Variability in the estimation of ungulate group sizes complicates ecological inference

Abstract

Foundational work has examined adaptive social behavior in animals in relation to the costs and benefits of group living. Within this context, a “group” of animals represents an organizational unit that is integral to the study of animal ecology and evolution. Definitions of animal group sizes are often subjective with considerable variability within and across species. However, investigations of both the extent and implications of such variability in the estimation of animal group sizes are currently lacking. Selecting ungulates as a case study, we conducted a literature review to assess prevailing practices used to determine group sizes among terrestrial Cetartiodactyla and Perissodactyla. Via this process, we examined group size definitions for 61 species across 171 peer-reviewed studies published between 1962 and 2018. These studies quantified group sizes via estimation of ungulate aggregations in space and time. Spatial estimates included a nearest neighbor distance ranging from 1.4 m to 1,000 m, and this variation was partially explained by a weak positive correlation (|r| =.4, p