Impact of severe climate variability on lion home range and movement patterns in the Amboseli ecosystem, Kenya

Tuqa, Jirmo H; Funston, Paul J.; Musyoki, Charles; Ojwang, Gordon; Gichuki, Nathan; Bauer, Hans; Tamis, W.L.M.; Dolrenry, Stephanie; Zelfde, Maarten van’t; Snoo, G.R. de; Iongh, Hans H. de

doi:10.1016/j.gecco.2014.07.006

Cited by 40 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Anthropogenic land‐use will further modify these patterns in two important ways: exacerbating the negative effect on populations by increasing the presence of movement barriers, effectively inhibiting dispersal and fragmenting seasonal migration routes (Haddad et al, ; Sawyer et al, ), but softening the effect through local increases in primary productivity resulting from irrigation subsidies (Šálek et al, ). As productivity differences between wild and anthropogenic landscapes increases, both herbivores and carnivores are likely to redistribute to the relatively productive and predictable conditions that characterize agricultural or urban systems (Beckmann & Berger, ; Tuqa et al, ). Aggravating lower regional consumer abundance, these interacting forces portend greater human‐wildlife conflict as remaining individuals move farther and encounter anthropogenic landscapes with greater frequency (Hansen et al, ; Woodroffe & Ginsberg, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climatically driven changes in primary production propagate through trophic levels

Stoner

Sexton

Choate

et al. 2018

Global Change Biology

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Climate and land-use change are the major drivers of global biodiversity loss. Their effects are particularly acute for wide-ranging consumers, but little is known about how these factors interact to affect the abundance of large carnivores and their herbivore prey. We analyzed population densities of a primary and secondary consumer (mule deer, Odocoileus hemionus, and mountain lion, Puma concolor) across a climatic gradient in western North America by combining satellite-based maps of plant productivity with estimates of animal abundance and foraging area derived from Global Positioning Systems telemetry data (GPS). Mule deer density exhibited a positive, linear relationship with plant productivity (r = 0.58), varying by a factor of 18 across the climate-vegetation gradient (range: 38-697 individuals/100 km ). Mountain lion home range size decreased in response to increasing primary productivity and consequent changes in the abundance of their herbivore prey (range: 20-450 km ). This pattern resulted in a strong, positive association between plant productivity and mountain lion density (r = 0.67). Despite varying densities, the ratio of prey to predator remained constant across the climatic gradient (mean ± SE = 363 ± 29 mule deer/mountain lion), suggesting that the determinacy of the effect of primary productivity on consumer density was conserved across trophic levels. As droughts and longer term climate changes reduce the suitability of marginal habitats, consumer home ranges will expand in order for individuals to meet basic nutritional requirements. These changes portend decreases in the abundance of large-bodied, wide-ranging wildlife through climatically driven reductions in carrying capacity, as well as increased human-wildlife interactions stemming from anthropogenic land use and habitat fragmentation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climatically driven changes in primary production propagate through trophic levels

Stoner

Sexton

Choate

et al. 2018

Global Change Biology

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“…This may explain the differences in home range sizes between our two breeding seasons (BS14 & BS15). Reduced movement close to areas of high productivity has previously been shown for other species, and this may have resulted in the smaller home ranges observed during this period (Tuqa et al, 2014). However, resources were not quantified; hence, further research is needed to determine the contributions of habitat quality, resource availability, and how this may account for the seasonal differences in home range sizes of this species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

Space use and the evolution of social monogamy in eastern rock sengis

et al. 2019

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Limiting resources often differ between males and females. Reproductive success in females is constrained by resources such as food and shelter, while the availability of receptive females determines male reproductive success. In addition to limiting resources, low intra‐sexual tolerances among females can affect their spacing. High intolerances coinciding with low population densities have been suggested as a cause for the evolution of monogamy in mammals, but the evidence for female intolerance is limited. We investigated long‐term space use patterns (measured as home range sizes and centers of activity) in a wild population of eastern rock sengis (Elephantulus myurus) from Limpopo, South Africa. Between March 2012 and March 2016, we recorded capture locations for 93 sengis and home range size for 22 sengis and evaluated the contributions of study year, sex, and season on these measures. Sex had no significant effect on home range size, but ranges were significantly greater during the breeding compared to the non‐breeding season, consistent with the increased energetic demands during reproduction. We found corroborative support for the role of energetic demands on home range size fluctuations. The activity centers of female–female dyads were further apart than those of male–male or mixed‐sex dyads, suggesting lower female–female tolerances in the study species. Our results offer evidence that intolerances may affect female spacing behavior and may have contributed to the evolution of monogamy in sengis.

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“…The area is classified as arid to semi‐arid savannah with an average annual rainfall of 340 mm. Rainfall is bimodal with most rains being received from March to April and from November to December (Tuqa et al ., ). The area also experiences a dry period (June to September) and two transition periods (January–February and October–November) (Altmann et al ., ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Understanding the effect of landscape fragmentation and vegetation productivity on elephant habitat utilization in Amboseli ecosystem, Kenya

et al. 2016

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Understanding factors affecting the distribution of the African elephant is important for its conservation in increasingly human‐dominated savannah landscapes. However, understanding how landscape fragmentation and vegetation productivity affect elephant habitat utilization remains poorly understood. In this study, we tested whether landscape fragmentation and vegetation productivity explain elephant habitat utilization in the Amboseli ecosystem in Kenya. We used GPS (Global Positioning System) telemetry data from five elephants to quantify elephant habitat utilization. Habitat utilization was determined by calculating the time elephants spent within a unit area. We then used generalized additive models (GAMs) to model the relationship between time density and landscape fragmentation, as well as vegetation productivity. Results show that landscape fragmentation and vegetation productivity significantly (P < 0.05) explain elephant habitat utilization. A significant (P < 0.05) unimodal relationship between vegetation productivity and habitat utilization was observed. Results suggest that elephants spend much of their time in less fragmented landscapes of intermediate productivity.

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Impact of severe climate variability on lion home range and movement patterns in the Amboseli ecosystem, Kenya

Cited by 40 publications

References 32 publications

Climatically driven changes in primary production propagate through trophic levels

Climatically driven changes in primary production propagate through trophic levels

Space use and the evolution of social monogamy in eastern rock sengis

Understanding the effect of landscape fragmentation and vegetation productivity on elephant habitat utilization in Amboseli ecosystem, Kenya

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