Migration confers winter survival benefits in a partially migratory songbird.
Elife
; 62017 11 21.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-29157357
ABSTRACT
To evolve and to be maintained, seasonal migration, despite its risks, has to yield fitness benefits compared with year-round residency. Empirical data supporting this prediction have remained elusive in the bird literature. To test fitness related benefits of migration, we studied a partial migratory population of European blackbirds (Turdus merula) over 7 years. Using a combination of capture-mark-recapture and radio telemetry, we compared survival probabilities between migrants and residents estimated by multi-event survival models, showing that migrant blackbirds had 16% higher probability to survive the winter compared to residents. A subsequent modelling exercise revealed that residents should have 61.25% higher breeding success than migrants, to outweigh the survival costs of residency. Our results support theoretical models that migration should confer survival benefits to evolve, and thus provide empirical evidence to understand the evolution and maintenance of migration.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Pájaros Cantores
/
Migración Animal
Tipo de estudio:
Prognostic_studies
Límite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Elife
Año:
2017
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Alemania