title: Human shields mediate sexual conflict in a top predator.
abstract: Selecting the right habitat in a risky landscape is crucial for an individual's survival and reproduction. In predator-prey systems, prey often can anticipate the habitat use of their main predator and may use protective associates (i.e. typically an apex predator) as shields against predation. Although never tested, such mechanisms should also evolve in systems in which sexual conflict affects offspring survival. Here, we assessed the relationship between offspring survival and habitat selection, as well as the use of protective associates, in a system in which sexually selected infanticide (SSI), rather than interspecific predation, affects offspring survival. We used the Scandinavian brown bear (Ursus arctos) population with SSI in a human-dominated landscape as our model system. Bears, especially adult males, generally avoid humans in our study system. We used resource selection functions to contrast habitat selection of GPS-collared mothers that were successful (i.e. surviving litters, n = 19) and unsuccessful (i.e. complete litter loss, n = 11) in keeping their young during the mating season (2005-2012). Habitat selection was indeed a predictor of litter survival. Successful mothers were more likely to use humans as protective associates, whereas unsuccessful mothers avoided humans. Our results suggest that principles of predator-prey and fear ecology theory (e.g. non-consumptive and cascading effects) can also be applied to the context of sexual conflict.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1432 Ås, Norway Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Environmental and Health Studies, University College of Southeast Norway, 3800 Bø, Norway sam.steyaert@nmbu.no.
authors.forename: S M J G
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6564-6361
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Steyaert
authors.affiliation: Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada J1K 2R1.
authors.forename: M
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4429-697X
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leclerc
authors.affiliation: Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada J1K 2R1.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pelletier
authors.affiliation: Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183 Umeå, Sweden Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, 7485 Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kindberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1432 Ås, Norway.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brunberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1432 Ås, Norway Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, 7485 Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Swenson
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Environmental and Health Studies, University College of Southeast Norway, 3800 Bø, Norway Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zedrosser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D001503:Ursidae / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: fear ecology; human shield; resource selection; safety refuge; sexual conflict; sexually selected infanticide