Under cover of the night: context-dependency of anthropogenic disturbance on stress levels of wild roe deer Capreolus capreolus
Abstract
Wildlife populations are increasingly exposed to human-induced modifications of their habitats. To cope with anthropogenic
stressors, animals can adjust their behaviour—for example, by shifting their activity to more sheltered habitats, or becoming
more nocturnal.However, whether use of spatial and temporal adjustments in behaviourmay regulate the endocrine response
is poorly documented. Here, we analyzed faecal cortisol metabolites (FCMs) of wild roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) living in a
human-dominated agro-ecosystem. Using Global Positioning Systemmonitoring of 116 individuals, we assessed their spatial
behaviour and tested whether proximity to anthropogenic structures (linear distance to built-up areas) and the use of refuge
habitats (woodland and hedges) influenced FCM levels. In accordance with our predictions, individuals ranging closer to
anthropogenic structures during daytime had higher FCM levels, but this relationship was buffered as use of refuge habitat
increased. In addition, this link between proximity to anthropogenic structures andFCMlevels disappeared whenwe analyzed
spatial behaviour at night. Finally, FCM levels were higher when the ambient temperature was lower, and during years of low
resource availability. Our results demonstrate that the stress levels of large mammals may be strongly influenced by their
proximity to anthropogenic activities, but that these effects may be buffered by behavioural adjustments in terms of space
use and circadian rhythm.Whereas most studies have focused on the influence of environmental heterogeneity, our analysis
highlights the need to also consider the fine-scale spatial response of individuals when studying the hormonal response of
wild animals to human disturbance. We emphasize the potential to mitigate this hormonal stress response, and its potential
negative consequences on population dynamics, through the preservation or restoration of patches of refuge habitat in close
proximity to human infrastructure.
Origin | Publisher files allowed on an open archive |
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