Piping Plovers make decisions regarding dispersal based on personal and public information in a variable coastal ecosystem

摘要: An increasing number of studies have revealed that public information influences dispersal decisions in a wide variety species. However, few empirical explored the effect environmental predictability on use information. We applied model-selection approach to data gathered from 1998 2006 five eastern Canada provinces determine factors influencing breeding distances Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus melodus), species encounters substantial interannual changes habitat quality. examined following hypotheses: (1) individuals are unsuccessful breeders disperse greater than breed successfully and (2) failed negatively correlated with reproductive success locally conspecifics. found mean distance was for plovers did not previous year (x1 = 17.8 ± 27.4 (SD) km, =15) those were successful (x 5.8 26.4 N 71). Failed whose neighbors produced no fledged young dispersed over 34.8 times four fledglings. Our results show is used habitats lower predicted by theoretical studies. Thus, appears be triggered combination failure hatch at least one egg, neighboring pairs produce Individuals therefore appear preferentially return sites where high. This may partly explain why only fraction suitable within their geographic range. Consequently, although present elsewhere range, loss traditional nesting likely significantly impact productivity this endangered