Are fission-fusion dynamics consistent among populations? A large-scale study with Cape buffalo.

ABSTRACT: Fission-fusion dynamics allow animals to manage costs and benefits of group living by adjusting group size. The degree of intraspecific variation in fission-fusion dynamics across the geographical range is poorly known. During 2008-2016, 38 adult female Cape buffalo were equipped with GPS collars in three populations located in different protected areas (Gonarezhou National Park and Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe; Kruger National Park, South Africa) to investigate the patterns and environmental drivers of fission-fusion dynamics among populations. We estimated home range overlap and fission and fusion events between Cape buffalo dyads. We investigated the temporal dynamics of both events at daily and seasonal scales and examined the influence of habitat and distance to water on event locat

SUBMITTER: Wielgus E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7487245 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature