Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Joint effects of weather and interspecific competition on foraging behaviour and survival of a mountain herbivore

Ferretti, F.; Lovari, S.; Stephens, P.A.

Joint effects of weather and interspecific competition on foraging behaviour and survival of a mountain herbivore Thumbnail


Authors

F. Ferretti

S. Lovari



Abstract

Weather variations have the potential to influence species interactions, although effects on competitive interactions between species are poorly known. Both weather and competition can influence foraging behavior and survival of herbivores during nursing/weaning, a critical period in the herbivore life cycle. We evaluated the joint effects of weather and competition with red deer Cervus elaphus on the foraging behavior of adult female Apennine chamois Rupicapra pyrenaica ornata in summer, and on winter survival of chamois kids. High temperature and low rainfall during the growing season of vegetation had negative effects on bite rate. Effects of weather were greater in forb patches, including cold-adapted, nutritious plants of key importance to chamois, than in graminoid ones. Our results confirm previous indications of a negative effect of competition on bite rate of female chamois and on kid survival. Furthermore, harsh weather conditions and competition with deer had additive, negative roles on foraging behavior and survival of chamois. Growing temperatures are expected to influence distribution, growth, and/or nutritional quality of plants; competition would reduce pasture quality and food availability through resource depletion. Both factors would limit food/energy intake rates during summer, reducing survival of the youngest cohorts in winter. We suggest that interspecific competition can be an important additive factor to the effects of weather changes on behavior and demography.

Citation

Ferretti, F., Lovari, S., & Stephens, P. (2019). Joint effects of weather and interspecific competition on foraging behaviour and survival of a mountain herbivore. Current Zoology, 65(2), 165-175. https://doi.org/10.1093/cz/zoy032

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Apr 10, 2018
Online Publication Date May 14, 2018
Publication Date Apr 30, 2019
Deposit Date May 4, 2018
Publicly Available Date May 8, 2018
Journal Current Zoology
Print ISSN 1674-5507
Electronic ISSN 2396-9814
Publisher Oxford University Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 65
Issue 2
Pages 165-175
DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/cz/zoy032

Files

Accepted Journal Article (1.4 Mb)
PDF

Copyright Statement
© The Author(s) (2018). Published by Oxford University Press.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. For commercial re-use, please contact journals.permissions@oup.com







You might also like



Downloadable Citations