Towards a Temporal Theory of Ecology: Body Mass Role for Activity Patterns of North American Artiodactyls

Energy dynamics can shape ecological patterns and impact the evolutionary trajectory of a species. The metabolic theory of ecology links body mass to multiple ecological traits. This study seeks to extend these insights to activity patterns at a macroecological scale, using the large repository of camera trap dataset to explore the relationship between body mass and diel patterns of activity of North American artiodactyls. Artiodactyla, a diverse mammalian suborder, reflects episodes of rapid evolution driven by climate volatility, resulting in a wide range of body sizes and morphologies. Utilizing a wide range of body masses to investigate its relationship to intraspecific diel temporal niche conservatism (i.e., high coincidence of activity patterns among populations of a species), will help us understand the evolutionary drivers of activity patterns and how energetics may play a role. Activity patterns were classified as homogenous (i.e., low directionality with activity distributed along a 24-hour period), or heterogenous (i.e., high directionality with peaks of activity at different times of the 24-hour period). We found that as the strength of intraspecific diel temporal niche conservatism increases, the directionality of activity decreases in North American artiodactyls. Concurrently, as we saw an increase in body mass of artiodactyl species, we found the directionality of activity increased. Larger species tend to exhibit heterogenous activity, while smaller species will tend exhibit homogenous activity. This supports the hypothesis of a negative relationship between body mass and intraspecific diel temporal niche conservatism. This study contributes to a previously unexplored aspect of macroecology relationships at a continental-scale approach by addressing the relationship between body mass and activity patterns in North American artiodactyls within the context of intraspecific diel temporal niche conservatism.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Wildlife Ecology

Grantor

Texas State University

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• McElligott, Brian

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Castro-Arellano, Ivan

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Green, M. Clay (Michael Clay)
• Weckerly, Floyd

• activity patterns
• artiodactyls
• niche conservatism
• intraspecific diel temporal niche conservatism
• trail cameras

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10877/20748

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digital.library.txst.edu:10877/20748