Spatio-temporal vigilance architecture of an Australian flying-fox colony |
| |
Authors: | Stefan M Klose Justin A Welbergen Anne W Goldizen Elisabeth K V Kalko |
| |
Institution: | (1) Institute of Experimental Ecology, University of Ulm, Albert Einstein Allee 11, 89069 Ulm, Germany;(2) School of Integrative Biology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia;(3) Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK;(4) Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Panama |
| |
Abstract: | The social structure of animal aggregations may vary considerably in both space and time, yet little is known about how this
affects vigilance. Here, we investigate the vigilance architecture of a colony of wild-living grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) in Australia and examine how spatial as well as temporal variation in social organization influences social and environmental
vigilance. We sampled color-marked individuals at different stages of the reproductive cycle and the year and at different
locations in the colony to examine the effects of temporal and spatial factors on social and environmental vigilance. We found
that vigilance architecture reflected the social structure of the colony, with the highest environmental vigilance being displayed
by bats at the periphery of the colony, and the highest social vigilance by bats that roosted at intermediate distances from
the colony’s edge. Furthermore, we found that vigilance levels reflected changes in reproductive state, with social vigilance
increasing toward the mating season, particularly in males. Our findings show that spatial and temporal variation in social
structure can have differential effects on social and environmental vigilance. This highlights the necessity to differentiate
between functions of vigilance to understand fully vigilance architecture in aggregations of social animals. |
| |
Keywords: | Cooperation Risk dilution Antipredatory strategies Behavioral monitoring Chiroptera |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|