Rubbing behavior of European brown bears: factors affecting rub tree selectivity and density
peer reviewed Scent-mediated communication is considered the principal communication channel in many mammal species. Compared with visual and vocal communication, odors persist for a longer time, enabling individuals to interact without being in the same place at the same time. The brown bear (Ursus...
Published in: | Journal of Mammalogy |
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Language: | English |
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American Society of Mammalogists
2021
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Online Access: | https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/265206 https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/265206/1/Gonzalez_Bernardo%20E.%20et%20al._Rubbing%20behavior%20of%20European%20brown%20bears_journal%20of%20mammalogy_PR2021.pdf https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyaa170 |
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ftorbi:oai:orbi.ulg.ac.be:2268/265206 2024-04-21T08:12:59+00:00 Rubbing behavior of European brown bears: factors affecting rub tree selectivity and density Gonzalez-Bernardo, E. Bagnasco, C. Bombieri G., Zarzo-Arias, A. Ruiz-Villar, H. Moralez-Gonzalez, A. Lamamy, Cindy Ordiz, A. Canedo, D. Diaz, J. Chamberlain, D. E. Penteriani, V. 2021-01 https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/265206 https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/265206/1/Gonzalez_Bernardo%20E.%20et%20al._Rubbing%20behavior%20of%20European%20brown%20bears_journal%20of%20mammalogy_PR2021.pdf https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyaa170 en eng American Society of Mammalogists urn:issn:0022-2372 urn:issn:1545-1542 https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/265206 info:hdl:2268/265206 https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/265206/1/Gonzalez_Bernardo%20E.%20et%20al._Rubbing%20behavior%20of%20European%20brown%20bears_journal%20of%20mammalogy_PR2021.pdf doi:10.1093/jmammal/gyaa170 scopus-id:2-s2.0-85105351853 open access http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Journal of Mammalogy, 102 (2), 468-480 (2021-01) chemical communication rub trees rubbing behavior tree selectivity Ursus arctos Life sciences Phytobiology (plant sciences forestry mycology.) Zoology Agriculture & agronomy Sciences du vivant Biologie végétale (sciences végétales sylviculture mycologie.) Zoologie Agriculture & agronomie journal article http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501 info:eu-repo/semantics/article peer reviewed 2021 ftorbi https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyaa170 2024-03-27T14:55:28Z peer reviewed Scent-mediated communication is considered the principal communication channel in many mammal species. Compared with visual and vocal communication, odors persist for a longer time, enabling individuals to interact without being in the same place at the same time. The brown bear (Ursus arctos), like other mammals, carries out chemical communication, for example, by means of scents deposited on marking (or rub) trees. In this study, we assessed rub tree selectivity of the brown bear in the predominantly deciduous forests of the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain). We first compared the characteristics of 101 brown bear rub trees with 263 control trees. We then analyzed the potential factors affecting the density of rub trees along 35 survey routes along footpaths. We hypothesized that: (1) bears would select particular trees, or tree species, with characteristics that make them more conspicuous; and (2) that bears would select trees located in areas with the highest presence of conspecifics, depending on the population density or the position of the trees within the species’ range. We used linear models and generalized additive models to test these hypotheses. Our results showed that brown bears generally selected more conspicuous trees with a preference for birches (Betula spp.). This choice may facilitate the marking and/ or detection of chemical signals and, therefore, the effectiveness of intraspecific communication. Conversely, the abundance of rub trees along footpaths did not seem to depend on the density of bear observations or their relative position within the population center or its border. Our results suggest that Cantabrian brown bears select trees based on their individual characteristics and their location, with no influence of characteristics of the bear population itself. Our findings can be used to locate target trees that could help in population monitoring. Article in Journal/Newspaper Ursus arctos University of Liège: ORBi (Open Repository and Bibliography) Journal of Mammalogy 102 2 468 480 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Liège: ORBi (Open Repository and Bibliography) |
op_collection_id |
ftorbi |
language |
English |
topic |
chemical communication rub trees rubbing behavior tree selectivity Ursus arctos Life sciences Phytobiology (plant sciences forestry mycology.) Zoology Agriculture & agronomy Sciences du vivant Biologie végétale (sciences végétales sylviculture mycologie.) Zoologie Agriculture & agronomie |
spellingShingle |
chemical communication rub trees rubbing behavior tree selectivity Ursus arctos Life sciences Phytobiology (plant sciences forestry mycology.) Zoology Agriculture & agronomy Sciences du vivant Biologie végétale (sciences végétales sylviculture mycologie.) Zoologie Agriculture & agronomie Gonzalez-Bernardo, E. Bagnasco, C. Bombieri G., Zarzo-Arias, A. Ruiz-Villar, H. Moralez-Gonzalez, A. Lamamy, Cindy Ordiz, A. Canedo, D. Diaz, J. Chamberlain, D. E. Penteriani, V. Rubbing behavior of European brown bears: factors affecting rub tree selectivity and density |
topic_facet |
chemical communication rub trees rubbing behavior tree selectivity Ursus arctos Life sciences Phytobiology (plant sciences forestry mycology.) Zoology Agriculture & agronomy Sciences du vivant Biologie végétale (sciences végétales sylviculture mycologie.) Zoologie Agriculture & agronomie |
description |
peer reviewed Scent-mediated communication is considered the principal communication channel in many mammal species. Compared with visual and vocal communication, odors persist for a longer time, enabling individuals to interact without being in the same place at the same time. The brown bear (Ursus arctos), like other mammals, carries out chemical communication, for example, by means of scents deposited on marking (or rub) trees. In this study, we assessed rub tree selectivity of the brown bear in the predominantly deciduous forests of the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain). We first compared the characteristics of 101 brown bear rub trees with 263 control trees. We then analyzed the potential factors affecting the density of rub trees along 35 survey routes along footpaths. We hypothesized that: (1) bears would select particular trees, or tree species, with characteristics that make them more conspicuous; and (2) that bears would select trees located in areas with the highest presence of conspecifics, depending on the population density or the position of the trees within the species’ range. We used linear models and generalized additive models to test these hypotheses. Our results showed that brown bears generally selected more conspicuous trees with a preference for birches (Betula spp.). This choice may facilitate the marking and/ or detection of chemical signals and, therefore, the effectiveness of intraspecific communication. Conversely, the abundance of rub trees along footpaths did not seem to depend on the density of bear observations or their relative position within the population center or its border. Our results suggest that Cantabrian brown bears select trees based on their individual characteristics and their location, with no influence of characteristics of the bear population itself. Our findings can be used to locate target trees that could help in population monitoring. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Gonzalez-Bernardo, E. Bagnasco, C. Bombieri G., Zarzo-Arias, A. Ruiz-Villar, H. Moralez-Gonzalez, A. Lamamy, Cindy Ordiz, A. Canedo, D. Diaz, J. Chamberlain, D. E. Penteriani, V. |
author_facet |
Gonzalez-Bernardo, E. Bagnasco, C. Bombieri G., Zarzo-Arias, A. Ruiz-Villar, H. Moralez-Gonzalez, A. Lamamy, Cindy Ordiz, A. Canedo, D. Diaz, J. Chamberlain, D. E. Penteriani, V. |
author_sort |
Gonzalez-Bernardo, E. |
title |
Rubbing behavior of European brown bears: factors affecting rub tree selectivity and density |
title_short |
Rubbing behavior of European brown bears: factors affecting rub tree selectivity and density |
title_full |
Rubbing behavior of European brown bears: factors affecting rub tree selectivity and density |
title_fullStr |
Rubbing behavior of European brown bears: factors affecting rub tree selectivity and density |
title_full_unstemmed |
Rubbing behavior of European brown bears: factors affecting rub tree selectivity and density |
title_sort |
rubbing behavior of european brown bears: factors affecting rub tree selectivity and density |
publisher |
American Society of Mammalogists |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/265206 https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/265206/1/Gonzalez_Bernardo%20E.%20et%20al._Rubbing%20behavior%20of%20European%20brown%20bears_journal%20of%20mammalogy_PR2021.pdf https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyaa170 |
genre |
Ursus arctos |
genre_facet |
Ursus arctos |
op_source |
Journal of Mammalogy, 102 (2), 468-480 (2021-01) |
op_relation |
urn:issn:0022-2372 urn:issn:1545-1542 https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/265206 info:hdl:2268/265206 https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/265206/1/Gonzalez_Bernardo%20E.%20et%20al._Rubbing%20behavior%20of%20European%20brown%20bears_journal%20of%20mammalogy_PR2021.pdf doi:10.1093/jmammal/gyaa170 scopus-id:2-s2.0-85105351853 |
op_rights |
open access http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyaa170 |
container_title |
Journal of Mammalogy |
container_volume |
102 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
468 |
op_container_end_page |
480 |
_version_ |
1796933290336190464 |