Landscape level effects of lion presence (Panthera leo) on two contrasting prey species

dc.contributor.authorChizzola, Maddalena
dc.contributor.authorBelton, L.E. (Lydia)
dc.contributor.authorGanswindt, Andre
dc.contributor.authorGreco, Ilaria
dc.contributor.authorHall, Grant
dc.contributor.authorSwanepoel, Lourens
dc.contributor.authorDalerum, Fredrik
dc.date.accessioned2019-10-31T06:39:29Z
dc.date.available2019-10-31T06:39:29Z
dc.date.issued2018-11-27
dc.description.abstractDue to the strong individual cost of being predated, potential prey species alter their behavior and physiology in response to predation risk. Such alterations may cause major indirect consequences on prey populations that are additive to the direct demographic effects caused by prey being killed. However, although earlier studies showed strong general effects of the presence of apex predators, recent data suggest that indirect effects may be highly context dependent and not consistently present. We combined behavioral data with data on endocrine stress and stable isotopes to assess landscape level effects of lion (Panthera leo) presence on two prey species in South Africa, impala (Aepyceros melampus) and blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus). We also evaluated if there was any seasonal variation in such effects. In addition, we provide results from a physiological validation for an enzyme-linked immunoassay (EIA) that can be used for non-invasive monitoring of glucocorticoid stress metabolite concentrations in impala from fecal pellets. We did not find any significant differences in vigilance behavior, fecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations, d13C values or isotope niche breadth between animals living with and without lions for either species. However, wildebeest living in a reserve with lions spent more time foraging compared to wildebeest in a lion-free environment, but only during the wet season. Values of fecal d15N suggest a shift in habitat use, with impala and wildebeest living with lions potentially feeding in less productive areas compared to animals living without lions. For both species, characteristics of the social groups appeared to be more important than individual characteristics for both foraging and vigilance behavior. Our results highlight that antipredator responses may be highly dynamic and scale-dependent.We urge for further studies that quantify at what temporal and spatial scales predation risk is causing indirect effects on prey populations.en_ZA
dc.description.departmentZoology and Entomologyen_ZA
dc.description.librarianam2019en_ZA
dc.description.sponsorshipThe National Geographic/Wait’s Foundation (grant number W32-08), the National Research Foundation in South Africa (grant numbers SFP2008072900003 and IFR2011032400087), and the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness in Spain (grant number RYC-2013- 14662).en_ZA
dc.description.urihttp://www.frontiersin.org/Ecology_and_Evolutionen_ZA
dc.identifier.citationChizzola M, Belton L, Ganswindt A, Greco I, Hall G, Swanepoel L and Dalerum F (2018) Landscape Level Effects of Lion Presence (Panthera leo) on Two Contrasting Prey Species. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 6:191. DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2018.00191.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn2296-701X
dc.identifier.other10.3389/fevo.2018.00191
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/72051
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherFrontiers Mediaen_ZA
dc.rights© 2018 Chizzola, Belton, Ganswindt, Greco, Hall, Swanepoel and Dalerum. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY).en_ZA
dc.subjectAnti-predator responseen_ZA
dc.subjectPredationen_ZA
dc.subjectAfricaen_ZA
dc.subjectBehavioral observationen_ZA
dc.subjectStable isotopesen_ZA
dc.subjectFecal glucocorticoid metabolitesen_ZA
dc.subjectValidationen_ZA
dc.subjectLion (Panthera leo)en_ZA
dc.subjectPredation risken_ZA
dc.subjectGroup sizeen_ZA
dc.subjectSpatiotemporal variationsen_ZA
dc.subjectChronic stressen_ZA
dc.subjectStable carbonen_ZA
dc.subjectVigilanceen_ZA
dc.subjectPatternsen_ZA
dc.titleLandscape level effects of lion presence (Panthera leo) on two contrasting prey speciesen_ZA
dc.typeArticleen_ZA

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