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To purchase or authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2007.00688.x Byline: SUZANNE C. GRIFFIN (*[double dagger]s.), TANGUY VALOIS ([dagger]), MARK L. TAPER ([double dagger]), L. SCOTT MILLS (*) Keywords: habituation; human disturbance; Marmota olympus; national parks; Olympic marmot; tourism effects Abstract: Abstract: If changes in animal behavior resulting from direct human disturbance negatively affect the persistence of a given species or population, then these behavioral changes must necessarily lead to reduced demographic performance. We tested for the effects of human disturbance on Olympic marmots (Marmota olympus), a large ground-dwelling squirrel that has disappeared from several areas where recreation levels are high. We assessed the degree to which antipredator and foraging behavior and demographic rates (survival and reproduction) differed between sites with high recreation levels (high use) and those with little or no recreation (low use). Compared with the marmots at low-use sites, marmots at high-use sites displayed significantly reduced responses to human approach, which could be construed as successful accommodation of disturbance or as a decrease in predator awareness. The marmots at high-use sites also looked up more often while foraging, which suggests an increased wariness. Marmots at both types of sites had comparable reproductive and survival rates and were in similar body condition. Until now, the supposition that marmots can adjust their behavior to avoid negative demographic consequences when confronted with heavy tourism has been based on potentially ambiguous behavioral data. Our results support this hypothesis in the case of Olympic marmots and demonstrate the importance of considering demographic data when evaluating the impacts of recreation on animal populations. Abstract (Spanish): Efectos del Turismo sobre el Comportamiento de Marmota olympus Resumen: Si los cambios en el comportamiento animal resultantes de la perturbacion humana directa afectan negativamente la persistencia de una especie o poblacion determinada, entonces estos cambios conductuales necesariamente deben llevar a una reduccion en el funcionamiento demografico. Probamos los efectos de la perturbacion humana sobre Marmota olympus, una ardilla terrestre que ha desaparecido de varias areas con niveles altos de recreacion. Evaluamos el grado en que difirieron el comportamiento antidepredador y de forrajeo y las tasas demograficas (supervivencia y reproduccion) entre sitios con niveles altos de recreacion (uso alto) y sitios con poca o ninguna recreacion (uso bajo). En comparacion con marmotas en sitios de uso bajo, las marmotas en sitios de uso alto desplegaron respuestas significativamente reducidas a la proximidad humana, lo cual pudiera interpretarse como acomodo exitoso a la perturbacion o como una disminucion en la percepcion de depredadores. Las marmotas en sitios de uso alto miraban hacia arriba mas frecuentemente cuando forrajeaban, lo que sugiere una mayor percepcion. Las marmotas en ambos tipos de sitio tuvieron tasas reproductivas y de supervivencia comparables y fueron similares en condiciones corporales. Hasta ahora, la suposicion de que las marmotas pueden ajustar su comportamiento para evitar consecuencias demograficas negativas cuando confrontan turismo intenso se ha basado en datos conductuales potencialmente ambiguos. Nuestros resultados soportan esta hipotesis en el caso de M. olympus y demuestran la importancia de considerar datos demograficos cuando se evaluan los impactos de actividades recreativas sobre poblaciones animales. Author Affiliation: (*)Wildlife Biology Program, College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812-0004, U.S.A. ([dagger])Institut National Agronomique Paris-Grignon. 16 rue Claude Bernard 75005 Paris, France ([double dagger])Department of Ecology, Lewis Hall, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717-5065, U.S.A. Article History: Paper submitted July 16, 2006; revised manuscript accepted December 21, 2006. Article note: (s.) email olympicmarmots@aol.com