The behaviour-performance continuum: how does individual variation in locomotor abilities relate to behaviour?

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary biology
• Animal behavior
• Physiology

Background:

• Studying correlations between animal performance abilities and behavioral traits presents significant challenges.
• Differentiating between forced performance measures and voluntary behaviors is often complex, as they can exist on a continuum.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize existing literature on the covariation between locomotor performance and behavioral traits in animals.
• To provide a framework for understanding the relationship between what animals can do and what they choose to do.
• To guide future research on locomotor performance and its ecological relevance.

Main Methods:

• Compiled and reviewed studies reporting associations between locomotor performance and behavioral traits across various taxa.
• Focused on phenotypic correlations, with limited exploration of genetic correlations or selection responses.
• Analyzed the continuum between forced performance and voluntary behavior measures.

Main Results:

• The majority of studies report phenotypic correlations between performance and behavior.
• A continuum exists between forced performance and voluntary behavior, with motivation playing a key role.
• Few studies have explored genetic correlations or correlated responses to selection.

Conclusions:

• A multi-level approach is needed to understand the interplay of motivation, genetics, and environment in performance-behavior relationships.
• Compensation and co-specialization mechanisms may link performance and behavior.
• Future research should employ manipulative and selection studies to elucidate these relationships.