Predator occurrence and perceived predation risk determine grouping behavior in guanaco (Lama guanicoe)
Entity
UAM. Departamento de EcologíaPublisher
Wiley Online LibraryDate
2018-03-07Citation
10.1111/eth.12727
Ethology 124.5 (2018): 1699-1711
ISSN
0179-1613 (print); 1439-0310 (online)DOI
10.1111/eth.12727Funded by
Funding was provided by Program UAM‐CEAL (Santander Bank) during 2011‐2012, 2013‐2014, and 2015‐2016; Foreign Affairs Ministry, Spanish Agency for Development and International Cooperation (A/9875/07, A/016431/08, and A/024945/09); Agriculture Ministry and Environment Ministry, Chile, Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero 2011‐2012; and the REMEDINAL‐3CM network (S2013/MAE‐2719). ECI was supported by a PhD grant from the Spanish Ministry of Education (FPU) and is currently supported by a post‐doctoral grant from National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET)Project
Gobierno de España. A/9875/07; Gobierno de España. A/016431/08; Gobierno de España A/024945/09; Comunidad de Madrid. S2013/MAE‐2719/REMEDINAL-‐3CM; Gobierno de España. AP2010‐0330Editor's Version
http://doi.org/10.1111/eth.12727Subjects
Culpeo fox; Group size; Landscape of fear; Puma; Social organization; Ungulates; Medio AmbienteNote
WILEY: "This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Esperanza C. Iranzo Heiko U. Wittmer Juan Traba Pablo Acebes Cristina Mata Juan E. Malo, Predator occurrence and perceived predation risk determine grouping behavior in guanaco (Lama guanicoe), Ethology 124.5 (2018): 1699-1711, which has been published in final form at DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/eth.12727. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Condictions for Use Self-Archived VersionRights
© 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbHAbstract
Grouping behavior of social ungulates may depend on both predator occurrence and perceived predation risk associated with habitat structure, reproductive state, and density of conspecifics. Over 3 years, we studied grouping behavior of guanaco (Lama guanicoe) families in Chilean Patagonia during the birthing season and determined their response to variation in predator occurrence and perceived predation risk (habitat structure, calf/adult rate, and density of conspecifics). We considered the effect of two predators, puma (Puma concolor) and culpeo fox (Lycalopex culpaeus). We measured two common (family group size and vigilance) and one novel (family group cohesion) behavioral responses of guanaco. Our results show that guanaco family groups adapted their grouping behavior to both predator occurrence and perceived predation risk. Larger family groups were found in open habitats and areas with high puma occurrence, while guanacos stayed in small family groups in areas with high shrub cover or low visibility. Group cohesion increased in areas with higher occurrence of pumas and culpeo foxes, and also increased in smaller family groups and in areas with low guanaco density. Vigilance (number of vigilant adults) was mainly related to group size and visibility, increasing in areas with low visibility, while residual vigilance (vigilance after removing the group-size effect) did not vary with the explanatory variables examined. Our results suggest that a mix of predator occurrence and perceived predation risk influences guanaco grouping behavior and highlights the importance of evaluating different antipredator responses together and considering all predator species in studies aimed at understanding ungulate behavior
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Google Scholar:Iranzo, Esperanza C.
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Wittmer, Heiko U.
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Traba Díaz, Juan
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Acebes Vives, Pablo
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Mata, Cristina
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Malo Arrazola, Juan Esteban
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