title: Habitat complexity, environmental change and personality: A tropical perspective.
abstract: Tropical rainforests are species-rich, complex ecosystems. They are increasingly being negatively affected by anthropogenic activity, which is rapidly and unpredictably altering their structure and complexity. These changes in habitat state may expose tropical animals to novel and unpredictable conditions, potentially increasing their extinction risk. However, an animal's ability to cope with environmental change may be linked to its personality. While numerous studies have investigated environmental influences on animal personalities, few are focused on tropical species. In this review, we consider how behavioural syndromes in tropical species might facilitate coping under, and adapting to, increasing disturbance. Given the complexity of tropical rainforests, we first discuss how habitat complexity influences personality traits and physiological stress in general. We then explore the ecological and evolutionary implications of personality in the tropics in the context of behavioural flexibility, range expansion and speciation. Finally, we discuss the impact that anthropogenic environmental change may have on the ecological integrity of tropical rainforests, positing scenarios for species persistence. Maintaining tropical rainforest complexity is crucial for driving behavioural flexibility and personality type, both of which are likely to be key factors facilitating long term persistence in disturbed habitats.
authors.affiliation: College of Marine and Environmental Science, James Cook University, P. O. Box 6811, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia.
authors.forename: Emma Michelle
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Pamela Delarue
authors.affiliation: College of Marine and Environmental Science, James Cook University, P. O. Box 6811, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia; Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, James Cook University, P. O. Box 6811, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia.
authors.forename: Sarah Emily
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.affiliation: College of Marine and Environmental Science, James Cook University, P. O. Box 6811, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia; Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, James Cook University, P. O. Box 6811, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia. Electronic address: Tasmin.Rymer@jcu.edu.au.
authors.forename: Tasmin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lee Rymer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D017753:Ecosystem; D065947:Rainforest; D013045:Species Specificity; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Exploratory behaviour; Habitat complexity; Habitat disturbance; Personality; Tropical rainforests