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Competition and sex-age class alter the effects of group size on vigilance in white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus

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Abstract

Increased group size is predicted to dilute predation risk for individuals and increase predator detection at the group level. Individual vigilance tends to decrease with group size for many species. However, this pattern varies across species, context, space, and time. We explored the effects of group size on vigilance behaviors of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in relation to season, sex-age status, group composition, diminishing food returns, and intraspecific competition. We used classical behavioral observation methods and camera traps to study deer behavior. Sex-age class, season, intraspecific competition, and diminishing food returns interacted with group size to shape vigilance behaviors in deer. During spring, the effect of group size was essentially non-existent, and during winter, vigilance patterns exhibited a non-linear relationship with group size. Subadult deer benefited most in terms of increased foraging and decreased vigilance from the presence of 1–2 conspecifics, likely a maternal family group. This effect diminished in the presence of additional conspecifics (≥3), apparently as a function of contest competition. Individual deer spent less time at a site in areas with greater intraspecific abundance; however, in the presence of conspecifics, the relationship was reversed. Our research suggests that maternal family groups play an important seasonal role in vigilance behaviors of deer. Our study demonstrates the complex effects of group size in white-tailed deer. Group size effects are generally considered to be in response to changes in predation risk; however, our work supports a growing body of evidence that group size effects may also be influenced by intraspecific interactions.

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Acknowledgements

We are indebted to many folks who supported this project in various ways. Special thanks to two anonymous reviewers and Associate Editor Julia Lehmann for their feedback on an earlier version of this manuscript. We want to specifically thank Lucas Olson for his assistance with camera trap data entry. Special thanks to R. Olson, L. Olson, H. Campos, A. Smetna. Dr. S. J. Ventura, A. Wydeven, and Dr. D. Waller for guidance. The following agencies kindly provided access to their lands for this research, including Black River Falls State Forest, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Wood County Forest, and multiple private property owners. This research was funded, in part, through an NSF-IGERT Certificate for Humans and the Global Environment (CHANGE) Program Fellowship awarded to ERO, with additional support from the UW-Madison Graduate School, the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, the Derse Foundation, and Northland College (Sigurd Olson Professorship in Natural Resources, Peters Professorship in Biology, and Sabbatical funding awarded to ERO).

Funding

This research was funded, in part, through an NSF-IGERT Certificate for Humans and the Global Environment (CHANGE) Program Fellowship awarded to ERO, with additional support from the UW-Madison Graduate School, the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, the Derse Foundation, and Northland College (Sigurd Olson Professorship in Natural Resources, Peters Professorship in Biology, and Sabbatical funding awarded to ERO).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Natural Resources, Northland College, Ashland, WI, 54806, USA

    Erik R. Olson

  2. Department of Forest & Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA

    Timothy R. Van Deelen

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  1. Erik R. Olson
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Contributions

ERO and TRV conceived study design and analytical approach. ERO implemented fieldwork, ran analyses, and drafted first version of manuscript. TRV assisted with data interpretation and drafting of manuscript.

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Correspondence to Erik R. Olson.

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Ethics approval

This work was done according to a protocol approved by the University of Wisconsin – Madison Animal Care and Use Committee (Protocol #L429). This work was also done in accordance with the American Society of Mammalogists Guidelines for the Use of Animals (Sikes and the Animal Care and Use Committee of the American Society of Mammalogists 2016).

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Olson, E.R., Van Deelen, T.R. Competition and sex-age class alter the effects of group size on vigilance in white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus. acta ethol 27, 39–50 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10211-023-00430-8

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