Abstract
Sexual segregation is widely reported among sexually dimorphic species and generally attributed to intraspecific competition. Prey diversity and human activities can reinforce niche segregation by increasing resource heterogeneity. Here, we explored trophic and spatial sexual segregation in the only avian scavenger that exhibits pronounced sexual size dimorphism (up to 50% difference in body mass) and a highly despotic social system, the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus). We predicted that larger and dominant males would exclude smaller and subordinate females from high-quality resources, leading to sexual segregation particularly in human-dominated landscapes showing increased prey diversity. We compared resource use between females and males across six sites in Argentina featuring a range of prey diversity via stable isotopes analysis of molted feathers (n = 141 individuals). We then focused on two sites featuring contrasting levels of prey diversity and quantified assimilated diet via stable isotopes and space use via GPS monitoring (n = 23 and 12 tagged individuals). We found no clear differences in isotopic niche space, individual variation in isotopic signature, or assimilated diet between females and males. However, there were differences in foraging locations between sexes, with females apparently using areas of fewer food resources more frequently than males. Local conditions defined the dynamics of fine-scale sexual differences in foraging sites; yet, unpredictable and ephemeral carrion resources likely prevent segregation by sexes at the landscape scale. Our study highlights complex dynamics of sexual segregation in vultures and the relevancy of analyses under multiple spatial–temporal scales to explore segregation in social species.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Emiliano Donadio, Bruno D. Varela, Fernando Hiraldo, Mariel Ruiz Blanco, José A. Gallo, Sebastián Di Martino, Sergio Goitía, personnel of San Guillermo National Park and La Payunia Provincial Reserves, and to “Grupo de Investigaciones en Biología de la Conservación” (https://grinbic.com/) for their assistance in data collection.
Funding
This study was supported by Conservation Research and Education Opportunities International (CREOI), Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, the Rufford Foundation, the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, The National Agency of Scientific and Technological Promotion of Argentina (PICT 0725-2014 and 2016-0354 BID), and Fundación BBVA (project BIOCON-08-126).
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PLP and JNP conceived and designed the study with input from SAL; JNP, SAL, ADM, and JAD obtained most financial support; PLP, SAL, PAEA, PIP, GB, JASZ, and JAD conducted most fieldwork; PLP and JP did laboratory work; PLP and PAEA analyzed the data with advice from JNP and SAL; PLP and JNP wrote the first draft of the manuscript; all the authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript and approved the final manuscript.
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Permits were provided by the Argentinean Environmental ministry under CITES permit No. 15US94907A/9, University of Wisconsin-Madison (IACUC A005219), by the Argentine National Park Administration, and Provinces of Córdoba, Mendoza, Neuquén, and Rio Negro.
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Stable isotope ratios of Andean condor molted feathers and prey items can be accessed at Figshare, https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14374151. Telemetry data is available from the authors on reasonable request.
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Communicated by Seth Newsome.
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Perrig, P.L., Lambertucci, S.A., Alarcón, P.A.E. et al. Limited sexual segregation in a dimorphic avian scavenger, the Andean condor. Oecologia 196, 77–88 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-021-04909-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-021-04909-8