1
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Patterns and causes of breeding dispersal in a declining population of Canada jays, Perisoreus canadensis, over 55 years. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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2
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Ryser-Degiorgis MP, Marti I, Pisano SRR, Pewsner M, Wehrle M, Breitenmoser-Würsten C, Origgi FC, Kübber-Heiss A, Knauer F, Posautz A, Eberspächer-Schweda M, Huder JB, Böni J, Kubacki J, Bachofen C, Riond B, Hofmann-Lehmann R, Meli ML. Management of Suspected Cases of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in Eurasian Lynx ( Lynx lynx) During an International Translocation Program. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:730874. [PMID: 34760956 PMCID: PMC8573149 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.730874] [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: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) population in Switzerland serves as a source for reintroductions in neighboring countries. In 2016–2017, three lynx from the same geographical area were found seropositive for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) in the framework of an international translocation program. This novel finding raised questions about the virus origin and pathogenicity to lynx, the emerging character of the infection, and the interpretation of serological results in other lynx caught for translocation. Archived serum samples from 84 lynx captured in 2001–2016 were retrospectively tested for FIV antibodies by Western blot. All archived samples were FIV-negative. The three seropositive lynx were monitored in quarantine enclosures prior to euthanasia and necropsy. They showed disease signs, pathological findings, and occurrence of co-infections reminding of those described in FIV-infected domestic cats. All attempts to isolate and characterize the virus failed but serological data and spatiotemporal proximity of the cases suggested emergence of a lentivirus with antigenic and pathogenic similarities to FIV in the Swiss lynx population. A decision scheme was developed to minimize potential health risks posed by FIV infection, both in the recipient and source lynx populations, considering conservation goals, animal welfare, and the limited action range resulting from local human conflicts. Development and implementation of a cautious decision scheme was particularly challenging because FIV pathogenic potential in lynx was unclear, negative FIV serological results obtained within the first weeks after infection are unpredictable, and neither euthanasia nor repatriation of multiple lynx was acceptable options. The proposed scheme distinguished between three scenarios: release at the capture site, translocation, or euthanasia. Until April 2021, none of the 40 lynx newly captured in Switzerland tested FIV-seropositive. Altogether, seropositivity to FIV was documented in none of 124 lynx tested at their first capture, but three of them seroconverted in 2016–2017. Diagnosis of FIV infection in the three seropositive lynx remains uncertain, but clinical observations and pathological findings confirmed that euthanasia was appropriate. Our experiences underline the necessity to include FIV in pathogen screenings of free-ranging European wild felids, the importance of lynx health monitoring, and the usefulness of health protocols in wildlife translocation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Iris Marti
- Institute for Fish and Wildlife Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Simone R R Pisano
- Institute for Fish and Wildlife Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Mirjam Pewsner
- Institute for Fish and Wildlife Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Francesco C Origgi
- Institute for Fish and Wildlife Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anna Kübber-Heiss
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Felix Knauer
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Annika Posautz
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthias Eberspächer-Schweda
- Dentistry and Oral Surgery Service, Department/Hospital for Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jon B Huder
- Swiss National Center for Retroviruses, Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jürg Böni
- Swiss National Center for Retroviruses, Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jakub Kubacki
- Institute of Virology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Bachofen
- Institute of Virology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Riond
- Clinical Laboratory, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, and Center for Clinical Studies, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Regina Hofmann-Lehmann
- Clinical Laboratory, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, and Center for Clinical Studies, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marina L Meli
- Clinical Laboratory, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, and Center for Clinical Studies, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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3
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Wielgus E, Caron A, Bennitt E, De Garine‐Wichatitsky M, Cain B, Fritz H, Miguel E, Cornélis D, Chamaillé‐Jammes S. Inter‐Group Social Behavior, Contact Patterns and Risk for Pathogen Transmission in Cape Buffalo Populations. J Wildl Manage 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elodie Wielgus
- Department of Natural Sciences Manchester Metropolitan University, All Saints Manchester M15 6BH UK
| | - Alexandre Caron
- Faculdade de Veterinária Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Av. De Moçambique, CP 257 Maputo Mozambique
| | - Emily Bennitt
- Okavango Research Institute University of Botswana Shorobe Road Maun Botswana
| | | | - Bradley Cain
- Department of Natural Sciences Manchester Metropolitan University, All Saints Manchester M15 6BH UK
| | - Herve Fritz
- REHABS, CNRS ‐ Université Lyon 1 ‐ Nelson Mandela University International Research Laboratory George Campus, Madiba Drive George South Africa
| | - Eve Miguel
- Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle Institut de Recherche pour le Développement 911 Avenue Agropolis, 34394 Montpellier cedex 5 France
| | - Daniel Cornélis
- CIRAD, Forêts et Sociétés, F‐34398 Montpellier, France; Forêts et Sociétés Université de Montpellier CIRAD, 34090 Montpellier France
| | - Simon Chamaillé‐Jammes
- CEFE, University of Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD University Paul Valéry Montpellier 3 Montpellier France
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4
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Duľa M, Bojda M, Chabanne DBH, Drengubiak P, Hrdý Ľ, Krojerová-Prokešová J, Kubala J, Labuda J, Marčáková L, Oliveira T, Smolko P, Váňa M, Kutal M. Multi-seasonal systematic camera-trapping reveals fluctuating densities and high turnover rates of Carpathian lynx on the western edge of its native range. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9236. [PMID: 33927232 PMCID: PMC8085240 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88348-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Camera-trapping and capture-recapture models are the most widely used tools for estimating densities of wild felids that have unique coat patterns, such as Eurasian lynx. However, studies dealing with this species are predominantly on a short-term basis and our knowledge of temporal trends and population persistence is still scarce. By using systematic camera-trapping and spatial capture-recapture models, we estimated lynx densities and evaluated density fluctuations, apparent survival, transition rate and individual's turnover during five consecutive seasons at three different sites situated in the Czech-Slovak-Polish borderland at the periphery of the Western Carpathians. Our density estimates vary between 0.26 and 1.85 lynx/100 km2 suitable habitat and represent the lowest and the highest lynx densities reported from the Carpathians. We recorded 1.5-4.1-fold changes in asynchronous fluctuated densities among all study sites and seasons. Furthermore, we detected high individual's turnover (on average 46.3 ± 8.06% in all independent lynx and 37.6 ± 4.22% in adults) as well as low persistence of adults (only 3 out of 29 individuals detected in all seasons). The overall apparent survival rate was 0.63 ± 0.055 and overall transition rate between sites was 0.03 ± 0.019. Transition rate of males was significantly higher than in females, suggesting male-biased dispersal and female philopatry. Fluctuating densities and high turnover rates, in combination with documented lynx mortality, indicate that the population in our region faces several human-induced mortalities, such as poaching or lynx-vehicle collisions. These factors might restrict population growth and limit the dispersion of lynx to other subsequent areas, thus undermining the favourable conservation status of the Carpathian population. Moreover, our study demonstrates that long-term camera-trapping surveys are needed for evaluation of population trends and for reliable estimates of demographic parameters of wild territorial felids, and can be further used for establishing successful management and conservation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Duľa
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, 613 00, Brno, Czech Republic. .,Friends of the Earth Czech Republic, Olomouc Branch, Dolní náměstí 38, 779 00, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
| | - Michal Bojda
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, 613 00, Brno, Czech Republic.,Friends of the Earth Czech Republic, Olomouc Branch, Dolní náměstí 38, 779 00, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Delphine B H Chabanne
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia.,Evolutionary Genetics Group, Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Peter Drengubiak
- Kysuce Protected Landscape Area Administration, State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic, U Tomali č. 1511, 022 01, Čadca, Slovakia
| | - Ľuboslav Hrdý
- Friends of the Earth Czech Republic, Olomouc Branch, Dolní náměstí 38, 779 00, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Jarmila Krojerová-Prokešová
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, 603 65, Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Zoology, Fisheries, Hydrobiology and Apiculture, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, 613 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Kubala
- Department of Applied Zoology and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University in Zvolen, T. G. Masaryka 24, 960 01, Zvolen, Slovakia.,DIANA - Carpathian Wildlife Research, Mládežnícka 47, 974 04, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
| | - Jiří Labuda
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, 613 00, Brno, Czech Republic.,Friends of the Earth Czech Republic, Olomouc Branch, Dolní náměstí 38, 779 00, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Leona Marčáková
- Friends of the Earth Czech Republic, Olomouc Branch, Dolní náměstí 38, 779 00, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Teresa Oliveira
- Department of Forestry and Renewable Forest Resources, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Peter Smolko
- Department of Applied Zoology and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University in Zvolen, T. G. Masaryka 24, 960 01, Zvolen, Slovakia.,DIANA - Carpathian Wildlife Research, Mládežnícka 47, 974 04, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
| | - Martin Váňa
- Friends of the Earth Czech Republic, Olomouc Branch, Dolní náměstí 38, 779 00, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Kutal
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, 613 00, Brno, Czech Republic.,Friends of the Earth Czech Republic, Olomouc Branch, Dolní náměstí 38, 779 00, Olomouc, Czech Republic
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5
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Aronsson M, Åkesson M, Low M, Persson J, Andrén H. Resource dispersion and relatedness interact to explain space use in a solitary predator. OIKOS 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.07258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Malin Aronsson
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Dept of Ecology, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences SE‐73091 Riddarhyttan Sweden
| | - Mikael Åkesson
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Dept of Ecology, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences SE‐73091 Riddarhyttan Sweden
| | - Matthew Low
- Dept of Ecology, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala Sweden
| | - Jens Persson
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Dept of Ecology, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences SE‐73091 Riddarhyttan Sweden
| | - Henrik Andrén
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Dept of Ecology, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences SE‐73091 Riddarhyttan Sweden
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6
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Broekhuis F, Madsen EK, Keiwua K, Macdonald DW. Using GPS collars to investigate the frequency and behavioural outcomes of intraspecific interactions among carnivores: A case study of male cheetahs in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0213910. [PMID: 30943236 PMCID: PMC6447186 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Intraspecific interactions between individuals or groups of individuals of the same species are an important component of population dynamics. Interactions can be static, such as spatial overlap, or dynamic based on the interactions of movements, and can be mediated through communication, such as the deployment of scent marks. Interactions and their behavioural outcomes can be difficult to determine, especially for species that live at low densities. With the use of GPS collars we quantify both static and dynamic interactions between male cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) and the behavioural outcomes. The 99% home-ranges of males overlapped significantly while there was little overlap of the 50% home-ranges. Despite this overlap, male cheetahs rarely came into close proximity of one another, possibly because presence was communicated through frequent visits to marking posts. The minimum distance between individuals in a dyad ranged from 89m to 196m but the average proximity between individuals ranged from 17,145 ± 6,865m to 26,367 ± 11,288m. Possible interactions took place more frequently at night than by day and occurred mostly in the 50% home-range of one individual of a dyad or where cores of both individuals overlapped. After a possible encounter male cheetahs stayed in close proximity to each other for up to 6 hours, which could be the result of a territory defence strategy or the presence of a receptive female. We believe that one of the encounters between a singleton and a 5-male coalition resulted in the death of the singleton. Our results give new insights into cheetah interactions, which could help our understanding of ecological processes such as disease transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Femke Broekhuis
- Kenya Wildlife Trust, Nairobi, Kenya
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Emily K. Madsen
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environmental Research, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - David W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney, United Kingdom
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7
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Rico-Guevara A, Hurme KJ. Intrasexually selected weapons. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2019; 94:60-101. [PMID: 29924496 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
We propose a practical concept that distinguishes the particular kind of weaponry that has evolved to be used in combat between individuals of the same species and sex, which we term intrasexually selected weapons (ISWs). We present a treatise of ISWs in nature, aiming to understand their distinction and evolution from other secondary sex traits, including from 'sexually selected weapons', and from sexually dimorphic and monomorphic weaponry. We focus on the subset of secondary sex traits that are the result of same-sex combat, defined here as ISWs, provide not previously reported evolutionary patterns, and offer hypotheses to answer questions such as: why have only some species evolved weapons to fight for the opposite sex or breeding resources? We examined traits that seem to have evolved as ISWs in the entire animal phylogeny, restricting the classification of ISW to traits that are only present or enlarged in adults of one of the sexes, and are used as weapons during intrasexual fights. Because of the absence of behavioural data and, in many cases, lack of sexually discriminated series from juveniles to adults, we exclude the fossil record from this review. We merge morphological, ontogenetic, and behavioural information, and for the first time thoroughly review the tree of life to identify separate evolution of ISWs. We found that ISWs are only found in bilateral animals, appearing independently in nematodes, various groups of arthropods, and vertebrates. Our review sets a reference point to explore other taxa that we identify with potential ISWs for which behavioural or morphological studies are warranted. We establish that most ISWs come in pairs, are located in or near the head, are endo- or exoskeletal modifications, are overdeveloped structures compared with those found in females, are modified feeding structures and/or locomotor appendages, are most common in terrestrial taxa, are frequently used to guard females, territories, or both, and are also used in signalling displays to deter rivals and/or attract females. We also found that most taxa lack ISWs, that females of only a few species possess better-developed weapons than males, that the cases of independent evolution of ISWs are not evenly distributed across the phylogeny, and that animals possessing the most developed ISWs have non-hunting habits (e.g. herbivores) or are faunivores that prey on very small prey relative to their body size (e.g. insectivores). Bringing together perspectives from studies on a variety of taxa, we conceptualize that there are five ways in which a sexually dimorphic trait, apart from the primary sex traits, can be fixed: sexual selection, fecundity selection, parental role division, differential niche occupation between the sexes, and interference competition. We discuss these trends and the factors involved in the evolution of intrasexually selected weaponry in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Rico-Guevara
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 3040 Valley Life Sciences Building, Berkeley, CA, 94720, U.S.A.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, 75 N. Eagleville Rd, Unit 3043, Storrs, CT, 06269, U.S.A.,Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Código Postal 11001, Bogotá DC, Colombia
| | - Kristiina J Hurme
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 3040 Valley Life Sciences Building, Berkeley, CA, 94720, U.S.A.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, 75 N. Eagleville Rd, Unit 3043, Storrs, CT, 06269, U.S.A
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8
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Mengüllüoğlu D, Ambarlı H, Berger A, Hofer H. Foraging ecology of Eurasian lynx populations in southwest Asia: Conservation implications for a diet specialist. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:9451-9463. [PMID: 30377514 PMCID: PMC6194280 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Revised: 03/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Intraspecific variation in key traits of widespread species can be hard to predict, if populations have been very little studied in most of the distribution range. Asian populations of the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), one of the most widespread felids worldwide, are such a case in point. We investigated the diet of Eurasian lynx from feces collected Mediterranean, mixed forest-steppe, and subalpine ecosystems of Turkey. We studied prey preferences and functional responses using prey densities obtained from Random Encounter Modelling. Our analysis revealed that the main prey was brown hare (Lepus europaeus) in all three areas (78%-99% of biomass consumed) and lynx showed a strong preference for brown hare (Chesson's selectivity index, α = 0.90-0.99). Cannibalism contributed at least 5% in two study areas. The type II functional response of lynx populations in Turkey was similar to the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) and daily food intake in grams per lynx matched that of Canada lynx and Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus), both lagomorph specialists, rather than those of Eurasian lynx from Europe. Therefore, lynx in Turkey may be better described as a lagomorph specialist even though it coexists with ungulate prey. We suggest that ungulate-based foraging ecology of Eurasian lynx in Europe may be a recent adjustment to the availability of high densities of ungulates and cannot be representative for other regions like Turkey. The status of lagomorphs should become an essential component of conservation activities targeted at Eurasian lynx or when using this species as a flagship species for landscape preservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deniz Mengüllüoğlu
- Department of Evolutionary EcologyLeibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW)BerlinGermany
| | - Hüseyin Ambarlı
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and ManagementFaculty of ForestryDüzce UniversityDüzceTurkey
| | - Anne Berger
- Department of Evolutionary EcologyLeibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW)BerlinGermany
| | - Heribert Hofer
- Department of Ecological DynamicsLeibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchBerlinGermany
- Department of Veterinary MedicineFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, PharmacyFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
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9
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Female breeding dispersal in wolverines, a solitary carnivore with high territorial fidelity. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-018-1164-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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10
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Toni P. Combat leads to intraspecific killing in eastern grey kangaroos. AUSTRALIAN MAMMALOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1071/am16057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Males engaging in same-sex competition can assess the strength of an opponent by means of behavioural display in order to avoid escalated interactions. There is no published record of male–male fighting with lethal consequences in eastern grey kangaroos, Macropus giganteus. The combat between two males reported here had a fatal outcome.
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11
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Where to leave a message? The selection and adaptive significance of scent-marking sites for Eurasian lynx. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2366-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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12
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Elbroch LM, Quigley H. Social interactions in a solitary carnivore. Curr Zool 2017; 63:357-362. [PMID: 29491995 PMCID: PMC5804185 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zow080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2016] [Revised: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 06/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In total, 177 of 245 terrestrial carnivores are described as solitary, and much of carnivore ecology is built on the assumptions that interactions between adult solitary carnivores are rare. We employed Global Positioning System (GPS) technology and motion-triggered cameras to test predictions of land-tenure territoriality and the resource dispersion hypothesis in a territorial carnivore, the puma Puma concolor. We documented 89 independent GPS interactions, 60% of which occurred at puma kills (n = 53), 59 camera interactions, 11 (17%) of which captured courtship behaviors, and 5 other interactions (1 F-F, 3 M-F, and 1 M-M). Mean minimum weekly contact rates were 5.5 times higher in winter, the season when elk Cervus elaphus were aggregated at lower elevations and during which puma courtship primarily occurred. In winter, contacts rates were 0.6 ± 0.3 (standard deviation (SD)) interactions/week vs. 0.1 ± 0.1 (SD) interactions/week during summer. The preponderance of interactions at food sources supported the resource dispersion hypothesis, which predicts that resource fluxes can explain temporary social behaviors that do not result in any apparent benefits for the individuals involved. Conspecific tolerance is logical when a prey is so large that the predator that killed it cannot consume it entirely, and thus, the costs of tolerating a conspecific sharing the kill are less than the potential costs associated with defending it and being injured. Puma aggregations at kills numbered as high as 9, emphasizing the need for future research on what explains tolerance among solitary carnivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Mark Elbroch
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA
| | - Howard Quigley
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA
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13
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Kuriwada T. Male–male courtship behaviour, not relatedness, affects the intensity of contest competition in the field cricket. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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14
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Evaluating the responses of a territorial solitary carnivore to potential mates and competitors. Sci Rep 2016; 6:27257. [PMID: 27251230 PMCID: PMC4890113 DOI: 10.1038/srep27257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Successful communication is critical to the fitness of individuals and maintenance of populations, but less is known regarding the social contexts and reactions to scent marking by other individuals in solitary carnivores, including pumas. We evaluated the responses of resident male pumas to visitation and scent marking by potential competitors (other male pumas) and potential mates (female pumas) by capturing and marking 46 pumas (Puma concolor), and documenting scent marking behaviours using motion-triggered video cameras. By comparing resident male puma visitation rates and communication behaviours in response to either male or female visitors, we found that their visitation and communication behaviours were best explained by the combination of visitation by both competitors and potential mates. Resident males returned to scent marking sites more quickly and increased their rate of flehmen response after visitation by a females, while they increased their rate of visitation and duration of visits in response to other males. Male pumas also visited less frequently in summer and autumn when female visitation rates were lower, but males created nearly twice as many scrapes during these visits. This study suggests that advertising for mates when scent marking may sometimes overshadow the importance of deterring competitors and claiming territory.
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15
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Aronsson M, Low M, López-Bao JV, Persson J, Odden J, Linnell JDC, Andrén H. Intensity of space use reveals conditional sex-specific effects of prey and conspecific density on home range size. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:2957-67. [PMID: 27217946 PMCID: PMC4863019 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2016] [Accepted: 02/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Home range (HR) size variation is often linked to resource abundance, with sex differences expected to relate to sex‐specific fitness consequences. However, studies generally fail to disentangle the effects of the two main drivers of HR size variation, food and conspecific density, and rarely consider how their relative influence change over spatiotemporal scales. We used location data from 77 Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) from a 16‐year Scandinavian study to examine HR sizes variation relative to prey and conspecific density at different spatiotemporal scales. By varying the isopleth parameter (intensity of use) defining the HR, we show that sex‐specific effects were conditional on the spatial scale considered. Males had larger HRs than females in all seasons. Females' total HR size declined as prey and conspecific density increased, whereas males' total HR was only affected by conspecific density. However, as the intensity of use within the HR increased (from 90% to 50% isopleth), the relationship between prey density and area showed opposing patterns for females and males; for females, the prey density effect was reduced, while for males, prey became increasingly important. Thus, prey influenced the size of key regions within male HRs, despite total HR size being independent of prey density. Males reduced their HR size during the mating season, likely to remain close to individual females in estrous. Females reduced their HR size postreproduction probably because of movement constrains imposed by dependent young. Our findings highlight the importance of simultaneously considering resources and intraspecific interactions as HR size determinants. We show that sex‐specific demands influence the importance of prey and conspecific density on space use at different spatiotemporal scales. Thus, unless a gradient of space use intensity is examined, factors not related to total HR size might be disregarded despite their importance in determining size of key regions within the HR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malin Aronsson
- Department of Ecology Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Grimsö Wildlife Research Station SE-73091 Riddarhyttan Sweden
| | - Matthew Low
- Department of Ecology Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences SE-75007 Uppsala Sweden
| | - José V López-Bao
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO/CSIC/PA) Oviedo University Mieres 33600 Spain
| | - Jens Persson
- Department of Ecology Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Grimsö Wildlife Research Station SE-73091 Riddarhyttan Sweden
| | - John Odden
- Norwegian Institute for Natural Research Sluppen NO-7585 Trondheim Norway
| | - John D C Linnell
- Norwegian Institute for Natural Research Sluppen NO-7585 Trondheim Norway
| | - Henrik Andrén
- Department of Ecology Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Grimsö Wildlife Research Station SE-73091 Riddarhyttan Sweden
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16
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The Role of Scent Marking in Mate Selection by Female Pumas (Puma concolor). PLoS One 2015; 10:e0139087. [PMID: 26489008 PMCID: PMC4619504 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0139087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 09/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mate selection influences individual fitness, is often based on complex cues and behaviours, and can be difficult to study in solitary species including carnivores. We used motion-triggered cameras at 29 community scrapes (i.e. scent marking locations used by multiple individuals) and home range data from 39 GPS-collared pumas (Puma concolor) to assess the relevance of communication behaviours for mate selection by female pumas in California. Female pumas visited community scrapes irregularly and visitation bouts appeared to be correlated with oestrus. Female pumas on average selected from 1.7 collared males, and selection was based on multiple cues that varied among the different time periods measured (i.e. the female’s visitation bout and in 90 days previous to the consorting event). Female mate selection over the course of a visitation bout was based on frequency of the male visitation, mass, and age. In the 90 days previous to consorting, the number of scrapes a male created was the most important contributor to selection, which was likely related to his residency status. We also found that at least 14% of females mated with multiple males, thus possibly confusing paternity. Our findings provide a mechanistic understanding of how female pumas use scent and auditory communication at community scrapes to select dominant resident males to mate with.
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Elbroch LM, Lendrum PE, Quigley H, Caragiulo A. Spatial overlap in a solitary carnivore: support for the land tenure, kinship or resource dispersion hypotheses? J Anim Ecol 2015; 85:487-96. [PMID: 26395576 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2014] [Accepted: 09/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- L. Mark Elbroch
- Panthera; 8 West 40th Street 18th Floor New York NY 10018 USA
| | | | - Howard Quigley
- Panthera; 8 West 40th Street 18th Floor New York NY 10018 USA
| | - Anthony Caragiulo
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics; American Museum of Natural History; 79th Street at Central Park West New York NY 10024 USA
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18
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Gil-Sánchez JM, Jaramillo J, Barea-Azcón JM. Strong spatial segregation between wildcats and domestic cats may explain low hybridization rates on the Iberian Peninsula. ZOOLOGY 2015; 118:377-85. [PMID: 26358989 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2015.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2015] [Revised: 05/18/2015] [Accepted: 08/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris) is an endangered felid impacted by genetic introgression with the domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus). The problem of hybridization has had different effects in different areas. In non-Mediterranean regions pure forms of wildcats became almost extinct, while in Mediterranean regions genetic introgression is a rare phenomenon. The study of the potential factors that prevent the gene flow in areas of lower hybridization may be key to wildcat conservation. We studied the population size and spatial segregation of wildcats and domestic cats in a typical Mediterranean area of ancient sympatry, where no evidence of hybridization had been detected by genetic studies. Camera trapping of wild-living cats and walking surveys of stray cats in villages were used for capture-recapture estimations of abundance and spatial segregation. Results showed (i) a low density of wildcats and no apparent presence of putative hybrids; (ii) a very low abundance of feral cats in spite of the widespread and large population sources of domestic cats inhabiting villages; (iii) strong spatial segregation between wildcats and domestic/feral cats; and (iv) no relationship between the size of the potential population sources and the abundance of feral cats. Hence, domestic cats were limited in their ability to become integrated into the local habitat of wildcats. Ecological barriers (habitat preferences, food limitations, intra-specific and intra-guild competition, predation) may explain the severe divergences of hybridization impact observed at a biogeographic level. This has a direct effect on key conservation strategies for wildcats (i.e., control of domestic cats).
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Gil-Sánchez
- Harmusch, Asociación de Estudio y Conservación de Fauna, Plaza Dr. Prados Picazo 10, 4°B, E-18230 Atarfe, Spain.
| | - J Jaramillo
- Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua, Consejería de Medio Ambiente y Ordenación del Territorio (Junta de Andalucía), Calle Joaquina Egüaras, 10, E-18003 Granada, Spain
| | - J M Barea-Azcón
- Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua, Consejería de Medio Ambiente y Ordenación del Territorio (Junta de Andalucía), Calle Joaquina Egüaras, 10, E-18003 Granada, Spain
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19
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Elbroch LM, Quigley HB, Caragiulo A. Spatial associations in a solitary predator: using genetic tools and GPS technology to assess cougar social organization in the Southern Yellowstone Ecosystem. Acta Ethol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10211-014-0196-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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20
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López-Bao JV, Rodríguez A, Delibes M, Fedriani JM, Calzada J, Ferreras P, Palomares F. Revisiting food-based models of territoriality in solitary predators. J Anim Ecol 2014; 83:934-42. [PMID: 24720673 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2013] [Accepted: 04/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Food availability is considered a major factor determining spacing behaviour in territorial species, especially for females. Theoretically, spatial overlap (considered the opposite of territoriality) and food availability are related in a nonlinear manner (hypothesized inverted-U function), with high overlap levels at the extremes of a food availability gradient and low overlap at intermediate levels of this gradient. Similar patterns are expected for encounter frequencies owing to its expected correlation with spatial overlap. However, these predictions have rarely been tested in highly structured social systems on a broad gradient of food availability, which implicitly requires experimental manipulation. We test these predictions in a solitary, territorial and trophic specialist, the Iberian lynx Lynx pardinus, taking advantage of a three-decade data set of spatial behaviour in different scenarios of food availability (i.e. rabbit density). In contrast with expectations, home range overlap among resident females was low (median overlap index = 0.08, range 0-0.57) and core area overlap was nearly nil (median overlap index = 0, range 0-0.22) throughout the entire gradient of prey availability. Furthermore, spatial associations between pairs of females were negligible regardless marked variation in prey availability. Therefore, we did not find support for a model of flexible lynx territoriality driven by food availability. Our results suggest that the exclusive use of space in the Iberian lynx was not related to food. Lack of influence of prey availability on lynx territoriality may be adaptive to cope with the consequences of frequent drought-induced periods of prey scarcity or other disturbance typically affecting wild rabbit populations in Mediterranean environments. Thus, lynx would adopt an obstinate strategy of territoriality that consists in defending exclusive areas across a broad range of resource availability ensuring an exclusive access to the minimum amount of prey necessary for survival and eventually reproduction even during periods of prey scarcity. However, we found signs that territoriality was influenced by lynx density in a nonlinear fashion. Our results suggest the occurrence of population regulation through territoriality in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- José V López-Bao
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO/CSIC/PA), Oviedo University, Mieres, 33600, Spain.,Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Riddarhyttan, SE-730 91, Sweden
| | - Alejandro Rodríguez
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, 41092, Spain
| | - Miguel Delibes
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, 41092, Spain
| | - José M Fedriani
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, 41092, Spain
| | - Javier Calzada
- Departamento de Biología Ambiental y Salud Pública, Universidad de Huelva, Huelva, 21071, Spain
| | - Pablo Ferreras
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, 13005, Spain
| | - Francisco Palomares
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, 41092, Spain
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21
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Vogt K, Zimmermann F, Kölliker M, Breitenmoser U. Scent-marking behaviour and social dynamics in a wild population of Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx. Behav Processes 2014; 106:98-106. [PMID: 24814909 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2014.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2014] [Revised: 03/24/2014] [Accepted: 04/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Scent-marking is widespread among mammals and has been observed in many felid species. Although the behaviour is well-described, little is known about its function in wild felid populations. We investigated patterns of scent-marking and its role in intra- and intersexual communication among resident and non-resident Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx by observing interactions among wild lynx at natural marking sites by means of infrared camera traps. Marking activity of resident animals showed a peak during the mating season and was lowest during the time when females gave birth and lactated. Both sexes scent-marked, but male lynx visited marking sites much more often than females and marked relatively more often when visiting a site. Most visits to marking sites were by residents but we also observed scent-marking by non-residents. Juveniles were never observed marking. We found no evidence of lynx regularly renewing scent-marks after a certain 'expiry date' but the presence of a strange scent-mark triggered over-marking. Males responded similarly to the presence of another individual's scent-mark, irrespective of whether it was the top- or the underlying scent-mark in a mixture of scent-marks they encountered. Our results suggest that marking sites could serve as 'chemical bulletin boards', where male lynx advertise their presence and gain information on ownership relationships in a given area. Females placed their urine marks on top of the ones left by resident males, but further studies are needed to explain the functions of over-marking in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Vogt
- KORA, Carnivore Ecology and Wildlife Management, Thunstrasse 31, CH-3074 Muri, Switzerland; Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology and Evolution, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, CH-4051 Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Fridolin Zimmermann
- KORA, Carnivore Ecology and Wildlife Management, Thunstrasse 31, CH-3074 Muri, Switzerland
| | - Mathias Kölliker
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology and Evolution, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, CH-4051 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Urs Breitenmoser
- KORA, Carnivore Ecology and Wildlife Management, Thunstrasse 31, CH-3074 Muri, Switzerland; Institute of Veterinary Virology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Evaluating mortality rates and causalities in a critically endangered felid across its whole distribution range. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-013-0794-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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