Adaptive anti-predatory responses of European rabbits exposed to different predation pressure
Prey species develop anti-predatory strategies as a response to minimising the risk of being predated. However, how the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) adapts to different predator pressure is not fully known. Here, we studied the adaptive anti-predatory responses of European rabbits exposed...
| Autores: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Estado: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2024 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universidad de Sevilla (US) |
| Repositorio: | idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:idus.us.es:11441/159464 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/11441/159464 https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-024-00398-3 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Behavioural ecology Threat-sensitive predator avoidance hypothesis Small mammals Carnivores Predator – prey relationship Predation risk |
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Adaptive anti-predatory responses of European rabbits exposed to different predation pressureTobajas, JorgeFerreira, CCDelibes Mateos, MiguelVillafuerte, RafaelRouco Zufiaurre, CarlosBehavioural ecologyThreat-sensitive predator avoidance hypothesisSmall mammalsCarnivoresPredator – prey relationshipPredation riskPrey species develop anti-predatory strategies as a response to minimising the risk of being predated. However, how the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) adapts to different predator pressure is not fully known. Here, we studied the adaptive anti-predatory responses of European rabbits exposed to different terrestrial predation pressure. To do this, we took advantage of a rabbit translocation programme in the Sierra Norte Natural Park of Sevilla (SW Spain), where rabbits from the same donor population were translocated in plots with and without terrestrial predator exclusion fences (aerial predation was not excluded in any of the plots). This presented an ideal opportunity to observe whether the behaviour of individuals from the same population adapts to situations with different predator pressure; thus, their behaviour was evaluated through direct observations. Although most rabbits were observed close to cover, differences in distance to cover, group size and behaviour were observed between fenced and unfenced plots. Overall, both adult and juvenile rabbits moved further from cover in the unfenced plot than in the fenced plot. Most of the observations in the unfenced plot corresponded to rabbits in pairs or alone; whereas in the fenced plot, rabbits were primarily in pairs or in larger groups. Our findings suggest that in the unfenced plot, rabbits that moved further from cover were often part of larger groups (≥ 4 rabbits); whereas in the fenced plot, it was rabbits in smaller groups (< 4 rabbits). Rabbits in the unfenced plot were alert and running more frequently than rabbits in the fenced one; in the latter, these rabbits were mostly feeding. Other relaxed behaviours such us grooming or resting were more frequent close to cover. In summary, our results highlight rabbits' capacity to promptly adjust behaviour in response to predation risk, exhibiting adaptive anti-predatory responses tailored to different predation pressures. These insights contribute to understanding the nuanced dynamics of prey species' responses to diverse predation scenarios.Ministerio de Ciencia Innovación y Universidades PID2020114724RB-I00Springer HeidelbergBiología Vegetal y EcologíaMinisterio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIN). España2024info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/11441/159464https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-024-00398-3reponame:idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevillainstname:Universidad de Sevilla (US)InglésMammalian Biology, 104 (2), 185-192.PID2020114724RB-I00https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-024-00398-3info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:idus.us.es:11441/1594642026-06-17T12:51:07Z |
| dc.title.none.fl_str_mv |
Adaptive anti-predatory responses of European rabbits exposed to different predation pressure |
| title |
Adaptive anti-predatory responses of European rabbits exposed to different predation pressure |
| spellingShingle |
Adaptive anti-predatory responses of European rabbits exposed to different predation pressure Tobajas, Jorge Behavioural ecology Threat-sensitive predator avoidance hypothesis Small mammals Carnivores Predator – prey relationship Predation risk |
| title_short |
Adaptive anti-predatory responses of European rabbits exposed to different predation pressure |
| title_full |
Adaptive anti-predatory responses of European rabbits exposed to different predation pressure |
| title_fullStr |
Adaptive anti-predatory responses of European rabbits exposed to different predation pressure |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Adaptive anti-predatory responses of European rabbits exposed to different predation pressure |
| title_sort |
Adaptive anti-predatory responses of European rabbits exposed to different predation pressure |
| dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv |
Tobajas, Jorge Ferreira, CC Delibes Mateos, Miguel Villafuerte, Rafael Rouco Zufiaurre, Carlos |
| author |
Tobajas, Jorge |
| author_facet |
Tobajas, Jorge Ferreira, CC Delibes Mateos, Miguel Villafuerte, Rafael Rouco Zufiaurre, Carlos |
| author_role |
author |
| author2 |
Ferreira, CC Delibes Mateos, Miguel Villafuerte, Rafael Rouco Zufiaurre, Carlos |
| author2_role |
author author author author |
| dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv |
Biología Vegetal y Ecología Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIN). España |
| dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv |
Behavioural ecology Threat-sensitive predator avoidance hypothesis Small mammals Carnivores Predator – prey relationship Predation risk |
| topic |
Behavioural ecology Threat-sensitive predator avoidance hypothesis Small mammals Carnivores Predator – prey relationship Predation risk |
| description |
Prey species develop anti-predatory strategies as a response to minimising the risk of being predated. However, how the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) adapts to different predator pressure is not fully known. Here, we studied the adaptive anti-predatory responses of European rabbits exposed to different terrestrial predation pressure. To do this, we took advantage of a rabbit translocation programme in the Sierra Norte Natural Park of Sevilla (SW Spain), where rabbits from the same donor population were translocated in plots with and without terrestrial predator exclusion fences (aerial predation was not excluded in any of the plots). This presented an ideal opportunity to observe whether the behaviour of individuals from the same population adapts to situations with different predator pressure; thus, their behaviour was evaluated through direct observations. Although most rabbits were observed close to cover, differences in distance to cover, group size and behaviour were observed between fenced and unfenced plots. Overall, both adult and juvenile rabbits moved further from cover in the unfenced plot than in the fenced plot. Most of the observations in the unfenced plot corresponded to rabbits in pairs or alone; whereas in the fenced plot, rabbits were primarily in pairs or in larger groups. Our findings suggest that in the unfenced plot, rabbits that moved further from cover were often part of larger groups (≥ 4 rabbits); whereas in the fenced plot, it was rabbits in smaller groups (< 4 rabbits). Rabbits in the unfenced plot were alert and running more frequently than rabbits in the fenced one; in the latter, these rabbits were mostly feeding. Other relaxed behaviours such us grooming or resting were more frequent close to cover. In summary, our results highlight rabbits' capacity to promptly adjust behaviour in response to predation risk, exhibiting adaptive anti-predatory responses tailored to different predation pressures. These insights contribute to understanding the nuanced dynamics of prey species' responses to diverse predation scenarios. |
| publishDate |
2024 |
| dc.date.none.fl_str_mv |
2024 |
| dc.type.none.fl_str_mv |
info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion |
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article |
| status_str |
publishedVersion |
| dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv |
https://hdl.handle.net/11441/159464 https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-024-00398-3 |
| url |
https://hdl.handle.net/11441/159464 https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-024-00398-3 |
| dc.language.none.fl_str_mv |
Inglés |
| language_invalid_str_mv |
Inglés |
| dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv |
Mammalian Biology, 104 (2), 185-192. PID2020114724RB-I00 https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-024-00398-3 |
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info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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openAccess |
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application/pdf application/pdf |
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Springer Heidelberg |
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Springer Heidelberg |
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reponame:idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla instname:Universidad de Sevilla (US) |
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Universidad de Sevilla (US) |
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idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla |
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idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla |
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