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Accolla C, Schmolke A, Vaugeois M, Galic N. Density-dependent population regulation in freshwater fishes and small mammals: A literature review and insights for Ecological Risk Assessment. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2024; 20:1225-1236. [PMID: 37750350 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
The regulation of populations through density dependence (DD) has long been a central tenet of studies of ecological systems. As an important factor in regulating populations, DD is also crucial for understanding risks to populations from stressors, including its incorporation into population models applied for this purpose. However, study of density-dependent regulation is challenging because it can occur through various mechanisms, and their identification in the field, as well as the quantification of the consequences on individuals and populations, can be difficult. We conducted a targeted literature review specifically focusing on empirical laboratory or field studies addressing negative DD in freshwater fish and small rodent populations, two vertebrate groups considered in pesticide Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA). We found that the most commonly recognized causes of negative DD were food (63% of 19 reviewed fish studies, 40% of 25 mammal studies) or space limitations (32% of mammal studies). In addition, trophic interactions were reported as causes of population regulation, with predation shaping mostly small mammal populations (36% of the mammal studies) and cannibalism impacting freshwater fish (26%). In the case of freshwater fish, 63% of the studies were experimental (i.e., with a length of weeks or months). They generally focused on the individual-level causes and effects of DD, and had a short duration. Moreover, DD affected mostly juvenile growth and survival of fish (68%). On the other hand, studies on small mammals were mainly based on time series analyzing field population properties over longer timespans (68%). Density dependence primarily affected survival in subadult and adult mammal stages and, to a lesser extent, reproduction (60% vs. 36%). Furthermore, delayed DD was often observed (56%). We conclude by making suggestions on future research paths, providing recommendations for including DD in population models developed for ERA, and making the best use of the available data. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:1225-1236. © 2023 Syngenta Crop Protection. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Maxime Vaugeois
- Syngenta Crop Protection LLC, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nika Galic
- Syngenta Crop Protection AG, Basel, Switzerland
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2
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Garcia V, Conway CJ, Nadeau CP. Experimental changes in food and ectoparasites affect dispersal timing in juvenile burrowing owls. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0306660. [PMID: 39058672 PMCID: PMC11280279 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Natal dispersal is a key demographic trait that affects population dynamics, and intraspecific variation in dispersal affects gene flow among populations and source-sink dynamics. However, relatively little is known about the selective pressures and trade-offs that animals face when departing their natal area due to the logistical difficulties associated with monitoring animals during this critical life stage. We used a randomized block design to examine the selective pressure that influence dispersal timing in juvenile burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia) by experimentally altering both food and ectoparasites at 135 nests. We also examined the effects of local food abundance, ectoparasite loads, and parental departure on natal dispersal timing. Juvenile burrowing owls varied widely in natal dispersal timing, and phenotypic plasticity in dispersal timing was evident in juvenile owls' response to our experimental treatments, local conditions, and their parents' departure from the natal area. Moreover, juveniles responded differently than their parents to experimental manipulation of food and ectoparasite loads. Juveniles typically dispersed shortly after their parents departed the natal area, but delayed dispersing more than 2 weeks after parental departure if they did not receive experimental food supplements during a low-food year. In contrast, the experimental food supplements did not affect the migratory departure decisions of adult owls in either year. Juveniles at nests treated for ectoparasites initiated dispersal at a younger age (and prior to adults in the high-food year) compared to juveniles at control nests. In contrast, parents at nests treated for ectoparasites departed later than parents at control nests. Our results suggest that unfavorable conditions (low food or high ectoparasite loads) caused juveniles to delay dispersal, but prompted adults to depart sooner. Our results highlight the extent of intraspecific variation in natal dispersal timing, and demonstrate that ecological conditions affect dispersal decisions of parents and offspring differently, which can create important trade-offs that likely affect life history strategies and responses to climatic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Garcia
- Arizona Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Courtney J. Conway
- United States Geological Survey, Idaho Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Christopher P. Nadeau
- Arizona Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
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3
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Flatrès A, Wild G. Evolution of delayed dispersal with group size effect and population dynamics. Theor Popul Biol 2024; 157:1-13. [PMID: 38417560 DOI: 10.1016/j.tpb.2024.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Individuals delay natal dispersal for many reasons. There may be no place to disperse to; immediate dispersal or reproduction may be too costly; immediate dispersal may mean that the individual and their relatives miss the benefits of group living. Understanding the factors that lead to the evolution of delayed dispersal is important because delayed dispersal sets the stage for complex social groups and social behavior. Here, we study the evolution of delayed dispersal when the quality of the local environment is improved by greater numbers of individuals (e.g., safety in numbers). We assume that individuals who delay natal dispersal also expect to delay personal reproduction. In addition, we assume that improved environmental quality benefits manifest as changes to fecundity and survival. We are interested in how do the changes in these life-history features affect delayed dispersal. We use a model that ties evolution to population dynamics. We also aim to understand the relationship between levels of delayed dispersal and the probability of establishing as an independent breeder (a population-level feature) in response to changes in life-history details. Our model emphasizes kin selection and considers a sexual organism, which allows us to study parent-offspring conflict over delayed dispersal. At evolutionary equilibrium, fecundity and survival benefits of group size or quality promote higher levels of delayed dispersal over a larger set of life histories with one exception. The exception is for benefits of increased group size or quality reaped by the individuals who delay dispersal. There, the increased benefit does not change the life histories supporting delay dispersal. Next, in contrast to previous predictions, we find that a low probability of establishing in a new location is not always associated with a higher incidence of delayed dispersal. Finally, we find that increased personal benefits of delayed dispersal exacerbate the conflict between parents and their offspring. We discuss our findings in relation to previous theoretical and empirical work, especially work related to cooperative breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Flatrès
- Department of Mathematics, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, N6A 5B7, Canada.
| | - Geoff Wild
- Department of Mathematics, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, N6A 5B7, Canada
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4
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Saatoglu D, Lundregan SL, Fetterplace E, Goedert D, Husby A, Niskanen AK, Muff S, Jensen H. The genetic basis of dispersal in a vertebrate metapopulation. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17295. [PMID: 38396362 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Dispersal affects evolutionary processes by changing population size and genetic composition, influencing the viability and persistence of populations. Investigating which mechanisms underlie variation in dispersal phenotypes and whether populations harbour adaptive potential for dispersal is crucial to understanding the eco-evolutionary dynamics of this important trait. Here, we investigate the genetic architecture of dispersal among successfully recruited individuals in an insular metapopulation of house sparrows. We use an extensive long-term individual-based ecological data set and high-density single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes for over 2500 individuals. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS), and found a relationship between dispersal probability and a SNP located near genes known to regulate circadian rhythm, glycogenesis and exercise performance, among other functions. However, this SNP only explained 3.8% of variance, suggesting that dispersal is a polygenic trait. We then used an animal model to estimate heritable genetic variation (σA 2 ), which composes 10% of the total variation in dispersal probability. Finally, we investigated differences in σA 2 across populations occupying ecologically relevant habitat types (farm vs. non-farm) using a genetic groups animal model. We found different adaptive potentials across habitats, with higher mean breeding value, σA 2 , and heritability for the habitat presenting lower dispersal rates, suggesting also different roles of environmental variation. Our results suggest a complex genetic architecture of dispersal and demonstrate that adaptive potential may be environment dependent in key eco-evolutionary traits. The eco-evolutionary implications of such environment dependence and consequent spatial variation are likely to become ever more important with the increased fragmentation and loss of suitable habitats for many natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilan Saatoglu
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Sarah L Lundregan
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Evelyn Fetterplace
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Debora Goedert
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Arild Husby
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Evolutionary Biology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Alina K Niskanen
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Stefanie Muff
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Henrik Jensen
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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5
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Catitti B, Grüebler MU, Farine DR, Kormann UG. Natal legacies cause social and spatial marginalization during dispersal. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14366. [PMID: 38332501 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Early-life experiences can drive subsequent variation in social behaviours, but how differences among individuals emerge remains unknown. We combined experimental manipulations with GPS-tracking to investigate the pathways through which developmental conditions affect social network position during the early dispersal of wild red kites (Milvus milvus). Across 211 juveniles from 140 broods, last-hatched chicks-the least competitive-had the fewest number of peer encounters after fledging. However, when food supplemented, they had more encounters than all others. Using 4425 bird-days of GPS data, we revealed that this was driven by differential responses to competition, with less competitive individuals naturally spreading out into marginal areas, and clustering in central foraging areas when food supplemented. Our results suggest that early-life adversities can cause significant natal legacies on individual behaviour beyond independence, with potentially far-reaching consequences on the social and spatial structure of animal populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedetta Catitti
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Damien R Farine
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Urs G Kormann
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
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6
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Duncan C, Thorley J, Manser MB, Clutton-Brock T. Dominance loss and tenure maintenance in Kalahari meerkats. Behav Ecol 2023; 34:979-991. [PMID: 37969548 PMCID: PMC10636735 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arad066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
In many social species, both the acquisition of dominance and the duration that individuals maintain their status are important determinants of breeding tenure and lifetime reproductive success. However, few studies have yet examined the extent and causes of variation in dominance tenure and the duration of breeding lifespans. Here, we investigate the processes that terminate dominance tenures and examine how they differ between the sexes in wild Kalahari meerkats (Suricata suricatta), a cooperative breeder where a dominant breeding pair produces most of the young recruited into each group. Mortality and displacement by resident subordinate competitors were important forms of dominance loss for both sexes. However, dominant males (but rarely females) were also at risk of takeovers by extra-group invading males. Dominant males also differed from dominant females in that they abandoned their group after the death of their breeding partner, when no other breeding opportunities were present, whereas dominant females that lost their partner remained and continued to breed in the same group. We show that a larger number of processes can terminate dominance tenure in males with the result that the average male tenure of breeding positions was shorter than that of females, which contributes to the reduced variance in the lifetime reproductive success in males compared to females. Our analysis suggests that sex differences in emigration and immigration may often have downstream consequences for sex differences in reproductive variance and for the selection pressures operating on females and males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Duncan
- Large Animal Research Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Northern Cape 8467, South Africa
| | - Jack Thorley
- Large Animal Research Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Northern Cape 8467, South Africa
| | - Marta B Manser
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Northern Cape 8467, South Africa
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, 0028 Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Tim Clutton-Brock
- Large Animal Research Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Northern Cape 8467, South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, 0028 Pretoria, South Africa
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7
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Thorley J, Bensch HM, Finn K, Clutton-Brock T, Zöttl M. Damaraland mole-rats do not rely on helpers for reproduction or survival. Evol Lett 2023; 7:203-215. [PMID: 37475748 PMCID: PMC10355180 DOI: 10.1093/evlett/qrad023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In eusocial invertebrates and obligate cooperative breeders, successful reproduction is dependent on assistance from non-breeding group members. Although naked (Heterocephalus glaber) and Damaraland mole-rats (Fukomys damarensis) are often described as eusocial and their groups are suggested to resemble those of eusocial insects more closely than groups of any other vertebrate, the extent to which breeding individuals benefit from the assistance of non-breeding group members is unclear. Here we show that, in wild Damaraland mole-rats, prospective female breeders usually disperse and settle alone in new burrow systems where they show high survival rates and remain in good body condition-often for several years-before being joined by males. In contrast to many obligate cooperative vertebrates, pairs reproduced successfully without non-breeding helpers, and the breeding success of experimentally formed pairs was similar to that of larger, established groups. Though larger breeding groups recruited slightly more pups than smaller groups, adult survival was independent of group size and group size had mixed effects on the growth of non-breeders. Our results suggest that Damaraland mole-rats do not need groups to survive and that cooperative breeding in the species is not obligate as pairs can-and frequently do-reproduce without the assistance of helpers. While re-emphasizing the importance of ecological constraints on dispersal in social mole-rats, the mixed effects of group size in our study suggest that indirect benefits accrued through cooperative behavior may have played a less prominent role in the evolution of mole-rat group-living than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Thorley
- Corresponding author: Department of Zoology, Downing Street, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, United Kingdom.
| | | | - Kyle Finn
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, South Africa
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Tim Clutton-Brock
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, South Africa
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Markus Zöttl
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, South Africa
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
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8
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Maag N, Cozzi G, Seager D, Manser M, Sickmüller A, Hildebrandt TB, Clutton-Brock T, Ozgul A. Dispersal-induced social stress prolongs gestation in wild meerkats. Biol Lett 2023; 19:20230183. [PMID: 37376852 PMCID: PMC10300508 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In the majority of mammals, gestation length is relatively consistent and seldom varies by more than 3%. In a few species, females can adjust gestation length by delaying the development of the embryo after implantation. Delays in embryonic development allow females to defer the rising energetic costs of gestation when conditions are unfavourable, reducing the risk of embryo loss. Dispersal in mammals that breed cooperatively is a period when food intake is likely to be suppressed and stress levels are likely to be high. Here, we show that pregnant dispersing meerkats (Suricata suricatta), which have been aggressively evicted from their natal group and experience weight loss and extended periods of social stress, prolong their gestation by means of delayed embryonic development. Repeated ultrasound scans of wild, unanaesthetized females throughout their pregnancies showed that pregnancies of dispersers were on average 6.3% longer and more variable in length (52-65 days) than those of residents (54-56 days). The variation in dispersers shows that, unlike most mammals, meerkats can adapt to stress by adjusting their pregnancy length by up to 25%. By doing so, they potentially rearrange the costs of gestation during adverse conditions of dispersal and enhance offspring survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nino Maag
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich CH-8057, Switzerland
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus 8467, South Africa
| | - Gabriele Cozzi
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich CH-8057, Switzerland
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus 8467, South Africa
| | - David Seager
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus 8467, South Africa
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Marta Manser
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich CH-8057, Switzerland
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus 8467, South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, cnr Lynnwood Road and Roper Street, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
| | - Anna Sickmüller
- Department of Reproduction Management, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas B. Hildebrandt
- Department of Reproduction Management, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
- Freie Universität Berlin, Kaiserwerther Strasse 16-18, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Tim Clutton-Brock
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus 8467, South Africa
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, cnr Lynnwood Road and Roper Street, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
| | - Arpat Ozgul
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich CH-8057, Switzerland
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus 8467, South Africa
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9
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Population dynamics with resource-dependent dispersal: single- and two-species models. J Math Biol 2023; 86:23. [PMID: 36625939 DOI: 10.1007/s00285-022-01856-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we consider the population models with resource-dependent dispersal for single-species and two-species with competition. For the single-species model, it is well-known that the total population supported by the environment is always greater than the environmental carrying capacity if the dispersal is simply random diffusion. However, we find that the total population supported can be equal or smaller than the environmental carrying capacity when the dispersal depends on the resource distribution. This analytical finding not only well agrees with the yeast experiment observation of Zhang et al. (Ecol Lett 20(9):1118-1128, 2017), but also indicates that resource-dependent dispersal may produce different outcomes compared to the random dispersal. For the two-species competition model, when two competing species use the same dispersal strategy up to a multiplicative constant (i.e. their dispersal strategies are proportional) or both diffusion coefficients are large, we give a classification of global dynamics. We also show, along with numerical simulations, that if the dispersal strategies are resource-dependent, even one species has slower diffusion, coexistence is possible though competitive exclusion may occur under different conditions. This is distinct from the prominent result that with random dispersal the slower diffuser always wipes out its fast competitor. Our analytical results, supported by the numerical simulations, show that the resource-dependent dispersal strategy has profound impact on the population dynamics and evolutionary processes.
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10
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Rutherford KL, Cottenie K, Denomme-Brown ST. To go or not to go: variable density-dependent dispersal in small mammals. J Mammal 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyac117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Population density has been widely understood to be a key influencer of dispersal behavior; however, the generality of density-dependent (DD) dispersal in vertebrates is unclear. We conducted a review of the available empirical data on small mammal DD dispersal, distinguishing between the three dispersal stages: emigration, immigration, and transience (dispersal distance). We focused on small mammals because they are a well-studied, functionally similar group of vertebrates, with a distinct ecological importance. We also examined the effect of season, body mass, study length, and study type on the strength and direction of DD dispersal. The majority of emigration and dispersal distance studies reported negative density dependence, while immigration was mostly independent of density. No correlative patterns were detected; however, interpretation of the available data was hindered by inconsistencies in experimental and analytical approach across studies. Our results suggest that the three phases of the dispersal process may be influenced differently by density and highlight the importance of distinguishing between emigration, immigration, and transience when considering the effects of density dependence. As well, our study identifies several limitations with the current available data which limit the ability to compare DD dispersal behavior across systems, and calls for future investigations that consider all three phases of dispersal in the same system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate L Rutherford
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph , 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1 , Canada
| | - Karl Cottenie
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph , 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1 , Canada
| | - Simon T Denomme-Brown
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph , 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1 , Canada
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11
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Davidian E, Höner OP. Kinship and similarity drive coordination of breeding-group choice in male spotted hyenas. Biol Lett 2022; 18:20220402. [PMID: 36514956 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
When and where animals reproduce influences the social, demographic and genetic properties of the groups and populations they live in. We examined the extent to which male spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) coordinate their breeding-group choice. We tested whether their propensity to settle in the same group is shaped by passive processes driven by similarities in their socio-ecological background and genotype or by an adaptive process driven by kin selection. We compared the choices of 148 pairs of same-cohort males that varied in similarity and kinship. We found strong support for both processes. Coordination was highest (70% of pairs) for littermates, who share most cumulative similarity, lower (36%) among peers born in the same group to different mothers, and lowest (7%) among strangers originating from different groups and mothers. Consistent with the kin selection hypothesis, the propensity to choose the same group was density dependent for full siblings and close kin, but not distant kin. Coordination increased as the number of breeding females and male competitors in social groups increased, i.e. when costs of kin competition over mates decreased and benefits of kin cooperation increased. Our results contrast with the traditional view that breeding-group choice and dispersal are predominantly solitary processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eve Davidian
- Ngorongoro Hyena Project, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Oliver P Höner
- Ngorongoro Hyena Project, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Arusha, Tanzania.,Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin 10315, Germany
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12
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DiLeo MF, Nonaka E, Husby A, Saastamoinen M. Effects of environment and genotype on dispersal differ across departure, transfer and settlement in a butterfly metapopulation. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20220322. [PMID: 35673865 PMCID: PMC9174707 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Active dispersal is driven by extrinsic and intrinsic factors at the three stages of departure, transfer and settlement. Most empirical studies capture only one stage of this complex process, and knowledge of how much can be generalized from one stage to another remains unknown. Here we use genetic assignment tests to reconstruct dispersal across 5 years and 232 habitat patches of a Glanville fritillary butterfly (Melitaea cinxia) metapopulation. We link individual dispersal events to weather, landscape structure, size and quality of habitat patches, and individual genotype to identify the factors that influence the three stages of dispersal and post-settlement survival. We found that nearly all tested factors strongly affected departure probabilities, but that the same factors explained very little variation in realized dispersal distances. Surprisingly, we found no effect of dispersal distance on post-settlement survival. Rather, survival was influenced by weather conditions, quality of the natal habitat patch, and a strong interaction between genotype and occupancy status of the settled habitat patch, with more mobile genotypes having higher survival as colonists rather than as immigrants. Our work highlights the multi-causality of dispersal and that some dispersal costs can only be understood by considering extrinsic and intrinsic factors and their interaction across the entire dispersal process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle F. DiLeo
- Research Centre for Ecological Change, Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland,Ontario Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry, Peterborough, ON, Canada
| | - Etsuko Nonaka
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Arild Husby
- Evolutionary Biology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Marjo Saastamoinen
- Research Centre for Ecological Change, Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland,Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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13
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Sauers LA, Hawes KE, Juliano SA. Non-linear relationships between density and demographic traits in three Aedes species. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8075. [PMID: 35577868 PMCID: PMC9110365 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11909-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the relationship of population dynamics to density is central to many ecological investigations. Despite the importance of density-dependence in determining population growth, the empirical relationship between density and per capita growth remains understudied in most systems and is often assumed to be linear. In experimental studies of interspecific competition, investigators often evaluate the predicted outcomes by assuming such linear relationships, fitting linear functions, and estimating parameters of competition models. In this paper, we experimentally describe the shape of the relationship between estimated population rate of change and initial density using laboratory-reared populations of three mosquito species. We estimated per capita growth rate for these experimental populations over a 30-fold range of larval densities at a standard resource abundance. We then compared fits of linear models and several different nonlinear models for the relationship of estimated rate of change and density. We find that that the relationship between density and per capita growth is strongly non-linear in Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus), Aedes albopictus (Skuse), and Aedes triseriatus (Say) mosquitoes. Components of population growth (survivorship, development time, adult size) are also nonlinearly related to initial density. The causes and consequences of this nonlinearity are likely to be important issues for population and community ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan A Sauers
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, 251 S. School St., Normal, IL, 61761, USA.
| | - Kelsey E Hawes
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, 251 S. School St., Normal, IL, 61761, USA
| | - Steven A Juliano
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, 251 S. School St., Normal, IL, 61761, USA
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14
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Maag N, Paniw M, Cozzi G, Manser M, Clutton-Brock T, Ozgul A. Dispersal decreases survival but increases reproductive opportunities for subordinates in a cooperative breeder. Am Nat 2022; 199:679-690. [DOI: 10.1086/719029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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15
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16
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Duncan C, Manser MB, Clutton‐Brock T. Decline and fall: The causes of group failure in cooperatively breeding meerkats. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:14459-14474. [PMID: 34765119 PMCID: PMC8571573 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In many social vertebrates, variation in group persistence exerts an important effect on individual fitness and population demography. However, few studies have been able to investigate the failure of groups or the causes of the variation in their longevity. We use data from a long-term study of cooperatively breeding meerkats, Suricata suricatta, to investigate the different causes of group failure and the factors that drive these processes. Many newly formed groups failed within a year of formation, and smaller groups were more likely to fail. Groups that bred successfully and increased their size could persist for several years, even decades. Long-lived groups principally failed in association with the development of clinical tuberculosis, Mycobacterium suricattae, a disease that can spread throughout the group and be fatal for group members. Clinical tuberculosis was more likely to occur in groups that had smaller group sizes and that had experienced immigration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Duncan
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River ReserveVan ZylsrusSouth Africa
| | - Marta B. Manser
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River ReserveVan ZylsrusSouth Africa
- Animal BehaviourDepartment of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Tim Clutton‐Brock
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River ReserveVan ZylsrusSouth Africa
- Mammal Research InstituteUniversity of PretoriaPretoriaSouth Africa
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17
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Morales-González A, Fernández-Gil A, Quevedo M, Revilla E. Patterns and determinants of dispersal in grey wolves (Canis lupus). Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 97:466-480. [PMID: 34664396 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Dispersal is a key demographic process involving three stages: emigration, transience and settlement; each of which is influenced by individual, social and environmental determinants. An integrated understanding of species dispersal is essential for demographic modelling and conservation planning. Here, we review the dispersal patterns and determinants documented in the scientific literature for the grey wolf (Canis lupus) across its distribution range. We showed a surprisingly high variability within and among study areas on all dispersal parameters - dispersal rate, direction, distance, duration and success. We found that such large variability is due to multiple individual, social and environmental determinants, but also due to previously overlooked methodological research issues. We revealed a potential non-linear relationship between dispersal rate and population density, with dispersal rate higher at both ends of the gradient of population density. We found that human-caused mortality reduces distance, duration and success of dispersal events. Furthermore, dispersers avoid interaction with humans, and highly exposed areas like agricultural lands hamper population connectivity in many cases. We identified numerous methodological research problems that make it difficult to obtain robust estimates of dispersal parameters and robust inferences on dispersal patterns and their determinants. In particular, analyses where confounding factors were not accounted for led to substantial knowledge gaps on all aspects of dispersal in an otherwise much-studied species. Our understanding of wolf biology and management would significantly benefit if wolf dispersal studies reported the results and possible factors affecting wolf dispersal more transparently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Morales-González
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Americo Vespucio 26, Sevilla, 41092, Spain
| | - Alberto Fernández-Gil
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Americo Vespucio 26, Sevilla, 41092, Spain
| | - Mario Quevedo
- Department of Organisms and Systems Biology, and Research Institute of Biodiversity (IMIB, UO-CSIC-PA), Oviedo University, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Eloy Revilla
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avd. Americo Vespucio 26, Sevilla, 41092, Spain
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18
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19
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Harrison ND, Maag N, Haverkamp PJ, Ganswindt A, Manser MB, Clutton-Brock TH, Ozgul A, Cozzi G. Behavioural change during dispersal and its relationship to survival and reproduction in a cooperative breeder. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:2637-2650. [PMID: 34258771 PMCID: PMC8597146 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The ability of dispersing individuals to adjust their behaviour to changing conditions is instrumental in overcoming challenges and reducing dispersal costs, consequently increasing overall dispersal success. Understanding how dispersers' behaviour and physiology change during the dispersal process, and how they differ from resident individuals, can shed light on the mechanisms by which dispersers increase survival and maximise reproduction. By analysing individual behaviour and concentrations of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCM), a stress‐associated biomarker, we sought to identify the proximate causes behind differences in survival and reproduction between dispersing and resident meerkats Suricata suricatta. We used data collected on 67 dispersing and 108 resident females to investigate (a) which individual, social and environmental factors are correlated to foraging and vigilance, and whether the role of such factors differs among dispersal phases, and between dispersers and residents; (b) how time allocated to either foraging or vigilance correlated to survival in dispersers and residents and (c) the link between aggression and change in fGCM concentration, and their relationship with reproductive rates in dispersing groups and resident groups with either long‐established or newly established dominant females. Time allocated to foraging increased across dispersal phases, whereas time allocated to vigilance decreased. Time allocated to foraging and vigilance correlated positively and negatively, respectively, with dispersers' group size. We did not find a group size effect for residents. High proportions of time allocated to foraging correlated with high survival, and more so in dispersers, suggesting that maintaining good physical condition may reduce mortality during dispersal. Furthermore, while subordinate individuals rarely reproduced in resident groups, the conception rate of subordinates in newly formed dispersing groups was equal to that of their dominant individuals. Mirroring conception rates, in resident groups, fGCM concentrations were lower in subordinates than in dominants, whereas in disperser groups, fGCM concentrations did not differ between subordinates and dominants. Our results, which highlight the relationship between behavioural and physiological factors and demographic rates, provide insights into some of the mechanisms that individuals of a cooperative species can use to increase overall dispersal success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha D Harrison
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, South Africa
| | - Nino Maag
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, South Africa
| | - Paul J Haverkamp
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - André Ganswindt
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa
| | - Marta B Manser
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, South Africa
| | - Tim H Clutton-Brock
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, South Africa.,Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa.,Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Arpat Ozgul
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, South Africa
| | - Gabriele Cozzi
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, South Africa
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20
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Hewison AJM, Gaillard JM, Morellet N, Cagnacci F, Debeffe L, Cargnelutti B, Gehr B, Kröschel M, Heurich M, Coulon A, Kjellander P, Börger L, Focardi S. Sex differences in condition dependence of natal dispersal in a large herbivore: dispersal propensity and distance are decoupled. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20202947. [PMID: 33715424 PMCID: PMC7944087 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolution should favour plasticity in dispersal decisions in response to spatial heterogeneity in social and environmental contexts. Sex differences in individual optimization of dispersal decisions are poorly documented in mammals, because species where both sexes commonly disperse are rare. To elucidate the sex-specific drivers governing dispersal, we investigated sex differences in condition dependence in the propensity and distance of natal dispersal in one such species, the roe deer, using fine-scale monitoring of 146 GPS-collared juveniles in an intensively monitored population in southwest France. Dispersal propensity increased with body mass in males such that 36% of light individuals dispersed, whereas 62% of heavy individuals did so, but there was no evidence for condition dependence in dispersal propensity among females. By contrast, dispersal distance increased with body mass at a similar rate in both sexes such that heavy dispersers travelled around twice as far as light dispersers. Sex differences in the strength of condition-dependent dispersal may result from different selection pressures acting on the behaviour of males and females. We suggest that females disperse prior to habitat saturation being reached, likely in relation to the risk of inbreeding. By contrast, natal dispersal in males is likely governed by competitive exclusion through male-male competition for breeding opportunities in this strongly territorial mammal. Our study is, to our knowledge, a first demonstration that condition dependence in dispersal propensity and dispersal distance may be decoupled, indicating contrasting selection pressures drive the behavioural decisions of whether or not to leave the natal range, and where to settle.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. J. M. Hewison
- Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CEFS, 31326 Castanet Tolosan, France; and LTSER ZA PYRénées GARonne, 31320 Auzeville Tolosane, France
| | - J.-M. Gaillard
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1; CNRS, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR5558, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - N. Morellet
- Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CEFS, 31326 Castanet Tolosan, France; and LTSER ZA PYRénées GARonne, 31320 Auzeville Tolosane, France
| | - F. Cagnacci
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Trentino, Italy
| | - L. Debeffe
- Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CEFS, 31326 Castanet Tolosan, France; and LTSER ZA PYRénées GARonne, 31320 Auzeville Tolosane, France
| | - B. Cargnelutti
- Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CEFS, 31326 Castanet Tolosan, France; and LTSER ZA PYRénées GARonne, 31320 Auzeville Tolosane, France
| | - B. Gehr
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - M. Kröschel
- Forest Research Institute of Baden-Wuerttemberg, FVA-Wildlife Institute, Wonnhaldestraße 4, 79100 Freiburg; and University of Freiburg, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Tennenbacher Straße 4, Freiburg, DE 79106, Germany
| | - M. Heurich
- Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - A. Coulon
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, CP 135, 57 rue Cuvier 75005 Paris, France
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE-Université PSL, IRD, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, MNHN, Montpellier, France
| | - P. Kjellander
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - L. Börger
- Department of Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
| | - S. Focardi
- Istituto dei Sistemi Complessi, CNR, via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino 50019, Italy
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21
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Groenewoud F, Clutton-Brock T. Meerkat helpers buffer the detrimental effects of adverse environmental conditions on fecundity, growth and survival. J Anim Ecol 2020; 90:641-652. [PMID: 33241582 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Recent comparative studies show that cooperative breeding is positively correlated with harsh and unpredictable environments and it is suggested that this association occurs because helpers buffer the negative effects of adverse ecological conditions on fitness. In the Kalahari, rainfall varies widely between- and within years, affecting primary production and the availability of the principal prey of cooperatively breeding Kalahari meerkats, Suricata suricatta. Our study aimed to establish whether the presence and number of helpers buffer the negative effects of variation in rainfall on the fecundity and body mass of breeding females, and the survival and growth of pups. We investigate the relationship between group size and variation in rainfall on dominant female fecundity, body mass, and offspring survival and growth using an additive modelling approach on 21 years of individual-based records of the life histories of individual meerkats. We show that breeding female fecundity is reduced during periods of low rainfall but that the effects of low rainfall are mitigated by increases in group size and body mass because heavier females and those in larger groups have increased fecundity and reduced interbirth intervals. Pup growth and survival are also reduced during periods of low rainfall, but only in smaller groups. Our results support the suggestion that cooperative breeding mitigates the detrimental effects of adverse environmental conditions and may enhance the capacity of species to occupy environments where food availability is low and unpredictable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Groenewoud
- Large Animal Research Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Tim Clutton-Brock
- Large Animal Research Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.,Kalahari Research Trust, Kuruman River Reserve, Northern Cape, South Africa
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22
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Mayer M, Aparicio Estalella C, Windels SK, Rosell FN. Landscape structure and population density affect intraspecific aggression in beavers. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:13883-13894. [PMID: 33391688 PMCID: PMC7771123 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Intraspecific competition plays an important role for territory acquisition and occupancy, in turn affecting individual fitness. Thus, understanding the drivers of intraspecific aggression can increase our understanding of population dynamics. Here, we investigated intraspecific aggression in Eurasian (Castor fiber) and North American (Castor canadensis) beavers that are both monogamous, territorial mammals. Combined, we examined tail scars from >1,000 beavers (>2,000 capture events) as part of two long-term studies in Norway and the USA. We investigated the influence of landscape structure, population density, sex, age, and (for Eurasian beavers only) social status and group size on the number of tail scars caused by conspecifics. The number of tail scars was affected by population density in well-connected landscape types (large lakes and rivers), but not in more isolated areas (ponds), where individuals generally had fewer tail scars. Further, the relationship of population density was not linear. In the North American beaver population occurring in large lakes, intraspecific aggression increased with population density. Conversely, in the saturated Eurasian beaver population, intraspecific aggression was in a negative relationship with population density (except at the highest densities), likely due to inverse density-dependent intruder pressure via dispersers. Our findings emphasize that population density can affect intraspecific aggression depending on landscape structure, which might have important consequences for local patterns of dispersal, mate change, and territory occupancy, all of which can affect population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Mayer
- Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences, and Maritime SciencesDepartment of Natural Sciences and Environmental HealthUniversity of South‐Eastern NorwayBø i Vestfold and TelemarkNorway
- Department of BioscienceAarhus UniversityAarhusDenmark
| | - Clàudia Aparicio Estalella
- Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences, and Maritime SciencesDepartment of Natural Sciences and Environmental HealthUniversity of South‐Eastern NorwayBø i Vestfold and TelemarkNorway
- Faculty of BiologyUniversity of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | | | - Frank N. Rosell
- Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences, and Maritime SciencesDepartment of Natural Sciences and Environmental HealthUniversity of South‐Eastern NorwayBø i Vestfold and TelemarkNorway
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23
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Cantor M, Maldonado‐Chaparro AA, Beck KB, Brandl HB, Carter GG, He P, Hillemann F, Klarevas‐Irby JA, Ogino M, Papageorgiou D, Prox L, Farine DR. The importance of individual‐to‐society feedbacks in animal ecology and evolution. J Anim Ecol 2020; 90:27-44. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maurício Cantor
- Department of Collective Behaviour Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Radolfzell Germany
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina Florianópolis Brazil
- Centro de Estudos do Mar Universidade Federal do Paraná Pontal do Paraná Brazil
| | - Adriana A. Maldonado‐Chaparro
- Department of Collective Behaviour Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Radolfzell Germany
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
| | - Kristina B. Beck
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics Max Planck Institute for Ornithology Seewiesen Germany
| | - Hanja B. Brandl
- Department of Collective Behaviour Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Radolfzell Germany
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
| | - Gerald G. Carter
- Department of Collective Behaviour Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Radolfzell Germany
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology The Ohio State University Columbus OH USA
| | - Peng He
- Department of Collective Behaviour Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Radolfzell Germany
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
| | - Friederike Hillemann
- Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - James A. Klarevas‐Irby
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Department of Migration Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Konstanz Germany
| | - Mina Ogino
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
| | - Danai Papageorgiou
- Department of Collective Behaviour Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Radolfzell Germany
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
| | - Lea Prox
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Department of Sociobiology/Anthropology Johann‐Friedrich‐Blumenbach Institute of Zoology & Anthropology University of Göttingen Göttingen Germany
- Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology Unit German Primate Center Göttingen Germany
| | - Damien R. Farine
- Department of Collective Behaviour Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Radolfzell Germany
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
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24
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Toor I, Edwards PD, Kaka N, Whitney R, Ziolkowski J, Monks DA, Holmes MM. Aggression and motivation to disperse in eusocial naked mole-rats, Heterocephalus glaber. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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25
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Behr DM, McNutt JW, Ozgul A, Cozzi G. When to stay and when to leave? Proximate causes of dispersal in an endangered social carnivore. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:2356-2366. [PMID: 32654130 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Reliable estimates of birth, death, emigration and immigration rates are fundamental to understanding and predicting the dynamics of wild populations and, consequently, inform appropriate management actions. However, when individuals disappear from a focal population, inference on their fate is often challenging. Here we used 30 years of individual-based mark-recapture data from a population of free-ranging African wild dogs Lycaon pictus in Botswana and a suite of individual, social and environmental predictors to investigate factors affecting the decision to emigrate from the pack. We subsequently used this information to assign an emigration probability to those individuals that were no longer sighted within their pack (i.e. missing individuals). Natal dispersal (i.e. emigration from the natal pack) showed seasonal patterns with female dispersal peaking prior to the mating season and male dispersal peaking at the beginning of the wet season. For both sexes, natal dispersal rate increased in the absence of unrelated individuals of the opposite sex in the pack. Male natal dispersal decreased with increasing number of pups in the pack and increased in larger packs. Female natal dispersal decreased with increasing number of pups in larger packs, but increased with increasing number of pups in smaller packs. Individuals of both sexes were less likely to exhibit secondary dispersal (i.e. emigration from a pack other than the natal pack) if they were dominant and if many pups were present in the pack. Our models predicted that 18% and 25% of missing females and males, respectively, had likely dispersed from the natal pack, rather than having died. A misclassification of this order of magnitude between dispersal and mortality can have far-reaching consequences in the evaluation and prediction of population dynamics and persistence, and potentially mislead conservation actions. Our study showed that the decision to disperse is context-dependent and that the effect of individual, social and environmental predictors differs between males and females and between natal and secondary dispersal related to different direct and indirect fitness consequences. Furthermore, we demonstrated how a thorough understanding of the proximate causes of dispersal can be used to assign a dispersal probability to missing individuals. Knowledge of causes of dispersal can then be used within an integrated framework to more reliably estimate mortality rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik M Behr
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.,Botswana Predator Conservation Trust, Maun, Botswana
| | - John W McNutt
- Botswana Predator Conservation Trust, Maun, Botswana
| | - Arpat Ozgul
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Gabriele Cozzi
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.,Botswana Predator Conservation Trust, Maun, Botswana
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26
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Mishra A, Chakraborty PP, Dey S. Dispersal evolution diminishes the negative density dependence in dispersal. Evolution 2020; 74:2149-2157. [PMID: 32725620 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
In many organisms, dispersal varies with the local population density. Such patterns of density-dependent dispersal (DDD) are expected to shape the dynamics, spatial spread, and invasiveness of populations. Despite their ecological importance, empirical evidence for the evolution of DDD patterns remains extremely scarce. This is especially relevant because rapid evolution of dispersal traits has now been empirically confirmed in several taxa. Changes in DDD of dispersing populations could help clarify not only the role of DDD in dispersal evolution, but also the possible pattern of subsequent range expansion. Here, we investigate the relationship between dispersal evolution and DDD using a long-term experimental evolution study on Drosophila melanogaster. We compared the DDD patterns of four dispersal-selected populations and their non-selected controls. The control populations showed negative DDD, which was stronger in females than in males. In contrast, the dispersal-selected populations showed DDD, where neither males nor females exhibited DDD. We compare our results with previous evolutionary predictions that focused largely on positive DDD, and highlight how the direction of evolutionary change depends on the initial DDD pattern of a population. Finally, we discuss the implications of DDD evolution for spatial ecology and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Mishra
- Population Biology Laboratory, Biology Division, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, Pune, 411 008, India
| | - Partha Pratim Chakraborty
- Population Biology Laboratory, Biology Division, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, Pune, 411 008, India.,Current Address: Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Sutirth Dey
- Population Biology Laboratory, Biology Division, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, Pune, 411 008, India
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27
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Harman RR, Goddard J, Shivaji R, Cronin JT. Frequency of Occurrence and Population-Dynamic Consequences of Different Forms of Density-Dependent Emigration. Am Nat 2020; 195:851-867. [DOI: 10.1086/708156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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28
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Suh YH, Pesendorfer MB, Tringali A, Bowman R, Fitzpatrick JW. Investigating social and environmental predictors of natal dispersal in a cooperative breeding bird. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Natal dispersal is a crucial life-history trait that affects both individual fitness and population structure, yet drivers of variation in dispersal probability and distance are difficult to study in wild populations. In cooperatively breeding species, individuals typically delay dispersal beyond their first breeding season and remain on the natal territory as nonbreeders, which prolongs social dynamics that can affect dispersal decisions. Using a 35-year data set covering almost 600 dispersal events in the cooperatively breeding Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens), we examined the environmental and social parameters that predict dispersal probability over time and distance. In both sexes, dispersal probability increased with age, which, in turn, was negatively correlated with dispersal distance. In males, individuals occupying low-quality natal territories and living with a stepfather had an increased probability of dispersal. Older and more dominant males were more likely to inherit their natal territory. In females, which generally disperse earlier and farther than males, socially subordinate jays dispersed farther than dominant ones. Overall, jays that delayed dispersal the longest were more likely to attain breeding status near their natal territory, which was previously found to be associated with increased survival and lifetime fitness. Our results suggest that social dynamics and environmental factors on the natal territory affect delayed dispersal patterns differently for the two sexes in this cooperative breeder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Ha Suh
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Avian Ecology Program, Archbold Biological Station, Venus, FL, USA
| | - Mario B Pesendorfer
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA
- Institute of Forest Ecology, Department of Forest and Soil Ecology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Wien, Austria
| | - Angela Tringali
- Avian Ecology Program, Archbold Biological Station, Venus, FL, USA
| | - Reed Bowman
- Avian Ecology Program, Archbold Biological Station, Venus, FL, USA
| | - John W Fitzpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Avian Ecology Program, Archbold Biological Station, Venus, FL, USA
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29
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Cozzi G, Behr DM, Webster HS, Claase M, Bryce CM, Modise B, Mcnutt JW, Ozgul A. African Wild Dog Dispersal and Implications for Management. J Wildl Manage 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Cozzi
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesZurich University Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH‐8057 Zürich Switzerland
| | - Dominik M. Behr
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesZurich University Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH‐8057 Zürich Switzerland
| | - Hugh S. Webster
- Botswana Predator Conservation Trust Private Bag 13 Maun Botswana
| | - Megan Claase
- Botswana Predator Conservation Trust Private Bag 13 Maun Botswana
| | - Caleb M. Bryce
- Botswana Predator Conservation Trust Private Bag 13 Maun Botswana
| | | | - John W. Mcnutt
- Botswana Predator Conservation Trust Private Bag 13 Maun Botswana
| | - Arpat Ozgul
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesZurich University Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH‐8057 Zürich Switzerland
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30
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Goossens S, Wybouw N, Van Leeuwen T, Bonte D. The physiology of movement. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2020; 8:5. [PMID: 32042434 PMCID: PMC7001223 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-020-0192-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Movement, from foraging to migration, is known to be under the influence of the environment. The translation of environmental cues to individual movement decision making is determined by an individual's internal state and anticipated to balance costs and benefits. General body condition, metabolic and hormonal physiology mechanistically underpin this internal state. These physiological determinants are tightly, and often genetically linked with each other and hence central to a mechanistic understanding of movement. We here synthesise the available evidence of the physiological drivers and signatures of movement and review (1) how physiological state as measured in its most coarse way by body condition correlates with movement decisions during foraging, migration and dispersal, (2) how hormonal changes underlie changes in these movement strategies and (3) how these can be linked to molecular pathways. We reveale that a high body condition facilitates the efficiency of routine foraging, dispersal and migration. Dispersal decision making is, however, in some cases stimulated by a decreased individual condition. Many of the biotic and abiotic stressors that induce movement initiate a physiological cascade in vertebrates through the production of stress hormones. Movement is therefore associated with hormone levels in vertebrates but also insects, often in interaction with factors related to body or social condition. The underlying molecular and physiological mechanisms are currently studied in few model species, and show -in congruence with our insights on the role of body condition- a central role of energy metabolism during glycolysis, and the coupling with timing processes during migration. Molecular insights into the physiological basis of movement remain, however, highly refractory. We finalise this review with a critical reflection on the importance of these physiological feedbacks for a better mechanistic understanding of movement and its effects on ecological dynamics at all levels of biological organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Goossens
- Department of Biology, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nicky Wybouw
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Thomas Van Leeuwen
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dries Bonte
- Department of Biology, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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31
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Mayer M, Frank SC, Zedrosser A, Rosell F. Causes and consequences of inverse density‐dependent territorial behaviour and aggression in a monogamous mammal. J Anim Ecol 2019; 89:577-588. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Mayer
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences University of South‐Eastern Norway Bø Norway
- Department of Bioscience Aarhus University Rønde Denmark
| | - Shane C. Frank
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences University of South‐Eastern Norway Bø Norway
| | - Andreas Zedrosser
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences University of South‐Eastern Norway Bø Norway
- Department of Integrative Biology Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna Austria
| | - Frank Rosell
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences University of South‐Eastern Norway Bø Norway
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32
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Fattebert J, Perrig M, Naef-Daenzer B, Grüebler MU. Experimentally disentangling intrinsic and extrinsic drivers of natal dispersal in a nocturnal raptor. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191537. [PMID: 31480971 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Equivocal knowledge of the phase-specific drivers of natal dispersal remains a major deficit in understanding causes and consequences of dispersal and thus, spatial dynamics within and between populations. We performed a field experiment combining partial cross-fostering of nestlings and nestling food supplementation in little owls (Athene noctua). This approach disentangled the effect of nestling origin from the effect of the rearing environment on dispersal behaviour, while simultaneously investigating the effect of food availability in the rearing environment. We radio-tracked fledglings to quantify the timing of pre-emigration forays and emigration, foray and transfer duration, and the dispersal distances. Dispersal characteristics of the pre-emigration phase were affected by the rearing environment rather than by the origin of nestlings. In food-poor habitats, supplemented individuals emigrated later than unsupplemented individuals. By contrast, transfer duration and distance were influenced by the birds' origin rather than by their rearing environment. We found no correlation between timing of emigration and transfer duration or distance. We conclude that food supply to the nestlings and other characteristics of the rearing environment modulate the timing of emigration, while innate traits associated with the nestling origin affect the transfer phases after emigration. The dispersal behaviours of juveniles prior and after emigration, therefore, were related to different determinants, and are suggested to form different life-history traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Fattebert
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, CH-6204 Sempach, Switzerland.,Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Marco Perrig
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, CH-6204 Sempach, Switzerland
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33
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Paniw M, Maag N, Cozzi G, Clutton-Brock T, Ozgul A. Life history responses of meerkats to seasonal changes in extreme environments. Science 2019; 363:631-635. [PMID: 30733418 DOI: 10.1126/science.aau5905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Species in extreme habitats increasingly face changes in seasonal climate, but the demographic mechanisms through which these changes affect population persistence remain unknown. We investigated how changes in seasonal rainfall and temperature influence vital rates and viability of an arid environment specialist, the Kalahari meerkat, through effects on body mass. We show that climate change-induced reduction in adult mass in the prebreeding season would decrease fecundity during the breeding season and increase extinction risk, particularly at low population densities. In contrast, a warmer nonbreeding season resulting in increased mass and survival would buffer negative effects of reduced rainfall during the breeding season, ensuring persistence. Because most ecosystems undergo seasonal climate variations, a full understanding of species vulnerability to global change relies on linking seasonal trait and population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Paniw
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland.
| | - Nino Maag
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Gabriele Cozzi
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Tim Clutton-Brock
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK.,Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus 8467, South Africa
| | - Arpat Ozgul
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
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34
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Morales-González A, Ruíz-Villar H, Ozgul A, Maag N, Cozzi G. Group size and social status affect scent marking in dispersing female meerkats. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Many animal species use scent marks such as feces, urine, and glandular secretions to find mates, advertise their reproductive status, and defend an exclusive territory. Scent marking may be particularly important during dispersal, when individuals emigrate from their natal territory searching for mates and a new territory to settle and reproduce. In this study, we investigated the scent-marking behavior of 30 dispersing female meerkats (Suricata suricatta) during the three consecutive stages of dispersal—emigration, transience, and settlement. We expected marking patterns to differ between dispersal stages, depending on social circumstances such as presence of unrelated mates and social status of the individuals within each dispersing coalition and also to be influenced by water and food availability. We showed that defecation probability increased with group size during the settlement stage, when newly formed groups are expected to signal their presence to other resident groups. Urination probability was higher in subordinate than in dominant individuals during each of the three dispersal stages and it decreased overall as the dispersal process progressed. Urine may, thus, be linked to advertisement of the social status within a coalition. Anal marking probability did not change across dispersal stages but increased with the presence of unrelated males and was higher in dominants than in subordinates. We did not detect any effect of rain or foraging success on defecation and urination probability. Our results suggest that feces, urine, and anal markings serve different communication purposes (e.g., within and between-group communication) during the dispersal process.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Héctor Ruíz-Villar
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, South Africa
| | - Arpat Ozgul
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, South Africa
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nino Maag
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, South Africa
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gabriele Cozzi
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus, South Africa
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse, Zurich, Switzerland
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35
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Maag N, Cozzi G, Bateman A, Heistermann M, Ganswindt A, Manser M, Clutton-Brock T, Ozgul A. Cost of dispersal in a social mammal: body mass loss and increased stress. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20190033. [PMID: 30963932 PMCID: PMC6408599 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.0033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Dispersal is a key process influencing the dynamics of socially and spatially structured populations. Dispersal success is determined by the state of individuals at emigration and the costs incurred after emigration. However, quantification of such costs is often difficult, due to logistical constraints of following wide-ranging individuals. We investigated the effects of dispersal on individual body mass and stress hormone levels in a cooperative breeder, the meerkat ( Suricata suricatta). We measured body mass and faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations from 95 dispersing females in 65 coalitions through the entire dispersal process. Females that successfully settled lost body mass, while females that did not settle but returned to their natal group after a short period of time did not. Furthermore, dispersing females had higher fGCM levels than resident females, and this was especially pronounced during the later stages of dispersal. By adding information on the transient stage of dispersal and by comparing dispersers that successfully settled to dispersers that returned to their natal group, we expand on previous studies focusing on the earlier stages of dispersal. We propose that body mass and stress hormone levels are good indicators to investigate dispersal costs, as these traits often play an important role in mediating the effects of the environment on other life-history events and individual fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nino Maag
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus 8467, South Africa
| | - Gabriele Cozzi
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus 8467, South Africa
| | - Andrew Bateman
- Department of Geography, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, CanadaV8P 5C2
| | - Michael Heistermann
- Endocrinology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - André Ganswindt
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, cnr Lynnwood Road and Roper Street, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
| | - Marta Manser
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus 8467, South Africa
| | - Tim Clutton-Brock
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus 8467, South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, cnr Lynnwood Road and Roper Street, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Arpat Ozgul
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Kalahari Research Centre, Kuruman River Reserve, Van Zylsrus 8467, South Africa
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36
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Duncan C, Gaynor D, Clutton-Brock T. The importance of being beta: female succession in a cooperative breeder. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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37
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Cram DL, Monaghan P, Gillespie R, Dantzer B, Duncan C, Spence-Jones H, Clutton-Brock T. Rank-Related Contrasts in Longevity Arise from Extra-Group Excursions Not Delayed Senescence in a Cooperative Mammal. Curr Biol 2018; 28:2934-2939.e4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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