IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
| Willems, E.P.; Hill, R.A. | |
| Predator-specific landscapes of fear and resource distribution: effects on spatial range use | |
| 2009 Ecology (90): 546-555 | |
Although ecologists have long recognized that animal space use is primarily determined by the presence of predators and the distribution of resources, the effects of these two environmental conditions have never been quantified simultaneously in a single spatial model. Here, in a novel approach, predator-specific landscapes of fear are constructed on the basis of behavioral responses of a prey species (vervet monkey; _Cercopithecus aethiops_), and we show how these can be combined with data on resource distribution to account for the observed variation in intensity of space use. Results from a mixed regressive-spatial regressive analysis demonstrate that ranging behavior can indeed be largely interpreted as an adaptive response to perceived risk of predation by some (but not all) predators and the spatial availability of resources. The theoretical framework behind the model is furthermore such that it can easily be extended to incorporate the effects of additional factors potentially shaping animal range use and thus may be of great value to the study of animal spatial ecology. |
|
 |
PDF files are only accessible to Friends of the Cat Group. Joining Friends of the Cat Group gives you unlimited access and downloads in the Cat SG Library for one year, and allows you to receive our newsletter Cat News (2 regular issues per year plus special issues). More information how to join here |
(c) IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group ( IUCN - The World Conservation Union) |