Natal habitat preference induction in large mammals—Like mother, like child?. Issue 24 (11th December 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Larue, Benjamin; Côté, Steeve D.; St‐Laurent, Martin‐Hugues; Dussault, Christian; Leblond, Mathieu
• Is Part Of: Ecology and evolution. Volume 8:Issue 24(2018)
• Page Start: 12629
• Page End: 12640
• Publication Date: 2018-12-11
• Subjects: natal experience -- natal habitat preference induction -- Rangifer tarandus caribou -- repeatability -- resource selection functions -- woodland caribou; Ecology -- Periodicals; Evolution -- Periodicals; 577.05
• DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4685
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2045-7758

Abstract

Abstract: Habitat selection has received considerable attention from ecologists during the last decades, yet the underlying forces shaping individual differences in habitat selection are poorly documented. Some of these differences could be explained by the early experience of individuals in their natal habitat. By selecting habitat attributes like those encountered early in life, individuals could improve resource acquisition, survival, and ultimately fitness. This behavior, known as natal habitat preference induction (NHPI), could be particularly common in large mammals, because offspring generally stay with their mother for an extended period. We used three complementary approaches to assess NHPI in a marked population of woodland caribou ( Rangifer tarandus caribou ): (a) population‐based resource selection functions (RSFs), (b) individual‐based RSFs, and (c) behavioral repeatability analyses. All approaches compared the behavior of calves in their natal range to their behavior as independent subadults during the snow‐covered (Dec–Apr) and snow‐free (May–Nov) seasons. Using RSFs, we found that the magnitude of habitat selection between calf and subadult stages differed for most covariates, yet the signs of statistically significant effects (selection vs. avoidance) were generally the same. We also found that some habitat selection tactics were highly repeatable across life stages. Notably, caribou responses to habitat disturbances were highly repeatable year‐round, meaning that different individuals reacted differently, but consistently, to disturbances. This study highlights the potential role of natal habitat preference induction in shaping individual differences in habitat selection in large mammals and provides valuable knowledge for the management and conservation of a threatened species. Abstract : We used complementary approaches to assess natal habitat preference induction in a marked population of woodland caribou. All approaches compared the behavior of calves in their natal range to their behavior as independent subadults during the snow‐covered and snow‐free seasons. We found that habitat selection was a highly repeatable behavior across life stages and that caribou responses toward anthropogenic disturbances were repeatable year‐round.