Influence of group sizes and food resources in home-range sizes of capybaras from Argentina

CORRIALE, MARÍA JOSÉ; MUSCHETTO, EMILIANO; HERRERA, EMILIO

JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY

ALLIANCE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP DIVISION ALLEN PRESS

Lugar: Lawrence; Año: 2013 vol. 94 p. 19 - 28

0022-2372

Within a species, home-range size can vary due to intrinsic and extrinsic factors. In this study we test the hypotheses that social group sizes (intrinsic) of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) and food availability in their habitat (extrinsic) affects their home range sizes. The Minimum Convex Polygon method was used to estimate home range sizes (HR) and core areas (the area in which each group was present during all seasons, CA). HR estimates varied from 11.3 ha and 27.6 ha (mean 19 ± 1.89 ha). CA accounted for a mean 22.5% of the total HR. Home ranges measured during autumn and winter were significantly larger than those recorded in spring and summer. The correlation between HR and mean number of adults in groups was marginally significant, while that between HR and the overall average group size was not significant. We observed a significant negative linear correlation between HR and estimators of food availability. The evidence found does not allow us to establish any relationship between group size and HR, but it lends support to the hypothesis that the abundance of food resources is a major limiting factor in determining HR size.