Predation risk effects on intense and routine vigilance of Burchell's zebra and blue wildebeest

Yiu, Sze-Wing; Keith, Mark; Karczmarski, Leszek; Parrini, Francesca

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.01.008

Cited by 3 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 78 publications

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“…Similarly, Yiu et al. ( 2021 ) observed more intense vigilance and less multitasking in wildebeests ( Connochaetes taurinus ) and zebras ( Equus quagga ) with higher predation risk, while Sirot et al. ( 2021 ) theoretically showed a decrease in multitasking when resources are scarce in high‐risk areas.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…One such behavior, vigilance, can reduce foraging time and intake rates (Fortin, Boyce, Merrill, & Fryxell, 2004 ; Illius & Fitzgibbon, 1994 ; Wolff & Horn, 2003 ). To mitigate the cost of increased vigilance, ungulates can synchronize their chewing with vigilance (i.e., multitasking; Fortin, Boyce, & Merrill, 2004 ; Fortin, Boyce, Merrill, & Fryxell, 2004 ; Illius & Fitzgibbon, 1994 ; Robinson & Merrill, 2013 ; Yiu et al., 2021 ). Vigilance while not chewing (intense vigilance) is considered a “stronger” form of vigilance due to it interrupting either foraging (Fortin, Boyce, & Merrill, 2004 ; Illius & Fitzgibbon, 1994 ) or digestion, as well as the reduction in noise and head movement allowing for better predator detection (Blanchard & Fritz, 2007 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Vigilance while not chewing (intense vigilance) is considered a “stronger” form of vigilance due to it interrupting either foraging (Fortin, Boyce, & Merrill, 2004 ; Illius & Fitzgibbon, 1994 ) or digestion, as well as the reduction in noise and head movement allowing for better predator detection (Blanchard & Fritz, 2007 ). Thus, prey should adjust the use of intense and multitasking vigilance depending on various external factors such as predation risk and resource quantity/quality (Yiu et al., 2021 ). Additionally, ungulates can move to lower risk areas (i.e., spatial avoidance) and/or use high‐risk areas at low‐risk times (i.e., temporal avoidance; Kohl et al., 2018 ; Mao et al., 2005 ; Roberts et al., 2017 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Behavioral trade‐offs and multitasking by elk in relation to predation risk from Mexican gray wolves

Farley,

Thompson,

Boyle

et al. 2024

Ecology and Evolution

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Predator non‐consumptive effects (NCE) can alter prey foraging time and habitat use, potentially reducing fitness. Prey can mitigate NCEs by increasing vigilance, chewing‐vigilance synchronization, and spatiotemporal avoidance of predators. We quantified the relationship between Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) predation risk and elk (Cervus canadensis) behavior. We conducted behavioral observations on adult female elk and developed predation risk indices using GPS collar data from Mexican wolves, locations of elk killed by wolves, and landscape covariates. We compared a priori models to determine the best predictors of adult female behavior and multitasking. Metrics that quantified both spatial and temporal predation risk were the most predictive. Vigilance was positively associated with increased predation risk. The effect of predation risk on foraging and resting differed across diurnal periods. During midday when wolf activity was lower, the probability of foraging increased while resting decreased in high‐risk areas. During crepuscular periods when elk and wolves were most active, increased predation risk was associated with increased vigilance and slight decreases in foraging. Our results suggest elk are temporally avoiding predation risk from Mexican wolves by trading resting for foraging, a trade‐off often not evaluated in behavioral studies. Probability of multitasking depended on canopy openness and an interaction between maternal period and predation risk; multitasking decreased prior to parturition and increased post parturition in high‐risk areas. Openness was inversely related to multitasking. These results suggest adult female elk are altering the type of vigilance used depending on resource availability/quality, current energetic needs, and predation risk. Our results highlight potentially important, but often‐excluded behaviors and trade‐offs prey species may use to reduce the indirect effects of predation and contribute additional context to our understanding of predator–prey dynamics.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Behavioral trade‐offs and multitasking by elk in relation to predation risk from Mexican gray wolves

Farley,

Thompson,

Boyle

et al. 2024

Ecology and Evolution

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“…Prey animals often detect the presence of a predator directly by sight or sound, or through cues such as faecal and urinary odours (Eccard et al, 2017; Ekner & Tryjanowski, 2008; Mpemba, 2019; Verdolin, 2006; Yiu et al, 2021). The influence of olfactory cues on the behaviour of many mammalian species is well‐known but has long been overlooked for other animals like birds.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat but not group size or recent predator activity affect corvid collective vigilance at carcasses

et al. 2023

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Vigilance is an important anti-predator behaviour that can be an indicator of the predation risk faced by potential prey animals. Here, we assess the collective vigilance, or the vigilance level of an entire group, of corvids (Family: Corvidae) at experimentally placed carcasses in a desert environment in Australia. Specifically, we explore the relationship between collective vigilance levels and the habitat in which the carcass was placed, the time since a potential predator (dingo Canis dingo, wedge-tailed eagle Aquila audax or red fox Vulpes vulpes) was present at a carcass, and the group size of corvids around the carcass. We found that corvids are more vigilant in open habitat, but that group size and the recent presence of a potential predator does not affect the collective vigilance behaviour of corvids. The results demonstrate the important link between habitat and vigilance, and that animals may adopt anti-predator behaviours irrespective of the size of the group in which they occur or the recent presence of a potential predator.

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“…In particular, this paradigm recognizes non-consumption (of the prey by the predator) as an important factor acting as a regulatory mechanism between prey density and predator interactions (Götmark & Post, 1996 ; Götmark & Andersson, 2005 ), thus contributing to shape diversity in the communities (Lodberg-Holm et al, 2019 ; Teckentrup et al, 2018 ). Two processes are active in the predator–prey non-consumptive interactions: prey avoid predators, based on their perception of temporal variations in risk (the risky times hypothesis) or based on their evaluation of spatial variation in risk (the risky places hypothesis) (Andrews et al, 2009 ; Creel et al, 2008 ; Yiu et al, 2021 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Landscape of Fear as a Safety Eco-Field: Experimental Evidence

Farina

James

2023

Biosemiotics

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In a development of the ecosemiotic vivo-scape concept, a ‘safety eco-field’ is proposed as a model of a species response to the safety of its environment. The safety eco-field is based on the ecosemiotic approach which considers environmental safety as a resource sought and chosen by individuals to counter predatory pressure. To test the relative safety of different locations within a landscape, 66 bird feeders (BF) were deployed in a regular 15 × 15 m grid in a rural area, surrounded by shrubs, small trees, hedgerows, and buildings. On each of 48 days in November 2021 and February and March 2022, dried mealworms were placed on each BF and counts of larvae at each BF were made at noon and dusk. The European robin ( Erithacus rubecula ) and the great tit ( Parus major ) were the most regular visitors to the BFs. Land cover at each BF was recorded. Bird behaviour at the BFs was noted from direct video recordings of the birds at nine selected BFs, totalling 32 daily sessions in March. The different behaviours of the European robin and the great tit were observable. The safety eco-field changed according to the month and the time of day. The distance of the BF from the woodland edges seemed to be important only in the morning. In the afternoon, BFs that were more distant from the woodland edges received the highest number of visits. Weather conditions were found to influence the number of mealworms removed, but this requires further investigation. A significant relationship between land cover and the number of mealworm larvae removed from the BFs was observed. Within the grid of BF, three regions were distinguishable which were related to land cover in the safety eco-field process. The experimental framework confirms the adequacy, at least for birds that have cryptic predators, to map the landscape as a proxy of safety resource. From the video recordings it was noted that the European robin visits were distributed throughout the day without apparent temporal preferences, while the great tit visits were concentrated in the central part of the day. This result has the limitation of the short period of observation (March) and should be extended to the entire period of the experiment to eventually capture seasonal variation. The experimental evidence obtained confirms that the ecosemiotic-based models of safety eco-field are an efficient approach to explain bird feeding preferences and behaviours. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12304-023-09522-1.

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Predation risk effects on intense and routine vigilance of Burchell's zebra and blue wildebeest

Cited by 3 publications

References 78 publications

Behavioral trade‐offs and multitasking by elk in relation to predation risk from Mexican gray wolves

Behavioral trade‐offs and multitasking by elk in relation to predation risk from Mexican gray wolves

Habitat but not group size or recent predator activity affect corvid collective vigilance at carcasses

The Landscape of Fear as a Safety Eco-Field: Experimental Evidence

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