title: Analyzing stereotypy in red deer alarm postures by means of informational redundancy.
abstract: The variability in duration and form or red deer (Cervus elaphus ) alarm postures was studied. 18 variables of form were measured from photographic sequences and stereotypy calculated by means of Informational redundancy (IR). Comparisons between stereotypy estimates obtained by IR and those provided by the widely used coefficient of variation proved to match each other well. Durations showed less stereotypy than configurational variables as measured by coefficient of variation. Some implications of the results are discussed. Since IR has never been applied before to the analysis of formal stereotypy in Modal Action Patterns, we studied several features of the method, including the effect of sample size and differential number of categories on IR values. Last, we support the use of informational measurements in analyzing Modal Action Patterns as they correspond satisfactorily whith some conceptual issues in current use.
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Fisiología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias, Córdoba, Spain.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Recuerda
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arias de Reyna
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Redondo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Trujillo