Integrating behaviour into wildlife conservation: the multiple ways that behaviour can reduce Ne Original Research Article

There has been a recent interest in integrating an understanding of behaviour into conservation biology. Unfortunately, there has been no paradigm for such a process. Without a clear framework for integration, conservation biologists may have difficulties recognising how behavioural knowledge can help solve real-world conservation problems. Effective population size (Ne) is a key demographic parameter used to understand population viability. A variety of behaviours and behavioural traits impact Ne, yet their importance for conservation is under-appreciated. We suggest that identifying behavioural traits that affect Ne provides a paradigm for integrating behavioural biology into conservation biology. Behaviour can affect Ne through at least three different mechanisms: reducing N — the population size; reducing r — the population growth rate, and/or by increasing reproductive skew. We discuss how nine common behavioural traits can reduce Ne, and suggest how an understanding of these traits may inform management of both free-living and captive animals.