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Newediuk L, Mastromonaco GF, Vander Wal E. Associations between glucocorticoids and habitat selection reflect daily and seasonal energy requirements. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2024; 12:30. [PMID: 38649956 PMCID: PMC11036748 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-024-00475-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glucocorticoids are often associated with stressful environments, but they are also thought to drive the best strategies to improve fitness in stressful environments. Glucocorticoids improve fitness in part by regulating foraging behaviours in response to daily and seasonal energy requirements. However, many studies demonstrating relationships between foraging behaviour and glucocorticoids are experimental, and few observational studies conducted under natural conditions have tested whether changing glucocorticoid levels are related to daily and seasonal changes in energy requirements. METHODS We integrated glucocorticoids into habitat selection models to test for relationships between foraging behaviour and glucocorticoid levels in elk (Cervus canadensis) as their daily and seasonal energy requirements changed. Using integrated step selection analysis, we tested whether elevated glucocorticoid levels were related to foraging habitat selection on a daily scale and whether that relationship became stronger during lactation, one of the greatest seasonal periods of energy requirement for female mammals. RESULTS We found stronger selection of foraging habitat by female elk with elevated glucocorticoids (eß = 1.44 95% CI 1.01, 2.04). We found no difference in overall glucocorticoid levels after calving, nor a significant change in the relationship between glucocorticoids and foraging habitat selection at the time of calving. However, we found a gradual increase in the relationship between glucocorticoids and habitat selection by female elk as their calves grew over the next few months (eß = 1.01, 95% CI 1.00, 1.02), suggesting a potentially stronger physiological effect of glucocorticoids for elk with increasing energy requirements. CONCLUSIONS We suggest glucocorticoid-integrated habitat selection models demonstrate the role of glucocorticoids in regulating foraging responses to daily and seasonal energy requirements. Ultimately, this integration will help elucidate the implications of elevated glucocorticoids under natural conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Levi Newediuk
- Department of Biology, Memorial University, St. John's Newfoundland, A1B 3X9, Canada.
- Current address: Biological Sciences Department, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada.
| | | | - Eric Vander Wal
- Department of Biology, Memorial University, St. John's Newfoundland, A1B 3X9, Canada
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Zimmerman SJ, Aldridge CL, Schroeder MA, Fike JA, Cornman RS, Oyler-McCance SJ. The potential influence of genome-wide adaptive divergence on conservation translocation outcome in an isolated greater sage-grouse population. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2024:e14254. [PMID: 38563102 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Conservation translocations are an important conservation tool commonly employed to augment declining or reestablish extirpated populations. One goal of augmentation is to increase genetic diversity and reduce the risk of inbreeding depression (i.e., genetic rescue). However, introducing individuals from significantly diverged populations risks disrupting coadapted traits and reducing local fitness (i.e., outbreeding depression). Genetic data are increasingly more accessible for wildlife species and can provide unique insight regarding the presence and retention of introduced genetic variation from augmentation as an indicator of effectiveness and adaptive similarity as an indicator of source and recipient population suitability. We used 2 genetic data sets to evaluate augmentation of isolated populations of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in the northwestern region of the species range (Washington, USA) and to retrospectively evaluate adaptive divergence among source and recipient populations. We developed 2 statistical models for microsatellite data to evaluate augmentation outcomes. We used one model to predict genetic diversity after augmentation and compared these predictions with observations of genetic change. We used the second model to quantify the amount of observed reproduction attributed to transplants (proof of population integration). We also characterized genome-wide adaptive divergence among source and recipient populations. Observed genetic diversity (HO = 0.65) was higher in the recipient population than predicted had no augmentation occurred (HO = 0.58) but less than what was predicted by our model (HO = 0.75). The amount of shared genetic variation between the 2 geographically isolated resident populations increased, which is evidence of periodic gene flow previously assumed to be rare. Among candidate adaptive genes associated with elevated fixation index (FST) (143 genes) or local environmental variables (97 and 157 genes for each genotype-environment association method, respectively), we found clusters of genes with related functions that may influence the ability of transplants to use local resources and navigate unfamiliar environments and their reproductive potential, all possible reasons for low genetic retention from augmentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawna J Zimmerman
- Fort Collins Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Cameron L Aldridge
- Fort Collins Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | | | - Jennifer A Fike
- Fort Collins Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Robert Scott Cornman
- Fort Collins Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Sara J Oyler-McCance
- Fort Collins Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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3
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Pohle J, Signer J, Eccard JA, Dammhahn M, Schlägel UE. How to account for behavioral states in step-selection analysis: a model comparison. PeerJ 2024; 12:e16509. [PMID: 38426131 PMCID: PMC10903358 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Step-selection models are widely used to study animals' fine-scale habitat selection based on movement data. Resource preferences and movement patterns, however, often depend on the animal's unobserved behavioral states, such as resting or foraging. As this is ignored in standard (integrated) step-selection analyses (SSA, iSSA), different approaches have emerged to account for such states in the analysis. The performance of these approaches and the consequences of ignoring the states in step-selection analysis, however, have rarely been quantified. We evaluate the recent idea of combining iSSAs with hidden Markov models (HMMs), which allows for a joint estimation of the unobserved behavioral states and the associated state-dependent habitat selection. Besides theoretical considerations, we use an extensive simulation study and a case study on fine-scale interactions of simultaneously tracked bank voles (Myodes glareolus) to compare this HMM-iSSA empirically to both the standard and a widely used classification-based iSSA (i.e., a two-step approach based on a separate prior state classification). Moreover, to facilitate its use, we implemented the basic HMM-iSSA approach in the R package HMMiSSA available on GitHub.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Pohle
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Johannes Signer
- Wildlife Sciences, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jana A. Eccard
- Animal Ecology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Melanie Dammhahn
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Ulrike E. Schlägel
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
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Judson K, Sanz C, Ebombi TF, Massamba JM, Teberd P, Abea G, Mbebouti G, Matoumona JKB, Nkoussou EG, Zambarda A, Brogan S, Stephens C, Morgan D. Socioecological factors influencing intraspecific variation in ranging dynamics of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) in Ndoki Forest. Am J Primatol 2024; 86:e23586. [PMID: 38151775 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23586] [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: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Ranging dynamics are physical and behavioral representations of how different socioecological factors affect an organism's spatial decisions and space use strategies. Western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) are a model species to investigate the drivers of spatial dynamics based on both the natural variation in socioecological factors within the species and compared with their mountain gorilla counterparts. In this study, we evaluate the influences of resource seasonality and social dynamics on variation in home range size, utilization, and intergroup overlap among multiple gorilla groups over an 8-year study period in the northern Republic of Congo. This study shows that western lowland gorillas can have small home ranges comparable to mountain gorillas, rather than universally larger home ranges as previously supposed, and that home ranges are stable through time. The largest source of variation in space use was the degree of intergroup home range overlap. The study groups did not demonstrate intraspecific variation in range size nor changes in intergroup overlap with respect to seasonality of fruit resources, but all groups demonstrated expansion of monthly range and core area with group size, matching predictions of intragroup feeding competition. These findings highlight the potential impact of intergroup relationships on space use and prompt further research on the role of social dynamics in ranging strategies. In this study, we reveal a greater degree of variability and flexibility in gorilla ranging behavior than previously realized which is relevant to improving comparative studies and informing conservation strategies on behalf of these endangered primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Judson
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Crickette Sanz
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Congo Program, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | | | - Jean Marie Massamba
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Congo Program, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - Prospère Teberd
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Congo Program, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - Gaston Abea
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Congo Program, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - Gaeton Mbebouti
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Congo Program, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | | | | | - Alice Zambarda
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Congo Program, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - Sean Brogan
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Congo Program, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - Colleen Stephens
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - David Morgan
- Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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5
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McClintock BT, Lander ME. A multistate Langevin diffusion for inferring behavior-specific habitat selection and utilization distributions. Ecology 2024; 105:e4186. [PMID: 37794831 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
The identification of important habitat and the behavior(s) associated with it is critical to conservation and place-based management decisions. Behavior also links life-history requirements and habitat use, which are key to understanding why animals use certain habitats. Animal population studies often use tracking data to quantify space use and habitat selection, but they typically either ignore movement behavior (e.g., foraging, migrating, nesting) or adopt a two-stage approach that can induce bias and fail to propagate uncertainty. We develop a habitat-driven Langevin diffusion for animals that exhibit distinct movement behavior states, thereby providing a novel single-stage statistical method for inferring behavior-specific habitat selection and utilization distributions in continuous time. Practitioners can customize, fit, assess, and simulate our integrated model using the provided R package. Simulation experiments demonstrated that the model worked well under a range of sampling scenarios as long as observations were of sufficient temporal resolution. Our simulations also demonstrated the importance of accounting for different behaviors and the misleading inferences that can result when these are ignored. We provide case studies using plains zebra (Equus quagga) and Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) telemetry data. In the zebra example, our model identified distinct "encamped" and "exploratory" states, where the encamped state was characterized by strong selection for grassland and avoidance of other vegetation types, which may represent selection for foraging resources. In the sea lion example, our model identified distinct movement behavior modes typically associated with this marine central-place forager and, unlike previous analyses, found foraging-type movements to be associated with steeper offshore slopes characteristic of the continental shelf, submarine canyons, and seamounts that are believed to enhance prey concentrations. This is the first single-stage approach for inferring behavior-specific habitat selection and utilization distributions from tracking data that can be readily implemented with user-friendly software. As certain behaviors are often more relevant to specific conservation or management objectives, practitioners can use our model to help inform the identification and prioritization of important habitats. Moreover, by linking individual-level movement behaviors to population-level spatial processes, the multistate Langevin diffusion can advance inferences at the intersection of population, movement, and landscape ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett T McClintock
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Michelle E Lander
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Seattle, Washington, USA
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6
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Bakner NW, Collier BA, Chamberlain MJ. Behavioral-dependent recursive movements and implications for resource selection. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16632. [PMID: 37789205 PMCID: PMC10547709 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43907-z] [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: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Within home ranges, animals repeatedly visit certain areas. Recursive movement patterns are widespread throughout the animal kingdom, but are rarely considered when developing resource selection models. We examined how behavioral state-dependent recursive movements influenced reource selection of eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) broods as they aged from day 1 to 28. Because broods become more plastic in behaviors once they begin roosting off the ground, we separated data into broods that were ground roosting (1-13 days) and tree roosting (14-28 days). We used Hidden Markov Models to identify 2 behavioral states (restricted and mobile). We extracted state-specific recursive movements based on states and specific step lengths, which we integrated into a step selection analysis to evaluate resource selection. We found that in a restricted state, ground roosting broods spent less time in areas of mixed pine-hardwoods and more time in areas with greater vegetation density. Tree roosting broods revisited areas closer to shrub/scrub landcover types, and areas with greater vegetation density. Tree roosting broods also spent less time near mixed pine-hardwoods, while spending more time in areas with greater vegetation density. We found that in a mobile state, ground roosting broods revisited areas closer to secondary roads and mixed pine-hardwoods, but farther from hardwoods. Tree roosting broods revisited areas farther from secondary roads and with greater vegetation density. Tree roosting broods also spent more time in areas closer to pine. Resource selection varied depending on behavioral state and recursive movements. However, revisitation and residence time impacted selection in both ground and tree roosting broods. Our findings highlight the need to consider how behaviors can influence movement decisions and ultimately resource selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas W Bakner
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
| | - Bret A Collier
- School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Michael J Chamberlain
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
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7
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Mawer R, Bruneel SP, Pauwels IS, Elings J, Pickholtz E, Pickholtz R, Schneider M, Coeck J, Goethals PLM. Individual variation in the habitat selection of upstream migrating fish near a barrier. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:49. [PMID: 37550782 PMCID: PMC10405436 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00414-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Migration is a vital element of the life cycle of many freshwater fish species but is increasingly hampered globally by riverine barriers. Fish passes are a common approach to enable migration past barriers but are often ineffective. More knowledge is required on fish behaviour as they approach barriers such as habitat preferences. METHODS We evaluate the habitat selection of two upstream migrating fish species, barbel Barbus barbus and grayling Thymallus thymallus, at a hydropower plant in southern Germany, considering individual variation and population trends. Fish were tracked via fine-scale 2D acoustic telemetry in 2018 during their spawning migration. Step selection functions were used to evaluate selection of hydraulic parameters by the fish for a time step of 20 s. Exploratory models were built via model selection for each individual fish, to evaluate the extent of individual variation in model structure. A population model was developed for each species by averaging coefficients from individual models to describe general trends. The extent of individual variation was determined and confidence intervals for the population model coefficients were calculated. RESULTS Fish varied greatly in individual model structure though common terms were apparent in both species, such as depth, flow velocity, the angular difference between fish and velocity, and the logarithm of the step length. Final population models for barbel included several parameters describing habitat selection and displacement. Barbel selected for faster flows, deeper water, and higher spatial velocity gradients. In addition, they selected to move more with the flow than against. Interactions were also present between habitat parameters, suggesting selection is context dependent. Barbel movement speed also changed with depth, flow velocity and spatial velocity gradient. With grayling, terms often had contrasting effects among individuals and thus general trends could not be distinguished for most terms. CONCLUSION Our findings demonstrate habitat selection by upstream migrating fish approaching a fish pass and differences in individual selection which may have an impact on barrier management. Step selection functions are a promising approach and can provide useful insight into habitat selection and movement by migrating freshwater fish in an altered river system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Mawer
- Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
- SJE Ecohydraulic Engineering, Backnang, Germany.
| | - Stijn P Bruneel
- Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ine S Pauwels
- Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jelger Elings
- Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Renanel Pickholtz
- School of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences of Eilat, Eilat, Israel
| | | | - Johan Coeck
- Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Peter L M Goethals
- Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Klappstein NJ, Thomas L, Michelot T. Flexible hidden Markov models for behaviour-dependent habitat selection. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:30. [PMID: 37270509 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00392-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is strong incentive to model behaviour-dependent habitat selection, as this can help delineate critical habitats for important life processes and reduce bias in model parameters. For this purpose, a two-stage modelling approach is often taken: (i) classify behaviours with a hidden Markov model (HMM), and (ii) fit a step selection function (SSF) to each subset of data. However, this approach does not properly account for the uncertainty in behavioural classification, nor does it allow states to depend on habitat selection. An alternative approach is to estimate both state switching and habitat selection in a single, integrated model called an HMM-SSF. METHODS We build on this recent methodological work to make the HMM-SSF approach more efficient and general. We focus on writing the model as an HMM where the observation process is defined by an SSF, such that well-known inferential methods for HMMs can be used directly for parameter estimation and state classification. We extend the model to include covariates on the HMM transition probabilities, allowing for inferences into the temporal and individual-specific drivers of state switching. We demonstrate the method through an illustrative example of plains zebra (Equus quagga), including state estimation, and simulations to estimate a utilisation distribution. RESULTS In the zebra analysis, we identified two behavioural states, with clearly distinct patterns of movement and habitat selection ("encamped" and "exploratory"). In particular, although the zebra tended to prefer areas higher in grassland across both behavioural states, this selection was much stronger in the fast, directed exploratory state. We also found a clear diel cycle in behaviour, which indicated that zebras were more likely to be exploring in the morning and encamped in the evening. CONCLUSIONS This method can be used to analyse behaviour-specific habitat selection in a wide range of species and systems. A large suite of statistical extensions and tools developed for HMMs and SSFs can be applied directly to this integrated model, making it a very versatile framework to jointly learn about animal behaviour, habitat selection, and space use.
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Affiliation(s)
- N J Klappstein
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
| | - L Thomas
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - T Michelot
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
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Cullen JA, Attias N, Desbiez AL, Valle D. Biologging as an important tool to uncover behaviors of cryptic species: an analysis of giant armadillos ( Priodontes maximus). PeerJ 2023; 11:e14726. [PMID: 36691484 PMCID: PMC9864128 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in biologging have increased the understanding of how animals interact with their environment, especially for cryptic species. For example, giant armadillos (Priodontes maximus) are the largest extant species of armadillo but are rarely encountered due to their fossorial and nocturnal behavior. Through the analysis of speed, turning angles, and accelerometer activity counts, we estimated behavioral states, characterized activity budgets, and investigated the state-habitat associations exhibited by individuals monitored with GPS telemetry in the Brazilian Pantanal from 2019 to 2020. This methodology is proposed as a useful framework for the identification of priority habitat. Using the non-parametric Bayesian mixture model for movement (M3), we estimated four latent behavioral states that were named 'vigilance-excavation', 'local search', 'exploratory', and 'transit'. These states appeared to correspond with behavior near burrows or termite mounds, foraging, ranging, and rapid movements, respectively. The first and last hours of activity presented relatively high proportions of the vigilance-excavation state, while most of the activity period was dominated by local search and exploratory states. The vigilance-excavation state occurred more frequently in regions between forest and closed savannas, whereas local search was more likely in high proportions of closed savanna. Exploratory behavior probability increased in areas with high proportions of both forest and closed savanna. Our results establish a baseline for behavioral complexity, activity budgets, and habitat associations in a relatively pristine environment that can be used for future work to investigate anthropogenic impacts on giant armadillo behavior and fitness. The integration of accelerometer and GPS-derived movement data through our mixture model has the potential to become a powerful methodological approach for the conservation of other cryptic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua A. Cullen
- Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States of America,School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
| | - Nina Attias
- Instituto de Conservação de Animais Silvestres (ICAS), Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil,Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
| | - Arnaud L.J. Desbiez
- Instituto de Conservação de Animais Silvestres (ICAS), Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil,Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas (IPÊ), Nazaré Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil,Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Denis Valle
- School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
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Sergeyev M, Holbrook JD, Lombardi JV, Tewes ME, Campbell TA. Behaviorally mediated coexistence of ocelots, bobcats and coyotes using hidden Markov models. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maksim Sergeyev
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Inst., Texas A&M Univ. Kingsville Kingsville TX USA
| | - Joseph D. Holbrook
- Haub School of the Environment and Natural Resources, Univ. of Wyoming Laramie WY USA
| | - Jason V. Lombardi
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Inst., Texas A&M Univ. Kingsville Kingsville TX USA
| | - Michael E. Tewes
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Inst., Texas A&M Univ. Kingsville Kingsville TX USA
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11
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Togunov RR, Derocher AE, Lunn NJ, Auger-Méthé M. Drivers of polar bear behavior and the possible effects of prey availability on foraging strategy. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:50. [PMID: 36384775 PMCID: PMC9670556 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00351-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Change in behavior is one of the earliest responses to variation in habitat suitability. It is therefore important to understand the conditions that promote different behaviors, particularly in areas undergoing environmental change. Animal movement is tightly linked to behavior and remote tracking can be used to study ethology when direct observation is not possible. METHODS We used movement data from 14 polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in Hudson Bay, Canada, during the foraging season (January-June), when bears inhabit the sea ice. We developed an error-tolerant method to correct for sea ice drift in tracking data. Next, we used hidden Markov models with movement and orientation relative to wind to study three behaviors (stationary, area-restricted search, and olfactory search) and examine effects of 11 covariates on behavior. RESULTS Polar bears spent approximately 47% of their time in the stationary drift state, 29% in olfactory search, and 24% in area-restricted search. High energy behaviors occurred later in the day (around 20:00) compared to other populations. Second, olfactory search increased as the season progressed, which may reflect a shift in foraging strategy from still-hunting to active search linked to a shift in seal availability (i.e., increase in haul-outs from winter to the spring pupping and molting seasons). Last, we found spatial patterns of distribution linked to season, ice concentration, and bear age that may be tied to habitat quality and competitive exclusion. CONCLUSIONS Our observations were generally consistent with predictions of the marginal value theorem, and differences between our findings and other populations could be explained by regional or temporal variation in resource availability. Our novel movement analyses and finding can help identify periods, regions, and conditions of critical habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ron R. Togunov
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, The University of British Columbia, V6T 1Z4 Vancouver, Canada
- Department of Zoology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4 Canada
| | - Andrew E. Derocher
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Nicholas J. Lunn
- Wildlife Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Edmonton, T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Marie Auger-Méthé
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, The University of British Columbia, V6T 1Z4 Vancouver, Canada
- Department of Statistics, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4 Canada
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12
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Bar-Ziv E, Picardi S, Kaplan A, Avgar T, Berger-Tal O. Sex Differences Dictate the Movement Patterns of Striped Hyenas, Hyaena hyaena, in a Human-Dominated Landscape. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.897132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Large-carnivore populations have experienced significant declines in the past centuries in extended parts of the world. Habitat loss, fragmentation, and depletion of natural resources are some of the main causes of this decline. Consequently, behavioral flexibility, enabling the exploitation of anthropogenic food resources in highly disturbed human-dominated landscapes, is becoming critical for the survival of large carnivores. These behavioral changes increase the potential for human-large carnivore conflict and can further intensify carnivore persecution. Here, we examine how land cover types (representing a gradient of anthropogenic disturbance) alter the behavior of striped hyenas (Hyaena hyaena) in a human-dominated landscape in Israel, and whether differences in life history between males and females affect their reaction to such disturbances and consequently their level of exposure to humans. We used a Hidden Markov Model on GPS-tracking data for seven striped hyenas to segment individual-night trajectories into behavioral states (resting, searching, and traveling). We then used multinomial logistic regression to model hyenas’ behavioral state as a function of the interaction between land cover and sex. Females traveled less than males both in terms of average distance traveled per hour, per night, and nightly net displacement. Most steps were classified as “searching” for females and as “traveling” for males. Female hyenas spent a higher proportion of time in human-dominated areas and a lower proportion in natural areas compared to males, and they were also more likely to be found close to settlements than males. Females changed their time allocation between natural and human-dominated areas, spending more time resting than traveling in natural areas but not in human-dominated ones; males spent more time searching than resting in human-dominated areas but were equally likely to rest or search in natural ones. The differences in life history between male and female hyenas may reflect different motivations for space use as a means to optimize fitness, which affects their exposure to humans and therefore their potential involvement in human-hyenas conflict. Understanding the mechanisms that lead to behavioral change in response to human disturbance is important for adaptive management and promoting human large-carnivores co-existence in general.
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