A1 Journal article (refereed)
The effect of spatial and temporal scale on camouflage in North African rodents (2022)

Macedo, T., Campos, J. C., Nokelainen, O., Scott-Samuel, N. E., & Boratyński, Z. (2022). The effect of spatial and temporal scale on camouflage in North African rodents. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 137(3), 523-533. https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blac107

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Macedo, Tiago; Campos, João Carlos; Nokelainen, Ossi; Scott-Samuel, Nicholas E; Boratyński, Zbyszek

Journal or series: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

ISSN: 0024-4066

eISSN: 1095-8312

Publication year: 2022

Publication date: 14/09/2022

Volume: 137

Issue number: 3

Pages range: 523-533

Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blac107

Publication open access: Not open

Publication channel open access: 

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/83952

Abstract

Background matching, a common form of camouflage, is a widespread anti-predator adaptation that hinders detection or recognition by increasing the resemblance of prey to its environment. However, the natural environment is complex and both spatially and temporally variable, which constrains effective background matching as an anti-predator strategy. Here, using remote sensing data (publicly available satellite imagery), we investigated how variation of habitat parameters predicts background matching in 16 Sahara–Sahel rodent species across spatial and temporal scales. All fur colour parameters (hue, saturation and brightness) strongly matched the respective habitats of the different species. Background matching in terms of hue was best at the microscale, whereas results for saturation and brightness showed more variation across spatial scales among species. Camouflage across the temporal scale (from 1 to 3 years before capture) was variable among species for all colour parameters. These complex interactions suggest that, in desert rodents, colour parameters are differentially sensitive to the respective scale of the habitat, plausibly reflecting the behaviour and life history of the species and the ecological properties determining their activity patterns. Consequently, the division between habitat (camouflage) generalists and specialists might become blurred in temporally changing and spatially variable environments.

Keywords: habitat; adaptation (change); protective coloration; rodents; deserts; environmental changes; spatial analysis; satellite images

Free keywords: adaptation; background matching; crypsis; cryptic coloration; desert; generalist; rodents; Sahara–Sahel; specialist

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2022

JUFO rating: 1