Competitive abilities of oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) occupying territories of different quality

Bruinzeel, Leo W.; Pol, Martijn van de; Trierweiler, Christiane

doi:10.1007/s10336-005-0037-1

Cited by 11 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 43 publications

(45 reference statements)

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“…GPS data loggers allowed us to record even very distant foraging trips, as well as trips performed at night, neither of which could be recorded visually, given that the longest oystercatcher foraging trip was almost 6 km from the high tideline and thus out of range of tele- Although our data clearly support Ens et al's (1992) concept that leapfrog oystercatchers need to travel further to their foraging sites than residents, the concept of the birds having relatively static foraging territories on the intertidal mudflats ( Figure 1) is less certain, even though it has already been adopted in a series of follow-up studies (e.g., Hulsman, Zalucki, & Iedema, 1996;Heg et al, 2000;Bruinzeel et al, 2006; but see Kersten & Visser, 1996).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 45%

A fundamental study revisited: Quantitative evidence for territory quality in oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) usingGPSdata loggers

Schwemmer¹,

Weiel²,

Garthe³

2016

Ecology and Evolution

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A fundamental study by Ens et al. (1992, Journal of Animal Ecology, 61, 703) developed the concept of two different nest‐territory qualities in Eurasian oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus, L.), resulting in different reproductive successes. “Resident” oystercatchers use breeding territories close to the high‐tide line and occupy adjacent foraging territories on mudflats. “Leapfrog” oystercatchers breed further away from their foraging territories. In accordance with this concept, we hypothesized that both foraging trip duration and trip distance from the high‐tide line to the foraging territory would be linearly related to distance between the nest site and the high tide line. We also expected tidal stage and time of day to affect this relationship. The former study used visual observations of marked oystercatchers, which could not be permanently tracked. This concept model can now be tested using miniaturized GPS devices able to record data at high temporal and spatial resolutions. Twenty‐nine oystercatchers from two study sites were equipped with GPS devices during the incubation periods (however, not during chick rearing) over 3 years, providing data for 548 foraging trips. Trip distances from the high‐tide line were related to distance between the nest and high‐tide line. Tidal stage and time of day were included in a mixing model. Foraging trip distance, but not duration (which was likely more impacted by intake rate), increased with increasing distance between the nest and high‐tide line. There was a site‐specific effect of tidal stage on both trip parameters. Foraging trip duration, but not distance, was significantly longer during the hours of darkness. Our findings support and additionally quantify the previously developed concept. Furthermore, rather than separating breeding territory quality into two discrete classes, this classification should be extended by the linear relationship between nest‐site and foraging location. Finally, oystercatcher′s foraging territories overlapped strongly in areas of high food abundance.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 45%

A fundamental study revisited: Quantitative evidence for territory quality in oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) usingGPSdata loggers

Schwemmer¹,

Weiel²,

Garthe³

2016

Ecology and Evolution

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“…Many breeders were already banded when they were a nonbreeder, which allowed exact determination of the amount of breeding experience. In addition, we assumed that unbanded birds entering the breeding population had no previous breeding experience because many breeders in surrounding areas were also color banded and breeding dispersal is very local (van de Pol, Bruinzeel et al 2006). To verify that estimated breeding experience was an unbiased estimator of real breeding experience, we calibrated estimation rules on individuals that were ringed as juveniles.…”

Section: Pair-bond Duration Age and Breeding Experiencementioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental evidence for a causal effect of pair-bond duration on reproductive performance in oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus)

et al. 2006

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Many studies have suggested that reproductive performance improves during the pair-bond, which might explain why individuals remate with the same partner in many species. However, discussion exists about whether the association between reproductive performance and pair-bond duration that is reported in these studies reflects a causal relationship. Usually it is unclear whether a positive association is caused by pairs improving during their pair-bond or by high-quality pairs staying together for longer. Furthermore, reproductive performance often also depends on the age or breeding experience of parents, which all covary with pair-bond duration. A much needed experimental approach is lacking so far. We investigated the effect of pair-bond duration on reproductive performance in a long-lived monogamous bird species based on natural as well as experimental variation. The duration of oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) pair-bonds, which were followed for 21 years, strongly affected reproductive output, even after controlling for effects of age and breeding experience. Pairs improved during their pair-bond, and there were no indications of selective disappearance of low-quality pairs; however, pairs that stayed together for very long performed badly. Experimental removal of one partner showed that the reproductive cost of divorce depended on the pair-bond duration with the old partner. In addition, after remating, the newly formed pairs strongly improved again, independent of the age and breeding experience of the remated pair members. As such, this study provides the first experimental evidence of a causal effect of pairbond duration on reproductive performance.

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“…Floaters may also be individuals who reject all vacant breeding locations, preferentially waiting for access to a higher quality site that may increase their fitness (e.g. floaters queuing for a focal territory; Kokko & Sutherland, 1998;Pen & Weissing, 2000;Kokko, Harris & Wanless, 2004;Bruinzeel, van de Pol & Trierweiler, 2006;van de Pol et al, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Floater strategies and dynamics in birds, and their importance in conservation biology: towards an understanding of nonbreeders in avian populations

Penteriani

Ferrer

Delgado

2011

Animal Conservation

154

159

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Over the past 40 years, the study of animal populations has shifted from a relatively simple science that assumed the most crucial regulating mechanisms were the intrinsic properties of breeders, to a more complex and refined discipline that reflects a greater understanding of populations and their dynamics. Part of this shift has been the explicit recognition of the importance of a previously overlooked nonbreeding component of animal populations, the so-called floaters.Here we review and discuss the various effects that pools of floaters can have on the structure, dynamics and persistence of bird populations. Under some circumstances floaters can be both active intruders that can alter the breeding performance and behavioural traits of territory owners, as well as secretive presences reducing the extinction risk of populations. Floaters are crucial elements in conservation biology, and knowledge of their behaviour and dynamics in avian communities can be a key factor in the success of conservation strategies. Firstly, larger pools of floaters are associated with more stable breeding populations, even in cases where breeding output could be impacted through interference by floaters. Secondly, the effects of habitat loss and mortality rates are frequently ignored in areas where floaters settle, and consequently conservation measures tend to overlook these sites, potentially leading to increased risks of mortality among floaters. Thirdly, because an increase in the proportion of juveniles in the breeding component of a population may be because of increased pre-adult and/or adult mortality rates, a change in the age of breeders has the potential to function as a warning of an imminent decline in breeding populations. Most population studies have only considered the breeding components of animal populations, so it is time now to focus attention on the floater component, wherein the solution to many conservation issues may be found.

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Competitive abilities of oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) occupying territories of different quality

Cited by 11 publications

References 43 publications

A fundamental study revisited: Quantitative evidence for territory quality in oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) usingGPSdata loggers

A fundamental study revisited: Quantitative evidence for territory quality in oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) usingGPSdata loggers

Experimental evidence for a causal effect of pair-bond duration on reproductive performance in oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus)

Floater strategies and dynamics in birds, and their importance in conservation biology: towards an understanding of nonbreeders in avian populations

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