Pace-of-life syndrome in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus): integrating life-history strategies and behaviour across climatic conditions.

Paturle, Anais (2021) Pace-of-life syndrome in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus): integrating life-history strategies and behaviour across climatic conditions. Master's Thesis / Essay, Ecology and Evolution.

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Abstract

In virtually every animal population, individuals vary through a wide range of personality traits and life-history strategies. According to the pace-of-life (POL) hypothesis, behavioural and life-history traits should covary following a continuous gradient with at the most extremes a slow and fast POL. Evidence on such a syndrome is however currently insufficient. In this study, I assess the validity of the POL syndrome hypothesis in a migratory three-spined stickleback population. I also evaluate the influence of ecological conditions on the POL syndrome. I focus on the following characteristics: life-history strategies: (1) migration timing, (2) fish size or condition; behavioural traits: (3) boldness, (4) dispersal and (5) exploratory behaviour. Although life-history traits were correlated as expected, I did not find that life-history strategies and behavioural traits covaried in line with the POL syndrome hypothesis. I also found that the trait covariation varied significantly throughout the years, which could only partly be explained by differences in water temperatures. I conclude that if the POL syndrome does occur, its structure is likely to be much more complex than previously assumed and studies on the relationship between life-histories, physiologies and behaviours over various gradients of ecological conditions will therefore be needed in order to fully evaluate the validity of the POL hypothesis in natural populations.

Item Type:	Thesis (Master's Thesis / Essay)
Supervisor name:	Nicolaus, M.
Degree programme:	Ecology and Evolution
Thesis type:	Master's Thesis / Essay
Language:	English
Date Deposited:	16 Nov 2021 12:29
Last Modified:	16 Nov 2021 12:29
URI:	https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/26287

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