Social Organization of <Em>Neotoma Micropus</Em>, the Southern
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Trinity University Digital Commons @ Trinity Biology Faculty Research Biology Department 4-1997 Social Organization of Neotoma micropus, the Southern Plains Woodrat Sarah A. Conditt Trinity University David O. Ribble Trinity University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.trinity.edu/bio_faculty Part of the Biology Commons Repository Citation Conditt, S.A., & Ribble, D.O. (1997). Social organization of Neotoma micropus, the southern plains woodrat. American Midland Naturalist, 137(2), 290-297. doi:10.2307/2426848 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Biology Department at Digital Commons @ Trinity. It has been accepted for inclusion in Biology Faculty Research by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Trinity. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Am. Midl. Nat. 137:290-297 Social Organizationof Neotoma micropus,the Southern Plains Woodrat SARAH A. CONDITT AND DAVID 0. RIBBLE Departmentof Biology, Trinity University, 715 StadiumDrive, San Antonio,Texas 78212 ABSTRACT.-This studydescribed the social organizationof Neotomamicropus, the southern plains woodrat,using radiotelemetry.We studied woodratsfrom September 1994 through April 1995 at the Urban WildernessReserve in S Bexar County,Texas. Sixteen individuals (threeadult males, 11 adult females,and twosubadult males) were radiocollaredand located in the eveningor earlymorning duringJanuary and February.Seventy-four percent of female radiolocationsand 57% of male radiolocationswere fromtheir respective nests. No more than one adult individualwas observed at any nest at the same time.Males had significantly larger(x = 1899 m2) home rangesthan females(x = 220 m2). Male home rangesoverlapped femalehome rangesmore (35.9%) thanfemale ranges overlapped other female home ranges (11.9%). Survivalrates were similarfor males and females. The resultsconfirm previous studies indicatingthat these woodratsare asocial. The spacing of male and female home ranges indicated that these woodratsprobably have a promiscuousmating system. INTRODUCTION Neotomamicropus is a medium-sizedwoodrat that inhabitsthe southernGreat Plains of the S-centraland southwesternUnited States (Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma) and northeasternMexico (Hall, 1981). It is usuallydescribed as solitaryand asocial (Raun, 1966; Wiley,1984; Braun, 1989), meaning thatindividuals show little social behaviorbeyond mat- ing. Home range estimatesfrom live-trapping studies have varied from158 to 1335 m2 for individualsof thisspecies (Johnson,1952; Raun, 1966). However,live-trapping data do not provide a sense of how oftenor how far an animal travels.Woodrats are normallytrapped near their nests (Cranford,1977) and any evaluationsof home range use and social be- haviorbased onlyon trappingdata are suspect.Radiotelemetry can providea more accurate picture of home range use and social organization(Madison, 1978, 1980). We wished to corroboratethe observationsfrom live-trappingstudies that N. micropusis asocial using radiotelemetry.Specifically, we wanted to ascertainif adults spent any timewith adult con- specificsat theirnest. We also desiredto describethe home rangesand social organizationof individuals,which providesgood evidence for the particularmating system (Madison, 1980). The ensemble of behaviorsand physicaladaptations specific to mating,as well as some of the social con- sequences of these behaviors,describe a population's mating system(Vehrencamp and Bradbury,1984). For mammalianmating systems there is an asymmetryin the interestsof males and femalesbecause female gestationand lactationemancipate males fromcare of the youngwhile imposing additional burdens on the female (Eisenberg,1981; Ostfeld,1985; Barlow, 1988). At one extreme,resources (especially food) may be of high quality and clumped in space or time. In this case, females are predicted to aggregate around the resource to maximize their reproductivesuccess. This distributionsets the stage for mo- nopolization by males; if the aggregationof femalesis defensible,there existsa high po- tentialfor polygyny (Emlen and Oring, 1977). In polygynousspecies, males typicallydefend territoriesduring the breeding season thatcontain home ranges of one to severalfemales (Heske and Ostfeld,1990). Females may,or maynot, show territorialbehavior. A different typeof matingsystem, promiscuity, results when males compete for and convergeon re- 290 This content downloaded on Tue, 26 Feb 2013 15:34:44 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 1997 CONDITT & RIBBLE: WOODRAT SOCIAL ORGANIZATION 291 productivefemales. These adult femalesoccupy exclusivehome ranges duringmost of the breeding season and males have larger,extensively overlapping home ranges. Although subtle,the distinctionbetween polygyny and promiscuityis importantbecause the expected variance in male reproductivesuccess is greaterfor polygynousmating systems (Clutton- Brock, 1988). In this studywe hoped to distinguishbetween polygynyand promiscuitybased on the spatial relationshipsbetween males and females.If our studypopulation is polygynouswe expected female home ranges to be overlapped by only one territorialmale. Males would have home ranges thatdo not overlap other male ranges. In a promiscuousmating system we w'ould expect female home ranges to be nonoverlappingand their ranges would be overlappedby severalmales withlarger home ranges. Males would have home ranges that overlap other male ranges. METHODS We conducted thisstudy at the Urban WildernessReserve, located at the intersectionof Applewhite andJett roads in south San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas (29?14'45", 98?33'10"). The habitatof the 10-ha studysite was dominatedby honey mesquite-brush(Prosopis glan- dulosa) and pricklypear cactus (Opuntia spp.) on the uplands,with riparian forest lowlands borderingthe Medina River.Neotoma micropus inhabited only the honey mesquiteuplands of the studysite, which were approximately4 ha. No woodrat nests were found in the riparianforest lowlands. The propertywas bordered to the S and W by cultivatedfields, and to the N and E by paved roads. This area of Texas has a subtropicalclimate with hot, humid summers (x high temp. = 29.3 C) and cool winters(x low temp. = 10.4 C) with freezingtemperatures occurring on average 20 days per year.The average annual rainfall is 70.0 cm (Tandy,1987). We trappedNeotoma micropus from late September1994 throughApril 1995. Tomahawk and Sherman trapswere placed in and parallel to woodratruns within3 m of nests.Traps baited withpeanut butterand oats or rat chowwere set in late afternoonand checked after sunrisethe next morning.Generally, one or twotraps were set at each of 10-15 activenests once a week. Activenests were identifiedby the presence of freshscats on runwaysand freshlychewed cactus pads. Periodically,two Sherman trapswould also be placed at nests suspectedto house juveniles. Upon capture,woodrats were transferredto a nylonmesh bag and weighedto the nearestgram with a Pesola springbalance. Sex, breedingcondition and age were noted. Animalswere classifiedin age classes based on weightand breeding con- dition.Females thatwere pregnant,lactating or parous, and males thathad enlarged testes were considered reproductivewoodrats. All reproductiveanimals were classifiedas adults. Animalsweighing less than 150 g were consideredjuvenile. Nonreproductiveanimals weigh- ing more than 150 g were categorizedas subadults.Woodrats were examined for external parasites,wounds and pelage condition,and ear-taggedwith small aluminum numbered tags in both ears. Animalswere released at the point of capture; the directionof retreat was noted. Radiotelemetrywas used to determinehome ranges of adult and subadult Neotomami- cropus.Upon capture,"mouse-style" single stage radiotransmitters (AVM Instruments, Inc.) were fittedto woodratsunder Metofane anesthesia.The collar assemblywas encapsulated withacrylic to hold the package together,waterproof it, prevent the antenna frompulling out, and preventdamage by the studyanimal. This whole transmitterpackage, mounted on plastic cable ties, was fastened snuglyaround the woodrat's neck. Radiotransmitters weighed 3.8 g on average (range 3.5-4.1 g) whichwas, on average,approximately 1.3% of the mass of the woodratto which theywere attached.Woodrats were fittedwith radiotrans- This content downloaded on Tue, 26 Feb 2013 15:34:44 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 292 THE AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 137(2) mittersin the field and were released upon recoveryfrom anesthesia (approximately30 min). Afterat least 24 h of acclimation,radiocollared woodrats were located witha Telonics TR-4 receiverand a 3-elementYagi antenna, or an AVM LA12-DSE receiverand 2-element antenna. To accuratelydetermine radiolocations of woodrats,we constructeda map of the study area thatincluded the positionsof all woodratnests, specific landmarks (e.g., fence posts, large trees), and several semipermanentreference points marked with metal spikes. The locationsof woodratnests and otherfeatures were mapped using a Leitz digitaltotal station (combinationrange finderand theodolite).The digitaltotal station converted distance and angular coordinate data into Cartesiancoordinates which were mapped using the Surface III (Kansas Geological Survey) computer program.The locations of some woodrat nests relativeto surveyedpoints were determinedwith a tape measure and magneticcompass. We trackedradiocollared woodrats 2 or 3 nightsper week duringJanuary and February 1995. Woodratswere trackedfor