Drivers of within- and among-individual variation in risk-taking behaviour during reproduction in a long-lived bird

Drivers of within- and among-individual variation in risk-taking behaviour during reproduction in a long-lived bird

Description

Plastic and selective mechanisms govern parental investment adjustments to predation threat. We investigated the relative importance of plasticity and selection in risk-taking propensity of incubating female common eiders Somateria mollissima facing unprecedented predation in SW Finland, Baltic Sea. Using a 12-year individual-based dataset, we examined within- and among-individual variation in flight initiation distance (FID), in relation to predation risk, nest detectability, individual traits and reproductive investment (NFID = 1009; Nindividual = 559). We expected females nesting in riskier environments (higher predation risk, lower nest concealment) to mitigate environmentally-imposed risk by exhibiting longer FIDs, and females investing more in current reproduction (older, in better condition or laying large clutches) to display shorter FIDs. The target of predation - adult or offspring - affected the mechanisms adapting risk-taking propensity; females plastically increased their FID under higher adult predation risk, while risk-avoiding breeders were predominant on islands with higher nest predation risk. Risk-taking females selected thicker nest cover, consistent with personality-matching habitat choice. Females plastically attenuated their antipredator response (shorter FIDs) with advancing age, and females in better body condition were more risk-taking, a result explained by selection processes. Future research should consider predator type when investigating the fitness consequences of risk-taking strategies.
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Year of publication

2022

Authors

Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé

Frédéric Angelier - Creator

Colby-Sawyer College*

Ben Steele - Creator

DRYAD - Publisher

Nature and Game Management Trust Finland*

Kim Jaatinen - Creator

St Olofsskolan*

Elin Lönnberg - Creator

Åbo Akademi University

Markus Öst - Creator

Bertille Mohring Orcid -palvelun logo - Creator

Other information

Fields of science

Ecology, evolutionary biology

Open access

Open

License

Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

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