Escape theory has been exceptionally successful in conceptualizing and accurately predicting effects of numerous factors that affect predation risk and explaining variation in flight initiation distance(FID;predator–...Escape theory has been exceptionally successful in conceptualizing and accurately predicting effects of numerous factors that affect predation risk and explaining variation in flight initiation distance(FID;predator–prey distance when escape begins).Less explored is the relative orientation of an approaching predator,prey,and its eventual refuge.The relationship between an approaching threat and its refuge can be expressed as an angle we call the“interpath angle”or“Φ,”which describes the angle between the paths of predator and prey to the prey’s refuge and thus expresses the degree to which prey must run toward an approaching predator.In general,we might expect that prey would escape at greater distances if they must flee toward a predator to reach its burrow.The“race for life”model makes formal predictions about howΦshould affect FID.We evaluated the model by studying escape decisions in yellow-bellied marmots Marmota flaviventer,a species which flees to burrows.We found support for some of the model’s predictions,yet the relationship betweenΦand FID was less clear.Marmots may not assessΦin a continuous fashion;but we found that binning angle into 445°bins explained a similar amount of variation as models that analyzed angle continuously.Future studies ofΦ,especially those that focus on how different species perceive relative orientation,will likely enhance our understanding of its importance in flight decisions.展开更多
基金K.W.was supported by the National Science Foundation’s Research Experience for Undergraduates grant program(DBI 126713 to the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory)as well as the University of Connecticut Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Katie Bu Undergraduate Research Award.J.G.was supported by the Rocky Mountain Biological LaboratoryD.T.B.was supported by the National Science Foundation(DEB-1119660 and 1557130 to D.T.B.as well as DBI-126713 to the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory).
文摘Escape theory has been exceptionally successful in conceptualizing and accurately predicting effects of numerous factors that affect predation risk and explaining variation in flight initiation distance(FID;predator–prey distance when escape begins).Less explored is the relative orientation of an approaching predator,prey,and its eventual refuge.The relationship between an approaching threat and its refuge can be expressed as an angle we call the“interpath angle”or“Φ,”which describes the angle between the paths of predator and prey to the prey’s refuge and thus expresses the degree to which prey must run toward an approaching predator.In general,we might expect that prey would escape at greater distances if they must flee toward a predator to reach its burrow.The“race for life”model makes formal predictions about howΦshould affect FID.We evaluated the model by studying escape decisions in yellow-bellied marmots Marmota flaviventer,a species which flees to burrows.We found support for some of the model’s predictions,yet the relationship betweenΦand FID was less clear.Marmots may not assessΦin a continuous fashion;but we found that binning angle into 445°bins explained a similar amount of variation as models that analyzed angle continuously.Future studies ofΦ,especially those that focus on how different species perceive relative orientation,will likely enhance our understanding of its importance in flight decisions.
