Sex allocation in response to local resource competition over breeding territories

• Sex allocation according to local resource competition suggests that investment and offspring sex ratio should be biased toward the dispersing sex to limit the competition among the natal philopatric sex. Conversely, when competition over resources is low, parents should allocate more resources toward the philopatric sex. In this study, this reciprocal scenario of sex allocation is tested. More specifically, the effect of breeding territory availability on primary sex ratio is studied in the collared flycatcher, a migratory passerine bird, where males are the natal philopatric sex. As predicted, primary sex ratios were biased toward males in areas where available territories were abundant (estimated from population growth). No relationship between sex ratio adjustment and adult phenotypes as well as date of first egg was found. We discuss potential explanation for the male-biased broods in areas with many vacant territories and low levels of competition. We suggest that sex ratio adjustment in relation to breeding territory quality and availability could be relatively common in birds.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

collared flycatcher

Ficedula

local resource competition

primary sex ratio

sex allocation

territory availability

Biology

Biologi

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)