Experimental evidence of environmental effects on age–specific reproductive success: the importance of resource quality

Age-specific access to high-quality resources (e.g. territory or nest site) might be an important determinant for improved reproductive performance with increasing age. I experimentally investigated the effects of territory quality versus other age-related improvements in breeding competence (e.g. f...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences Biological sciences, 2001-11, Vol.268 (1482), p.2267-2271
Main Author: Paert, T
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age
Age structure
Apiaceae - growth & development
Apiaceae - physiology
Aviculture
Bird nesting
Breeding
Breeding Experience
Breeding sites
Ecosystem
Environment
Female animals
Foraging
Foraging Skills
Local Familiarity
Nest Predation
Oenanthe oenanthe
Predation
Reproductive Success
Yearlings
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Summary:Age-specific access to high-quality resources (e.g. territory or nest site) might be an important determinant for improved reproductive performance with increasing age. I experimentally investigated the effects of territory quality versus other age-related improvements in breeding competence (e.g. foraging skills, breeding experience and local knowledge) on age-specific reproductive success. Territory quality (i.e. territory field layer height) was manipulated in year 2 of northern wheatears (Oenanthe oenanthe) that were breeding in the same territory in two consecutive years. Changing territory quality by changing field layer height had a strong effect on within-individual change in the reproductive success of wheatears. This effect was mainly due to a corresponding change in nest predation risk. When territory quality was kept constant (i.e. no between-year change in territory field layer height), within-individual reproductive success did not change between subsequent years. Thus, age-related improvements in foraging skills, breeding experience and local familiarity had no significant effect on within-individual changes in reproductive success. Increased reproductive success with increased age in northern wheatears is therefore mainly explained by an improved access to high-quality territories with increasing age. I conclude that age-dependent access to high-quality breeding resources might be a widespread phenomenon in nature.
ISSN:0962-8452
1471-2954
DOI:10.1098/rspb.2001.1803