From physiology to space use: energy reserves and androgenization explain home‐range size variation in a woodland rodent

Godsall, Ben; Coulson, Tim; Malo, Aurelio F.

doi:10.1111/1365-2656.12116

Cited by 43 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 69 publications

(148 reference statements)

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“…Consequently, due to the influence of predation pressure, individuals seem to show conspicuously aggressive behaviour when they are intensely pursued. On the other hand, another factor that could have been influencing the aggressive response was the increased competition during the breeding period (Godsall et al., ; Malo et al., ). In this regard, summer and autumn seasons correspond to the breeding period in the study area and also account for the higher wood mice abundance (Navarro‐Castilla, Barja, Piñeiro et al., ), which match with the intensification in the aggressive behaviour found.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Differences on vegetation attributes among the habitats studied, as well as seasonal variation along the year, influence mice and their main predators populations in the study area (Barja, ; Navarro‐Castilla, Barja, & Piñeiro, ; Rosellini, Barja, & Piñeiro, ; Rosellini, Osorio, Ruiz‐González, Piñeiro, & Barja, ). For this rodent species, habitat factors reducing predation risk perception as well as the increased competition between males have been shown to be of great importance in mice behaviour and spatial distribution, especially during the breeding season (Godsall, Coulson, & Malo, ; Malo et al., ). Thus, defensive behaviours (i.e., aggressiveness and flight response) were examined in relation to habitat and season.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Wood mice aggressiveness and flight response to human handling: Effect of individual and environmental factors

et al. 2018

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Numerous studies have examined human disturbance repercussions on wildlife, mainly focused on the effects on behaviour, reproductive success and population dynamics. However, few studies have addressed the behaviour of prey species during and after human capture and handling and how this may correlate to individual characteristics or variation in their physical environment they inhabit. We explored wood mouse’s fleeing and aggressive behaviours in response to captures by human in their natural habitat. Eighty‐seven wood mice were caught using Sherman live traps. For each trapped individual, aggressiveness was measured as the total number of bites inflicted upon the investigator during handling time. Afterwards, each mouse was released in a two‐metre radius partially covered vegetation area that allowed visual mouse tracking by the observer and flight behaviour was registered by individual one‐zero focal sampling technique during 2 min. Both aggressiveness and fleeing behaviour were analysed regarding individual (sex, reproductive status, age) and environmental factors (habitat and season). Males, adults and breeding individuals showed heightened aggression levels. Higher aggressiveness levels were found in wood mice occupying scrubland and during summer and autumn. The flight response was exclusively explained by reproductive status, whereby breeding individuals spent more time on fast escape than nonbreeding ones. These results indicate that both individual and environmental factors seem to influence defensive behaviours in the wood mouse during and after being captured by a human. Since human disturbance shares many aspects with the predation risk, behavioural responses found to captures may likely be influenced by previous experience of individuals with predators as well as to seasonal and habitat features conditioning predators’ densities but also protection against them.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wood mice aggressiveness and flight response to human handling: Effect of individual and environmental factors

et al. 2018

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“…Within a single species, adaptations can change across neighbouring localities (Caspers, Steinfartz, & Krause, 2015;, given that conspecific populations that exploit different habitats are subject to different selective pressures (Godsall, Coulson, & Malo, 2014). Longstanding ethological theory predicts that prey should show strong responses to threats, such as decreasing overall activity or escaping to reduce predation risk (Barnett & Richardson, 2002;Carlson & Langkilde, 2014;Lima, 1998).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Amphibians breeding in refuge habitats have larvae with stronger antipredator responses

et al. 2016

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Antipredator responses are a key determinant of the successful persistence of prey, and behavioural modifications are a frequent antipredator strategy. However, conspecific populations often inhabit heterogeneous environments. This can determine local adaptations, and might also induce variation in antipredator responses. Nevertheless, there is limited information on whether heterogeneity of predation risk among populations determines variation in antipredator response. Here we studied the fire salamander, Salamandra salamandra, a species that can breed in both surface streams and caves, habitats that are predator-rich and predator-free, respectively, and measured differences in antipredator responses across populations with different predation risk. We combined field surveys and laboratory experiments to understand the role of predation risk on the activity patterns of larvae, while measuring behavioural differences between populations. We reared larvae from different habitats in safe and risky conditions and tested their response to predator cues before and after rearing. In the field, predation risk was much higher in surface streams than in caves; larvae moved more in the absence of predators and when the light intensity was low. During laboratory experiments, larvae were less active if reared in risky conditions, but cave larvae showed a stronger response to risk than stream larvae. Therefore, larvae from sites without predators showed higher antipredator responses than those from risky habitats. This response fits the predictions of the risk allocation model, in which prey from habitats with a high background level of risk need to be active even when predators are present, to satisfy their energetic demands. Our findings show that antipredator behaviour may differ strongly between populations and stress the importance of integrating this variability in studies on predatory responses.

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“…Conservation and management actions must consider spatial and individual variation in behavior and demography, in addition to environmental and anthropogenic factors (Coates et al 2013, Godsall et al 2013, Tarjuelo et al 2013, Winder et al 2014b. Conservation and management actions must consider spatial and individual variation in behavior and demography, in addition to environmental and anthropogenic factors (Coates et al 2013, Godsall et al 2013, Tarjuelo et al 2013, Winder et al 2014b.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors affecting female space use in ten populations of prairie chickens

et al. 2015

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Conservation of wildlife depends on an understanding of the interactions between animal movements and key landscape factors. Habitat requirements of wide-ranging species often vary spatially, but quantitative assessment of variation among replicated studies at multiple sites is rare. We investigated patterns of space use for 10 populations of two closely related species of prairie grouse: Greater Prairie-Chickens (Tympanuchus cupido) and Lesser Prairie-Chickens (T. pallidicinctus). Prairie chickens require large, intact tracts of native grasslands, and are umbrella species for conservation of prairie ecosystems in North America. We used resource utilization functions to investigate space use by female prairie chickens during the 6-month breeding season from March through August in relation to lek sites, habitat conditions, and anthropogenic development. Our analysis included data from 382 radio-marked individuals across a major portion of the extant range. Our project is a unique opportunity to study comparative space use of prairie chickens, and we employed standardized methods that facilitated direct comparisons across an ecological gradient of study sites. Median home range size of females varied ;10-fold across 10 sites (3.6-36.7 km 2 ), and home ranges tended to be larger at sites with higher annual precipitation. Proximity to lek sites was a strong and consistent predictor of space use for female prairie chickens at all 10 sites. The relative importance of other predictors of space use varied among sites, indicating that generalized habitat management guidelines may not be appropriate for these two species. Prairie chickens actively selected for prairie habitats, even at sites where ;90% of the land cover within the study area was prairie. A majority of the females monitored in our study (.95%) had activity centers within 5 km of leks, suggesting that conservation efforts can be effectively concentrated near active lek sites. Our data on female space use suggest that lek surveys of male prairie chickens can indirectly assess habitat suitability for females during the breeding season. Lek monitoring and surveys for new leks provide information on population trends, but can also guide management actions aimed at improving nesting and brood-rearing habitats.v www.esajournals.org 1 September 2015 v Volume 6(9) v Article 166

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From physiology to space use: energy reserves and androgenization explain home‐range size variation in a woodland rodent

Cited by 43 publications

References 69 publications

Wood mice aggressiveness and flight response to human handling: Effect of individual and environmental factors

Wood mice aggressiveness and flight response to human handling: Effect of individual and environmental factors

Amphibians breeding in refuge habitats have larvae with stronger antipredator responses

Factors affecting female space use in ten populations of prairie chickens

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