Rainfall decrease and red deer rutting behaviour: Weaker and delayed rutting activity though higher opportunity for sexual selection

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244802
• Publication Date: 2021-01-20T19:40:14Z
• Authors: Marina F. Millán; Juan Carranza; Javier Pérez-Gonz...; Juliana Valencia; Jerónimo Torres-P...; Jose M. Seoane; Eva de la Peña; Susana Alarcos; Cristina B. Sánch...; Leticia Castillo; Antonio Flores; Alberto Membrillo
• Keywords: Ungulate; Harem

In the last decades, climate change has caused an increase in mean temperatures and a reduction average rainfall southern Europe, which is expected to reduce resource availability for herbivores. Resource can influence animals' physical condition population growth. However, much less known on its effects reproductive performance sexual selection. this study, we assessed impact of three environmental factors related (rainfall, temperature vegetation index) Iberian red deer Cervus elaphus hispanicus timing behaviour, their opportunity selection population. We measured rutting phenology as rut peak date, intensity male activity roaring rate, from distribution females among harem holding males Doñana Biological Reserve (Southwest Spain), data daily observations collected during over period 25 years. For study period, found trend raining hence poorer conditions, associated with delayed season decreased intensity, but that appeared favour higher degree polygyny selection, all these relationships being modulated by density sex ratio. This highlights how (mainly area) alter conditions mating large terrestrial mammal.