Territoriality can be defined as a site-specific dominance, where dominance contains on social interactions including both overt defence and mutual avoidance (Ims, 1987). At least one of the sexes of microtine rodents is said to be territorial in the social organization. However, microtines territoriality is usually inferred from space use patterns alone without any direct evidence about the social interactions (Ims, 1987).
The spatial organization of microtines has explained the variation by ostefeld (1985) (Ims, 1987). He suggested that food resources affect the spatial female pattern which in turn affects the males spacing system. He argued that when food is available in large quantity and widespread females should not maintain territories. …show more content…
According to the classical model of a polygynous mating system in mammals that show highly reproduction of female energetic demands and also reveal limited female success by accessing to food than to mates, whereas the males occur opposite pattern (Trivers, 1972). Therefore, spatiotemporal food availability should influence the spatial distribution and social female’s organization including their territoriality (Ims, 1987; Ostfeld, 1990; Wauters & Dhondt, 1992; Streatfeil et al., 2011). In addition, female’s social organization have an effect on male reproductive strategies and space use (Rémy et al., 2013). These females are expected to aggregate food source and display less pronounced intrasexual territoriality. In addition, when food is highly spatially clumped, as the costs of excluding female competitors would be high from the food source (Maher, & Lott, 2000). However, the patchy food sources decrease interaction among females, decline the home range defence cost, and favour a stronger female territoriality (Maher, & Lott, 2000). Although, female territoriality should be less pronounced when food predictability is low as food resources which are not economically defensible (Rémy et al., 2013). Male competition should also be considered due to behaviors result from competition among males like as sexual harassemnet which can be altered female
The spatial organization of microtines has explained the variation by ostefeld (1985) (Ims, 1987). He suggested that food resources affect the spatial female pattern which in turn affects the males spacing system. He argued that when food is available in large quantity and widespread females should not maintain territories. …show more content…
According to the classical model of a polygynous mating system in mammals that show highly reproduction of female energetic demands and also reveal limited female success by accessing to food than to mates, whereas the males occur opposite pattern (Trivers, 1972). Therefore, spatiotemporal food availability should influence the spatial distribution and social female’s organization including their territoriality (Ims, 1987; Ostfeld, 1990; Wauters & Dhondt, 1992; Streatfeil et al., 2011). In addition, female’s social organization have an effect on male reproductive strategies and space use (Rémy et al., 2013). These females are expected to aggregate food source and display less pronounced intrasexual territoriality. In addition, when food is highly spatially clumped, as the costs of excluding female competitors would be high from the food source (Maher, & Lott, 2000). However, the patchy food sources decrease interaction among females, decline the home range defence cost, and favour a stronger female territoriality (Maher, & Lott, 2000). Although, female territoriality should be less pronounced when food predictability is low as food resources which are not economically defensible (Rémy et al., 2013). Male competition should also be considered due to behaviors result from competition among males like as sexual harassemnet which can be altered female