Spatio-temporal interactions among male and female long-nosed potoroos, Potorous tridactylus (Marsupialia : Macropodoidea): mating system implications

2001 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirstin I. Long

This study investigated the mating system of the long-nosed potoroo, Potorous tridactylus, by examining temporal associations between individuals, and patterns of home-range overlap. Six adult females and five adult males were radio-tracked at intervals throughout the 24-h day from December 1996 to March 1997 in south-western Victoria. Home ranges of individuals overlapped with multiple members of each sex; however, intrasexual overlap was significantly lower than intersexual overlap. When data from consecutive radio-tracking sessions were examined, the locations of resting or ‘squat’ areas were identified. These were almost entirely intrasexually exclusive. Male home ranges overlapped the squat areas of one or more females; however, males did not regularly associate with every female whose squat area they overlapped. In three of four cases, pairs of a male and a female associated regularly and spent a greater proportion of time in close proximity to each other than would be expected if they were moving at random. In the past it has been assumed that males monitor the sexual status of females while they rest in squats. If this is the case, the mating system of long-nosed potoroos will be largely dictated by the number of female squat areas that a male is able to regularly monitor within his home range.


2007 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meredeth Brown ◽  
Susan M. Carthew ◽  
Steven J. B. Cooper

Several Australian arboreal marsupials have been reported to show variation in mating system across populations, but most previous studies have not included genetic analyses to confirm the observations. Our aim was to test the hypothesis that monogamy was the predominant mating system in a population of yellow-bellied gliders (Petaurus australis) in south-western Victoria, using a combination of behavioural observations and molecular genetic analyses. Home-range overlap, cohesiveness of pairs, rates of den site co-occupancy and location of den trees within the home ranges of 13 adult gliders were determined via radio-tracking. A monogamous social system predominated, demonstrated by extensive home-range overlap between cohabiting adult males and females (40–100%) and little home-range overlap between adjacent territories (<14%). Males spent ~55% of their active time within 25 m of their female partners and 55–85% of their sleeping time in dens with their female partner. The parentage of all juveniles spotlighted within the 400-ha study area was analysed using five microsatellite DNA markers. Of 37 individuals genotyped, eight of 13 juveniles were assigned both social parents as true parents with ≥80% confidence. These results suggest that social and genetic monogamy predominated in this population of yellow-bellied gliders.



2000 ◽  
Vol 78 (12) ◽  
pp. 2087-2095 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J Chamberlain ◽  
Charles D Lovell ◽  
Bruce D Leopold

Recently, coyotes (Canis latrans) have expanded their range to include most areas of the southeastern United States. However, most research on coyotes has been conducted in western and northern regions of North America. We radio-monitored 38 adult coyotes from 1993 to 1997 in central Mississippi. Home-range sizes (P = 0.681) and core-area (area of concentrated use) sizes (P = 0.736) were similar across seasons, but females maintained larger home ranges (P = 0.006) and core areas (P < 0.001) than males. Male-male, female-female, and male-female home-range overlap was greatest during whelping and pup rearing. Except for mated pairs, core-area overlap was negligible across all seasons for adults maintaining neighboring home ranges. Coyote habitat selection varied across spatial scales, though selection was similar between males and females at all scales. Coyote movement rates differed (P < 0.001) temporally, being highest during nocturnal periods. Overall, the highest movement rates for the monitored population were observed for females during summer. Two males and 2 females were suspected of forming pair bonds and frequently traveled together within shared home ranges, as did 2 adult males. Our data indicate that interactions among individual adults are influenced by sex, as most confirmed instances of direct contact occurred between pairs or suspected social groups. In our study area, neighboring adult coyotes exhibited territoriality at the core-area level.



2008 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew L. Brien ◽  
Mark A. Read ◽  
Hamish I. McCallum ◽  
Gordon C. Grigg

We radio-tracked five male and eight female estuarine crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) in a non-tidal waterhole in Lakefield National Park in northern Queensland during the late dry/mid-wet season (2003–04) and the following dry season (2004). Individual crocodiles occupied larger home ranges (River Channel Areas (RCA) during the late dry/mid-wet season (10.64 ± 2.86 ha) than in the dry season (3.20 ± 1.02 ha), and males occupied larger home ranges (23.89 ± 2.36 ha) than females (5.94 ± 1.34 ha) during the late dry/mid-wet season. There were no obvious differences in home range between sexes during the dry season. During the late dry/mid-wet season, adult males often travelled long distances along the waterhole while females moved less. During the dry season, movement patterns were quite variable, with no clear difference between sexes. All crocodiles were most active from late afternoon (1500–1800 hours) until midnight. Individual home ranges (RCA) overlapped considerably during the late dry/mid-wet season. The extent of home-range overlap between three adult males and the number of times they either passed each other or were located near each other was particularly striking. Previous research has come to conflicting conclusions about the extent of territoriality in wild estuarine crocodiles, although it has been widely believed that males are highly territorial. The findings imply that large adult male estuarine crocodiles are not highly territorial in non-tidal freshwater systems that are geographically confined.



1999 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Melville ◽  
Roy Swain

We studied the home ranges of the alpine skink, Niveoscincus microlepidotus, in an alpine transition zone on Mt Wellington, Tasmania, over a 5-month period to examine seasonal patterns in the home-range characteristics of four male, four female and two sub-adult juvenile lizards. Home-range sizes and activity patterns within these were quantified. Adult males had significantly larger home ranges with more activity centres than adult females; most activity centres were clearly synonymous with basking sites and were defended by overt aggressive behaviour. Home ranges of males showed little overlap and no seasonal variation while those of femals were unusual amongst reptiles in showing extensive overlap and seasonal change in size. Ranges were smallest in spring when all females were pregnant and were smallest in summer when only one female was pregnant. Range overlap ensured that all females studied had potential access to at least two males. Juveniles had no defined home ranges and appeared to be transients.



Author(s):  
Justin M. Calabrese ◽  
Christen H. Fleming ◽  
Michael J. Noonan ◽  
Xianghui Dong

ABSTRACTEstimating animal home ranges is a primary purpose of collecting tracking data. All conventional home range estimators in widespread usage, including minimum convex polygons and kernel density estimators, assume independently sampled data. In stark contrast, modern GPS animal tracking datasets are almost always strongly autocorrelated. This incongruence between estimator assumptions and empirical reality leads to systematically underestimated home ranges. Autocorrelated kernel density estimation (AKDE) resolves this conflict by modeling the observed autocorrelation structure of tracking data during home range estimation, and has been shown to perform accurately across a broad range of tracking datasets. However, compared to conventional estimators, AKDE requires additional modeling steps and has heretofore only been accessible via the command-line ctmm R package. Here, we introduce ctmmweb, which provides a point-and-click graphical interface to ctmm, and streamlines AKDE, its prerequisite autocorrelation modeling steps, and a number of additional movement analyses. We demonstrate ctmmweb’s capabilities, including AKDE home range estimation and subsequent home range overlap analysis, on a dataset of four jaguars from the Brazilian Pantanal. We intend ctmmweb to open AKDE and related autocorrelation-explicit analyses to a wider audience of wildlife and conservation professionals.



2004 ◽  
Vol 118 (2) ◽  
pp. 239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Gau ◽  
Philip D. McLoughlin ◽  
Ray Case ◽  
H. Dean Cluff ◽  
Robert Mulders ◽  
...  

Between May 1995 and June 1999, we equipped eight subadult male (3-5 yrs old) Grizzly Bears (Ursus arctos) with satellite radio-collars within a study area of 235,000 km2, centred 400 km northeast of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. Subadult male annual home ranges were extraordinarily large (average = 11,407 km2, SE = 3849) due, in part, to their movement's occasional linear directionality. We believe their long-range linear movements may reflect some individuals tracking the migration of Caribou (Rangifer tarandus). Seasonal daily movement patterns were similar to adult males that were previously reported. The areas used by these bears are the largest ranges reported for any Grizzly Bears and the scale of their movements may put individual bears in contact with humans even when developments are hundreds of kilometres from the central home range of an animal.



2002 ◽  
Vol 80 (11) ◽  
pp. 2024-2029 ◽  
Author(s):  
Travis L Olson ◽  
Frederick G Lindzey

We monitored dispersion patterns of swift foxes (Vulpes velox) for 3 years in shrub-grassland habitats on the margin of the species' geographic range near Medicine Bow, Wyoming. Annual home-range size was 18.6 ± 1.6 km2 (mean ± SE, n = 13) and was similar to home-range estimates reported in other studies conducted within grassland habitats in other portions of the species' geographic range. Male home ranges were larger than those of their mates during pup-rearing periods (P < 0.04) but were similar in size during the dispersal period. The home ranges of both sexes were smallest during the pup-rearing period. The degree of home-range overlap for mates (biological periods combined) was high (range = 27.4–100%, mean ± SE = 70.8 ± 0.03%, n = 26 pairs) but was minimal between adjacent pairs (range = 0.2–36%, mean ± SE = 11.9 ± 2.4%, n = 10 pairs), suggesting territorial behavior. Occupied home ranges were distributed similarly each year despite one or both pair members often being new. Swift fox home-range size varied seasonally, and home-range dispersion patterns appeared to be influenced by the presence of other fox pairs and the recent use of an area by other swift foxes.



2006 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 404-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
A J Edelman ◽  
J L Koprowski

We compared home ranges of introduced Abert's squirrels (Sciurus aberti Woodhouse, 1853) in mixed-conifer forests of Arizona during non-mating and mating seasons. Because Abert's squirrels are reported to depend on ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa P. & C. Lawson) forests, the mixed-conifer forest in our study represented a novel habitat. Home-range size, home-range overlap with females, and movement distances increased for males from non-mating to mating seasons. Home-range size and overlap characteristics of females remained consistent between seasons, but movement distances were reduced during the mating season. Males probably increased home-range size, home-range overlap with females, and movement distances during the mating season to maximize contact with scarce females. Home-range size and overlap characteristics of female Abert's squirrels likely remained stable between seasons because females do not search for mates. Restricted movements by females during the mating season may be due to changes in resource use in preparation for reproduction. Non-mating season home ranges in our study were smaller than home ranges observed in ponderosa pine forest. Abert's squirrels in mixed-conifer forest may have small home ranges because resource quality is higher than in ponderosa pine forest or competition for space with co-occurring Mount Graham red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis (J.A. Allen, 1894)).



1992 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 707 ◽  
Author(s):  
NPE Langham

The activity patterns of a resident population of 15 feral cats (Felis catus L.) on New Zealand farmland were investigated from March 1984 until February 1987 by radiotelemetry. Females could be divided into two separate groups: (1) those denning in barns and (2) those denning in the swamp and willows. Females denning in barns were mainly nocturnal except in spring and summer when rearing kittens. Barn cats moved significantly further between dusk and dawn, except in autumn-winter, than those denning in swamp and willows which were active over 24 h. When not breeding, related females occupied the same barn. In both groups, the home range of female relatives overlapped. Males ranged over all habitats, and dominant adult males moved significantly further and had larger home ranges than other males in all seasons, except in summer when they rested, avoiding hot summer days. Only adult males were active during the day in spring and autumn-winter. The importance of a Zeitgeber in synchronising cat activity with that of the prey is examined. The significance of female den site is discussed in relation to proximity of food, predators, social behaviour and male defence.



1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (5) ◽  
pp. 869-875 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lui Marinelli ◽  
François Messier

We investigated the space-use patterns of adult muskrats in a small (77 ha) marsh on the Canadian Prairies during two breeding seasons. During the study, population size was relatively low and the adult sex ratio was biased towards females. Adult muskrats were territorial with little intrasexual home-range overlap. The exclusivity of home ranges was maintained throughout the breeding season, and appeared to decrease at the end of the season. Male movements often extended over the territory of more than one female, but the overlap was more extensive with primary than with secondary females. Lactation appeared to reduce the space use and mobility of female muskrats. Male muskrats tended to range over smaller areas when weaned young were present within their home range. The results suggest that the sexual pair is the basic social unit of muskrats but that polygyny was common. A female-biased sex ratio appeared to be responsible for the tendency of males to mate polygynously during this study, thus illustrating the plasticity of this social system.



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