A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Natural selection on individual clutch size-laying date trends in the Ural owl
Authors: Brommer JE, Pietiainen H, Kolunen H
Publisher: EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY LTD
Publication year: 2003
Journal:: Evolutionary Ecology Research
Journal name in source: EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY RESEARCH
Journal acronym: EVOL ECOL RES
Volume: 5
Issue: 2
First page : 229
Last page: 237
Number of pages: 9
ISSN: 1522-0613
Abstract
Clutch size declines with advancing laying date in many birds. This relationship is thought to represent a reaction norm of individual optimization in response to local environmental conditions. This implies that: (1) individuals should vary in the properties of their clutch size-laying date trends; (2) these differences should be reflected in their fitness; and (3) parts of this variation should be heritable. Here, we show that 44 Ural owl females of known lifespan, with a statistically sufficient number (greater than or equal to5) of clutch size-laying date observations each, differed individually both in the slope and the elevation of their clutch size-laying date relationships. As an estimate of individual fitness, we used the lifetime production of fledglings, which is a known correlate of recruitment in this population. Females with a higher elevation had a higher lifetime reproductive success. However, plasticity - that is, the slope of the clutch size-laying date relationship - did not have apparent advantages in terms of a female's fitness.
Clutch size declines with advancing laying date in many birds. This relationship is thought to represent a reaction norm of individual optimization in response to local environmental conditions. This implies that: (1) individuals should vary in the properties of their clutch size-laying date trends; (2) these differences should be reflected in their fitness; and (3) parts of this variation should be heritable. Here, we show that 44 Ural owl females of known lifespan, with a statistically sufficient number (greater than or equal to5) of clutch size-laying date observations each, differed individually both in the slope and the elevation of their clutch size-laying date relationships. As an estimate of individual fitness, we used the lifetime production of fledglings, which is a known correlate of recruitment in this population. Females with a higher elevation had a higher lifetime reproductive success. However, plasticity - that is, the slope of the clutch size-laying date relationship - did not have apparent advantages in terms of a female's fitness.
UTU Research Portal