Density-dependent natal dispersal patterns in a leopard population recovering from over-harvest

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dc.contributor.authorFattebert, Julienen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorBalme, Guyen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorDickerson, Tristanen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorSlotow, Roben_ZA
dc.contributor.authorHunter, Lukeen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-11-18T07:12:57Z
dc.date.available2015-11-18T07:12:57Z
dc.date.issued2015en_ZA
dc.description.abstractNatal dispersal enables population connectivity, gene flow and metapopulation dynamics. In polygynous mammals, dispersal is typically male-biased. Classically, the ‘mate competition’, ‘resource competition’ and ‘resident fitness’ hypotheses predict density-dependent dispersal patterns, while the ‘inbreeding avoidance’ hypothesis posits density-independent dispersal. In a leopard ( Panthera pardus ) population recovering from over-harvest, we investigated the effect of sex, population density and prey biomass, on age of natal dispersal, distance dispersed, probability of emigration and dispersal success. Over an 11-year period, we tracked 35 subadult leopards using VHF and GPS telemetry. Subadult leopards initiated dispersal at 13.6 ± 0.4 months. Age at commencement of dispersal was positively density-dependent. Although males (11.0 ± 2.5 km) generally dispersed further than females (2.7 ± 0.4 km), some males exhibited opportunistic philopatry when the population was below capacity. All 13 females were philopatric, while 12 of 22 males emigrated. Male dispersal distance and emigration probability followed a quadratic relationship with population density, whereas female dispersal distance was inversely density-dependent. Eight of 12 known-fate females and 5 of 12 known-fate male leopards were successful in settling. Dispersal success did not vary with population density, prey biomass, and for males, neither between dispersal strategies (philopatry vs. emigration). Females formed matrilineal kin clusters, supporting the resident fitness hypothesis. Conversely, mate competition appeared the main driver for male leopard dispersal. We demonstrate that dispersal patterns changed over time, i.e. as the leopard population density increased. We conclude that conservation interventions that facilitated local demographic recovery in the study area also restored dispersal patterns disrupted by unsustainable harvesting, and that this indirectly improved connectivity among leopard populations over a larger landscape.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationFattebert, J., Balme, G., Dickerson, T., Slotow, R., & Hunter, L. (2015). Density-dependent natal dispersal patterns in a leopard population recovering from over-harvest. <i>PLoS One</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15153en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationFattebert, Julien, Guy Balme, Tristan Dickerson, Rob Slotow, and Luke Hunter "Density-dependent natal dispersal patterns in a leopard population recovering from over-harvest." <i>PLoS One</i> (2015) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15153en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationFattebert, J., Balme, G., Dickerson, T., Slotow, R., & Hunter, L. (2014). Density-dependent natal dispersal patterns in a leopard population recovering from over-harvest. PloS one, 10(4), e0122355. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0122355en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Fattebert, Julien AU - Balme, Guy AU - Dickerson, Tristan AU - Slotow, Rob AU - Hunter, Luke AB - Natal dispersal enables population connectivity, gene flow and metapopulation dynamics. In polygynous mammals, dispersal is typically male-biased. Classically, the ‘mate competition’, ‘resource competition’ and ‘resident fitness’ hypotheses predict density-dependent dispersal patterns, while the ‘inbreeding avoidance’ hypothesis posits density-independent dispersal. In a leopard ( Panthera pardus ) population recovering from over-harvest, we investigated the effect of sex, population density and prey biomass, on age of natal dispersal, distance dispersed, probability of emigration and dispersal success. Over an 11-year period, we tracked 35 subadult leopards using VHF and GPS telemetry. Subadult leopards initiated dispersal at 13.6 ± 0.4 months. Age at commencement of dispersal was positively density-dependent. Although males (11.0 ± 2.5 km) generally dispersed further than females (2.7 ± 0.4 km), some males exhibited opportunistic philopatry when the population was below capacity. All 13 females were philopatric, while 12 of 22 males emigrated. Male dispersal distance and emigration probability followed a quadratic relationship with population density, whereas female dispersal distance was inversely density-dependent. Eight of 12 known-fate females and 5 of 12 known-fate male leopards were successful in settling. Dispersal success did not vary with population density, prey biomass, and for males, neither between dispersal strategies (philopatry vs. emigration). Females formed matrilineal kin clusters, supporting the resident fitness hypothesis. Conversely, mate competition appeared the main driver for male leopard dispersal. We demonstrate that dispersal patterns changed over time, i.e. as the leopard population density increased. We conclude that conservation interventions that facilitated local demographic recovery in the study area also restored dispersal patterns disrupted by unsustainable harvesting, and that this indirectly improved connectivity among leopard populations over a larger landscape. DA - 2015 DB - OpenUCT DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0122355 DP - University of Cape Town J1 - PLoS One LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2015 T1 - Density-dependent natal dispersal patterns in a leopard population recovering from over-harvest TI - Density-dependent natal dispersal patterns in a leopard population recovering from over-harvest UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15153 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/15153
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0122355
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationFattebert J, Balme G, Dickerson T, Slotow R, Hunter L. Density-dependent natal dispersal patterns in a leopard population recovering from over-harvest. PLoS One. 2015; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15153.en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisherPublic Library of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Biological Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.rightsThis is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.en_ZA
dc.rights.holder© 2015 Fattebert et alen_ZA
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0en_ZA
dc.sourcePLoS Oneen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://journals.plos.org/plosoneen_ZA
dc.subject.otherLeopardsen_ZA
dc.subject.otherPopulation densityen_ZA
dc.subject.otherDensityen_ZA
dc.subject.otherInbreedingen_ZA
dc.subject.otherAdultsen_ZA
dc.subject.otherDemographyen_ZA
dc.subject.otherSouth Africaen_ZA
dc.subject.otherProbability densityen_ZA
dc.titleDensity-dependent natal dispersal patterns in a leopard population recovering from over-harvesten_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceArticleen_ZA
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