Accounting for individual behavioural variation in studies of habitat selection. (March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wirsing, Aaron J.; Heithaus, Michael R.; Wilson, Ken
• Is Part Of: Journal of animal ecology. Volume 83:Number 2(2014:Mar.)
• Page Start: 319
• Page End: 321
• Publication Date: 2014-03
• Subjects: Animal ecology -- Periodicals; 591.7
• DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12200
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-8790

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jane12200-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p> <boxed-text content-type="graphic" id="jane12200-blkfxd-0001" position="anchor" orientation="portrait"> <p>A caribou wearing an animal‐borne video camera (a) and animal‐borne video footage taken from systems deployed on mule deer (<italic>Odocoileus hemionus</italic>) in north‐central Washington state, USA (b‐d). When paired with tracking technology, animal‐borne video can reveal detailed information about behaviour and environmental features at each location: (b) feeding, (c) vigilant in the open, (d) vigilant in cover, (e) resting in the open. Accordingly, animal‐borne video systems should allow for analyses of habitat selection by individuals in particular behavioural states.</p> <graphic position="anchor" mimetype="image" xlink:href="ark:/27927/pgg4sttgvfn" orientation="portrait" xlink:type="simple" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" /> </boxed-text> </p> <p> <mixed-citation id="jane12200-cit-1001" publication-type="journal" xlink:type="simple" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">In Focus: <string-name><surname>DeCesare</surname>, <given-names>N.J.</given-names></string-name>, <string-name><surname>Hebblewhite</surname>, <given-names>M.</given-names></string-name>, <string-name><surname>Bradley</surname>, <given-names>M.</given-names></string-name>, <string-name><surname>Hervieux</surname>, <given-names>D.</given-names></string-name>, <string-name><surname>Neufeld</surname>, <given-names>L.</given-names></string-name> & <string-name><surname>Musiani</surname>, <given-names>M.</given-names></string-name> (<year>2014</year>) <article-title>Linking habitat selection and predation risk to spatial variation in survival</article-title>. <source content-type="journalTitle">Journal of Animal Ecology</source>, <volume>83</volume>, <fpage>343</fpage>–<lpage>352</lpage>.</mixed-citation> </p> <p>Resource selection is often assumed to confer enhanced fitness, but this assumption is rarely examined. In a study involving woodland caribou subject to grey wolf predation, DeCesare <italic>et al</italic>. (2014) show that while patterns of selection by caribou did correspond with a fitness proxy (survival probability), individuals did not avoid wolf predation risk to the extent that would minimize mortality. Here, we use the results of this paper as a springboard for discussing the choice of fitness proxies and the need to account for individual behavioural variation in studies of resource selection.</p> </abstract>