Identification

Title

Interspecific communication in African savannah herbivores

Abstract

This dataset contains information about various aspects of the alarm communication network of African savannah herbivores. Data were collected in April 2015 and between September 2015 and October 2016 in the Masai Mara National Reserve, in southern Kenya (1°30’S, 35°10’E). Research focused on the 12 most common herbivore species in the ecosystem. For each of these species, the dataset provides information on vigilance rates, the probability to alarm call in response to different predators, the responsiveness to heterospecific alarm calls, as well as the relative abundance and grouping behaviour of species. Details on study species, study design and data analysis are provided in the supporting documentation.

Resource type

dataset

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/cc0794f0-748a-42aa-b491-2f9b65c771a6

codeSpace

doi:

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

authority code

urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG

code identifying the spatial reference system

4326

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

biota

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Thomson gazelle

Gazella thomsonii

Grant gazelle

Gazella granti

Impala

Aepyceros melampus

Desert warthog

Common warthog

Phacochoerus aethiopicus

Ostrich

Struthio camelus

Topi

Tsessebe

Damaliscus lunatus

Hartebeest

Alcelaphus buselaphus

Blue wildebeest

Connochaetes taurinus

Plains zebra

Equus quagga

African buffalo

Syncerus caffer

Common eland

Tragelaphus oryx

Northern giraffe

Giraffa camelopardalis

Keyword set

keyword value

Evolutionary ecology

Animal behaviour

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

34.6

East bounding longitude

35.1

North bounding latitude

-1.071

South bounding latitude

-1.503

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

2015-04-01

End position

2016-10-31

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2019-02-05

Frequency of update

Quality and validity

Lineage

The study was conducted in the Masai Mara National Reserve as part a joint study between the University of Liverpool and the University of York. Field data were collected by experienced observers following standardised protocols. Vigilance data were video-recorded and vigilance rates subsequently analysed in BORIS, the Behavioural Observation Research Interactive Software. Responses to predator dummies were categorized based on the occurrence of alarm calls within 5 minutes of predator detection. Playback experiments were video-recorded and analysed in BORIS using a clearly defined behavioural protocol. In each case, we excluded experiments that have been disturbed by approaching predators, humans or alarm calling heterospecifics (including alarm calling conspecifics in vigilance recordings). Species counts were conducted along a pre-defined track on three different study plains. Again, we excluded sightings of groups with predators close by. The full description of the methodology is available in the metadata file submitted with this data set. Data were entered within 48 hours of recording and checked for accidental typos and unusual values.

Conformity

Data format

name of format

Dat

version of format

unknown

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

Constraint set

responsible party role

publisher

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact

organisation name

Environmental Information Data Centre

full postal address

Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg

Lancaster

LA1 4AP

email address

eidc@ceh.ac.uk

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata date

2019-02-26T10:36:38

Metadata language

eng