Territorial resource valuation deviates from habitat quality in an ecologically trapped,long-distance migratory bird |
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Authors: | Email author" target="_blank">Franck?A?HollanderEmail author Nicolas?Titeux Hans?Van?Dyck |
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Institution: | 1.Behavioural Ecology and Conservation Group, Biodiversity Research Centre, Earth and Life Institute,Université catholique de Louvain (UCL),Louvain-la-Neuve,Belgium;2.Department Environment and Agro-Biotechnologies,Centre de recherche public–Gabriel Lippmann,Belvaux,Luxembourg |
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Abstract: | Preference measures are widely used in habitat selection studies to test an animal’s choice relative to particular habitat
features, but most measures are subject to criticism as they fail to indicate the underlying behavioral motivation. Order
of settlement on breeding sites has been proposed as an effective measure in migratory organisms, as it conceptually approaches
a choice experiment. We tested the assumption that early red-backed shrikes (Lanius collurio) are more willing to defend their territorial resource than individuals arriving later. We earlier showed that shrikes arriving
first settled in forest plantations that resulted in lower reproductive success compared to territories on farmland, suggesting
an ecological trap. Therefore, individuals are expected to place higher value on the lower quality sites in forests. Within
the context of resource valuation theory in animal contests, we used a simulated territorial intrusion experiment to measure
territorial defense and to evaluate the perceived value of the territory during the settlement phase in both habitat types.
Males arriving early were much more motivated to defend their territory than late birds. After correction for the disparity
in the timing of arrival between habitat types, shrikes also more vigorously defended their territories in the forest habitat
associated with the lowest reproductive returns. Although some resource valuation mechanisms remain unclear, our results show
that early and late-arriving individuals strongly differ in behavioral motivation to hold their territorial resources. This
study also demonstrates for the first time that organisms may exhibit a higher degree of territorial aggressiveness in a lower
quality habitat. |
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