Journal article
Running faster causes disaster: Trade-offs between speed, manoeuvrability and motor control when running around corners in northern quolls (Dasyurus hallucatus)
Journal of Experimental Biology, Vol.218(3), pp.433-439
2015
Abstract
Movement speed is fundamental to all animal behaviour, yet no general framework exists for understanding why animals move at the speeds they do. Even during fitness-defining behaviours like running away from predators, an animal should select a speed that balances the benefits of high speed against the increased probability of mistakes. In this study, we explored this idea by quantifying trade-offs between speed, manoeuvrability and motor control in wild northern quolls (Dasyurus hallucatus) - a medium-sized carnivorous marsupial native to northern Australia. First, we quantified how running speed affected the probability of crashes when rounding corners of 45, 90 and 135 deg. We found that the faster an individual approached a turn, the higher the probability that they would crash, and these risks were greater when negotiating tighter turns. To avoid crashes, quolls modulated their running speed when they moved through turns of varying angles. Average speed for quolls when sprinting along a straight path was around 4.5 m s-1 but this decreased linearly to speeds of around 1.5 m s-1 when running through 135 deg turns. Finally, we explored how an individual's morphology affects their manoeuvrability. We found that individuals with larger relative foot sizes were more manoeuvrable than individuals with smaller relative foot sizes. Thus, movement speed, even during extreme situations like escaping predation, should be based on a compromise between high speed, manoeuvrability and motor control. We advocate that optimal - rather than maximal - performance capabilities underlie fitnessdefining behaviours such as escaping predators and capturing prey. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.
Details
- Title
- Running faster causes disaster: Trade-offs between speed, manoeuvrability and motor control when running around corners in northern quolls (Dasyurus hallucatus)
- Authors
- M L Wynn (Author) - The University of QueenslandChristofer J Clemente (Author) - The University of QueenslandA F A A Nasir (Author) - The University of QueenslandRobbie S Wilson (Author) - The University of Queensland
- Publication details
- Journal of Experimental Biology, Vol.218(3), pp.433-439
- Publisher
- Company of Biologists Ltd.
- Date published
- 2015
- DOI
- 10.1242/jeb.111682
- ISSN
- 0022-0949
- Copyright note
- Copyright © 2015 Company of Biologists Ltd. Reproduced here in accordance with the publisher's copyright policy.
- Grant note
- This project was supported by the Anindilyakwa Land Council, a University of Queensland Collaboration and Industry Engagement Fund (UQ-CIEF) grant awarded to R.S.W., an Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Grant awarded to R.S.W., and an ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) grant awarded to C.C.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science and Engineering - Legacy; School of Science, Technology and Engineering; Centre for Bioinnovation
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99449300802621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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