Beyond dispersal versus philopatry? Alternative behavioural tactics of juvenile roe deer in a heterogeneous landscape

Although inter-individual heterogeneity in many aspects of dispersal behaviour is widely reported, this key life-history trait is predominantly modelled as a dichotomous state of philopatry vs. dispersal. The increasing body of evidence for dispersal syndromes (i.e. a suite of correlated morphological, behavioural, and life-history traits associated with dispersal) implies substantial but, to date, undocumented individual heterogeneity in behavioural tactics during dispersal. Using a large sample (N = 154) of GPS monitored juvenile roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), we evaluated among-individual behavioural heterogeneity in dispersal tactics, and the individual and environmental drivers of these alternative tactics. We developed a sequential three-stage decision tree based on space use stability, exploration events and the directionality of movement. We identified six discrete alternative behavioural tactics during the dispersal period which were characterised by different timing, amplitud...