IADIZA   20886
INSTITUTO ARGENTINO DE INVESTIGACIONES DE LAS ZONAS ARIDAS
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
artículos
Título:
Vigilance and foraging behaviour in a social desert rodent, Microcavia australis (Rodentia, Caviidae)
Autor/es:
TARABORELLI P.
Revista:
Ethology Ecology and Evolution
Editorial:
Firenze University Press
Referencias:
Lugar: Italia; Año: 2008 vol. 3 p. 245 - 256
ISSN:
0394-9370
Resumen:
Microcavia australis is a social species, diurnal and native to South
America. This rodent provides an opportunity for analyzing the relationship
between group size and the vigilance and foraging behaviour of the
lesser cavy in two populations inhabiting two risky sites (El Leoncito and
Ñacuñán). The study should reveal the mechanisms used by M. australis
America. This rodent provides an opportunity for analyzing the relationship
between group size and the vigilance and foraging behaviour of the
lesser cavy in two populations inhabiting two risky sites (El Leoncito and
Ñacuñán). The study should reveal the mechanisms used by M. australis
America. This rodent provides an opportunity for analyzing the relationship
between group size and the vigilance and foraging behaviour of the
lesser cavy in two populations inhabiting two risky sites (El Leoncito and
Ñacuñán). The study should reveal the mechanisms used by M. australis
is a social species, diurnal and native to South
America. This rodent provides an opportunity for analyzing the relationship
between group size and the vigilance and foraging behaviour of the
lesser cavy in two populations inhabiting two risky sites (El Leoncito and
Ñacuñán). The study should reveal the mechanisms used by M. australisM. australis
to reduce predation risk (many-eyes effect, cooperative vigilance or/and
simple dilution of per capita risk). Continuous focal sampling was conducted
at times of food shortage, food abundance and reproduction, from
2003-2005. A negative correlation was found between number of individuals
per group and frequency of individual vigilance, and a positive correlation
between rate and proportion of total group vigilance and the number
of individuals per group of both sites. There was no correlation between
the number of individuals per group and group foraging at either site. A
benefit of social grouping in cavies is an increased probability of survival
with group vigilance, although this implies no favourable impact on foraging
activity. This should reveal an effect of group in the antipredator
response, i.e. groups of larger size show lower levels of individual vigilance
and improved efficiency in their vigilance behaviour. That is to say that a
predator would be detected earlier when approaching a group than when
approaching a solitary individual and could thus be avoided (many-eyes
effect and cooperative vigilance).