Meeting Abstract
Escape theory provides a critical conceptual framework for studying the effects of predation risk, including the effects of the costs of fleeing on flight initiation distance (FID), defined as the predator-prey distance at which escape is initiated. Economic escape models, however, have been limited to predictions based on individual factors, even though multiple factors may simultaneously affect prey escape decisions. The race-for-life model incorporates the effects of multiple risk factors to predict FID, including the speed, distance and direction to a refuge for both predator and prey. The inter-path angle (the angle between the paths of the predator and prey to the refuge) captures the effect of direction of escape on FID. To assess the role of inter-path angle on the escape behavior of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris), we documented escape responses by free-living members of this species in response to human activity. The race-for-life model’s equation successfully calculated FID using data measured in the field. Our analyses revealed effects of inter-path angle on FID consistent with findings of previous studies. However, these effects were not consistent across contexts. These findings support the expectation that marmots take both distance and escape trajectory into account when assessing predation risk. Future studies involving diverse prey taxa will serve to assess the generality of the race-for-life model as a framework for understanding prey escape behavior.
