Arlette Fauteux

Université du Québec à Montréal
Ph.D. candidate
Supervisor: Denis Réale
Anne Charmantier et Claire Doutrelant, ​Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CNRS)
Start: 2023-05-01

Project

Relation between behavior of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus ogliastrae) and the diet and fitness of their nestlings.
Interindividual differences in exploration behavior can partly explain ecological niche specialization. My project is part of a long-term study on three populations of Corsican blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus ogliastrae). Two populations are located in holm oak (Quercus ilex) forest, with evergreen foliage, less rich in arthropods, and the other is located in downy oak (Quercus pubescens) forest, with deciduous leaves. The exploration behaviors of tits are contrasting and adapted to their habitat. The exploration of tits located in the rich environment is more rapid and superficial than in the poor environment. My project aims to study the link between these behavioral differences and the diet adults provide to their nestlings as well as the fitness differences resulting from differing diets. It will be divided into three sections evaluating: the link between the behavior of the tits and the diet they provide to their nestlings; the link between the diet and the fitness of nestlings; and the existence of selection pressures on different behavioral traits in the populations studied.

Keywords

Comportement, Diète, Fitness, Mésanges bleues, Tordeuse verte du chêne