Habitat effects on behavior in a wide-spread territorial song bird, Melospiza melodia
by Scales, Jennifer M., M.S., COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON, 2009, 74 pages; 1467727

Abstract:

In territorial systems where quality varies across an area the behavior of individuals is likely to be affected. Territorial aggression is likely linked to territory quality while behaviors like boldness may be linked to novel experiences or disturbance. The goal of this study is twofold: First, to determine whether individual male’s aggression and boldness responses correlate to territory quality (established by historical, 2000-2007, fledging success and clutch sizes) in a natural setting; Second, assess whether territorial individuals in areas disturbed by humans show a difference in behaviors when compared to their more naturally located counterparts. For both questions song playback was used to assay male territorial aggression and flight-initiation-distance was used to assay male boldness. It was found that male song sparrow aggression correlated with historical clutch size but not historical nest success; neither historical clutch size nor nest success correlated with boldness. Results suggest that either more aggressive males are better able to obtain and defend higher quality territories or that males modulate their aggressive behavior according to territory quality. For the second question, a comparison was conducted between aggression and boldness responses in the natural population and males found in the nearby towns of Linesville and Conneaut Lake, PA. Males on human disturbed territories are significantly more aggressive and bolder than males found in natural settings, suggesting more aggressive and/or bolder males are better able to cope with human related stresses or that human disturbance causes a change in male behaviors. Alternatively, given that aggression is correlated with territory quality it may be that human disturbed territories are of a higher quality than the natural territories.

 
AdviserMelissa Hughes
SchoolCOLLEGE OF CHARLESTON
SourceMAI/ 47-06, p. , Sep 2009
Source TypeThesis
SubjectsEcology; Environmental science
Publication Number1467727
Adobe PDF Access the complete dissertation:
 

» This is an open access dissertation.
  Use the link below to access the full text PDF of this graduate work:
  http://gradworks.umi.com/1467727.pdf
  Use the link below to search and retrieve all open access dissertations:
  http://pqdtopen.proquest.com

About ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
With over 2.3 million records, the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (PQDT) database is the most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses in the world. It is the database of record for graduate research.

The database includes citations of graduate works ranging from the first U.S. dissertation, accepted in 1861, to those accepted as recently as last semester. Of the 2.3 million graduate works included in the database, ProQuest offers more than 1.9 million in full text formats. Of those, over 860,000 are available in PDF format. More than 60,000 dissertations and theses are added to the database each year.

If you have questions, please feel free to visit the ProQuest Web site - http://www.proquest.com - or call ProQuest Hotline Customer Support at 1-800-521-3042.