Effects of the social environment on movement-integrated habitat selection

Webber, Quinn M. R.; Prokopenko, Christina M.; Kingdon, Katrien A.; Turner, Julie W.; Wal, Eric Vander

doi:10.1101/2021.02.11.430740

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 82 publications

(155 reference statements)

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“…We do, however, still urge caution in their interpretation. Nevertheless, further assessments of how animal social behavior contributes to movement and habitat selection (e.g., [85]) could be particularly important for predicting geographic spread of infectious disease (i.e., CWD) and designing disease surveillance programs (e.g., [86], where juvenile male dispersal is simulated only as a function of forest cover).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agricultural land use shapes dispersal in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

et al. 2022

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Background Dispersal is a fundamental process to animal population dynamics and gene flow. In white-tailed deer (WTD; Odocoileus virginianus), dispersal also presents an increasingly relevant risk for the spread of infectious diseases. Across their wide range, WTD dispersal is believed to be driven by a suite of landscape and host behavioral factors, but these can vary by region, season, and sex. Our objectives were to (1) identify dispersal events in Wisconsin WTD and determine drivers of dispersal rates and distances, and (2) determine how landscape features (e.g., rivers, roads) structure deer dispersal paths. Methods We developed an algorithmic approach to detect dispersal events from GPS collar data for 590 juvenile, yearling, and adult WTD. We used statistical models to identify host and landscape drivers of dispersal rates and distances, including the role of agricultural land use, the traversability of the landscape, and potential interactions between deer. We then performed a step selection analysis to determine how landscape features such as agricultural land use, elevation, rivers, and roads affected deer dispersal paths. Results Dispersal predominantly occurred in juvenile males, of which 64.2% dispersed, with dispersal events uncommon in other sex and age classes. Juvenile male dispersal probability was positively associated with the proportion of the natal range that was classified as agricultural land use, but only during the spring. Dispersal distances were typically short (median 5.77 km, range: 1.3–68.3 km), especially in the fall. Further, dispersal distances were positively associated with agricultural land use in potential dispersal paths but negatively associated with the number of proximate deer in the natal range. Lastly, we found that, during dispersal, juvenile males typically avoided agricultural land use but selected for areas near rivers and streams. Conclusion Land use—particularly agricultural—was a key driver of dispersal rates, distances, and paths in Wisconsin WTD. In addition, our results support the importance of deer social environments in shaping dispersal behavior. Our findings reinforce knowledge of dispersal ecology in WTD and how landscape factors—including major rivers, roads, and land-use patterns—structure host gene flow and potential pathogen transmission.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agricultural land use shapes dispersal in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

et al. 2022

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“…A potential explanation is that more open habitats facilitate groups to remain fused to exchange information about foraging sites (Peignier et al 2019) and maintain high predator vigilance (Lima, 1995). In addition, dyads in winter rarely enter closed habitats (only 7% of fission events occurred in closed habitat); if caribou select closed habitats when they are either alone or in smaller groups (Webber et al, 2021), then there is little opportunity for fission events to occur in these habitats when there are fewer groups from which to split. The probability of fission and group size are two distinct aspects of grouping behavior.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental, social, and morphological drivers of fission-fusion dynamics in a social ungulate

Goff

Hendrix

Webber

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Social groups exist because individuals within the group accrue a net benefit from sharing space. The profitability of sociality, however, varies with ecological context. As ecological context varies, tension emerges among the costs and benefits of social grouping. Fission-fusion societies are fluid in their group dynamics across spatial and temporal contexts, permitting insights into how context affects whether animals choose to join or depart a group. We tested four non-mutually exclusive hypotheses driving variation in fission and fusion in caribou: the risky places, environment heterogeneity, activity budget, and social familiarity hypotheses. The risky places hypothesis predicts animals are unlikely to diffuse when habitats are open and risk of predation is elevated. The habitat heterogeneity hypothesis predicts that fission is more likely in a heterogeneous landscape due to the rising conflicts of interest between group members. The activity budget hypothesis predicts dyads associate by body size due to similar food passage rates. The social cohesion hypothesis predicts that familiar individuals are less likely to fission. We tested the hypotheses using time-to-event (time before fission) analyses and a linear model that assesses spatial, social, and body size relationships among female caribou (n = 22) on Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Canada. Contrary to our prediction for risky places, probability of fission was not influenced by habitat openness. The hypothesis of environmental heterogeneity was partially supported, as caribou remained less cohesive in environments with a higher richness of habitats. No direct evidence emerged to support the activity budget hypothesis. However, it appears that caribou maintain the strongest social bonds among variably sized individuals and these social bonds do decrease the propensity to split. Collectively, our findings showed that social interactions may depend not only on individual identity and characteristics, but also the spatial context in which these interactions occur.

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“…Traditionally, habitat selection models measure how characteristics of habitats influence which are selected or avoided [ 13 ]. However, recent interest in behavioural differences between individual animals has inspired innovative new models quantifying the effects of dynamic social environments [ 14 ], behavioural states [ 15 ], and disease [ 16 ] on habitat selection. Another natural extension of habitat selection models would be to quantify relationships between glucocorticoids and the selection of habitats used for foraging as energy requirements change.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations between glucocorticoids and habitat selection reflect daily and seasonal energy requirements

Newediuk,

Mastromonaco,

Vander Wal

2024

Mov Ecol

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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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Effects of the social environment on movement-integrated habitat selection

Cited by 4 publications

References 82 publications

Agricultural land use shapes dispersal in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

Agricultural land use shapes dispersal in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

Environmental, social, and morphological drivers of fission-fusion dynamics in a social ungulate

Associations between glucocorticoids and habitat selection reflect daily and seasonal energy requirements

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