Differential growth of body components among coexisting
passerines in response to nest predation risk Environmental
sources of mortality can exert strong selection pressures on
growth strategies across taxa. Studies of growth responses need
to consider multiple body components because components can
compete for resources during growth in an integrated growth
strategy. However, such studies are lacking and little is known
about the extent to which body components may differ in their
growth responses to environmental selection pressures. Theory
predicts that growth of body components with relatively higher
advantages for survival should be prioritized. For example,
increases in time dependent mortality, like nest predation risk
in birds, should favor growth of body features that enhance the
ability to leave nests earlier. We studied 12 coexisting species
of passerines to specifically test predictions that species with
higher nest predation rates would prioritize growth of locomotor
components (e.g. tarsi and wi