Roulin Alexandre

Behaviour of Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) during the weaning period, cost and interactions

Project Number: CH-4734
Project Type: Master
Project Duration: 05/01/2012 - 01/31/2014
Funding Source: other ,
Project Leader: Dr. Alexandre Roulin
Département d'Ecologie et d'Evolution
Université de Lausanne
Biophore
Bâtiment de Biophore, bureau 3202
1015 Lausanne
Phone: +41 (0) 21 692 4189 ; +41 (0) 21 692 42 60
FAX: +41 (0) 21 692 42 65
e-Mail: alexandre.roulin(at)unil.ch
http://www.unil.ch/dee

related to this project.
for which the project has a relevance.


Research Areas:
Biodiversity

Disciplines:
zoology
other areas of environmental sciences


Abstract:
In this project I will look into the behaviour of female chamois in regard of parental care. Chamois females invest largely in parental care to increase their fitness as well as those of their offspring. During the weaning period their energetic costs increase drastically. They have to feed the kids, avoid predators, choose good and safe feeding place and stock fat to survive during the winter season, leading to very high energetic costs. How does the female behave during weaning? How much should a female invest in maternal care? Study the energetic cost of the weaning is important to know the possibly influence on female survival, on number of future offspring and on female choice the next mating season. Study the growth rate of kids during the first 3 months of life is important because this is the principal determinant of the size at which they enter the winter and is likely to affect both their chance of survival and body size as adults. I will concentrate my study on the relationship between old and young females; I will try to find out if they stay all the time together, if young females invest less than old female in the maternal care. I will also look into the group as a whole and verify if the group contains only females with kids or both females with and without kids, also if there is co-operation involved between mothers, if it is based on the age of the mother or if their kids are playmate. I will finally look if there is a connection between the color of the chamois fur and their behaviour (dominance for example).

Leading questions:
How does the female behave during weaning? How much should a female invest in maternal care?

Does young female remain all the time together with old female? Do old females invest more than young females in maternal care?

Do females co-operate depending on their age (Old-young interaction)?
Do interactions between females occurs because their kids are playmates?


Last update: 12/29/16
Source of data: ProClim- Research InfoSystem (1993-2024)
Update the data of project: CH-4734

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