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Hammer TL, Bize P, Gineste B, Robin JP, Groscolas R, Viblanc VA. Disentangling the "many-eyes", "dilution effect", "selfish herd", and "distracted prey" hypotheses in shaping alert and flight initiation distance in a colonial seabird. Behav Processes 2023:104919. [PMID: 37481004 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2023.104919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Group living is thought to have important antipredator benefits for animals, owing to the mechanisms of shared vigilance ("many-eyes" hypothesis), risk dilution ("dilution effect" hypothesis), and relative safety in the center of the group ("selfish herd" hypothesis). However, it can also incur costs since social stimuli, such as conspecific aggression, may distract individuals from anti-predator behavior ("distracted prey" hypothesis). We simultaneously evaluated how these four different hypotheses shape anti-predator behaviors of breeding king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus), which aggregate into large colonies, experience frequent aggressive social interactions, and are regularly exposed to predation by giant petrels (Macronectes sp.) and brown skuas (Catharacta loonbergi) when breeding on land. We approached 200 incubating penguins at four different periods of the breeding season across a range of overall increasing colony densities. We measured the distance at which focal birds detected the approaching threat (alert distance: AD), whether birds decided to flee or not, and the distance of flight initiation (flight initiation distance: FID, viz. the bird attempting to walk away with its egg on its feet). We quantified relative local neighbor density, centrality within the colony (rank), and the number of aggressions the focal bird emitted towards neighbors during the approach. We found that birds engaged in aggressive conflicts with neighbors were less likely to flee, and that increasing relative local neighbor density at low and medium overall colony density resulted in a decrease in bird AD, both supporting the "distracted prey" hypothesis. However, at maximal overall colony density, increasing relative local neighbor density resulted in longer AD, supporting the "many-eyes" hypothesis. We found no support for the "dilution effect" and "selfish herd" hypotheses, and no effects of any hypothesis on FID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracey L Hammer
- University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, UMR 7178, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Pierre Bize
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
| | - Benoit Gineste
- University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, UMR 7178, 67000 Strasbourg, France; IPEV - Institut Polaire Français Paul Émile Victor, 29280 Plouzané, France
| | - Jean-Patrice Robin
- University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, UMR 7178, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - René Groscolas
- University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, UMR 7178, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Vincent A Viblanc
- University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, UMR 7178, 67000 Strasbourg, France
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2
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Meisingset EL, Gusevik J, Skjørestad A, Brekkum Ø, Mysterud A, Rosell F. Impacts of human disturbance on flight response and habitat use of red deer. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Erling L. Meisingset
- Department of Forestry and Forestry Resources Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research Tingvoll Norway
| | - Joar Gusevik
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health University of South‐Eastern Norway Bø i Telemark Norway
| | - Atle Skjørestad
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health University of South‐Eastern Norway Bø i Telemark Norway
| | - Øystein Brekkum
- Department of Forestry and Forestry Resources Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research Tingvoll Norway
| | - Atle Mysterud
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences University of Oslo Oslo Norway
| | - Frank Rosell
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health University of South‐Eastern Norway Bø i Telemark Norway
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3
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Tobin CT, Bailey DW, Stephenson MB, Trotter MG, Knight CW, Faist AM. Opportunities to monitor animal welfare using the five freedoms with precision livestock management on rangelands. FRONTIERS IN ANIMAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fanim.2022.928514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in technology have led to precision livestock management, a developing research field. Precision livestock management has potential to improve sustainable meat production through continuous, real-time tracking which can help livestock managers remotely monitor and enhance animal welfare in extensive rangeland systems. The combination of global positioning systems (GPS) and accessible data transmission gives livestock managers the ability to locate animals in arduous weather, track animal patterns throughout the grazing season, and improve handling practices. Accelerometers fitted to ear tags or collars have the potential to identify behavioral changes through variation in the intensity of movement that can occur during grazing, the onset of disease, parturition or responses to other environmental and management stressors. The ability to remotely detect disease, parturition, or effects of stress, combined with appropriate algorithms and data analysis, can be used to notify livestock managers and expedite response times to bolster animal welfare and productivity. The “Five Freedoms” were developed to help guide the evaluation and impact of management practices on animal welfare. These freedoms and welfare concerns differ between intensive (i.e., feed lot) and extensive (i.e., rangeland) systems. The provisions of the Five Freedoms can be used as a conceptual framework to demonstrate how precision livestock management can be used to improve the welfare of livestock grazing on extensive rangeland systems.
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4
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Found R. Personality-Dependent Responses of Elk to Predatory Pursuits. WEST N AM NATURALIST 2022. [DOI: 10.3398/064.082.0206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rob Found
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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5
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Kushwaha AK, Scorza BM, Singh OP, Rowton E, Lawyer P, Sundar S, Petersen CA. Domestic mammals as reservoirs for Leishmania donovani on the Indian subcontinent: Possibility and consequences on elimination. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022; 69:268-277. [PMID: 33686764 PMCID: PMC8455064 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Leishmania donovani is the causative agent of historically anthroponotic visceral leishmaniasis (VL) on the Indian subcontinent (ISC). L. donovani is transmitted by the sand fly species Phlebotomus argentipes. Our collaborative group and others have shown that sand flies trapped outside in endemic villages have fed on cattle and dogs in addition to people. Domestic animals are reservoirs for L. donovani complex spp., particularly L. infantum, in other endemic areas. Multiple studies using quantitative PCR or serological detection methods have demonstrated that goats, cattle, rats and dogs were diagnostically positive for L. donovani infection or exposure in eastern Africa, Bangladesh, Nepal and India. There is a limited understanding of the extent to which L. donovani infection of domestic animals drives transmission to other animals or humans on the ISC. Evidence from other vector-borne disease elimination strategies indicated that emerging infections in domestic species hindered eradication. The predominant lesson learned from these other situations is that non-human reservoirs must be identified, controlled and/or prevented. Massive efforts are underway for VL elimination on the Indian subcontinent. Despite these herculean efforts, residual VL incidence persists. The spectre of an animal reservoir complicating elimination efforts haunts the final push towards full VL control. Better understanding of L. donovani transmission on the Indian subcontinent and rigorous consideration of how non-human reservoirs alter VL ecology are critical to sustain elimination goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anurag Kumar Kushwaha
- Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Breanna M. Scorza
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Om Prakash Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Edgar Rowton
- Division of Entomology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Phillip Lawyer
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Shyam Sundar
- Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Christine A. Petersen
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
- Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Iowa, Coralville, Iowa, USA
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6
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Weterings MJ, Meister N, Fey K, Jansen PA, van Langevelde F, Kuipers HJ. Context-dependent responses of naïve ungulates to wolf-sound playback in a human-dominated landscape. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.12.013] [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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7
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Suraci JP, Smith JA, Chamaillé‐Jammes S, Gaynor KM, Jones M, Luttbeg B, Ritchie EG, Sheriff MJ, Sih A. Beyond spatial overlap: harnessing new technologies to resolve the complexities of predator–prey interactions. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Justine A. Smith
- Dept of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, Univ. of California Davis CA USA
| | - Simon Chamaillé‐Jammes
- CEFE, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD Montpellier France
- Mammal Research Inst., Dept of Zoology&Entomology, Univ. of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
| | - Kaitlyn M. Gaynor
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, Univ. of California Santa Barbara CA USA
| | - Menna Jones
- School of Natural Sciences, Univ. of Tasmania Tasmania Australia
| | - Barney Luttbeg
- Dept of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State Univ. Stillwater OK USA
| | - Euan G. Ritchie
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin Univ. Burwood VIC Australia
| | | | - Andrew Sih
- Dept of Environmental Science and Policy, Univ. of California Davis CA USA
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8
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Oliveira-Santos LGR, Moore SA, Severud WJ, Forester JD, Isaac EJ, Chenaux-Ibrahim Y, Garwood T, Escobar LE, Wolf TM. Spatial compartmentalization: A nonlethal predator mechanism to reduce parasite transmission between prey species. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabj5944. [PMID: 34936450 PMCID: PMC8694586 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj5944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Predators can modulate disease transmission within prey populations by influencing prey demography and behavior. Predator-prey dynamics can involve multiple species in heterogeneous landscapes; however, studies of predation on disease transmission rarely consider the role of landscapes or the transmission among diverse prey species (i.e., spillover). We used high-resolution habitat and movement data to model spillover risk of the brainworm parasite (Parelaphostrongylus tenuis) between two prey species [white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and moose (Alces alces)], accounting for predator [gray wolf (Canis lupus)] presence and landscape configuration. Results revealed that spring migratory movements of cervid hosts increased parasite spillover risk from deer to moose, an effect tempered by changes in elevation, land cover, and wolf presence. Wolves induced host-species segregation, a nonlethal mechanism that modulated disease emergence by reducing spatiotemporal overlap between infected and susceptible prey, showing that wildlife disease dynamics may change with landscape disturbance and the loss of large carnivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Gustavo R. Oliveira-Santos
- Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, 1988 Fitch Ave, 495 AnSci/VetMed Bldg, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
- Movement and Population Ecology Laboratory, Ecology Department, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Av. Costa e Silva, s/n°, Bairro Universitário, Campo Grande-MS 79070-900, Brazil
| | - Seth A. Moore
- Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Biology and Environment, 27 Store Road, Grand Portage, MN 55605, USA
| | - William J. Severud
- Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, 1988 Fitch Ave, 495 AnSci/VetMed Bldg, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - James D. Forester
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Edmund J. Isaac
- Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Biology and Environment, 27 Store Road, Grand Portage, MN 55605, USA
| | - Yvette Chenaux-Ibrahim
- Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Biology and Environment, 27 Store Road, Grand Portage, MN 55605, USA
| | - Tyler Garwood
- Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, 1988 Fitch Ave, 495 AnSci/VetMed Bldg, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Luis E. Escobar
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24601, USA
| | - Tiffany M. Wolf
- Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, 1988 Fitch Ave, 495 AnSci/VetMed Bldg, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
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9
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Céré J, Montiglio PO, Kelly CD. Indirect effect of familiarity on survival: a path analysis on video game data. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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10
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Philson CS, Todorov SM, Blumstein DT. Marmot mass gain rates relate to their group’s social structure. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Mass gain is an important fitness correlate for survival in highly seasonal species. Although many physiological, genetic, life history, and environmental factors can influence mass gain, more recent work suggests the specific nature of an individual’s own social relationships also influences mass gain. However, less is known about consequences of social structure for individuals. We studied the association between social structure, quantified via social network analysis, and annual mass gain in yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer). Social networks were constructed from 31 738 social interactions between 671 individuals in 125 social groups from 2002 to 2018. Using a refined dataset of 1022 observations across 587 individuals in 81 social groups, we fitted linear mixed models to analyze the relationship between attributes of social structure and individual mass gain. We found that individuals residing in more connected and unbreakable social groups tended to gain proportionally less mass. However, these results were largely age-dependent. Adults, who form the core of marmot social groups, residing in more spread apart networks had greater mass gain than those in tighter networks. Yearlings, involved in a majority of social interactions, and those who resided in socially homogeneous and stable groups had greater mass gain. These results show how the structure of the social group an individual resides in may have consequences for a key fitness correlate. But, importantly, this relationship was age-dependent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conner S Philson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 621 Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095–1606, USA
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Box 519, Crested Butte, CO 81224, USA
| | - Sophia M Todorov
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 621 Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095–1606, USA
| | - Daniel T Blumstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 621 Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095–1606, USA
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Box 519, Crested Butte, CO 81224, USA
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11
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Muneza AB, Linden DW, Kimaro MH, Dickman AJ, Macdonald DW, Roloff GJ, Hayward MW, Montgomery RA. Exploring the connections between giraffe skin disease and lion predation. J Zool (1987) 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12930] [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)
- A. B. Muneza
- Research on the Ecology of Carnivores and their Prey (RECaP) Laboratory Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Michigan State University East Lansing MI USA
- Giraffe Conservation Foundation Nairobi Kenya
| | - D. W. Linden
- NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Gloucester MA USA
| | - M. H. Kimaro
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxon UK
| | - A. J. Dickman
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxon UK
| | - D. W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxon UK
| | - G. J. Roloff
- Applied Forest and Wildlife Ecology Laboratory (AFWEL) Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Michigan State University East Lansing MI USA
| | - M. W. Hayward
- Conservation Biology Research Group School of Environmental and Life Sciences University of Newcastle Callaghan NSW Australia
| | - R. A. Montgomery
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxon UK
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12
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Berg JE, Reimer J, Smolko P, Bohm H, Hebblewhite M, Merrill EH. Mothers' Movements: Shifts in Calving Area Selection by Partially Migratory Elk. J Wildl Manage 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jodi E. Berg
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Jody Reimer
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Peter Smolko
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Holger Bohm
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Mark Hebblewhite
- Wildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, W. A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation University of Montana Missoula MT 59812 USA
| | - Evelyn H. Merrill
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB T6G 2E9 Canada
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13
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Boyce PN, McLoughlin PD. Ecological Interactions Involving Feral Horses and Predators: Review with Implications for Biodiversity Conservation. J Wildl Manage 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Paul N. Boyce
- Department of Biology University of Saskatchewan 112 Science Place Saskatoon SK S7N 5E2 Canada
| | - Philip D. McLoughlin
- Department of Biology University of Saskatchewan 112 Science Place Saskatoon SK S7N 5E2 Canada
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14
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Webber QMR, Vander Wal E. Context-dependent group size: effects of population density, habitat, and season. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Group size can vary in relation to population density, habitat, and season. Habitat and season may also interact with population density and affect group size through varying foraging benefits of social aggregation in different ecological contexts. We tested the hypothesis that group size varies across ecological contexts, including population density, habitat type, and season, for woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in ten herds over 25 years in Newfoundland, Canada. We predicted that group size would increase as a function of population density. Based on the foraging benefits of social aggregation, we predicted larger groups as habitat openness increased because open areas tend to have higher quality foraging resources. We predicted larger groups during winter when foraging resources are covered in snow because caribou and other social animals exploit social information about the location of foraging resources. In contrast to our prediction, group size decreased as a function of population density. In support of our prediction, group size was larger in winter than calving and summer, and we found that group size increased with habitat openness in some, but not all, cases. Patterns of animal grouping are context-dependent and the additive effect of different ecological contexts on variation in group size informs our understanding of the implicit trade-offs between competition, predation risk, and profitability of forage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinn M R Webber
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Interdisciplinary Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 232 Elizabeth Ave, St. John’s, NL A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Eric Vander Wal
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Interdisciplinary Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 232 Elizabeth Ave, St. John’s, NL A1B 3X9, Canada
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 232 Elizabeth Ave, St. John’s, NL A1B 3X9,Canada
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15
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Prakash H, Greif S, Yovel Y, Balakrishnan R. Acoustically eavesdropping bat predators take longer to capture katydid prey signalling in aggregation. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:268371. [PMID: 34047777 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.233262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Prey that are signalling in aggregation become more conspicuous with increasing numbers and tend to attract more predators. Such grouping may, however, benefit prey by lowering the risk of being captured because of the predator's difficulty in targeting individuals. Previous studies have investigated anti-predatory benefits of prey aggregation using visual predators, but it is unclear whether such benefits are gained in an auditory context. We investigated whether katydids of the genus Mecopoda gain protection from their acoustically eavesdropping bat predator Megaderma spasma when calling in aggregation. In a choice experiment, bats approached calls of prey aggregations more often than those of prey calling alone, indicating that prey calling in aggregation are at higher risk. In prey capture tasks, however, the average time taken and the number of flight passes made by bats before capturing a katydid were significantly higher for prey calling in aggregation than when calling alone, indicating that prey face lower predation risk when calling in aggregation. Another common anti-predatory strategy, calling from within vegetation, increased the time taken by bats to capture katydids calling alone but did not increase the time taken to capture prey calling from aggregations. The increased time taken to capture prey calling in aggregation compared with solitary calling prey offers an escape opportunity, thus providing prey that signal acoustically in aggregations with anti-predatory benefits. For bats, greater detectability of calling prey aggregations is offset by lower foraging efficiency, and this trade-off may shape predator foraging strategies in natural environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harish Prakash
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Stefan Greif
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.,Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Yossi Yovel
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.,Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Rohini Balakrishnan
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
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16
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Open habitats promote female group formation in a solitary ungulate: the Japanese serow. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-02999-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [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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17
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Dorfman A, Weiss O, Hagbi Z, Levi A, Eilam D. Social spatial cognition. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 121:277-290. [PMID: 33373664 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Social spatial cognition refers to the interaction between self, place, and partners, with emphasis on the impact of the social environment on spatial behavior and on how individual spatial representations converge to form collective spatial behavior - i.e., common places and routes. Recent studies suggest that in addition to their mental representation (cognitive map) of the physical environment, humans and other animals also have a social cognitive map. We suggest that while social spatial cognition relies on knowledge of both the physical and the social environments, it is the latter hat predominates. This dominance is illustrated here in the modulation of spatial behavior according to dynamic social interactions, ranging from group formation to an attenuation of drug-induced stereotypy through the mere presence of a normal subject. Consequently we suggest that the numerous studies on the biobehavioral controlling mechanisms of spatial behavior (i.e. - the hippocampal formation, animal models for mental disorders) should also consider the social environment rather than solely focusing on the spatial behavior of lone animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Dorfman
- School of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life-Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Omri Weiss
- School of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life-Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Zohar Hagbi
- School of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life-Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Anat Levi
- School of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life-Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - David Eilam
- School of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life-Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, 6997801, Israel.
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Investigating local concerns regarding large mammal restoration: group size in a growing population of reintroduced bison (Bison bison). Glob Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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19
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Merrill E, Killeen J, Pettit J, Trottier M, Martin H, Berg J, Bohm H, Eggeman S, Hebblewhite M. Density-Dependent Foraging Behaviors on Sympatric Winter Ranges in a Partially Migratory Elk Population. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
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20
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Nieder A. The Adaptive Value of Numerical Competence. Trends Ecol Evol 2020; 35:605-617. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 02/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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Kasozi H, Montgomery RA. Variability in the estimation of ungulate group sizes complicates ecological inference. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:6881-6889. [PMID: 32760498 PMCID: PMC7391342 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Foundational work has examined adaptive social behavior in animals in relation to the costs and benefits of group living. Within this context, a "group" of animals represents an organizational unit that is integral to the study of animal ecology and evolution.Definitions of animal group sizes are often subjective with considerable variability within and across species. However, investigations of both the extent and implications of such variability in the estimation of animal group sizes are currently lacking.Selecting ungulates as a case study, we conducted a literature review to assess prevailing practices used to determine group sizes among terrestrial Cetartiodactyla and Perissodactyla. Via this process, we examined group size definitions for 61 species across 171 peer-reviewed studies published between 1962 and 2018.These studies quantified group sizes via estimation of ungulate aggregations in space and time. Spatial estimates included a nearest neighbor distance ranging from 1.4 m to 1,000 m, and this variation was partially explained by a weak positive correlation (|r| = .4, p < .003) with the body size of the ungulate research subjects. The temporal extent over which group size was estimated was even broader, ranging from three minutes to 24 hr.The considerable variability in ungulate group size estimation that we observed complicates efforts to not only compare and replicate studies but also to evaluate underlying theories of group living. We recommend that researchers: (a) clearly describe the spatiotemporal extents over which they define ungulate group sizes, (b) highlight foundational empirical and ecological rationale for these extents, and (c) seek to align such extents among individual species so as to facilitate cross-system comparisons of ungulate group size dynamics. We believe an integrative approach to ungulate group size estimation would readily facilitate replication, comparability, and evaluation of competing hypotheses examining the tradeoffs of animal sociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herbert Kasozi
- Research on the Ecology of Carnivores and their Prey (RECaP) LaboratoryDepartment of Fisheries and WildlifeMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMIUSA.
| | - Robert A. Montgomery
- Research on the Ecology of Carnivores and their Prey (RECaP) LaboratoryDepartment of Fisheries and WildlifeMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMIUSA.
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Bonar M, Lewis KP, Webber QMR, Dobbin M, Laforge MP, Vander Wal E. Geometry of the ideal free distribution: individual behavioural variation and annual reproductive success in aggregations of a social ungulate. Ecol Lett 2020; 23:1360-1369. [PMID: 32602664 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Variation in social environment can mitigate risks and rewards associated with occupying a particular patch. We aim to integrate Ideal Free Distribution (IFD) and Geometry of the Selfish Herd (GSH) to address an apparent conflict in their predictions of equal mean fitness between patches (IFD) and declining fitness benefits within a patch (GSH). We tested these hypotheses in a socio-spatial context using individual caribou that were aggregated or disaggregated during calving and varied in their annual reproductive success (ARS). We then tested individual consistency of these spatial tactics. We reveal that two socio-spatial tactics accorded similar mean ARS (IFD); however, ARS for aggregated individuals declined near the periphery (GSH). Individuals near the aggregation periphery exhibited flexibility, whereas others were consistent. The integration of classical theories through a contemporary lens of consistent individual differences provides evidence for an integrated GSH and IFD strategy that may represent an evolutionary stable state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maegwin Bonar
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, USA
| | - Keith P Lewis
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans, St. John's, NL, USA
| | - Quinn M R Webber
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Interdisciplinary Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, USA
| | - Maria Dobbin
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, USA
| | - Michel P Laforge
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, USA
| | - Eric Vander Wal
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, USA.,Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Interdisciplinary Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, USA
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23
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Mutz J, Underwood N, Inouye BD. Integrating top-down and bottom-up effects of local density across scales and a complex life cycle. Ecology 2020; 101:e03118. [PMID: 32531072 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Effects of group size (local conspecific density) on individual performance can be substantial, yet it is unclear how these translate to larger-scale and longer-term outcomes. Effects of group size can be mediated by both top-down and bottom-up interactions, can change in type or direction across the life cycle, and can depend on the spatial scale at which group size is assessed. Only by determining how these different processes combine can we make predictions about how selection operates on group size or link hierarchical patterns of density dependence with population dynamics. We manipulated the density of a leaf beetle, Leptinotarsa juncta, at three nested spatial scales (patch, plant within a patch, and leaf within plant) to investigate how conspecific density affects predator-mediated survival and resource-mediated growth during different life stages and across multiple spatial scales. We then used data from field predation experiments to assess how L. juncta densities at hierarchical scales affect different aspects of predation. Finally, we incorporated predator- and resource-mediated effects of density in a model to explore how changes in group size due to density-dependent predation might affect mass at pupation for survivors. The effects of L. juncta density on predation risk differed among scales. Per capita predation risk of both eggs and late instars was lowest at high patch-scale densities, but increased with plant-scale density. The final mass of late instars declined with increasing plant-scale larval density, potentially because of truncated development of high-density larvae. Predation incidence (i.e., group attack rate) increased with larval density at all spatial scales. A high coefficient of variation (i.e., greater aggregation) of L. juncta density was associated with lower predation incidence at some scales. Our model suggested that predator- and resource-mediated effects of density interact: lower survival at high larval density is mitigated by high final mass of larvae in the resulting smaller groups. Our results emphasize the importance of spatial scale and demonstrate that effects of top-down and bottom-up interactions are not necessarily independent. To understand how group size influences fitness, predator- and resource-mediated effects of density should be measured in their demographic and spatial context, and not in isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessie Mutz
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 32306, USA
| | - Nora Underwood
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 32306, USA
| | - Brian D Inouye
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 32306, USA
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24
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Sarmento W, Berger J. Conservation implications of using an imitation carnivore to assess rarely used refuges as critical habitat features in an alpine ungulate. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9296. [PMID: 32566402 PMCID: PMC7295023 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding relationships between animals and their habitat is a central goal in ecology with important implications for conservation. Misidentified habitat requirements can have serious repercussions because land protection or reintroductions might occur in less than optimal habitat. Studies of resource selection have greatly facilitated an understanding of ecological relationships but can be improved when vital yet infrequently utilized habitat features are more fully described. A critical element for many prey species is escape terrain or some other form of refuge to avoid predation. Mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) are well known for their use of cliffs to avoid predation, but a survey of the literature revealed at least twelve different approximations of goat escape terrain, ranging from > 25° to > 50° slopes. Here, we seek to (1) enhance estimates of mountain goat escape terrain and antipredator behavior, and (2) highlight the limitations of the assumption that the time an animal spends in an area is proportional to importance. To improve estimates of goat escape terrain, we conducted field work across two years (2014–15) in Glacier National Park, Montana USA and manipulated apparent predation risk by exposing mountain goats to a threatening simulated grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) treatment and a non-threatening ungulate (control) treatment. Mountain goats moved in response to the simulated bear but not in response to the simulated ungulate, with shorter latencies to move for subjects in larger groups and at shorter distances to the simulated threat. Through a used-unused resource selection function we tested 22 landscape variables to describe the use of escape terrain. Proximity to slopes greater than 60° best explained the locations to which mountain goats fled after exposure to the simulated bear, and the average slope of these escape locations was 56.5° (±14.1 S.D.). Our results suggest that mountain goat escape terrain be considered at slopes of 60° as a minimum because our simulated threat did not include pursuit of goats and, thus, slopes of 60° are likely underestimates of actual escape terrain. Additionally, because direct interactions between carnivores and goats seldom occur, serious escape terrain is infrequently used. Past estimates of escape may have miscalculated the slopes which goats select for in response to predation risk. Based on experimental approaches in the wild, we suggest that anti-predator behavior should be included in studies of resource selection when the goal is to consider habitat as a predictor for conservation success. Finally, we discuss evidence suggesting a past mountain goat introduction failed due to lack of adequate escape terrain and subsequent recolonization of a predator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesley Sarmento
- Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
- Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Conrad, MT, USA
| | - Joel Berger
- Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, NY, USA
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25
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Webber QMR, Vander Wal E. Heterogeneity in social network connections is density-dependent: implications for disease dynamics in a gregarious ungulate. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02860-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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26
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Beale MM, Boyce MS. Mine reclamation enhances habitats for wild ungulates in west‐central Alberta. Restor Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Meghan M. Beale
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Mark S. Boyce
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E9 Canada
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27
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Ferretti F, Lovari S, Mancino V, Burrini L, Rossa M. Food habits of wolves and selection of wild ungulates in a prey-rich Mediterranean coastal area. Mamm Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2019.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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28
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Bouveroux T, Kirkman SP, Conry D, Vargas-Fonseca OA, Pistorius PA. The first assessment of social organisation of the Indian Ocean humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea) along the south coast of South Africa. CAN J ZOOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2018-0244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The Indian Ocean humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea (G. Cuvier, 1829)) is the most endangered marine mammal species in South Africa, and the overall decline of its abundance and group size may affect the social organisation of the species, potentially accentuating its vulnerability. Understanding the social organisation is therefore particularly relevant to conservation efforts. From photo-identification surveys along the south coast of South Africa from March 2014 to June 2015, we quantified association patterns and investigated the social organisation of Indian Ocean humpback dolphins using the half-weight index, social cluster, and network analyses. During the 101 surveys conducted and 553 h of survey effort, 98 sightings of dolphins were recorded and 65 individuals identified. Using individuals seen at least three times, this study reveals that the social network is well differentiated, as strong social divisions exist between individuals that seem to be split into four distinctive social clusters. Network strength was low; approximately half of the associations were low to moderate, whereas some individuals were strongly associated, especially between four pairs of individuals. Although this study is based on a limited number of individuals, our study nevertheless suggests that the atypical strong social bonds recorded here could result from behavioural responses following the decline in group size and abundance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibaut Bouveroux
- Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, P.O. Box 77000, 6031, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
- Marine Apex Predator Research Unit, Coastal and Marine Research Institute, Nelson Mandela University, P.O. Box 77000, 6031, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - Stephen P. Kirkman
- Department of Environmental Affairs, Branch Oceans and Coasts, 8001, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Danielle Conry
- Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, P.O. Box 77000, 6031, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
- Marine Apex Predator Research Unit, Coastal and Marine Research Institute, Nelson Mandela University, P.O. Box 77000, 6031, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - O. Alejandra Vargas-Fonseca
- Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, P.O. Box 77000, 6031, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
- Marine Apex Predator Research Unit, Coastal and Marine Research Institute, Nelson Mandela University, P.O. Box 77000, 6031, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - Pierre A. Pistorius
- Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, P.O. Box 77000, 6031, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
- Marine Apex Predator Research Unit, Coastal and Marine Research Institute, Nelson Mandela University, P.O. Box 77000, 6031, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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29
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Gigliotti LC, Slotow R, Hunter LTB, Fattebert J, Sholto-Douglas C, Jachowski DS. Context dependency of top-down, bottom-up and density-dependent influences on cheetah demography. J Anim Ecol 2019; 89:449-459. [PMID: 31469173 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Research on drivers of demographic rates has mostly focused on top predators and their prey, and comparatively less research has considered the drivers of mesopredator demography. Of those limited studies, most focused on top-down effects of apex predators on mesopredator population dynamics, whereas studies investigating alternative mechanisms are less common. In this study, we tested hypotheses related to top-down, bottom-up and density-dependent regulation of demographic rates in an imperilled mesopredator, the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus). We used a 25-year dataset of lion density, cheetah density and prey density from the Mun-Ya-Wana Conservancy in South Africa and assessed the effects of top-down, bottom-up and density-dependent drivers on cheetah survival and reproduction. In contrast to the top-down and bottom-up predictions, both adult and juvenile cheetahs experienced the lowest survival during months with high prey densities and low lion densities. We observed support only for a density-dependent response in juvenile cheetahs, where they had a higher probability of reaching independence during times with low cheetah density and low prey density. We did not identify any strong drivers of litter size. Collectively, our results indicate that high apex predator abundance might not always have negative effects on mesopredator populations, and suggest that context dependency in top-down, bottom-up and density-dependent factors may regulate demographic rates of cheetahs and other mesopredators. Our results highlight the complexities of population-level drivers of cheetah demographic rates and the importance of considering multiple hypotheses of mesopredator population regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C Gigliotti
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Rob Slotow
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
| | - Luke T B Hunter
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.,Wildlife Conservation Society, New York, NY, USA
| | - Julien Fattebert
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.,Panthera, New York, NY, USA.,Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | | | - David S Jachowski
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
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30
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Woodruff SP, Jimenez MD. Winter predation patterns of wolves in Northwestern Wyoming. J Wildl Manage 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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31
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Yared S, Gebresilassie A, Abbasi I, Aklilu E, Kirstein OD, Balkew M, Brown AS, Clouse RM, Warburg A, Hailu A, Gebre-Michael T. A molecular analysis of sand fly blood meals in a visceral leishmaniasis endemic region of northwestern Ethiopia reveals a complex host-vector system. Heliyon 2019; 5:e02132. [PMID: 31384683 PMCID: PMC6661399 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Visceral leishmaniasis (VL, or “kala-azar”) is a major cause of disability and death, especially in East Africa. Its vectors, sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae), are poorly controlled and guarded against in these regions, owing in part to a lack of understanding about their feeding behavior. Methods A total of 746 freshly fed female sand flies were collected in five population centers in Kafta Humera (northwestern Ethiopia), where VL is endemic. Flies were collected from habitats that ranged from inside houses to open fields, using light traps and sticky traps. Sources of sand fly blood meals were identified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and DNA amplification with reverse-line blot analysis (PCR-RLB); 632 specimens were screened using ELISA, 408 of which had identifiable blood meals, and 114 were screened using PCR-RLB, 53 of which yielded identifications. Fly species determinations were based on morphology, and those specimens subjected to PCR-RLB were also screened for Leishmania parasites using conventional PCR to amplify the nuclear marker ITS1 (internal transcribed spacer 1) with Leishmania-specific primers. Results More than three-fourths of all sand flies collected were Phlebotomus orientalis, and the remaining portion was comprised of nine other species. Nearly two-thirds of P. orientalis specimens were collected at village peripheries. The most common blood source for all flies was donkey (33.9% of all identifications), followed by cow (24.2%), human (17.6%), dog (11.8%), and goat or sheep (8.6%); mixtures of blood meals from different sources were found in 28.2% of all flies screened. Unidentified blood meals, presumably from wildlife, not domestic animals, were significantly higher in farm fields. Leishmania parasites were not detected in any of the 114 flies screened, not surprising given an expected infection rate of 1–5 out of 1,000. Meals that included a mixture of human and cow blood were significantly more frequent relative to all cow meals than human blood meals were to non-cow meals, suggesting a zoopotentiative interaction between cows and humans in this system. Conclusions Habitat and host preferences of sand fly vectors in Kafta Humera confirmed the finding of previous reports that the main vector in the region, Phlebotomus orientalis, is a highly opportunistic feeder that prefers large animals and is most commonly found at village peripheries. These results were similar to those of a previous study conducted in a nearby region (Tahtay Adiabo), except for the role of cattle on the prevalence of human blood meals. Preliminary examinations of blood meal data from different settings point to the need for additional surveys and field experiments to understand the role of livestock on biting risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solomon Yared
- Department of Biology, Jigjiga University, Jigjiga, Ethiopia
| | - Araya Gebresilassie
- Department of Zoological Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Ibrahim Abbasi
- The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Institute for Medical Research, The Hebrew University, Israel
| | - Essayas Aklilu
- Department of Biology, Mada Walabu University, Bale-Robe, Ethiopia
| | - Oscar D Kirstein
- The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Institute for Medical Research, The Hebrew University, Israel
| | - Meshesha Balkew
- President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) Vector Link Project, Ethiopia
| | - Adam S Brown
- Harvard University, Department of Biomedical Informatics, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ronald M Clouse
- American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, United States
| | - Alon Warburg
- The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Institute for Medical Research, The Hebrew University, Israel
| | - Asrat Hailu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Parasitology, School of Medicine; Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Teshome Gebre-Michael
- Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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32
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Grignolio S, Brivio F, Sica N, Apollonio M. Sexual differences in the behavioural response to a variation in predation risk. Ethology 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Grignolio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine University of Sassari Sassari Italy
| | - Francesca Brivio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine University of Sassari Sassari Italy
| | - Nicoletta Sica
- Department of Veterinary Medicine University of Sassari Sassari Italy
| | - Marco Apollonio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine University of Sassari Sassari Italy
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Cusack JJ, Kohl MT, Metz MC, Coulson T, Stahler DR, Smith DW, MacNulty DR. Weak spatiotemporal response of prey to predation risk in a freely interacting system. J Anim Ecol 2019; 89:120-131. [PMID: 30838656 PMCID: PMC7003944 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The extent to which prey space use actively minimizes predation risk continues to ignite controversy. Methodological reasons that have hindered consensus include inconsistent measurements of predation risk, biased spatiotemporal scales at which responses are measured and lack of robust null expectations. We addressed all three challenges in a comprehensive analysis of the spatiotemporal responses of adult female elk (Cervus elaphus) to the risk of predation by wolves (Canis lupus) during winter in northern Yellowstone, USA. We quantified spatial overlap between the winter home ranges of GPS‐collared elk and three measures of predation risk: the intensity of wolf space use, the distribution of wolf‐killed elk and vegetation openness. We also assessed whether elk varied their use of areas characterized by more or less predation risk across hours of the day, and estimated encounter rates between simultaneous elk and wolf pack trajectories. We determined whether observed values were significantly lower than expected if elk movements were random with reference to predation risk using a null model approach. Although a small proportion of elk did show a tendency to minimize use of open vegetation at specific times of the day, overall we highlight a notable absence of spatiotemporal response by female elk to the risk of predation posed by wolves in northern Yellowstone. Our results suggest that predator–prey interactions may not always result in strong spatiotemporal patterns of avoidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy J Cusack
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Michel T Kohl
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, Utah
| | - Matthew C Metz
- Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana
| | - Tim Coulson
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Daniel R Stahler
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
| | - Douglas W Smith
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
| | - Daniel R MacNulty
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, Utah
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34
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Moreira A, McLaren B. Monitoring the effects of feeding in groups: Behavioural trials in farmed elk in winter. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2019.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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35
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Social organization of boreal woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in response to decreasing annual snow depth. MAMMAL RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-019-00420-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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36
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Patin R, Fortin D, Sueur C, Chamaillé-Jammes S. Space Use and Leadership Modify Dilution Effects on Optimal Vigilance under Food-Safety Trade-Offs. Am Nat 2019; 193:E15-E28. [PMID: 30624106 DOI: 10.1086/700566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Dilution of predation risk within groups allows individuals to be less vigilant and forage more while still facing lower risk than if they were alone. How group size influences vigilance when individuals can also adjust their space use and whether this relationship differs among individuals contributing differently to space use decisions remain unknown. We present a model-based study of how dilution affects the optimal antipredator behavior of group members in groups where all individuals determine their vigilance level while group leaders also determine space use. We showed that optimal vigilance did not always decrease with group size, as it was sometimes favorable for individuals in larger groups to use riskier patches while remaining vigilant. Followers were also generally less vigilant than leaders. Indeed, followers needed to acquire more resources than leaders, as only the latter could decide when to go to richer patches. Followers still benefit from dilution of predation risk compared with solitary individuals. For leaders, keeping their leadership status can be more important than incorporating new group members to increase dilution. We demonstrate that risk dilution impacts both optimal vigilance and space use, with fitness reward being tied to a member's ability to influence group space use.
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37
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Martin H, Mech L, Fieberg J, Metz M, MacNulty D, Stahler D, Smith D. Factors affecting gray wolf (Canis lupus) encounter rate with elk (Cervus elaphus) in Yellowstone National Park. CAN J ZOOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2017-0220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Despite encounter rates being a key component of kill rate, few studies of large carnivore predation have quantified encounter rates with prey, the factors that influence them, and the relationship between encounter rate and kill rate. The study’s primary motivation was to determine the relationship between prey density and encounter rate in understanding the mechanism behind the functional response. Elk (Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758) population decline and variable weather in northern Yellowstone National Park provided an opportunity to examine how these factors influenced wolf (Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758) encounter rates with elk. We explored how factors associated with wolf kill rate and encounter rate in other systems (season, elk density, elk group density, average elk group size, snow depth, wolf pack size, and territory size) influenced wolf–elk encounter rate in Yellowstone National Park. Elk density was the only factor significantly correlated with wolf–elk encounter rate, and we found a nonlinear density-dependent relationship that may be a mechanism for a functional response in this system. Encounter rate was correlated with number of elk killed during early winter but not late winter. Weak effects of snow depth and elk group size on encounter rate suggest that these factors influence kill rate via hunting success because kill rate is the product of hunting success and encounter rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- H.W. Martin
- Fisheries, Wildlife/Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Room 135, Skok Hall, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - L.D. Mech
- US Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, 8711-37th Street SE, Jamestown, ND 58401, USA
| | - J. Fieberg
- Fisheries, Wildlife/Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Room 135, Skok Hall, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - M.C. Metz
- W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana-Missoula, 32 Campus Drive, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - D.R. MacNulty
- Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, 5230 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322, USA
| | - D.R. Stahler
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190, USA
| | - D.W. Smith
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190, USA
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Pęksa Ł, Ciach M. Daytime activity budget of an alpine ungulate (Tatra chamois Rupicapra rupicapra tatrica): influence of herd size, sex, weather and human disturbance. MAMMAL RES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-018-0376-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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Popp JN, Hamr J, Larkin JL, Mallory FF. Black bear (Ursus americanus) and wolf (Canis spp.) summer diet composition and ungulate prey selectivity in Ontario, Canada. MAMMAL RES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-018-0368-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Ciach M, Pęksa Ł. Human-induced environmental changes influence habitat use by an ungulate over the long term. Curr Zool 2018; 65:129-137. [PMID: 30936901 PMCID: PMC6430970 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoy035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Habitat use and preferences may be subject to spatial and temporal changes. However, long-term studies of species–habitat relationships are the exception. In the present research, long-term trends in habitat use by an alpine ungulate, the Tatra chamois Rupicapra rupicapra tatrica, were analyzed. We examined how environmental changes attributable to climate change, removal of sheep, and habituation to hikers, which took place over the last half-century have changed the spatial distribution of animals. Data on the localities of groups sighted between 1957 and 2013 during autumnal population surveys were used to evaluate habitat associations: these were correlated with year, group size, population size, and climatic conditions. The results indicate that the Tatra chamois is tending, over the long term, to lower its altitude of occurrence, reduce its average distance to hiking trails, and stay less often on slopes with a southerly aspect. These trends are independent of group size, population size, and the weather conditions prevailing during observations, though not for altitude, where increases in air temperature are related to finding chamois at higher elevations. The proportion of alpine meadows and slope in the places used by chamois is correlated with population size, while the proportion of areas with trees and/or shrubs is correlated with group size and air temperature, though long-term changes were not evident for these variables. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first to document long-term trends in habitat use by ungulates. It shows that a species’ ecology is influenced by human-induced changes: abandonment of pasturage, high-mountain tourism, and climate changes, which constitute the most probable reasons for this aspect of behavioral evolution in the Tatra chamois.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Ciach
- Department of Forest Biodiversity, Institute of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture, al. 29 Listopada 46, Kraków, Poland
| | - Łukasz Pęksa
- Tatra National Park, ul. Kuźnice 1, Zakopane, Poland
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O’Brien PP, Webber QMR, Vander Wal E. Consistent individual differences and population plasticity in network-derived sociality: An experimental manipulation of density in a gregarious ungulate. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0193425. [PMID: 29494640 PMCID: PMC5832262 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In many taxa, individual social traits appear to be consistent across time and context, thus meeting the criteria for animal personality. How these differences are maintained in response to changes in population density is unknown, particularly in large mammals, such as ungulates. Using a behavioral reaction norm (BRN) framework, we examined how among- and within-individual variation in social connectedness, measured using social network analyses, change as a function of population density. We studied a captive herd of elk (Cervus canadensis) separated into a group of male elk and a group of female elk. Males and females were exposed to three different density treatments and we recorded social associations between individuals with proximity-detecting radio-collars fitted to elk. We constructed social networks using dyadic association data and calculated three social network metrics reflective of social connectedness: eigenvector centrality, graph strength, and degree. Elk exhibited consistent individual differences in social connectedness across densities; however, they showed little individual variation in their response to changes in density, i.e., individuals oftentimes responded plastically, but in the same manner to changes in density. Female elk had highest connectedness at an intermediate density. In contrast, male elk increased connectedness with increasing density. Whereas this may suggest that the benefits of social connectedness outweigh the costs of increased competition at higher density for males, females appear to exhibit a threshold in social benefits (e.g. predator detection and forage information). Our study illustrates the importance of viewing social connectedness as a density-dependent trait, particularly in the context of plasticity. Moreover, we highlight the need to revisit our understanding of density dependence as a population-level phenomenon by accounting for consistent individual differences not only in social connectedness, but likely in other ecological processes (e.g., predator-prey dynamics, mate choice, disease transfer).
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul P. O’Brien
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Quinn M. R. Webber
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Interdisciplinary Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Eric Vander Wal
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Interdisciplinary Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
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Why do migrants move downhill? The effects of increasing predation and density on red deer altitudinal migration in temperate Carpathian forests. MAMMAL RES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-018-0355-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Characteristics of Winter Wolf Kill Sites in the Southern Yellowstone Ecosystem. JOURNAL OF FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 2018. [DOI: 10.3996/032016-jfwm-024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Understanding the spatial use of wolves and how that might relate to prey species may help predict areas with increased likelihood of wolf–prey interactions, areas where wolves may have a higher impact on prey populations, or areas of wolf–livestock conflict. After reintroduction into Yellowstone National Park in 1995, wolves Canis lupus expanded south and recolonized areas in and around Grand Teton National Park in the southern Yellowstone ecosystem in Wyoming, USA. Elk Cervus elaphus in this area are supplementally fed at three feedgrounds artificially increasing elk density. We tracked radio-collared and uncollared wolves annually in winter (December–March) from 2000 to 2008 to investigate kill sites. Our objective was to investigate potential differences in habitat variables (e.g., canopy cover, elevation) between kill sites (n = 295) and available (random; n = 2,360) locations and investigate whether factors influencing winter wolf kill sites differed in a natural setting (i.e., native winter range) vs. an artificial setting (i.e., near or on feedgrounds). Wolf kills occurred at sites with lower elevation, canopy cover, and terrain roughness compared with random locations. Wolf kills were also slightly farther from packed surfaces (i.e., roads or groomed snowmobile trails) and elk feedgrounds, although still in areas of higher intensity of use by elk compared with random locations. Kill sites on native winter range were considerably more rough (odds ratio = 4.47) than those on feedgrounds. Our results suggest wolves hunt where the likelihood of encountering prey is high, although in areas where prey distribution is more sparse (i.e., native winter range), wolves may need to rely on rougher terrain for successful hunts. The relationship between areas of high prey use and increased wolf activity has important implications for both wildlife managers and livestock producers. In the future, managers will continue to face the issue of having high concentrations of ungulates, either wild or domestic, and the obvious attraction this has for wolves.
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Leech H, Jelinski D, DeGroot L, Kuzyk G. The temporal niche and seasonal differences in predation risk to translocated and resident woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou). CAN J ZOOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2016-0076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Mountain caribou are an endangered ecotype of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou (Gmelin, 1788)) that continue to decline, ultimately, due to habitat loss and, proximately, due to predation. A particularly imperilled population of mountain caribou was experimentally augmented with 19 northern caribou, a geographically distinct ecotype, from northern British Columbia. We examined seasonal variation in risk of predation by cougars (Puma concolor (L., 1771)) to the translocated caribou with comparison to resident caribou. Our basic approach followed the Movement Ecology Paradigm, in particular the interplay among why move, and when and where to move. We applied a cluster analysis framework on space-use patterns of GPS radio-collared animals to determine biologically relevant seasons. Then we examined the spatiotemporal similarity in habitat use between caribou groups and cougars across these seasons. This analysis included a control group of caribou from the donor herd that were not translocated. Five resident caribou seasons, two donor caribou seasons, and two cougar seasons were identified. Resident caribou remained at high elevations year-round and primarily selected habitats not used by cougars. In contrast, translocated caribou tended to occupy low-elevation habitats extensively used by cougars, resulting in predation of eight translocated caribou, six of which were by cougars. We concluded that the translocated caribou did not adopt the predator avoidance strategies of resident caribou, rendering them more vulnerable to predation. We make recommendations for future herd augmentations, notably that donor caribou should be of the same ecotype, have similar seasonal patterns of habitat use and associated behavioural repertoires, and be exposed to the same complex of predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. Leech
- Laboratory for Landscape and Wildlife Ecology, Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3R4, Canada
| | - D.E. Jelinski
- Laboratory for Landscape and Wildlife Ecology, Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3R4, Canada
| | - L. DeGroot
- Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, 333 Victoria Street, Nelson, BC V1L 4K3, Canada
| | - G. Kuzyk
- Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Victoria, BC V8W 9M8, Canada
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Schlägel UE, Merrill EH, Lewis MA. Territory surveillance and prey management: Wolves keep track of space and time. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:8388-8405. [PMID: 29075457 PMCID: PMC5648667 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Revised: 04/22/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying behavioral mechanisms that underlie observed movement patterns is difficult when animals employ sophisticated cognitive‐based strategies. Such strategies may arise when timing of return visits is important, for instance to allow for resource renewal or territorial patrolling. We fitted spatially explicit random‐walk models to GPS movement data of six wolves (Canis lupus; Linnaeus, 1758) from Alberta, Canada to investigate the importance of the following: (1) territorial surveillance likely related to renewal of scent marks along territorial edges, to reduce intraspecific risk among packs, and (2) delay in return to recently hunted areas, which may be related to anti‐predator responses of prey under varying prey densities. The movement models incorporated the spatiotemporal variable “time since last visit,” which acts as a wolf's memory index of its travel history and is integrated into the movement decision along with its position in relation to territory boundaries and information on local prey densities. We used a model selection framework to test hypotheses about the combined importance of these variables in wolf movement strategies. Time‐dependent movement for territory surveillance was supported by all wolf movement tracks. Wolves generally avoided territory edges, but this avoidance was reduced as time since last visit increased. Time‐dependent prey management was weak except in one wolf. This wolf selected locations with longer time since last visit and lower prey density, which led to a longer delay in revisiting high prey density sites. Our study shows that we can use spatially explicit random walks to identify behavioral strategies that merge environmental information and explicit spatiotemporal information on past movements (i.e., “when” and “where”) to make movement decisions. The approach allows us to better understand cognition‐based movement in relation to dynamic environments and resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike E Schlägel
- Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada.,Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute of Biochemistry and Biology University of Potsdam Potsdam Germany
| | - Evelyn H Merrill
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada
| | - Mark A Lewis
- Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada
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47
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Boujja-Miljour H, Leighton PA, Beauchamp G. Spread of false alarms in foraging flocks of house sparrows. Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Patrick A. Leighton
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; University of Montreal; St-Hyacinthe QC Canada
| | - Guy Beauchamp
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; University of Montreal; St-Hyacinthe QC Canada
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Gajamannage K, Bollt EM, Porter MA, Dawkins MS. Modeling the lowest-cost splitting of a herd of cows by optimizing a cost function. CHAOS (WOODBURY, N.Y.) 2017; 27:063114. [PMID: 28679227 DOI: 10.1063/1.4983671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Animals live in groups to defend against predation and to obtain food. However, for some animals-especially ones that spend long periods of time feeding-there are costs if a group chooses to move on before their nutritional needs are satisfied. If the conflict between feeding and keeping up with a group becomes too large, it may be advantageous for some groups of animals to split into subgroups with similar nutritional needs. We model the costs and benefits of splitting in a herd of cows using a cost function that quantifies individual variation in hunger, desire to lie down, and predation risk. We model the costs associated with hunger and lying desire as the standard deviations of individuals within a group, and we model predation risk as an inverse exponential function of the group size. We minimize the cost function over all plausible groups that can arise from a given herd and study the dynamics of group splitting. We examine how the cow dynamics and cost function depend on the parameters in the model and consider two biologically-motivated examples: (1) group switching and group fission in a herd of relatively homogeneous cows, and (2) a herd with an equal number of adult males (larger animals) and adult females (smaller animals).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelum Gajamannage
- Department of Mathematics, Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York 13699, USA
| | - Erik M Bollt
- Department of Mathematics, Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York 13699, USA
| | - Mason A Porter
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Marian S Dawkins
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, United Kingdom
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Moll RJ, Redilla KM, Mudumba T, Muneza AB, Gray SM, Abade L, Hayward MW, Millspaugh JJ, Montgomery RA. The many faces of fear: a synthesis of the methodological variation in characterizing predation risk. J Anim Ecol 2017; 86:749-765. [PMID: 28390066 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 03/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Predators affect prey by killing them directly (lethal effects) and by inducing costly antipredator behaviours in living prey (risk effects). Risk effects can strongly influence prey populations and cascade through trophic systems. A prerequisite for assessing risk effects is characterizing the spatiotemporal variation in predation risk. Risk effects research has experienced rapid growth in the last several decades. However, preliminary assessments of the resultant literature suggest that researchers characterize predation risk using a variety of techniques. The implications of this methodological variation for inference and comparability among studies have not been well recognized or formally synthesized. We couple a literature survey with a hierarchical framework, developed from established theory, to quantify the methodological variation in characterizing risk using carnivore-ungulate systems as a case study. Via this process, we documented 244 metrics of risk from 141 studies falling into at least 13 distinct subcategories within three broader categories. Both empirical and theoretical work suggest risk and its effects on prey constitute a complex, multi-dimensional process with expressions varying by spatiotemporal scale. Our survey suggests this multi-scale complexity is reflected in the literature as a whole but often underappreciated in any given study, which complicates comparability among studies and leads to an overemphasis on documenting the presence of risk effects rather than their mechanisms or scale of influence. We suggest risk metrics be placed in a more concrete conceptual framework to clarify inference surrounding risk effects and their cascading effects throughout ecosystems. We recommend studies (i) take a multi-scale approach to characterizing risk; (ii) explicitly consider 'true' predation risk (probability of predation per unit time); and (iii) use risk metrics that facilitate comparison among studies and the evaluation of multiple competing hypotheses. Addressing the pressing questions in risk effects research, including how, to what extent and on what scale they occur, requires leveraging the advantages of the many methods available to characterize risk while minimizing the confusion caused by variability in their application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remington J Moll
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Road, Room 13 Natural Resources Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Kyle M Redilla
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Road, Room 13 Natural Resources Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Tutilo Mudumba
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Road, Room 13 Natural Resources Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Arthur B Muneza
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Road, Room 13 Natural Resources Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.,Giraffe Conservation Foundation, P.O. Box 51061 GPO, Nairobi, 00100, Kenya
| | - Steven M Gray
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Road, Room 13 Natural Resources Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Leandro Abade
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Road, Room 13 Natural Resources Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.,Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney, Oxfordshire, OX13 5QL, UK
| | - Matt W Hayward
- School of Environment, Natural Resources and Geography, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK.,Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, 6031, South Africa.,Centre for Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria, X001, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Joshua J Millspaugh
- Wildlife Biology Program, College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
| | - Robert A Montgomery
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Road, Room 13 Natural Resources Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
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Tallian A, Smith DW, Stahler DR, Metz MC, Wallen RL, Geremia C, Ruprecht J, Wyman CT, MacNulty DR. Predator foraging response to a resurgent dangerous prey. Funct Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aimee Tallian
- Department of Wildland Resources & Ecology Center Utah State University 5230 Old Main Hill Logan UT84322 USA
| | - Douglas W. Smith
- Yellowstone Center for Resources Yellowstone National Park Box 168 Mammoth Hot Springs WY82190 USA
| | - Daniel R. Stahler
- Yellowstone Center for Resources Yellowstone National Park Box 168 Mammoth Hot Springs WY82190 USA
| | - Matthew C. Metz
- Yellowstone Center for Resources Yellowstone National Park Box 168 Mammoth Hot Springs WY82190 USA
- Wildlife Biology Program Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences University of Montana Missoula MT59812 USA
| | - Rick L. Wallen
- Yellowstone Center for Resources Yellowstone National Park Box 168 Mammoth Hot Springs WY82190 USA
| | - Chris Geremia
- Yellowstone Center for Resources Yellowstone National Park Box 168 Mammoth Hot Springs WY82190 USA
| | - Joel Ruprecht
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Oregon State University 104 Nash Hall Corvallis OR97331 USA
| | - C. Travis Wyman
- Yellowstone Center for Resources Yellowstone National Park Box 168 Mammoth Hot Springs WY82190 USA
| | - Daniel R. MacNulty
- Department of Wildland Resources & Ecology Center Utah State University 5230 Old Main Hill Logan UT84322 USA
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