Δ4 = 0.66). The species pair with the most overlap was between the native sugar glider and introduced brown rat (Δ4 = 0.93). When comparing the activity of sugar gliders in sites with low and high abundance of brown rats, sugar gliders appear to shift their activity relative to the brown rats. Similarly, behavioural interference was also observed between antechinus and sugar gliders, and when comparing sites of low and high abundance of sugar glider, antechinus had a shift in activity. Our work provides some of the first quantification of temporal patterns for several of the species in this study, and the first for a community of arboreal and semi-arboreal mammals. Our results indicate that some shifts in behaviour are potentially occurring in response to behavioural interference, allowing for coexistence by means of temporal partitioning.
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12
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Rouse S, Behnoud P, Hobeali K, Moghadas P, Salahshour Z, Eslahi H, Ommatmohammadi M, Khani A, Shabani A, Macdonald DW, Farhadinia MS. Intraspecific interactions in a high-density leopard population. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:16572-16584. [PMID: 34938458 PMCID: PMC8668769 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Although less studied than interspecific interactions, interactions among members of the same species can influence space use and temporal activity. Using techniques commonly applied to the analysis of interspecific interactions-multispecies occupancy modeling and the analysis of temporal activity patterns-we studied intraspecific interactions within a high-density population of Persian leopards (Panthera pardus saxicolor) in Tandoureh National Park, northeastern Iran. Using camera-trap data, we investigated spatiotemporal interactions between male leopards, lone female leopards, and families (cubs/females with cubs). While we hypothesized that male and female leopards would display different temporal activity patterns, we did not predict spatial avoidance between these groups. We also predicted that leopard families would exhibit spatiotemporal avoidance from male leopards due to the risk of infanticide. Contrary to our expectations, we did not find any evidence for spatial or temporal avoidance between leopard families and adult male leopards. Male and lone female leopards exhibited positive pairwise co-occurrence, consistent with reports of high overlap between male and female leopard home ranges. While a high level of overlap in temporal activity patterns was found between males/lone females and males/families, there was evidence for variation in the proportion of time each leopard group was active in particular periods of the diel cycle. Male leopards showed cathemeral activity, while lone females and families were more active during daylight hours. The application of these techniques to interactions within a species has improved understanding of the ecology and behavior of this endangered solitary carnivore.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Rouse
- School of Geography and the EnvironmentUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | | | | | | | | | - Hossein Eslahi
- Khorasan Razavi Provincial Office of Department of the EnvironmentMashhadIran
| | | | - Ali Khani
- Khorasan Razavi Provincial Office of Department of the EnvironmentMashhadIran
| | - Abolfazl Shabani
- Khorasan Razavi Provincial Office of Department of the EnvironmentMashhadIran
| | | | - Mohammad S. Farhadinia
- Future4Leopards FoundationTehranIran
- Oxford Martin School and Department of ZoologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
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13
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Lamamy C, Delgado MM, Kojola I, Heikkinen S, Penteriani V. Does moonlight affect movement patterns of a non‐obligate carnivore? Brown bears do not mind that the moon exists. J Zool (1987) 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C. Lamamy
- Forest is life, TERRA Research Unit Gembloux Agro‐Bio Tech Université de Liège Gembloux Belgium
| | - M. M. Delgado
- Biodiversity Research Institute (IMIB, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)‐University of Oviedo‐Principality of Asturias), Campus Mieres Mieres Spain
| | - I. Kojola
- LUKE, Natural Resources Institute Rovaniemi Finland
| | - S. Heikkinen
- LUKE, Natural Resources Institute Rovaniemi Finland
| | - V. Penteriani
- Biodiversity Research Institute (IMIB, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)‐University of Oviedo‐Principality of Asturias), Campus Mieres Mieres Spain
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14
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Bogdanović N, Hertel AG, Zedrosser A, Paunović M, Plećaš M, Ćirović D. Seasonal and diel movement patterns of brown bears in a population in southeastern Europe. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:15972-15983. [PMID: 34824804 PMCID: PMC8601923 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Most animals concentrate their movement into certain hours of the day depending on drivers such as photoperiod, ambient temperature, inter- or intraspecific competition, and predation risk. The main activity periods of many mammal species, especially in human-dominated landscapes, are commonly set at dusk, dawn, and during nighttime hours. Large carnivores, such as brown bears, often display great flexibility in diel movement patterns throughout their range, and even within populations, striking between individual differences in movement have been demonstrated. Here, we evaluated how seasonality and reproductive class affected diel movement patterns of brown bears of the Dinaric-Pindos and Carpathian bear populations in Serbia. We analyzed the movement distances and general probability of movement of 13 brown bears (8 males and 5 females) equipped with GPS collars and monitored over 1-3 years. Our analyses revealed that movement distances and probability of bear movement differed between seasons (mating versus hyperphagia) and reproductive classes. Adult males, solitary females, and subadult males showed a crepuscular movement pattern. Compared with other reproductive classes, females with offspring were moving significantly less during crepuscular hours and during the night, particularly during the mating season, suggesting temporal niche partitioning among different reproductive classes. Adult males, solitary females, and in particular subadult males traveled greater hourly distances during the mating season in May-June than the hyperphagia in July-October. Subadult males significantly decreased their movement from the mating season to hyperphagia, whereas females with offspring exhibited an opposite pattern with almost doubling their movement from the mating to hyperphagia season. Our results provide insights into how seasonality and reproductive class drive intrapopulation differences in movement distances and probability of movement in a recovering, to date little studied, brown bear population in southeastern Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anne G. Hertel
- Behavioral EcologyDepartment of BiologyLudwig‐Maximilians University of MunichPlanegg‐MartinsriedGermany
| | - Andreas Zedrosser
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental HealthFaculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime SciencesUniversity of South‐Eastern NorwayBø i TelemarkNorway
- Department of Integrative BiologyInstitute of Wildlife Biology and Game ManagementUniversity of Natural Resources and Applied Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | | | - Milan Plećaš
- Faculty of BiologyUniversity of BelgradeBelgradeSerbia
| | - Duško Ćirović
- Faculty of BiologyUniversity of BelgradeBelgradeSerbia
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15
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van der Kolk H, Ens BJ, Frauendorf M, Jongejans E, Oosterbeek K, Bouten W, van de Pol M. Why time‐limited individuals can make populations more vulnerable to disturbance. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Henk‐Jan van der Kolk
- Dept of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Inst. of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen the Netherlands
- Centre for Avian Population Studies Wageningen the Netherlands
| | - Bruno J. Ens
- Sovon Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology Sovon‐Texel Den Burg the Netherlands
- Centre for Avian Population Studies Wageningen the Netherlands
| | - Magali Frauendorf
- Dept of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Inst. of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen the Netherlands
- Centre for Avian Population Studies Wageningen the Netherlands
| | - Eelke Jongejans
- Radboud Univ., Dept of Animal Ecology and Physiology Nijmegen the Netherlands
- Centre for Avian Population Studies Wageningen the Netherlands
| | - Kees Oosterbeek
- Sovon Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology Sovon‐Texel Den Burg the Netherlands
| | - Willem Bouten
- Inst. for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, Univ. of Amsterdam Amsterdam the Netherlands
| | - Martijn van de Pol
- Dept of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Inst. of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen the Netherlands
- Centre for Avian Population Studies Wageningen the Netherlands
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16
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Bombieri G, Penteriani V, Delgado MDM, Groff C, Pedrotti L, Jerina K. Towards understanding bold behaviour of large carnivores: the case of brown bears in human‐modified landscapes. Anim Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- G. Bombieri
- MUSE ‐ Museo delle Scienze Sezione Zoologia dei Vertebrati Trento Italy
| | - V Penteriani
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, CSIC‐UO‐PA) Oviedo University ‐ Campus Mieres Mieres Spain
| | - M. del Mar Delgado
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, CSIC‐UO‐PA) Oviedo University ‐ Campus Mieres Mieres Spain
| | - C. Groff
- Forest and Wildlife Service Provincia Autonoma di Trento Trento Italy
| | - L. Pedrotti
- Forest and Wildlife Service Provincia Autonoma di Trento Trento Italy
| | - K. Jerina
- University of Ljubljana Biotechnical Faculty Ljubljana Slovenia
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17
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Parsons B, Coops N, Kearney S, Burton A, Nelson T, Stenhouse G. Road visibility influences habitat selection by grizzly bears ( Ursus arctos horribilis). CAN J ZOOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2020-0125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Anthropogenic disturbances, including roads, are known to influence animal habitat selection and mortality. In this study, we consider the role of sensory perception in understanding why and how animals respond to disturbances. Our goal was to investigate the effect of visual perception (visibility) around roads on grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis Ord, 1815) habitat selection and mortality in Alberta, Canada. We used detailed topographic and vegetation data from airborne light detection and ranging (lidar) to estimate visibility around roads. We modelled habitat selection as a function of road visibility and environmental variables using GPS telemetry data from 39 grizzly bears and integrated step selection analysis (iSSA). Finally, we assessed mortality risk in visible areas by comparing habitat selection between grizzly bears that died and those that survived. We found that grizzly bears were less likely to select visible areas when moving slowly or resting, but were more likely to select visible areas when travelling. We found that grizzly bears that survived selected for areas farther from roads than grizzly bears that died. However, no difference in selection for visible areas was observed. An exploratory analysis showed that grizzly bear mortalities commonly occurred in visible areas. Our findings highlight the importance of sensory perception in understanding animal behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- B.M. Parsons
- Department of Forest Resources Management, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - N.C. Coops
- Department of Forest Resources Management, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - S.P. Kearney
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA
| | - A.C. Burton
- Department of Forest Resources Management, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - T.A. Nelson
- Department of Geography, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-4060, USA
| | - G.B. Stenhouse
- fRI Research, 1176 Switzer Drive, Hinton, AB T7V 1V3, Canada
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18
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Hertel AG, Royauté R, Zedrosser A, Mueller T. Biologging reveals individual variation in behavioural predictability in the wild. J Anim Ecol 2020; 90:723-737. [PMID: 33301175 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Recent research highlights the ecological importance of individual variation in behavioural predictability. Individuals may not only differ in their average expression of a behavioural trait (their behavioural type) and in their ability to adjust behaviour to changing environmental conditions (individual plasticity), but also in their variability around their average behaviour (predictability). However, quantifying behavioural predictability in the wild has been challenging due to limitations of acquiring sufficient repeated behavioural measures. We here demonstrate how common biologging data can be used to detect individual variation in behavioural predictability in the wild and reveal the coexistence of highly predictable individuals along with unpredictable individuals within the same population. We repeatedly quantified two behaviours-daily movement distance and diurnal activity-in 62 female brown bears Ursus arctos tracked across 187 monitoring years. We calculated behavioural predictability over the short term (50 consecutive monitoring days within 1 year) and long term (across monitoring years) as the residual intra-individual variability (rIIV) of behaviour around the behavioural reaction norm. We tested whether predictability varies systematically across average behavioural types and whether it is correlated across functionally distinct behaviours, that is, daily movement distance and amount of diurnal activity. Brown bears showed individual variation in behavioural predictability from predictable to unpredictable individuals. For example, the standard deviation around the average daily movement distance within one monitoring year varied up to fivefold from 1.1 to 5.5 km across individuals. Individual predictability for both daily movement distance and diurnality was conserved across monitoring years. Individual predictability was correlated with behavioural type where individuals which were on average more diurnal and mobile were also more unpredictable in their behaviour. In contrast, more nocturnal individuals moved less and were more predictable in their behaviour. Finally, individual predictability in daily movement distance and diurnality was positively correlated, suggesting that individual predictability may be a quantitative trait in its own regard that could evolve and is underpinned by genetic variation. Unpredictable individuals may cope better with stochastic events and unpredictability may hence be an adaptive behavioural response to increased predation risk. Coexistence of predictable and unpredictable individuals may therefore ensure adaptable and resilient populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne G Hertel
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Frankfurt (Main), Germany.,Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway
| | - Raphaël Royauté
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Andreas Zedrosser
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway.,Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Mueller
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Frankfurt (Main), Germany.,Department of Biological Sciences, Goethe University, Frankfurt (Main), Germany
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19
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Clapham M, Miller E, Nguyen M, Darimont CT. Automated facial recognition for wildlife that lack unique markings: A deep learning approach for brown bears. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:12883-12892. [PMID: 33304501 PMCID: PMC7713984 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging technologies support a new era of applied wildlife research, generating data on scales from individuals to populations. Computer vision methods can process large datasets generated through image-based techniques by automating the detection and identification of species and individuals. With the exception of primates, however, there are no objective visual methods of individual identification for species that lack unique and consistent body markings. We apply deep learning approaches of facial recognition using object detection, landmark detection, a similarity comparison network, and an support vector machine-based classifier to identify individuals in a representative species, the brown bear Ursus arctos. Our open-source application, BearID, detects a bear's face in an image, rotates and extracts the face, creates an "embedding" for the face, and uses the embedding to classify the individual. We trained and tested the application using labeled images of 132 known individuals collected from British Columbia, Canada, and Alaska, USA. Based on 4,674 images, with an 80/20% split for training and testing, respectively, we achieved a facial detection (ability to find a face) average precision of 0.98 and an individual classification (ability to identify the individual) accuracy of 83.9%. BearID and its annotated source code provide a replicable methodology for applying deep learning methods of facial recognition applicable to many other species that lack distinguishing markings. Further analyses of performance should focus on the influence of certain parameters on recognition accuracy, such as age and body size. Combining BearID with camera trapping could facilitate fine-scale behavioral research such as individual spatiotemporal activity patterns, and a cost-effective method of population monitoring through mark-recapture studies, with implications for species and landscape conservation and management. Applications to practical conservation include identifying problem individuals in human-wildlife conflicts, and evaluating the intrapopulation variation in efficacy of conservation strategies, such as wildlife crossings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Clapham
- BearID ProjectSookeBCCanada
- Department of GeographyUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBCCanada
| | | | | | - Chris T. Darimont
- Department of GeographyUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBCCanada
- Raincoast Conservation FoundationBella BellaBCCanada
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20
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Berger A, Barthel LMF, Rast W, Hofer H, Gras P. Urban Hedgehog Behavioural Responses to Temporary Habitat Disturbance versus Permanent Fragmentation. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10112109. [PMID: 33203020 PMCID: PMC7697271 DOI: 10.3390/ani10112109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities can result in both transient and permanent changes in the environment. We studied spatial and temporal behavioural responses of European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) to a transient (open-air music festival) and a permanent (highly fragmented area) disturbance in the city of Berlin, Germany. Activity, foraging and movement patterns were observed in two distinct areas in 2016 and 2017 using a "Before & After" and "Control & Impact" study design. Confronted with a music festival, hedgehogs substantially changed their movement behaviour and nesting patterns and decreased the rhythmic synchronization (DFC) of their activity patterns with the environment. These findings suggest that a music festival is a substantial stressor influencing the trade-off between foraging and risk avoidance. Hedgehogs in a highly fragmented area used larger home ranges and moved faster than in low-fragmented and low-disturbed areas. They also showed behaviours and high DFCs similar to individuals in low-fragmented, low disturbed environment, suggesting that fragmentation posed a moderate challenge which they could accommodate. The acute but transient disturbance of a music festival, therefore, had more substantial and severe behavioural effects than the permanent disturbance through fragmentation. Our results are relevant for the welfare and conservation measure of urban wildlife and highlight the importance of allowing wildlife to avoid urban music festivals by facilitating avoidance behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Berger
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred Kowalke Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany; (L.M.F.B.); (W.R.)
- Berlin Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195 Berlin, Germany; (H.H.); (P.G.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Leon M. F. Barthel
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred Kowalke Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany; (L.M.F.B.); (W.R.)
- Berlin Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195 Berlin, Germany; (H.H.); (P.G.)
| | - Wanja Rast
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred Kowalke Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany; (L.M.F.B.); (W.R.)
| | - Heribert Hofer
- Berlin Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195 Berlin, Germany; (H.H.); (P.G.)
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustrasse 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Oertzenweg 19b, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Pierre Gras
- Berlin Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195 Berlin, Germany; (H.H.); (P.G.)
- Department of Ecological Dynamics, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred Kowalke Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
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21
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Botts RT, Eppert AA, Wiegman TJ, Rodriguez A, Blankenship SR, Asselin EM, Garley WM, Wagner AP, Ullrich SE, Allen GR, Mooring MS. Circadian activity patterns of mammalian predators and prey in Costa Rica. J Mammal 2020; 101:1313-1331. [PMID: 33343263 PMCID: PMC7733402 DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Temporal niche shifts can shape predator-prey interactions by enabling predator avoidance, enhancing feeding success, and reducing competition among predators. Using a community-based conservation approach, we investigated temporal niche partitioning of mammalian predators and prey across 12 long-term camera trap surveys in the Pacific slope and Talamanca Cordillera of Costa Rica. Temporal overlap and segregation were investigated between predator-prey and predator-predator pairs using overlap analysis, circular statistics, and relative abundance after accounting for differences in habitat, season, and human impact among sites. We made the assumption that predators select abundant prey and adjust their activity to maximize their temporal overlap, thus we predicted that abundant prey with high overlap would be preferred prey species for that predator. We also predicted that similar-sized pairs of predator species with the greatest potential for competitive interactions would have the highest temporal segregation. Our results supported the existence of temporal niche separation among the eight species of predators-the smaller Leopardus felids (ocelot, margay, oncilla) were primarily nocturnal, the largest felids (jaguar and puma) and coyote were cathemeral, and the smaller jaguarundi and tayra were mostly diurnal. Most prey species (67%) were primarily nocturnal versus diurnal or cathemeral (33%). Hierarchical clustering identified relationships among species with the most similar activity patterns. We discuss the primary prey and competitor species predicted for each of the eight predators. Contrary to our prediction, the activity pattern of similar-sized intraguild competitors overlapped more than dissimilar-sized competitors, suggesting that similar-sized predators are hunting the same prey at the same time. From this we conclude that prey availability is more important than competition in determining circadian activity patterns of Neotropical predators. Our results indicate the presence of a delicate balance of tropical food webs that may be disrupted by overhunting, leading to a depauperate community consisting of ubiquitous generalists and endangered specialists. With Central America a hotspot for hunting-induced "empty forests," community-based conservation approaches may offer the best road to reduce illegal hunting and maintain the biodiversity and community structure of tropical forest systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan T Botts
- Point Loma Nazarene University, Department of Mathematical, Information and Computer Science, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Amy A Eppert
- Point Loma Nazarene University, Department of Biology, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Timothy J Wiegman
- Point Loma Nazarene University, Department of Physics and Engineering, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Abner Rodriguez
- Point Loma Nazarene University, Department of Biology, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Ellen M Asselin
- Point Loma Nazarene University, Department of Biology, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Wyatt M Garley
- Point Loma Nazarene University, Department of Biology, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Abigail P Wagner
- Point Loma Nazarene University, Department of Biology, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Sierra E Ullrich
- Point Loma Nazarene University, Department of Biology, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Gabrielle R Allen
- Point Loma Nazarene University, Department of Biology, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Michael S Mooring
- Point Loma Nazarene University, Department of Biology, San Diego, CA, USA
- Quetzal Education and Research Center, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
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22
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Individual Variation in Predatory Behavior, Scavenging and Seasonal Prey Availability as Potential Drivers of Coexistence between Wolves and Bears. DIVERSITY-BASEL 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/d12090356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Several large carnivore populations are recovering former ranges, and it is important to understand interspecific interactions between overlapping species. In Scandinavia, recent research has reported that brown bear presence influences gray wolf habitat selection and kill rates. Here, we characterized the temporal use of a common prey resource by sympatric wolves and bears and described individual and seasonal variation in their direct and/or indirect interactions. Most bear–wolf interactions were indirect, via bear scavenging of wolf kills. Bears used >50% of wolf kills, whereas we did not record any wolf visit at bear kills. Adult and subadult bears visited wolf kills, but female bears with cubs of the year, the most vulnerable age class to conspecifics and other predators, did not. Wolf and bear kill rates peaked in early summer, when both targeted neonate moose calves, which coincided with a reduction in bear scavenging rate. Some bears were highly predatory and some did not kill any calf. Individual and age-class variation (in bear predation and scavenging patterns) and seasonality (in bear scavenging patterns and main prey availability of both wolves and bears) could mediate coexistence of these apex predators. Similar processes likely occur in other ecosystems with varying carnivore assemblages.
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23
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Hertel AG, Niemelä PT, Dingemanse NJ, Mueller T. A guide for studying among-individual behavioral variation from movement data in the wild. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2020; 8:30. [PMID: 32612837 PMCID: PMC7325061 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-020-00216-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Animal tracking and biologging devices record large amounts of data on individual movement behaviors in natural environments. In these data, movement ecologists often view unexplained variation around the mean as "noise" when studying patterns at the population level. In the field of behavioral ecology, however, focus has shifted from population means to the biological underpinnings of variation around means. Specifically, behavioral ecologists use repeated measures of individual behavior to partition behavioral variability into intrinsic among-individual variation and reversible behavioral plasticity and to quantify: a) individual variation in behavioral types (i.e. different average behavioral expression), b) individual variation in behavioral plasticity (i.e. different responsiveness of individuals to environmental gradients), c) individual variation in behavioral predictability (i.e. different residual within-individual variability of behavior around the mean), and d) correlations among these components and correlations in suites of behaviors, called 'behavioral syndromes'. We here suggest that partitioning behavioral variability in animal movements will further the integration of movement ecology with other fields of behavioral ecology. We provide a literature review illustrating that individual differences in movement behaviors are insightful for wildlife and conservation studies and give recommendations regarding the data required for addressing such questions. In the accompanying R tutorial we provide a guide to the statistical approaches quantifying the different aspects of among-individual variation. We use movement data from 35 African elephants and show that elephants differ in a) their average behavior for three common movement behaviors, b) the rate at which they adjusted movement over a temporal gradient, and c) their behavioral predictability (ranging from more to less predictable individuals). Finally, two of the three movement behaviors were correlated into a behavioral syndrome (d), with farther moving individuals having shorter mean residence times. Though not explicitly tested here, individual differences in movement and predictability can affect an individual's risk to be hunted or poached and could therefore open new avenues for conservation biologists to assess population viability. We hope that this review, tutorial, and worked example will encourage movement ecologists to examine the biology of individual variation in animal movements hidden behind the population mean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne G. Hertel
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, 3800 Bø i Telemark, Norway
| | - Petri T. Niemelä
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Niels J. Dingemanse
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Thomas Mueller
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Department of Biological Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straße 9, 60438 Frankfurt (Main), Germany
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24
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Hammond TT, Palme R, Lacey EA. Ecological specialization, variability in activity patterns and response to environmental change. Biol Lett 2019; 14:rsbl.2018.0115. [PMID: 29950317 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2018.0115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Differences in temporal patterns of activity can modulate the ambient conditions to which organisms are exposed, providing an important mechanism for responding to environmental change. Such differences may be particularly relevant to ecological generalists, which are expected to encounter a wider range of environmental conditions. Here, we compare temporal patterns of activity for partially sympatric populations of a generalist (the lodgepole chipmunk, Tamias speciosus) and a more specialized congener (the alpine chipmunk, Tamias alpinus) that have displayed divergent responses to the past century of environmental change. Although mean activity budgets were similar between species, analyses of individual-level variation in locomotion revealed that T. alpinus exhibited a narrower range of activity patterns than Tspeciosus Further analyses revealed that T. alpinus was more active earlier in the day, when temperatures were cooler, and that activity patterns for both species changed with increased interspecific co-occurrence. These results are consistent with the greater responsiveness of T. alpinus to changes in environmental conditions. In addition to highlighting the utility of accelerometers for collecting behavioural data, our findings add to a growing body of evidence, suggesting that the greater phenotypic variability displayed by ecological generalists may be critical to in situ responses to environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talisin T Hammond
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA .,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eileen A Lacey
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
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25
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Wassmer T, Refinetti R. Individual Daily and Seasonal Activity Patterns in Fox Squirrels (Sciurus niger) Quantified by Temperature-Sensitive Data Loggers. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
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26
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Abstract
The existence of a synthetic program of research on what was then termed the "nocturnal problem" and that we might now call "nighttime ecology" was declared more than 70 years ago. In reality, this failed to materialize, arguably as a consequence of practical challenges in studying organisms at night and instead concentrating on the existence of circadian rhythms, the mechanisms that give rise to them, and their consequences. This legacy is evident to this day, with consideration of the ecology of the nighttime markedly underrepresented in ecological research and literature. However, several factors suggest that it would be timely to revive the vision of a comprehensive research program in nighttime ecology. These include (i) that the study of the ecology of the night is being revolutionized by new and improved technologies; (ii) suggestions that, far from being a minor component of biodiversity, a high proportion of animal species are active at night; (iii) that fundamental questions about differences and connections between the ecology of the daytime and the nighttime remain largely unanswered; and (iv) that the nighttime environment is coming under severe anthropogenic pressure. In this article, I seek to reestablish nighttime ecology as a synthetic program of research, highlighting key focal topics and questions and providing an overview of the current state of understanding and developments.
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27
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Hertel AG, Leclerc M, Warren D, Pelletier F, Zedrosser A, Mueller T. Don't poke the bear: using tracking data to quantify behavioural syndromes in elusive wildlife. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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28
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Hertel AG, Zedrosser A, Kindberg J, Langvall O, Swenson JE. Fluctuating mast production does not drive Scandinavian brown bear behavior. J Wildl Manage 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anne G. Hertel
- Norwegian University of Life SciencesFaculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource ManagementNO‐1430 ÅsNorway
| | - Andreas Zedrosser
- University of Southeast NorwayDepartment of Natural Sciences and Environmental HealthNO‐3800 BøNorway
| | - Jonas Kindberg
- Norwegian Institute for Nature ResearchNO‐7485 Trondheim and Department of Fish, Wildlife and Environmental StudiesSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUmeåSweden
| | - Ola Langvall
- Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesSE‐75007 UppsalaSweden
| | - Jon E. Swenson
- Norwegian University of Life SciencesFaculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource ManagementNO‐1430 ÅsNorway
- Norway and Norwegian Institute for Nature ResearchNO‐7485 TrondheimNorway
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29
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Gaynor KM, Hojnowski CE, Carter NH, Brashares JS. The influence of human disturbance on wildlife nocturnality. Science 2018; 360:1232-1235. [PMID: 29903973 DOI: 10.1126/science.aar7121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 455] [Impact Index Per Article: 75.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Rapid expansion of human activity has driven well-documented shifts in the spatial distribution of wildlife, but the cumulative effect of human disturbance on the temporal dynamics of animals has not been quantified. We examined anthropogenic effects on mammal diel activity patterns, conducting a meta-analysis of 76 studies of 62 species from six continents. Our global study revealed a strong effect of humans on daily patterns of wildlife activity. Animals increased their nocturnality by an average factor of 1.36 in response to human disturbance. This finding was consistent across continents, habitats, taxa, and human activities. As the global human footprint expands, temporal avoidance of humans may facilitate human-wildlife coexistence. However, such responses can result in marked shifts away from natural patterns of activity, with consequences for fitness, population persistence, community interactions, and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn M Gaynor
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
| | - Cheryl E Hojnowski
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Neil H Carter
- Human-Environment Systems Research Center, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA
| | - Justin S Brashares
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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30
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Melnychuk MC, Welch DW. Habitat-mediated effects of diurnal and seasonal migration strategies on juvenile salmon survival. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Melnychuk
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - David W Welch
- Kintama Research Services, Ltd., Vista View Crescent, Nanaimo, BC, Canada
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31
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Hertel AG, Swenson JE, Bischof R. A case for considering individual variation in diel activity patterns. Behav Ecol 2017; 28:1524-1531. [PMID: 29622931 PMCID: PMC5873257 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arx122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a growing recognition of the role of individual variation in patterns emerging at higher levels of biological organization. Despite the importance of the temporal configuration of ecological processes and patterns, intraspecific individual variation in diel activity patterns is almost never accounted for in behavioral studies at the population level. We used individual-based monitoring data from 98 GPS-collared brown bears in Scandinavia to estimate diel activity patterns before the fall hunting season. We extracted 7 activity measures related to timing and regularity of activity from individual activity profiles. We then used multivariate analysis to test for the existence of distinct activity tactics and their environmental determinants, followed by generalized linear regression to estimate the extent of within-individual repeatability of activity tactics. We detected 4 distinct activity tactics, with a high degree of individual fidelity to a given tactic. Demographic factors, availability of key foraging habitat, and human disturbance were important determinants of activity tactics. Younger individuals and those with higher bear and road densities within their home range were more nocturnal and more likely to rest during the day. Good foraging habitat and increasing age led to more diurnal activity patterns and nocturnal resting periods. We did not find evidence of diel activity tactics influencing survival during the subsequent hunting season. We conclude that individual variation in activity deserves greater attention than it currently receives, as it may help account for individual heterogeneity in fitness and could facilitate within-population niche partitioning that can have population- or community-level consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne G Hertel
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NO-1430 Ås, Norway
| | - Jon E Swenson
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NO-1430 Ås, Norway.,Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, NO-7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Richard Bischof
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NO-1430 Ås, Norway
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