Activity patterns of the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in a neotropical dry forest: changes according to age, sex, and climatic season
Palabras clave:
Estacionalidad, Fototrampeo, Ritmo circadiano, Bosque tropical estacionalmente seco, Patrones de actividadResumen
Mammalian daily activity is shaped by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Age influences activity rhythms due to energy requirements, while physiological and reproductive traits cause differences between genders. In ecosystems with marked climatic seasonality, such as the seasonally dry tropical forest (SDTF), activity patterns adapt to extrinsic factors like resource availability and environmental stress. This study investigates how intrinsic factors, specifically age and sex, influence the white-tailed deer's (Odocoileus virginianus) daily activities, and how these vary between dry and rainy seasons. Between 2015 and 2018, we conducted a camera trapping study to monitor the daily activity of a population of white-tailed deer in the Arenillas Ecological Reserve, southwestern Ecuador. We estimated individual daily activity based on four parameters: total and diurnal relative abundance index (RAI), activity directionality, and activity overlap between groups. We used generalized linear models to evaluate the changes in RAI based on age-classes and sex of the individuals. The Watson test was employed to assess differences in directional patterns during activity hours, while the Wald test was utilized to evaluate significant variations in activity overlap. The same analyses were also performed to assess changes in daily activity between the dry and rainy seasons. The daily activity patterns of white-tailed deer varied by age and sex. Fawns were predominantly diurnal, whereas adults displayed continuous activity throughout the 24 hours of the day, with males being more active during the night than females. Females did not show significant differences in the activity pattern compared to fawns and juveniles. The daily activity pattern of white-tailed deer varied between seasons. Overall, there was an increase in daily activity during the dry season, but significant only for males. Females were the only group that showing seasonal variation in activity directionality, with more morning activity during the dry season. The daily activity patterns of white-tailed deer in the dry forest exhibit slight differences compared to those observed in other ecosystems, with extended daily activity periods. During the rainy season, reproductive and post-reproductive behaviors, rather than resource abundance, predominantly shaped the white-tailed deer's daily activity patterns. In contrast, the dry season presented a notable rise in overall activity and daily activity, accompanied by partition between groups. This partition likely stems from diminished resource accessibility and increased intraspecific competition. Given the slight differences in the white-tailed deer's daily activity from those noted in other regions, these insights are crucial for formulating management and conservation strategies tailored to specific environmental conditions.Citas
Agostinelli, C., & Ulric, L. (2022). R package “circularâ€: Circular Statistics (version 0.4-95). https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/circular/circular.pdf
Ahumada, J. A., Hurtado, J., & Lizcano, D. (2013). Monitoring the Status and Trends of Tropical Forest Terrestrial Vertebrate Communities from Camera Trap Data: A Tool for Conservation. PLoS ONE, 8(9), e73707. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0073707
Balme, G. A., Slotow, R., & Hunter, L. T. B. (2010). Edge effects and the impact of non-protected areas in carnivore conservation: Leopards in the Phinda-Mkhuze Complex, South Africa: Impact of edge effects on carnivore conservation. Animal Conservation, 13(3), 315–323. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-1795.2009.00342.x
Beier, P., & McCullough, D. R. (1990). Factors Influencing White-Tailed Deer Activity Patterns and Habitat Use. Wildlife Monographs, 109, 3–51. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3830629
Berger, A., Scheibe, K.-M., Brelurut, A., Schober, F., & Streich, W. J. (2002). Seasonal Variation of Diurnal and Ultradian Rhythms in Red Deer. Biological Rhythm Research, 33(3), 237–253. https://doi.org/10.1076/brhm.33.3.237.8259
Bowyer, R. T. (2004). Sexual Segregation in Ruminants: Definition, Hypotheses and Implications for Conservation and Management. Journal of Mammalogy, 85(6), 1039–1052. https://doi.org/10.1644/BBL-002.1
Bradshaw, W. E., & Holzapfel, C. M. (2010). What Season Is It Anyway? Circadian Tracking vs. Photoperiodic Anticipation in Insects. Journal of Biological Rhythms, 25(3), 155–165. https://doi.org/10.1177/0748730410365656
Cherry, M. J., Conner, L. M., & Warren, R. J. (2015). Effects of predation risk and group dynamics on white-tailed deer foraging behavior in a longleaf pine savanna. Behavioral Ecology, 26(4), 1091–1099. https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arv054
Cornicelli, L., Woolf, A., & Roseberry, J. L. (1996). White-Tailed Deer Use of a Suburban Environment in Southern Illinois. Volume 89(1 and 2), 93–103.
Crawford, D. A., Cherry, M. J., Kelly, B. D., Garrison, E. P., Shindle, D. B., Conner, L. M., Chandler, R. B., & Miller, K. V. (2019). Chronology of reproductive investment determines predation risk aversion in a felidâ€ungulate system. Ecology and Evolution, 9(6), 3264–3275. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4947
Dodd, A. N., Salathia, N., Hall, A., Kévei, E., Tóth, R., Nagy, F., Hibberd, J. M., Millar, A. J., & Webb, A. A. R. (2005). Plant Circadian Clocks Increase Photosynthesis, Growth, Survival, and Competitive Advantage. Science, New Series, 309(5734), 630–633. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3842353
Donohue, R. N., Hewitt, D. G., Fulbrigth, T. E., Deyoung, C. A., Litt, A. R., & Draeger, D. A. (2013). Aggressive Behavior of White-Tailed Deer at Concentrated Food Sites as Affected by Population Density. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 77(7), 1401–1408. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23470684
Espinosa, C. I. (2012). Bosques tropicales secos de la región Pacífico Ecuatorial: Diversidad, estructura, funcionamiento e implicaciones para la conservación. Ecosistemas, 21, 167–179.
Flinn, J. J., Demaris, S., Strickland, B. K., Gee, K. L., Webb, S. L., Jones, P. D., & Jacobson, H. A. (2015). Estimating Age and Antler Traits of Photographed Male White-tailed Deer.
Fortin, D., Boyce, M. S., & Merrill, E. H. (2004). Multi-Tasking by Mammalian Herbivores: Overlapping Processes during Foraging. Ecology, 85(8), 2312–2322. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3450294
Fuller, T. K., Silva, A. M., Montalvo, V. H., Sáenz-Bolaños, C., & Carrillo J, E. (2020). Reproduction of white-tailed deer in a seasonally dry tropical forest of Costa Rica: A test of aseasonality. Journal of Mammalogy, 101(1), 241–247. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyz173
Gaillard, J.-M., Festa-Bianchet, M., Delorme, D., & Jorgenson, J. (2000). Body mass and individual fitness in female ungulates: Bigger is not always better. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences, 267(1442), 471–477. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2000.1024
Galindo Leal, C., & Weber, M. (1998). El Venado de la Sierra Madre Occidental: Ecología, Manejo y Conservación.
Gallina, S., & Bello Gutierrez, J. (2014). Patrones de actividad del venado cola blanca en el noreste de México. Therya, 5(2), 423–436. https://doi.org/10.12933/therya-14-200
Gallina, S., & Bello, J. (2010). El Gasto Energético del Venado Cola Blanca (Odocoileus Virginianus Texanus) en Relación a La Precipitación en una Zona Semiárida de México. Therya, 1(1), 9–22. https://doi.org/10.12933/therya-10-1
Halberg, F. (1960). The 24-Hour Scale: A Time Dimension of Adaptive Functional Organization. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 3(4), 491–527. https://doi.org/10.1353/pbm.1960.0026
Hawkins, R. E., & Klimstra, W. D. (1970). A Preliminary Study of the Social Organization of White-Tailed Deer. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 34(2), 407. https://doi.org/10.2307/3799027
Holzenbein, S., & Schwede, G. (1989). Activity and Movements of Female White-Tailed Deer during the Rut. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 53(1), 219. https://doi.org/10.2307/3801337
Hut, R. A., Kronfeld-Schor, N., van der Vinne, V., & De la Iglesia, H. (2012). In search of a temporal niche. En Progress in Brain Research (Vol. 199, pp. 281–304). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-59427-3.00017-4
Jara-Guerrero, A., Escribano-Avila, G., Espinosa, C. I., De la Cruz, M., & Méndez, M. (2018). White-tailed deer as the last megafauna dispersing seeds in Neotropical dry forests: The role of fruit and seed traits. Biotropica, 50(1), 169–177. https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.12507
Jaraâ€Guerrero, A., Espinosa, C. I., Méndez, M., De La Cruz, M., & Escudero, A. (2020). Dispersal syndrome influences the match between seed rain and soil seed bank of woody species in a Neotropical dry forest. Journal of Vegetation Science, 31(6), 995–1005. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12894
Jara-Guerrero, A., González-Sánchez, D., Escudero, A., & Espinosa, C. I. (2021). Chronic Disturbance in a Tropical Dry Forest: Disentangling Direct and Indirect Pathways Behind the Loss of Plant Richness. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 4, 723985. https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2021.723985
Lashley, M. A., Chitwood, M. C., Biggerstaff, M. T., Morina, D. L., Moorman, C. E., & DePerno, C. S. (2014). White-Tailed Deer Vigilance: The Influence of Social and Environmental Factors. PLoS ONE, 9(3), e90652. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0090652
Lashley, M. A., Cove, M. V., Chitwood, M. C., Penido, G., Gardner, B., DePerno, C. S., & Moorman, C. E. (2018). Estimating wildlife activity curves: Comparison of methods and sample size. Scientific reports, 8(1), 1–11.
Lenth, R. V., Bolker, B., Buerkner, P., Giné-Vázquez, I., Herve, M., Jung, M., Love, J., Miguez, F., Riebl, H., & Singmann, H. (2023). emmeans: Estimated Marginal Means, aka Least-Squares Means (1.8.7). https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/emmeans/index.html
Leuthold, B. M., & Leuthold, W. (1978). Daytime activity patterns of gerenuk and giraffe in Tsavo National Park, Kenya. African Journal of Ecology, 16(4), 231–243. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2028.1978.tb00444.x
Libert, S., Bonkowski, M. S., Pointer, K., Pletcher, S. D., & Guarente, L. (2012). Deviation of innate circadian period from 24 h reduces longevity in mice: Impact of circadian clock on longevity. Aging Cell, 11(5), 794–800. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1474-9726.2012.00846.x
Luna-Florin, A. D., Nole-Nole, D. A., Rodríguez-Caballero, E., Molina-Pardo, J. L., & Giménez-Luque, E. (2022). Ecological Characterization of the Flora in Reserva Ecológica Arenillas, Ecuador. Applied Sciences, 12(17), 8656. https://doi.org/10.3390/app12178656
Main, M. B., Weckerly, F. W., & Bleich, V. C. (1996). Sexual Segregation in Ungulates: New Directions for Research. Journal of Mammalogy, 77(2), 449–461. https://doi.org/10.2307/1382821
Mandujano, S., & Gallina, S. (1995). Comparison of Deer Censusing Methods in Tropical Dry Forest. Wildlife Society Bulletin (1973-2006), 23(2), 180–186. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3782786
Mandujano, S., & Gallina, S. (1996). Size and composition of white-tailed deer groups in a tropical dry forest in Mexico. Ethology Ecology & Evolution, 8(3), 255–263. https://doi.org/10.1080/08927014.1996.9522916
Massé, A., & Côté, S. D. (2013). Spatiotemporal variations in resources affect activity and movement patterns of white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) at high density. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 91(4), 252–263. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2012-0297
McShea, W. J. (2012). Ecology and management of white-tailed deer in a changing world: Deer and eastern forests. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1249(1), 45–56. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06376.x
Meredith, M., Ridout, M., & Meredith, M. M. (2018). Package ‘overlap’. Estimates of coefficient of overlapping for animal activity patterns, 3, 1.
Ministerio del Ambiente. (2014). Plan de Manejo de la Reserva Ecológica Arenillas. Quito, Ecuador. 68p.
Monteith, K. L., Schmitz, L. E., Jenks, J. A., Delger, J. A., & Bowyer, R. T. (2009). Growth of Male White-Tailed Deer: Consequences of Maternal Effects. Journal of Mammalogy, 90(3), 651–660. https://doi.org/10.1644/08-MAMM-A-191R1.1
Owenâ€Smith, N. (1998). How high ambient temperature affects the daily activity and foraging time of a subtropical ungulate, the greater kudu ( Tragelaphus strepsiceros ). Journal of Zoology, 246(2), 183–192. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1998.tb00147.x
Owenâ€Smith, N., & Goodall, V. (2014). Coping with savanna seasonality: Comparative daily activity patterns of A frican ungulates as revealed by GPS telemetry. Journal of Zoology, 293(3), 181–191. https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12132
Ozoga, J. J., & Verme, L. J. (1986). Relation of Maternal Age to Fawn-Rearing Success in White-Tailed Deer. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 50(3), 480. https://doi.org/10.2307/3801110
R Core Team. (2022). R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. http://www. R-project. org/.
Ridout, M. S., & Linkie, M. (2009). Estimating overlap of daily activity patterns from camera trap data. Journal of Agricultural, Biological, and Environmental Statistics, 14(3), 322–337. https://doi.org/10.1198/jabes.2009.08038
Rojas, G. S., Gallina, S., & Mandujano, S. (1997). Area de actividad y uso del habitat de dos venados cola blanca (Odocoileus virginianus) en un bosque tropical de la costa de Jalisco, México. ACTA ZOOLÓGICA MEXICANA (N.S.), 72, Article 72. https://doi.org/10.21829/azm.1997.72721736
Rooney, T. P., & Waller, D. M. (2003). Direct and indirect effects of white-tailed deer in forest ecosystems. Forest Ecology and Management, 181(1–2), 165–176. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-1127(03)00130-0
Rovero, F., & Marshall, A. R. (2009). Camera trapping photographic rate as an index of density in forest ungulates. Journal of Applied Ecology, 46(5), 1011–1017. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2664.2009.01705.x
Rowcliffe, J. M., Kays, R., Kranstauber, B., Carbone, C., & Jansen, P. A. (2014). Quantifying levels of animal activity using camera trap data. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 5(11), 1170–1179. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12278
Rowcliffe, J. M., & Rowcliffe, M. M. (2016). Package ‘activity’. Animal activity statistics R Package Version, 1.
Saisamorn, A., Duengkae, P., Pattanavibool, A., Duangchantrasiri, S., Simcharoen, A., & Smith, J. L. D. (2019). Spatial and temporal analysis of leopards ( Panthera pardus ), their prey and tigers (Panthera tigris) in Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand. Folia Oecologica, 46(2), 73–82. https://doi.org/10.2478/foecol-2019-0010
Sánchez Rojas, G., Gallina, S., & Mandujano, S. (1997). Area de actividad y uso del habitat de dos venados cola blanca (Odocoileus virginianus) en un bosque tropical de la costa de Jalisco, México. ACTA ZOOLÓGICA MEXICANA (N.S.), 0(72), 39–54. https://doi.org/10.21829/azm.1997.72721736
Scheibe, K. M., Berger, A., Langbein, J., Streich, W. J., & Eichhorn, K. (1999). Comparative Analysis of Ultradian and Circadian Behavioural Rhythms for Diagnosis of Biorhythmic State of Animals. Biological Rhythm Research, 30(2), 216–233. https://doi.org/10.1076/brhm.30.2.216.1420
Scheibe, K. M., Robinson, T. L., Scheibe, A., & Berger, A. (2009). Variation of the phase of the 24-h activity period in different large herbivore species under European and African conditions. Biological Rhythm Research, 40(2), 169–179. https://doi.org/10.1080/09291010701875070
Sierra, M. (1999). Propuesta preliminar de un sistema de clasificación de vegetación para el Ecuador continental. Proyecto Inefan/Gef-Birf y Ecociencia.
Spoelstra, K., Wikelski, M., Daan, S., Loudon, A. S. I., & Hau, M. (2016). Natural selection against a circadian clock gene mutation in mice. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(3), 686–691. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1516442113
Stone, D. B., Cherry, M. J., Martin, J. A., Cohen, B. S., & Miller, K. V. (2017). Breeding chronology and social interactions affect ungulate foraging behavior at a concentrated food resource. PLOS ONE, 12(6), e0178477. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0178477
Townsend, T. W., & Bailey, E. D. (1981). Effects of Age, Sex and Weight on Social Rank in Penned White-tailed Deer. American Midland Naturalist, 106(1), 92. https://doi.org/10.2307/2425138
Valeix, M., Chamaillé-Jammes, S., & Fritz, H. (2007). Interference competition and temporal niche shifts: Elephants and herbivore communities at waterholes. Oecologia, 153(3), 739–748. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-007-0764-5
Webb, S. L., Gee, K. L., Strickland, B. K., Demarais, S., & DeYoung, R. W. (2010). Measuring Fine-Scale White-Tailed Deer Movements and Environmental Influences Using GPS Collars. International Journal of Ecology, 2010, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1155/2010/459610
Yearsley, J. M., & Javier Pérez-Barbería, F. (2005). Does the activity budget hypothesis explain sexual segregation in ungulates? Animal Behaviour, 69(2), 257–267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2004.04.010
Descargas
Publicado
Número
Sección
Licencia
La revista THERYA, con base en su política de acceso abierto, permite descargar en forma gratuita el contenido completo de la revista en formato digital. También autoriza al autor a colocar el artículo en el formato publicado por la revista en su sitio web personal, o en un repositorio de acceso abierto, distribuir copias del artículo publicado en formato electrónico o impreso a quien él considere conveniente, y reutilizar parte o la totalidad del artículo en sus artículos o libros futuros, dando los créditos correspondientes. Se utiliza la licencia Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SD. La que se especifica en las publicaciones.
