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Habitat saturation promotes delayed dispersal in a social reptile
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-19, 00:57 authored by Benjamin HalliwellBenjamin Halliwell, Uller, T, Chapple, DG, Gardner, MG, Erik WapstraErik Wapstra, Geoffrey WhileGeoffrey WhileWhen and where offspring disperse has important implications for the evolutionary emergence and maintenance of group living. In noncooperative breeders, direct benefits of delayed dispersal are relatively limited, suggesting that decisions regarding whether or not to remain in the parental territory are largely driven by the availability of suitable habitat in which to settle. Although there is ample evidence of correlations between habitat saturation and delayed dispersal, experimental tests are rare, particularly for species with facultative group formation. We manipulated the density of conspecifics in enclosed populations of a family living reptile to experimentally evaluate the influence of habitat saturation on the tendency to delay dispersal. Habitat saturation did not influence whether or not offspring explored their surroundings. However, when conspecific density was high, more offspring delayed dispersal and those that did settle in high-density enclosures had reduced survival. These patterns appear to be due to increased dispersal costs imposed by conspecific aggression; offspring that explored high-density enclosures had reduced body condition and a greater risk of mortality. We discuss these results in the context of the evolutionary origins of family living.
Funding
Australian Research Council
History
Publication title
Behavioral EcologyVolume
28Pagination
515-522ISSN
1045-2249Department/School
School of Natural SciencesPublisher
Oxford Univ Press IncPlace of publication
Journals Dept, 2001 Evans Rd, Cary, USA, Nc, 27513Rights statement
Copyright 2017 The AuthorRepository Status
- Restricted