Behavioural modulation of predation risk: moonlight avoidance and crepuscular compensation in a nocturnal desert rodent, Dipodomys merriami

doi:10.1016/S0003-3472(05)80748-1

Animal Behaviour

Volume 44, Issue 1, July 1992, Pages 1-9

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-3472(05)80748-1 Get rights and content

Abstract

The temporal and spatial distribution of above-ground activith in Merriam's kangaroo rats, Dipodomys merriami, radio-tracked during 10 winters varied in relation to phases of the moon. At the full moon, animals were more likely to be found in their day burrows at scheduled hourly radio fixes, and when they emerged, they stayed closer to home. At partial moon phases, above-ground activity was preferentially allocated to hours when the moon was down. As predicted from an extension of Rosenzweig's (1974, J. Mammal., 55, 193–199) model of optimal above-ground activity, the suppression of nocturnal activity at the full moon was partially offset by relatively great activity at dusk and dawn, and losses to nocturnal versus diurnal predators were distributed differently over the lunar cycle. Gross predation rates did not differ significantly among moon phases, but the kangaroo rats' relatively crepuscular activity pattern at the full moon both reduced their vulnerability to nocturnal predators, as compared with the new moon phase, and raised their vulnerability to diurnal shrikes.

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Modelling hiding behaviour in a predator-prey system by both integer order and fractional order derivatives
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Most of the preys are well aware of sensing predation risk. Consequently, to escape from predators they usually adopt several defense mechanisms, specially refuge themselves to become invulnerable. In view of this, a mathematical model has been formulated incorporating prey refuge, where it is assumed that prey refuge is a function of predators availability in the system. It is shown that the model system is well-posed. It has been found that the hiding level and consumption rate of predators have a suitable interrelation between them. Both the parameters act as Hopf bifurcation parameters, but they play opposite role in case of stabilization of the system dynamics. Also, hiding level plays crucial role in maintaining the mean density of both the populations. Furthermore, as hiding behaviour of prey is not instantaneous, so a time delay, namely hiding delay has been introduced to make the model system more realistic and it is observed that the delay parameter destabilizes the system. Modelling approach through fractional calculus has been further deployed to study how the process of forgetting life history influences the dynamical intricacy of the population level dynamics. All the analytical findings have been testified by proper numerical performances.
Kangaroo rats: Ecosystem engineers on western rangelands
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  Kangaroo rats occur exclusively in arid environments of western North America, where they often function as ecosystem engineers and keystone species.
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In this article, a predator-prey model has been evolved in the form of a system of fractional order differential equations incorporating two important factors, namely, fear factor and prey refuge factor. Here, the fractional calculus has been taken into consideration to investigate the dynamical behaviour of the solutions of the proposed model system as the changes in life cycle of prey species are of memory bound. Biological validation and well-posedness such as positivity and boundedness of solutions of the model system have been proved analytically. Stability analysis of all the feasible equilibrium points of the model system has been performed in a systematic way. Some important dynamical features of the model system (such as transition of stability of the system) have been demonstrated through rigorous numerical simulation. It is observed that our proposed model system experiences Hopf-bifurcation around the interior equilibrium point with respect to both the parameters $f$ and $m_{1},$ which are linked with amount of predator induced fear and rate of prey refuge, respectively. The system dynamics is more likely to be stable in the framework of fractional order derivative in comparison to integer-order derivative. The high amount of predator induced fear $f$ and prey refuge rate $m_{1}$ are independently capable to make the system dynamics to be stable in integer order model system. On the other hand, the dynamics of the model system shifts towards the stability from its unstable behaviour when we continuously reduce the order of the model system; especially under the scenario of low level of predator induced fear and prey refuge rate. Thus, our comprehensive mathematical findings reveal the fact that fading memory can play a contributory role towards stable coexistence of the predator-prey system whereas strong memory of the species deteriorates the stable coexistence of the model system.
Spawning-related movements in a salmonid appear timed to reduce exposure to visually oriented predators
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Citation Excerpt :
The apparent reluctance of the lake-tagged trout to move through transitional habitat around the full moon reflects previous observations of trout moving smaller distances during the full than the new moon (Slavik, Horky, Randak, Balvin, & Bíly, 2012; Slavik, Horky, Maciak, Horka, & Langrova, 2018). Analogous patterns of reduced activity or presence within exposed habitats during the full moon have been recorded in terrestrial rodents (Daly, Behrends, Wilson, & Jacobs, 1992; Kotler et al., 1991; Lockard & Owings, 1974), catadromous eels (Poole, Reynolds, & Moriarty, 1990; Sandlund et al., 2017), marine fishes (Hammerschlag et al., 2017), bats (Morrison, 1978), armadillos (Pratas-Santiago, Gonçalves, Nogueira, & Spironello, 2017), ungulates (Palmer, Fieberg, Swanson, Kosmala, & Packer, 2017) and zooplankton (Last et al., 2016). Such ‘lunar phobia’ is regarded as an evolved response that reduces exposure to visually oriented predators.
Animals often exhibit extensive flexibility in movement behaviours on a range of temporal and spatial scales in response to cues that reliably predict fitness outcomes. The annual timing of movements between distinct habitats can be crucial, particularly in seasonal environments with narrow ecological windows of opportunity. In polygamous species, sexual selection may further shape sex-specific phenology and movement behaviours. Here, we characterized seasonal, daily and diel movement patterns in adult brown trout, Salmo trutta, between a lake feeding habitat and two spawning streams in northwestern Ireland, using passive integrated transponder (PIT) telemetry. Antennae positioned at the inflow and outflow of the lake were used to monitor movements of 197 lake-tagged adults between lake and stream habitats. Across 2 years in both streams, movements were overwhelmingly nocturnal and exhibited distinct seasonality, with a peak in daily detections close to the winter solstice. In both streams, seasonal movement activity of males began and peaked before that of females (protandry). Daily detection probabilities for both sexes increased as the moon waned (decreasing lunar illumination) and as river depth increased, the latter being associated with reduced water clarity. These findings are consistent with fish favouring movement between fluvial and lacustrine habitats when light (both solar and lunar) or hydrological conditions decrease their exposure to visually oriented predators. The observed protandry also suggests a role for intrasexual male competition, whereby earlier male arrival could increase mating opportunities.
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^*: Present address: Michael Brandman Associates, San Diego, CA 92130, U.S.A.

^†: Present address: Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, U.S.A.

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Animal Behaviour

Abstract

References (24)

Characteristics of kangaroo rats, Dipodomys merriami, associated with differential predation risk

Anim. Behav.

Moon-related surface activity of bannertail (Dipodomys spectabilis) and Fresno (D. nitratoides) kangaroo rats

Anim. Behav.

The influence of lunar light on noctural activity of the old-field mouse

Anim. Behav.

Spatiotemporal activity patterns of Merriam kangaroo rats (Dipodomys merriami)

Range use patterns and spatial relationships of Merriam's kangaroo rats (Dipodomys merriami)

Behaviour

Aboveground activity of Merriam's kangaroo rats (Dipodomys merriami) in relation to sex and reproduction

Behaviour

Seed removal experiments on desert rodents: the microhabitat by moonlight effect

J. Mammal.

The effects of owl predation on the foraging behavior of heteromyid rodents

Oecologia (Berl.)

Risk of predation and the structure of desert rodent communities

Ecology

Microhabitat selection in two species of heteromyid rodents

Oecologia (Berl.)

Initiation and termination of daily feeding in dark-eyed juncos: influences of predation risk and energy reserves

Oikos

Behavioral decisions made under the risk of predation: a review and prospectus

Can. J. Zool.

Cited by (185)

Free-living gerbils with higher testosterone take fewer risks

Modelling hiding behaviour in a predator-prey system by both integer order and fractional order derivatives

Kangaroo rats: Ecosystem engineers on western rangelands

Impact of predator incited fear and prey refuge in a fractional order prey predator model

Spawning-related movements in a salmonid appear timed to reduce exposure to visually oriented predators

Cryptic behavior and activity cycles of a small mammal keystone species revealed through accelerometry: a case study of Merriam’s kangaroo rats (Dipodomys merriami)