Subjective and objective components of resource value additively increase aggression in parasitoid contests

Stockermans, Bernard C.; Hardy, Ian C. W.

Abstract

Two major categories of factors are predicted to influence behaviour in dyadic contests; differences in the abilities of the contestants to acquire and retain resources (resource holding potential), and the value of the contested resource (resource value, RV; which comprises objective and subjective components). Recent studies indicate that subjective components affect contest behaviour in several animal taxa but few have simultaneously investigated objective RV components. We find that both an objective (host size) and a subjective (contestant age) component of RV affect contest intensity in the parasitoid wasp Goniozus legneri. These additively influence aggressiveness, with a larger effect from the subjective component than the objective component. The greater influence of subjective RV adds weight to the recent surge of recognition of this RV component's importance in contest behaviour.

Citation

Stockermans, B. . C., & Hardy, I. C. W. (2013). Subjective and objective components of resource value additively increase aggression in parasitoid contests. Biology Letters, 9(4), 20130391-20130391. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2013.0391

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 7, 2013
• Online Publication Date: Aug 23, 2013
• Publication Date: Aug 23, 2013
• Deposit Date: Jun 5, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 5, 2019
• Journal: Biology Letters
• Electronic ISSN: 1744-957X
• Publisher: Royal Society, The
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 9
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 20130391-20130391
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2013.0391
• Keywords: Aggression; Contests; Resource value; Contestant age; Host size; Parasitoid
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2145479
• Publisher URL: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsbl.2013.0391