The influence of density on frequency-dependent food selection: a comparison of four experiments with wild birds.
Oecologia
; 124(3): 391-395, 2000 Aug.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-28308777
ABSTRACT
We compare the results of four experiments, conducted at different times and with different protocols, that explored the relationship between frequency-dependent selection and prey density in wild birds feeding on artificial populations of coloured baits. One (experiment 4) used pastry baits that differed only in the presence or absence of a red stripe, and this experiment provided no evidence for any kind of selective behaviour. The other three experiments used green and brown baits, and they all provided evidence for a trend towards increasing anti-apostatic selection with high densities (>100 baits m-2). However, one of these (experiment 3) provided no evidence for frequency-dependent selection at low densities (0.5-20 baits m-2), while the other two experiments concurred in suggesting a trend towards increasing apostatic selection with low densities (down to 2 baits m-2). Together, these experiments both support and qualify the published findings of experiment 1 that frequency- dependent selection by wild birds on bait populations is modified by density. Experiment 4 indicates that frequency-dependent selection may break down entirely if bait types are too similar, while experiment 3 indicates that some details of this trend with density will depend either on the protocol used or on exogenous changes in the birds' feeding behaviour.
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1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Oecologia
Ano de publicação:
2000
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Reino Unido