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Cooperative Breeding Under Anthropogenic Habitat Change

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Cooperative Breeding Under Anthropogenic Habitat Change Life-history strategies of a facultative cooperative breeder in a fragmented Afrotropical cloud forest { Life-history strategie¨envan een facultatief co¨operatieve broedvogel in een gefragmenteerd Afrotropisch nevelwoud Dries Van de Loock 2019 Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor (Ph. D.) in Science: Biology This dissertation is part of a joint-PhD degree between Ghent University and University of Antwerp Ghent University, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology, Terrestrial Ecology Unit University of Antwerp, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology, Evolutionary Ecology Group Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Luc Lens Prof. Dr. Erik Matthysen Members of the examination committee: Prof. Dr. Dries Bonte (chairman) Dr. Liesbeth De Neve (secretary) Prof. Dr. Wendt Muller Dr. Beata Apfelbeck Dr. Job Aben Dr. Matthieu Paquet The author and supervisors give the authorisation to consult and copy parts of this work for personal use only. Every other use is subjected to copyright laws. Permission to reproduce any material contained in this work should be obtained from the author or supervisors. Please refer to this work as: Van de Loock, D. (2019). Life-history strategies of a facultative cooperative breeder in a fragmented Afrotropical cloud forest. Ph.D. thesis, Ghent University & University of Antwerp, Belgium. Acknowledgements Het dankwoord. Terwijl dit doctoraat enkel mijn naam draagt, heb ik zelden het gevoel gehad er alleen voor te staan. En dat is aan volgende mensen te danken. Luc, bedankt om me dit avontuur toe te vertrouwen en om een goede promotor te zijn. Van Kenya tot in Belgi¨e,je stond altijd paraat om met raad en advies bij te staan, zaken te reviewen en knopen door te hakken wanneer nodig. Het immer aanstekelijk enthousiasme en de standvastige consequentie waarmee mails beantwoord worden doen maar weinig mensen je na. Erik, bedankt om Luc te vertrouwen over zijn vertrouwen in mij. Bedankt voor alle reflecties en feedback tijdens momenten van Antwerpse bezinning. Ik vond het bijzonder fijn samenwerken met jullie. Lies, jij was er reeds vanaf het begin bij, toen nog voor mijn masterthesis. In juli 2011, toen we samen om 22u op de luchthaven van Nairobi aankwamen, de reisgids opensloegen op zoek naar een hotel en beseften dat we dit v´e´elvroeger hadden moet doen. We besloten toen met onze 'Rough Guide' in de hand, opengeslagen op de pagina met een hotel dat ons wel fijn leek, een telefoonkaart-verkoper aan te spreken en hem te vragen even te bellen. Het duurde niet lang voor hij de situatie doorhad : "dat hotel bestaat niet meer, ik kan je een veel beter voorstellen". Even later spendeerden we onze eerste nacht in downtown Nairobi - ergens in een obscuur hotelletje in de charmante wijk rond het busstation. Het begin van een heel fijn avontuur, waarbij ik toen nog niet kon inbeelden dat het zich zo zou ontplooien. Bedankt om samen de TaitaBase te overmeesteren, de resultaten te verteren, en over het leven te reflecteren. Diederik, jij kwam maar tijdens een later bedrijf op scene, maar je had het script gelezen. Heel erg bedankt voor je uitgebreid bijstand met deskundige raad en daad. Ze hebben significant bijgedragen tot wat het eindresultaat nu is. De collega's van Terec, Limno en Eon aan de UGent. Bedankt voor al het vossen en voor al die prima donna's (met kappertjes zonder mais). Ik was trouwens altijd in hogere sferen wanneer ik tussen jullie kon vertoeven op het elfde. In't bijzonder : Hans, bedankt voor al de zwans (en alle andere exquisie-teit). Ik hoop dat de grijze haren de zwans-o-meter nog wat sparen. Viki, bedankt om die vaste waarde te zijn. Flashback maart Page iii 2009, toen het 'negende' nog het 'negende' was. Ik zat naast jou, lichtjes indommelend bij de greenbul video's die ik voor mijn bachelorproef aan het doorscrollen was. Jij diende je gsm op te laden en plugde de stekker doodleuk in de verdeeldoos van je computer, onbewust van het feit dat je door deze handeling die ook meteen had uitgezet. De verbazing op je gezicht was groot toen bleek dat je scherm wel heel erg zwart was geworden en de muis bitter weinig respons gaf. Toen hoorde ik, voor zover ik mij kan herinneren, mijn eerste M`aAleeeee. Angelica, bedankt voor het minutieus en onvoorwaardelijk verwerken van al mijn receipts. Tenminste, totdat bleek dat er een gapend gat in de begroting was. Toen werd het helaas wat minder onvoorwaardelijk. Bedankt ook om even penningmeester van de TEREC-motorclub te zijn. Ik wist dat het een kwestie van volharden was alvorens ik een perfecte match zou vinden. Die bleek uiteindelijk op 2-takt te draaien en 175cc te bezitten. Lionel, merci pour ^etretoujours l`aquand j'avais une crise de stats, merci pour ^etremon ami franais, et merci pour ^etreun bon gagneur/perdant dans le ping-pong (`a toi pour barrer ce qui ne pas correct). Laurence, thanks for fighting for the same causes, and sharing the same burdens. Bram, the Muffinman, en Dean the Banean, ik vond het een waar genoegen 5 jaar lang liefde en leed te delen in de witruimte die we onze bureau noemden. Was er een wordcloud van onze gesprekken dan zou die ongetwijfeld 'pintje' - bij uitbreiding 'spinnenkopje' - en 'koffietje’ doen uitlichten, al dan niet met vraagteken of uitroepteken. Bedankt voor de uitstapjes en de occasionele spontane twitch of verlengd weekendje - een doctoraat schrijf je toch niet van 'nine' tot ’five' en leent zich uitstekend tot telewerken. Jorunn, bedankt om een toevluchtsoord aan te bieden voor schrijfelijk en statisch verderf. Ik vond het er geweldig ! Er was ooit een wederupstanding of the infamous grouse die je net miste. Bij deze sluit ik een wederupstanding of the infamous DJ Virage niet uit. De collega's van EVECO aan de UAntwerpen. Bedankt om me welkom te doen voelen in jullie grote stad, ik vond het er telkens heel fijn vertoeven. Stijn, bedankt om van de vele praktische afhandelingen een droom te maken. Frank, bedankt voor de toegangscodes tot de EVECO-Mainframe. Die Antwerpse Goliath kon de onzekere Bayesian wel meester. Bedankt Joris om me iedere keer weer met ´e´enof andere (vogel) anekdote te doen inzien dat ik meer moet buiten komen. Ook bedankt om de Taita Heuvels (met volledige telemetrie outfit) te trotseren en daarbij alle veldobservaties niet neer te schrijven, maar zwoel in een dictafoon in te fluisteren. "Pink metal aan de rechterpoot, en volgens mij heeft em ook nen zender aan...........zender niet 100% zeker". Parental advisory, explicit content. De master- en bachelorstudenten, bedankt voor jullie inzet en toewijding. Lissa, ik vond het heel fijn een birdseye view te krijgen van de understory. Jos, de Carcassonne- koning in wording! Bedankt voor het fantastische gezelschap, het lianen-geslinger en om me te laten inzien dat het niet per se vanzelfsprekend is om met een brommer rond te rijden in de hills, of met een antenne en GPS rond te lopen in het bos op zoek naar een Page iv zender. Alex, thanks for your telemetry-dedication in the field and your pasta- dedication in the kitchen. Ruben, bedankt voor je toewijding bij het feeding experiment! Alexander, bedankt voor het verslinden van de video's! Team Fantastic - that is Peter, Adam, Lawrence and Oliver - thanks for being absolutely fantastic in the field!!! I've built this thesis on your foundations. Credit where credit is due, and that's without a doubt you. Thanks to Henderson, Cosmas and Josai too, you were great additions to the team. Mwangi, thanks for saving us that first Nairobi morning in July, and the many times thereafter. Being it with permits, fieldwork related issues, motorbike issues, financial issues, relationship issues, philosophical issues, wildlife issues, you were always there and in full support. Asanti sana for the Tuskers (malt) baridi, both at and in the pool. Pete and Gorm, thanks for all the petrinizing discussions, the sundowners at Rocks and for being delightful housemates. The Chovu family, Mama Grace, Janice& Martha, thanks for making it feel like returning home after a day in the field. And special thanks to Max and Liesbeth for actually building that home. Thanks to the staff of the Helsinki research centre for their hospitality and for making an authentic Scandinavian experience possible. Lawrence, Vincent and Sylvester, thanks for helping me out in the field and sorting out the occasional paperwork, thanks for the great company and the good laughs. Wendy, thanks for showing me the leafy side of town, for the occasional glass of red wine and for sharing a passion for birds. Colin, thanks for creating a small paradise on earth and for sharing your expertise and knowledge on bird ringing. Thanks to the jury members, for dusting of the thesis, eliminating unnecessary side tracks and keeping my conclusions clear. Thanks to the Kenya Forest Service for permitting this research in the Taita Hills, and for Jonam in particular for his cooperation in the field. I also want to acknowledge the National Commision for Science, Technology and Innovation for granting my research license. Finally, my greatest appreciation goes to the ornithology section of the National Museums of Kenya for having me as an affiliated researcher, and to Peter Njoroge, for helping me sort all this out. De vrienden, vele van hen ook mede-doctoraatsstrijders in binnen en buitenland, bedankt voor de momenten van ontspanning wanneer het werk zich te veel opdrong. Op caf, in het bos, langs de schelde, aan de kust, in de Viroin, in de Gaume en overal daartussenin. Al fietsend, al wandelend, al lopend, al dansend, al zittend, al liggend en alles daartussenin. (sorry als het weer maar even over het doctoraat ging) In't bijzonder wil ik Laura bedanken om me meermaals te redden van alweer een avond fastfood, en me te behoeden voor een hapjes-loze receptie.
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