Midden site selection in Dorcas gazelle: Larger is not always better
Abstract Dorcas gazelles are believed to use middens to mark their territories and transmit information. Given the commitment to maintaining a midden, it is believed that middens are not placed randomly. We examined how the habitat (tree height and maximum canopy) and anthropogenic disturbance (came...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8141 |
| _version_ | 1818589233442455552 |
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| author | Alaaeldin Soultan Abdullah Nagy Omar Attum |
| author_facet | Alaaeldin Soultan Abdullah Nagy Omar Attum |
| author_sort | Alaaeldin Soultan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Dorcas gazelles are believed to use middens to mark their territories and transmit information. Given the commitment to maintaining a midden, it is believed that middens are not placed randomly. We examined how the habitat (tree height and maximum canopy) and anthropogenic disturbance (camel and human presence) influenced the selection of midden sites by Dorcas gazelles in South Sinai, Egypt. Our results showed that Dorcas gazelles did not place middens at larger trees, while favoring relatively smaller trees and shrubs where the anthropogenic disturbance and perceived hunting risk are less. Our results, in light of the previous findings, suggest that selection of midden sites is species context‐dependent behavior. In areas with less anthropogenic disturbance and hunting, Dorcas gazelles have been shown to select the largest trees of the same species as midden sites. In contract, in our study site with high anthropogenic disturbance and no protection from hunting, gazelles did not utilize the presumably optimum landmarks for midden sites. Our study showed that Dorcas gazelles instead utilized smaller trees and some shrubs that are less conspicuous and presumably less effective as advertisement sites, but safer. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T09:37:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dae855a1c82f471b8e4d76c0c736b9ef |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T09:37:24Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-dae855a1c82f471b8e4d76c0c736b9ef2022-12-21T22:36:22ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582021-10-011120136611366710.1002/ece3.8141Midden site selection in Dorcas gazelle: Larger is not always betterAlaaeldin Soultan0Abdullah Nagy1Omar Attum2Department of Ecology Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala SwedenDepartment of Zoology Al‐Azhar University in Cairo Cairo EgyptDepartment of Biology Indiana University New Albany Indiana USAAbstract Dorcas gazelles are believed to use middens to mark their territories and transmit information. Given the commitment to maintaining a midden, it is believed that middens are not placed randomly. We examined how the habitat (tree height and maximum canopy) and anthropogenic disturbance (camel and human presence) influenced the selection of midden sites by Dorcas gazelles in South Sinai, Egypt. Our results showed that Dorcas gazelles did not place middens at larger trees, while favoring relatively smaller trees and shrubs where the anthropogenic disturbance and perceived hunting risk are less. Our results, in light of the previous findings, suggest that selection of midden sites is species context‐dependent behavior. In areas with less anthropogenic disturbance and hunting, Dorcas gazelles have been shown to select the largest trees of the same species as midden sites. In contract, in our study site with high anthropogenic disturbance and no protection from hunting, gazelles did not utilize the presumably optimum landmarks for midden sites. Our study showed that Dorcas gazelles instead utilized smaller trees and some shrubs that are less conspicuous and presumably less effective as advertisement sites, but safer.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8141Acacia treesdesertDorcas gazellemiddens |
| spellingShingle | Alaaeldin Soultan Abdullah Nagy Omar Attum Midden site selection in Dorcas gazelle: Larger is not always better Ecology and Evolution Acacia trees desert Dorcas gazelle middens |
| title | Midden site selection in Dorcas gazelle: Larger is not always better |
| title_full | Midden site selection in Dorcas gazelle: Larger is not always better |
| title_fullStr | Midden site selection in Dorcas gazelle: Larger is not always better |
| title_full_unstemmed | Midden site selection in Dorcas gazelle: Larger is not always better |
| title_short | Midden site selection in Dorcas gazelle: Larger is not always better |
| title_sort | midden site selection in dorcas gazelle larger is not always better |
| topic | Acacia trees desert Dorcas gazelle middens |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8141 |
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