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Temporal variation in foraging activity and grouping patterns in a mountain-dwelling herbivore: Environmental and endogenous drivers
- Publication Year :
- 2019
-
Abstract
- In temperate ecosystems, seasonality influences animal behaviour. Food availability, weather, photoperiod and endogenous factors relevant to the biological cycle of individuals have been shown as major drivers of temporal changes in activity rhythms and group size/structure of herbivorous species. We evaluated how diurnal female foraging activity and grouping patterns of a mountain herbivore, the Apennine chamois Rupicapra pyrenaica ornata, varied during a decreasing gradient of pasture availability along the summer-autumn progression (July–October), a crucial period for the life cycle of mountain ungulates. Females increased diurnal foraging activity, possibly because of constrains elicited by variation in environmental factors. Size of mixed groups did not vary, in contrast with the hypothesis that groups should be smaller when pasture availability is lower. Proportion of females in groups increased, possibly suggesting that they concentrated on patchily distributed nutritious forbs. Occurrence of yearlings in groups decreased, which may have depended on dispersal of chamois in this age class. Presence of kids in groups did not show variation through summer-autumn, suggesting a close mother-juvenile relationship even at the end of weaning and/or, possibly, low summer mortality. Both endogenous and environmental factors contribute to shape variation in foraging activity and grouping behaviour in mountain-dwelling herbivores.
- Subjects :
- 0106 biological sciences
Male
Endogenous Factors
Photoperiod
Foraging
Chamois
Biology
010603 evolutionary biology
01 natural sciences
Behavioral Neuroscience
Rupicapra pyrenaica
Sex Factors
medicine
Animals
0501 psychology and cognitive sciences
Ecosystem
050102 behavioral science & comparative psychology
Herbivory
Herbivore
Appetitive Behavior
Ecology
05 social sciences
Age Factors
Temperature
Rupicapra
General Medicine
Foraging Activity
Seasonality
medicine.disease
biology.organism_classification
Group size
Circadian Rhythm
Biological dispersal
Mountain herbivores
Animal Science and Zoology
Female
Seasons
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....3732b50afbb0274c01e5bc2748e74af4