Abstract:
Being aggressive and by extension, dominant, is an important mechanism for determining access to resources such as mates or territories. While predictors of contest outcome and dominance are increasingly studied, we have a poor understanding of how they vary across populations. Here, I use the widely distributed Australian agamid lizard, the Jacky dragon (Amphibolurus muricatus), to quantify variation in features predicting contest outcome among males of different populations. I measured physical attributes, maximal physiological performance capacity (sprint speed, endurance, bite force) and visual displays during staged encounters. I found that morphology, performance capacity and the type and frequency of visual displays used during agonistic interactions varied significantly across populations. Contest winners from the Cann River State Forest population favored tail-flicks and push-up/body-rocks, while those from Royal National Park were more likely to chase and individuals from Yarratt State Forest performed more bite-lunges than other populations. The losers of contests also differed in their displays. Individuals from the Cann River population were dominant over the others based on behavioral attributes (i.e., aggressive visual displays, chases and bite-lunges). I suggest that population differences in signal form and function could have implications for range dynamics as populations come into contact in an era of rapid environmental change.
摘要:
侵略性和延伸,支配,是确定获取配偶或领土等资源的重要机制。虽然对比赛结果和优势的预测因素的研究越来越多,我们对它们在不同人群中的差异了解甚少。这里,我用的是分布广泛的澳大利亚阿米拉蜥蜴,Jacky龙(Amphibolurusmuricatus),量化预测不同人群男性比赛结果的特征变化。我测量了物理属性,最大生理表现能力(冲刺速度,耐力,咬合力)和分阶段相遇期间的视觉显示。我发现形态学,在激动性相互作用中使用的表现能力以及视觉显示的类型和频率在人群中差异很大。来自CannRiverStateForest的比赛获胜者偏爱甩尾和俯卧撑/身体岩石,而来自皇家国家公园的人更有可能追逐,而来自亚拉特州立森林的人比其他人群表现出更多的冲刺。比赛的失败者在展示上也有所不同。根据行为属性,来自坎恩河人口的个体比其他人占优势(即,侵略性的视觉显示,追逐和咬伤)。我建议,在环境快速变化的时代,随着人口接触,信号形式和功能的人口差异可能会对范围动态产生影响。