Wave-like Patterns of Plant Phenology Determine Ungulate Movement Tactics.

摘要: Summary Animals exhibit a diversity of movement tactics [ 1 ]. Tracking resources that change across space and time is predicted to be fundamental driver animal 2 For example, some migratory ungulates (i.e., hooved mammals) closely track the progression highly nutritious plant green-up, phenomenon called “green-wave surfing” 3 , 4 5 Yet general principles describing how dynamic nature determine are lacking 6 We tested an emerging theory predicts surfing existence behavior will favored in environments where green-up fleeting moves sequentially large landscapes wave-like green-up) 7 Landscapes exhibiting patterns facilitated explained 61 populations four ungulate species on two continents (n = 1,696 individuals). At level, foraging benefits were equivalent between tactics, suggesting each tactic fine-tuned local phenology. decades, ecologists have sought understand animals move select habitat, commonly defining habitat as set static patches 8 9 Our findings indicate emerge function flux time, underscoring need redefine include its attributes. As global habitats continue modified by anthropogenic disturbance climate 10 ], our synthesis provides generalizable framework influenced altered resource