Temporal Avoidance of Predators by Omnivores and Herbivores

H.N. Sherbert, C.H. Smith, H.A. Merrill, E.A. McDonald, and E.K. Prince

When threatened, mammals may change their behavior by altering the space they occupy or the times that they are active. In this study, we observed activity patterns of omnivores and herbivores when in the presence of apex predators and mesopredators. We found no evidence of spatial avoidance, and we even found that mesopredators and omnivores were positively correlated. However, we did find evidence that supported herbivore and omnivore temporal avoidance of both higher trophic levels, indicating that apex predators and mesopredators suppress activity of lower trophic levels.

• Haley Sherbert is a junior biology major with a psychology minor. She is planning to attend physical therapy school after finishing at Lander. Haley is a member TriBeta, ESSO, and Rotaract Club.

• Cayla Smith is currently a junior biology major with minors in chemistry and psychology. She is part of the Rotaract Club and the TriBeta Honor Society. She plans to attend medical school after graduating from Lander.

• Hunter Merrell is a senior biology major from Beaufort in his second year doing faculty-guided research. Hunter received a research grant from the TriBeta Research Scholarship Foundation; he plans on pursuing graduate education and a career in conservation or wildlife management.