Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Spatial relationships between burrows of an insular population of Dipodomys merriami

  • Original Investigation
  • Published:
Mammalian Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

For semi-fossorial rodents, descriptions of the distribution and use of burrows can advance in understanding the spatial and social organization of their population. This study describes the use and spatial relationships between burrows of the kangaroo rat (Dipodomys merriami insularis), a subspecies that is possibly on the verge of extinction. Individuals were captured and recaptured in an area of 79.8 hectares located at San José Island, Gulf of California, Mexico, during both the breeding (BRED, from March to May) and the non-breeding (NON-BRED, from October to November) seasons of 2008. Our results show that females and males use a median of 1–2 burrows; factors such as age class, season and frequency of captures account for the number of burrows used by individuals. Few individuals shared their burrows (9.2% during BRED and 1.1% during NON-BRED). The burrows showed a clumped spatial distribution in both sampling periods. The spatial relationship between burrows is characterized by the fact that animals of opposite sex are closer to each other than same-sex individuals, and this spatial relationship between nearest-neighbor burrows is influenced by age class. Our results show that D. m. insularis displays burrow use and spatial organization patterns similar to those observed in other populations of D. merriami.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Álvarez-Castañeda, S.T., Ortega-Rubio, A., 2003. Current status of rodents on islands in the Gulf of California. Biol. Conserv. 109, 157–163.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Álvarez-Castañeda, S.T., Lidicker Jr., W.Z., Ríos, E.R., 2009. Revision of the Dipodomys merriami complex in the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico. J. Mammal. 90, 992–1008.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Behrends, P., Daly, M., Wilson, D.I., 1986. Range use patterns and spatial relationships of Merriamĭs Kangaroo rats (Dipodomys merriami). Behaviour 96, 187–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Best, T.L., 1972. Mound development by a pioneer population of the banner-tailed kangaroo rat. Dipodomys spectabilis baileyi Goldman, in eastern New Mexico. Am. Midl. Nat. 87, 201–206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Best, T.L., Intress, C., Shull, K.D., 1988. Mound structure in three taxa of Mexican kangaroo rats (Dipodomys spectabilis cratodon D. s. zygomaticus and D. nelsoni). Am. Midl. Nat. 119, 216–220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Best, T.L., Thomas, H.H., 1991. Dipodomys insularis. Mammal. Species 374, 1–3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brock, R.E., Kelt, D.A., 2004. Conservation and social structure of Stephens’ kangaroo rat: implications from burrow-use behavior. J. Mammal. 85, 51–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caro, T., 1998. The significance of behavioral ecology for conservation biology. In: Caro, T. (Ed.), Behavioral Ecology and Conservation Biology. Oxford University Press, New York, pp. 369–393.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, P.J., Evans, F.C., 1954. Distance to nearest neighbor as a measure of spatial relationships in populations. Ecology 35, 445–453.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cody, M.L., Moran, R., Thompson, H., 1983. The plants. In: Case, T.J., Cody, M.L. (Eds.), Island Biogeography in the Sea of Cortez. University of California Press, Berkeley, pp. 49–97.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, L.D., Randall, J.A., 2007. Seasonal changes in home ranges of the giant kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ingens): a study of flexible social structure. J. Mammal. 88, 1000–1008.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crawley, M.J., 2007. The R Book. The John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., Chichester, England, 511–526.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Daly, M., Behrends, P.R., Wilson, M.I., Jacobs, L.F., 1992. Behavioral modulation of predation risk moonlight avoidance and crepuscular compensation in a noctural desert rodent, Dipodomys merriami. Anim. Behav. 44, 1–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Espinosa-Gayosso, C.V., Álvarez-Castañeda, S.T., 2006. Status of Dipodomys insularis, an endemic species of San José Island, Gulf of California Mexico. J. Mammal. 87, 677–682.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Faraway, J., 2006. Extending the Linear Model with R. Chapman and Hall/CRC, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gannon, W.L., Sikes, R.S., Animal Care and Use Committee of the American Society of Mammalogists, 2007. Guidelines of the American Society of Mammalogists for the use of wild mammals in research. J. Mammal. 88, 809–823.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources), 2009. 2009 1UCN Red list of threatened species. www.iucnredlist.org (accessed November 2009).

  • Jones, W.T., 1984. Natal philopatry in bannertailed kangaroo rats. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 15, 51–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, W.T., 1989. Dispersal distance and the range of nightly movements in Merriam’s kangaroo rats. J. Mammal. 70, 27–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krebs, C.J., Boonstra, R., 1984. Trappability estimates for mark-recapture data. Can. J. Zool. 62, 2440–2444.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maoh, H., 2001. Distance Matrix of Point Features (dmatrixen.avx) extension for ArcView 3.2a. Available at: http://arcscripts.esri.com/details.asp?dbid=10408.

  • Norma Oficial Mexicana (2002): Protección ambiental-especies nativas de México de flora y fauna silvestres-categorías de riesgo y especificaciones para su inclusión, exclusión o cambio-listade especies en riesgo. NOM-059-ECOL-2001. Diario Oficial de la Federación, Norma Oficial Mexicana, México City, Mexico.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Farrell, M.J., 1980. Spatial relationships of rodents in a sagebrush community. J. Mammal. 61, 589–605.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perri, L.M., Randall, J.A., 1999. Behavioral mechanism of coexistence in sympatric species of desert rodents, Dipodomys ordii and D. merriami. J. Mammal. 80, 1297–1310.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Randall, J.A., 1987. Field observation of male competition and mating in Merriam’s and banner tail kangaroo rat. Am. Midl. Nat. 117, 211–213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Randall, J.A., 1989. Neighbor recognition in solitary desert rodent (Dipodomys merriami). Ethology 81, 123–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Randall, J.A., 1991. Sandbathing to establish familiarity in the Merriam’s kangaroo rat, Dipodomys merriami. Anim. Behav. 41, 267–275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Randall, J.A., 1993. Behavioural adaptations of desert rodents (Heteromyidae). Anim. Behav. 45, 263–267.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Randall, J.A., Hekkala, E.R., Cooper, L.D., Barfield, J., 2002. Familiarity and flexible mating strategies of a solitary rodent, Dipodomys ingens. Anim. Behav. 64, 11–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R Development Core Team, 2008. R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria, ISBN 3-900051-07-0, http://www.R-project.org.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reichman, O.J., Price, M.V., 1993. Ecological aspects of Heteromyid foraging. In: Genoways, H.H., Brown, J.H. (Eds.), Biology of the Heteromyidae. Special Publications No. 10. The American Society of Mammalogists, Utah, pp. 539–574.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reichman, O.J., Smith, S.C., 1990. Burrows and burrowing behavior by mammals. In: Genoways, H.H. (Ed.), Current Mammalogy. Plenum Press, New York/London, pp. 197–244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds, H.G., 1958. The ecology of the Merriam kangaroo rat (Dipodomys merriami Mearns) on the grazing lands of southern Arizona. Ecol. Monogr. 28, 111–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salinas-Zavala, C.A., Leyva-Contreras, A., Lluch-Belda, D., Díaz-Rivera, E., 1990. Distribución geográfica y variabilidad climática de los regímenes pluviométricos en Baja California Sur, México. Atmósfera 3, 217–237.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schooley, R.L., Wiens, J.A., 2001. Dispersion of kangaroo rat at multiple scales in New Mexico, USA. Landscape Ecol. 16, 267–277.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schroder, G.D., 1979. Foraging behavior and home range utilization of the bannertail kangaroo rat (Dipodomys spectabilis). Ecology 60, 657–665.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schroder, G.D., Geluso, K.N., 1975. Spatial distribution of Dipodomys spectabilis mounds. J. Mammal. 87, 748–756.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shier, D.M., Randall, J.A., 2004. Spacing as a predictor of social organization in kangaroo rats (Dipodomys heermanni arenae). J. Mammal. 85, 1002–1008.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vaughan, T.A., Ryan, J.A., Czaplewski, N.J., 2000. Mammalogy, fourth ed. Harcourt College Publishers, Philadelphia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winters, J.B., Waser, P.M., 2003. Gene dispersal and outbreeding in a philopatric mammal. Mol. Ecol. 12, 2251–2259.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zeng, Z., Brown, J.H., 1987. Population ecology of a desert rodent: Dipodomys merriami in the Chihuahuan desert. Ecology 68, 1328–1340.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, Mar Bermejo 195, AP 128, La Paz, Baja California Sur, 23090, México

    Jorge Vázquez & Sergio Ticul Álvarez-Castañeda

Authors
  1. Jorge Vázquez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sergio Ticul Álvarez-Castañeda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sergio Ticul Álvarez-Castañeda.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vázquez, J., Álvarez-Castañeda, S.T. Spatial relationships between burrows of an insular population of Dipodomys merriami. Mamm Biol 76, 577–582 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2011.05.005

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2011.05.005

Keywords

Search

Navigation