Effects of supplementary feeding on interspecific dominance hierarchies in garden birds.

ABSTRACT: Individuals often differ in competitive ability, which can lead to the formation of a dominance hierarchy that governs differential access to resources. Previous studies of dominance have predominently focussed on within-species interactions, while the drivers of between-species competitive hierarchies are poorly understood. The increasing prevalence of predictable anthropogenic food subsidies, such as that provided by garden bird feeders, is likely to intensify between-species competition. However, the consequences for resource acquisition await detailed study, and in particular, whether competitive interactions are influenced by food quality is not known. Here, we examine competitive interactions amongst ten passerine species of birds utilising supplementary food sources of differing qua

SUBMITTER: Francis ML 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6124729 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature