Foraging and anti-predation behavior of Thomson’s gazelles (Gazella thomsoni) and Grant’s gazelles (Gazella granti) at a waterhole
Prey species make behavioral decisions to reduce the perceived risk of predation and the time spent vulnerable to predation. Behavioral responses to predators are for example selection of specific habitat types and the presence of predators influence individual vigilance. Furthermore, there is a var...
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| Formato: | M2 |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés sueco |
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SLU/Dept. of Animal Environment and Health (until 231231)
2014
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| Materias: |
| _version_ | 1855571247632482304 |
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| author | Rautiainen, Heidi |
| author_browse | Rautiainen, Heidi |
| author_facet | Rautiainen, Heidi |
| author_sort | Rautiainen, Heidi |
| collection | Epsilon Archive for Student Projects |
| description | Prey species make behavioral decisions to reduce the perceived risk of predation and the time spent vulnerable to predation. Behavioral responses to predators are for example selection of specific habitat types and the presence of predators influence individual vigilance. Furthermore, there is a variation in feeding niches with different herbivores focusing their foraging effort on different vegetation types which is also expected to affect the choice of habitat. Behavioral data on anti-predation and foraging behavior at on waterhole is collected from Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles at Ol Pejeta Conservancy (0°00’N, 36°56’E) located in semiarid bushed grassland in Laikipia district of central Kenya. The main predators at the waterhole are lions, black-backed jackals, spotted hyenas, cheetahs and African wild dogs. Direct observations were carried out from a car 250 meters from the waterhole. Observations were carried out daytime by scan sampling from sunrise to sunset in February 2014. The aim of this study was to design and test a study that investigates how Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles differ in foraging and anti-predation behavior during daytime close to a waterhole. The results show that the number and visiting frequency of Thomson’s gazelles was higher at the study area than Grant’s gazelles and the number of Thomson’s gazelles was higher in the morning than in the afternoon. Because of low amount of Grant’s gazelles, no further analysis on this species was made. Based on results or when not possible by literature, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles seem to differ in anti-predation and foraging behavior by differences in habitat preferences, water dependency, group size and physical characteristics. |
| format | M2 |
| id | RepoSLU7822 |
| institution | Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences |
| language | Inglés swe |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publishDateSort | 2014 |
| publisher | SLU/Dept. of Animal Environment and Health (until 231231) |
| publisherStr | SLU/Dept. of Animal Environment and Health (until 231231) |
| record_format | eprints |
| spelling | RepoSLU78222015-04-22T10:26:58Z Foraging and anti-predation behavior of Thomson’s gazelles (Gazella thomsoni) and Grant’s gazelles (Gazella granti) at a waterhole Betes- och antipredationsbeteende hos Thomson’s gaseller (Gazella thomsoni) och Grant’s gaseller (Gazella granti) vid ett vattenhål Rautiainen, Heidi betesbeteende antipredationsbeteende thomson's gasell grant's gasell gasell foraging behavior anti-predation behavior gazelle Prey species make behavioral decisions to reduce the perceived risk of predation and the time spent vulnerable to predation. Behavioral responses to predators are for example selection of specific habitat types and the presence of predators influence individual vigilance. Furthermore, there is a variation in feeding niches with different herbivores focusing their foraging effort on different vegetation types which is also expected to affect the choice of habitat. Behavioral data on anti-predation and foraging behavior at on waterhole is collected from Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles at Ol Pejeta Conservancy (0°00’N, 36°56’E) located in semiarid bushed grassland in Laikipia district of central Kenya. The main predators at the waterhole are lions, black-backed jackals, spotted hyenas, cheetahs and African wild dogs. Direct observations were carried out from a car 250 meters from the waterhole. Observations were carried out daytime by scan sampling from sunrise to sunset in February 2014. The aim of this study was to design and test a study that investigates how Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles differ in foraging and anti-predation behavior during daytime close to a waterhole. The results show that the number and visiting frequency of Thomson’s gazelles was higher at the study area than Grant’s gazelles and the number of Thomson’s gazelles was higher in the morning than in the afternoon. Because of low amount of Grant’s gazelles, no further analysis on this species was made. Based on results or when not possible by literature, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles seem to differ in anti-predation and foraging behavior by differences in habitat preferences, water dependency, group size and physical characteristics. Bytesdjur gör beteendemässiga beslut för att minska risken för predation och tiden sårbara för predation. Beteendemässiga reaktioner till rovdjur är till exempel val av specifika vegetationstyper och närvaro av rovdjur påverkar individens vaksamhet. Dessutom finns det en variation i betesnischer. Olika herbivorer skiljer sig i sitt födosöksbeteende på olika vegetationstyper, vilket också förväntas påverka valet av habitat. Insamling av data för antipredation och födosöksbeteende vid ett vattenhål från Thomsons och Grants gaseller genomfördes på Ol Pejeta Conservancy (0 ° 00 'N, 36 ° 56'E) som ligger i Laikipia-distriktet i centrala Kenya. De främsta rovdjuren vid vattenhålet är lejon, schakaler, fläckiga hyenor, geparder och afrikanska vildhundar. Direkta observationer genomfördes från en bil 250 meter från vattenhålet. Observationer genomfördes dagtid med genom att skanna individer från soluppgång till solnedgång under februari 2014. Syftet med denna studie var att utforma och testa en studie som undersöker hur Thomsons och Grants gaseller skiljer sig i antipredations- och födosöksbeteende under dagtid, nära ett vattenhål. Resultaten visar att antalet och besöksfrekvensen på Thomsons gaseller var högre i studieområdet än Grants gaseller och antalet Thomsons gaseller var högre på morgonen än på eftermiddagen. På grund av det låga antalet Grants gaseller genomfördes ingen ytterligare analys på denna art. Baserat på resultaten och litteraturen, verkar Thomson och Grants gaseller skilja sig i antipredation- och födosöksbeteende genom skillnader i habitatpreferenser, behov av vatten, gruppstorlek och fysiska egenskaper. SLU/Dept. of Animal Environment and Health (until 231231) 2014 M2 eng swe https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/7822/ |
| spellingShingle | betesbeteende antipredationsbeteende thomson's gasell grant's gasell gasell foraging behavior anti-predation behavior gazelle Rautiainen, Heidi Foraging and anti-predation behavior of Thomson’s gazelles (Gazella thomsoni) and Grant’s gazelles (Gazella granti) at a waterhole |
| title | Foraging and anti-predation behavior of Thomson’s gazelles (Gazella thomsoni) and Grant’s gazelles (Gazella granti) at a waterhole |
| title_full | Foraging and anti-predation behavior of Thomson’s gazelles (Gazella thomsoni) and Grant’s gazelles (Gazella granti) at a waterhole |
| title_fullStr | Foraging and anti-predation behavior of Thomson’s gazelles (Gazella thomsoni) and Grant’s gazelles (Gazella granti) at a waterhole |
| title_full_unstemmed | Foraging and anti-predation behavior of Thomson’s gazelles (Gazella thomsoni) and Grant’s gazelles (Gazella granti) at a waterhole |
| title_short | Foraging and anti-predation behavior of Thomson’s gazelles (Gazella thomsoni) and Grant’s gazelles (Gazella granti) at a waterhole |
| title_sort | foraging and anti-predation behavior of thomson’s gazelles (gazella thomsoni) and grant’s gazelles (gazella granti) at a waterhole |
| topic | betesbeteende antipredationsbeteende thomson's gasell grant's gasell gasell foraging behavior anti-predation behavior gazelle |