Estimating the size of European rabbits consumed by predators: Relationship between body mass and tooth dimensions

• Autorzy: Calzada J. , Haydon D.T. , Palomares F.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

A method for estimating body mass of European rabbitsOryctolagus cuniculus (Linnaeus, 1758) based on tooth dimensions is proposed. Regression models identified significant relationships between the body mass of 87 rabbits and individual tooth length, breadth, product of tooth length and breadth, and whether or not the individual was infected with myxomatosis. Dimensions of 10 of 14 different teeth explained over 80% of variation in body mass, and those teeth were selected as adequate predictors of rabbit body mass. Models were tested using teeth from 16 additional rabbits of known body mass. Body mass, predicted on the basis of 9 of the 10 selected teeth, was statistically indistinguishable from the observed values for all 16 individuals. When myxomatosis infection status of the rabbit was included in the model, all 10 selected teeth yielded predictions statistically indistinguishable from those observed. Prediction errors can be computed permitting statistical comparison of the average predicted value of body mass from different samples of rabbits. The model is useful in estimating rabbit body masses from teeth recovered from feces of predators and it will facilitate testing of hypotheses on size-selective predation. The method was applied to rabbit teeth found in fecal samples from the Iberian lynxLynx pardinus collected over a one-year period. Lynx preyed preferentially upon younger rabbits during the peak breeding period of this lagomorph.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

European rabbit; Oryctolagus cuniculus; tooth dimension; Lynx pardinus; body mass; size selection; rabbit

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Acta Theriologica
• Rocznik: 2003
• Tom: 48
• Numer: 1
• Opis fizyczny: p.101-111,fig.

Twórcy

autor

Calzada J.

• Estacion Biologica de Donana, CSIC, Avda Maria Luisa s-n, Pabellon del Peru, 41013 Sevilla, Spain

autor

Haydon D.T.

autor

Palomares F.

Bibliografia

• Barry R. E. and Barry L. M. 1996. Species composition and age structure of remains of hyraxes (Hyracoidea: Procaviidae) at nests of black eagles. Journal of Mammalogy 77: 702–707.
• Calvete C. 1999. Epidemiología de enfermedad hemorrágica (VHD) y mixomatosis en el conejo silvestre (Oryctolagus cuniculus L. 1758) en el valle medio del Ebro. Modelización de VHD y herramientas de gestión. University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza: 1–287.
• Calzada J. 2000. Impacto de depredación y selección de presa del lince ibérico y el zorro sobre el conejo. University of León, León: 1–252.
• Calzada J. and Palomares F. 1996. Frecuencia de aparición de diferentes restos de conejo en excrementos de lince y zorro. Doñnana Acta Vertebrata 23: 243–252.
• Carss D. N. and Elston D. A. 1996. Errors associated with otter Lutra lutra faecal analysis. II. Estimating prey size distribution from bones recovered in spraints. Journal of Zoology, London 238: 318–332.
• Delibes M. 1980. El lince ibérico. Ecología y comportamiento alimenticios en el Coto Doñana, Huelva. Doñana Acta Vertebrata 73: 1–128.
• Delibes M. and Calderón J. 1979. Datos sobre la reproducción del conejo, Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.), en Doñana, S.O. de España, durante un año seco. Doñana Acta Vertebrata 6: 91–99.
• Delibes M. and Hiraldo F. 1981. The rabbit as prey in the mediterranean ecosystem. [In: Proceedings of the World Lagomorph Conference, Gland, 1981. K. Myers and C. D. MacInnes, eds]. University of Guelph, Ontario: 600–613.
• Dickman C. R., Predavec M. and Lynam A. J. 1991. Differential predation of size and sex classes of mice by the barn owl,Tyto alba. Oikos 62: 67–76.
• Donázar J. A. and Ceballos O. 1989. Selective predation by Eagle Owls Bubo bubo on rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus: Age and sex preferences. Ornis Scandinavica 20: 117–122.
• Feltham M. J. and Marquiss M. 1989. The use of first vertebrae in separating, and estimating the size of, trout (Salmo trutta) and salmon (Salmo salar) in bone remains. Journal of Zoology, London 219: 113–122.
• Flux J. E. C. 1994. World distribution. [In: The European rabbit: the history and biology of a successful colonizer. H. V. Thompson and C. M. King, eds]. Oxford University Press, Oxford: 8–21.
• Glejser H. 1969. A new test for heteroscedasticity. Journal of the American Statistical Association 64: 316–323.
• Goszczyński J. and Wasilewski M. 1992. Predation of foxes on a hare population in central Poland. Acta Theriologica 37: 329–338.
• Heggberget T. M. and Moseid K.-E. 1994. Prey selection in coastal Eurasian ottersLutra lutra. Ecography 17: 331–338.
• Hocking R. R. 1985. The analysis of linear models. Brooks/Cole, Monterey: 1–385.
• Jaksic F. M. and Soriguer R. C. 1981. Predation upon the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in mediterranean habitats of Chile and Spain: a comparative analysis. Journal of Animal Ecology 50: 269–281.
• Janes S. W. and Barss J. M. 1985. Predation by three owl species on northern pocket gophers of different body mass. Oecologia 67: 76–81.
• Palomares F. and Delibes M. 1991. Alimentación del meloncilloHerpestes ichneumon y de la ginetaGenetta genetta en la Reserva Biológica de Doñana, S. O. de la Península Ibérica. Doñnana Acta Vertebrata 18: 5–20.
• Palomares F. and Delibes M. 1997. Predation upon European rabbits and their use of open and closed patches in Mediterranean habitats. Oikos 80: 407–410.
• Popesko P., Rajtová V. and Horák J. 1990. A colour atlas of the anatomy of small laboratory animals. Vol 1: Rabbit, Guinea pig. Wolfe, London: 1–255.
• Rogers P. M., Arthur C. P. and Soriguer R. C. 1994. The rabbit in continental Europe. [In: The European rabbit: The history and biology of a successful colonizer. H. V. Thompson and C. M. King, eds]. Oxford University Press, Oxford: 22–63.
• Rohner C., Smith J. N. M., Stroman J., Joyce M., Doyle F. I. and Boonstra R. 1995. Northern hawk-owls in the nearctic boreal forest: prey selection and population consequences of multiple prey cycles. The Condor 97: 208–220.
• Sharma S. 1996. Applied multivariate techniques. New York, Wiley: 1–512.
• Sokal R. R. and Rohlf F. J. 1995. Biometry. W. H. Freeman and Company, New York: 1–887.
• Soriguer R. C. 1981. Biología y dinámica de una población de conejos (Oryctolagus cuniculus, L.) en Andalucía Occidental. Doñana Acta Vertebrata 8: 1–343.
• SPSS 1989. SPSS v. 7.5. User’s manual. Chicago.
• Thompson H. V. and King C. M. 1994. The European rabbit: the history and biology of a successful colonizer. Oxford University Press, Oxford: 1–245.
• Villafuerte R. 1994. Riesgo de predación y estrategias defensivas del conejo,Oryctolagus cuniculus, en el Parque Nacional de Doñana. University of Córdoba, Córdoba: 1–229.
• Wise M. H. 1980. The use of fish vertebrae in scats for estimating prey size of otters and mink. Journal of Zoology, London 192: 25–31.
• Zalewski A. 1996. Choice of age classes of bank volesClethrionomys glareolus by pine martenMartes martes and tawny owlStrix aluco in Białowieża National Park. Acta Oecologica 17: 233–244.