Interspecific competition influences fitness benefits of assortative mating for territorial aggression in eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis).

Territorial aggression influences fitness and, in monogamous pairs, the behavior of both individuals could impact reproductive success. Moreover, territorial aggression is particularly important in the context of interspecific competition. Tree swallows and eastern bluebirds are highly aggressive, s...

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Main Authors: Morgan R Harris, Lynn Siefferman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2014-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/24516672/?tool=EBI
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spelling doaj-992fc9d7221d483d836e17ef508a6f082021-03-04T09:53:36ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032014-01-0192e8866810.1371/journal.pone.0088668Interspecific competition influences fitness benefits of assortative mating for territorial aggression in eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis).Morgan R HarrisLynn SieffermanTerritorial aggression influences fitness and, in monogamous pairs, the behavior of both individuals could impact reproductive success. Moreover, territorial aggression is particularly important in the context of interspecific competition. Tree swallows and eastern bluebirds are highly aggressive, secondary cavity-nesting birds that compete for limited nesting sites. We studied eastern bluebirds at a field site in the southern Appalachian Mountains that has been recently colonized (<40 yr) by tree swallows undergoing a natural range expansion. The field site is composed of distinct areas where bluebirds compete regularly with tree swallows and areas where there is little interaction between the two species. Once birds had settled, we measured how interspecific competition affects the relationship between assortative mating (paired individuals that behave similarly) and reproductive success in eastern bluebirds. We found a strong tendency toward assortative mating throughout the field site. In areas of high interspecific competition, pairs that behaved the most similarly and displayed either extremely aggressive or extremely non-aggressive phenotypes experienced higher reproductive success. Our data suggest that interspecific competition with tree swallows may select for bluebirds that express similar behavior to that of their mate. Furthermore, animal personality may be an important factor influencing the outcome of interactions between native and aggressive, invasive species.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/24516672/?tool=EBI
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Morgan R Harris
Lynn Siefferman
spellingShingle Morgan R Harris
Lynn Siefferman
Interspecific competition influences fitness benefits of assortative mating for territorial aggression in eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis).
PLoS ONE
author_facet Morgan R Harris
Lynn Siefferman
author_sort Morgan R Harris
title Interspecific competition influences fitness benefits of assortative mating for territorial aggression in eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis).
title_short Interspecific competition influences fitness benefits of assortative mating for territorial aggression in eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis).
title_full Interspecific competition influences fitness benefits of assortative mating for territorial aggression in eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis).
title_fullStr Interspecific competition influences fitness benefits of assortative mating for territorial aggression in eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis).
title_full_unstemmed Interspecific competition influences fitness benefits of assortative mating for territorial aggression in eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis).
title_sort interspecific competition influences fitness benefits of assortative mating for territorial aggression in eastern bluebirds (sialia sialis).
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
series PLoS ONE
issn 1932-6203
publishDate 2014-01-01
description Territorial aggression influences fitness and, in monogamous pairs, the behavior of both individuals could impact reproductive success. Moreover, territorial aggression is particularly important in the context of interspecific competition. Tree swallows and eastern bluebirds are highly aggressive, secondary cavity-nesting birds that compete for limited nesting sites. We studied eastern bluebirds at a field site in the southern Appalachian Mountains that has been recently colonized (<40 yr) by tree swallows undergoing a natural range expansion. The field site is composed of distinct areas where bluebirds compete regularly with tree swallows and areas where there is little interaction between the two species. Once birds had settled, we measured how interspecific competition affects the relationship between assortative mating (paired individuals that behave similarly) and reproductive success in eastern bluebirds. We found a strong tendency toward assortative mating throughout the field site. In areas of high interspecific competition, pairs that behaved the most similarly and displayed either extremely aggressive or extremely non-aggressive phenotypes experienced higher reproductive success. Our data suggest that interspecific competition with tree swallows may select for bluebirds that express similar behavior to that of their mate. Furthermore, animal personality may be an important factor influencing the outcome of interactions between native and aggressive, invasive species.
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/24516672/?tool=EBI
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AT lynnsiefferman interspecificcompetitioninfluencesfitnessbenefitsofassortativematingforterritorialaggressionineasternbluebirdssialiasialis
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