Animal personality and pace-of-life syndromes: do fast-exploring fairy-wrens die young?

Abstract

The pace-of-life syndrome (POLS) hypothesis for animal personality proposes that variation among individuals in life-history strategies is associated with consistent differences in behavior. We tested predictions of this hypothesis in the superb fairy-wren, Malurus cyaneus, by investigating long-term individual differences in risk-related behaviors (latency to enter a novel artificial environment, exploration, activity and response to mirror image stimulation) and survival. We found consistent differences between individuals in these behaviors (adjusted repeatability of exploration of artificial novel environment = 0.37). Individual differences were consistent over several years and bi-variate analyses showed a significant among-individual correlation ("behavioral syndrome") between exploration behavior at two life stages (young adult and old adult). Docility at the nestling stage predicted exploration behavior of juveniles. Behavioral traits measured in a risky context were correlated with one another, forming a behavioral syndrome of coping strategies ranging from "proactive" to "reactive." Nestlings that were more active and exploratory in isolation were less docile during handling, while adults that entered the artificial environment fast were more exploratory, active, and aggressive in the artificial environment. Exploration behavior increased within individuals as they aged and when they were in poorer condition, consistent with expectations of more risk-prone behavior with lower residual reproductive value (RRV) (reduced "asset protection"). Risk-related behavior predicted the probability of apparent survival: more exploratory individuals were less likely to be present in the population 12 months later. Our findings suggest that, consistent with the predictions of the POLS hypothesis, individual variation in survival is associated with consistent individual differences in risk-related behavior that are maintained long-term and span developmental boundaries.

Embryonic heart rate predicts prenatal development rate, but is not related to post‐natal growth rate or activity level in the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata)

“…A clear framework linking metabolism, life-history and behaviour remains to be fully established (Biro & Stamps, 2010), and this is reflected by the inconsistent findings of studies that support (Hall et al, 2016;McCowan & Griffith, 2014) and do not support (Bell & Stamps, 2004;Petelle, McCoy, Alejandro, Martin, & Blumstein, 2013) the maintenance of consistent individual differences across developmental boundaries. A limitation of our study was our failure to measure levels of prenatal activity levels and post-natal metabolic rates.…”

“…However, many taxa have ontogenic boundaries separating life stages that differ dramatically. Despite this, the extent to which metabolic rate from a previous life stage can influence the phenotype of a later life stage (e.g., whether variation in embryonic metabolism co‐varies with variation in adult activity level) has received relatively little attention (Hall et al, ). This idea is worthy of consideration because individual variation in behaviour and developmental rates might be expected to shift between different life stages in association with the often profound changes in environments, physical constraints and life‐history priorities across ontogenic boundaries.…”

“…Despite this, the extent to which metabolic rate from a previous life stage can influence the phenotype of a later life stage (e.g., whether variation in embryonic metabolism co-varies with variation in adult activity level) has received relatively little attention (Hall et al, 2016).…”

Lifespan and age, but not residual reproductive value or condition, are related to behaviour in wild field crickets

“…In some formulations, traits such as RRV or condition might be considered to be part of a POLS; for example, “slow” individuals might have consistently higher body condition or maintain a higher RRV longer, but we did not find this. While some previous works have found relationships supporting the predictions of the POLS (Adriaenssens & Johnsson, ; Dammhahn, ; Dosmann, Brooks, & Mateo, ; Hall et al., ; Hawlena et al., ; Montiglio, Garant, Bergeron, Dubuc Messier, & Réale, ; Niemelä, Dingemanse, Alioravainen, Vainikka, & Kortet, ; Niemelä, Lattenkamp, & Dingemanse, ), such predictions are not always confirmed (David, Pinxten, Martens, & Eens, ; Kluen, Siitari, & Brommer, ; Montiglio, Garant, Pelletier, & Réale, ; Réale, Martin, Coltman, Poissant, & Festa‐Bianchet, ). One possible explanation for variation among studies is the extent to which the behaviours assayed in each system differ from the theoretical concept of “risk‐taking” or “activity” which are employed in the POLS and similar hypotheses.…”

Hissing females of great tits (Parus major) have lower breeding success than non‐hissing individuals

“…From an evolutionary perspective, reactive-proactive personality axis represents the co-adapted behavioural dimension of a wider adaptive "pace-of-life" strategy (Réale et al, 2010). Accordingly, individual differences in antipredator behaviour may co-vary with proxies for fitness such as reproductive success or survival (Hall et al, 2015;Lind & Cresswell, 2005;Smith & Blumstein, 2008). If risk-taking is tightly related to bold and exploratory behaviour, it is likely that individuals with pronounced antipredator responses maintain a fast "pace-of-life" and high productivity (David & Dall, 2016).…”