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© 1998 International Society for Behavioral Ecology
research-article |
Queuing for territory positions in the lekking black grouse (Tetrao tetrix)
aDepartment of Ecology and Systematics, Division of Population Biology P.O. Box 17, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki Finland bDepartment of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä P.O. Box 35, FIN-40351 Jyväskylä, Finland bDepartment of Zoology Villavägen 9, S-75236 Uppsala, Sweden
Address correspondence to H. Kokko, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK. E-mail: h.kokko{at}zoo.cam.ac.uk
ABSTRACT
The importance of a central territory position as a determinant of male mating success in lekking species has been debated. The process by which a male can obtain a central territory has been especially lacking a quantitative analysis. We present a stochastic queuing model describing territory succession toward the lek center and apply it to a 8-year sequence of territory centrality measures on a black grouse Tetrao tetrix lek. The lek shows a value of intermediate queue discipline, which deviates significantly both from strict orderly queuing and from random ranking of males. Thus, high-ranking males are partly able to maintain their superior position over years, but queue-jumping is not excluded; especially because highly succesful males do not attempt to change their territory position toward the lek center. As a result of stochastic queuing, a central territory indicates an older than average male, as well as a male with a history of high fighting rates. These results are consistent with the hypotheses that territory position is an honest signal of male quality and that the long-term fighting effort and survival required to acquire a central territory may increase the reliability of the signal over that of short-term display effort. The impartial queue discipline, however, also leaves room for other male characteristics to play a role in determining individual mating success.
Key words: black grouse, honest signaling, lekking, queuing theory, territory succession, Tetrao tetrix.
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