Intercolony variation in reproductive skipping in the African penguin
Date
2022Author
Leith, Freddie W.
Grigg, Jennifer L.
Barham, Peter J.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
In long-lived
species, reproductive skipping is a common strategy whereby sexually
mature animals skip a breeding season, potentially reducing population growth. This
may be an adaptive decision to protect survival, or a non-adaptive
decision driven by
individual-specific
constraints. Understanding the presence and drivers of reproductive
skipping behavior can be important for effective population management, yet in
many species such as the endangered African penguin (Spheniscus demersus), these
factors remain unknown.