Daily Nest Predation Rates Decrease with Body Size in Passerine Birds.

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  • Author(s): Unzeta M; Martin TE; Sol D
  • Source:
    The American naturalist [Am Nat] 2020 Dec; Vol. 196 (6), pp. 743-754. Date of Electronic Publication: 2020 Oct 28.
  • Publication Type:
    Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Language:
    English
  • Additional Information
    • Source:
      Publisher: University of Chicago Press Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 2984688R Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1537-5323 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00030147 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Am Nat Subsets: MEDLINE
    • Publication Information:
      Publication: Chicago, IL : University of Chicago Press
      Original Publication: Salem, Mass. : Essex Institute
    • Subject Terms:
      Body Size* ; Predatory Behavior*; Passeriformes/*anatomy & histology; Animals ; Nesting Behavior
    • Abstract:
      AbstractBody size evolution is generally framed by the benefits of being large, while costs are largely overlooked. An important putative cost of being large is the need to extend development periods, which should increase exposure to predation and potentially select against larger size. In birds, this selection pressure can be important because predation is the main source of offspring mortality and predators should more readily detect the larger nests associated with larger body sizes. Here, we show for diverse passerine birds across the world that counter to expectations, larger species suffer lower daily nest predation rates than smaller species. This pattern is consistent despite latitudinal variation in predation and does not seem to reflect a tendency of larger species to use more protected nests or less exposed nest locations. Evidence instead suggests that larger species attack a wider array of predator sizes, which could reduce predation rates in nests of large-bodied species. Regardless of the mechanism, the lower daily nest predation rates of larger species yield slightly lower predation rates over the entire development period compared with smaller species. These results highlight the importance of behavior as a mechanism to alter selection pressures and have implications for body size evolution.
    • Contributed Indexing:
      Keywords: antipredator behavior; body size evolution; life history; nest predation; passerines
    • Publication Date:
      Date Created: 20201119 Date Completed: 20210111 Latest Revision: 20210111
    • Publication Date:
      20240829
    • Accession Number:
      10.1086/711413
    • Accession Number:
      33211569