Lions are the only cat species dependent upon cooperative social relationships for their survival. Explaining cooperation in lions lies in understanding the link between the ecological characteristics of their habitat and the survival value of group-living. GIS analysis of 38 years of data on lions in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, reveals that high value lion habitat (defined by high cub survival) is near a river, near a kopje (small rocky hill), and in woodland areas. This information will be used to test the hypothesis that lions live in groups in order to gain a competitive edge in territorial defense, thereby maintaining access to high quality habitat. The funds requested in this proposal will support research to verify these Serengeti-based results in other locations, providing for a level of external validity uncommon to most dissertation projects.
Conservation of threatened populations depends upon understanding how a species utilizes the resources (space, food, water and mates) in its habitat. This, in turn, helps to predict how populations will respond to ever changing and fragmented landscapes. This research will provide an example for understanding the evolution of a group-territorial species and it also will establish new methods for determining how populations are tied to the landscape. These tools have general applicability to effective conservation of other wildlife species.
