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Shapes and sizes of badger territories
Journal
Oikos, Volume
89,Number 2, May 2000, pp. 392-398(7) -
Blackwell Publishing
Authors
Blackwell P.G.; Macdonald D.W.
Abstract
We examine closely the models, methods and
conclusions of Doncaster and Woodroffe (1993; Oikos 66: 88–93 who argued that
den or main sett sites of clans of badgers, Meles meles, are particularly
important in determining territory shape and size, and hence influence the size
of social group. We consider a realistic alternative hypothesis which allows the
key assertion by Doncaster and Woodroffe to be directly tested. We show that a
Dirichlet tessellation model that does not give a major role to the main
setts fits data from several studies – two of those considered by Doncaster and
Woodroffe, and a more recent and extensive one – significantly better than
Doncaster and Woodroffe's model. For the majority of territories, especially in
the most extensive data set, differences in territory shape and size under the
two models are substantial, suggesting that a different biological mechanism is
at work, as well as or instead of dependence on main sett locations.
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