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Factors regulating annual mating success and reproductive success in spotted sandpipers (Actitis macularia)

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Summary

We investigated factors affecting annual mating success (MS) and reproductive success (RS) of spotted sandpipers (Actitis macularia) from 13 years of a 17-year study at Little Pelican Island, Leech Lake, Minnesota. Analyses were restricted to ages 1–3. Mean annual female MS varied from 1.3 to 2.7 mates, and the MS pattern was indistinguishable from random. However, female MS increased with age and was affected by arrival date, territory size, and beach size. Female RS also increased with age, and number of mates and year effects were the most significant explanatory variables in each age. Older female RS was increased by priority on a territory and presence of a previous mate. Territory size and beach size varied with population density and did not predictably affect RS. The strong year affect on RS was associated with annual variation in sex ratio and predation. Males produce only one successful clutch per year, so MS greater than one is a result of nest loss and does not increase RS. Neither male MS nor RS changed with age. Male reproductive failure rate varied by year. Given that a male produced young, the degree of RS was affected by year, arrival date, priority on a territory, territory size, and beach size. In years with early-season predation, late arrivals had higher RS; territory and beach size effects varied by year. Neither the presence, nor degree, of female care was associated with male RS. Male RS was more subject to annual environmental variability than was female RS, probably because of relatively low annual potential RS among males.

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Author notes

  1. Lewis W. Oring & J. Michael Reed

    Present address: Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology Program, RWF, University of Nevada, 1000 Valley Rd, 59812, Reno, NV, USA

  2. Mark A. Colwell

    Present address: Department of Wildlife Management, College of Natural Resources, Humboldt State University, 95521, Arcata, CA, USA

  3. David B. Lank

    Present address: Department Biology, Queen's University, K7L 3N6, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

  4. Stephen J. Maxson

    Present address: Minnesota Department Natural Resources, Wetland Wildlife Populations and Research Group, 102 23rd Street, 56601, Bemidji, MN, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of North Dakota, 58202, Grand Forks, ND, USA

    Lewis W. Oring, J. Michael Reed, Mark A. Colwell, David B. Lank & Stephen J. Maxson

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  1. Lewis W. Oring
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  2. J. Michael Reed
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  3. Mark A. Colwell
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  4. David B. Lank
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Offprint requests to: L.W. Oring at the current address

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Oring, L.W., Reed, J.M., Colwell, M.A. et al. Factors regulating annual mating success and reproductive success in spotted sandpipers (Actitis macularia). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 28, 433–442 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00164125

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