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Condition-dependent nesting in bluegill sunfish Lepomis macrochirus

  1. LUCA M. CARGNELLI,
  2. BRYAN D. NEFF

Article first published online: 29 MAR 2006

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2006.01083.x

Issue

Journal of Animal Ecology

Journal of Animal Ecology

Volume 75, Issue 3, pages 627–633, May 2006

Additional Information

How to Cite

CARGNELLI, L. M. and NEFF, B. D. (2006), Condition-dependent nesting in bluegill sunfish Lepomis macrochirus. Journal of Animal Ecology, 75: 627–633. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2006.01083.x

Author Information

  1. Restoration Programs Division, Environment Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada; and Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada

* Bryan D. Neff, Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada. E-mail: bneff@uwo.ca

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 29 MAR 2006
  2. Article first published online: 29 MAR 2006
  3. Received 25 August 2005; accepted 4 January 2006

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Keywords:

  • behaviour;
  • Centrarchidae;
  • nesting strategies;
  • reproductive success;
  • sunfish

Summary

  • 1
    There are two prominent, nonmutually exclusive hypotheses to explain the timing of reproduction in animals: energetic constraint and adaptive behaviour.
  • 2
    We tested these hypotheses by quantifying the costs and benefits of nesting at different times in the season for male bluegill sunfish Lepomis macrochirus, a species with paternal care, in Lake Opinicon (Ontario, Canada).
  • 3
    The value of nesting at different times during the breeding season (RSb) was determined from spawning individuals as RSb = Pb × Cb × Sb × Ob, where Pb is the probability of spawning during each bout b, Cb is the expected brood size, Sb is the expected brood survivorship to ‘swim-up’, and Ob is the survivorship of free-swimming fry to age 1 year.
  • 4
    The results show that the value of nesting peaks during the middle of the season. However, nesting patterns varied with male condition and not all males nested at the peak.
  • 5
    Larger males, which were able to nest multiple times, first nested early in the season when overwinter survivorship of offspring and renesting opportunities later in the season were maximized. These males had the highest seasonal reproductive success.
  • 6
    Smaller males, which nested a single time, delayed nesting until the middle of the season when spawning opportunities and brood sizes were greatest.
  • 7
    These data suggest that both energetics and adaptive behaviour play roles in determining the timing of reproduction.
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