Ecological correlates of mate fidelity in two Arctic-breeding sandpipers

2000 ◽  
Vol 78 (11) ◽  
pp. 1948-1958 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brett K Sandercock ◽  
David B Lank ◽  
Richard B Lanctot ◽  
Bart Kempenaers ◽  
Fred Cooke
Keyword(s):  
Survival Rates ◽  
Interspecific Variation ◽  
Breeding Dispersal ◽  
Mate Fidelity ◽  
Interspecific Differences ◽  
Local Survival ◽  
Mate Change ◽  
Western Sandpipers ◽  
Interspecific Comparisons ◽  
Semipalmated Sandpipers

Monogamous birds exhibit considerable interspecific variation in rates of mate fidelity between years, but the reasons for this variation are still poorly understood. In a 4-year study carried out in western Alaska, mate-fidelity rates in Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla; mate fidelity was 47% among pairs where at least one mate returned and 94% among pairs where both mates returned) were substantially higher than in Western Sandpipers (Calidris mauri; 25 and 67%, respectively), despite the similar breeding biology of these sibling species. Divorce was not a response to nesting failure in Western Sandpipers, and mate change had no effect on the reproductive performance of either species. Nor were mate-fidelity rates related to differential rates of breeding dispersal, because the species did not differ in site fidelity. Reunited pairs and males that changed mates showed strong site tenacity, while females that changed mates moved farther. Differences in local survival rates or habitat are also unlikely to explain mate fidelity, since the two species did not differ in local survival rates, ϕ (Western Sandpipers: ϕ –hat = 0.57 ± 0.05 (mean ± SE), Semipalmated Sandpipers: ϕ –hat = 0.66 ± 0.06), and they bred in the same area, sometimes using the same nest cups. Although we were able to reject the above explanations, it was not possible to determine whether mate retention was lower in Western Sandpipers than in Semipalmated Sandpipers because of interspecific differences in mating tactics, time constraints imposed by migration distance, or a combination of these factors. Western Sandpipers exhibited greater sexual size dimorphism, but also migrated for shorter distances and tended to nest earlier and more asynchronously than Semipalmated Sandpipers. Finally, we show that conventional methods underestimate divorce rates, and interspecific comparisons may be biased if breeding-dispersal and recapture rates are not considered.

scholarly journals Apparent Survival Rates of Western Sandpiper (Calidris Mauri) Wintering in Northwest Baja California, Mexico

The Auk ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 120 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillermo Fernández ◽  
Horacio de la Cueva ◽  
Nils Warnock ◽  
David B. Lank
Keyword(s):  
Hierarchical Modeling ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Average Quality ◽  
Apparent Survival ◽  
Calidris Mauri ◽  
Local Survival ◽  
Western Sandpiper ◽  
Western Sandpipers ◽  
Best Fit ◽  
Effect Of Age

AbstractTo estimate annual apparent local survival, we collected capture–resighting data on 256 individually marked male Western Sandpipers (Calidris mauri) wintering at Estero de Punta Banda, Mexico, between 1994–1997. A hierarchical modeling approach was used to address the effect of age class and year on survivorship rates. The best-fit model included a constant apparent survival probability (ϕ = 0.489; 95% CI = 0.410–0.569), but several models fit nearly as well, and averaging among the top five, to account for model uncertainty, suggested that adults had somewhat higher values than juveniles (ϕ = 0.490 ± 0.051 vs. 0.450 ± 0.067). Detection probability was substantially higher for adults than for juveniles (p = 0.741 vs. p = 0.537). Those apparent survival estimates are low compared with those from other studies of Western Sandpipers at breeding and other nonbreeding locations, and substantially lower than the true survivorship rates expected for small sandpipers in general. We interpret these results as indicating that this site is of below average quality for nonbreeding male Western Sandpipers.

scholarly journals Effects of nest success and mate fidelity on breeding dispersal in a population of Snowy Plovers Charadrius nivosus

2013 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 342-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
WENDY J. PEARSON ◽  
MARK A. COLWELL
Keyword(s):  
Dispersal Distance ◽  
Breeding Dispersal ◽  
Nest Failure ◽  
Mate Fidelity ◽  
Median Distance ◽  
Predator Management ◽  
Mate Change ◽  
Snowy Plover ◽  
Snowy Plovers ◽  
Hatching Eggs

SummaryBreeding dispersal subsequent to nest failure is hypothesised to be a behavioural response to danger posed by nest predators. We used histories and locations of male and female Snowy Plover Charadrius nivosus nests in northern California over a 10-year period to examine effects of nest fate, mate fidelity, residency, predator exclosures, and age on dispersal distance. Within years, females moved a median distance of 2.2 km after changing mates; males moved a median of 0.9 km. Between years, plovers moved the shortest distances when they retained a mate from the prior year and were successful in hatching eggs (males = 0.2 km, females = 0.3 km). Both females (13.0 km) and males (2.6 km) dispersed farther when mate change coincided with nest failure in the prior year. The observation that most plovers did not disperse far enough to move away from sites where predators are abundant and have strong effects on plover reproductive success suggests that effective predator management will be challenging.

Modelling survival and breeding dispersal to unobservable nest sites

2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giacomo Tavecchia ◽  
Ana Sanz-Aguilar ◽  
Belinda Cannell
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Site ◽  
Demographic Parameters ◽  
Breeding Dispersal ◽  
Artificial Nests ◽  
Breeding Sites ◽  
Nest Sites ◽  
Local Survival ◽  
Permanent Migration ◽  
Capture Recapture ◽  
Event Capture

Context Demographic parameters in wildlife populations are typically estimated by monitoring a limited number of individuals in observable sites and assuming that these are representative of the whole population. If individuals permanently disperse to unobservable breeding sites, recruitment and immature survival are expected to be negatively biased and breeding-site fidelity cannot be investigated. Aims To develop a method to obtain unbiased estimated of survival, recruitment and breeding dispersal when individuals can move to, or recruit in, unobservable sites. Methods We used the flexibility of multi-event capture–recapture models to estimate dispersal and recruitment to unobservable sites, merging observations made at two sites within the same breeding locations. We illustrated the model with data on little penguin (Eudyptula minor) breeding in artificial as well as in natural nests. Natural nests are unknown or inaccessible and birds in these sites remain unobservable. Encounters at beaches surrounding the colony suggested that marked animals can permanently move to unobservable nests. We built the multi-event model considering two possible states of the individuals (alive breeding in a nest box and alive in a natural nest) and three types of observations (encountered at a nest only, encountered at the beach only and encountered at both places). This model ensured that the breeding dispersal to unobservable places became estimable. Key results Results indicate that the estimated survival was 8% higher than when recaptures at artificial nests were analysed alone. Also, fidelity to artificial nests was 12% lower than to natural nests. This might reflect the greater availability of natural sites or, alternatively, a heterogeneity between these two types of nest. Conclusions We obtained an estimate of local survival of little penguins breeding at Penguin Island that incorporates the permanent migration to unobservable sites and found an asymmetric dispersion towards natural nests. Implication Our conclusions suggest a need for more careful treatment of data derived from artificial sites alone, as demographic parameters might be underestimated if animals prefer natural breeding sites or if they are in greater proportion compared with artificial ones. The analytical approach presented can be applied to many biological systems, when animals might move into inaccessible or unobservable breeding sites.

Causes and consequences of resource heterogeneity in forests: interspecific variation in light transmission by canopy trees

1994 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 337-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles D. Canham ◽  
Adrien C. Finzi ◽  
Stephen W. Pacala ◽  
Diane H. Burbank
Keyword(s):  
New England ◽  
Light Transmission ◽  
Interspecific Variation ◽  
Light Extinction ◽  
Southern New England ◽  
Interspecific Differences ◽  
Tolerant Species ◽  
Shade Tolerant Species ◽  
Successional Species ◽  
Unit Depth

We have analyzed the light transmission characteristics of the nine deciduous and coniferous species that dominate the transition oak–northern hardwood forests of southern New England. Maximum likelihood techniques were used to estimate species-specific light extinction coefficients, using fish-eye photography combined with data on the locations and geometry of trees in the neighborhood around each photo point. Quantum sensors were also used to quantify interspecific variation in the importance of sunflecks and beam enrichment. Variation in light extinction was closely correlated with shade tolerance and successional status of the species. The most shade-tolerant species (Fagusgrandifolia Ehrh. and Tsugacanadensis (L.) Carr.) cast the deepest shade (<2% of full sun), while earlier successional species such as Quercusrubra L. and Fraxinusamericana L. allowed greater light penetration (>5% full sun). These differences were more closely related to differences in crown depth than to differences in light extinction per unit depth of crown. Sunflecks contributed relatively little radiation beneath late successional species (<10% of total understory photosynthetically active radiation), but represented a major fraction (40–50%) of radiation beneath less shade-tolerant species. Using growth and mortality functions for the same species developed in a related study, our results indicate that saplings of all of the species have high survivorship in the shade cast by conspecific adults. However, only the three most shade-tolerant species have low rates of sapling mortality under the low light levels characteristic of stands dominated by late successional species. Our results are consistent with previously reported models, which propose that secondary succession is driven by interspecific differences in resource uptake and tolerance.

Patterns and correlates of interspecific variation in foliar insect herbivory and pathogen attack in Brazilian cerrado

2001 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 127-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROBERT J. MARQUIS ◽  
IVONE R. DINIZ ◽  
HELENA C. MORAIS
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Interspecific Variation ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Mature Leaf ◽  
Insect Damage ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Leaf Production ◽  
Leaf Toughness ◽  
Interspecific Differences ◽  
Pathogen Attack

Patterns of insect herbivore and leaf pathogen attack are described for 25 plant species (10 trees, 10 shrubs and five herbs) at a Brazilian savanna (cerrado) site. Plant and leaf traits were correlated with interspecific variation in attack by herbivores and pathogens in order to account for differences among plant species. Across all species, pathogen damage was 1.5 times higher than insect damage (17.3% vs. 6.8%, respectively). Most insect damage occurred to young leaves while they were expanding (end of the dry season). In contrast, pathogen attack was low on young expanding leaves at the end of the dry season, increased as those leaves matured in the wet season, but continued to increase through the next dry season. Protein-binding capacity was negatively associated with interspecific differences in insect damage to mature leaves. Protein availability and plant height were positive predictors of pathogen attack among plant species, while leaf expansion rate was a significant negative predictor. Interspecific differences in leaf phenology had little effect on the amount of damage caused by either insects or pathogens. However, new leaves produced during the wet season suffered less insect damage than leaves produced during the dry season, the time of greatest leaf production. Timing of young leaf production affected pathogen attack but the season of escape depended on plant species. In contrast, there was no evidence for escape in space as common species were less likely to suffer high pathogen attack than rare species. New and mature leaf toughness, and time for a leaf to reach full expansion all increased from herbs to shrub to trees, while mature leaf nitrogen decreased in that order.

Local survival in Semipalmated Sandpipers Calidris pusilla breeding at La Pérouse Bay, Canada

Ibis ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 139 (2) ◽  
pp. 305-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
BRETT K. SANDERCOCK ◽  
CHERI L. GRATTO-TREVOR
Keyword(s):  
Local Survival ◽  
Calidris Pusilla ◽  
Semipalmated Sandpipers

scholarly journals Plant neighborhood shapes diversity and reduces interspecific variation of the phyllosphere microbiome

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle Matthew Meyer ◽  
Robert Porch ◽  
Isabella E Muscettola ◽  
Ana Luisa S Vasconcelos ◽  
Julia K Sherman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neighborhood Effects ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Interspecific Variation ◽  
Interspecific Differences ◽  
Community Profiling ◽  
Bean Plants ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Local Plant ◽  
Inoculation Study ◽  
Over Time

Microbial communities associated with plant leaf surfaces (i.e. the phyllosphere) are increasingly recognized for their role in plant health. While accumulating evidence suggests a role for host filtering of its microbiota, far less is known about how community composition is shaped by dispersal, including from neighboring plants. We experimentally manipulated the local plant neighborhood within which tomato, pepper, or bean plants were grown in a three-month field trial. Focal plants were grown in the presence of con- or hetero-specific neighbors (or no neighbors) in a fully factorial combination. At 30-day intervals, focal plants were harvested and replaced with a new age- and species-matched cohort while allowing neighborhood plants to continue growing. 16S community profiling revealed that the strength of host filtering effects (i.e. interspecific differences in composition) decreased over time. In contrast, the strength of neighborhood effects increased over time, suggesting dispersal from neighboring plants becomes more important as neighboring plant biomass increases. We next implemented a cross-inoculation study in the greenhouse using inoculum generated from the field plants to directly test host filtering of microbiomes while controlling for directionality and source of dispersal. This experiment further demonstrated that focal host species, the host from which the microbiome came, and in one case the donor hosts' neighbors, contribute to variation in phyllosphere bacterial composition. Overall, our results suggest that local dispersal is a key factor in phyllosphere assembly, and that demographic factors such as nearby neighbor identity and biomass or age are important determinants of phyllosphere microbiome diversity.

scholarly journals Effects of root exudates of woody species on the soil anti-erodibility in the rhizosphere in a karst region, China

PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e3029 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhen Hong Wang ◽  
Hong Fang ◽  
Mouhui Chen
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Root Exudates ◽  
Woody Species ◽  
Interspecific Variation ◽  
Root Density ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Karst Region ◽  
Soil Stability ◽  
Interspecific Differences

IntroductionRhizospheres, the most active interfaces between plants and soils, play a central role in the long-term maintenance of the biosphere. The anti-erodibility of soils (AES) regulated by the root exudates is crucial to the soil stability in the rhizospheres. However, scientists still debate (1) the key organic matter of the root exudates affecting the AES and (2) the interspecific variation of these root exudates.MethodsWe used an incubation of soils to test the effects of the root exudates from eight woody plant species on the change in soil aggregation and identified the organic matter in these root exudates with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and biochemical methods. Furthermore, the relationships between the organic matter in the exudates and the AES in the rhizospheres of 34 additional tree species were analyzed.ResultsThe water-stable aggregates of the soils incubated with the root exudates increased by 15%–50% on average compared with control samples. The interspecific differences were significant. The root exudates included hundreds of specific organic matter types; hydrocarbon, total sugar, total amino acids, and phenolic compounds were crucial to the AES. These organic matter types could explain approximately 20–75% of the variation in the total effect of the root exudates on the AES, which was quantified based on the aggregate status, degree of aggregation, dispersion ratio, and dispersion coefficient.DiscussionThe effects of the root exudates on the AES and the interspecific variation are as important as that of root density, litters, and vegetation covers. Many studies explored the effects of root density, litters, vegetation covers, and vegetation types on the AES, but little attention has been paid to the effects of the root exudates on the AES. Different plants secrete different relative contents of organic matter resulting in the variation of the effect of the root exudates on the AES. Our study quantified the causal relationships between the root exudates and the AES using modeling experiments in laboratory and field observations and indicated the interspecific variation of the AES and organic matter of the root exudates.ConclusionsMore organic compounds of the exudates related to the AES were recognized in this study. These results enhance the understanding of the soil stability at a slope and can be applied to ecosystem restoration.

Reproduction and survival of rodents in crop fields: the effects of rainfall, crop stage and stone-bund density

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yonas Meheretu ◽  
Kiros Welegerima ◽  
Vincent Sluydts ◽  
Hans Bauer ◽  
Kindeya Gebrehiwot ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Survival Rates ◽  
Development Stage ◽  
Rodent Species ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Pest Species ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Proactive Management ◽  
Local Survival ◽  
Cropping Seasons ◽  
A Minor

Context Reproduction and survival are two of the most important demographic factors that play a major role in changing population abundances of pest species over time and space, solid understanding of which is a useful input to forecast future population changes for proactive management. Aims We investigated the effects of rainfall, crop-development stage and density of stone bunds on reproductive patterns, and the effects of stone-bund density and sex on survival probabilities of two widespread rodent species (Mastomys awashensis and Arvicanthis dembeensis) in Ethiopian highlands. Methods Rodent population dynamics were monitored from April 2007 to February 2011, using capture–mark–recapture (CMR) technique in four 60 × 60 m permanent square grids for four consecutive cropping seasons. Two of the grids represented fields with low stone-bund density (LSBD, ~15 m apart) and the other two represented fields with high stone-bund density (HSBD, ~10 m apart). Key results Reproduction was seasonal, commencing during the wet season following the rain and continuing through the early dry season. We found an increase in the abundance of reproductively active female individuals of both species towards the milky and fruiting crop stages and around harvest period. We found no strong difference in survival probability between the two rodent species with variation in stone-bund density and sex. Conclusion Stone bunds play a minor role in the reproduction and survival of the rodent species at the observed abundances. Implications In terms of pest management, the high local survival rates estimated for both rodent species matter more than survival differences owing to variations in stone-bund density and sex.

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