1. 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

2. Dispersal

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

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

5. 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

6. 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

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

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

9. Research question 9

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

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

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

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

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

15. 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

16. 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

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

18. 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

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

20. 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

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

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

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
Maximum speed
0.21
0.36
Average speed
0.10
0.48
After statistical correction for morphometry
Repeatability > individual variation ecological relevant 23

24. 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
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

25. Results
Behavioural syndrome in toads?
Behavioural correlations? 25 25

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

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

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

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

30. 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 = P = 0.035 30 30

31. 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

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 32 32

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 33 33

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 ? ? 34 34

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 ? ? 35 35

36. 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

37. 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