@article{SchirmerHoffmannEccardetal.2020,
  author    = {Schirmer, Annika and Hoffmann, Julia and Eccard, Jana and Dammhahn, Melanie},
  title     = {My niche},
  series = {Proceedings of the Royal Society of London : B, Biological sciences},
  volume    = {287},
  journal   = {Proceedings of the Royal Society of London : B, Biological sciences},
  number    = {1918},
  publisher = {Royal Society},
  address   = {London},
  issn      = {0962-8452},
  doi       = {10.1098/rspb.2019.2211},
  pages     = {9},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {Intraspecific trait variation is an important determinant of fundamental ecological interactions. Many of these interactions are mediated by behaviour. Therefore, interindividual differences in behaviour should contribute to individual niche specialization. Comparable with variation in morphological traits, behavioural differentiation between individuals should limit similarity among competitors and thus act as a mechanism maintaining within-species variation in ecological niches and facilitating species coexistence. Here, we aimed to test whether interindividual differences in boldness covary with spatial interactions within and between two ecologically similar, co-occurring rodent species (Myodes glareolus, Apodemus agrarius). In five subpopulations in northeast Germany, we quantified individual differences in boldness via repeated standardized tests and spatial interaction patterns via capture-mark- recapture (n = 126) and automated VHF telemetry (n = 36). We found that boldness varied with space use in both species. Individuals of the same population occupied different spatial niches, which resulted in non-random patterns of within- and between-species spatial interactions. Behavioural types mainly differed in the relative importance of intra- versus interspecific competition. Within-species variation along this competition gradient could contribute to maintaining individual niche specialization. Moreover, behavioural differentiation between individuals limits similarity among competitors, which might facilitate the coexistence of functionally equivalent species and, thus, affect community dynamics and local biodiversity.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{DammhahnMazzaSchirmeretal.2020,
  author    = {Dammhahn, Melanie and Mazza, Valeria and Schirmer, Annika and G{\"o}ttsche, Claudia and Eccard, Jana},
  title     = {Of city and village mice},
  series = {Scientific Reports},
  volume    = {10},
  journal   = {Scientific Reports},
  publisher = {Macmillan Publishers Limited},
  address   = {London},
  issn      = {2045-2322},
  doi       = {10.1038/s41598-020-69998-6},
  pages     = {12},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {A fundamental question of current ecological research concerns the drives and limits of species responses to human-induced rapid environmental change (HIREC). Behavioural responses to HIREC are a key component because behaviour links individual responses to population and community changes. Ongoing fast urbanization provides an ideal setting to test the functional role of behaviour for responses to HIREC. Consistent behavioural differences between conspecifics (animal personality) may be important determinants or constraints of animals' adaptation to urban habitats. We tested whether urban and rural populations of small mammals differ in mean trait expression, flexibility and repeatability of behaviours associated to risk-taking and exploratory tendencies. Using a standardized behavioural test in the field, we quantified spatial exploration and boldness of striped field mice (Apodemus agrarius, n = 96) from nine sub-populations, presenting different levels of urbanisation and anthropogenic disturbance. The level of urbanisation positively correlated with boldness, spatial exploration and behavioural flexibility, with urban dwellers being bolder, more explorative and more flexible in some traits than rural conspecifics. Thus, individuals seem to distribute in a non-random way in response to human disturbance based on their behavioural characteristics. Animal personality might therefore play a key role in successful coping with the challenges of HIREC.},
  language  = {en}
}