scholarly journals Spatial organization, group living and ecological correlates in low-density populations of Eurasian badgers, Meles meles

2002 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 497-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eloy Revilla ◽  
Francisco Palomares
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Organization ◽  
Group Living ◽  
Meles Meles ◽  
Low Density ◽  
Ecological Correlates

Socio-spatial organization of Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) in a low-density population of central Europe

2007 ◽  
Vol 85 (9) ◽  
pp. 973-984 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Do Linh San ◽  
Nicola Ferrari ◽  
Jean-Marc Weber
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Organization ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Group Formation ◽  
Meles Meles ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Low Density ◽  
Habitat Productivity ◽  
European Badgers ◽  
Social Units ◽  
Density Population

We studied the socio-spatial organization of Eurasian badgers (or European badgers), Meles meles (L., 1758), in a low-density population (estimate 1.8 badgers/km2) inhabiting a semi-rural area of western Switzerland. For this purpose, 8 badgers (5 males and 3 females) were caught at 5 different main setts and were radio-tracked between May 1994 and November 1996. The size of individual home ranges varied from 0.27 to 3.74 km2 (1.69 ± 1.33 km2 (mean ± SD), n = 8, 100% MCP), seemingly according to local variations in habitat productivity. Individual home ranges were spatially stable, but their size decreased significantly during winter (0.26 ± 0.42 km2, n = 7, 100% MCP). Badger social units consisted of 1–5 adults and (or) subadults (2.2 ± 1.5 animals, n = 9) and their yearly offspring. Group-range size varied from 0.57 to 3.74 km2 (2.12 ± 1.30 km2, n = 4) and seemed to be influenced by the spatial distribution pattern of food resources. Indeed, each group range encompassed approximately the same surface of agricultural land (about 0.60 km2). Territories were not well marked, some group ranges partly overlapped. Latrines, which were not numerous and principally located inside rather than along borders of group ranges, were only used irregularly or sporadically. This prompts us to encourage the reconsideration of the role of territorial behaviour in promoting group formation in Eurasian badgers.

Spatial organization of rural territories

2021 ◽  
pp. 751-756
Author(s):  
Sevostyanov A.V. Sevostyanov A.V. ◽  
V.A. Sevostyanov ◽  
A.P. Spiridonova
Keyword(s):  
Scale Development ◽  
Rural Population ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Spatial Organization ◽  
Low Density ◽  
Rural Settlements ◽  
Residential Areas ◽  
Complex Development

This article covers the issues raised by the objectives of the "The Program for complex development of rural territories" and its subprogram "Providing rural population with affordable and comfortable housing". The authors substantiate the concept "rural agglomeration" and make the suggestions on how to choose rural settlements and land plots suitable for large-scale development of low-density residential areas.

scholarly journals Negative density-dependent parasitism in a group-living carnivore

2020 ◽  
Vol 287 (1941) ◽  
pp. 20202655
Author(s):  
Gregory F. Albery ◽  
Chris Newman ◽  
Julius Bright Ross ◽  
David W. MacDonald ◽  
Shweta Bansal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Local Population ◽  
Group Living ◽  
Host Density ◽  
Meles Meles ◽  
Population Variation ◽  
Network Analyses ◽  
Long Term Study ◽  
Negative Density Dependence ◽  
Dilution Effects

Animals living at high population densities commonly experience greater exposure to disease, leading to increased parasite burdens. However, social animals can benefit immunologically and hygienically from cooperation, and individuals may alter their socio-spatial behaviour in response to infection, both of which could counteract density-related increases in exposure. Consequently, the costs and benefits of sociality for disease are often uncertain. Here, we use a long-term study of a wild European badger population ( Meles meles ) to investigate how within-population variation in host density determines infection with multiple parasites. Four out of five parasite taxa exhibited consistent spatial hotspots of infection, which peaked among badgers living in areas of low local population density. Combined movement, survival, spatial and social network analyses revealed that parasite avoidance was the likely cause of this negative density dependence, with possible roles for localized mortality, encounter-dilution effects, and micronutrient-enhanced immunity. These findings demonstrate that animals can organize their societies in space to minimize parasite infection, with important implications for badger behavioural ecology and for the control of badger-associated diseases.

Spatial organization of low-density lipoproteins of the human aorta (a fluorescent probe study)

1983 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 1392-1394 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. E. Dobretsov ◽  
M. M. Spirin ◽  
A. S. Kuznetsov ◽  
A. V. Popov
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescent Probe ◽  
Spatial Organization ◽  
Low Density Lipoproteins ◽  
Human Aorta ◽  
Low Density

scholarly journals Unreciprocated allogrooming hierarchies in a population of wild group-living mammals

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine E Nadin ◽  
David W. Macdonald ◽  
Sandra Baker ◽  
Christina D. Buesching ◽  
Stephen Ellwood ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Structure ◽  
Social Status ◽  
Dominance Rank ◽  
Social Groups ◽  
Group Living ◽  
Meles Meles ◽  
Social Species ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
European Badgers ◽  
Wild Group

Allogrooming can relate to social status in mammalian societies, and thus, be used to infer social structure. This relationship has previously been investigated by examining an individual’s dominance rank and their total amount of allogrooming. This, however, does not account for the identity of allogrooming partners. We applied a novel approach, calculating the linearity and steepness of unreciprocated allogrooming hierarchies using actor–receiver matrices in European badgers (Meles meles) groups. Badgers have relatively unstructured social groups compared to most group-living carnivores and allogrooming in badgers is currently hypothesized to have a hygiene function. We examine whether allogrooming is linked to social status by investigating: 1) the presence, linearity, and steepness of unreciprocated allogrooming hierarchies; 2) the trading of unreciprocated allogrooming for the potential benefit of receiving reduced aggression from dominant individuals; and, 3) whether unreciprocated allogrooming is associated with relatedness. We found weak unreciprocated allogrooming hierarchies, with marginal linearity, steepness overall, and variation between social-group-years. Unreciprocated allogrooming was positively correlated with directed aggression, potentially providing evidence for the trading of allogrooming for reduced aggression. Allogrooming was not correlated with relatedness, possibly due to high relatedness within social groups. Our findings reaffirm that European badgers have a relatively unstructured social system; likely reflecting a relatively simple state of sociality in Carnivores, with little need for hierarchical order. Using actor–receiver unreciprocated allogrooming matrices to test for linearity and steepness of unreciprocated allogrooming hierarchies in other social species will improve knowledge of group social structure.

Defecation and urination patterns of badgers Meles meles at low density in south west England

2001 ◽  
Vol 46 ◽  
pp. 87-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael R. Hutchings ◽  
Katrina M. Service ◽  
Stephen Harris
Keyword(s):  
Meles Meles ◽  
Low Density ◽  
South West ◽  
South West England

Why are group-living badgers (Meles meles) sexually dimorphic?

2001 ◽  
Vol 255 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic D. P. Johnson ◽  
David W. Macdonald
Keyword(s):  
Group Living ◽  
Meles Meles ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic

The Low-Density Urban Systems of the Classic Period Maya and Izapa: Insights from Settlement Scaling Theory

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Michael E. Smith ◽  
Scott G. Ortman ◽  
José Lobo ◽  
Claire E. Ebert ◽  
Amy E. Thompson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Organization ◽  
Distinct Type ◽  
Classic Period ◽  
Urban Systems ◽  
Low Density ◽  
Transport Costs ◽  
Settlement Systems ◽  
Social Mixing ◽  
A Site ◽  
Temporal Rhythm

The peoples of southern Mesoamerica, including the Classic period Maya, are often claimed to exhibit a distinct type of spatial organization relative to contemporary urban systems. Here, we use the settlement scaling framework and properties of settlements recorded in systematic, full-coverage surveys to examine ways in which southern Mesoamerican settlement systems were both similar to and different from contemporary systems. We find that the population-area relationship in these settlements differs greatly from that reported for other agrarian settlement systems, but that more typical patterns emerge when one considers a site epicenter as the relevant social interaction area, and the population administered from a given center as the relevant interacting population. Our results imply that southern Mesoamerican populations mixed socially at a slower temporal rhythm than is typical of contemporary systems. Residential locations reflected the need to balance energetic and transport costs of farming with lower-frequency costs of commuting to central places. Nevertheless, increasing returns in activities such as civic construction were still realized through lower-frequency social mixing. These findings suggest that the primary difference between low-density urbanism and contemporary urban systems lies in the spatial and temporal rhythms of social mixing.

scholarly journals Social organization of a solitary carnivore: spatial behaviour, interactions and relatedness in the slender mongoose

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 182160
Author(s):  
Beke Graw ◽  
Bart Kranstauber ◽  
Marta B. Manser
Keyword(s):  
Complex System ◽  
Social Organization ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Spatial Organization ◽  
Group Living ◽  
Anecdotal Evidence ◽  
Spatial Behaviour ◽  
Carnivore Species ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Sleeping Sites

The majority of carnivore species are described as solitary, but little is known about their social organization and interactions with conspecifics. We investigated the spatial organization and social interactions as well as relatedness of slender mongooses ( Galerella sanguinea ) living in the southern Kalahari. This is a little studied small carnivore previously described as solitary with anecdotal evidence for male associations. In our study population, mongooses arranged in spatial groups consisting of one to three males and up to four females. Male ranges, based on sleeping sites, were large and overlapping, encompassing the smaller and more exclusive female ranges. Spatial groups could be distinguished by their behaviour, communal denning and home range. Within spatial groups animals communally denned in up to 33% of nights, mainly during winter months, presumably to gain thermoregulatory benefits. Associations of related males gained reproductive benefits likely through increased territorial and female defence. Our study supports slender mongooses to be better described as solitary foragers living in a complex system of spatial groups with amicable social interactions between specific individuals. We suggest that the recognition of underlying ‘hidden' complexities in these apparently ‘solitary' organizations needs to be accounted for when investigating group living and social behaviour.

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