Variation in dispersal capacity and behaviour in the Natterjack toad (Bufo calamita) Joke Maes Herpetology 22 March 2012 Promotor: Erik Matthysen Co-promotor: Raoul Van Damme 1

Dispersal

Dispersal Individual and among-population variation in dispersal capacity Selection in favour or against dispersal Local adaptation in dispersal capacity 3

Dispersal capacity Fragmentation Distance between habitat patches >  thorax Hesperia comma (Hill et al. 1999) 4

Dispersal capacity Habitat persistence Geographical variation in habitat persistence Macroptere/brachyptera Prokelisia marginata (Denno et al. 1996) Turn over rate  >  proportion of high dispersal genotype Caenorhabditis elegans (Friedenberg 2003) 5

Dispersal capacity Selection for faster toads with longer legs and better endurance in Cane toad (Bufo marinus) (Phillips et al. 2006; Llewelyn et al. 2010) Bufo marinus 6

Connectivity through dispersal Natterjack toad (Bufo calamita) Protected Endemic European species Mobile Pioneer species Temporary ponds High extinction risk Connectivity through dispersal 7

Natterjack toad (Bufo calamita) → Dispersal by juveniles (up to 2 km: Sinsch 1997) 8

Research question 9

Local adaptation in dispersal capacity in the Natterjack toad? Research question Local adaptation in dispersal capacity in the Natterjack toad? 10

Material & methods Dispersal-related traits in frogs and toads Snout-vent length Relative leg length Body condition Endurance Sprint speed 11

Material & methods 2008: eggs raised in a common environment (CE) 2009: metamorphosed toadlets collected in their natural environment (NE) 12 12

Natterjack toad Kalmthout ML1 Tielrode SH1 Den Diel SH2 Kikbeekbron ML2 Tielrode SH1 Den Diel SH2 Liereman SL1 LO MD1 13 13

Material & methods Snout-vent length Relative leg length Body condition Endurance Sprint speed 83 cm 14

Dispersal behaviour Lab studies on animal behaviour : shy/boldness, social behaviour, explorative behaviour, activity, aggression, … Repeatability Behavioural correlations ‘Behavioural syndrome’ (‘Personality’, ‘Temperament’) (Dingemanse et al. 2003) Parus major Gambusia affinis (Cote et al. 2010) Dispersal propensity Lacerta vivipara (Aragon et al. 2006) 15

Local adaptation in behavioural syndromes? Dispersal behaviour Lab studies on animal behaviour : shy/boldness, social behaviour, explorative behaviour, activity, aggression, … Repeatability Behavioural correlations ‘Behavioural syndrome’ (‘Personality’, ‘Temperament’) (Dingemanse et al. 2003) Parus major Gambusia affinis (Cote et al. 2010) Dispersal propensity Lacerta vivipara (Aragon et al. 2006) Local adaptation in behavioural syndromes? 16

Dispersal behaviour Do natterjack toads have personality? ‘Bold’ ‘Shy’ ‘Behavioural syndrome’ in the Natterjack toad? 17 17

Research question Local adaptation in dispersal capacity? Behavioural syndrome in the Natterjack toad? Behavioural syndrome linked to dispersal tendency? Local adaptation in behaviour? Repeatability? Correlation? 18 18

Material & methods Behavioural variables ‘Open field test’ (lab) 19

Material & methods Shyness: latency Locomotor activity (Percentage of time active after the first movement) Explorative tendency (surface explored after the first movement) Corridor use Maximum speed Average speed > Repeated after six weeks and after one year 20

Material & methods ‘Release patch’ ‘Corridor’ Behavioural variables Dispersal tendency ‘Open field test’ (lab) 21

Material & methods ‘Release patch’ ‘Corridor’ Behavioural variables Dispersal tendency ‘Open field test’ (lab) Outdoor 22

Results Behavioural syndrome in toads? Repeatability dispersal behaviour Vbetween/(Vbetween + Vwithin)   Common environment Natural environment 6 weeks 1 year Latency 0.27 0.47 0.30 Activity 0.28 0.35 0.19 Explorative tendency 0.20 Corridor use 0.24 0.23 0.13-0.08 Maximum speed 0.21 0.36 Average speed 0.10 0.48 After statistical correction for morphometry Repeatability > individual variation ecological relevant 23

Results Behavioural syndrome in toads? Repeatability dispersal behaviour Vbetween/(Vbetween + Vwithin)   Common environment Natural environment 6 weeks 1 year Latency 0.27 0.47 0.30 Activity 0.28 0.35 0.19 Explorative tendency 0.20 Corridor use 0.24 0.23 0.13-0.08 Maximum speed 0.21 0.36 Average speed 0.10 0.48 After statistical correction for morphometry CE NE Repeatability > individual variation ecological relevant Repeatability NE bigger than CE 24

Results Behavioural syndrome in toads? Behavioural correlations? 25 25

Behavioural syndrome in toads? Results Behavioural syndrome in toads? CE NE 26 26

Behavioural syndrome in toads? Results Behavioural syndrome in toads? 27 27

Results Behavioural syndrome in toads? No correlations between behaviour and capacity parameters 28 28

Results Behavioural variables: Repeatable? Correlation? Correlations with dispersal tendency? Behavioural syndrome possibly linked to dispersal 29 29

Results Correlations between behavioural variables (2009) and dispersal tendency (2010)? Toadlets that reached the end of the corridor in the open field test had a higher dispersal tendency in the outdoor experiment (p = 0.034) Time to reach the end of the outdoor corridor correlated with personality traits. Correlation r = - 0.22 P = 0.035 30 30

Results Correlations between behavioural variables (2009) and dispersal tendency (2010)? Toadlets that reached the end of the corridor in the ourdoor experiment, were more social. 31 31

Local adaptation in dispersal capacity and/or behaviour? Results Local adaptation in dispersal capacity and/or behaviour? Dispersal capacity Snout-vent length, relative leg length and body condition 32 32

Local adaptation in dispersal capacity and/or behaviour? Results Local adaptation in dispersal capacity and/or behaviour? Dispersal capacity Snout-vent length, relative leg length and body condition Endurance and sprint speed 33 33

Local adaptation in dispersal capacity and/or behaviour? Results Local adaptation in dispersal capacity and/or behaviour? Dispersal capacity Snout-vent length, relative leg length and body condition Endurance and sprint speed ? ? 34 34

Local adaptation in dispersal capacity and/or behaviour? Results Local adaptation in dispersal capacity and/or behaviour? Dispersal capacity Snout-vent length, relative leg length and body condition Endurance and sprint speed ? ? 35 35

Local adaptation in dispersal capacity and/or behaviour? Results Local adaptation in dispersal capacity and/or behaviour? Dispersal capacity Snout-vent length, relative leg length and body condition Endurance and sprint speed Dispersal behaviour 36 36

Conclusion ‘Bold’ ‘Shy’ Personality in terms of individual variation in behaviour Among-population variation in dispersal capacity No indications on local adaptation in behavioural syndrome 37 37