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Hofmann G, Mettke-Hofmann C. Watch out! High vigilance at small waterholes when alone in open trees. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304257. [PMID: 38959233 PMCID: PMC11221651 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
An animal's environment contains many risks causing animals to scan their environment for potential predators and threats from conspecifics. How much time they invest in such vigilance depends on environmental and social factors. Most vigilance studies have been conducted in a foraging context with little known about vigilance in other contexts. Here we investigated vigilance of Gouldian finches at waterholes considering environmental and social factors. Gouldian finches are colour polymorphic with two main head colours in both sexes co-occurring in the same population, black-headed and red-headed. Data collection was done on birds sitting in trees surrounding waterholes by measuring the frequency of head movements, which reflects how frequently they change their field of view, i.e., scan different areas in their environment. A higher frequency generally reflects higher vigilance. Gouldian finches had a higher frequency of head movements when at small waterholes and when sitting in open, leafless trees. Moreover, head movements were higher when birds were alone in the tree as compared to groups of birds. Finally, birds in same head colour morph groups had a higher frequency of head movements than birds in mixed head colour groups. Results indicate heightened vigilance with increased perception of predation risk (small waterholes, open exposed perch, when alone) but that social vigilance also played a role (group composition) with particularly the aggressive red-headed birds being more vigilant when together with other red-headed birds. Future research should investigate the effect of smaller waterholes as global warming will cause smaller waterholes to become more common for longer periods of time, which can increase stress in the birds.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Claudia Mettke-Hofmann
- School of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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Karaer MC, Kankılıç T, Tavşanoğlu Ç, Cotman M, Čebulj-Kadunc N, Dovč A, Snoj T. Effects of season and sex on the concentrations of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites in captive and free-ranging endangered mountain gazelles ( Gazella gazella). Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1386009. [PMID: 38898996 PMCID: PMC11186381 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1386009] [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: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The aim of our study was to measure fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations in captive and free-ranging male and female mountain gazelles (Gazella gazella) during their circannual cycle. In addition, FGM concentrations were used to track the intensity of the adrenocortical response in mountain gazelles during the same period. Methods Fecal samples were collected from the ground in the Hatay Mountain Gazelle Wildlife Development Area in the Hatay Province of Türkiye (36°32' N, 36°32' E) in each season of the year (December, April, July, September). The sex of the animals was determined by detecting the SRY gene of the Y chromosome in DNA isolated from the fecal samples. FGM was extracted from dried fecal samples with methanol, and its concentration was measured using a previously partially validated ELISA. Results and discussion The results indicate that season is the most important factor explaining the variability in FGM concentrations in mountain gazelles. In animals of both sexes, the highest concentrations of FGM were observed in September. The values were significantly higher in the captive population, perhaps due to unpredictable stress. In July, FGM concentrations were low in both populations. As a result of the overall analysis across seasons, the comparison of FGM concentrations between captive and free-ranging animals revealed higher concentrations in captive animals only in September but not in other seasons, although higher concentrations have been previously reported for several wild captive species. Due to predation risk, the presence of offspring can be considered a critical point in the biological cycle for the welfare of free-ranging mountain gazelles, as suggested by the higher FGM concentrations in the free-ranging population in July. The high number of visitors could be a challenge for mountain gazelles in captivity, as indicated by higher FGM concentrations during September. Sex had no effect on the FGM concentrations of either population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Cansu Karaer
- Food and Agriculture Vocational School, Çankırı Karatekin University, Çankırı, Türkiye
- Institute of Science, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Türkiye
- Division of Ecology, Department of Biology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Tolga Kankılıç
- Department of Biology, Sabire Yazıcı Faculty of Science and Letters, Aksaray University, Aksaray, Türkiye
| | - Çağatay Tavşanoğlu
- Division of Ecology, Department of Biology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Marko Cotman
- Institute of Preclinical Sciences, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nina Čebulj-Kadunc
- Institute of Preclinical Sciences, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Alenka Dovč
- Clinic for Birds, Small Mammals and Reptiles, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tomaž Snoj
- Institute of Preclinical Sciences, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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A test of motion‐sensitive cameras to index ungulate densities: group size matters. J Wildl Manage 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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Mettke-Hofmann C. Is vigilance a personality trait? Plasticity is key alongside some contextual consistency. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0279066. [PMID: 36508445 PMCID: PMC9744299 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals regularly scan their environment for predators and to monitor conspecifics. However, individuals in a group seem to differ in their vigilance linked to age, sex or state with recent links made to personality. The aims of the study were to investigate whether a) individuals differ consistently in their vigilance, b) vigilance is linked to other personality traits and c) other factors affect vigilance in the colour polymorphic Gouldian finch. Birds were tested in same (red-headed or black-headed) or mixed head colour morph same sex pairs in four contexts (novel environment, familiar environment, two changed environments). Vigilance was measured as horizontal head movements. Vigilance showed contextual consistency but no long-term temporal consistency over a year. Head movements were only weakly linked to other personality traits indicative of a risk-reward trade-off with more explorative individuals being less vigilant. Vigilance was highly plastic across situations and affected by group composition. Mixed head colour morph pairs made more head movements, potentially linked to higher social vigilance. Results indicate that vigilance is a highly plastic trait affected by personality rather than a personality trait on its own, which allows adapting vigilance to different situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Mettke-Hofmann
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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Giles SL, Harris P, Rands SA, Nicol CJ. Foraging efficiency, social status and body condition in group-living horses and ponies. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10305. [PMID: 33240636 PMCID: PMC7659649 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Individual animals experience different costs and benefits associated with group living, which may impact on their foraging efficiency in ways not yet well specified. This study investigated associations between social dominance, body condition and interruptions to foraging behaviour in a cross-sectional study of 116 domestic horses and ponies, kept in 20 discrete herds. Social dominance was measured for each individual alongside observations of winter foraging behaviour. During bouts of foraging, the duration, frequency and category (vigilance, movement, social displacements given and received, scratching and startle responses) of interruptions were recorded, with total interruption time taken as a proxy measure of foraging efficiency. Total foraging time was not influenced by body condition or social dominance. Body condition was associated with social dominance, but more strongly associated with foraging efficiency. Specifically, lower body condition was associated with greater vigilance. This demonstrates that factors other than social dominance can result in stable differences in winter body condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Giles
- School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford, North Somerset, UK
| | - Pat Harris
- Equine Studies Group, WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, UK
| | - Sean A Rands
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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Ferretti F, Fattorini N. Competitor densities, habitat, and weather: effects on interspecific interactions between wild deer species. Integr Zool 2020; 16:670-684. [PMID: 32654371 PMCID: PMC8451872 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
There is a growing interest on the potential interplay between weather, habitat, and interspecific competition on population dynamics of wild herbivores. Favorable environmental conditions may buffer the negative effects of competition; conversely, competition may be expected to be stronger under harsh environmental conditions. We investigated relationships between competitor abundance, weather, and habitat cover on density and local distribution of a medium‐sized herbivore, the roe deer Capreolus capreolus, as well as its spatial overlap with fallow deer Dama dama in a Mediterranean protected area. Over 11 years (2007–2017), roe deer density was not affected by spring–summer rainfall in the previous year and decreased with increasing density of fallow deer in the previous year. Hence, over the considered temporal scale, results supported a major role of competition over weather in influencing population trends of roe deer. At a finer spatial scale, roe deer occupancy was negatively affected by local abundance of fallow deer, especially in “poorer” habitats. We found a slight support for a positive effect of fallow deer density on interspecific spatial overlap. Moreover, fine‐scale spatial overlap between deer species increased with decreasing rainfall in spring–summer. Fallow deer were introduced to our study area in historical times and their role as superior competitors over roe deer has been found also in other study areas. We suggest a potential role of harsh weather conditions during the growing season of vegetation (i.e. scarce rainfall) in triggering the potential for ecological overlap, emphasizing the negative effects of interspecific competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Ferretti
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Niccolò Fattorini
- Research Unit of Behavioural Ecology, Ethology and Wildlife Management, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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Wang X, Yang L, Zhao Y, Yu C, Li Z. The group size effect and synchronization of vigilance in the Tibetan wild ass. Curr Zool 2020; 67:11-16. [PMID: 33654485 PMCID: PMC7901751 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoaa024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Vigilance behavior is considered as an effective strategy for prey species to detect predators. An individual benefits from living in a group by reducing the time spent being vigilant without affecting the probability of detecting a predator. However, the mechanism producing a decrease in vigilance with increasing group size is unclear. Many models of vigilance assume that group members scan independently of one another. Yet in recent studies, the other 2 patterns of vigilance, coordination and synchronization, were reported in some species. In 2 summers (2018 and 2019), we studied the group-size effect on vigilance and foraging of Tibetan wild ass in Chang Tang Nature Reserve of Tibet. We also tested whether individuals scan the environment independently, tend to coordinate their scans, or tend to synchronize their vigilance. The results showed that individuals decreased the time spent on vigilance with increasing group size, while increased the time spent foraging. Group members scanned the environment at the same time more frequently and there was a positive correlation between group members’ behaviors, indicating that Tibetan wild asses tend to synchronize their vigilance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Wang
- Lab of Animal Behavior and Conservation, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Le Yang
- Tibet Plateau Institute of Biology, 19 Beijing West Road, Lhasa, 850000, China
| | - Yumeng Zhao
- Lab of Animal Behavior and Conservation, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Cong Yu
- Lab of Animal Behavior and Conservation, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Zhongqiu Li
- Lab of Animal Behavior and Conservation, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China
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Liu R, Shi J, Liu D, Dong S, Zhang Y, Wu Y, Guo D. Effect of group size and reproductive status on faecal glucocorticoid concentration and vigilance in a free-ranging population of Przewalski's gazelle. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coaa027. [PMID: 32274069 PMCID: PMC7125043 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coaa027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Elevated glucocorticoid (GC) concentration and increased vigilance are two common responses to predation risk in mammals. Chronic high-level GC concentration and vigilance occur at the expense of other life maintenance and reproduction activities, reflecting a trade-off between individual survival and future fecundity. Przewalski's gazelle (Procapra przewalskii) is a group-living ungulate endemic to the high-altitude Qinghai Lake region of China. Group-size effect on gazelle vigilance has been examined, yet little is known about how their GC concentration is affected by group size or reproductive status. In this study, we examined the effect of group size and reproductive status on faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations and individual vigilance during different stages of the reproduction cycle (i.e. non-breeding, lambing and rutting) in free-ranging adult female Przewalski's gazelles. Group size did not influence FGMs significantly, but mean vigilance duration increased with group size. The gazelles' FGMs and vigilance peaked in lambing season. FGMs showed no difference between rutting season and non-reproductive season, but vigilance was lowest in the rutting season. FGMs correlated with vigilance frequency and vigilance duration. Antipredator responses of female Przewalski's gazelles appear to change with reproductive status but not with group size in free-ranging females. Management measures should be taken in the lambing season to minimize stress on mother gazelles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruoshuang Liu
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Jianbin Shi
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Dingzhen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Shikui Dong
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Administration Bureau of Mount Qilian National Park (Qinghai), Qinghai Forestry and Grassland Administration, Xichuannan Road, Chengxi District, Xining 810008, Qinghai, China
| | - Yonglin Wu
- Wildlife Conservation Department, Qinghai Forestry and Grassland Administration, Xichuannan Road, Chengxi District, Xining 810008, Qinghai, China
| | - Dongsheng Guo
- Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
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