Combined Food and Predator Effects on Songbird Nest Survival and Annual Reproductive Success: Results from a Bi-Factorial Experiment

• Published in: Oecologia Vol. 147; no. 4; pp. 632 - 640
• Main Authors: Zanette, Liana, Clinchy, Michael, Smith, James N. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01.04.2006; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal nesting; Animal populations; Animal reproduction; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Aves; Biological and medical sciences; Bird nesting; Birds; Breeding seasons; British Columbia; Clutch Size; Eggs; Factorial experiments; Food; Food availability; Food Chain; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Hares; Mammals; Melospiza melodia; Nesting Behavior - physiology; Population Dynamics; Population Ecology; Predation; Predators; Predatory Behavior; Reproduction; Reproduction - physiology; Reproductive success; Songbirds; Sparrows; Sparrows - physiology; Time Factors; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution; British Columbia; Melospiza melodia; Survival; Feeding; Reproduction; Vertebrata; Predator pressure; Nest predation; Song sparrows; Breeding success; Food supplementation; Supplementary feeding; Predator; Predation; Aves; Nest

Food and predators have traditionally been viewed as mutually exclusive alternatives when considering factors affecting animal populations. This has led to long controversies such as whether annual reproductive success in songbirds is primarily a function of food-restricted production or predator-in...