Space use and activity in a mediterranean population of badgers Meles meles

• Autorzy: Rodriguez A. , Martin R. , Delibes M.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

Activity, spatial ecology, and pattern of sett use of a mediterranean population of badgers Meles meles Linnaeus, 1758 are described. Data come from Doñana National Park (SW Spain) where a 1-year radio-tracking study and a 9-year capture-recapture study were carried out. Badger home ranges were spatially structured, territories having an average size that is the largest reported in the literature. There was a correlation between territory size and ecological variables reflecting food patch dispersion. It is suggested that badgers might set territory limits to include enough patches of rabbit burrows in the critical summer period of low rabbit abundance. Badgers were not strictly nocturnal, and showed decreased activity levels in winter. Activity levels were higher in badgers living in dry habitats, and in all badgers during the dry season. Both photoperiod and rabbit availability were suggested as factors influencing activity parameters like activity length or resting intervals during activity periods. Differences in the pattern of use of the main and secondary setts were found between reproductive females and other individuals.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

activity; mediterranean environment; Meles meles; badger; mediterranean population; space use

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Acta Theriologica
• Rocznik: 1996
• Tom: 41
• Numer: 1
• Opis fizyczny: p.59-72,fig.

Twórcy

autor

Rodriguez A.

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

autor

Martin R.

autor

Delibes M.

Bibliografia

• Aldama J. J. and DeSibes M. 1990. Some preliminary results on rabbit energy utilization by the Spanish lynx. Doñana, Acta Vertebrata 17: 116-121.
• Allier C., González-Bernáldez F. and Ramírez-Díaz L. 1974. Mapa ecológico de la Reserva Biológica de Doñana. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Sevilla: 1—11,
• Bonnin-Laffargue M. and Canivenc R. 1961. Étude de l'activité du blaireau européen (Meles meles L). Mammalia 25: 476-484. [in Spanish with English summary]
• Cheeseman C. L., Jones G, W,, Gallagher J, and Mallinson P. J. 1981. The population structure, density and prevalence of tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bouis) in badgers (Meles meles) from four areas in south-west England. Journal of Applied Ecology 18: 795-804,
• Cheeseman C. L., Wilesmith J. W., Ryan J. and Mallinson P. J. 1987. Badger population dynamics in a high-density area. Symposia of the Zoological Society of London 58: 279-294.
• Ciampalini B. and Lovari S. 1985. Food habits and trophic niche overlap of the badger (Meles meles L.) and the red fox (Vulpes uulpes L.) in a Mediterranean coastal area. Zeitschrift für Sàuge- tierkunde 50: 226-234.
• Corbet G. B. 1978. The mammals of the Palaearctic region: a taxonomic review. British Museum (Natural History), London: 1-314.
• Cresswell W. J. and Harris S. 1988a. Ranging behaviour and home-range utilization in a suburban badger (Meles meles) population. Mammal Review 18: 37-49.
• Cresswell W. J. and Harris S. 1988b. The effects of weather conditions on the movements and activity of badgers (Meles meles) in a suburban environment. Journal of Zoology, London 216: 187-194.
• Delibes M. and Adrián M. I. 1987. Effects of crayfish introduction on otter Lutra lutra food in the Doñana National Park, SW Spain. Biological Conservation 42: 153-159.
• Deiibes M. and Beltrán J. F. 1986. Radio-tracking of six species of carnivores in the Doñana National Park, SW Spain. Mesogée 46: 113-120.
• 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. [In Spanish with English summary]
• Doncaster C. P. and Woodroffe R. 1993. Den site can determine shape and size of badger territories: implications for group-living. Oikos 66: 88-93.
• Font I. 1983. Climatología de España y Portugal. Instituto Nacional de Meteorología, Madrid: 1-296. Goransson G. 1983. Denning activity in Swedish badgers, Meles meles. Acta Zoologica Fennica 174: 179-181.
• Harris S. 1982. Activity patterns and habitat utilization of badgers (Meles meles) in suburban Bristol: a radio tracking study. Symposia of the Zoological Society of London 49: 301-323.
• Harris S., Cresswell W. J. and Cheeseman C. L. 1992. Age determination of badgers (Meles meles) from tooth wear: the need for a pragmatic approach. Journal of Zoology, London 228: 679-684.Iversen J. A. 1972. Basal energy metabolism of mustelids. Journal of Comparative Physiology 81: 341-344.
• Kavanau J. L. 1971. Locomotion and activity phasing of some medium-sized mammals. Journal of Mammalogy 52: 386-403.
• Kruuk H. 1978a. Spatial organization and territorial behaviour of the European badger Meles meles. Journal of Zoology, London 184: 1—19.
• Kruuk H. 1978b. Foraging and spatial organisation of the European badger, Meles meles L. Be­havioural Ecology and Sociobiology 4: 75-89.
• Kruuk H. 1989. The social badger. Oxford University Press, Oxford: 1-155.
• Kruuk H. and Parish T. 1982. Factors affecting population density, group size and territory size of the European badger, Meles meles. Journal of Zoology, London 196: 31-39.
• Kruuk H, and Parish T. 1985. Food, food availability and weight of badgers (Meles meles) in relation to agricultural changes. Journal of Applied Ecology 22: 705-715.
• Kruuk H. and Parish T. 1987. Changes in the size of groups and ranges of the European badger (Meles meles L.) in an area in Scotland. Journal of Animal Ecology 56: 351-364.
• Laundré J, W. and Keller B. L. 1983. Trappability of coyotes relative to home range boundaries. Canadian Journal of Zoology 61: 1932-1934.
• Lüps P. and Roper T. J. 1990. Cannibalism in a female badger {Meles meles)-. infanticide or predation? Journal of Zoology, London 221: 314-315.
• Macdonald D. W. 1983. The ecology of carnivore social behaviour. Nature 301: 379-384.
• Martín R., Rodriguez A. and Delibes M. 1995. Local feeding specialization by badgers (Meles meles) in a mediterranean environment. Oecologia 101: 45-50.
• Maurel D. and Boissin J. 1983. Seasonal rythms of locomotor activity and thyroid function in male badgers {Meles meles L.) Journal of Interdisciplinary Cycle Research 14: 285-303.
• Mohr C. O. 1947. Table of equivalent populations of North American small mammals. American Midland Naturalist 37: 223-249.
• Neal E. 1986. The natural history of badgers. Croom Helm, Beckenham: 1-238.
• Pigozzi G. 1991. The diet of the European badger in a Mediterranean coastal area. Acta Theriologica 36: 293-306.
• Rodriguez A. and Delibes M. 1992. Food habits of badgers (Meles meles) in an arid habitat. Journal of Zoology, London 227: 347-350.
• Rogers P. M. and Myers K. 1979. Ecology of the European wild rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.), in Mediterranean habitats. Journal of Applied Ecology 16: 691-703.
• Roper T. J. 1992. Badger Meles meles setts: architecture, internal environment and function. Mammal Review 22: 45-53.
• Roper T. J. 1994. The European badger Meles meles: food specialist or generalist? Journal of Zoology, London 234: 437-452.
• Schantz T., von 1984. Spacing strategies, kin selection, and population regulation in altricial vertebrates. Oikos 42: 48-58.
• Swihart R. K. and Slade N. A. 1985. Influence of sampling interval on estimates of home-range size. Journal of Wildlife Management 49: 1019-1025.
• Travaini A., Perreras P., Aldama J. J., Fedriani J. M. and Delibes M. 1994. Chemical immobilization of wild badgers (Meles meles). Revue de Medicine Veterinaire 145: 577-580.
• Vaughan T. A. 1986. Mammalogy. Saunders College Publishing, Flagstaff: 1-576.
• Villafuerte R. 1994. Riesgo de predación y estrategias defensivas del conejo, Oryctolagus cuniculus, en el Parque Nacional de Doñana. Ph D thesis, University of Córdoba: 1-229.
• Woodroffe R. and Macdonald D. W. 1993. Badger sociality - models of spatial grouping. Symposia of the Zoological Society of London 65: 145-169.