Importance of resource selection and social behavior to partitioning of hostile space by sympatric canids
Investigations into mechanisms of resource partitioning are particularly suited to systems where nascent interactive behaviors are observable. Wolf ( Canis lupus ) recolonization of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem provided such a system, and we were able to identify behaviors influencing the parti...
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fthighwire:oai:open-archive.highwire.org:jmammal:91/2/490 2023-05-15T15:50:24+02:00 Importance of resource selection and social behavior to partitioning of hostile space by sympatric canids Atwood, Todd C. Gese, Eric M. 2010-04-16 00:00:00.0 text/html http://jmammal.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/91/2/490 https://doi.org/10.1644/09-MAMM-A-078.1 en eng Oxford University Press http://jmammal.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/91/2/490 http://dx.doi.org/10.1644/09-MAMM-A-078.1 Copyright (C) 2010, Oxford University Press Feature Articles TEXT 2010 fthighwire https://doi.org/10.1644/09-MAMM-A-078.1 2015-02-28T17:52:16Z Investigations into mechanisms of resource partitioning are particularly suited to systems where nascent interactive behaviors are observable. Wolf ( Canis lupus ) recolonization of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem provided such a system, and we were able to identify behaviors influencing the partitioning of resources by coyotes ( Canis latrans ) and wolves. We observed coyote-wolf interactions immediately after wolf recolonization, when reemergent behaviors mediating the outcome of competitive interactions were detectable and mechanisms of spatial avoidance were identifiable. Although coyotes used the same space as wolves, they likely minimized risk of encounter by making adaptive changes in resource selection based on perception of wolf activity and potential scavenging opportunities. When exploiting carrion subsidies (i.e., wolf-killed ungulates), coyotes relied on social behaviors (i.e., numerical advantage in concert with heightened aggression) to mitigate escalating risk from wolves and increase resource-holding potential. By adapting behaviors to fluctuating risk, coyotes might reduce the amplitude of competitive asymmetries. We concluded coyotes do not perceive wolves as a threat requiring generalized spatial avoidance. Rather, the threat of aggressive interactions with wolves is spatially discrete and primarily contained to areas adjacent to carrion resources. Text Canis lupus HighWire Press (Stanford University) Journal of Mammalogy 91 2 490 499 |
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HighWire Press (Stanford University) |
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English |
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Feature Articles |
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Feature Articles Atwood, Todd C. Gese, Eric M. Importance of resource selection and social behavior to partitioning of hostile space by sympatric canids |
topic_facet |
Feature Articles |
description |
Investigations into mechanisms of resource partitioning are particularly suited to systems where nascent interactive behaviors are observable. Wolf ( Canis lupus ) recolonization of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem provided such a system, and we were able to identify behaviors influencing the partitioning of resources by coyotes ( Canis latrans ) and wolves. We observed coyote-wolf interactions immediately after wolf recolonization, when reemergent behaviors mediating the outcome of competitive interactions were detectable and mechanisms of spatial avoidance were identifiable. Although coyotes used the same space as wolves, they likely minimized risk of encounter by making adaptive changes in resource selection based on perception of wolf activity and potential scavenging opportunities. When exploiting carrion subsidies (i.e., wolf-killed ungulates), coyotes relied on social behaviors (i.e., numerical advantage in concert with heightened aggression) to mitigate escalating risk from wolves and increase resource-holding potential. By adapting behaviors to fluctuating risk, coyotes might reduce the amplitude of competitive asymmetries. We concluded coyotes do not perceive wolves as a threat requiring generalized spatial avoidance. Rather, the threat of aggressive interactions with wolves is spatially discrete and primarily contained to areas adjacent to carrion resources. |
format |
Text |
author |
Atwood, Todd C. Gese, Eric M. |
author_facet |
Atwood, Todd C. Gese, Eric M. |
author_sort |
Atwood, Todd C. |
title |
Importance of resource selection and social behavior to partitioning of hostile space by sympatric canids |
title_short |
Importance of resource selection and social behavior to partitioning of hostile space by sympatric canids |
title_full |
Importance of resource selection and social behavior to partitioning of hostile space by sympatric canids |
title_fullStr |
Importance of resource selection and social behavior to partitioning of hostile space by sympatric canids |
title_full_unstemmed |
Importance of resource selection and social behavior to partitioning of hostile space by sympatric canids |
title_sort |
importance of resource selection and social behavior to partitioning of hostile space by sympatric canids |
publisher |
Oxford University Press |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
http://jmammal.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/91/2/490 https://doi.org/10.1644/09-MAMM-A-078.1 |
genre |
Canis lupus |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus |
op_relation |
http://jmammal.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/91/2/490 http://dx.doi.org/10.1644/09-MAMM-A-078.1 |
op_rights |
Copyright (C) 2010, Oxford University Press |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1644/09-MAMM-A-078.1 |
container_title |
Journal of Mammalogy |
container_volume |
91 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
490 |
op_container_end_page |
499 |
_version_ |
1766385351446757376 |