Mixed-species grouping in Thomson's and Grant's gazelles: the antipredator benefits

Fitzgibbon, Clare D.

doi:10.1016/s0003-3472(05)80784-5

Cited by 189 publications

(114 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…First, quantifying individual animal spacing and relating this to risk (but see Quinn & Cresswell 2006) and second, disentangling selfish herd effects from other mechanisms that may affect predator targeting choice, i.e. vigilance (Fitzgibbon 1990;Krause 1993;Viscido & Wethey 2002;Quinn & Cresswell 2006), the confusion effect (Caro 2005) and phenotypical variation within groups (Romey & Wallace 2007).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Milinski 1977;Uetz 1993), this evidence is not unequivocal. The classification of centre versus edge individuals is open to bias (Stankowich 2003;Viscido 2003), there is ambiguity in the literature as to where animals are more at risk (Krause 1993;Krause & Ruxton 2002;Caro 2005) and results at group centres and edges may be strongly confounded by other benefits and costs of grouping (Fitzgibbon 1990;Krause 1993;Caro 2005). The prediction that an individual's spacing affords it differential predation risk has been largely neglected.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sharks shape the geometry of a selfish seal herd: experimental evidence from seal decoys

Vos

O’Riain

2009

Biol. Lett.

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Many animals respond to predation risk by forming groups. Evolutionary explanations for group formation in previously ungrouped, but loosely associated prey have typically evoked the selfish herd hypothesis. However, despite over 600 studies across a diverse array of taxa, the critical assumptions of this hypothesis have remained collectively untested, owing to several confounding problems in real predator-prey systems. To solve this, we manipulated the domains of danger of Cape fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) decoys to provide evidence that a selfish reduction in a seals' domain of danger results in a proportional reduction in its predation risk from ambush shark attacks. This behaviour confers a survival advantage to individual seals within a group and explains the evolution of selfish herds in a prey species. These findings empirically elevate Hamilton's selfish herd hypothesis to more than a 'theoretical curiosity'.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sharks shape the geometry of a selfish seal herd: experimental evidence from seal decoys

Vos

O’Riain

2009

Biol. Lett.

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“…Prey organisms may benefit from living in close proximity to conspecifics or related species, as neighbors can provide for shared vigilance against consumers or early warnings of danger (Hamilton, 1971;Powell, 1974;Sullivan, 1984;Fitzgibbon, 1990;Aukema and Raffa, 2004). The benefit provided by neighbors is particularly strong in organisms that respond to the odors of injured conspecifics or heterospecifics, as consumption of neighbors reveals a predatory threat (e.g., Mathis and Smith, 1993).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hard Clams (Mercenaria mercenaria) Evaluate Predation Risk Using Chemical Signals from Predators and Injured Conspecifics

2006

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Abstract-Hard clams, Mercenaria mercenaria, are sessile, filter-feeding organisms that are heavily preyed upon by blue crabs, which find their clam prey using chemical cues. Clams may evade blue crabs by reducing their pumping (feeding) behavior when a threat is perceived. The purpose of this study was to determine the type of signals that clams use to detect consumers. Clams decreased their pumping time in response to blue crabs and blue crab effluent, but not to crab shells, indicating that chemical signals and not mechanical cues mediated the response of clams to distant predators. Because predator diet can influence prey evaluation of predatory threats, we compared clam responses to blue crabs fed a steady diet of fish, clams, or that were starved prior to the experiment. In addition, we used injured clams as a stimulus because many organisms detect predators by sensing the odor of injured con-or heterospecifics. Clams reduced feeding in response to injured conspecifics and to blue crabs that had recently fed. Clams reacted similarly to fed crabs, regardless of their diet, but did not respond to starved blue crabs. Because blue crabs are generalist predators and the threat posed by these consumers is unrelated to the crab's diet, we should expect clam reactions to blue crabs to be independent of the crab's diet. The failure of clams to react to starved blue crabs likely increases their vulnerability to these consumers, but clam responses to injured conspecifics may constitute a strategy that allows animals to detect an imminent threat when signals emanating from blue crabs are not detectable.

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“…Large herd sizes are considered an advantage for anti predator behaviour because in addition to a risk dilution effect, the probability of an early warning when a predator is in the area is higher (Lima, 1995;Roberts, 1996). It is possible that the same facilitation mechanism occurs at the interspecific level (Morse, 1977;Fitzgibbon, 1990) and that herbivores tend to go to waterholes when other herbivores are already there. The presence of young can also influence the behaviour of a group because young are very vulnerable to predators (Berger, 1991;Burger & Gochfield, 1994).…”

Section: Perceived Predation Riskmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of water abundance, thermoregulation, perceived predation risk and interference competition in water access by African herbivores

Valeix

Fritz

Matsika

et al. 2008

African Journal of Ecology

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In African savannas, surface water can become limiting and an understanding of how animals address the trade-offs between different constraints to access this resource is needed. Here, we describe water access by ten African herbivore species in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, and we explore four possible determinants of the observed behaviours: water abundance, thermoregulation, perceived predation risk and interference competition. On average, herbivores were observed to drink in 80% of visits to a waterhole. The probability of drinking was higher in 2003 (474 mm) than in 2004 (770 mm), and at the end of the dry season than at its beginning. For larger species, this probability may also be related to risks of interference competition with elephants or other herbivores. For smaller species, this probability may also be related to the perceived risk of predation. We also investigate the time spent accessing water to drink. The influence of herd size and the presence of young on the time spent accessing water for most species suggests that perceived predation risk plays a role. Thermoregulation also affects this time: during the hottest periods, herbivores spend less time in open areas, unless when wind is strong, probably owing to evapotranspired heat loss.

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Mixed-species grouping in Thomson's and Grant's gazelles: the antipredator benefits

Cited by 189 publications

References 45 publications

Sharks shape the geometry of a selfish seal herd: experimental evidence from seal decoys

Sharks shape the geometry of a selfish seal herd: experimental evidence from seal decoys

Hard Clams (Mercenaria mercenaria) Evaluate Predation Risk Using Chemical Signals from Predators and Injured Conspecifics

The role of water abundance, thermoregulation, perceived predation risk and interference competition in water access by African herbivores

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