Resource landscapes explain contrasting patterns of aggregation and site fidelity by red knots at two wintering sites
Abstract Background Space use strategies by foraging animals are often considered to be species-specific. However, similarity between conspecific strategies may also result from similar resource environments. Here, we revisit classic predictions of the relationships between the resource distribution...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2018-12-01
|
| Series: | Movement Ecology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40462-018-0142-4 |
| _version_ | 1818036657842028544 |
|---|---|
| author | Thomas Oudman Theunis Piersma Mohamed V. Ahmedou Salem Marieke E. Feis Anne Dekinga Sander Holthuijsen Job ten Horn Jan A. van Gils Allert I. Bijleveld |
| author_facet | Thomas Oudman Theunis Piersma Mohamed V. Ahmedou Salem Marieke E. Feis Anne Dekinga Sander Holthuijsen Job ten Horn Jan A. van Gils Allert I. Bijleveld |
| author_sort | Thomas Oudman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Space use strategies by foraging animals are often considered to be species-specific. However, similarity between conspecific strategies may also result from similar resource environments. Here, we revisit classic predictions of the relationships between the resource distribution and foragers’ space use by tracking free-living foragers of a single species in two contrasting resource landscapes. At two main non-breeding areas along the East-Atlantic flyway (Wadden Sea, The Netherlands and Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania), we mapped prey distributions and derived resource landscapes in terms of the predicted intake rate of red knots (Calidris canutus), migratory molluscivore shorebirds. We tracked the foraging paths of 13 and 38 individual red knots at intervals of 1 s over two and five weeks in the Wadden Sea and at Banc d’Arguin, respectively. Mediated by competition for resources, we expected aggregation to be strong and site fidelity weak in an environment with large resource patches. The opposite was expected for small resource patches, but only if local resource abundances were high. Results Compared with Banc d’Arguin, resource patches in the Wadden Sea were larger and the maximum local resource abundance was higher. However, because of constraints set by digestive capacity, the average potential intake rates by red knots were similar at the two study sites. Space-use patterns differed as predicted from these differences in resource landscapes. Whereas foraging red knots in the Wadden Sea roamed the mudflats in high aggregation without site fidelity (i.e. grouping nomads), at Banc d’Arguin they showed less aggregation but were strongly site-faithful (i.e. solitary residents). Conclusion The space use of red knots in the two study areas showed diametrically opposite patterns. These differences could be explained from the distribution of resources in the two areas. Our findings imply that intraspecific similarities in space use patterns represent responses to similar resource environments rather than species-specificity. To predict how environmental change affects space use, we need to understand the degree to which space-use strategies result from developmental plasticity and behavioural flexibility. This requires not only tracking foragers throughout their development, but also tracking their environment in sufficient spatial and temporal detail. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T07:14:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4cc316ef259b46a9bf36839f458c8033 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2051-3933 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T07:14:26Z |
| publishDate | 2018-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Movement Ecology |
| spelling | doaj.art-4cc316ef259b46a9bf36839f458c80332022-12-22T01:57:58ZengBMCMovement Ecology2051-39332018-12-016111210.1186/s40462-018-0142-4Resource landscapes explain contrasting patterns of aggregation and site fidelity by red knots at two wintering sitesThomas Oudman0Theunis Piersma1Mohamed V. Ahmedou Salem2Marieke E. Feis3Anne Dekinga4Sander Holthuijsen5Job ten Horn6Jan A. van Gils7Allert I. Bijleveld8NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems, and Utrecht UniversityNIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems, and Utrecht UniversityEBIOME Ecobiologie Marine et Environnement, Département de Biologie, Université de Nouakchott Al-AasriyaNIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems, and Utrecht UniversityNIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems, and Utrecht UniversityNIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems, and Utrecht UniversityNIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems, and Utrecht UniversityNIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems, and Utrecht UniversityNIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems, and Utrecht UniversityAbstract Background Space use strategies by foraging animals are often considered to be species-specific. However, similarity between conspecific strategies may also result from similar resource environments. Here, we revisit classic predictions of the relationships between the resource distribution and foragers’ space use by tracking free-living foragers of a single species in two contrasting resource landscapes. At two main non-breeding areas along the East-Atlantic flyway (Wadden Sea, The Netherlands and Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania), we mapped prey distributions and derived resource landscapes in terms of the predicted intake rate of red knots (Calidris canutus), migratory molluscivore shorebirds. We tracked the foraging paths of 13 and 38 individual red knots at intervals of 1 s over two and five weeks in the Wadden Sea and at Banc d’Arguin, respectively. Mediated by competition for resources, we expected aggregation to be strong and site fidelity weak in an environment with large resource patches. The opposite was expected for small resource patches, but only if local resource abundances were high. Results Compared with Banc d’Arguin, resource patches in the Wadden Sea were larger and the maximum local resource abundance was higher. However, because of constraints set by digestive capacity, the average potential intake rates by red knots were similar at the two study sites. Space-use patterns differed as predicted from these differences in resource landscapes. Whereas foraging red knots in the Wadden Sea roamed the mudflats in high aggregation without site fidelity (i.e. grouping nomads), at Banc d’Arguin they showed less aggregation but were strongly site-faithful (i.e. solitary residents). Conclusion The space use of red knots in the two study areas showed diametrically opposite patterns. These differences could be explained from the distribution of resources in the two areas. Our findings imply that intraspecific similarities in space use patterns represent responses to similar resource environments rather than species-specificity. To predict how environmental change affects space use, we need to understand the degree to which space-use strategies result from developmental plasticity and behavioural flexibility. This requires not only tracking foragers throughout their development, but also tracking their environment in sufficient spatial and temporal detail.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40462-018-0142-4AggregationForagingHeterogeneityIntertidalMovementPredator-prey interactions |
| spellingShingle | Thomas Oudman Theunis Piersma Mohamed V. Ahmedou Salem Marieke E. Feis Anne Dekinga Sander Holthuijsen Job ten Horn Jan A. van Gils Allert I. Bijleveld Resource landscapes explain contrasting patterns of aggregation and site fidelity by red knots at two wintering sites Movement Ecology Aggregation Foraging Heterogeneity Intertidal Movement Predator-prey interactions |
| title | Resource landscapes explain contrasting patterns of aggregation and site fidelity by red knots at two wintering sites |
| title_full | Resource landscapes explain contrasting patterns of aggregation and site fidelity by red knots at two wintering sites |
| title_fullStr | Resource landscapes explain contrasting patterns of aggregation and site fidelity by red knots at two wintering sites |
| title_full_unstemmed | Resource landscapes explain contrasting patterns of aggregation and site fidelity by red knots at two wintering sites |
| title_short | Resource landscapes explain contrasting patterns of aggregation and site fidelity by red knots at two wintering sites |
| title_sort | resource landscapes explain contrasting patterns of aggregation and site fidelity by red knots at two wintering sites |
| topic | Aggregation Foraging Heterogeneity Intertidal Movement Predator-prey interactions |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40462-018-0142-4 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT thomasoudman resourcelandscapesexplaincontrastingpatternsofaggregationandsitefidelitybyredknotsattwowinteringsites AT theunispiersma resourcelandscapesexplaincontrastingpatternsofaggregationandsitefidelitybyredknotsattwowinteringsites AT mohamedvahmedousalem resourcelandscapesexplaincontrastingpatternsofaggregationandsitefidelitybyredknotsattwowinteringsites AT mariekeefeis resourcelandscapesexplaincontrastingpatternsofaggregationandsitefidelitybyredknotsattwowinteringsites AT annedekinga resourcelandscapesexplaincontrastingpatternsofaggregationandsitefidelitybyredknotsattwowinteringsites AT sanderholthuijsen resourcelandscapesexplaincontrastingpatternsofaggregationandsitefidelitybyredknotsattwowinteringsites AT jobtenhorn resourcelandscapesexplaincontrastingpatternsofaggregationandsitefidelitybyredknotsattwowinteringsites AT janavangils resourcelandscapesexplaincontrastingpatternsofaggregationandsitefidelitybyredknotsattwowinteringsites AT allertibijleveld resourcelandscapesexplaincontrastingpatternsofaggregationandsitefidelitybyredknotsattwowinteringsites |