Table 1 Empirical evidence of plastic dispersal

Baguette et al., 2011 [21]

Bog fritillary butterfly (Boloria eunomia)

Lower habitat quality raises the emigration rates and higher habitat quality raises the residence probability

Negative density-dependence as a cue; lower habitat quality (limited resources)

Vercken et al., 2012 [22]

Juvenile common lizard (Lacerta vivipara)

Frequencies of female classes affect dispersal decisions differentially among classes

Competition with superior conspecifics; conspecifics as environmental condition cue

Donohue, 2003[23], Imbert & Ronce, 2001 [24]

Holy’s Hawk’s-beard (Crepis sancta)

Environmental stress results in a higher proportion of wind-dispersal structures

Lower habitat quality (limited resources)

Wender et al., 2005 [25]

Arabidopsis thaliana

Density effects on maternal traits, such as plant height and fruits, have diverse effects on seed dispersal patterns

Density-dependence (with various effects)

Hanski et al., 1991 [26]

Siberian flying squirrels (Sorex araneus)

Juvenile dispersal strategy changes with density from conditional to effectively non-conditional

Competition with superior individuals; density-dependence

Chaput-Bardy et al., 2010 [27]

Damselfly (Calopteryx splendens)

Females tend to disperse more often than males; emigration probability decreases with density; probability to move decreases when sex-ratio is male biased

Conspecific negative density-dependence (sex-ratio dependence); sex-dependence;

Clarke et al., 2008 [28]

Chacma baboons (Papio hamadryas ursinus)

Males disperse; individual well-being combined with numbers of males and females is associated with differential and plastic dispersal strategies

Competition with conspecifics

Solmsen et al., 2011 [29]

African striped mice (Rhabdomys pumilio)

Locally inferior males disperse with a higher tendency

Competition with conspecifics; sex-dependence(?)

Shafer et al., 2011 [30]

The mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus)

Dispersers have lower observed heterozygosity compared to their population of origin

Inbreeding avoidance; heterosis; competition with conspecifics