Daily Home Range Research Articles

Using seascape types to explain the spatial patterns of fish in the mangroves of SW Puerto Rico

Many of the most abundant fish species using mangroves in the Caribbean also use other habitat types through daily home range movements and ontogenetic habitat shifts. Few studies, however, have considered the structure of the surrounding seascape when explaining the spatial distribution of fish within mangroves. This study develops an exploratory seascape approach using the geographical location of mangroves and the structure of the surrounding seascape at multiple spatial scales to explain the spatial patterns in fish density and number of species observed within mangroves of SW Puerto Rico. Seascape structure immediately surrounding mangroves was most influential in determining assemblage attributes and the density of juvenile Haemulon flavolineatum, which were significantly higher in mangroves with high seagrass cover (>40%) in close proximity ( 40 and >15%, respectively) in close proximity ( 40%) of seagrass within 600 m of the mangrove edge. We argue that there is an urgent need to incorporate information on the influence of seascape structure into a wide range of marine resource management activities, such as the identification and evaluation of critical or essential fish habitat, the placement of marine protected areas and the design of habitat restoration projects.

Ranging behavior of the mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda: a test of the ecological constraints model

The ecological constraints model predicts that daily travel distance and home range size of social animals will increase as group size increases in order to meet the dietary needs of additional group members. This theory has been supported more predominantly by studies of frugivorous primate species than by studies of folivorous species. We examined the ranging patterns of mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda, who include both herbaceous vegetation and fruit in their diet, to determine how ecological, behavioral, and social parameters influence movement patterns. Data were collected from three groups of gorillas with overlapping home ranges at a low-altitude location (1,450–1,800 m) and one group at a high-altitude location (2,100–2,500 m) in Bwindi from September 2001 to August 2002. We analyzed daily travel distance and home range size in relation to group size, while also considering patterns of frugivory, rainfall, and location (proxy for food availability) within the park. Both daily travel distance and home range size were positively related to group size. In addition, the degree of frugivory positively influenced daily travel distance and home range size, while rainfall negatively influenced daily travel distance only. Finally, groups at the low-altitude location, with higher fruit availability, traveled less than the group at the high-altitude location. These results demonstrate that mountain gorillas in Bwindi provide support for the ecological constraints model, but further studies are needed to determine how fine-scale spatial and temporal availability of food resources influence movement patterns. Ranging patterns of Bwindi gorillas are compared to those observed in other gorilla populations in the context of the ecological constraints model.

Seasonal variations of activity pattern of brown trout (Salmo trutta) in a small stream, as determined by radio-telemetry

Nine brown trout (27.9–42.8 cm FL, 234–995 g) from the Aisne stream (Belgian Ardenne) were tagged with surgically implanted radio transmitters, and their activity patterns were studied at 10-min intervals during twenty-six 24-h cycles from October 1995 to May 1997. The duration and intensity of activity were mainly proportional to water temperature and day length but some differences appeared between individuals. The daily home range in summer was also 3.2 times longer than in winter, and was exploited 2.5 times more intensively. At all seasons, trout were most active at dusk, and seasonal variations in diel patterns consisted mainly in a progressive shift from more crepuscular activity in autumn and winter to more homogenous and intensive activity during spring and summer, but still with a predominance of activity at dusk. This relative consistency of activity rhythm throughout the year was interpreted within the context of foraging risk and efficiency, in view of the scarcity of predators in the Aisne stream, and of drifting macroinvertebrates being consistently more abundant at dusk at all times of the year. However, activity patterns varied substantially between individuals living in different microhabitats, including when fish were investigated on the same day. This suggests that activity patterns are also subordinated to local factors such as habitat structure or abundance of drifting prey.

Roosting, range use and foraging behaviour of the Sickle-billed Vanga, Falculea palliata, in Madagascar

Roosting behaviour, range use and foraging behaviour of non-breeding Sickle-billed Vangas, Falculea polliata, a Malagasy endemic, were studied in the Ankarafantsika Strict Nature Reserve, northwestern Madagascar, in 1996 and 1997. Non-breeding birds farmed a flock and ranged daily between communal roosts and foraging areas. Roost sites were tall eucalypt trees (20–30 m) situated outside the forests, and the same trees were used repeatedly. Roosting flock size decreased during the breeding season, from October to December, due to the departure of breeding individuals. Mean sizes of daily home range and of foraging area were 68.6 ha (45–100 ha) and 14.1 ha (6–25 ha), respectively; much larger than those of breeding birds (3 ha). Sickle-billed Vangas foraged by probing their long and slender curved bills into holes and cracks in tree trunks or large branches. Dead trees or dead sections of live trees were preferred. The high abundance of large trees or dead trees in the deciduous forests allowed the flock to forage exclusively in this habitat. We suggest that communal roosts are located outside forests to avoid disturbance or predation by mammals. A foraging flock of Sickle-billed Vangas makes a round trip daily between the safe roosting sites and good foraging areas.

Daily home range and activity of wild boar in a Mediterranean area free from hunting

Seventeen adult wild boar (Sus scrofa) were radiotracked in the Maremma Natural Park fron March to September 1993, to determine home range size and the patterns of daily activity; 24-hr home range size averaged 33.2 ha (SE = 2.81) and 25.1 (SE = 1.73) calculated by the 100% and the 95% Minimum Convex Polygon respectively. No sex- or month-related differences were found in home range size nor in the daily activity. All the wild boar spent about 65% of their time being active. Activity usually started before sunset and stopped after sunrise, and was more synchronized to sunrise in all months except July. Most 24-hr cycles showed two active bouts: one nocturnal bout and a smaller one during the day. None of the radiocollared females bred, this could explain why sex related differences in home range size and activity patterns were not found. Wild boar were more diurnal if compared to those of other studies, and this could be due to the absence of human disturbance.

Spatial and temporal patterns in the activity of European moles.

Using ratio-tracking data obtained at three sites, we assessed the effects of season and of neighbour avoidance on the activity and patterns of home range use by European moles (Talpa europaea). The home ranges of non-breeding male and female moles did not differ significantly in size, and averaged 2324 m2 (minimum convex polygon). Although overlap between ranges was small (an average of 12.8% of each range being shared with neighbours and an average of only 3.3% of 2×2 m grid cells were shared with an individual neighbour, ranges were not oriented to avoid neighbours. Non-breeding male/female neighbours tended to share more of their grid cells (3.9±5.7%) mean ±SD than did neighbours of the same sex (male:male 1.2±0.95%; female:female 1.1±1.3%), but there was no significant difference in overlap between any combination of sex pairings. On average, each mole spent only 0.9% of its time within 6 m of another mole, and only 3 out of 46 dyads showed evidence of being attracted to each other; there was no evidence from the simultaneous movement patterns of neighbouring moles that they avoided each other. Although moles tended to return to the same part of their range at the same time on successive days, there was also some indication of gradual changes in the spatial pattern of daily home range use. Moles had a triphasic pattern of activity, but this became tetraphasic under drought conditions. There were significant differences between sites, but not between sexes, in sleeping behaviour and activity patterns. These differences could be related to seasonal differences in soil moisture and thus probably to prey renewal rates. We conclude that in our sites, the activity patterns and movements of moles depend on the temporal and spatial dispersion of food, rather than on short-term interactions between the movements of neighbours.

Temporal Use of Home Range by the Hispid Cotton Rat

Hispid cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) exhibit home ranges on daily and multiday time scales. Radiotelemetry was used to demonstrate that daily use of the multiday home range was not random, but systematic; daily home ranges were occupied in a clockwise pattern within the multiday home range. Such systematic use of the multiday home range may result in more efficient foraging in habitats where required resources are distributed in a patchy fashion. To determine whether systematic use of the multiday home range was caused by behavioral interactions among conspecifics, an index of exclusivity was computed to reflect the amount of daily home range for each individual not overlapped by any other individual. Average exclusivity was 84% for the total population and 93% for same-sex pairs. Computer simulations that randomly positioned daily home ranges showed that observed exclusivities were significantly higher than expected, particularly among males during breeding seasons. Thus, biological interactions, probably territoriality, among males resulted in nearly total separation of home ranges and also may play a part in systematic use of the multiday home range.

Site fidelity and effects of body mass on home-range size of Egyptian mongooses

Home-range size has been found to be related to body mass of some animals both across species and within species when the spatial strategies of the sexes differ. I studied home-range size in a polygynous carnivore, the Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon), and compared observed home-range size with predictions based on body mass. First, I tested whether mongooses actually exhibited site fidelity (for daily and multiday periods). Mongooses always showed site fidelity for a multiday home range, but in only 59% of the cases for daily home range. Adult males exhibited less daily site fidelity than did adult females or young. Multiday home-range size was similar among age–sex classes, but males had significantly more core areas than females or young. Multiday home-range size was positively correlated with body mass for adult males (r2 = 0.98, P = 0.0122) and negatively correlated with body mass of adult females (r2 = 0.40, P = 0.0374). Differences in these relationships and daily site fidelity between adult males and females suggest that the spatial strategies of male and female Egyptian mongooses are different, with the larger females defending the areas richer in resources and the larger males having more access to females.

Operationally Defining Home Range: Temporal Dependence Exhibited by Hispid Cotton Rats

To determine whether cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) establish home ranges, and whether home—range size and shape vary temporally, we measured site fidelity at daily and multiday intervals. The concept of site fidelity can be used to provide a quantitative measure of the existence of a home range. Mean squared distance from the center of activity (MSD) and a linearity index (LI) were used to measure site fidelity of the hispid cotton rat. Significant differences for these metrics between actual and simulated, random movement showed that home ranges existed for both daily and multiday periods. Home—range characteristics varied with temporal scale. Daily home ranges were more concentrated (lower MSD), linear (higher LI), and elongate (higher eccentricity, ECC) than multiday home ranges. The effects of sex, age, and season on MSD, LI, and ECC differed for daily and multiday home ranges. The area of daily home range was not different between sexes or ages, or among seasons, but multiday home ranges was larger for males, for adults, and in winter and summer. Knowing that home ranges exist is a necessary prerequisite for ecology or behavioral interpretation of space—use patterns before comparisons of home—range characteristics are made, however, the temporal scale of measurement must be considered, because scale alone can yield differences in size and shape.

Home range and spatial organization of the beach vole, Microtus breweri

A telemetric study was conducted on the beach vole (Microtus breweri), a species endemic to Muskeget Island, Massachusetts, which exhibits one of the most stable population densities of any microtine rodent. Although males maintained consistently higher averages of the areal and linear measurements recorded, there was no significant difference in the size or shape of daily home range averages between male and female beach voles. Females maintained exclusive daily ranges during the breeding season, showing a high degree of intrasexual avoidance. Males exhibited no sign of territorial behavior, overlapping female ranges with apparent indifference to the ranges of other males. Seasonal data indicate shifts in the spatial organization of the beach vole from breeding to nonbreeding season. These findings are similar to those of the meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus), the beach vole's mainland progenitor. The daily home ranges of female beach voles are two to three times larger than those of female meadow voles occurring in similar population densities. Three explanations for the difference in range size occurring between similar species exhibiting similar spatial organization are discussed: 1. differences in telemetric methodology used in the studies may cause variations in results, 2. subtle differences in the “socio-spatial” organization of the two species may exist such that female M. breweri ranges are more efficiently packaged into the habitat, and 3. the absolute number of adult females in a given population is lower for beach voles than meadow voles as a result of the beach vole's insular natural history.

Lek promiscuity in a semelparous mammal, Antechinus stuartii (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae)?

All male Antechinus stuartii die following a brief rut towards the end of their first year of life. Outside the rutting period, both males and females forage in clearly-defined invidual home ranges, but neither sex is territorial. As temperatures drop during the winter, both sexes may leave their foraging range each day to spend the latter part of the night and most of the daylight hours in communal nests which may be used by fifteen animals simultaneously, and over forty individuals during one winter. These temporary movements away from the foraging range cause an increase in the daily home range revealed by radiotelemetry. When the mating season commences, males abandon their foraging range and aggregate in a few of the communal nest trees, where they spend most of the night. There is some movement between aggregations, but the movement appears to be rapid and direct. Females continue to use their foraging area, and nest solitarily. However, they make excursions to the male aggregations, and spend time in the nests with the males. By the third week of the mating season, immediately prior to male mortality, males move frequently from one aggregation to another, but are still confined to the aggregations and direct movements between those nests. By this time some females have ceased visiting the aggregations and nest solitarily within their foraging range. These data suggest that the mating system of A. stuartii is lek promiscuity, and support the hypothesis that the abrupt mortality of males is a cost of endocrine changes which facilitate gluconeogenic mobilisation of body protein, allowing the males to sustain their vigil at the leks.

Home Range and Homing Behavior of Plethodon cinereus in Northern Michigan

Daily movement, home range and homing activity were determined for 40 P. cinereus tagged with Co60. Daily movement averaged 0.43 m per individual during the active season with the greatest movement coming after periods of rainfall. Home ranges were generally linear, thus polygon and elliptical methods were best suited to calculate home ranges. Home ranges were not significantly different between juveniles, adult males and adult females. Thirty-one displacements up to 30 m from the center of home ranges resulted in an average 90% return rate. Return rates for 90 m displacements averaged 25%. Routes of return were generally direct and occurred within 24 h.

Bionomics and Sociology of Tancho, Grus japonensis

Territoriality of Tancho or the Japanese Crane, Grus japonensis was studied in Kushiro marshlands from March 1971 to June 1972. Two types of social patterns are recognized: The permanent territorial pattern and the segregation of breeding and wintering areas. The difference of these two social patterns seems to be correlated with availability of winter food supply. Daily life of a pair is confined within a territory. The territory involves three important places for: nesting, roosting and feeding. The daily home range markedly varies, in the period of early parental care, its minimum size being as small as 1/1600 of the largest one. But the territory remains almost constant through breeding season. The alternation of guarding chick and searching food may be most responsible for the reduction of daily home range. To raise their chicks in huge open and bioeconomically poor marshlands, the reduction of daily home range is advantageous for Tancho. The territory occupants exhibit territorial defense at the invasion of alien birds. The sequence of invasion and defense varies considerably according to age of invaders, season, time and weather conditions. Duetting decreases the chance of invasion and increases the withdrawal of invaders. Social units found in Tancho in the breeding seasons are classified as territorial pairs, families, non-territorial two associated yearlings, solitary yearlings and solitary adults.

A preliminary investigation of home range use in the Gir Forest langur

Two troops of grey langur monkeys (Presbytis entellus entellus) were observed in the Gir Forest, western India for approximately 220 hours in two of three seasons at very high crude densities ranging from 115–128 langurs per km2. Daily activity patterns and home range use are described and a scan-sampling technique of activity distribution employed. Food and predator avoidance are estimated to be major determinants of population density and home range size, structure, and composition.

Activity Patterns of Radio-Collared Black Bears in Idaho

Activity patterns of 13 radio-collared black bears (Ursus americanus) in west-central Idaho were studied between June 1973 and December 1974. Bears did not react in a significant way to the disturbances of an investigator. Females were more active than males during the early spring and late fall. Bears were primarily diurnal and crepuscular; however, they were less active and more nocturnal in early spring and late fall than in summer. Phenological patterns of seven key food plants appeared to govern bear movements and habitat preferences. Bears occupied well-defined home ranges that remained stable from year to year. Home range areas of adults varied from 16.6 to 130.3 km2. Daily movements and home range areas of males were usually larger than those of females. Overlap of home ranges was extensive. Bears entered dens between 9 October and 27 November, and emerged in April. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 40(2):340-348 Reports of previous studies of black bears have not included data concerning the nature, time, and duration of their activities (Black 1958, Erickson and Petrides 1964, Jonkel and Cowan 1971). Craighead and Craighead (1965) demonstrated that radiotelemetry permits collection of such data. However, little radiotracking of black bears has been reported. In 1973 the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the Idaho Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit initiated a cooperative study of the ecology of the black bear. One phase of that study, determination of movements and activities of black bears between June 1973 and December 1974, is reported here. Beecham did the trapping and marking, and Amstrup was responsible for the radiotelemetry studies. We are especially grateful to M. G. Hornocker and L. Oldenburg, without whose administrative and supervisory assistance this project could not have begun. We thank the personnel of the Council Ranger District, Payette National Forest, for providing maps and background information about the study area and for their continuous support.

Effects of sublethal, cerebral x-irradiation on movement, activity and home-range patterns of black-tailed jackrabbits.

Effects of sublethal, cerebral X-irradiation on movement, activity and home-range patterns of black-tailed jackrabbits were studied in northeastern Utah using radio-telemetry. Irradiation of 70 captive animals using a 200 K.V.A., 8A X-ray machine indicated an LD50(30>) between 5556 and 6200R. Nine wild, free-living experimentals were trapped in desert terrain, field irradiated at a dosage of 5000R, transmittered, and released at the capture sites. Seven wild controls were treated similarly but were not irradiated. Experimentals had a mean hourly movement of 1176.8 ft and controls 980.0 ft (P < 0.05). Experimentals had a bimodal activity curve with peaks at 5:00 p.m. and 3:00–5:00 a.m. Controls displayed no such pattern. Experimentals had a mean daily home range of 66.1 acres and controls 34.1 acres (P < 0.05). Experimentals had a seasonal home range of 279.0 acres and controls 247.0 acres (P > 0.05). A probability index showing the frequency distribution of each animal's activity within 300 ft concentric, circular bands around a geometric center of activity showed similar distributions for controls and experimentals (P > 0.05). The greatest activity concentrations were within the innermost band for each group but experimentals had a greater scatter of points in the outermost zone. Sublethal, cerebral irradiation appear s to have increased activity levels of experimental animals but not changed those home-range characteristics involving total area occupied and tenacity of site attachment. This increased activity may have resulted from cortex inhibitory areas which permitted greater expression of activity from the limbic system.

Observations on the Movement Patterns and Daily Home Range Size of Impala, Aepyceros Melampus (Lichtenstein) in the Kruger National Park

The movements and other behavioural and physiological patterns of impala and of some of the other more abundant game species in the Kruger National Park were studied to provide information which co...