The worldwide variation in avian clutch size across species and space

Update Item Information
Publication Type Journal Article
School or College College of Science
Department Biology
Creator Sekercioglu, Cagan
Other Author Jetz, Walter; Boehning-Gaese, Katrin
Title The worldwide variation in avian clutch size across species and space
Date 2008-01-01
Description Traits such as clutch size vary markedly across species and environmental gradients but have usually been investigated from either a comparative or a geographic perspective, respectively. We analyzed the global variation in clutch size across 5,290 bird species, excluding brood parasites and pelagic species. We integrated intrinsic (morphological, behavioural), extrinsic (environmental), and phylogenetic effects in a combined model that predicts up to 68% of the interspecific variation in clutch size. We then applied the same species-level model to predict mean clutch size across 2,521 assemblages worldwide and found that it explains the observed eco-geographic pattern very well. Clutches are consistently largest in cavity nesters and in species occupying seasonal environments, highlighting the importance of offspring and adult mortality that is jointly expressed in intrinsic and extrinsic correlates. The findings offer a conceptual bridge between macroecology and comparative biology and provide a a global and integrative understanding of the eco-geographic and cross-species variation in a core life-history trait.
Type Text
Publisher MDPI
Volume 16
Issue 12, E303
First Page 0001
Last Page 0008
Dissertation Institution University of Utah
Language eng
Bibliographic Citation Jetz, W., Sekercioglu, C., & Boehning-Gaese, K. (2008). The worldwide variation in avian clutch size across species and space. Biology, 6(12), E303, 0001-08.
Rights Management (c)MDPI
Format Medium application/pdf
Format Extent 586,964 bytes
Identifier uspace,17257
ARK ark:/87278/s67w6wxs
Setname ir_uspace
ID 707894
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s67w6wxs