Evolutionary predictors of mammalian home range size: body mass, diet and the environment

AimMammalian home range patterns provide information on spatial behaviour and ecological patterns, such as resource use, that is often used by conservation managers in a variety of contexts. However, there has been little research on home range patterns outside of the terrestrial environment, potentially limiting the relevance of current home range models for marine mammals, a group of particular conservation concern. To address this gap, we investigated how variation in mammalian home range size among marine and terrestrial species was related to diet, environment and body mass. LocationGlobal. MethodsWe compiled data on home range size, environment (marine and terrestrial), diet and body mass from the literature and empirical studies to obtain a dataset covering 462 mammalian species. We then used phylogenetic regression analyses (to address non-independence between species) to examine the relative contribution of these factors to variation of home range size among species. ResultsBody size explained the majority of the difference in home range size among species (53-85%), with larger species occupying larger home ranges. The type of food exploited by species was also an important predictor of home range size (an additional 15% of variation), as was the environment, but to a much lesser degree (1.7%). Main conclusionsThe factors contributing to the evolution of home ranges are more complex than has been assumed. We demonstrate that diet and body size both influence home range patterns but differ in their relative contribution, and show that colonization of the marine environment has resulted in the expansion of home range size. Broad-scale models are often used to inform conservation strategies. We propose that future integrative models should incorporate the possibility of phylogenetic effects and a range of ecological variables, and that they should include species representative of the diversity within a group.