Practice question

Group formation reduces individual predation risk through several mechanisms. In a larger group, the probability that any one antelope is captured can fall through the dilution effect, while many eyes increase the chance of detecting an approaching predator early. Coordinated vigilance, alarm signals, confusion caused by many moving targets, and collective defense can further reduce attack success. Individuals may also occupy safer central positions, although competition and disease increase with group size. Speed remains important during pursuit, but grouping changes both encounter and capture probabilities at the population level. Chemical signaling and hibernation are not characteristic principal defenses for active antelope herds. The vague phrase “a CSIR-NET study” does not identify a particular experiment, so the general ecological principle is more defensible than any study-specific claim. Tests distinguish mechanisms by measuring vigilance, attack rate, and per-capita capture across group sizes while accounting for habitat and predator abundance. Grouping is favored when these antipredator gains exceed costs such as resource competition and conspicuousness.