ORCID Profile
0000-0002-9243-0547
Current Organisations
University of Tasmania
,
University of Canterbury
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Ecology | Conservation and Biodiversity | Behavioural Ecology | Population Ecology | Terrestrial Ecology | Life Histories | Wildlife and Habitat Management | Environmental Science and Management | Ecological Physiology
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity of environments not elsewhere classified | Expanding Knowledge in the Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences | Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences | Wind Energy | Native Forests | Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity at Regional or Larger Scales |
Related Links
Publications
Diversity and depletions in continental carnivore guilds: implications for prioritizing global carnivore conservation
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 07-10-2008
Abstract: Large carnivores are important ecosystem components but are extinction prone due to small populations, slow growth rates and large area requirements. Consequently, there has been a surge of carnivore conservation efforts. Such efforts typically target local populations, with limited attention to the effects on the ecosystem function of predator guilds. Also, there is no framework for prioritizing these efforts globally. We compared taxonomic and functional ersity of continental carnivore guilds, compared them with the corresponding guilds during the Late Pleistocene and synthesized our results into suggestions for global prioritizations for carnivore conservation. Recent extinctions have caused taxonomically and functionally depleted carnivore guilds in Europe and North and South America, contrasting with guilds in Africa and Asia, which have retained a larger proportion of their carnivores. However, Asia is at higher risk of suffering further extinctions than other continents. We suggest three priorities of contrasting urgency for global carnivore conservation: (i) to promote recovery of the threatened Asian species, (ii) to prevent species in the depleted guilds in Europe and North and South America from becoming threatened, and (iii) to reconstruct functionally intact sympatric guilds of large carnivores at ecologically effective population sizes.
Erratum: Multi-year fertility reduction in free-roaming feral horses with single-injection immunocontraceptive formulations (Wildlife Research (2010) 37:6 (475-481))
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2011
DOI: 10.1071/WR09175_CO
Abstract: Context. Contraception is increasingly used as a management technique to reduce fertility in wildlife populations however, the feasibility of contraceptive formulations has been limited until recently because they have required multiple treatments to achieve prolonged infertility. Aims. We tested the efficacy and evaluated potential side effects of two contraceptive formulations, a porcine zona pellucida (PZP) formulation, SpayVac� and a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) formulation GonaCon-B?, in a population of free-roaming feral horses (Equus caballus). Both formulations were developed to provide several years of infertility with one injection. Methods. Females were treated in June 2005 with either GonaCon-B (n�=�24), SpayVac (n�=�20), adjuvant only (n�=�22), or received no injection (n�=�18). Females were monitored for fertility status year round for 3 years after treatment. Key results. Both contraceptive treatments significantly reduced fertility for 3 years. Fertility rates for GonaCon-B mares were 39%, 42% and 31%, respectively, and 37%, 50% and 44% for SpayVac mares. During the same seasons, 61%, 67% and 76% of control females were fertile. We found no significant effects from contraceptive treatment on the sex ratio of foals, birthing season or foal survival. Conclusions. These results demonstrated that both vaccines are capable of significantly reducing fertility for several years without boosters. Implications. Contraceptive vaccines examined in the present study represent a useful tool for the management of feral horses, because of their being efficacious for 3 years in the absence of booster immunisations.
Facultative adjustment of mammalian sex ratios in support of the Trivers-Willard hypothesis: evidence for a mechanism
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 22-08-2004
Evolutionary biology, community ecology and avian influenza research
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2009
DOI: 10.1016/J.MEEGID.2008.12.001
Abstract: The epidemiology of H5N1 HPAI is still unclear despite the efforts of the research community. Studies bringing new insights add more variability in the host-pathogen system and uncertainty in the prediction of local risks. Global analyses of the pathways of wild birds in parallel with virus outbreaks have brought limited conclusions once the raw information was extracted from relevant maps. In this article, we propose an integration of epidemiology, evolutionary biology and community ecology on a local level in a research framework. This multidisciplinary approach aims at understanding the pathogen transmission processes at the interface between different bird groups whether wild or domesticated. We believe that this ecological data brought together with the epidemiological and molecular data is a key element to explore the mechanism of the AIV ecology in their hosts.
Social learning in a nocturnal marsupial: is it a possum-ability?
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 2023
Abstract: Social learning can reduce the costs associated with trial-and-error learning. There is speculation that social learning could contribute to trap and bait avoidance in invasive species like the common brushtail possum ( Trichosurus vulpecula )—a marsupial for which social learning has not previously been investigated. In large outdoor pens, we presented wild-caught ‘demonstrator’ possums with puzzle devices containing an attractive food reward 2 of 8 demonstrators accessed the reward the first night the puzzle was presented and another three succeeded on later nights. Meanwhile, ‘observer’ possums in adjacent pens watched the demonstrators for five nights and then were given the opportunity to solve the puzzle themselves 15 of 15 succeeded on their first night (a highly significant improvement). This experiment thus provides strong evidence of social learning by common brushtail possums. Future research should investigate whether information about aversive stimuli (such as traps and toxic baits) can similarly be transmitted between possums by social learning if so, this could have important implications for possum pest control.
Social grouping and maternal behaviour in feral horses (Equus caballus): the influence of males on maternal protectiveness
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 2003
Productivity in conservation research in the southern hemisphere
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-2008
Maternal investment results in better foal condition through increased play behaviour in horses
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2008
Estimating carnivoran diets using a combination of carcass observations and scats from GPS clusters
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-2011
Interactive effects of species richness and species traits on functional diversity and redundancy
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 23-11-2010
Temporal patterns of den use suggest polygamous mating patterns in an obligate monogamous mammal
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2012
Is publication rate an equal opportunity metric?
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2013
DOI: 10.1016/J.TREE.2012.10.014
Abstract: Publication quantity is frequently used as a ranking metric for employment, promotion, and grant success, and is considered an unbiased metric for comparing applicants. However, research suggests that women publish fewer papers, such that the measure may not be equitable. We suggest reasons for the disparity, and potential future remedies. Publication quality and impact provide more equitable metrics of research performance and should be stressed above publication quantity.
Winning by a neck: tall giraffes avoid competing with shorter browsers
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Date: 2007
DOI: 10.1086/509940
Abstract: With their vertically elongated body form, giraffes generally feed above the level of other browsers within the savanna browsing guild, despite having access to foliage at lower levels. They ingest more leaf mass per bite when foraging high in the tree, perhaps because smaller, more selective browsers deplete shoots at lower levels or because trees differentially allocate resources to promote shoot growth in the upper canopy. We erected exclosures around in idual Acacia nigrescens trees in the greater Kruger ecosystem, South Africa. After a complete growing season, we found no differences in leaf biomass per shoot across height zones in excluded trees but significant differences in control trees. We conclude that giraffes preferentially browse at high levels in the canopy to avoid competition with smaller browsers. Our findings are analogous with those from studies of grazing guilds and demonstrate that resource partitioning can be driven by competition when smaller foragers displace larger foragers from shared resources. This provides the first experimental support for the classic evolutionary hypothesis that vertical elongation of the giraffe body is an outcome of competition within the browsing ungulate guild.
Effects of lions on behaviour and endocrine stress in plains zebras
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-07-2017
DOI: 10.1111/ETH.12638
Anthropogenic influences on spotted hyaena diet in the Kruger National Park, South Africa
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 24-02-2018
Social networks of spotted hyaenas in areas of contrasting human activity and infrastructure
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2018
Pattern of faecal 20-oxopregnane and oestrogen concentrations during pregnancy in wild plains zebra mares
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2011
DOI: 10.1016/J.YGCEN.2011.03.027
Abstract: Regulative endocrine mechanisms influence the reproductive behaviour and success of mammals, but they have been studied predominantly in domestic and captive animals. The study aims at describing the pattern of faecal 20-oxopregnane and oestrogen concentrations during pregnancy in wild plains zebra Equus quagga chapmani. Data were collected during wet and dry seasons 2007-2009. Enzyme Immunoassays were used to determine 20-oxopregnane and oestrogen concentrations in faecal s les (n=74) collected from in idual mares (n=32) whose dates of foaling were known through long-term monitoring. Hormonal profiles were described with a General Additive Model (GAM: Hormone ∼ Days to Foaling). Faecal 20-oxopregnanes have a complex cycle during pregnancy (GAM, n=70, R(2)=0.616, p<0.001). From -250 days to foaling, faecal 20-oxopregnane concentrations were above the baseline levels found in non-pregnant mares, peaking in the last 50 days. Faecal oestrogen levels showed a clear peak in mid-pregnancy (GAM, n=62, R(2)=0.539, p 200 ng/g DW) of faecal 20-oxopregnanes associated with high (>160 ng/g DW) faecal oestrogen levels indicate mid-pregnancy in c.90% of cases (16/17). High faecal 20-oxopregnanes (>200 ng/g DW) and low faecal oestrogen levels (<160 ng/g DW) indicate late pregnancy, again in c.90% of cases. Two faecal s les would allow the stage of pregnancy to be determined with confidence.
Gestational experience alters sex allocation in the subsequent generation
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 07-2016
DOI: 10.1098/RSOS.160210
Abstract: Empirical tests of adaptive maternal sex allocation hypotheses have presented inconsistent results in mammals. The possibility that mothers are constrained in their ability to adjust sex ratios could explain some of the remaining variation. Maternal effects, the influence of the maternal phenotype or genotype on her developing offspring, may constrain sex allocation through physiological changes in response to the gestational environment. We tested if maternal effects constrain future parental sex allocation through a lowered gestational stress environment in laboratory mice. Females that experienced lowered stress as embryos in utero gave birth to female-biased litters as adults, with no change to litter size. Changes in offspring sex ratio was linked to peri-conceptual glucose, as those females that had increasing blood glucose peri-conceptionally gave birth to litters with a higher male to female sex ratio. There was, however, no effect of the lowered prenatal stress for developing male embryos and their sperm sex ratio when adult. We discuss the implications of maternal effects and maternal stress environment on the lifelong physiology of the offspring, particularly as a constraint on later maternal sex allocation.
Spotted hyaena space use in relation to human infrastructure inside a protected area
Publisher: PeerJ
Date: 19-10-2016
DOI: 10.7717/PEERJ.2596
Abstract: Increasing human population growth has led to elevated levels of human-carnivore conflict. However, some carnivore populations have adapted to urban environments and the resources they supply. Such associations may influence carnivore ecology, behaviour and life-history. Pockets of urbanisation sometimes occur within protected areas, so that anthropogenic influences on carnivore biology are not necessarily confined to unprotected areas. In this study we evaluated associations between human infrastructure and related activity and space use of spotted hyaenas within one of the largest protected areas in South Africa, the Kruger National Park. Home range size was smaller for the dominant female of a clan living in close proximity to humans than that of the dominant female of a clan without direct access to human infrastructure. The home range including human infrastructure was also used less evenly during the night, presumably when the animals were active. Within this home range, a village area was preferred during the night, when the least modified areas within the village were preferred and administration and highly modified areas were avoided. During the day, however, there were no preference or avoidance of the village area, but all habitats except unmodified habitats within the village area were avoided. We suggest that human infrastructure and associated activity influenced hyaena space use, primarily through alterations in the spatial distribution of food. However, these effects may have been indirectly caused by habitat modification that generated favourable hunting habitat rather than a direct effect caused by access to human food such as garbage. Because of the often pivotal effects of apex predators in terrestrial ecosystems, we encourage further work aimed to quantify how human presence influences large carnivores and associated ecosystem processes within protected areas.
Sex bias in studies of sex bias: the value of daughters to mothers in poor condition
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-0011
Partnerships in the social system of a small macropod marsupial, the quokka (Setonix brachyurus)
Publisher: Brill
Date: 2009
Reported Behavioural Differences between Geldings and Mares Challenge Sex-Driven Stereotypes in Ridden Equine Behaviour
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 02-03-2020
DOI: 10.3390/ANI10030414
Abstract: Horse trainers and riders may have preconceived ideas of horse temperament based solely on the sex of the horse. A study (n = 1233) of horse enthusiasts (75% of whom had more than 8 years of riding experience) revealed that riders prefer geldings over mares and stallions. While these data may reflect different sex preferences in horses used for sport, they may also reduce the chances of some horses reaching their performance potential. Further, an unfounded sex prejudice is likely to contribute to unconscious bias when perceiving unwanted behaviours, simplistically attributing them to demographic characteristics rather than more complex legacies of training and prior learning. The current study analysed reported sex-related behavioural differences in ridden and non-ridden horses using data from responses to the pilot study of the Equine Behaviour Assessment and Research Questionnaire (E-BARQ) survey. Respondents (n = 1233) reported on the behaviour of their horse using a 151-item questionnaire. Data were searched for responses relating to mares and geldings, and 110 traits with the greatest percentage difference scores between mares and geldings were selected were tested for univariate significance at p 0.2. Multivariable modelling of the effect of sex (mare or gelding) on remaining traits was assessed by ordinal logistic regression, using a cumulative proportional log odds model. Results revealed mares were significantly more likely to move away when being caught compared to geldings (p = 0.003). Geldings were significantly more likely to chew on lead ropes when tied (p = 0.003) and to chew on rugs (p = 0.024). However, despite sex-related differences in these non-ridden behaviours, there was no evidence of any significant sex-related differences in the behaviours of the horses when ridden. This finding suggests that ridden horse behaviour is not sexually dimorphic or that particular horse sports variously favour one sex over another.
High Frequency of Lead Exposure in the Population of an Endangered Australian Top Predator, the Tasmanian Wedge‐Tailed Eagle (Aquila audax fleayi)
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-12-2020
DOI: 10.1002/ETC.4914
Effects of helpers on juvenile development and survival in meerkats
Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Date: 28-09-2001
Abstract: Although breeding success is known to increase with group size in several cooperative mammals, the mechanisms underlying these relationships are uncertain. We show that in wild groups of cooperative meerkats, Suricata suricatta , reductions in the ratio of helpers to pups depress the daily weight gain and growth of pups and the daily weight gain of helpers. Increases in the daily weight gain of pups are associated with heavier weights at independence and at 1 year of age, as well as with improved foraging success as juveniles and higher survival rates through the first year of life. These results suggest that the effects of helpers on the fitness of pups extend beyond weaning and that helpers may gain direct as well as indirect benefits by feeding pups.
Suckling behaviour does not measure milk intake in horses, Equus caballus
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-1999
Dissimilar home range estimates for black rhinoceros Diceros bicornis cannot be used to infer habitat change
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 11-12-2009
Maternal protectiveness in feral horses: responses to intraspecific and interspecific sources of risk
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2020
Cryptic male choice: Experimental evidence of sperm sex ratio and seminal fluid adjustment in relation to coital rate
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1071/RD16123
Abstract: The differential allocation hypothesis suggests that a mother should adjust the sex of offspring in relation to her mate’s attractiveness, thereby increasing future reproductive fitness when her sons inherit the attractive traits. More attractive males have been shown to sire more sons, but it is possible that the sex ratio skew could be a result of paternal rather than maternal manipulation, which would be a more parsimonious explanation. We manipulated coital rate (an indicator of attractiveness) in laboratory mice and showed that males that mate more often have higher levels of glucose in their semen despite lower blood glucose levels. Since peri-conceptual glucose levels in utero increase male conceptus survival, this could result in male-biased sex ratios. The males that mated most also had more remaining X-chromosome-bearing-spermatozoa, suggesting depletion of Y-chromosome-bearing-spermatozoa during mating. We hypothesise that males may alter both seminal fluids and X : Y ratios in an ejaculate to influence subsequent sex ratios. Our results further support a paternal role in sex allocation.
Feral horse demography and population growth in the Kaimanawa Ranges, New Zealand
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2004
DOI: 10.1071/WR02067
Abstract: Although feral horses are a common management problem in numerous countries, detailed and long-term demographic studies are rare. We measured the age and sex structure, and pregnancy, birth and death rates in a population of 413 feral horses in New Zealand during 1994–98 and used them to construct a model simulating population growth. Survivorship increased with age (0–1 years old = 86.8%, 1–2 = 92.3%, 2–4 = 92.4%, ≥�4 years old = females 94%, males 97% per annum). Birth sex ratio parity, a slight female bias in the adult sex ratio (92 males per 100 females) and higher adult male survivorship indicated lower average survivorship for young males than females that was not detectable in mortality statistics. Pregnancy and foaling rates for mares ≥�2 years old averaged 79 and 49%, respectively. Foaling rates increased as mares matured (2–3-year-old mares = 1.9%, 3–4 = 20.0%, 4–5 = 42.1%, ≥�5 = 61.5% per annum). Young mares had higher rates of foetal and neonatal mortality (95% of pregnancies failed and/or were lost as neonatal foals in 2–3-year-old mares, 70.6% in 3–4, 43.2% in 4–5, and 31% in mares ≥�5 years old). Population growth was 9.6% per annum (9.5–9.8, 95% CI) without human-induced mortalities (i.e. r = 0.092). Our model, standardised aerial counts, and historical estimates of annual reproduction suggest that the historical sequence of counts since 1979 has overestimated growth by ~50% probably because of improvements in count effort and technique.
Forgotten fathers: Paternal influences on mammalian sex allocation
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2014
Morphometric Sex Identification of Nestling and Free-Flying Tasmanian Wedge-Tailed Eagles (Aquila audax fleayi)
Publisher: The Raptor Research Foundation, Inc.
Date: 09-11-2021
DOI: 10.3356/JRR-20-115
Feral horse demography and population growth in the Kaimanawa Ranges, New Zealand
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2004
DOI: 10.1071/WR02067
Abstract: Although feral horses are a common management problem in numerous countries, detailed and long-term demographic studies are rare. We measured the age and sex structure, and pregnancy, birth and death rates in a population of 413 feral horses in New Zealand during 1994–98 and used them to construct a model simulating population growth. Survivorship increased with age (0–1 years old = 86.8%, 1–2 = 92.3%, 2–4 = 92.4%, ≥�4 years old = females 94%, males 97% per annum). Birth sex ratio parity, a slight female bias in the adult sex ratio (92 males per 100 females) and higher adult male survivorship indicated lower average survivorship for young males than females that was not detectable in mortality statistics. Pregnancy and foaling rates for mares ≥�2 years old averaged 79 and 49%, respectively. Foaling rates increased as mares matured (2–3-year-old mares = 1.9%, 3–4 = 20.0%, 4–5 = 42.1%, ≥�5 = 61.5% per annum). Young mares had higher rates of foetal and neonatal mortality (95% of pregnancies failed and/or were lost as neonatal foals in 2–3-year-old mares, 70.6% in 3–4, 43.2% in 4–5, and 31% in mares ≥�5 years old). Population growth was 9.6% per annum (9.5–9.8, 95% CI) without human-induced mortalities (i.e. r = 0.092). Our model, standardised aerial counts, and historical estimates of annual reproduction suggest that the historical sequence of counts since 1979 has overestimated growth by ~50% probably because of improvements in count effort and technique.
Sex at sea: alternative mating system in an extremely polygynous mammal
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2011
Maternal investment results in better foal condition through increased play behaviour in horses
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2008
Effects of chemical immobilization on survival of African Buffalo in the Kruger National Park
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 2009
DOI: 10.2193/2008-071
The potential for large carnivores to act as biodiversity surrogates in southern Africa
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 23-05-2008
Escape behaviour of feral horses during a helicopter count
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2002
DOI: 10.1071/WR01063
Abstract: Animal escape behaviour in response to aircraft could influence the accuracy and precision of aerial estimates of population size but is rarely investigated. Using independent observers on the ground and in the air, we recorded the behaviour of 17 groups, including 136 in idually marked horses (Equus caballus), during a helicopter count in New Zealand's Kaimanawa Mountains and compared the helicopter count with a ground-based mark-resight estimate in the same area (20.5 km2). The helicopter induced running and changes in group size and composition in all horse groups that travelled from 0.1 up to 2.75 km before leaving the ground-observer's view. One-tenth of marked horses were not counted and a quarter counted twice. The possible double-counting of a further 23 (17%) could not be confirmed because only two of the three observers' records concurred. Thus, the helicopter count over-estimated the marked sub-population by at least 15% and possibly by up to 32%. The helicopter count (228 horses) was 16.9% larger than the mark-resight estimate (195, 95% CI = 157-234). We identify the characteristics of the helicopter count that stimulated horse escape behaviour and discuss how it should be considered in the design of aerial population-estimate methods.
Extension of the Diet of an Extreme Foraging Specialist, the Aardwolf (Proteles cristata)
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 04-2011
DOI: 10.3377/004.046.0113
Rate of intersexual interactions affects injury likelihood in Tasmanian devil contact networks
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 25-04-2019
Abstract: Identifying the types of contacts that result in disease transmission is important for accurately modeling and predicting transmission dynamics and disease spread in wild populations. We investigated contacts within a population of adult Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) over a 6-month period and tested whether in idual-level contact patterns were correlated with accumulation of bite wounds. Bite wounds are important in the spread of devil facial tumor disease, a clonal cancer cell line transmitted through direct inoculation of tumor cells when susceptible and infected in iduals bite each other. We used multimodel inference and network autocorrelation models to investigate the effects of in idual-level contact patterns, identities of interacting partners, and position within the social network on the propensity to be involved in bite-inducing contacts. We found that males were more likely to receive potentially disease-transmitting bite wounds than females, particularly during the mating season when males spend extended periods mate-guarding females. The number of bite wounds in iduals received during the mating season was unrelated to any of the network metrics examined. Our approach illustrates the necessity for understanding which contact types spread disease in different systems to assist the management of this and other infectious wildlife diseases.
Stallion harassment and the mating system of horses
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-1999
Developmental sexual dimorphism and the evolution of mechanisms for adjustment of sex ratios in mammals
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-11-2017
DOI: 10.1111/NYAS.13288
The influence of oestrous swellings on the grooming behaviour of chimpanzees of the Budongo Forest, Uganda
Publisher: Brill
Date: 2008
Social dispersal but with philopatry reveals incest avoidance in a polygynous ungulate
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2009
Social bonds between unrelated females increase reproductive success in feral horses
Publisher: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Date: 18-08-2009
Abstract: In many mammals, females form close social bonds with members of their group, usually between kin. Studies of social bonds and their fitness benefits have not been investigated outside primates, and are confounded by the relatedness between in iduals in primate groups. Bonds may arise from kin selection and inclusive fitness rather than through direct benefits of association. However, female equids live in long-term social groups with unrelated members. We present 4 years of behavioral data, which demonstrate that social integration between unrelated females increases both foal birth rates and survival, independent of maternal habitat quality, social group type, dominance status, and age. Also, we show that such social integration reduces harassment by males. Consequently, social integration has strong direct fitness consequences between nonrelatives, suggesting that social bonds can evolve based on these direct benefits alone. Our results support recent studies highlighting the importance of direct benefits in maintaining cooperative behavior, while controlling for the confounding influence of kinship.
Sex ratio variation in a eusocial mammal, the D amaraland mole‐rat, F ukomys damarensis
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 30-07-2014
DOI: 10.1111/JZO.12163
Individual identification and photographic techniques in mammalian ecological and behavioural research—Part 1: Methods and concepts
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 06-2022
Factors affecting pup growth and survival in co‐operatively breeding meerkats Suricata suricatta
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2002
Diversity and depletions in continental carnivore guilds: implications for prioritizing global carnivore conservation
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 07-10-2008
Abstract: Large carnivores are important ecosystem components but are extinction prone due to small populations, slow growth rates and large area requirements. Consequently, there has been a surge of carnivore conservation efforts. Such efforts typically target local populations, with limited attention to the effects on the ecosystem function of predator guilds. Also, there is no framework for prioritizing these efforts globally. We compared taxonomic and functional ersity of continental carnivore guilds, compared them with the corresponding guilds during the Late Pleistocene and synthesized our results into suggestions for global prioritizations for carnivore conservation. Recent extinctions have caused taxonomically and functionally depleted carnivore guilds in Europe and North and South America, contrasting with guilds in Africa and Asia, which have retained a larger proportion of their carnivores. However, Asia is at higher risk of suffering further extinctions than other continents. We suggest three priorities of contrasting urgency for global carnivore conservation: (i) to promote recovery of the threatened Asian species, (ii) to prevent species in the depleted guilds in Europe and North and South America from becoming threatened, and (iii) to reconstruct functionally intact sympatric guilds of large carnivores at ecologically effective population sizes.
Spotted hyaena visitation at anthropogenic sites in the Kruger National Park, South Africa
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 31-10-2018
The robustness of faecal steroid determination for pregnancy testing kaimanawa feral mares under field conditions
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 08-2000
DOI: 10.1080/00480169.2000.36172
Abstract: To investigate the utility of faecal oestrone sulphate (OS) concentrations for detecting pregnancy in mares during behavioural studies of feral horses, in which the collection and preservation of s les is not immediate. Oestrone sulphate concentrations were measured in fresh dung s les collected from 153 free-roaming Kaimanawa mares throughout the year. In addition, multiple s les were taken from the same pile to investigate the reliability of diagnosis from a single s le, as well as the influence of time until preservation on OS concentrations. S les were also taken before and after a 10mm simulated rainfall event to test for dilution of OS concentrations by rain. Oestrone sulphate concentrations in all s les were measured using an enzyme immunoassay. From approximately 150 to 250 days of gestation, OS concentrations were consistently >80 ng/g in mares which subsequently foaled. Mares which did not foal and had low faecal OS concentrations in multiple s les throughout the year had faecal OS concentrations of 31+/-13 ng/g (mean+/-s.d.) with an upper 95% confidence limit of 57 ng/g. Mares s led from 1 week before to 1 month after behavioural oestrus, and that did not foal in the previous and subsequent seasons, had OS concentrations of 37+/-32 ng/g (mean+/-s.d.) with an upper 95% confidence limit of 100 ng/g. The standard error of oestrone sulphate concentrations in multiple s les from the same dung pile ranged from 1 to 37% of the mean. This large within-pile variation, however, did not result in incorrect diagnoses from single s les unless mares were within 18 days of parturition. Keeping s les at ambient temperatures for up to 16 hours did not affect OS concentrations. Simulated rainfall caused a 17% mean reduction in OS concentrations, but did not change pregnancy diagnoses. Faecal OS concentrations >100 ng/g were indicative of pregnancy in Kaimanawa mares. For mares more than 150 days post-mating, OS concentrations <57 ng/g were indicative of non-pregnancy, while concentrations between 57 and 100 ng/g provided an inconclusive diagnosis. A single s le from each dung pile collected within 16 hours of defecation was sufficient to accurately diagnose pregnancy in mares 150-250 days post conception. Measurement of OS concentrations in dung s les was a reliable and robust indicator of pregnancy status in feral mares 150-250 days post mating. This corresponds approximately to the period from May to August, given the seasonal breeding pattern in this population. This method of determining pregnancy status is suitable for field use in behavioural and demographic studies of wild horse populations.
Stallion harassment and the mating system of horses
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-1999
Book review : E. Danchin, L.-A. Giraldeau and F. Cezilly, Editors, Behavioural Ecology: An Evolutionary Perspective on Behaviour, Oxford University Press (2008) 874 pp..
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2009
Rapid urbanization of red foxes in estonia: distribution, behaviour, attacks on domestic animals, and health-risks related to zoonotic diseases
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 22-12-2014
Individual mares bias investment in sons and daughters in relation to their condition
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2000
Experimental provisioning increases play in free-ranging meerkats
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2002
High rates of male courtship in a female-ornamented pipefish
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 10-2023
DOI: 10.1098/RSOS.231428
Paternal sex allocation: how variable is the sperm sex ratio?
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 05-01-2016
DOI: 10.1111/JZO.12317
Tests for cooperative behaviour between stallions
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2000
Methods for Locating African Lion Kills Using Global Positioning System Movement Data
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-2010
DOI: 10.2193/2009-010
A nose for death: integrating trophic and informational networks for conservation and management
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 26-10-2016
Maternal effects obscure condition-dependent sex allocation in changing environments
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 04-2019
DOI: 10.1098/RSOS.181885
Abstract: Climate change increases environmental fluctuations which thereby impact population demography. Species with temperature-dependent sex determination may experience more extreme sex ratio skews, but this has not been considered in species with chromosomally determined sex. However, anticipatory maternal effects cause lifelong physiological changes impacting sex ratios. Here we show, in mice, that more sons were born to mothers in good condition when their breeding environment matched their gestational environment, consistent with theoretical predictions, but mothers in mismatched environments have no condition–sex ratio relationship. Thus, the predicted effect of condition on sex ratio was obscured by maternal effects when the environment changed. This may explain extreme sex ratio skews in reintroduced or translocated populations, and sex ratio skews may become more common and less predictable with accelerating environmental change.
Halt self-citation in impact measures
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 2014
DOI: 10.1038/505160B
Social bonds between unrelated females increase reproductive success in feral horses
Publisher: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Date: 18-08-2009
Abstract: In many mammals, females form close social bonds with members of their group, usually between kin. Studies of social bonds and their fitness benefits have not been investigated outside primates, and are confounded by the relatedness between in iduals in primate groups. Bonds may arise from kin selection and inclusive fitness rather than through direct benefits of association. However, female equids live in long-term social groups with unrelated members. We present 4 years of behavioral data, which demonstrate that social integration between unrelated females increases both foal birth rates and survival, independent of maternal habitat quality, social group type, dominance status, and age. Also, we show that such social integration reduces harassment by males. Consequently, social integration has strong direct fitness consequences between nonrelatives, suggesting that social bonds can evolve based on these direct benefits alone. Our results support recent studies highlighting the importance of direct benefits in maintaining cooperative behavior, while controlling for the confounding influence of kinship.
An Assessment of Diet Overlap of Two Mesocarnivores in the North West Province, South Africa
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 10-2009
DOI: 10.3377/004.044.0217
A Field Study of Wild Echidna Responses to Conspecific Odour
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2019
Welfare at Multiple Scales: Importance of Zoo Elephant Population Welfare in a World of Declining Wild Populations
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 14-07-2016
Infectious disease and sickness behaviour: tumour progression affects interaction patterns and social network structure in wild Tasmanian devils
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 09-12-2020
Abstract: Infectious diseases, including transmissible cancers, can have a broad range of impacts on host behaviour, particularly in the latter stages of disease progression. However, the difficulty of early diagnoses makes the study of behavioural influences of disease in wild animals a challenging task. Tasmanian devils ( Sarcophilus harrisii ) are affected by a transmissible cancer, devil facial tumour disease (DFTD), in which tumours are externally visible as they progress. Using telemetry and mark–recapture datasets, we quantify the impacts of cancer progression on the behaviour of wild devils by assessing how interaction patterns within the social network of a population change with increasing tumour load. The progression of DFTD negatively influences devils' likelihood of interaction within their network. Infected devils were more active within their network late in the mating season, a pattern with repercussions for DFTD transmission. Our study provides a rare opportunity to quantify and understand the behavioural feedbacks of disease in wildlife and how they may affect transmission and population dynamics in general.
Large-scale distribution patterns of carnivores in northern South Africa: implications for conservation and monitoring
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 10-2011
DOI: 10.1017/S0030605311000123
Abstract: Accurate assessment of carnivore population status is frequently hindered by insufficient distribution data. For northern South Africa we address this deficit by mapping new records from landscape-scale sign surveys, questionnaire interviews, problem animal records and camera trapping. The black-backed jackal Canis mesomelas and caracal Caracal caracal remain common and widespread. Ranges of the serval Leptailurus serval and brown hyaena Hyaena brunnea were much larger than previous estimates, reducing the risk of simultaneous extirpation across all occupied locations. The proportion of range area occupied was larger for several species, notably the leopard Panthera pardus , cheetah Acinonyx jubatus and serval. We conclude that the serval continues to recover from historical threats and is expanding into new areas. A larger brown hyaena range and less fragmented pattern of occurrence probably confers greater resilience to threats than was suggested by previous data. Reduced extinction risk arising from the increased area occupied by the cheetah and leopard is tempered by probable local range contraction. Our maps provide baseline information for monitoring the distribution of these six species, which is essential in managing ecological issues that have a spatial component such as responses to changing land use. Our results also demonstrate the utility of detection/non-detection surveys in rapid assessment of carnivore populations at large spatial scales.
Multi-year fertility reduction in free-roaming feral horses with single-injection immunocontraceptive formulations
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2010
DOI: 10.1071/WR09175
Abstract: Context. Contraception is increasingly used as a management technique to reduce fertility in wildlife populations however, the feasibility of contraceptive formulations has been limited until recently because they have required multiple treatments to achieve prolonged infertility. Aims. We tested the efficacy and evaluated potential side effects of two contraceptive formulations, a porcine zona pellucida (PZP) formulation, SpayVac® and a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) formulation GonaCon-B™, in a population of free-roaming feral horses (Equus caballus). Both formulations were developed to provide several years of infertility with one injection. Methods. Females were treated in June 2005 with either GonaCon-B (n = 24), SpayVac (n = 20), adjuvant only (n = 22), or received no injection (n = 18). Females were monitored for fertility status year round for 3 years after treatment. Key results. Both contraceptive treatments significantly reduced fertility for 3 years. Fertility rates for GonaCon-B mares were 39%, 42% and 31%, respectively, and 37%, 50% and 44% for SpayVac mares. During the same seasons, 61%, 67% and 76% of control females were fertile. We found no significant effects from contraceptive treatment on the sex ratio of foals, birthing season or foal survival. Conclusions. These results demonstrated that both vaccines are capable of significantly reducing fertility for several years without boosters. Implications. Contraceptive vaccines examined in the present study represent a useful tool for the management of feral horses, because of their being efficacious for 3 years in the absence of booster immunisations.
Estimating Brown Hyaena Occupancy Using Baited Camera Traps
Publisher: Southern African Wildlife Management Association
Date: 04-2009
DOI: 10.3957/056.039.0101
Biologically meaningful scents: a framework for understanding predator–prey research across disciplines
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-04-2017
DOI: 10.1111/BRV.12334
Abstract: Fear of predation is a universal motivator. Because predators hunt using stealth and surprise, there is a widespread ability among prey to assess risk from chemical information - scents - in their environment. Consequently, scents often act as particularly strong modulators of memory and emotions. Recent advances in ecological research and analytical technology are leading to novel ways to use this chemical information to create effective attractants, repellents and anti-anxiolytic compounds for wildlife managers, conservation biologists and health practitioners. However, there is extensive variation in the design, results, and interpretation of studies of olfactory-based risk discrimination. To understand the highly variable literature in this area, we adopt a multi-disciplinary approach and synthesize the latest findings from neurobiology, chemical ecology, and ethology to propose a contemporary framework that accounts for such disparate factors as the time-limited stability of chemicals, highly canalized mechanisms that influence prey responses, and the context within which these scents are detected (e.g. availability of alternative resources, perceived shelter, and ambient physical parameters). This framework helps to account for the wide range of reported responses by prey to predator scents, and explains, paradoxically, how the same in idual predator scent can be interpreted as either safe or dangerous to a prey animal depending on how, when and where the cue was deposited. We provide a hypothetical ex le to illustrate the most common factors that influence how a predator scent (from dingoes, Canis dingo) may both attract and repel the same target organism (kangaroos, Macropus spp.). This framework identifies the catalysts that enable dynamic scents, odours or odorants to be used as attractants as well as deterrents. Because effective scent tools often relate to traumatic memories (fear and/or anxiety) that cause future avoidance, this information may also guide the development of appeasement, enrichment and anti-anxiolytic compounds, and help explain the observed variation in post-traumatic-related behaviours (including post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD) among erse terrestrial taxa, including humans.
Endangered Australian top predator is frequently exposed to anticoagulant rodenticides
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2021
Social influences on vigilance behaviour in giraffes, Giraffa camelopardalis
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2005
Are there physiological constraints on maternal ability to adjust sex ratios in mammals?
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-2016
DOI: 10.1111/JZO.12327
A Trivers-Willard Effect in Contemporary Humans: Male-Biased Sex Ratios among Billionaires
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 14-01-2009
Solving the Productivity and Impact Puzzle: Do Men Outperform Women, or are Metrics Biased?
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 13-01-2016
Considering behavioral state when predicting habitat use: Behavior-specific spatial models for the endangered Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2022
Sex at sea: alternative mating system in an extremely polygynous mammal
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2011
Is suckling behavior a useful predictor of milk intake? A review
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-1998
Abstract: In studies on mammalian parental investment, time spent suckling is often used as a predictor of the milk transferred from mother to infant. It is assumed that the rate of milk transfer is positively correlated with the time spent suckling. However, this assumption has not been tested and empirical studies show conflicting results. Nevertheless, in species in which suckling can readily be observed, time spent suckling is still used to measure milk transfer, although an increasing number of workers recognize that the measure is potentially inaccurate. A meta-analysis on studies that have correlated measures of time spent suckling with milk intake estimates based on weight gain revealed a weak positive relationship and significant heterogeneity between studies. Isotope-labelling techniques for the measurement of milk transfer independent of behaviour have been in use since the 1970s, particularly in studies of species in which suckling is difficult to observe. Only one study has attempted to correlate behavioural measures with independent isotope measures, and it found no relationship between the two measures. I suggest that researchers have avoided such a test as it is unlikely that a strong relationship will be found between milk transfer and suckling behaviour, and I discuss the various factors that confound the relationship and contribute to high heterogeneity between studies. Consequently, the assumption that milk transfer can be measured by time spent suckling has inadequate empirical foundation, and needs to be tested using isotope-labelling methods. Copyright 1998 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour
Is suckling behavior a useful predictor of milk intake? A review
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-1998
Abstract: In studies on mammalian parental investment, time spent suckling is often used as a predictor of the milk transferred from mother to infant. It is assumed that the rate of milk transfer is positively correlated with the time spent suckling. However, this assumption has not been tested and empirical studies show conflicting results. Nevertheless, in species in which suckling can readily be observed, time spent suckling is still used to measure milk transfer, although an increasing number of workers recognize that the measure is potentially inaccurate. A meta-analysis on studies that have correlated measures of time spent suckling with milk intake estimates based on weight gain revealed a weak positive relationship and significant heterogeneity between studies. Isotope-labelling techniques for the measurement of milk transfer independent of behaviour have been in use since the 1970s, particularly in studies of species in which suckling is difficult to observe. Only one study has attempted to correlate behavioural measures with independent isotope measures, and it found no relationship between the two measures. I suggest that researchers have avoided such a test as it is unlikely that a strong relationship will be found between milk transfer and suckling behaviour, and I discuss the various factors that confound the relationship and contribute to high heterogeneity between studies. Consequently, the assumption that milk transfer can be measured by time spent suckling has inadequate empirical foundation, and needs to be tested using isotope-labelling methods. Copyright 1998 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour
Faecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels of intensive captive, free‐range captive and wild Tasmanian devils
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 05-06-2023
DOI: 10.1111/JZO.13072
Abstract: Captivity can alter the stress physiology and behaviour of an animal in both the short‐ and long‐term through repetitive exposure to novel stressors and, subsequently, may reduce the success of conservation efforts such as translocation and reintroduction. The Tasmanian devil ( Sarcophilus harrisii ) is threatened with extinction from a fatal facial tumour disease which has led to the establishment of an insurance meta‐population designed for future reintroductions of disease‐free devils. The meta‐population is comprised of intensive captive and free‐range captive environments however, no study has yet examined the long‐term physiological implications of captivity on devils. We used non‐invasive faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) monitoring to determine if there were any differences in adrenal activity among intensive captive, free‐range captive and wild devils. FGM levels were not age or sex dependent, and we found that all population types had similar intra‐population variability and mean FGMs. In conclusion, both types of captive environment appear to maintain stress profiles similar to wild devils.
Chemical immobilisation and temporary confinement of two kaimanawa feral stallions
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-1998
Escape behaviour of feral horses during a helicopter count
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2002
DOI: 10.1071/WR01063
Abstract: Animal escape behaviour in response to aircraft could influence the accuracy and precision of aerial estimates of population size but is rarely investigated. Using independent observers on the ground and in the air, we recorded the behaviour of 17 groups, including 136 in idually marked horses (Equus caballus), during a helicopter count in New Zealand's Kaimanawa Mountains and compared the helicopter count with a ground-based mark-resight estimate in the same area (20.5 km2). The helicopter induced running and changes in group size and composition in all horse groups that travelled from 0.1 up to 2.75 km before leaving the ground-observer's view. One-tenth of marked horses were not counted and a quarter counted twice. The possible double-counting of a further 23 (17%) could not be confirmed because only two of the three observers' records concurred. Thus, the helicopter count over-estimated the marked sub-population by at least 15% and possibly by up to 32%. The helicopter count (228 horses) was 16.9% larger than the mark-resight estimate (195, 95% CI = 157-234). We identify the characteristics of the helicopter count that stimulated horse escape behaviour and discuss how it should be considered in the design of aerial population-estimate methods.
Devil declines and catastrophic cascades: Is mesopredator release of feral cats inhibiting recovery of the eastern quoll?
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 11-03-2015
Experimental alteration of litter sex ratios in a mammal
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 28-11-2007
Abstract: Adaptive theory predicts that mothers would be advantaged by adjusting the sex ratio of their offspring in relation to their offspring's future reproductive success. Studies investigating sex ratio variation in mammals, including humans, have obtained notoriously inconsistent results, except when maternal condition is measured around conception. Several mechanisms for sex ratio adjustment have been proposed. Here, we test the hypothesis that glucose concentrations around conception influence sex ratios. The change in glucose levels resulted in a change in sex ratios, with more daughters being born to females with experimentally lowered glucose, and with the change in glucose levels being more predictive than the glucose levels per se . We provide evidence for a mechanism, which, in tandem with other mechanisms, could explain observed sex ratio variation in mammals.
Does contraceptive treatment in wildlife result in side-effects? A review of quantitative and anecdotal evidence
Publisher: Bioscientifica
Date: 2010
DOI: 10.1530/REP-08-0456
Abstract: The efficacy of contraceptive treatments has been extensively tested, and several formulations are effective at reducing fertility in a range of species. However, these formulations should minimally impact the behavior of in iduals and populations before a contraceptive is used for population manipulation, but these effects have received less attention. Potential side effects have been identified theoretically and we reviewed published studies that have investigated side effects on behavior and physiology of in iduals or population-level effects, which provided mixed results. Physiological side effects were most prevalent. Most studies reported a lack of secondary effects, but were usually based on qualitative data or anecdotes. A meta-analysis on quantitative studies of side effects showed that secondary effects consistently occur across all categories and all contraceptive types. This contrasts with the qualitative studies, suggesting that anecdotal reports are insufficient to investigate secondary impacts of contraceptive treatment. We conclude that more research is needed to address fundamental questions about secondary effects of contraceptive treatment and experiments are fundamental to conclusions. In addition, researchers are missing a vital opportunity to use contraceptives as an experimental tool to test the influence of reproduction, sex and fertility on the behavior of wildlife species.
Chemical signals in the echidna: differences between seasons, sexes, individuals and gland types
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-03-2014
DOI: 10.1111/JZO.12133
Multi-year fertility reduction in free-roaming feral horses with single-injection immunocontraceptive formulations
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2010
DOI: 10.1071/WR09175
Abstract: Context. Contraception is increasingly used as a management technique to reduce fertility in wildlife populations however, the feasibility of contraceptive formulations has been limited until recently because they have required multiple treatments to achieve prolonged infertility. Aims. We tested the efficacy and evaluated potential side effects of two contraceptive formulations, a porcine zona pellucida (PZP) formulation, SpayVac® and a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) formulation GonaCon-B™, in a population of free-roaming feral horses (Equus caballus). Both formulations were developed to provide several years of infertility with one injection. Methods. Females were treated in June 2005 with either GonaCon-B (n = 24), SpayVac (n = 20), adjuvant only (n = 22), or received no injection (n = 18). Females were monitored for fertility status year round for 3 years after treatment. Key results. Both contraceptive treatments significantly reduced fertility for 3 years. Fertility rates for GonaCon-B mares were 39%, 42% and 31%, respectively, and 37%, 50% and 44% for SpayVac mares. During the same seasons, 61%, 67% and 76% of control females were fertile. We found no significant effects from contraceptive treatment on the sex ratio of foals, birthing season or foal survival. Conclusions. These results demonstrated that both vaccines are capable of significantly reducing fertility for several years without boosters. Implications. Contraceptive vaccines examined in the present study represent a useful tool for the management of feral horses, because of their being efficacious for 3 years in the absence of booster immunisations.
Birth sex ratios relate to mare condition at conception in Kaimanawa horses
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 09-1999
The pattern of breeding and management within the New Zealand Thoroughbred breeding industry 2005–2015. (II) The mare population
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2022
DOI: 10.1071/AN21534
Removal experiments indicate that subordinate stallions are not helpers
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2013
DOI: 10.1016/J.BEPROC.2013.02.005
Abstract: Relationships between males defending the same harem are described as cooperative or competitive and explained by mutualism, reciprocal altruism, and reproductive concessions or limited control between unequal contestants. These alternate hypotheses can be tested by removing males from harems. Some feral horse (Equus caballus) harems are defended by more than one and up to five stallions. We temporarily removed the subordinate stallion from two of six multi-stallion bands (a harem and its stallions) for three weeks during the breeding season. We monitored harems for changes in composition, and measured and compared rates of (i) intra- and inter-band stallion aggression, (ii) stallion aggression towards mares, and (iii) stallion-mare proximity before subordinate stallion removal and after his return with rates during his absence. Harems were successfully defended during the subordinate's absence and stallion-mare aggression was substantially reduced. Dominant stallions did not require assistance in harem defence, and heightened harassment of mares is directly attributable to subordinate stallion's residence, not characteristics of the dominant stallion or mares. Cooperative hypotheses do not appear to explain multi-stallion bands but the experiments in this study should be replicated further. The limited control hypothesis (e.g., mate-parasitism) appears better supported but we outline its limitations too.
Behavioural and endocrine correlates to the aardwolf mating system
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 2015
Africa’s drylands in a changing world: Challenges for wildlife conservation under climate and land-use changes in the Greater Etosha Landscape
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2022
Individual mares bias investment in sons and daughters in relation to their condition
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2000
The potential for large carnivores to act as biodiversity surrogates in southern Africa
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 23-05-2008
Spatial and temporal dimensions to the taxonomic diversity of arthropods in an arid grassland savannah
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2017
Comparative Efficacy of Sign Surveys, Spotlighting and Audio Playbacks in a Landscape-Scale Carnivore Survey
Publisher: Southern African Wildlife Management Association
Date: 04-2010
DOI: 10.3957/056.040.0113
Sexual conflict in action: An antagonistic relationship between maternal and paternal sex allocation in the tammar wallaby, Notamacropus eugenii
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-2019
DOI: 10.1002/ECE3.4813
Extreme sex ratio variation in relation to change in condition around conception
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 17-04-2007
Abstract: Adaptive theory predicts that mothers would be advantaged by adjusting the sex ratio of their offspring in relation to their offspring's future reproductive success. Studies investigating sex ratio variation in mammals have produced notoriously inconsistent results, although recent studies suggest more consistency if sex ratio variation is related to maternal condition at conception, potentially mediated by changes in circulating glucose level. Consequently, we hypothesized that change in condition might better predict sex ratio variation than condition per se . Here, we investigate sex ratio variation in feral horses ( Equus caballus ), where sex ratio variation was previously shown to be related to maternal condition at conception. We used condition measures before and after conception to measure the change in condition around conception in in idual mothers. The relationship with sex ratio was substantially more extreme than previously reported: 3% of females losing condition gave birth to a son, whereas 80% of those females that were gaining condition gave birth to a son. Change in condition is more predictive of sex ratio than actual condition, supporting previous studies, and shows the most extreme variation in mammals ever reported.
Are low infidelity rates in feral horses due to infanticide?
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 14-12-2012
Chemical cues, hibernation and reproduction in female short-beaked echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus setosus): implications for sexual conflict
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2016
Prevalence of allosuckling behaviour in Subantarctic fur seal pups
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 11-2010
Ecosystem engineering by digging mammals: Effects on soil fertility and condition in Tasmanian temperate woodland
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 2019
DOI: 10.1098/RSOS.180621
Abstract: Many small- and medium-sized mammals dig for their food. This activity potentially affects soil condition and fertility. Digging is well developed especially in Australian mammals, many of which have recently become rare or extinct. We measured the effects of digging by mammals on soil in a Tasmanian temperate dry sclerophyll forest with an intact mammal community. The density of diggings was 5812 ha −1 , affecting 11% of the forest floor. Diggings were created at a rate of around 3113 diggings ha −1 yr −1 , disturbing 6.5% of the forest floor and displacing 7.1 m 3 ha −1 of soil annually. Most diggings were made by eastern bettongs ( Bettongia gaimardi) and short-beaked echidnas ( Tachyglossus aculeatus ). Many (approx. 30%) fresh diggings consisted of re-excavations of old diggings. Novel diggings displaced 5 m 3 ha yr −1 of soil. Diggings acted as traps for organic matter and sites for the formation of new soil, which had higher fertility and moisture content and lower hardness than undisturbed topsoil. These effects on soil fertility and structure were strongest in habitats with dry and poor soil. Creation of fine-scaled heterogeneity by mammals, and amelioration of dry and infertile soil, is a valuable ecosystem service that could be restored by reintroduction of digging mammals to habitats from which they have declined or gone extinct.
Faecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels of intensive captive, free-range captive, and wild Tasmanian devils
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 11-01-2023
DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.11.523346
Abstract: Captivity can alter the stress physiology and behaviour of an animal in both the short- and long-term through repetitive exposure to novel stressors and, subsequently, may reduce the success of conservation efforts such as translocation and reintroduction. The Tasmanian devil ( Sarcophilus harrisii ) is threatened with extinction from a fatal facial tumour disease which has led to the establishment of an insurance meta-population designed for future reintroductions of disease-free devils. The meta-population is comprised of intensive captive and free-range captive environments however, no study has yet examined the long-term physiological implications of captivity on devils. We used non-invasive faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) monitoring to determine if there were any differences in adrenal activity between intensive captive, free-range captive, and wild devils. FGMs were not age- or sexdependent, and we found that all population-types had similar intra-population variability and mean FGMs. In conclusion, both types of captive environment maintain stress profiles similar to wild devils.
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