Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Sociobiology and behavioural ecology'
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Alpedrinha, J. A. C. V. "Social evolution and sex allocation theory." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2012. http://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:35e4f1c8-68ea-4395-9e67-5b72982196d6.
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The study of sex allocation is one of the most successful areas in evolutionary biology: its theoretical predictions have been supported by experimental, observational and comparative approaches. Here, I develop sex allocation theory as follows: (1) I use fertility insurance theory to predict the sex ratio strategy of the malaria parasite, in response to human medical interventions that increase mortality and decrease fertility of the parasite’s various sexual stages; (2) Haplodiploidy has been suggested as a driver of the evolution of eusociality, as under this genetic system a female may be more related to her sister than to her own offspring. I examine a model considering queen versus worker control over the sex ratio of the colony and show that haplodiploidy alone does not explain the evolution of helping; (3) I follow up this study of the haplodiploidy hypothesis by examining the idea that split-sex ratios may favour the evolution of eusociality in haplodiploid species. I study the two mechanisms of split sex ratios, that are found in natural populations and may have been important in the transition to eusociality: queen virginity and queen replacement. I focus on the impact of worker reproduction by considering the effect of woker producing a fraction of the colony offspring and by considering variation in the workers’ offspring sex ratio. My analysis shows that worker reproduction does not promote the evolution of helping in haplodiploid species; (4) I examine the evolution and function of a sterile soldier caste in parasitoid wasps from the genus Encyrtidae. Two main functions have been hypothesized for the emergence of soldiers: spiteful mediation of a sex ratio conflict in mixed-sex broods, and altruistic protection and 7 facilitation of the development of relatives. I develop a model considering variation in the oviposition behaviour of females, that may produce single-sex or mixed-sex broods. I show that, in accordance with previous theory, females are expected to produce more soldiers than males, under the sex ratio conflict hypothesis. I also show that one of the consequences of this costly conflict is that females are favoured to produce single-sex broods over mixed-sex broods.
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Dutton, Paul. "Does forage enrichment promote increased activity in captive capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella)?" Diss., Lincoln University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/779.
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In their native habitat of Central and South America, capuchin monkeys (Cebus) spend 45% to 55% of their day foraging and a further 20% travelling. Once these monkeys are introduced into captive environments their diets are selective, seasonal and presented to them by their keepers. The captive environment often leads to various behavioural abnormalities and compensatory behaviours or stereotypies. To address this issue, environmental enrichment can be employed to reduce, cure or prevent such an occurrence. Enrichment can reduce stress, while increasing animal well-being and health in captivity. Despite previous work a better understanding of enrichment, for most neo-tropical primate species, is necessary, in order to improve their captive lifestyles. Feeding of captive primates is more complex than providing a balanced nutritional diet as it must also meet their ethological needs. The manipulation of the presentation of the diet has been shown to significantly decrease the incidence of resting, while significantly increasing the incidence of playing, grooming, foraging and manual manipulation of dietary items. Eleven capuchin monkeys were presented with four different feeding treatments (i.e. cut food presented in bowls, cut food presented around the enclosure, uncut food presented around the enclosure and novel feeding devices presented around the enclosure) from December 2007 until May 2008. At the start of every month one of three feeding treatments was introduced with the cut food in bowls feeding treatment interleaved between the treatments. The different feeding treatments required the monkeys to search for their food, break-up their food into manageable sizes, and obtain food in touch-, tool- and manipulative-dependent methods in order to allow the monkeys an opportunity to display increased activity more in line with their wild conspecifics. The capuchins displayed a period of intense foraging directly following feeding. This period significantly increased (from 44 to 121 min.), along with foraging events and the proportion of time spent foraging, which was more in line with their wild conspecifics. In addition, the frequency of occurrence and the proportion of time spent on locomotion and resting was shown to decrease. Also, abnormal behaviours ceased to occur during the study. Environmental enrichment is a useful tool for providing stimulation, redistributing activity levels more in line with wild conspecifics and to combat abnormal and compensatory behaviours.
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Graf, Astrid. "Influencing habitat selection and use through conspecific attraction and supplementary feeding." Diss., Lincoln University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/1061.
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Bellbirds (Anthornis melanura) are one of two endemic honeyeaters in New Zealand. They are still common in many parts of the country, but also rare and absent in some areas where they were abundant before. Together with tui (Prosthemadera novaeseelandia) bellbirds are responsible for avian pollination of several native plants in New Zealand. Habitat fragmentation and geographical constraints prevent bellbirds from re-occupying formerly inhabited areas. After translocations birds often disperse; some just disappear, some are thought to fly back to their source site and probably many die. Supplementary feeding provides energy rich food, which helps to ensure birds are well-nourished until they can discover natural food sources at the release sites. Conspecific song playback as an attractant for many bird species can be used as public information about high habitat value and additionally lure birds to good food sources and nest sites. Artificial feeding stations were set up at 18 locations in Kennedy's Bush, Port Hills, Canterbury, New Zealand. Feeders filled with sugar water were available for five to six consecutive days and during observation hours the effect of song playback was tested. Variation in bird numbers resulting from experimental treatments was recorded using five-minute bird counts prior to treatments and additional counts every minute of observation time. Bellbird numbers varied strongly with habitat types, showing highest numbers for dense and tall bush areas and close to creeks and lowest for open areas besides pasture and in post-flowering flax fields. Bellbird numbers increased when song was broadcast, with the strongest effect in areas where bellbird numbers were moderate or low, but not in areas where bellbirds were absent. Feeding stations were not observed to be used by bellbirds. The strong response in bellbird numbers to conspecific song playback proved the attractiveness of song for bellbirds. Nevertheless, its function as a lure for bellbirds to artificial feeding stations was not shown. This contrasting result indicates that the use of bellbird song as an enticement for bellbirds has to be investigated further.
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De, Bourcier P. G. R. "Synthetic behavioural ecology." Thesis, University of Sussex, 1996. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.360517.
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com, lroarty@bigpond, and Lynn Ann Roarty. "The 'Vampires in the Sacristy': Feminist body theory and (socio)biological reductionism into the 21st century." Murdoch University, 2009. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20091027.70346.
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What happens when feminist body theory and reductionist theories of biological sex difference are brought together? In this work I take as my starting point the increasing ubiquity of appeals to biology as an explanation for human and womans nature on the one hand, and the reactive and reflexive distancing of biology within feminist body theory on the other, to begin to question the middle ground. I aim to constructively dissent from taking up either of these positions in order to confront the question: what if the reductionists prove to be, even partially, right? In acknowledging that possibility, I am interested in whether/where there is potential for feminist theory to be more relaxed about biologically sex differentiated attributes.
I position myself as a womens studies scholar taking a walk across the campus to see what evidence is being produced by the opposition. To place my walk in context, I first briefly explore various feminist approaches to the problem of biological sex differences, and the continuing difficulties surrounding binaries and binary thinking. Next, in the main part of the thesis, I review the historical and contemporary reasoning and claims made within three areas of reductionist science that are aligning at this time, and which have been reproached for promoting a return to a more biologically determinist social environment. I then take a brief excursion off campus to demonstrate the dangerous aspects of these scientific enterprises when their interpretation into popular culture is not carefully monitored. Finally, I return again to my own side of the campus to look at some of the ways feminists have already begun the work of overturning outworn and contested conventional theories about biology and human nature in conversation with reductionist theory.
Having done this, was it worth the walk? My assessment is that while, in some cases, feminisms defensive antiessentialism is warranted, there is work being undertaken within these reductionist sciences that is less rigid and reactionary than some critical interpretation would suggest. I conclude that there is a certain futility in feminist body theorys oppositional stance to biology, and that its utility is put at risk by a continued investment in one side of a binary. Further, my walk across the campus leads me to believe that, while perhaps not imminent, there is every reason to expect that the scientific pursuit of an unequivocal genetic basis for specific sex differentiated behaviours will succeed. That being so, there are spaces where the insights of both sides might be productively brought together so as to avoid the worst excesses of biological determinism and, at the same time, loosen the grip of binary thinking on approaches to biology and the body.
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McCormick, Joseph. "Information cascades in behavioural ecology." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2022. https://hdl.handle.net/2123/28578.
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In ecology, information cascades have been used to explain a variety of collective behaviours, including mate selection, anti-predatory responses, and social foraging. Taxonomically diverse, information cascades occur in many group-living animals, including ant colonies, schools of fish, bird flocks, and social mammals. In this thesis, I studied the form and function of information cascades that drive a wide variety of group-level behaviours. In chapter one, I surveyed and reviewed the published literature regarding information cascades in biological systems. I discuss a selection of past studies to illustrate the diversity of information cascades, highlighting the adaptive significance and fitness consequences of different cascade types. I build a conceptual framework inspired by the variation in outcome and structure of information cascades elicited under different environmental or informational conditions. In chapter two, I experimentally tested the impact of maladaptive information cascades on the foraging performance of ants (Pheidole rugosula). Here, I introduced misinformation into foraging networks and measured the ants’ ability to re-establish foraging activity. I find that colonies readily recover and maintain robust foraging efforts when faced with erroneous social information. Overall, I find that information cascades drive critical collective behaviours in a diverse range of animal taxa. I also find that P. rugosula avoids significant maladaptive cascades despite the introduction of misinformation into their foraging networks. Information cascades warrant further research to improve our understanding of their role in nature and to decipher potential insights into managing information cascades in human systems.
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Clegg, Mark Robert. "Behavioural ecology of freshwater phytoplanktonic flagellates." Thesis, Lancaster University, 2002. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.403729.
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Marsh, Frances J. "The behavioural ecology of young baboons." Thesis, University of St Andrews, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/15097.
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It is hypothesised that young baboons are potentially vulnerable to the effects of seasonal stress. Data were collected on the behaviour of this age group during a 12 month field study of a troop of olive baboons (Papio anubis) on the Laikipia plateau, Kenya, using a hand-held computer and a new program written by the author. Long-term environmental records for this site were continued. At this site there is a seasonal pattern of rainfall with inter-annual variation. Measures of biomass indicate that there are seasonal fluctuations in baboon food availability. Patterns in the occurrence of one component of the baboon's diet, Acacia species, are presented. The varying behaviour of the troop as a whole is related to food availability. Differential use of the home range and observed sub-trooping behaviour are interpreted as adaptive strategies for living in a seasonal environment. Developmental change in the behaviour associated with the mother-offspring relationship is described. Patterns in the time spent in contact with and close proximity to the mother from this site are compared with those from other sites, and striking similarities are found. Many of the behavioural activities of infants and young juveniles, i.e. feeding, moving, types of exploring, visually attending, grooming, and receiving affiliative approaches, exhibit patterns of developmental change. Interactions between activities are examined in the context of the complete activity budget. The effect of seasonal stress on young baboons is examined by using a technique of curve fitting. Data are compared between periods of higher and lower food availability. Significantly more time is spent feeding and less time spent in social and attending activities in the 'worst' than the 'best' months. Young baboons vary their diets seasonally. There is evidence that older infants (weanlings) are more vulnerable to the impact of seasonal stress than either young infants or young juveniles.
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Dowling, Damian Kimon. "Behavioural ecology of the red-capped robin." Connect to thesis, 2004. http://eprints.unimelb.edu.au/archive/00000798.
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Robinson, Mark Francis. "The behavioural ecology of the serotine bat." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1992. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.334221.
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Pagès, Fauria Jordi. "A behavioural seascape ecology approach to macrophyte herbivory." Doctoral thesis, Universitat de Barcelona, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/126622.
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Overall, this thesis aims at approaching macrophyte herbivory and community ecology from a behavioural landscape perspective. Our study system, the seascape mosaic of Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows interspersed with sand patches and rocky areas with macroalgal cover, is particularly useful to test sound ecological questions. In essence, the macroherbivore community is made up of just two key species, the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus and the fish Sarpa salpa. Both species are generalists and have been found to actively consume seagrass and macroalgae, profoundly altering habitat structure. Moreover, both animals differ in their mobility and in the predation risk they are subjected to, which poses interesting questions on how they will perceive, use, respond to and impact their surrounding seascape. S. salpa is a highly mobile species with few known extant predators, while the sea urchin P. lividus is a low mobility species with high rates of predation.
The thesis is structured in five chapters that focus on different aspects of community organization and ecological interactions (chapter 4), animal movement (chapters 5 and 6), animal risk assessment and behavioural responses to predation risk (chapter 5), habitat selection and connectivity (chapter 6), influence of seascape attributes on herbivore foraging and thus on herbivores’ impacts on plants (chapter 7) and herbivores’ responses in terms of population and behaviour to disturbances (chapter 5). Chapters derive from field manipulative experiments (chapter 4), field mensurative campaigns (chapters 6, 7 and 8) or controlled experiments in the laboratory (chapter 5).
In chapter 4 we observed that predation pressure on a key herbivore (sea urchin) can be modified both by the environmental context within which it finds itself and by the actions of another herbivore (S. salpa) that modifies the plant traits that create this environmental context (P. oceanica). Herbivores, particularly when acting as ecosystem engineers, may have the potential to mediate and increase predation risk, as they substantially modify habitat structure with consequences for refuge availability, among others. Indeed, this type of interactions may be stronger or softer according to prey movement patterns and their perception of risk. Sea urchins can perceive predator chemical cues and respond escaping from these stimuli altering their behaviour by switching among different movement patterns. Predation risk may be as important in determining animal movement patterns as feeding strategies, and in chapter 5 sea urchins responded with straighter paths in the presence of predator cues. We were also interested in the movement patterns of the other key herbivore of the system (chapter 6). The herbivorous fish S. salpa displayed large home ranges and connected distant habitats with their highly mobile behaviour. In spite of their mobility, they also displayed a strong selectivity for the seagrass habitat, which was preferred over the rocky and sand areas. Highly mobile species can connect distant habitats, and may perceive the landscape at a greater scale. The knowledge gained on the movement patterns of both herbivore species allowed us to assess the influence of seascape attributes on the herbivory patterns found in P. oceanica seagrass meadows. The observed spatial heterogeneity in the herbivory process may be mediated by the interaction of mobility of the two main herbivores (sea urchin and fish) with seascape configuration and predation risk. We finally proved that herbivores’ species-specific behaviour could lead to contrasting responses in the face of extreme storm events. Under catastrophic disturbances, the presence of different responses among the key herbivores of the system may be critical for the maintenance of functions. Differences in species behaviour and movement capacities explain why the most mobile species (in our case S. salpa) have the possibility to endure extreme storms, while the low-mobility species is subject to great population losses just relying on the structural complexity of the habitat to resist.
Overall, we feel convinced that merging the behavioural and landscape approaches can result in new views in the ecology of functions such herbivory, in which at least two species interact among themselves framed by a given landscape configuration.Aquesta tesi pretén aproximar-se a l’estudi de l’herbivorisme dels macròfits marins i a l’ecologia de comunitats des d’un punt de vista comportamental i de paisatge. Volem estudiar com en un sistema relativament senzill, els dos herbívors claus (el peix Sarpa salpa i la garota Paracentrotus lividus) interactuen entre ells, i com els seus aspectes comportamentals interactuen també amb la configuració del paisatge i l’hidrodinamisme. El nostre sistema d’estudi és el paisatge format per praderes de la planta marina Posidonia oceanica barrejades amb àrees de sorra i zones rocoses amb macroalgues. La tesi s’estructura en cinc capítols. El primer tracta de com la pressió de depredació sobre un herbívor clau (garotes) pot ser modificada tant pel context ambiental en què es troba com per les accions de peixos herbívors (salpes) que modifiquen els trets de la planta marina (posidònia) que crea aquest context ambiental. Aquestes interaccions seran més o menys intenses en funció de com reaccionin els individus presa davant dels depredadors. Per això vam estudiar el comportament de les garotes en funció de la presència o absència de senyals químics de depredadors. Vam observar que responen amb canvis en els seus patrons de moviment, amb trajectòries més rectilínies en presència de depredadors. També ens interessava entendre els patrons de moviment de l’altre herbívor del sistema, el peix S. salpa. Els nostres resultats mostren que aquest peix herbívor presenta grans àrees de campeig i que té la capacitat de connectar hàbitats distants gràcies a la seva gran mobilitat. Alhora, les salpes mostren una gran selectivitat per l’habitat de P. oceanica, que sembla clarament preferit sobre les àrees rocoses i de sorra. Els coneixements obtinguts sobre els moviments dels eriçons i les salpes ens van permetre estudiar la influència dels atributs de paisatge en l’herbivorisme en praderes de P. oceanica. L’heterogeneïtat espacial observada en l’herbivorisme és produïda, possiblement, per la interacció entre la mobilitat dels dos herbívors principals del sistema (garotes i salpes), la configuració del paisatge i el risc de depredació. Finalment, vam poder comprovar que les diferències de comportament observades entre els dos herbívors estudiats van implicar respostes dispars de les dues espècies davant una tempesta extrema, cosa que pot ser crítica pel manteniment de les funcions ecosistèmiques. En conjunt, estem convençuts que la unió dels punts de vista que aporten l’ecologia del comportament i l’ecologia del paisatge poden resultar en una millor i més completa comprensió de funcions ecològiques com l’herbivorisme, en les quals almenys dues espècies interaccionen incloses en un paisatge determinat.
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Schöning, Caspar. "Evolutionary and behavioural ecology of Dorylus army ants." [S.l. : s.n.], 2004. http://www.diss.fu-berlin.de/2004/122/index.html.
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Sillero, Zubiri Claudio. "Behavioural ecology of the Ethiopian wolf, Canis simensis." Thesis, University of Oxford, 1994. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.239356.
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Herrera, E. A. "The behavioural ecology of the capybara, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris." Thesis, University of Oxford, 1986. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.375233.
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Batchelor, Timothy Peter. "Parasitoid interactions in behavioural ecology and biological control." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2005. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/11176/.
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This thesis presents laboratory investigations on the competitive interactions which take place within and between bethylid parasitoids. Part one investigates the compatibility of three bethylids (Cephalonomia hyalinipennis, Cephalononlia stephanoderis and Prorops nasuta) for biocontrol releases against the principal pest of coffee, the coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei. Cephalonomia hyalinipennis is able to hyperparasitise and consume pupae of C stephanoderis and P. nasuta. Cephalonomia stephanoderis also engages in intra-guild predation, consuming pupae of C hyalinipennis. In contests for CBB hosts, fatal fighting occurs in 69% of inter-specific replicates but never occurs in intra-specific replicates. This suggests that interspecific competition is stronger than intraspecific competition and that species coexistence may be compromised. Cephalonomia tephanoderis is the superior interspecific contestant while P. nasuta is the least successful and never kills an opponent. Where CBB infested coffee berries are provided to the three bethylids, coexistence between species is possible, but rare, within a single coffee berry. Prorops nasuta is the most successful species in interspecific replicates and replicates containing C. hyalinipennis generally have low production, regardless of the species combination added. Part two investigates contest interactions, the variables that influence contest outcome between Goniozus nephantidis females and chemical release. Prior ownership and difference in contestant weight have positive influences on contest outcome. Host weight positively influences the outcome of contests between two 'owners' and 'intruder' take-over success increases when intruders are older than owners. Seven bethylid species are found to release volatile chemicals when stressed. A pilot study identifies the volatile chemical in G. nephantidis and employs Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionisation-Mass Spectrometry for real-time analysis of chemical release during contest interactions. The appendix contains an advanced investigation using this technique. Bethylids are useful model organisms for the study of competitive interactions but appear to be generally ineffective as biological control agents.
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Williamson, Elizabeth A. "Behavioural ecology of Western Lowland Gorillas in Gabon." Thesis, University of Stirling, 1988. http://hdl.handle.net/1893/1314.
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The behavioural ecology of western lowland gorillas was studied for 16 months in the Lope Reserve, Gabon, where gorillas are sympatric with chimpanzees in lowland tropical forest. Data were collected by direct observation, and by examination of nest-sites, feeding-sites, and trails. The nature of frugivory and the extent of seasonal variation in food selection were emphasised. Dietary composition was identified, and the contribution of fruits was evaluated from the volume of fruit ingested estimated retrospectively from seeds in the gorillas' dung. Forest structure and composition were assessed using transects, and fruit and leaf production was quantified monthly to estimate food availability. Food distribution was patchy, and many foods showed seasonal peaks in abundance. The heterogeneity of the habitat was reflected in the diverse diet: gorillas ate 139 parts of 103 species of plants, including 78 fruits. One third of dung samples contained weaver ants. Vegetative parts of Aframomum and Marantaceae formed staple foods, due to their abundance, accessibility, and year-round availability. Succulent fruit formed over 90% of fruit intake. Seasonal variation was measured in all dietary parameters. Flexible foraging strategies enabled gorillas to cope with fruit scarcity, particularly during the major dry season: when less fruit was available gorillas consumed more stems, leaves, and bark, and ate poorer-quality fibrous fruits. Ranging was influenced by the seasonal availability of particular food species: when fruit was abundant gorillas travelled large distances between sources, when scarce they adopted a low cost strategy, shifting their diet towards more abundant, but poorer quality foods, and travelling less. Differences in feeding, ranging, and climbing between lowland and mountain gorillas result from striking differences in their respective habitats, especially in the abundance and distribution of fruit sources. Lowland gorillas' home ranges were larger; they spent more time in tress, mostly feeding; yet their social structure seemed to be similar to mountain gorillas. Lope gorillas adopted strategies similar to those of other frugivorous primates: fruits were preferred foods, consumed with fibre and leaves to meet nutritional requirements. The switch in diet was facilitated by the gorillas’ large body-size, which may have enabled them to cope with succulent fruit shortages, and allowed gorillas to remain in relatively stable groups.
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Taber, Andrew B. "The behavioural ecology of the mara, Dolichotis patagonus." Thesis, University of Oxford, 1987. http://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:3caf10ab-ac34-4bbe-b906-fa495c40f7b8.
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This thesis presents the results of a 3 year field study on the behavioural ecology of the mara on the Valdés Peninsula in Argentina. The main goal was to investigate why the mara's social system incorporates both monogamy and communal denning, a combination unknown in other mammals. The research techniques used were behavioural observations and radio-tracking. Radio-tracking of 9 maras revealed that pairs were continually moving into new areas, suggesting that their ranging behaviour is adapted to an irregular pattern of resource distribution. Two maras had prevailing ranges of 35 ha and moved yearly over about 200 ha. Ranges floated around a geographic centre. One constraint on the animals' movements may be the need to stay near a den site for pupping. Maras were diurnal, and spent on average 46% of the day grazing. Ranges may overlap up to 33%, but range use between neighbouring pairs were negatively correlated suggesting that animals were avoiding each other--pairs may be occupying floating territories. Evidence that maras are monogamous in the wild is presented. The factors leading to monogamy are argued to be: (i) females are irregularly dispersed because of the distribution of food; and (ii) the brevity of the female's oestrus (1-2 hrs). A male attempting to mate polygynously would have difficulties in finding and securing a female; thus males may do best by staying with one female to ensure a successful mating. Males may enhance their reproductive success by watching for predators so that their females can spend more time feeding to meet the energetic demands of lactation and gestation. During the pupping season, August to January, groups of 1 to 22 pairs gather at single dens. Several dens may be located near each other to form denning communities. Most pairs produce only one litter a year and there is a peak of births in September and October. Pairs visit the den once a day for a period of 5-6 weeks to nurse their young. Den sites are not limited; and the reason maras den communally appears to be the increased protection from predators accruing to pups and adults in larger groups. Two possible routes are suggested in the evolution of the mara's social system: (i) from a monogamous starting point it has become advantageous to creche pups; or (ii) ancestral maras were more colonial and probably polygynous, but have been forced to space out because of changes in the distribution of food, which has led to monogamy. Finally, maras were compared with other caviomorph rodents, lagomorphs, and monogamous ruminants and were shown to be most similar to the latter in their adaptations to the environment a remarkable example of convergent evolution.
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Prenter, John. "Behavioural ecology of the autumn spider Metellina segmentata." Thesis, Queen's University Belfast, 1992. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.357461.
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Johnson, I. P. "Behavioural ecology of the Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)." Thesis, University of Reading, 1986. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.373840.
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Thompson, David. "Behavioural ecology and physiology of diving in seals." Thesis, University of Liverpool, 1997. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.367657.
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De, Winter Gunnar. "The ecology and evolution of individual behavioural variation." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2017. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/44995/.
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Central to this thesis is the investigation of how several factors (e.g. morphology, ecology, and social conditions) co-vary with consistent individual behavioural variation. Additionally, conceptual work explores the reach of consistent inter-individual behavioural variation in several novel contexts. In doing so, the aim is to contribute novel findings to the quickly growing compendium of knowledge concerning 'animal personality' in various settings. In summary, during this PhD the following research has been performed: • Through the use of lab-reared juvenile three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) whose parents came from different habitats, I investigated the relative contribution of plasticity and (epi)genetic mechanisms on three behaviours (boldness, activity, and sociality). While these behaviours did not differ between juveniles from both populations, correlations of body length with specific behaviours did. (Chapter 2) • During fieldwork on the Scottish island of North Uist, seven populations of wild three-spined stickleback were surveyed for boldness, exploratory behaviour, and activity. Furthermore, the defensive morphology of these fish was quantified following an armour-staining protocol. Bold fish were found to be less armoured, directly contradicting the phenotypic compensation hypothesis, while more active fish were more armoured, which contradicts the idea that armour is energetically costly. (Chapter 3) • Spurred on by the findings on morphology-behaviour correlations, the ecology of the studied populations was assessed with a focus on parasitism by three common macro-parasites of three-spined stickleback, predation by trout, competition with the nine-spined stickleback, and the availability of resources. I found that all these factors, to some extent, influence individual behavioural variation. Importantly, this study provides the first observational evidence that less-explored factors, such as resource availability and interspecific competition, can be highly relevant influences on individual behaviour. (Chapter 4) • Next, a study on the effect of group behavioural composition on group foraging behaviour was done. With the help of a research visit to Aarhus University, similar experiments were performed on stickleback and social spiders (Stegodyphus dumicola). Group behavioural composition had a strong effect in both study systems, but experience was a more relevant influence on group foraging behaviour in stickleback. By using two different study organisms from quite disparate animal taxa, this allows me to develop hypotheses concerning the evolutionary origin and maintenance of individual behavioural variation and its tentative link with sociality. (Chapter 5) • Lastly, the phenomenon of consistent individual variation in behaviour is explored in novel contexts through conceptual essays (Chapter 6). o Do bacteria offer a suitable system to study ‘personality’? o How can animal personality be leveraged to improve animal welfare? o Are non-antagonistic interspecific interactions an overlooked yet important factor in the study of animal personality?
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Warren, Janice H. (Janice Helene). "Behavioural ecology of crabs in temperate mangrove swamps." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 1987. https://hdl.handle.net/2123/26768.
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Patterns of distribution of crabs inhabiting burrows in three temperate mangrove swamps near Sydney, New South Wales, were described. Heloeoius cordiformis (an ocypodid) did not exhibit a consistent pattern of distribution among three tidal zones, but was always associated with well— drained mounds of substratum within zones. Paragrapsus laevis (a grapsid) tended to be most abundant in the lower two zones on the shore and usually inhabited burrows in the moist or submerged flats between mounds. Sesarma erythrodactyla (a grapsid) was distributed fairly evenly among the three tidal zones and also between mounds and flats. H. cordiformis hibernated in burrows from June through August or September. Overall abundances also varied seasonally, but trends were inconsistent among the three swamps sampled.
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Ha, Thang Long. "Behavioural ecology of grey-shanked douc monkeys in Vietnam." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2010. https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/252209.
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The grey-shanked douc monkey (Pygathrix cinerea) is an endemic primate to Vietnam found in 1997. The species is critically endangered with less than 1,000 individuals left in the wild. Research was conducted in Kon Ka Kinh National Park, Gia Lai Province Vietnam for 18 months. The monkeys were found in two forest types: (1) closed evergreen lower montane moist sub-tropical forest; (2) mixed broad-leaf and needle-leaf lower montane moist sub-tropical forest. Group size varied from 2 to 88 individuals; average group size was 14.8 individuals. There were four different social structures found in the encountered groups, including one-male unit (OMU), all-male unit (AMU), multi-male and multi-female group, and solitary group. Annual activity budget involved the monkeys spending the highest proportion of time resting (37.0%) and lowest feeding (11.9%). Seasonality significantly influenced the activity budget result, with increased resting and socialising in the wet season and decreased feeding and travelling. The emergent canopy layer and the main canopy layer in the forest are important for all activities. Trees in the height classes 15-19.9m were very important to the monkeys, since they involved more than 60% of feeding. Branches and boughs were used more often for resting and socialising, while twigs were used more often for feeding and travelling. The monkeys ate 49.5% young leaves, 21.9% ripe fruits, 19.1% unripe fruits and only 9.3% mature leaves. 166 plant species of 40 plant families were identified as foods of the monkeys. The monkeys ate mostly young leaves in the dry season (82%), but switched to fruits (~70%) in the wet season.
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Hughes, David. "The behavioural ecology of strepsipteran parasites of Polistes wasps." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2003. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.275473.
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Blandford, P. R. S. "Behavioural ecology of the polecat Mustela putorius in Wales." Thesis, University of Exeter, 1986. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.377310.
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Spottiswoode, Claire N. "Behavioural ecology and tropical life-histories in African birds." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2005. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.615302.
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Hoelzel, A. Rus. "Behavioural ecology and population genetics of the killer whale." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1989. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.235855.
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Field observations were collected to assess the social behaviour and foraging strategies of free-ranging killer whales from the eastern North Pacific (near Vancouver Island, Canada) and the western South Atlantic (near Peninsula Valdez, Argentina). The Vancouver Island study concentrated on the environmental correlates of group size and the behavioural dynamics of social groups. There were no correlations between foraging behaviour and small-scale habitat use, however both group size and the spatial distribution of groups were correlated with foraging behaviour. In Argentina the subject whales intentionally stranded to capture pup sea lions. It was possible to observe details of prey choice and foraging strategy. Three social groups were observed in the study area. Area use suggested that the different groups were employing different strategies. Whales within social groups shared prey, but one group would exclude another from the best hunting areas. Whales invested the greatest effort in the area of highest yield, and on the prey-type that required the least effort to catch. Energetic calculations suggested that the rate at which these whales captured sea lion prey was just sufficient to sustain them. Two genetic components, the hypervariable 'minisatellite' loci, and the mitochondrial genome were investigated for each study population. In addition, further samples from Iceland and other populations near the sites at Peninsula Valdez and Vancouver Island were analysed. Whales within social groups at Peninsula Valdez were more closely related than between social groups. In general, whales within local populations had very high levels of genetic similarity compared to between population comparisons. This implies inbreeding within and genetic isolation between populations. Two genetically isolated populations (both near Vancouver Island) were sympatric, and the degree of genetic isolation was equal to the level seen for comparisons between the Atlantic and Pacific. A hypothesis is presented on the role of resource exploitation in the structuring of social groups, and the consequences for the genetic structuring of populations.
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Tkaczynski, Patrick. "The behavioural ecology of personality in wild Barbary macaques." Thesis, University of Roehampton, 2016. https://pure.roehampton.ac.uk/portal/en/studentthesis/the-behavioural-ecology-of-personality-in-wild-barbary-macaques(023582d2-2214-448c-bf12-c1bef7d5549e).html.
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Personality, that is intra-individual consistency and inter-individual variation in behaviour, is widespread throughout the animal kingdom. This challenges traditional evolutionary assumptions that selection should favour behavioural flexibility, and that variation in behavioural strategies reflects stochastic variation around a single optimal behavioural strategy. Adaptive models to explain personality within the framework of evolutionary and behavioural ecology exist, and are typically empirically explored by identifying proximate associations to, and the functional consequences of, personality expression. To date, such studies have typically quantified a narrow range of personality traits within a species, and focused on captive populations or species with relatively limited behavioural or social repertoires. In this thesis, personality is studied in wild Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus). Quantification of personality structure in the species was conducted using a multi-method approach, and subsequently, it was examined whether physiological stress response (a proximate association) was related to personality expression, and whether personality expression affected social (functional) outcomes for individuals. Seven personality constructs were identified in Barbary macaques. Three personality constructs were related to physiological stress responses (Excitability, Tactility and Exploration), with the relationship between stress and personality expression dependent on sex, and in some cases rank or age. Two personality constructs (Excitability and Exploration) were associated with measures of social integration. Subjects generally socially assorted themselves according to personality, tending to be in proximity to individuals with a similar personality to themselves. This study contributes methodologically by demonstrating the plausibility of multi-method approaches to measuring personality in wild primates, and empirically, by generating evidence supporting adaptive models for the evolution of personality, namely that intra-individual consistency in behaviour may be mediated by physiology and that inter-individual variation in behaviour has functional benefits in the formation of social relationships and social structures.
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Vanning, Keith. "The thermophysiological ecology of the adder, Vipera berus." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 1990. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.238293.
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Loveridge, Andrew John. "Behavioural-ecology and rabies transmission in sympatric southern African jackals." Thesis, University of Oxford, 1999. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.325375.
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Fowler, Andrew. "Behavioural ecology of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes vellerosus) at Gashaka, Nigeria." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2006. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.439338.
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Wilson, William L. "Behavioural ecology and population regulation of the woodmouse (Apodemus sylvaticus)." Thesis, Queen's University Belfast, 1992. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.317534.
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Lehmann, Hagen. "On the applicability of agent based modelling in behavioural ecology." Thesis, University of Bath, 2009. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.506830.
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Richard, Gaëtan. "Behavioural ecology of fishermen and odontocetes in a depredation context." Thesis, La Rochelle, 2018. http://www.theses.fr/2018LAROS018/document.
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De nombreux prédateurs marins se nourrissent directement des prises des pêcheurs. Ces interactions, définies comme de la déprédation, engendrent des conséquences socio-économiques considérables pour les pêcheurs ainsi que des implications de conservation pour la faune sauvage. D’un côté, la déprédation endommage le matériel et augmente l’effort de pêche pour atteindre les quotas. D’un autre côté, la déprédation augmente le risque de mortalité des prédateurs marins (prise accidentelle ou rétorsion létale par les pécheurs). La pêcherie à la palangre est la plus impactée par la déprédation, principalement par les odontocètes, ce qui incite à trouver des solutions. La majorité des études se concentrant sur la déprédation s’est principalement basée sur des observations en surface, de ce fait la manière dont les prédateurs retirent les poissons sur les lignes reste confuse. Par ailleurs, l’impact de la déprédation sur le comportement des pêcheurs ainsi que les facteurs expliquant leur détectabilité n’ont reçu que peu d’intérêt. L’objectif de cette thèse est donc d’étudier ces problématiques par un suivi acoustique, une utilisation de balises et une approche en écologie comportementale humaine, en se concentrant sur la pêcherie palangrière française ciblant la légine australe (Dissostichus eleginoides) impactée par la déprédation des orques (Orcinus orca) et des cachalots (Physeter macrocephalus). Les capitaines ont été décrits comme recherchant leur ressource selon la théorie de « l’optimal foraging », mais avec des perceptions de la compétition et du succès de pêche qui divergent. Certains capitaines seraient ainsi plus enclins à remonter les palangres au plus proche et à rester sur une zone, même en présence de compétition, augmentant alors le risque d’interaction. L’acoustique des navires a révélé que certaines manoeuvres (marche arrière par exemple) propagent différemment sous l’eau. La manière dont les capitaines manoeuvrent leur palangrier influencerait ainsi leur détectabilité et donc leur risque d’interaction avec les prédateurs. D’autre part, l’utilisation de capteurs sur les palangres et les animaux a révélé que les orques et les cachalots sont capables de déprédater sur les palangres posées sur le fond marin. Ces observations laissent à penser que les odontocètes sont en mesure de localiser l’activité de pêche bien avant la remontée de la ligne, ce qui pourrait être expliqué par une signature acoustique spécifique du déploiement de la ligne. L’ensemble des résultats de cette thèse suggère que la déprédation sur les palangres démersales est très probablement sous-estimée. Cette thèse apporte également des éléments importants pour la lutte contre la déprédation, en montrant la nécessité de protéger les palangres dans l’intégralité du processus de pêcheMany marine predator species feed on fish caught by fishers directly from the fishing gear. Known as depredation this interaction issue has substantial socio-economic consequences for fishermen and conservation implications for the wildlife. Costs for fishers include damages to the fishing gear and increased fishing effort to complete quotas. For marine predators, depredation increases risks of mortality (lethal retaliation from fishers or bycatch on the gear). Longline fisheries are the most impacted worldwide, primarily by odontocetes (toothed whales) depredation, urging the need for mitigation solutions to be developed. Most of studies assessing depredation have primarily relied on surface observation data, thus the way odontocetes interact with longlines underwater remains unclear. Besides, the way fishermen respond to depredation during fishing operations, or can influence their detectability to odontocetes, have been poorly investigated. This thesis therefore aimed at investigating these aspects through a passive acoustic monitoring, bio-logging and human ecology approaches, focusing on the French Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) longline fisheries impacted by killer whales (Orcinus orca) and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus). Firstly, this thesis reveals that captains behave as optimal foragers but with different personal perception of competition and fishing fulfilment. Some captains would thus be more likely to stay within a patch or to haul closest longline even in presence of competition, suggesting these captains would show higher interaction rates. Additionally, the propagation of vessels’ acoustics varied depending on the type of manoeuvre (e.g. going backward vs. forward). The way captains use their vessels to navigate may therefore influence their detectability and so their depredation level. Secondly, loggers deployed on both the longlines (accelerometers) and odontocetes (GPS-TDR) revealed that killer whales and sperm whales are able to depredate on longlines while soaking on the seafloor. These observations suggest, therefore, that odontocetes can localise fishing activity before the hauling, which could be partially explained by specific acoustic signatures recorded during the setting process. Altogether, the results of the thesis suggest that depredation rates on demersal longlines are most likely underestimated. The thesis also brings some important insights for mitigation measures, suggesting that countermeasures should start from setting to hauling
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Ahsan, Md Farid. "Behavioural ecology of the hoolock gibbon (Hylobates hoolock) in Bangladesh." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1994. https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/283691.
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Jenkins, Andrew Robert. "Behavioural ecology of Peregrine and Lanner falcons in South Africa." Doctoral thesis, University of Cape Town, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16100.
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Bibliography: p. 88-94.The Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus is a specialized predator of birds. It occurs almost worldwide but is generally uncommon. In many areas, it is sympatric with one of a complex of similar, less specialized, congeneric species (subgenus Hierofalco, the desert falcons). Peregrine density and productivity tend to decrease with latitude, while desert falcons may be most successful in the tropics. This study compares the biology of Peregrines and sympatric Lanner Falcons F. biarmicus in South Africa, and examines the relative influence of resource limitation and interspecific competition with congeners on the natural regulation of Peregrine populations in tropical environments.
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Leighton, Patrick. "Mongoose predation on sea turtle nests: linking behavioural ecology and conservation." Thesis, McGill University, 2010. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=86646.
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The introduced small Asian mongoose (Herpestes javanicus) is a widespread predator of sea turtle eggs and hatchlings in the Caribbean. I studied the behavioural ecology of mongoose predation on the nests of critically endangered hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) in Barbados. Combining short-term field experiments with seven years of hawksbill nesting data, I investigated how mongoose foraging behaviour, antipredator behaviour and landscape use explain the spatial and temporal patterns of sea turtle nest predation. An experiment combining artificial nests and predator tracking revealed a direct relationship between fine-scale variation in mongoose activity and nest predation risk. The combination of mongoose avoidance of open areas and the spatial distribution of hawksbill nests relative to patches of beach vegetation accurately predicted the observed peak in nest predation near the vegetation edge. Egg-burial depth by nesting hawksbills also affected predation risk, but this was primarily due to the increased digging effort required rather than any increase in nest concealment with depth. A second experiment with artificial nests confirmed the causal relationship between burial depth and predation risk and showed that substrate disturbance is a primary cue for nest detection by mongooses. At the landscape scale, mongooses tracked local nest abundance but showed a fine-scale negative response to human beach use, suggesting that human activity on nesting beaches may improve nest survival by deterring predators. Finally, an analysis of nest survival times showed that nests were most vulnerable to predation in first days following oviposition and that predation risk increased over the nesting season, providing a general framework for planning where and when predation reduction methods should be applied. I conclude that predation risk for sea turtle nests is likely to depend on: i) how predator nest-finding behaviour is modulated by nest characteristics sLa petite mangouste indienne (Herpestes javanicus) est une espèce introduite dans de nombreuses îles des Caraïbes et est un prédateur important des oeufs de tortues marines. J'ai étudié l'écologie comportementale de la prédation par les mangoustes sur les nids de tortue imbriquée (Eretmochelys imbricata), une espèce en danger critique d'extinction, à la Barbade. En combinant des études expérimentales de courte durée avec des données de prédation des nids de tortues imbriquées s'échelonnant sur sept années, j'ai investigué comment le comportement d'approvisionnement, le comportement anti-prédateur, et l'utilisation du paysage par les mangoustes expliquent les patrons spatiaux et temporels de la prédation des nids. Une étude expérimentale combinant des nids artificiels et une mesure passive de l'activité des prédateurs a démontré une relation directe entre la variation spatiale de l'activité des mangoustes et le risque de prédation des nids. Conjointement, l'évitement des espaces dépourvus de végétation sur la plage par les mangoustes et la distribution spatiale des nids de tortues imbriquées en fonction de la végétation ont prédit de manière précise le patron de prédation élevé observé dans la zone bordée de végétation. La profondeur des nids affectait également le risque de prédation mais avait peu d'influence sur la détection des nids par les mangoustes. L'effet relié à la profondeur était surtout dû à l'effort d'excavation supplémentaire. Une deuxième étude expérimentale utilisant des nids artificiels a confirmé la relation directe entre la profondeur des nids et la prédation, démontrant que la mangouste utilise la perturbation du sable créée lors de la ponte comme principal indice de détection des nids. A l'échelle du paysage, l'activité des mangoustes suivait la disponibilité des nids de tortues sur la plage. Cependant, il y avait une relation négative entre l'activité des mangoustes et l'u
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Geffen, Eli. "The behavioural ecology of the Blanford's fox, Vulpes cans, in Israel." Thesis, University of Oxford, 1990. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.257737.
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Thom, Michael. "The mating system and behavioural ecology of American mink (Mustela vison)." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2002. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.249283.
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Bartlett, Jonathan. "The behavioural ecology of the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides (Coleoptera: Silphidae)." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 1987. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/16940.
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Rovero, Francesco. "Non-invasive techniques for studying behavioural mechanisms and physiological states of marine invertebrates." Thesis, Bangor University, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.322901.
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Welham, Robert Kenneth. "Optimal annual routines." Thesis, University of Bristol, 2003. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.268968.
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Kelly, Christopher Patrick. "Incubation games." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1989. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.315906.
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Abe, Eve Lawino. "The behavioural ecology of elephant survivors in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1994. https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/251890.
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Kaiser, Michel Josef. "The behavioural and morphological basis of diet selection in fish and crabs." Thesis, Bangor University, 1991. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.293908.
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Coulthard, N. D. "Aspects of the behavioural ecology of white-throated and European bee-eaters." Thesis, University of Aberdeen, 1988. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.303302.
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Richards, Elizabeth Loys. "Foraging, personality and parasites : investigations into the behavioural ecology of fishes." Thesis, Cardiff University, 2010. http://orca.cf.ac.uk/55475/.
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This thesis investigated differences in foraging behaviour, personality and parasitic infection, using behaviour experiments, traditional parasitology and molecular ecology. Five fish species, and a directly-transmitted ectoparasite, were used as model organisms. Evidence for a conservative foraging strategy was found in the four tropical fish species (Poecilia reticulata, P. sphenops, Xiphophorus maculates, X. hellerii) and in a temperate species (Gasterosteus aculeatus). In the latter, this behaviour was unaffected by social context, with no significant differences between isolated fish and shoals. Also, guppies showed a reduced acceptance of novel, conspicuously-coloured prey. Furthermore, using molecular scatology techniques, both prey and host species-specific DNA were detected in fish faecal samples so this methodology can be used in the future to examine diet in the wild. When considering the personality trait, boldness, guppies from two wild populations differed significantly in their relative boldness, but individuals within a single population were similar in their relative boldness. Boldness of fish was affected by mating, with virgin and pregnant females being bolder than their mated counterparts. Also, boldness impacted on shoaling behaviour, shy fish formed larger and tighter shoals than bold conspecifics. This had consequences for parasite transmission, with shy fish having higher parasite loads and a greater change in parasite load across an infection period than their bold counterparts. Furthermore, host contact was the main factor influencing transmission of a directly-transmitted ectoparasite within a group-living host species. Significantly more parasites were transmitted between hosts when hosts had more frequent and more prolonged contact with each other. Clearly, monitoring individual differences in various aspects of an animal's behaviour can answer many questions of ecological relevance, as well as discovering the evolutionary origins of such individual behavioural traits.
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Morrogh-Bernard, Helen Celia Christopher. "Orang-utan behavioural ecology in the Sabangau pear-swamp forest, Borneo." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2009. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.611376.
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Parish, David M. B. "Behavioural ecology of the lapwing Vanellus vanellus L. in Upper Teesdale." Thesis, Durham University, 1996. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/5382/.
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From 1993-95, the behavioural ecology of the lapwing Vanellus vanellus L. was studied in Upper Teesdale, Co. Durham, with the aim of describing the behavioural mechanisms underlying some population characteristics. Significant effects of age and individuals were found in many aspects of Lapwing breeding biology. Older Lapwings returned to the breeding grounds before yearlings, with adult males returning earliest of all. First breeding attempts occurred at one-year-old for most females, but at two-years-old for most males. Males two-years-old and over showed a remarkable degree of consistency in breeding status (breeding or non-breeding) in consecutive years, even where this meant persistent non-breeding. The age of first breeding, and consistency of breeding status among males, indicates intense intermale competition for limited breeding habitat, with some males, perhaps of low quality, apparently permanently prevented from breeding. However, few differences in annual breeding success were found among females of different ages. With the exception of egg size in first clutches, where yearling females laid eggs around 5% smaller than adults, yearling and adult females were similarly fecund. Laying dates and egg volumes in first clutches exhibited high indices of repeatability between years, probably reflecting a high degree of heritability of these traits. High frequencies of polygyny were recorded, despite the traditional view of strict monogamy for this species. The mating success of male Lapwings increased between one and three years-of-age. The distinct parental roles of the sexes facilitated the occurrence of polygyny by reducing activity-budget costs of polygynous associations for both sexes. Polyterritoriality, polyandry and double-brooding were also recorded and discussed.
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Rowland, Hannah Miriam. "The visual and behavioural ecology of countershading and other prey defences." Thesis, University of Liverpool, 2007. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.442032.
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