Data from: Nest predation and climate change as drivers of alternative reproductive tactics in a migratory species
Cite this dataset
Pöysä, Hannu (2024). Data from: Nest predation and climate change as drivers of alternative reproductive tactics in a migratory species [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.wwpzgmss6
Abstract
Alternative reproductive tactics enable individuals to choose a reproductive tactic relative to their status and prevailing environmental conditions in a way that increases their fitness. Conspecific brood parasitism, in which females lay eggs in nests of conspecifics, is one example of such behaviour. It has been proposed that when prospects for successful nesting are low and/or costs of reproduction are high, females employ tactics of low cost such as non-breeding and parasitic laying. When environmental conditions are ideal and prospects for success high, females can increase their reproductive effort above typical nesting by laying parasitic eggs prior to initiating their own nest.
README: Data from: Nest predation and climate change as drivers of alternative reproductive tactics in a migratory species
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.wwpzgmss6
The data include annual (1995-2022) values for the following analyses and variables.
In the first sheet (MODEL_VARIABLES) are given data for variables used to analyse among-year variation in the rate of parasitic laying: rate of parasitic laying, ice-out date (IOD), nest predation rate in year t-1, nest predation rate in year t, number of indicated breeding pairs, winter severity index (WSI).
In the second sheet (OTHER_VARIABLES) are given data for variables used in other analyses: proportion of predated eggs for non-parasitized nests (Prop_pred_non-par), proportion of predated eggs for parasitized nests (Prop_pred_par), proportion of eggs failed in other way for non-parasitized nests (Prop_fail_non-par), proportion of eggs failed in other way for parasitized nests (Prop_fail_par), overall proportion of failed eggs for non-parasitized nests (Prop_totfail_non-par), overall proportion of failed eggs for parasitized nests (Prop_totfail_par), number of offspring produced per nest for non-parasitized nests (Offspring_non-par), number of offspring produced per nest for parasitized nests (Offspring_par), proportion eggs that produced an offspring that left the nest (Nest_success).
Methods
Here, I used this flexible life-history strategy concept and long-term (1994-2022) population level data of the common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) to study how the rate of parasitic laying varies in relation to variation in nest predation risk and in the timing and length of the breeding season, the latter being measured by the timing of ice breakup.