Experimental Evidence Shows the Importance of Behavioural Plasticity and Body Size under Competition in Waterfowl.
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 selecti...
Published in: | PLOS ONE |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2016
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0164606 https://doaj.org/article/85a6033043194e3789fecb2818d752b5 |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:85a6033043194e3789fecb2818d752b5 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:85a6033043194e3789fecb2818d752b5 2023-05-15T13:30:10+02:00 Experimental Evidence Shows the Importance of Behavioural Plasticity and Body Size under Competition in Waterfowl. Yong Zhang Herbert H T Prins Martijn Versluijs Rick Wessels Lei Cao Willem Frederik de Boer 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0164606 https://doaj.org/article/85a6033043194e3789fecb2818d752b5 EN eng Public Library of Science (PLoS) http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5058547?pdf=render https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203 1932-6203 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0164606 https://doaj.org/article/85a6033043194e3789fecb2818d752b5 PLoS ONE, Vol 11, Iss 10, p e0164606 (2016) Medicine R Science Q article 2016 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0164606 2022-12-31T12:18:24Z 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. Article in Journal/Newspaper Anser fabalis Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles PLOS ONE 11 10 e0164606 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Medicine R Science Q |
spellingShingle |
Medicine R Science Q Yong Zhang Herbert H T Prins Martijn Versluijs Rick Wessels Lei Cao Willem Frederik de Boer Experimental Evidence Shows the Importance of Behavioural Plasticity and Body Size under Competition in Waterfowl. |
topic_facet |
Medicine R Science Q |
description |
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. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Yong Zhang Herbert H T Prins Martijn Versluijs Rick Wessels Lei Cao Willem Frederik de Boer |
author_facet |
Yong Zhang Herbert H T Prins Martijn Versluijs Rick Wessels Lei Cao Willem Frederik de Boer |
author_sort |
Yong Zhang |
title |
Experimental Evidence Shows the Importance of Behavioural Plasticity and Body Size under Competition in Waterfowl. |
title_short |
Experimental Evidence Shows the Importance of Behavioural Plasticity and Body Size under Competition in Waterfowl. |
title_full |
Experimental Evidence Shows the Importance of Behavioural Plasticity and Body Size under Competition in Waterfowl. |
title_fullStr |
Experimental Evidence Shows the Importance of Behavioural Plasticity and Body Size under Competition in Waterfowl. |
title_full_unstemmed |
Experimental Evidence Shows the Importance of Behavioural Plasticity and Body Size under Competition in Waterfowl. |
title_sort |
experimental evidence shows the importance of behavioural plasticity and body size under competition in waterfowl. |
publisher |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0164606 https://doaj.org/article/85a6033043194e3789fecb2818d752b5 |
genre |
Anser fabalis |
genre_facet |
Anser fabalis |
op_source |
PLoS ONE, Vol 11, Iss 10, p e0164606 (2016) |
op_relation |
http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5058547?pdf=render https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203 1932-6203 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0164606 https://doaj.org/article/85a6033043194e3789fecb2818d752b5 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0164606 |
container_title |
PLOS ONE |
container_volume |
11 |
container_issue |
10 |
container_start_page |
e0164606 |
_version_ |
1766005846742925312 |