Differences in behavior help to explain lemming coexistence

Abstract Collared (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus) and brown (Lemmus trimucronatus) lemmings coexist in tundra habitats across much of the middle and lower Canadian arctic. Their coexistence, and response to predation risk, appears mediated by behavior. We analyzed field-collected videos of open-field te...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Mammalogy
Main Authors: Morris, Douglas W, Dupuch, Angélique, Moses, MaryJane, Busniuk, Kaylee, Otterman, Helen
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Oxford University Press (OUP) 2019
Subjects:
Nature and Landscape Conservation
Genetics
Animal Science and Zoology
Ecology
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Arctic
Dicrostonyx groenlandicus
Lemmus trimucronatus
Tundra
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyz103
http://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article-pdf/100/4/1211/29009895/gyz103.pdf
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Summary:Abstract Collared (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus) and brown (Lemmus trimucronatus) lemmings coexist in tundra habitats across much of the middle and lower Canadian arctic. Their coexistence, and response to predation risk, appears mediated by behavior. We analyzed field-collected videos of open-field tests to assess potential differences in innate behaviors between the two species. Collared lemmings were less active and exhibited less exploratory behavior than did brown lemmings, which were more active under cover than in the open. Similar behaviors scaling along axes of activity and curiosity were revealed by principal components analysis. Each axis defined different aspects of brown lemming personality, but repeated testing of the same individuals yielded a striking dependence of their behavioral response on open-field treatments. Even so, the differences between species in behavior correlate well with their habitat preferences that resolve competition and govern their coexistence.

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