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Spatiotemporal dynamics of forage and water resources shape space use of West African savanna buffaloes
- Source :
- Journal of Mammalogy, Journal of Mammalogy, American Society of Mammalogists, 2011, 92 (6), pp.1287-1297. ⟨10.1644/10-MAMM-A-397.1⟩, Journal of Mammalogy, 2011, 92 (6), pp.1287-1297. ⟨10.1644/10-MAMM-A-397.1⟩, Journal of Mammalogy 6 (92), 1287-1297. (2011)
- Publication Year :
- 2011
- Publisher :
- HAL CCSD, 2011.
-
Abstract
- International audience; We investigated space-use patterns of the West African savanna buffalo (Syncerus caffer brachyceros), a little-studied subspecies occurring at the northern limit of the African buffalo's geographical range. This buffalo generally ranges in small herds (about 45 individuals) and has a low body mass (approximately 400 kg) relative to the Cape buffalo (S. c. caffer). We monitored the movements of 7 breeding herds in W Regional Park (Burkina Faso, Benin, Niger) using global positioning system collars and activity data loggers. Habitat selection was analyzed at both large (interseasonal) and small (intraseasonal) scales in a context where resources are segregated spatially at some times of year. Both biotic (primary production and vegetation types) and abiotic (timing of rainfall and surface water) covariates, and the extent to which neighboring herds shared space, were considered. In the dry season buffalo herds ranged close (within 5.3 +/- 2.0 km, mean +/- SD) to segments of permanent rivers. At the onset of the monsoon all herds but 1 (which had year-round access to suitable resources) performed a large (35 +/- 10 km) directional movement in response to a large-scale gradient of primary production. Spatiotemporal dynamics of forage and water resources thus jointly stimulated interseasonal directional movements and shaped large (335 +/- 167 km(2)) annual home ranges. Furthermore, the establishment of home ranges in the wet season appears to be conditioned by a threshold (about 10%) in the availability of perennial grasses. Habitat-selection analysis at intraseasonal scale also underlines the key role played by perennial grasses for buffaloes. The spatial arrangements of home ranges of neighboring herds also suggest that interherd behavioral avoidance is a high-level constraint on foraging processes. The ability of the African buffalo to cope with contrasting environmental conditions throughout most sub-Saharan ecosystems highlights the high behavioral plasticity of this species.
- Subjects :
- 0106 biological sciences
Range (biology)
[SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio]
habitat
habitat selection
01 natural sciences
behavioral plasticity
Dry season
Dynamique des populations
foraging
home range
normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)
space use
Syncerus
caffer brachyceros
West African savanna buffalo
zoology
Savane
2. Zero hunger
Ecology
biology
Fourrage
savane africaine
Système de positionnement global
Variation saisonnière
Geography
Habitat
besoin en eau
L20 - Écologie animale
P01 - Conservation de la nature et ressources foncières
Wet season
Buffle africain
Distribution géographique
Home range
Foraging
Context (language use)
010603 evolutionary biology
Conservation des ressources
eau
Genetics
Adaptation
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Cape buffalo
Nature and Landscape Conservation
L02 - Alimentation animale
010604 marine biology & hydrobiology
Migration animale
L60 - Taxonomie et géographie animales
Distribution spatiale
15. Life on land
biology.organism_classification
masse corporelle
Animal Science and Zoology
Écologie animale
Comportement animal
Index de végétation
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00222372 and 15451542
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Mammalogy, Journal of Mammalogy, American Society of Mammalogists, 2011, 92 (6), pp.1287-1297. ⟨10.1644/10-MAMM-A-397.1⟩, Journal of Mammalogy, 2011, 92 (6), pp.1287-1297. ⟨10.1644/10-MAMM-A-397.1⟩, Journal of Mammalogy 6 (92), 1287-1297. (2011)
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....a902568c40419fdbb9b61aa8157316a2