Group foraging in Socotra cormorants: A biologging approach to the study of a complex behavior.

ABSTRACT: Group foraging contradicts classic ecological theory because intraspecific competition normally increases with aggregation. Hence, there should be evolutionary benefits to group foraging. The study of group foraging in the field remains challenging however, because of the large number of individuals involved and the remoteness of the interactions to the observer. Biologging represents a cost-effective solution to these methodological issues. By deploying GPS and temperature-depth loggers on individuals over a period of several consecutive days, we investigated intraspecific foraging interactions in the Socotra cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis, a threatened colonial seabird endemic to the Arabian Peninsula. In particular, we examined how closely birds from the same colony associa

SUBMITTER: Cook TR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5383476 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature