Interindividual variability in habitat use: evidence for a risk management syndrome in roe deer?. (25th September 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bonnot, Nadège; Verheyden, Hélène; Blanchard, Pierrick; Cote, Julien; Debeffe, Lucie; Cargnelutti, Bruno; Klein, François; Hewison, A.J. Mark; Morellet, Nicolas
• Is Part Of: Behavioral ecology. Volume 26:Number 1(2015:Jan./Feb.)
• Page Start: 105
• Page End: 114
• Publication Date: 2014-09-25
• Subjects: behavior at capture -- behavioral syndrome -- body temperature -- flight distance -- risk-taking -- vigilance.; Animal behavior -- Periodicals; Behavior evolution -- Periodicals; Ecology -- Periodicals; Psychology, Comparative -- Periodicals; 591.5
• DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru169
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1045-2249

Abstract

Lay Summary: Do all individuals of a population adopt a similar pattern of habitat use or are there different tactics linked to an individual's personality? We show that a priori more reactive individuals minimize risk by using safer habitats, thus gaining only limited access to forage-rich habitats, whereas less reactive individuals prioritize access to high-quality resources by using riskier open habitat, but may thus be subject to higher risk of predation. This suggests the existence of a risk management syndrome in wild populations. Abstract : The way an individual reacts to the risk of predation or disturbance may have important consequences for its immediate and future survival. Risk is likely perceived differently by individuals in relation to among-individual differences in correlated behavioral traits, that is, syndromes or personalities. Given that animals can avoid the risk of predation/disturbance through modification of their habitat use, we might expect individuals of differing behavioral types to adopt contrasting tactics of habitat use when faced with risky or stressful situations. We studied the relationship between habitat use and among-individual variation in behavioral profile in a population of roe deer. We hypothesized that an individual's habitat use tactics should be related to their capacity to cope with risky situations. In particular, we predicted that more reactive (risk-averse) roe deer, with relatively high behavioral response and high body temperature at capture, long flight distances and which were more vigilant during feeding, should use riskier open habitat less, particularly when risk is high. We found that although the use of open habitat during the day was negatively correlated with the indices of reactivity at capture, it was also positively correlated with indices of reactivity while foraging in open habitat. Furthermore, most of the behavioral parameters we measured were intercorrelated and moderately repeatable, potentially indexing personality traits. We conclude that there is substantial interindividual variability in how individuals manage risky situations which imposes constraints on how they are able to exploit high-risk habitats, suggesting the existence of a risk management syndrome in this large herbivore.