Geographic and seasonal variability in feeding behaviour of a small herbivorous rodent

Autores
Sassi, Paola Lorena; Borghi, Carlos Eduardo; Dacar, María Ana; Bozinovic, Francisco
Año de publicación
2011
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
Foraging strategies have traditionally been modelled as a result of food selection in response to one factor, as for instance resource availability, deterrent compounds or nutrients. Thus, a trade-off is assumed between plasticity (generalist strategy) and efficiency (specialist strategy). Nevertheless, several studies have demonstrated that animals cope behaviourally with food supply variation. For instance, desertdwelling rodents partially compensate for nutritional bottlenecks through diet selection. The aim of our study was to test how foraging behaviour matches spatial and temporal variations in the trophic environment and how modelling hypotheses help us to understand the resultant foraging strategy. Our animal study model was the small cavy Microcavia australis, a widely distributed herbivorous rodent. Fieldwork was carried out in four places, in wet and dry seasons. We found significant differences in plant cover, plant diversity and niche breadth, and diet selection revealed a complex foraging strategy. M. australis shows a behavioural repertoire that exceeds single-criterion categories; therefore, we appeal to theoretical models that consider ecological and physiological perspectives. We classified the small cavy as a facultative specialist displaying a thoroughly opportunistic strategy based on the plasticity of the behavioural phenotype. We finally discuss the evolutionary relevance of our results and propose further investigation avenues.
Fil: Sassi, Paola Lorena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; Argentina
Fil: Borghi, Carlos Eduardo. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto y Museo de Ciencias Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina
Fil: Dacar, María Ana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; Argentina
Fil: Bozinovic, Francisco. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; Chile
Materia
Behavioural Plasticity
Diet Selection
Environmental Heterogeneity
Microcavia Australis
Nutritional Trade-Offs
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso abierto
Condiciones de uso
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
Repositorio
CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Institución
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
OAI Identificador
oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/75378
Acceder
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network_name_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
spelling Geographic and seasonal variability in feeding behaviour of a small herbivorous rodentSassi, Paola LorenaBorghi, Carlos EduardoDacar, María AnaBozinovic, FranciscoBehavioural PlasticityDiet SelectionEnvironmental HeterogeneityMicrocavia AustralisNutritional Trade-Offshttps://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1Foraging strategies have traditionally been modelled as a result of food selection in response to one factor, as for instance resource availability, deterrent compounds or nutrients. Thus, a trade-off is assumed between plasticity (generalist strategy) and efficiency (specialist strategy). Nevertheless, several studies have demonstrated that animals cope behaviourally with food supply variation. For instance, desertdwelling rodents partially compensate for nutritional bottlenecks through diet selection. The aim of our study was to test how foraging behaviour matches spatial and temporal variations in the trophic environment and how modelling hypotheses help us to understand the resultant foraging strategy. Our animal study model was the small cavy Microcavia australis, a widely distributed herbivorous rodent. Fieldwork was carried out in four places, in wet and dry seasons. We found significant differences in plant cover, plant diversity and niche breadth, and diet selection revealed a complex foraging strategy. M. australis shows a behavioural repertoire that exceeds single-criterion categories; therefore, we appeal to theoretical models that consider ecological and physiological perspectives. We classified the small cavy as a facultative specialist displaying a thoroughly opportunistic strategy based on the plasticity of the behavioural phenotype. We finally discuss the evolutionary relevance of our results and propose further investigation avenues.Fil: Sassi, Paola Lorena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; ArgentinaFil: Borghi, Carlos Eduardo. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto y Museo de Ciencias Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Dacar, María Ana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; ArgentinaFil: Bozinovic, Francisco. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; ChilePolish Academy of Sciences2011-01info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11336/75378Sassi, Paola Lorena; Borghi, Carlos Eduardo; Dacar, María Ana; Bozinovic, Francisco; Geographic and seasonal variability in feeding behaviour of a small herbivorous rodent; Polish Academy of Sciences; Acta Theriologica; 56; 1; 1-2011; 35-430001-7051CONICET DigitalCONICETenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs13364-010-0007-8info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1007/s13364-010-0007-8info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas2025-09-29T09:51:13Zoai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/75378instacron:CONICETInstitucionalhttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/Organismo científico-tecnológicoNo correspondehttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/oai/requestdasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:34982025-09-29 09:51:13.333CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicasfalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Geographic and seasonal variability in feeding behaviour of a small herbivorous rodent
title Geographic and seasonal variability in feeding behaviour of a small herbivorous rodent
spellingShingle Geographic and seasonal variability in feeding behaviour of a small herbivorous rodent
Sassi, Paola Lorena
Behavioural Plasticity
Diet Selection
Environmental Heterogeneity
Microcavia Australis
Nutritional Trade-Offs
title_short Geographic and seasonal variability in feeding behaviour of a small herbivorous rodent
title_full Geographic and seasonal variability in feeding behaviour of a small herbivorous rodent
title_fullStr Geographic and seasonal variability in feeding behaviour of a small herbivorous rodent
title_full_unstemmed Geographic and seasonal variability in feeding behaviour of a small herbivorous rodent
title_sort Geographic and seasonal variability in feeding behaviour of a small herbivorous rodent
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Sassi, Paola Lorena
Borghi, Carlos Eduardo
Dacar, María Ana
Bozinovic, Francisco
author Sassi, Paola Lorena
author_facet Sassi, Paola Lorena
Borghi, Carlos Eduardo
Dacar, María Ana
Bozinovic, Francisco
author_role author
author2 Borghi, Carlos Eduardo
Dacar, María Ana
Bozinovic, Francisco
author2_role author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Behavioural Plasticity
Diet Selection
Environmental Heterogeneity
Microcavia Australis
Nutritional Trade-Offs
topic Behavioural Plasticity
Diet Selection
Environmental Heterogeneity
Microcavia Australis
Nutritional Trade-Offs
purl_subject.fl_str_mv https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv Foraging strategies have traditionally been modelled as a result of food selection in response to one factor, as for instance resource availability, deterrent compounds or nutrients. Thus, a trade-off is assumed between plasticity (generalist strategy) and efficiency (specialist strategy). Nevertheless, several studies have demonstrated that animals cope behaviourally with food supply variation. For instance, desertdwelling rodents partially compensate for nutritional bottlenecks through diet selection. The aim of our study was to test how foraging behaviour matches spatial and temporal variations in the trophic environment and how modelling hypotheses help us to understand the resultant foraging strategy. Our animal study model was the small cavy Microcavia australis, a widely distributed herbivorous rodent. Fieldwork was carried out in four places, in wet and dry seasons. We found significant differences in plant cover, plant diversity and niche breadth, and diet selection revealed a complex foraging strategy. M. australis shows a behavioural repertoire that exceeds single-criterion categories; therefore, we appeal to theoretical models that consider ecological and physiological perspectives. We classified the small cavy as a facultative specialist displaying a thoroughly opportunistic strategy based on the plasticity of the behavioural phenotype. We finally discuss the evolutionary relevance of our results and propose further investigation avenues.
Fil: Sassi, Paola Lorena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; Argentina
Fil: Borghi, Carlos Eduardo. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto y Museo de Ciencias Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina
Fil: Dacar, María Ana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; Argentina
Fil: Bozinovic, Francisco. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; Chile
description Foraging strategies have traditionally been modelled as a result of food selection in response to one factor, as for instance resource availability, deterrent compounds or nutrients. Thus, a trade-off is assumed between plasticity (generalist strategy) and efficiency (specialist strategy). Nevertheless, several studies have demonstrated that animals cope behaviourally with food supply variation. For instance, desertdwelling rodents partially compensate for nutritional bottlenecks through diet selection. The aim of our study was to test how foraging behaviour matches spatial and temporal variations in the trophic environment and how modelling hypotheses help us to understand the resultant foraging strategy. Our animal study model was the small cavy Microcavia australis, a widely distributed herbivorous rodent. Fieldwork was carried out in four places, in wet and dry seasons. We found significant differences in plant cover, plant diversity and niche breadth, and diet selection revealed a complex foraging strategy. M. australis shows a behavioural repertoire that exceeds single-criterion categories; therefore, we appeal to theoretical models that consider ecological and physiological perspectives. We classified the small cavy as a facultative specialist displaying a thoroughly opportunistic strategy based on the plasticity of the behavioural phenotype. We finally discuss the evolutionary relevance of our results and propose further investigation avenues.
publishDate 2011
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2011-01
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/11336/75378
Sassi, Paola Lorena; Borghi, Carlos Eduardo; Dacar, María Ana; Bozinovic, Francisco; Geographic and seasonal variability in feeding behaviour of a small herbivorous rodent; Polish Academy of Sciences; Acta Theriologica; 56; 1; 1-2011; 35-43
0001-7051
CONICET Digital
CONICET
url http://hdl.handle.net/11336/75378
identifier_str_mv Sassi, Paola Lorena; Borghi, Carlos Eduardo; Dacar, María Ana; Bozinovic, Francisco; Geographic and seasonal variability in feeding behaviour of a small herbivorous rodent; Polish Academy of Sciences; Acta Theriologica; 56; 1; 1-2011; 35-43
0001-7051
CONICET Digital
CONICET
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs13364-010-0007-8
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1007/s13364-010-0007-8
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
application/pdf
application/pdf
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Polish Academy of Sciences
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Polish Academy of Sciences
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
reponame_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
collection CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname_str Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.name.fl_str_mv CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.mail.fl_str_mv dasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.ar
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score 13.070432

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