A5044820217- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Plant and animal studies
- Ecology and biodiversity studies
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Reproductive Physiology in Livestock
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Antimicrobial Peptides and Activities
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
- Human-Animal Interaction Studies
- Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
Swiss Ornithological Institute
2021-2023
University of Zurich
2012-2023
Kalahari Meerkat Project
2018-2023
Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research
2021
Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research
2012
Species in extreme habitats increasingly face changes seasonal climate, but the demographic mechanisms through which these affect population persistence remain unknown. We investigated how rainfall and temperature influence vital rates viability of an arid environment specialist, Kalahari meerkat, effects on body mass. show that climate change-induced reduction adult mass prebreeding season would decrease fecundity during breeding increase extinction risk, particularly at low densities. In...
Abstract Dispersal is a key ecological process that influences the dynamics of spatially and socially structured populations consists three stages—emigration, transience, settlement—and each stage influenced by different social, individual, environmental factors. Despite our appreciation complexity process, we lack firm empirical understanding mechanisms underlying stages. Here, using data from 65 GPS ‐collared dispersing female coalitions cooperatively breeding meerkat ( Suricata suricatta...
Dispersal is a key process governing the dynamics of socially and spatially structured populations involves three distinct stages: emigration, transience settlement. At each stage, individuals have to make movement decisions, which are influenced by social, environmental individual factors. Yet, comprehensive understanding drivers that influence such decisions still lacking, particularly for transient stage during free-living inherently difficult follow. Social circumstances as likelihood...
Dispersal is a key process influencing the dynamics of socially and spatially structured populations. success determined by state individuals at emigration costs incurred after emigration. However, quantification such often difficult, due to logistical constraints following wide-ranging individuals. We investigated effects dispersal on individual body mass stress hormone levels in cooperative breeder, meerkat ( Suricata suricatta). measured faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM)...
Mast seeding is the episodic, massive production of plant seeds synchronized over large areas. The resulting superabundance represents a resource pulse that can profoundly affect animal populations across trophic levels. Following years high seed production, abundance both consumers and their predators increase. Higher predator leads to increased predation pressure web, impacting nonseed such as wood warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix through nest after tree mast years. Over past 30 years,...
AbstractIn most socially structured populations, the formation of new groups depends on survival and reproduction dispersing individuals. Quantifying vital rates in dispersers, however, is difficult because logistic challenges following wide-ranging animals. Here, using data from free-ranging meerkats (Suricata suricatta), we estimate females compare these estimates to for established residents. Meerkat consist a dominant pair several subordinate helpers. Female helpers are evicted their...
Differences in population trends across a species' breeding range are ultimately linked to variation demographic rates. In small songbirds, rates related fecundity typically have strong effects on trends. Populations of forest songbird, the wood warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix , been declining many but not all regions European range. We investigated if clutch size, hatching rate, nest survival and number fledglings vary Europe, is differences regionally dominant predator class (birds versus...
Abstract Nest predation is the primary cause of nest failure in most ground‐nesting bird species. Investigations relationships between rate and habitat usually pool different predator However, such likely depend on specific involved, partly because requirements vary among Pooling may therefore impair our ability to identify conservation‐relevant habitat. We investigated predator‐specific rates forest‐dependent, wood warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix relation forest area edge complexity at two...
The ability of dispersing individuals to adjust their behaviour changing conditions is instrumental in overcoming challenges and reducing dispersal costs, consequently increasing overall success. Understanding how dispersers' physiology change during the process, they differ from resident individuals, can shed light on mechanisms by which dispersers increase survival maximise reproduction. By analysing individual concentrations faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCM), a stress-associated...
Abstract Many animal species use scent marks such as feces, urine, and glandular secretions to find mates, advertise their reproductive status, defend an exclusive territory. Scent marking may be particularly important during dispersal, when individuals emigrate from natal territory searching for mates a new settle reproduce. In this study, we investigated the scent-marking behavior of 30 dispersing female meerkats (Suricata suricatta) three consecutive stages dispersal—emigration,...
In the majority of mammals, gestation length is relatively consistent and seldom varies by more than 3%. a few species, females can adjust delaying development embryo after implantation. Delays in embryonic allow to defer rising energetic costs when conditions are unfavourable, reducing risk loss. Dispersal mammals that breed cooperatively period food intake likely be suppressed stress levels high. Here, we show pregnant dispersing meerkats ( Suricata suricatta ), which have been...
Photo 1. Mixed deciduous forests are prime examples of resource-pulse driven ecosystems.This study area in Hessen, Germany, shows the typical feature wood warbler breeding habitat: open stem space below relatively closed canopy, sparse vegetation cover on ground, little understory.
Parents face a trade-off when allocating limited resources to reproduction and self-maintenance, this can result in differential investment individual offspring rearing multiple simultaneously. In birds with biparental care, it is not well understood how each parent allocates its different chicks of the same brood. Theory suggests that parental depends on quality brood size, but empirical quantification parent–offspring interactions during postfledging stage often difficult. We worked...