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Full-Text Articles in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

The Rattle Call: A Female-Specific Vocalization In Steller's Jays, Kachina L. Rowland Jan 2020

The Rattle Call: A Female-Specific Vocalization In Steller's Jays, Kachina L. Rowland

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

While the elaborate songs of male passerines are well documented for their role in intrasexual resource competition and mate attraction, vocalizations used in female competition are poorly understood. Research has suggested that the female-specific rattle call of Steller’s jays (Cyanocitta stelleri) is used in competition for access to a territory and mate. I describe structural properties of the rattle call, and compare life history traits of individual females to rattle call occurrence. I used two rates to quantify rattle call occurrence from 20 females: rattles per observation period (RPO), and proportion of observations with a rattle call (POR) …


Trophic And Competitive Interactions Among Egg Parasitoids Of Stink Bugs, Joanna K. Konopka Jul 2018

Trophic And Competitive Interactions Among Egg Parasitoids Of Stink Bugs, Joanna K. Konopka

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The intra- and inter-trophic interactions in ecosystems can be disrupted by invasive species, with lasting effects on population dynamics of native organisms. An invasive species may be attractive as a prey or host to native species, but if unsuitable for consumption or for development of the natural enemy’s progeny, it constitutes an ‘evolutionary trap’. A possibility of such a trap for native egg parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) exists with the introduction of the exotic brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). The objective of this thesis is to enhance the understanding of Pentatomidae-Scelionidae host-parasitoid interactions from a behavioural ecology perspective, …


Perch Selection By Male Dragonflies (Odonata, Anisoptera) Related To Competitive Ability And Species Composition, Jessica L. Beard Jul 2015

Perch Selection By Male Dragonflies (Odonata, Anisoptera) Related To Competitive Ability And Species Composition, Jessica L. Beard

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Males of many species of dragonflies (Odonata, Anisoptera) establish territories in aquatic habitats where they compete with other males for access to food and females. Territorial males typically perch on emergent vegetation and chase rival males who intrude into their territories. This dissertation research examined the role of male size in perch height selection, position on the perch, and competitive ability. Four hypotheses were tested: 1) Dragonfly species would vary by size and that territorial species would show sexual size dimorphism (SSD), 2) Perch height selection would be related to dragonfly size, 3) Position on the perch would be related …