Factors Influencing Dominance Status in American Bison Cows (Bison bison)

Wiley - Tập 63 Số 2-3 - Trang 206-212 - 1983
Allen T. Rutberg1
1Department of Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle

Tóm tắt

Abstract and SummaryAggressive interactions were observed among 22 American bison (Bison bison) cows of known age and identity during the summer of 1981 at the National Bison Range, Montana, U.S.A. Only two of the 103 observed interactions were inconsistent with a linear dominance hierarchy.In spring and summer, dominance relations among American bison cows are stable. Challenges to individual status, in the form of reciprocated threats or escalated fights, are rare. This contrasts sharply with the aggressive behavior of bison bulls during the mating season, as described by Lott (1979). Male‐male aggression is characterized by serious fighting and frequent reversals of status. It is suggested that these differences occur because the fitness benefits of aggression are much lower to cows than to bulls.In past studies of social dominance in ungulates, rank has been positively correlated with age and body weight. In this study, older cows consistently dominated younger cows, but there was no relationship between cow dominance rank and body weight. These correlations would result if adult cows “taught” immatures to be subordinate, and these pairwise relationships were retained into adult life because of the infrequency with which dominance rank is challenged.ZusammenfassungDie Dominanzverhältnisse unter weiblichen Bisons sind im Frühjahr und Sommer stabil, Kämpfe um die Rangordnung sind selten. Unter Bullen dagegen sind während der Paarungszeit Kämpfe und Status‐Änderungen häufig. Das könnte damit zusammenhängen, daß für Kühe die Fitneßvorteile aus Aggression geringer sind als für Bullen.Bei anderen Paarhufern war der Rang mit dem Alter und mit dem Körpergewicht positiv korreliert; hier aber hatten ältere Kühe immer einen höheren Rang als die jungen, und es gab keine Beziehung zwischen Rang und Körpergewicht — vielleicht weil Jungtiere auf Alttiere mit Unterordnung reagierten und den niedrigen Rang aufgrund seltener Kämpfe um die Rangordnung bis ins Erwachsenenalter beibehielten.

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Wiley

Tập 63 Số 2-3

206-212

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