Does the activity budget hypothesis explain sexual segregation in ungulates

摘要: The activity budget hypothesis proposes that the main force driving sexual segregation is difference in between males and females. Recently, a model was developed to demonstrate explicitly such differences could, theory, produce (Ruckstuhl & Kokko 2002, Animal Behaviour, 64, 909–914). question remains whether realistic parameter values can also generate significant segregation. Using this data on body size dimorphism for 144 ungulate species, we compared predicted by with expectations based field observations. results do not support as factor explaining We investigated synchronization, animal movement rule transient spatial distributions further detail. Introducing synchronization into slightly increases ability of Changing an animal's has strong effect; rules are independent no long-term Finally, changes population's home range allow This method generating sensitive potentially important mechanism which budgets