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Social personalities influence natal dispersal in a lizard
1Laboratoire Fonctionnement et Evolution des Systèmes Ecologiques, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 7, quai Saint-Bernard, Bâtiment A, 7ème étage, case 237, 75005 Paris, France. jcote@snv.jussieu.fr
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|December 14, 2006
Summary
Animal personality traits, like social tolerance, influence dispersal decisions in common lizards. Individuals from high-density populations showed more asocial behavior, while those from low-density populations were more social, impacting their movement and settlement.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Ethology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Animal personalities, or consistent individual differences, are widespread and impact ecological and evolutionary processes.
- Dispersal, a key life-history trait, is often linked to personality, with environmental factors potentially shaping disperser characteristics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between social personality and dispersal decisions in the common lizard (Lacerta vivipara).
- To test the hypothesis that population density influences the social personality of dispersers.
Main Methods:
- Social tolerance was measured in juvenile common lizards by assessing their attraction to conspecific odors at birth.
- Juveniles were released into populations of varying densities, and their dispersal and settlement behaviors were monitored.
- Social tolerance was re-assessed in surviving individuals after one year.
Main Results:
- Social tolerance in common lizards is a consistent trait over time.
- Social tolerance strongly correlated with dispersal and settlement patterns in relation to population density.
- Dispersers from high-density populations were predominantly asocial, whereas those from low-density populations were more social.
Conclusions:
- Social personality significantly influences dispersal decisions in common lizards.
- Population density acts as a selective pressure shaping the social personality of dispersers.
- These findings highlight the existence and ecological importance of social personalities in driving animal behavior.
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