Variation in the mating system of oribi and its ecological determinants
Flexibility (varying from monogamy in South Africa to polygyny in East Africa) has been documented in the mating system of the oribi (Ourebia ourebi) by several authors. To investigate this, a population was studied in Northern KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa). The adult sex ratio was one male to 1.38 f...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
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Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
2008
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| _version_ | 1797073696800636928 |
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| author | Adamczak, V Dunbar, R |
| author2 | East African Wildlife Society |
| author_facet | East African Wildlife Society Adamczak, V Dunbar, R |
| author_sort | Adamczak, V |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Flexibility (varying from monogamy in South Africa to polygyny in East Africa) has been documented in the mating system of the oribi (Ourebia ourebi) by several authors. To investigate this, a population was studied in Northern KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa). The adult sex ratio was one male to 1.38 females and the mean group size was 2.1 (n = 13). Although monogamous and polygynous groups occurred in the study population, the polygynous groups were unstable and depended on seasonal food abundance. Comparison of oribi populations across Africa suggests that variation in the mating system is determined mainly by predation risk and altitude (most likely through its effect on graze quality). In areas of high predation risk, oribi can survive only when resource quality permits females to forage in groups, thereby allowing males to be polygynous. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T23:25:47Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:6a518673-c8b1-4dec-a5f0-a037f0e80036 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T23:25:47Z |
| publishDate | 2008 |
| publisher | Blackwell Publishing Ltd. |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:6a518673-c8b1-4dec-a5f0-a037f0e800362022-03-26T18:56:40ZVariation in the mating system of oribi and its ecological determinantsJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:6a518673-c8b1-4dec-a5f0-a037f0e80036BiologyEnglishOxford University Research Archive - ValetBlackwell Publishing Ltd.2008Adamczak, VDunbar, REast African Wildlife SocietyFlexibility (varying from monogamy in South Africa to polygyny in East Africa) has been documented in the mating system of the oribi (Ourebia ourebi) by several authors. To investigate this, a population was studied in Northern KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa). The adult sex ratio was one male to 1.38 females and the mean group size was 2.1 (n = 13). Although monogamous and polygynous groups occurred in the study population, the polygynous groups were unstable and depended on seasonal food abundance. Comparison of oribi populations across Africa suggests that variation in the mating system is determined mainly by predation risk and altitude (most likely through its effect on graze quality). In areas of high predation risk, oribi can survive only when resource quality permits females to forage in groups, thereby allowing males to be polygynous. |
| spellingShingle | Biology Adamczak, V Dunbar, R Variation in the mating system of oribi and its ecological determinants |
| title | Variation in the mating system of oribi and its ecological determinants |
| title_full | Variation in the mating system of oribi and its ecological determinants |
| title_fullStr | Variation in the mating system of oribi and its ecological determinants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Variation in the mating system of oribi and its ecological determinants |
| title_short | Variation in the mating system of oribi and its ecological determinants |
| title_sort | variation in the mating system of oribi and its ecological determinants |
| topic | Biology |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT adamczakv variationinthematingsystemoforibianditsecologicaldeterminants AT dunbarr variationinthematingsystemoforibianditsecologicaldeterminants |