Habitat richness affects home range size in a monogamous large rodent

Lovari, Sandro; Sforzi, Andrea; Mori, Emiliano

doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2013.06.005

Cited by 37 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Habitat richness (i.e. food availability) was shown to affect home-range size in a number of species [32, 33, 34]. Our results demonstrated that hedgehog home ranges and daily distance travelled varied significantly between areas of different land use practices and between sexes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

Hedgehogs on the move: Testing the effects of land use change on home range size and movement patterns of free-ranging Ethiopian hedgehogs

Baker

Reeve²,

Conkey

et al. 2017

PLoS ONE

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Degradation and alteration of natural environments because of agriculture and other land uses have major consequences on vertebrate populations, particularly on spatial organization and movement patterns. We used GPS tracking to study the effect of land use and sex on the home range size and movement of a typical model species, the Ethiopian hedgehogs. We used free-ranging hedgehogs from two areas with different land use practices: 24 from an area dominated by irrigated farms (12 ♂♂, 12 ♀♀) and 22 from a natural desert environment within a biosphere reserve (12 ♂♂, 10 ♀♀). Animals were significantly heavier in the resource-rich irrigated farms area (417.71 ±12.77SE g) in comparison to the natural desert area (376.37±12.71SE g). Both habitat and sex significantly influenced the home range size of hedgehogs. Home ranges were larger in the reserve than in the farms area. Total home ranges averaged 103 ha (±17 SE) for males and 42 ha (±11SE) for females in the farms area, but were much larger in the reserve averaging 230 ha (±33 SE) for males and 150 ha (±29 SE) for females. The home ranges of individuals of both sexes overlapped. Although females were heavier than males, body weight had no effect on home range size. The results suggest that resources provided in the farms (e.g. food, water, and shelters) influenced animal density and space use. Females aggregated around high-resource areas (either farms or rawdhats), whereas males roamed over greater distances, likely in search of mating opportunities to maximize reproductive success. Most individual home ranges overlapped with many other individuals of either sex, suggesting a non-territorial, promiscuous mating. Patterns of space use and habitat utilization are key factors in shaping aspects of reproductive biology and mating system. To minimize the impacts of agriculture on local wildlife, we recommend that biodiversity-friendly agro-environmental schemes be introduced in the Middle East where the transformation from dry lands to ‘islands of fertility’ is often extreme.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

Hedgehogs on the move: Testing the effects of land use change on home range size and movement patterns of free-ranging Ethiopian hedgehogs

Baker

Reeve²,

Conkey

et al. 2017

PLoS ONE

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“…In this work, we have tested whether the lunar cycle influences the activity pattern of adult crested porcupines, in sites with different levels of habitat heterogeneity (cf. Lovari, Sforzi & Mori, ). We predicted that, if activity of H. cristata is affected by moonlight intensity, the lunar phase should trigger a temporal variation in its ranging behaviour.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self‐defence may not be enough: moonlight avoidance in a large, spiny rodent

et al. 2014

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Predation avoidance is one of the main factors determining nocturnal activity of mammals, which has been shaped by evolution in relation to local environmental variables. The nocturnal activity of 16 female and 11 male radio-tagged adult crested porcupines Hystrix cristata was studied in four study sites of Southern Tuscany (Central Italy), with different environmental features. The activity patterns of porcupines, monitored for 16-23 h per week per individual, were correlated to lunar phases, in open/closed habitat types, throughout the year. The median duration of nocturnal activity was 7 h and 38 min, with no significant seasonal variation. Moonlight avoidance was shown in all our study sites, throughout the year, especially in open habitats. Full moon, irrespective of its visibility, always inhibited activity of this large rodent. Old World porcupines originated 5 million years ago in the forests of Asia and Africa, where a number of large carnivores must have preyed -and still prey -on them. Most likely, moonlight avoidance evolved as an antipredatory behaviour. In areas with no or little predation risk for example our study sites, moonlight avoidance could have been kept in the repertoire of porcupines because of its non-maladaptive nature.

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“…A negative association between home range size and resource availability is commonly observed in rodents (Emsens et al 2013;Lovari et al 2013) and has been documented in other geomyids (Romañach et al 2005). Because southeastern pocket gophers feed on aboveand belowground parts of plants (Golley 1962), percent vegetative ground cover estimated within home ranges should represent available food resources.…”

Section: Home Rangementioning

confidence: 99%

Home Range, Survival, and Activity Patterns of the Southeastern Pocket Gopher: Implications for Translocation

Warren

Conner

Castleberry

et al. 2017

Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management

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The southeastern pocket gopher Geomys pinetis is absent from a large portion of its historical range. Translocation may represent a viable management technique to reestablish populations into suitable habitat. However, several aspects of the species' ecology are poorly understood, making development of an effective translocation approach challenging. Therefore, we used radiotelemetry to examine home range, survival, dispersal, and daily activity patterns of the southeastern pocket gopher in southwestern Georgia. We measured soil and vegetation characteristics within individual home ranges and examined relationships between home range size, habitat variables, and body mass. Mean home range size of 17 radio-tagged pocket gophers was 921.9 m 2 (range ¼ 43.4-2246.8 m 2 ). Home range size was positively related to body mass, percent silt at a depth of 25 cm, and soil carbon content at 75 cm and was negatively related to percent sand at 25 cm, percent clay at 50 cm, and ground cover of grasses other than wiregrass Aristida beyrichiana. Survival rate was 0.78 (range ¼ 0.50-1.00) over the 51-wk study, and we documented predation, likely by avian predators, on two individuals. Three individuals dispersed, with a maximum dispersal distance of 319.1 m (range ¼ 143.2-319.1 m), the farthest known southeastern pocket gopher dispersal. Pocket gophers exhibited greater activity from 0000 to 0400 hours and from 1600 to 2000 hours, contrasting previous research that southeastern pocket gophers were equally active throughout the diel period. Our home range size estimates for southeastern pocket gophers are the first determined using radiotelemetry and are considerably smaller than previous estimates. Although we documented dispersal distances more than 300 m, the fragmented nature of current and restored habitats likely will prevent large-scale natural colonization. Our results provide information important for maximizing success in future southeastern pocket gopher translocation efforts.

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Habitat richness affects home range size in a monogamous large rodent

Cited by 37 publications

References 36 publications

Hedgehogs on the move: Testing the effects of land use change on home range size and movement patterns of free-ranging Ethiopian hedgehogs

Hedgehogs on the move: Testing the effects of land use change on home range size and movement patterns of free-ranging Ethiopian hedgehogs

Self‐defence may not be enough: moonlight avoidance in a large, spiny rodent

Home Range, Survival, and Activity Patterns of the Southeastern Pocket Gopher: Implications for Translocation

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