The group size effect and synchronization of vigilance in the Tibetan wild ass

• 作者: Xinxin WANG Le YANG Yumeng ZHAO Cong Yu Zhongqiu Li
• 来源期刊: 动物学报（英文版）
• 年，卷（期）: 2021,（1）
• 所属期刊栏目: Articles
• 页码范围: 11-16
• 页数: 6页
• 语种: 英文
• DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoaa024

摘要

Vigilance behavior is considered as an effective strategy for prey species to detect predators.An in-dividual benefits from living in a group by reducing the time spent being vigilant without affecting the probability of detecting a predator.However,the mechanism producing a decrease in vigilance with increasing group size is unclear.Many models of vigilance assume that group members scan independently of one another.Yet in recent studies,the other 2 patterns of vigilance,coordination and synchronization,were reported in some species.In 2 summers(2018 and 2019),we studied the group-size effect on vigilance and foraging of Tibetan wild ass in Chang Tang Nature Reserve of Tibet.We also tested whether individuals scan the environment independently,tend to coordinate their scans,or tend to synchronize their vigilance.The results showed that individuals decreased the time spent on vigilance with increasing group size,while increased the time spent foraging.Group members scanned the environment at the same time more frequently and there was a posi-tive correlation between group members'behaviors,indicating that Tibetan wild asses tend to syn-chronize their vigilance.