Spatially explicit population viability analysis of herbivore populations living in fission-fusion societies

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Population viability analysis (PVA) is a modelling tool used to predict the future size and extinction risk of populations, and commonly informs management and conservation actions. Although group size and movement tactics can have a strong impact on animal survival and reproduction, PVAs generally do not integrate principles of socioecology and movement ecology. The omission could reduce the accuracy of PVAs, especially for species living in fusion-fission societies. In such societies, the constant changes in group size directly influence the movement of group members, their foraging behaviour, and the mortality risk they face. Our objectives are to identify the key factors causing spatial variation in vital rates of gregarious herbivores, and use this information to develop a spatially explicit PVA framework for animals living in fission-fusion societies.