Landscape as a factor of natural selection on reactivity for steppe marmot (Marmota bobak)

Peoples Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Faculty of Ecology, 6 Miklukho-Maklaya Street, Moscow, 117198, Russian Federation

^* Corresponding author: bobak@list.ru

Abstract

Marmots use a sound signal to inform their neighbours about the danger. Vocalization is the response of marmots to the visual perception of a potentially dangerous stimulus. For the first time at the intraspecific level the relationship between the rhythmic structure of the signal and the habitat elevation of populations is shown using the example of the steppe marmot (Marmota bobak). An increase in elevation is accompanied by an increase in the relative excess of positive forms over the nearest negative forms of relief. The dismembered relief reduces the visual detection range of danger. With an increase in the habitat elevation of populations, the repetition periods of sounds in the signal decrease. In the range of habitat elevations of the steppe marmot from 120 to 730 m, the median of the repetition periods decreases from 5.35 to 2.17 s. The increased rhythm is a consequence of the increased reactivity of marmots. It has been suggested that a complex of reactions to visual detection of danger controls the amygdale. The alarm call of marmots was recorded in the field.