Mallards Feed Longer to Maintain Intake Rate under Competition on a Natural Food Distribution

Dijk, Jacintha G. B. van; Duijns, Sjoerd; Gyimesi, Abel; Boer, W.F. de; Nolet, Bart A.

doi:10.1111/j.1439-0310.2011.01994.x

Cited by 7 publications

(9 citation statements)

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“…Increasing the amount of time being vigilant will also increase the animals’ energetic expenditure and therefore decrease their fitness [ 53 – 55 ]. Hence, feeding time and/or peck rate should increase to compensate for the cost of these behavioural activities [ 26 , 30 , 52 , 56 ]. Indeed, we recorded the compensation behaviour for both subordinate and dominant species by increasing their peck rate.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…According to Wiens [ 28 ] the necessary conditions of interspecific competition are: (1) species must rely on the same resource and (2) joint exploitation of those resources and/or interference interactions concerning resources negatively affect either one or both species. Interference competition usually incorporates a social component, some individuals being denied access to resources by the (often aggressive) actions of others [ 30 ]. Through social interactions and aggressive encounters between competitors, the larger species may control the best patches whereas smaller species are forced to sub-optimal habitat where they experience a reduction in intake rate [ 33 , 34 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Experimental Evidence Shows the Importance of Behavioural Plasticity and Body Size under Competition in Waterfowl

et al. 2016

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When differently sized species feed on the same resources, interference competition may occur, which may negatively affect their food intake rate. It is expected that competition between species also alters behaviour and feeding patch selection. To assess these changes in behaviour and patch selection, we applied an experimental approach using captive birds of three differently sized Anatidae species: wigeon (Anas penelope) (~600 g), swan goose (Anser cygnoides) (~2700 g) and bean goose (Anser fabalis) (~3200 g). We quantified the functional response for each species and then recorded their behaviour and patch selection with and without potential competitors, using different species combinations. Our results showed that all three species acquired the highest nitrogen intake at relatively tall swards (6, 9 cm) when foraging in single species flocks in the functional response experiment. Goose species were offered foraging patches differing in sward height with and without competitors, and we tested for the effect of competition on foraging behaviour. The mean percentage of time spent feeding and being vigilant did not change under competition for all species. However, all species utilized strategies that increased their peck rate on patches across different sward heights, resulting in the same instantaneous and nitrogen intake rate. Our results suggest that variation in peck rate over different swards height permits Anatidae herbivores to compensate for the loss of intake under competition, illustrating the importance of behavioural plasticity in heterogeneous environments when competing with other species for resources.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental Evidence Shows the Importance of Behavioural Plasticity and Body Size under Competition in Waterfowl

et al. 2016

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“…During these periods, we assumed that the mallards were continuously foraging. Although some information is available on seed intake rates under lab conditions (Klaassen, Nolet & De Fouw 2006;van Dijk et al 2012), it is difficult to estimate the number of seeds actually consumed by mallards in the field (and thus how many seeds are potentially dispersed). We therefore designed the model to estimate the spatial probability distribution of seed deposition rather than the absolute numbers, and assumed a constant intake rate of 1000 seeds h À1 during foraging periods to facilitate interpretation of the results.…”

Section: T H E M O D E L : S E E D P a R T ( I N G E S T I O N A N D mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Seed intake rates by mallards have been quantified under artificial, controlled conditions (e.g. van Dijk et al 2012) and shown to be seed size-dependent (Fritz, Durant & Guillemain 2001). However, for realistic quantification of seed intake in the field, this should be studied using natural seed densities provided to the animals in a way they also encounter seeds in the field.…”

Section: F U T U R E D I R E C T I O N Smentioning

confidence: 99%

Seed dispersal distributions resulting from landscape‐dependent daily movement behaviour of a key vector species,Anas platyrhynchos

et al. 2017

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Summary1. Dispersal via animals (zoochory) is a primary mechanism for seed exchange between habitat patches. Recent studies have established that many plant species can survive waterbird gut passage. To quantify the patterns and consequences of waterbird-mediated dispersal, information on ingestion and gut passage must be combined with bird movement data. Such analysis has recently revealed seed dispersal kernels by migrating waterbirds. However, since many waterbird populations are largely resident, and migrating populations spend only a minor part of the main dispersal season (autumn-winter) on active migration, daily regional-scale movements probably cause more frequent dispersal. 2. We synthesized high-resolution empirical data on landscape-scale movements and seed gut passage times in a key disperser species, the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), using a spatially explicit, mechanistic model to quantify dispersal distributions resulting from daily autumn-winter movements. We evaluated how landscape composition and seed traits affect these dispersal patterns. 3. The model indicates that mallards generate highly clumped seed deposition patterns, dispersing seeds primarily between core areas used for foraging and resting. Approximately 34% of all dispersed seeds are transported to communal roost areas, which may function as reservoirs for mallarddispersed species, and 7% are transported between foraging areas. Landscape-dependent movement patterns strongly affect the dispersal distributions, resulting in multi-modal dispersal kernels, with dispersal distances increasing with fragmentation of freshwater foraging habitat. Seed size-related gut retention times determine the proportion of seeds being dispersed away from the ingestion area, with larger seeds (20 mm 3 ) having a 8-10% higher potential for long-distance dispersal than smaller seeds (0Á2 mm 3 ), if surviving gut passage. However, twice as many small seeds will finally accomplish long-distance dispersal due to their higher gut passage survival. 4. Synthesis. Firstly, this study reveals how seed dispersal patterns resulting from daily waterfowl movements are shaped by landscape-dependent differences in movement patterns. Secondly, seed survival appears more important than retention time in determining the scale of long-distance dispersal by non-migrating mallards. We conclude that the frequent flights of staging waterbirds result in directed dispersal over distances inversely related to wetland availability, indicating that they maintain landscape connectivity across a range from wet to increasingly dry landscapes.

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“…Interestingly, when it comes to seaducks, all such teams were from North America or involved North American researchers (e.g., common eider [ Somateria mollissima ] in Guillemette et al , Varennes et al ; common eider, lesser scaup [ Aythya affinis ], and white‐winged scoter [ Melanitta fusca ] in Richman and Lovvorn , ; Supporting Information Appendix S2). Conversely, all of the studies on intake rate assessments for freshwater diving and dabbling ducks were conducted by European teams (common pochard [ Aythya ferina ] in Gyimesi et al ; mallard in Fritz et al , van Dijk et al ; Eurasian teal in Arzel et al , Eurasian wigeon [ Anas penelope ] in Durant et al ). Similarly, European research teams (e.g., Finnish, Dutch, or French) have studied patch choice and patch decision rules in dabbling ducks (e.g., Pöysä , van Eerden and Munsterman , Guillemain et al , Klaassen et al ); a European consortium analyzed such constraints on individual duck foraging behavior in a full‐annual, flyway‐scale approach (Arzel et al , ).…”

Section: The Behavioral “Optimal Foraging” Approach Of European Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agent‐based modeling may help to merge research traditions in foraging ecology in Europe and North America

et al. 2017

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Although ducks have long been popular research subjects in both North America and Europe, geographical divergences in research orientation have developed during the past several decades for studying foraging ecology. In North America, foraging studies largely focused on the population level with an emphasis on foraging energetics aimed at improving waterfowl production through increased carrying capacity of wetlands in breeding areas, an approach later expanded to nonbreeding grounds. In Europe, studies have instead focused on inter-individual differences in behavior of foraging ducks, with an emphasis on individual efficiency (e.g., methods, intake rate, patch choice) within the framework of optimal foraging theory. We suggest that agent-based models (also termed individual-based behavior models), which aim to predict habitat use from the heterogeneous behavior of different individual agents, can help to unify these approaches and would benefit considerably from increased collaboration and integration of the approaches of both North American and European researchers. Ó 2017 The Wildlife Society.KEY WORDS agent-based models, behavior, ducks, energetics, individual-based models, optimal foraging, wetland management.

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Mallards Feed Longer to Maintain Intake Rate under Competition on a Natural Food Distribution

Abstract: 24Animals foraging in groups may benefit from a faster detection of food and predators, but competition 25 by conspecifics may reduce intake rate. Competition may also alter the foraging behaviour of

Cited by 7 publications

References 45 publications

Experimental Evidence Shows the Importance of Behavioural Plasticity and Body Size under Competition in Waterfowl

Experimental Evidence Shows the Importance of Behavioural Plasticity and Body Size under Competition in Waterfowl

Seed dispersal distributions resulting from landscape‐dependent daily movement behaviour of a key vector species,Anas platyrhynchos

Agent‐based modeling may help to merge research traditions in foraging ecology in Europe and North America

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