Individuals in space: personality-dependent space use, movement and microhabitat use facilitate individual spatial niche specialization

Abstract

Personality-dependent space use and movement might be crucially influencing ecological interactions, giving way to individual niche specialization. This new approach challenges classical niche theory with potentially great ecological consequences, but so far has only scarce empirical support. Here, we investigated if and how consistent inter-individual differences in behavior predict space use and movement patterns in free-ranging bank voles (Myodes glareolus) and thereby contribute to individual niche specialization. Individuals were captured and marked from three different subpopulations in North-East Germany. Inter-individual differences in boldness and exploration were quantified via repeated standardized tests directly in the field after capture. Subsequently, space use and movement patterns of a representative sample of the behavioral variation (n = 21 individuals) were monitored via automated VHF telemetry for a period of four days, yielding on average 384 locations per individual. Bolder individuals occupied larger home ranges and core areas (estimated via kernel density analyses), moved longer distances, spatially overlapped with fewer conspecifics and preferred different microhabitats based on vegetation cover compared to shyer individuals. We found evidence for personality-dependent space use, movement, and occupation of individual spatial niches in bank voles. Thus, besides dietary niche specialization also spatial dimensions of ecological niches vary among individuals within populations, which may have important consequences for ecological interactions within- and between species.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s00442-019-04365-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Estimating interactions between individuals from concurrent animal movements

“…Immature individuals (defined as body mass < 9 g), as well as lactating females were immediately released on site. Adult males and non‐lactating females were transferred to a captive colony and kept under standard conditions (Schirmer, Herde, Eccard, & Dammhahn, ).…”

Gut microbiome modulates behaviour and life history in two wild rodents

“…While it is counterintuitive that antibiotic-treated mice increased their exploration behaviour but reduced their home range, the relationship between behaviours measured in an open field and large-scale movements can be species- and context-specific. Open field exploration does not predict home range size in bank voles and starlings (Minderman et al, 2010; Schirmer et al, 2019) but it seems to in red squirrels and chipmunks (Boon et al, 2019; Montiglio et al, 2012). If the treatment is countering gavage-induced anxiety and potentially, social withdrawal, then treated mice may be less likely to withdraw if chased from a territory/resource by conspecifics and may also be more likely to visit an already occupied resource.…”

Give chance a chance: from coexistence to coviability in biodiversity theory

“…On a cautionary note, it is not a priori clear if factors such as animal personality or intraspecific trait variation average out at higher organizational levels or indeed have an effect at the community level. Few empirical studies so far address this topic but several recent results indicate that individual variability can affect spatial niches, temporary coviability, or even long-term coexistence (Pruitt and Modlmeier 2015, Canestrelli et al 2016, Pruitt et al 2016, Cote et al 2017, Schirmer et al 2019. In either case, we argue that the approach of CVA will enable the exploration of conditions under which these factors impact species interactions and to which degree this scales up to influence coviability or even coexistence.…”

“…, Schirmer et al. ). In either case, we argue that the approach of CVA will enable the exploration of conditions under which these factors impact species interactions and to which degree this scales up to influence coviability or even coexistence.…”