Published April 14, 2015 | Version v1
Dataset Open

Data from: An experimental test of density-dependent selection on temperament traits of activity, boldness and sociability

  • 1. Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences Paris
  • 2. University of Cape Town
  • 3. University of Leeds
  • 4. French National Centre for Scientific Research

Description

Temperament traits are seen in many animal species, and recent evolutionary models predict that they could be maintained by heterogeneous selection. We tested this prediction by examining density-dependent selection in juvenile common lizards Zootoca viviparascored for activity, boldness and sociability at birth and at the age of 1 year. We measured three key life-history traits (juvenile survival, body growth rate and reproduction) and quantified selection in experimental populations at five density levels ranging from low to high values. We observed consistent individual differences for all behaviours on the short term, but only for activity and one boldness measure across the first year of life. At low density, growth selection favoured more sociable lizards, whereas viability selection favoured less active individuals. A significant negative correlational selection on activity and boldness existed for body growth rate irrespective of density. Thus, behavioural traits were characterized by limited ontogenic consistency, and natural selection was heterogeneous between density treatments and fitness traits. This confirms that density-dependent selection plays an important role in the maintenance of individual differences in exploration-activity and sociability.

Notes

Files

ActivityNewborns.csv

Files (152.4 kB)

Name Size Download all
md5:ac13b1d53aa9e11195be74300c7683d4
42.1 kB Preview Download
md5:e2384ca7aa9261cae69826ba67dac663
33.4 kB Preview Download
md5:0f783f4376d620123d3b6304ccc1b3c7
30.5 kB Preview Download
md5:828263b0372507fbd4cb2884ad51f35e
7.7 kB Preview Download
md5:5fd3be55d99966b8d4e7c507566604bd
2.1 kB Preview Download
md5:94c72f544043c9d863bdf407c3627540
36.5 kB Preview Download

Additional details

Related works

Is cited by
10.1111/jeb.12641 (DOI)