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Balchan NR, Smith CF, Mackessy SP. A plethora of rodents: Rattlesnake predators generate unanticipated patterns of venom resistance in a grassland ecosystem. Toxicon X 2024; 21:100179. [PMID: 38144228 PMCID: PMC10746501 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxcx.2023.100179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Predation has the potential to impart strong selective pressures on organisms within their environments, resulting in adaptive changes in prey that minimize risk of predation. Pressures from venomous snakes present an exceptional challenge to prey, as venom represents a unique chemical arsenal evolutionarily tailored to incapacitate prey. In response, venom resistance has been detected in various snake prey species, and to varying degrees. This study analyzes venom resistance in an eastern Colorado grassland habitat, where the Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) and Desert Massasauga Rattlesnake (Sistrurus tergeminus edwardsii) co-occur with a suite of grassland rodents. We test for venom resistance across rodent and snake pairings using two geographically distant field sites to determine the role of 1) predation pressure and trophic ecology, and 2) sympatric and allopatric patterns of venom resistance. Resistance was measured using serum-based metalloproteinase inhibition assays to determine potential inhibition of proteolytic activity, augmented by median lethal dose (LD50) assays on rodent species to assess toxicity of crude venoms. Resistance is present in several rodent species, with strong resistance present in populations of Eastern Woodrat (Neotoma floridana), Ord's Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys ordii), and Northern Grasshopper Mouse (Onychomys leucogaster). Resistance is less developed in other species, including the House Mouse (Mus musculus) and Plains Pocket Mouse (Perognathus flavescens). An unexpected differential is present, where Lincoln County Kangaroo Rats are highly resistant to venom of co-occurring Prairie Rattlesnakes yet are sensitive to an allopatric population of Prairie Rattlesnakes in Weld County. Lincoln Co. Northern Grasshopper Mice also demonstrate extremely elevated resistance to Weld Co. Prairie Rattlesnake venoms, and they may possess resistance mechanisms for myotoxin a, an abundant component of Weld Co. C. v viridis venoms. This study illustrates the complexity of venom resistance in biological communities that can exist when incorporating multiple species interactions. Future studies aimed at characterizing resistance mechanisms at the molecular level will provide a more detailed physiological context for understanding mechanisms by which resistance to venoms occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil R. Balchan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, 80639, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA
| | - Cara F. Smith
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, 80639, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, 12801 East 17th Avenue, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Stephen P. Mackessy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, 80639, USA
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2
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Saltz JB, Palmer MS, Beaudrot L. Identifying the social context of single- and mixed-species group formation in large African herbivores. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220105. [PMID: 37066657 PMCID: PMC10107273 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite continued interest in mixed-species groups, we still lack a unified understanding of how ecological and social processes work across scales to influence group formation. Recent work has revealed ecological correlates of mixed-species group formation, but the mechanisms by which concomitant social dynamics produce these patterns, if at all, is unknown. Here, we use camera trap data for six mammalian grazer species in Serengeti National Park. Building on previous work, we found that ecological variables, and especially forage quality, influenced the chances of species overlap over small spatio-temporal scales (i.e. on the scales of several metres and hours). Migratory species (gazelle, wildebeest and zebra) were more likely to have heterospecific partners available in sites with higher forage quality, but the opposite was true for resident species (buffalo, hartebeest and topi). These findings illuminate the circumstances under which mixed-species group formation is even possible. Next, we found that greater heterospecific availability was associated with an increased probability of mixed-species group formation in gazelle, hartebeest, wildebeest and zebra, but ecological variables did not further shape these patterns. Overall, our results are consistent with a model whereby ecological and social drivers of group formation are species-specific and operate on different spatio-temporal scales. This article is part of the theme issue 'Mixed-species groups and aggregations: shaping ecological and behavioural patterns and processes'.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. B. Saltz
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - M. S. Palmer
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - L. Beaudrot
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
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3
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Morandi K, Lindholm AK, Lee DE, Bond ML. Phenotypic matching by spot pattern potentially mediates female giraffe social associations. J Zool (1987) 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.13009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K. Morandi
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - A. K. Lindholm
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - D. E. Lee
- Wild Nature Institute Concord NH USA
- Department of Biology Pennsylvania State University University Park PA USA
| | - M. L. Bond
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
- Wild Nature Institute Concord NH USA
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4
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Capybara responses to varying levels of predation risk. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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5
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6
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OUP accepted manuscript. J Mammal 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyac050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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7
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Duncan C, Manser MB, Clutton‐Brock T. Decline and fall: The causes of group failure in cooperatively breeding meerkats. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:14459-14474. [PMID: 34765119 PMCID: PMC8571573 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In many social vertebrates, variation in group persistence exerts an important effect on individual fitness and population demography. However, few studies have been able to investigate the failure of groups or the causes of the variation in their longevity. We use data from a long-term study of cooperatively breeding meerkats, Suricata suricatta, to investigate the different causes of group failure and the factors that drive these processes. Many newly formed groups failed within a year of formation, and smaller groups were more likely to fail. Groups that bred successfully and increased their size could persist for several years, even decades. Long-lived groups principally failed in association with the development of clinical tuberculosis, Mycobacterium suricattae, a disease that can spread throughout the group and be fatal for group members. Clinical tuberculosis was more likely to occur in groups that had smaller group sizes and that had experienced immigration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Duncan
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River ReserveVan ZylsrusSouth Africa
| | - Marta B. Manser
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River ReserveVan ZylsrusSouth Africa
- Animal BehaviourDepartment of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Tim Clutton‐Brock
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River ReserveVan ZylsrusSouth Africa
- Mammal Research InstituteUniversity of PretoriaPretoriaSouth Africa
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8
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The Youngest, the Heaviest and/or the Darkest? Selection Potentialities and Determinants of Leadership in Canarian Dromedary Camels. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11102886. [PMID: 34679907 PMCID: PMC8532867 DOI: 10.3390/ani11102886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Genetic selection of camels for behavioral traits is not an extended practice in livestock scenarios. Given the existence of pleiotropic genes that influence two or more seemingly unrelated phenotypic traits, here we studied the sociodemographic, zoometric and phaneroptical characteristics potentially determining the intraherd leadership role in Canarian camels. This local endangered breed is mainly reared in same-sex groups because of biased morphostructural preferences, that is, tourism/leisure and milk production for males and females, respectively. The attribute most influencing leadership role was sexual status, as gelded animals more frequently initiated group movements. Furthermore, younger camels were mainly endorsed as group leaders, a condition that could be ascribed to their recognized fluid intelligence and need for constant social and environmental interaction. Referring to zoometrics and phaneroptics, the heaviest and darkest-coated dromedaries were significantly more prone to reaching higher positions in the leadership hierarchy. The presence of white-haired zones in the extremities, head and neck as well as iris depigmentation had non-negligible influence on this type of social organization. This information is valuable for application both in refining animal handling procedures and in genetic selection of animals for their social behavior. Abstract Several idiosyncratic and genetically correlated traits are known to extensively influence leadership in both domestic and wild species. For minor livestock such as camels, however, this type of behavior remains loosely defined and approached only for sex-mixed herds. The interest in knowing those animal-dependent variables that make an individual more likely to emerge as a leader in a single-sex camel herd has its basis in the sex-separated breeding of Canarian dromedary camels for utilitarian purposes. By means of an ordinal logistic regression, it was found that younger, gelded animals may perform better when eliciting the joining of mates, assuming that they were castrated just before reaching sexual maturity and once they were initiated in the pertinent domestication protocol for their lifetime functionality. The higher the body weight, the significantly (p < 0.05) higher the score in the hierarchical rank when leading group movements, although this relationship appeared to be inverse for the other considered zoometric indexes. Camels with darker and substantially depigmented coats were also significantly (p < 0.05) found to be the main initiators. Routine intraherd management and leisure tourism will be thus improved in efficiency and security through the identification and selection of the best leader camels.
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9
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Epps CW, Weldy MJ, Crowhurst RS, Spaan RS. Estimating the distribution and habitat suitability for aardvarks (
Orycteropus afer
) in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Afr J Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12916] [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)
- Clinton W. Epps
- Department of Fisheries Wildlife and Conservation Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis OR USA
| | - Matthew J. Weldy
- Department of Fisheries Wildlife and Conservation Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis OR USA
| | - Rachel S. Crowhurst
- Department of Fisheries Wildlife and Conservation Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis OR USA
| | - Robert S. Spaan
- Department of Fisheries Wildlife and Conservation Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis OR USA
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10
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Gigliotti LC, Slotow R, Sholto-Douglas C, de Vos C, Jachowski DS. Short-term predation risk and habitat complexity influence cheetah antipredator behaviours. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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11
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Bond ML, Lee DE, Farine DR, Ozgul A, König B. Sociability increases survival of adult female giraffes. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20202770. [PMID: 33563118 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies increasingly show that social connectedness plays a key role in determining survival, in addition to natural and anthropogenic environmental factors. Few studies, however, integrated social, non-social and demographic data to elucidate what components of an animal's socio-ecological environment are most important to their survival. Female giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) form structured societies with highly dynamic group membership but stable long-term associations. We examined the relative contributions of sociability (relationship strength, gregariousness and betweenness), together with those of the natural (food sources and vegetation types) and anthropogenic environment (distance from human settlements), to adult female giraffe survival. We tested predictions about the influence of sociability and natural and human factors at two social levels: the individual and the social community. Survival was primarily driven by individual- rather than community-level social factors. Gregariousness (the number of other females each individual was observed with on average) was most important in explaining variation in female adult survival, more than other social traits and any natural or anthropogenic environmental factors. For adult female giraffes, grouping with more other females, even as group membership frequently changes, is correlated with better survival, and this sociability appears to be more important than several attributes of their non-social environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- M L Bond
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Wild Nature Institute, Concord, NH, USA
| | - D E Lee
- Wild Nature Institute, Concord, NH, USA.,Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - D R Farine
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany.,Center for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - A Ozgul
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - B König
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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12
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Beaudrot L, Palmer MS, Anderson TM, Packer C. Mixed-species groups of Serengeti grazers: a test of the stress gradient hypothesis. Ecology 2020; 101:e03163. [PMID: 32799323 PMCID: PMC7685109 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the role of species interactions within communities is a central focus of ecology. A key challenge is to understand variation in species interactions along environmental gradients. The stress gradient hypothesis posits that positive interactions increase and competitive interactions decrease with increasing consumer pressure or environmental stress. This hypothesis has received extensive attention in plant community ecology, but only a handful of tests in animals. Furthermore, few empirical studies have examined multiple co‐occurring stressors. Here we test predictions of the stress gradient hypothesis using the occurrence of mixed‐species groups in six common grazing ungulate species within the Serengeti‐Mara ecosystem. We use mixed‐species groups as a proxy for potential positive interactions because they may enhance protection from predators or increase access to high‐quality forage. Alternatively, competition for resources may limit the formation of mixed‐species groups. Using more than 115,000 camera trap observations collected over 5 yr, we found that mixed‐species groups were more likely to occur in risky areas (i.e., areas closer to lion vantage points and in woodland habitat where lions hunt preferentially) and during time periods when resource levels were high. These results are consistent with the interpretation that stress from high predation risk may contribute to the formation of mixed‐species groups, but that competition for resources may prevent their formation when food availability is low. Our results are consistent with support for the stress gradient hypothesis in animals along a consumer pressure gradient while identifying the potential influence of a co‐occurring stressor, thus providing a link between research in plant community ecology on the stress gradient hypothesis, and research in animal ecology on trade‐offs between foraging and risk in landscapes of fear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Beaudrot
- BioSciences Department, Program in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Rice University, W100 George R. Brown Hall, 6100 Main Street, MS-140, Houston, Texas, 77005, USA
| | - Meredith S Palmer
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, 08544, USA
| | - T Michael Anderson
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, 1834 Wake Forest Drive, Winston-Salem, Northern California, 27109, USA
| | - Craig Packer
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, 55108, USA
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13
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Ecological drivers of group size variation in sika deer: habitat structure, population density, or both? Mamm Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-020-00041-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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14
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Sheriff MJ, Peacor SD, Hawlena D, Thaker M. Non-consumptive predator effects on prey population size: A dearth of evidence. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:1302-1316. [PMID: 32215909 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
There is a large and growing interest in non-consumptive effects (NCEs) of predators. Diverse and extensive evidence shows that predation risk directly influences prey traits, such as behaviour, morphology and physiology, which in turn, may cause a reduction in prey fitness components (i.e. growth rate, survival and reproduction). An intuitive expectation is that NCEs that reduce prey fitness will extend to alter population growth rate and therefore population size. However, our intensive literature search yielded only 10 studies that examined how predator-induced changes in prey traits translate to changes in prey population size. Further, the scant evidence for risk-induced changes on prey population size have been generated from studies that were performed in very controlled systems (mesocosm and laboratory), which do not have the complexity and feedbacks of natural settings. Thus, although likely that predation risk alone can alter prey population size, there is little direct empirical evidence that demonstrates that it does. There are also clear reasons that risk effects on population size may be much smaller than the responses on phenotype and fitness components that are typically measured, magnifying the need to show, rather than infer, effects on population size. Herein we break down the process of how predation risk influences prey population size into a chain of events (predation risk affects prey traits, which affect prey fitness components and population growth rate, which affect prey population size), and highlight the complexity of each transition. We illustrate how the outcomes of these transitions are not straightforward, and how environmental context strongly dictates the direction and magnitude of effects. Indeed, the high variance in prey responses is reflected in the variance of results reported in the few studies that have empirically quantified risk effects on population size. It is therefore a major challenge to predict population effects given the complexity of how environmental context interacts with predation risk and prey responses. We highlight the critical need to appreciate risk effects at each level in the chain of events, and that changes at one level cannot be assumed to translate into changes in the next because of the interplay between risk, prey responses, and the environment. The gaps in knowledge we illuminate underscore the need for more evidence to substantiate the claim that predation risk effects extend to prey population size. The lacunae we identify should inspire future studies on the impact of predation risk on population-level responses in free-living animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Sheriff
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Dartmouth, MA, USA
| | - Scott D Peacor
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Dror Hawlena
- Risk Management Ecology Laboratory, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Maria Thaker
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
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15
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Plains zebra (Equus quagga) behaviour in a restored population reveals seasonal resource limitations. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2020.104936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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16
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Amali DGB, Dinakaran M. Wildebeest herd optimization: A new global optimization algorithm inspired by wildebeest herding behaviour. JOURNAL OF INTELLIGENT & FUZZY SYSTEMS 2019. [DOI: 10.3233/jifs-190495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - M. Dinakaran
- School of Information Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India
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17
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Fission-fusion dynamics of a megaherbivore are driven by ecological, anthropogenic, temporal, and social factors. Oecologia 2019; 191:335-347. [PMID: 31451928 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04485-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Fission-fusion dynamics hypothetically enable animals to exploit dispersed and ephemeral food resources while minimizing predation risk. Disentangling factors affecting group size and composition of fission-fusion species facilitates their management and conservation. We used a 6-year data set of 2888 group formations of Masai giraffes in Tanzania to investigate determinants of social group size and structure. We tested whether ecological (lion density, vegetation structure, and prevalence of primary forage plants), anthropogenic (proximity to human settlements), temporal (rainy or dry season), and social (local giraffe density, adult sex ratio, and proportion of calves) factors explained variation in group size and sex- and age-class composition. Food availability rather than predation risk mediated grouping dynamics of adult giraffes, while predation risk was the most important factor influencing congregations with calves. Smallest group sizes occurred during the food-limiting dry season. Where predation risk was greatest, groups with calves were in bushlands more than in open grasslands, but the groups were smaller in size, suggesting mothers adopted a strategy of hiding calves rather than a predator-detection-and-dilution strategy. Groups with calves also were farther from towns but closer to traditional human compounds (bomas). This may be due to lower predator densities, and thus reduced calf predation risk, near bomas but higher human disturbance near towns. Sex- and age-based differences in habitat use reflected nursing mothers' need for high-quality forage while also protecting their young from predation. Our results have implications for conservation and management of giraffes and other large-bodied, herd-forming ungulates in heterogeneous environments subject to anthropogenic threats.
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18
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Severtsov AS. Group Selection. BIOL BULL+ 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359018070142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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19
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Piel AK, Bonnin N, RamirezAmaya S, Wondra E, Stewart FA. Chimpanzees and their mammalian sympatriates in the Issa Valley, Tanzania. Afr J Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alex K. Piel
- Department of Biological Anthropology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- Greater Mahale Ecosystem Research and Conservation Project Dar es Salaam Tanzania
| | - Noemie Bonnin
- Greater Mahale Ecosystem Research and Conservation Project Dar es Salaam Tanzania
| | | | - Eden Wondra
- Greater Mahale Ecosystem Research and Conservation Project Dar es Salaam Tanzania
| | - Fiona A. Stewart
- Department of Biological Anthropology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- Greater Mahale Ecosystem Research and Conservation Project Dar es Salaam Tanzania
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20
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An unusual association of hadrosaur and therizinosaur tracks within Late Cretaceous rocks of Denali National Park, Alaska. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11706. [PMID: 30076347 PMCID: PMC6076232 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-30110-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
We report details of a unique association of hadrosaur and therizinosaur tracks found in the Late Cretaceous lower Cantwell Formation, Denali National Park, central Alaska Range, Alaska. This rock unit is now well-documented as a source of thousands of fossil footprints of vertebrates such as fishes, pterosaurs, and avialan and non-avialan dinosaurs. The lower Cantwell Formation in this area consists of numerous fining-upward successions of conglomerates and pebbly sandstones, cross-stratified and massive sandstones, interbedded sandstones and siltstones, organic-rich siltstones and shales, and rare, thin, bentonites, typically bounded by thin coal seams, and it contains a diverse fossil flora. We report the first North American co-occurrence of tracks attributable to hadrosaurs and therizinosaurs in the lower Cantwell Formation. Although previously un-reported in North America, this association of hadrosaur and therizinosaur tracks is more characteristic of the correlative Nemegt Formation in central Asia, perhaps suggesting that parameters defining the continental ecosystem of central Asia were also present in this part of Alaska during the Latest Cretaceous.
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21
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Muller Z, Cuthill IC, Harris S. Group sizes of giraffes in Kenya: the influence of habitat, predation and the age and sex of individuals. J Zool (1987) 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Z. Muller
- School of Biological Sciences; Life Sciences Building; University of Bristol; Bristol UK
| | - I. C. Cuthill
- School of Biological Sciences; Life Sciences Building; University of Bristol; Bristol UK
| | - S. Harris
- School of Biological Sciences; Life Sciences Building; University of Bristol; Bristol UK
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22
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Iranzo EC, Wittmer HU, Traba J, Acebes P, Mata C, Malo JE. Predator occurrence and perceived predation risk determine grouping behavior in guanaco (Lama guanicoe
). Ethology 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Esperanza C. Iranzo
- Terrestrial Ecology Group-TEG, Departamento de Ecología; Facultad de Ciencias; Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; Madrid Spain
| | - Heiko U. Wittmer
- School of Biological Sciences; Victoria University of Wellington; Wellington New Zealand
| | - Juan Traba
- Terrestrial Ecology Group-TEG, Departamento de Ecología; Facultad de Ciencias; Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; Madrid Spain
| | - Pablo Acebes
- Terrestrial Ecology Group-TEG, Departamento de Ecología; Facultad de Ciencias; Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; Madrid Spain
| | - Cristina Mata
- Terrestrial Ecology Group-TEG, Departamento de Ecología; Facultad de Ciencias; Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; Madrid Spain
| | - Juan E. Malo
- Terrestrial Ecology Group-TEG, Departamento de Ecología; Facultad de Ciencias; Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; Madrid Spain
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Périquet S, Richardson P, Cameron EZ, Ganswindt A, Belton L, Loubser E, Dalerum F. Effects of lions on behaviour and endocrine stress in plains zebras. Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie Périquet
- Department of Zoology and Entomology; University of the Free State; Phuthaditjhaba South Africa
| | | | - Elissa Z. Cameron
- School of Zoology; University of Tasmania; Hobart TAS Australia
- Mammal Research Institute; Department of Zoology and Entomology; University of Pretoria; Pretoria South Africa
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Canterbury; Christchurch New Zealand
| | - André Ganswindt
- Mammal Research Institute; Department of Zoology and Entomology; University of Pretoria; Pretoria South Africa
- Endocrine Research Laboratory; Department of Anatomy and Physiology; University of Pretoria; Onderstepoort South Africa
| | - Lydia Belton
- Mammal Research Institute; Department of Zoology and Entomology; University of Pretoria; Pretoria South Africa
| | - Elize Loubser
- Mammal Research Institute; Department of Zoology and Entomology; University of Pretoria; Pretoria South Africa
| | - Fredrik Dalerum
- Mammal Research Institute; Department of Zoology and Entomology; University of Pretoria; Pretoria South Africa
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO-CSIC-PA); University of Oviedo; Mieres Spain
- Department of Zoology; Stockholm University; Stockholm Sweden
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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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Visscher DR, Merrill EH, Martin PK. Hierarchical trade-offs between risk and reward mediated by behavior. MAMMAL RES 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-016-0290-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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26
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Differences in behaviour of the nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) during foraging in forest versus in agricultural land. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467416000420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:The nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) is a widespread species in India that forages in forest as well as on agricultural lands. In Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, India, it typically takes to crop-raiding at night, while it rests and forages in forest during the daytime. We studied changes in herding and vigilance behaviour during foraging in forest versus in agricultural lands and monsoon versus post-monsoon in the years 2012–2015. We recorded number of individuals (herd size), sex-age composition and number of individuals per unit area of herd's spread (compactness) for every herd under observation using instantaneous scan sampling in forest (176 herds) and farms (321 herds), while spatial trends in herd size on agricultural lands were studied using transect sampling at night. Vigilance behaviour was studied using focal-animal sampling in forest (n = 91) and farms (n = 52) by choosing a single individual per herd under 15 min of observation. Herd sizes were significantly larger in forest (monsoon, median = 3, interquartile range (IQR) = 2–6, post-monsoon, median = 5, IQR = 3–8) than on farms adjacent to forest (monsoon = 3, IQR = 1–5, post-monsoon = 4, IQR = 2–5) and further decreased non-linearly with distance from the forest edge. Herds were more compact, i.e. with smaller inter-individual distance in forests than on farms. Crop-raiding was found to be female-biased, and adult males as well as newborn calves were observed on agricultural lands significantly less frequently. The median vigilance frequency was significantly higher on farms (1.4 min−1) as compared with forests (0.205 min−1) but the median unit scan duration was significantly less in farms (6 s) compared with forest (60 s). The observed differences are likely to be due to difference in the nature of risk faced in the two habitats. In forest, detection of ambush predators such as tigers that occur at a low density, requires careful watch and larger herds increase the chances of detection. In contrast, detection of guarding farmers on agricultural lands who are present at a higher density and make their presence conspicuous to drive away crop raiders would need a glance of smaller time duration. As crop-raiding occurs at night, moonlight is likely to affect the frequency of crop-raiding but we did not find evidence for any deterrent effect of moonlight on the frequency of crop-raiding. The data suggest that the nilgai exhibits substantial behavioural plasticity in response to different nature and levels of risks faced in the two habitats.
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Barnier F, Duncan P, Fritz H, Blanchard P, Rubenstein DI, Pays O. Between-gender differences in vigilance do not necessarily lead to differences in foraging-vigilance tradeoffs. Oecologia 2016; 181:757-68. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3614-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2014] [Accepted: 03/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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28
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Murthy A, Sharma M, Amith-Kumar U, Isvaran K. Groups constrain the use of risky habitat by individuals: a new cost to sociality? Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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29
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Qi G, Hu Y, Owens JR, Dai Q, Hou R, Yang Z, Qi D. Habitat suitability for chiru ( Pantholops hodgsonii
): Implications for conservation management across the Tibetan region of Chang Tang. J Wildl Manage 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Guilan Qi
- The Key Laboratory for Conservation Biology of Endangered Wildlife, Sichuan Province; Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding; Chengdu Sichuan 610081 China
- Chengdu Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences; Chengdu Sichuan 611130 China
| | - Yibo Hu
- Key Laboratory for Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology; Institute of Zoology; Chinese Academy of Sciences; 1-5 Beichenxi Road Beijing 100101 China
| | - Jacob R. Owens
- The Key Laboratory for Conservation Biology of Endangered Wildlife, Sichuan Province; Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding; Chengdu Sichuan 610081 China
| | - Qiang Dai
- Chengdu Institute of Biology; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Chengdu Sichuan 610081 China
| | - Rong Hou
- The Key Laboratory for Conservation Biology of Endangered Wildlife, Sichuan Province; Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding; Chengdu Sichuan 610081 China
| | - Zhisong Yang
- Institute of Rare Animals and Plants; China West Normal University; Nanchong 637009 China
| | - Dunwu Qi
- The Key Laboratory for Conservation Biology of Endangered Wildlife, Sichuan Province; Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding; Chengdu Sichuan 610081 China
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30
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Djaković N, Holand Ø, Hovland A, Weladji R, Røed K, Nieminen M. Effects of males’ presence on female behaviour during the rut. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2014.905498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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31
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Marino A, Baldi R. Ecological correlates of group-size variation in a resource-defense ungulate, the sedentary guanaco. PLoS One 2014; 9:e89060. [PMID: 24586503 PMCID: PMC3929657 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0089060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2013] [Accepted: 01/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
For large herbivores, predation-risk, habitat structure and population density are often reported as major determinants of group size variation within and between species. However, whether the underlying causes of these relationships imply an ecological adaptation or are the result of a purely mechanistic process in which fusion and fragmentation events only depend on the rate of group meeting, is still under debate. The aim of this study was to model guanaco family and bachelor group sizes in contrasting ecological settings in order to test hypotheses regarding the adaptive significance of group-size variation. We surveyed guanaco group sizes within three wildlife reserves located in eastern Patagonia where guanacos occupy a mosaic of grasslands and shrublands. Two of these reserves have been free from predators for decades while in the third, pumas often prey on guanacos. All locations have experienced important changes in guanaco abundance throughout the study offering the opportunity to test for density effects. We found that bachelor group size increased with increasing density, as expected by the mechanistic approach, but was independent of habitat structure or predation risk. In contrast, the smaller and territorial family groups were larger in the predator-exposed than in the predator-free locations, and were larger in open grasslands than in shrublands. However, the influence of population density on these social units was very weak. Therefore, family group data supported the adaptive significance of group-size variation but did not support the mechanistic idea. Yet, the magnitude of the effects was small and between-population variation in family group size after controlling for habitat and predation was negligible, suggesting that plasticity of these social units is considerably low. Our results showed that different social units might respond differentially to local ecological conditions, supporting two contrasting hypotheses in a single species, and highlight the importance of taking into account the proximate interests and constraints to which group members may be exposed to when deriving predictions about group-size variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Marino
- UI Ecología Terrestre, Centro Nacional Patagónico, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Puerto Madryn, Argentina
- * E-mail:
| | - Ricardo Baldi
- UI Ecología Terrestre, Centro Nacional Patagónico, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Puerto Madryn, Argentina
- Patagonian and Andean Steppe Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, CABA, Argentina
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32
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Burkepile DE, Burns CE, Tambling CJ, Amendola E, Buis GM, Govender N, Nelson V, Thompson DI, Zinn AD, Smith MD. Habitat selection by large herbivores in a southern African savanna: the relative roles of bottom-up and top-down forces. Ecosphere 2013. [DOI: 10.1890/es13-00078.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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33
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Venturino E, Petrovskii S. Spatiotemporal behavior of a prey–predator system with a group defense for prey. ECOLOGICAL COMPLEXITY 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecocom.2013.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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34
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Kiørboe T. Attack or attacked: the sensory and fluid mechanical constraints of copepods' predator-prey interactions. Integr Comp Biol 2013; 53:821-31. [PMID: 23613321 DOI: 10.1093/icb/ict021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Many animals are predator and prey at the same time. This dual position represents a fundamental dilemma because gathering food often leads to increased exposure to predators. The optimization of the tradeoff between eating and not being eaten depends strongly on the sensing, feeding, and mechanisms for mobility of the parties involved. Here, I describe the mechanisms of sensing, escaping predators, and capturing prey in marine pelagic copepods. I demonstrate that feeding tradeoffs vary with feeding mode, and I describe simple fluid mechanical models that are used to quantify these tradeoffs and review observations and experiments that support the assumptions and test the predictions. I conclude by presenting a mechanistically underpinned model that predicts optimal foraging behaviors and the resulting size-scaling and magnitude of copepods' clearance rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Kiørboe
- Centre for Ocean Life, DTU-Aqua, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark
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35
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Mose VN, Nguyen-Huu T, Western D, Auger P, Nyandwi C. Modelling the dynamics of migrations for large herbivore populations in the Amboseli National Park, Kenya. Ecol Modell 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2013.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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36
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Horne J. Why REM sleep? Clues beyond the laboratory in a more challenging world. Biol Psychol 2013; 92:152-68. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2012.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2012] [Revised: 09/17/2012] [Accepted: 10/11/2012] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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