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Mate availability and intruder pressure as determinants of territory size in male bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus)

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Abstract

The relative importance of mate availability and intruder pressure for the regulation of territory size in adult male bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus) was investigated over a period of 3 years in a free-ranging population. The relationships between territory area and two variables, namely, access to females and intruder pressure by three different male age classes (territory holders, young-adult bachelors, subadult floaters) were examined. It was shown that the number of available mating partners was positively correlated with territory size. The time spent in association with females by territorial males (as determined by Cole’s coefficient of association) was not significantly affected by male territory size. Intrusion pressure by neighbouring territory holders was positively correlated with male territory area. Our results suggest a trade-off between costs (increasing intrusion pressure) and benefits (high mate availability) of large territory size.

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Acknowledgements

The Research Division of the Uganda Wildlife Authority, Kampala, Uganda, and the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology gave permission to conduct this research in Queen Elizabeth National Park. All work conducted was in compliance with Ugandan law. This study was carried out in affiliation with the Uganda Institute of Ecology, Mweya, Uganda and was generously supported by a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). We thank Harald Schliemann, University of Hamburg for valuable discussions. Special thanks go to Hans Klingel, University of Braunschweig, Germany for initiating the project and to Ludwig Siefert, Department of Wildlife and Animal Resources Management, Makerere University, Kampala for veterinary assistance in the field. The data collection was done with the help of Ann Apio and Kyabulima Solomon, the research assistants of the project, for which we owe them our gratitude. Lots of thanks to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Opwonya, especially Joyce Atim for her dedication to our laboratory.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biozentrum Grindel und Zoologisches Museum, Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King Platz 3, 20146, Hamburg, Germany

    Torsten Wronski

  2. Universität Potsdam, Institut für Biochemie/Biologie, Abteilung für Evolutionsbiologie/Spezielle Zoologie, Karl-Liebknecht Str. 24-25, 14476, Potsdam, Germany

    Martin Plath

  3. Department of Zoology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK, 73019, USA

    Martin Plath

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  1. Torsten Wronski
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  2. Martin Plath
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Correspondence to Torsten Wronski.

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Communicated by K. Kotrschal

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Wronski, T., Plath, M. Mate availability and intruder pressure as determinants of territory size in male bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus). acta ethol 9, 37–42 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10211-006-0013-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10211-006-0013-7

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