Novel location data reveal spatiotemporal strategies used by a central-place forager

Hefty, Kira L.; Stewart, Kelley M.

doi:10.1093/jmammal/gyy019

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…Our results show that moose at Vega exhibit a particularly high repeatability in their habitat use ( R = 0.64), compared to what has been reported for other animals (e.g. in a meta‐study: R = 0.57, Bell et al (2009); red deer Cervus elaphus : R = 0.32, Dupke (2016); golden‐mantled ground squirrels Callospermophilus lateralis : R = 0.50, Hefty and Stewart (2018); and brown bears Ursus arctos : R = 0.42, Leclerc et al (2016)). Hence, even if the overall use of open grasslands changes between seasons, individuals that have higher than average use of open habitats during the summer will also have so during the hunt.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

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Opposing fitness consequences of habitat use in a harvested moose population

Ofstad

Markussen

Sæther

et al. 2020

Journal of Animal Ecology

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1. Landscape changes are happening at an unprecedented pace, and together with high levels of wildlife harvesting humans have a large effect on wildlife populations. A thorough knowledge of their combined influence on individual fitness is important to understand factors affecting population dynamics.2. The goal of the study was to assess the individual consistency in the use of risky habitat types, and how habitat use was related to fitness components and lifehistory strategies.3. Using data from a closely monitored and harvested population of moose Alces alces, we examined how individual variation in offspring size, reproduction and survival was related to the use of open grasslands; a habitat type that offers highquality forage during summer, but at the cost of being more exposed to hunters in autumn. The use of this habitat type may therefore involve a trade-off between high mortality risk and forage maximization.4. There was a high repeatability in habitat use, which suggests consistent behaviour within individuals. Offspring number and weight were positively related to the mothers' use of open grasslands, whereas the probability of surviving the subsequent harvest season was negatively related to the use of the same habitat type.As a consequence, we found a nonsignificant relationship between habitat use and lifetime fitness.5. The study suggests that harvesting, even if intended to be nonselective with regard to phenotypes, may be selective towards animals with specific behaviour and lifehistory strategies. As a consequence, harvesting can alter the life-history composition of the population and target life-history strategies that would be beneficial for individual fitness and population growth in the absence of hunting.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

“…for other animals (e.g. in a meta-study: R = 0.57, Bell et al (2009); red deer Cervus elaphus: R = 0.32, Dupke (2016); golden-mantled ground squirrels Callospermophilus lateralis: R = 0.50, Hefty and Stewart (2018); and brown bears Ursus arctos: R = 0.42, Leclerc et al (2016)).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Opposing fitness consequences of habitat use in a harvested moose population

Ofstad

Markussen

Sæther

et al. 2020

Journal of Animal Ecology

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“…Moreover, an increase in vegetation productivity most likely affects ground squirrels via changes in vegetation height and, consequently, foraging activity [63,64]. The combination of an arid Mediterranean climate and intense habitat management resulting in sparse vegetation (low NDVI) could influence the home range of individuals, which try to surpass the food limitations by foraging in larger areas in poor environments [14,65,66]. Taking into account the cost of foraging and predation, foraging intensity of ground squirrels is primarily governed by proximity to burrow entrances and open sight lines [67].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution, Population Size, and Habitat Characteristics of the Endangered European Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus citellus, Rodentia, Mammalia) in Its Southernmost Range

2021

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The European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) is an endangered species, endemic to Central and Southeastern Europe, inhabiting burrow colonies in grassland and agricultural ecosystems. In recent years, agricultural land-use changes and increased urbanization have largely contributed to a severe population decline across its range, particularly in its southernmost edge. Assessing the population and habitat status of this species is essential for prioritizing appropriate conservation actions. The present study aims to track population size changes and identify habitat characteristics of the species in Greece via a literature search, questionnaires, and fieldwork for assessing trends in population size as well as spatial K-means analysis for estimating its relation to specific habitat attributes. We found that both distribution size (grid number) and colony numbers of the species decreased in the last decades (by 62.4% and 74.6%, respectively). The remaining colonies are isolated and characterized by low density (mean = 7.4 ± 8.6 ind/ha) and low number of animals (mean = 13 ± 16 individuals). Most of the colonies are situated in lowlands and did not relate to specific habitat attributes. Habitat aspect and system productivity (NDVI) were the main factors contributing mostly to the clustering of the existing colonies. These results demonstrate that the species is confined to small, isolated anthropogenic habitats. Specific conservation actions such as population reinforcement, habitat improvement, and specific common agricultural policy measures could effectively improve agroecological zones that are suitable for the maintenance and protection of existing and potential habitats for populations of the species.

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“…In an era of environmental change, having accurate descriptions of habitat use is imperative for successful conservation efforts (Hefty and Stewart, 2018). Knowledge of fine scale movements and area selection is also important for selecting suitable areas for protection and/or reintroduction.…”

Section: Non-denningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive state influences the degree of risk tolerance for a seasonally breeding mesopredator

et al. 2021

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The risk of predation can alter the way animals perceive costs and benefits in their environment, on which foraging decisions are made. To maximize fitness, animals with offspring show the most pronounced alteration in behavior because mothers experience increased nutritional requirements and increased vulnerability to predation. Therefore, the tolerance of risk is shaped, in part, by reproductive state. Like prey species, mesopredators balance a trade-off between food and predation to maximize fitness. However, few studies have acknowledged its importance. We investigated how mesopredators may alter their space use between periods when young are and are not vulnerable. Investigating the fine-scale space use of 19 packs of African wild dogs Lycaon pictus in the Kruger National Park, we found lower risk tolerance of denning packs; they re-visited area less frequently as lion and impala density increased and thus reduced the likelihood of risky encounters by avoiding areas where both risk and reward were high. By contrast, non-denning packs re-visited area less frequently as lion density increased and impala density decreased and thus avoided areas where reward was low, especially if risk was high. These results suggest that wild dogs shift their patterns of space use when the pack is most vulnerable. Ultimately, we found evidence of decreased risk tolerance by denning packs, likely because of increased vulnerability of lactating mothers and immobile pups. More broadly, our findings suggest that risk tolerance is dependent on reproductive state for mesopredators and should be considered as a possible mechanism for other mesopredators as well.

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Novel location data reveal spatiotemporal strategies used by a central-place forager

Cited by 3 publications

References 61 publications

Opposing fitness consequences of habitat use in a harvested moose population

Opposing fitness consequences of habitat use in a harvested moose population

Distribution, Population Size, and Habitat Characteristics of the Endangered European Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus citellus, Rodentia, Mammalia) in Its Southernmost Range

Reproductive state influences the degree of risk tolerance for a seasonally breeding mesopredator

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