10.5061/DRYAD.9KD51C5JJ
Passarotto, Arianna
0000-0002-6661-8714
Novia University of Applied Sciences
Passarotto, Arianna
University of Seville
Morosinotto, Chiara
Novia University of Applied Sciences
Brommer, Jon
University of Turku
Aaltonen, Esa
Independent researcher
Ahola, Kari
Independent researcher
Karstinen, Teuvo
Independent researcher
Karell, Patrik
Novia University of Applied Sciences
Cold winters have morph-specific effects on natal dispersal distance in a
wild raptor
Dryad
dataset
2021
Climate change
distribution pattern
genotype by environment
movement ecology
Melanism
Population dynamics
2022-01-09T00:00:00Z
2022-01-09T00:00:00Z
en
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5761920
34173 bytes
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CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Dispersal is a key process with crucial implications in spatial
distribution, density and genetic structure of species’ populations.
Dispersal strategies can vary according to both individual and
environmental features, but putative phenotype-by-environment interactions
have rarely been accounted for. Melanin-based color polymorphism is a
phenotypic trait associated with specific behavioral and physiological
profiles and is therefore a good candidate trait to study dispersal
tactics in different environments. Here, using a 40 years dataset of a
population of color polymorphic tawny owls (Strix aluco), we investigated
natal dispersal distance of recruiting gray and pheomelanic reddish-brown
(hereafter brown) color morphs in relation to post-fledging winter
temperature and individual characteristics. Since morphs are differently
sensitive to cold winters, we predicted that morphs’ natal dispersal
distances vary according to winter conditions. Winter temperature did not
affect the proportion of brown (or gray) among recruits. We found that
dispersal distances correlate with winter temperature in an opposite
manner in the two morphs. While the gray morph undertakes larger movements
in harsher conditions, likely because it copes better with winter
severity, the brown morph disperses shorter distances when winters are
harsher. We discuss this morph-specific natal dispersal pattern in a
context of competition for territories between morphs and in terms of
costs and benefits of these alternative strategies. Our results stress the
importance of considering the interaction between phenotype and
environment to fully disentangle dispersal movement patterns and provide
further evidence that climate affects behavior and local distribution of
this species.