Social interactions and dominance relationships between female and male Columbian ground squirrels

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Abstract
The nature of social interactions between adult male and adult female Columbian ground squirrels (Spermophilus columbianus) was studied over 5 years in southwestern Alberta [Canada] to assess relative dominance and factors affecting dominance relationship between the sexes. Most amicable interactions occurred before females bred; thereafter, most interaction were agonistic. Males chased females more often than they were chased by them before females bred, but thereafter the opposite was true, until about the time juveniles first emerged from natal burrow. This relative dominance by females after breeding was more pronounced in interactions with subordinate males versus dominant, territorial males, with neighboring males versus resident males, and within a female''s core area of activity and close to her nest burrow versus outside the core area and more distant from her nest burrow. Females that were lactating showed greater dominance than those not lactating, especially late in the lactation period. The general pattern of female dominance towards males is common in other species of ground-dwelling sciurids but appears to be not strongly related to level of sociality.