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Interspecific agonistic behaviour in small mammals in a Mexican high‐elevational grassland
Author(s) -
Fa J. E.,
SanchezCordero V.,
Mendez A.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of zoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1469-7998
pISSN - 0952-8369
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1996.tb05461.x
Subject(s) - agonistic behaviour , biology , sympatric speciation , interspecific competition , ecology , grassland , zoology , abundance (ecology) , microtus , aggression , psychology , psychiatry
Field trials were conducted throughout an annual cycle to study the role of agonistic behaviour in explaining the relative abundance of the volcano mouse ( Neotomodon alstoni ) in a small mammal community in high‐altitude grasslands of central Mexico. Intrasexual contests between N. alstoni and three other sympatric rodents ( Peromyscus melanotis, Microtus mexicanus, and Reithrodontomys megalotis ) were performed. Male and female P. melanotis (100 and 67% of contests, respectively) and M. mexicanus (82 and 100%) were aggressively dominant over N. alstoni , whereas R. megalotis (80 and 100%) were not aggressive. Agonistic behaviour in this species did not explain its greater abundance in the community.