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Redondo I, Pérez-Rodríguez L, Monclús R, Muriel J, Gil D. Sexual differences in phenotypical predictors of floating status: body condition influences male but not female reproductive status in a wild passerine. Oecologia 2022; 199:79-90. [PMID: 35554681 PMCID: PMC9119866 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05180-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Floaters constitute the sexually mature but non-breeding part of populations. Despite being ubiquitous in most species, knowledge about floaters is scarce. Ignoring this significant number of individuals may strongly bias our understanding of population dynamics and sexual selection processes. We used the spotless starling (Sturnus unicolor) to examine whether phenotypical and non-phenotypical variables from early and adult life predict reproductive status, focusing on the earliest age at which most individuals start to breed, when the percentage of floaters is the highest. We compiled data from a long-term study involving eight female and seven male cohorts of individuals PIT-tagged at birth. We compared a suite of nestling (condition, hatching date and brood size) and adult variables (condition, size and ornamentation) between floaters and breeders. We found that adult and nestling body condition strongly and positively influenced the likelihood of breeding in males. Path analysis revealed that male reproductive status could only be predicted by considering nestling body condition—the influence of this variable superseded adult body condition. Female reproductive status was only negatively associated with hatching date. Ornamentation was not associated with reproductive status in any of the sexes, although path analyses revealed that body condition was positively associated with throat feather length. We conclude that predictors of reproductive status are sex-specific in the spotless starling, suggesting an important role of body condition in access to breeding resources in males. Our results also highlight the long-term influence of early life on life trajectories and their potential implications on floating status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iraida Redondo
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN), CSIC, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Lorenzo Pérez-Rodríguez
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Raquel Monclús
- Laboratoire d'Ethologie Expérimentale et Comparée UR 4443, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, 93430, Villetaneuse, France
| | - Jaime Muriel
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Diego Gil
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN), CSIC, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain.
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2
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Celis P, Graves JA, Gil D. Reproductive Strategies Change With Time in a Newly Founded Colony of Spotless Starlings (Sturnus unicolor). Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.658729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Variation in avian reproductive strategies is often studied from a comparative perspective, since even closely-related taxa differ greatly in the degree of polygyny, extra-pair paternity (EPP) or intra-specific brood-parasitism. However, substantial variation at the species level suggests that ecological factors are important in shaping these patterns. In this study, we examined the temporal plasticity of these strategies, following a population from the year of colony formation to 2 years after this. Parentage data from these years shows that polygyny decreased with time, likely as a consequence of increased competition for nesting sites and mates by new recruits, and immigrants of higher quality arriving to the colony as time passed. In parallel to this temporal change, we found an increase in intra-specific brood-parasitism and quasi-parasitism (QP). We interpret these patterns as a consequence of an increase of floaters with time; these birds pursue a mixture of alternative mating strategies to succeed in the population. We also found evidence of conspecific brood parasitism (CBP), by nesting females that laid part of the clutch in another nest or that after losing a partially laid clutch resorted to lay the last eggs in another nest. Analyses of the distance between the main nest and nests containing the secondary polygynous brood or extra-pair or parasitic young showed an avoidance of contiguous nests for conducting these alternative reproductive tactics. At the same time, these secondary nests were closer to the main nest than random distances within the colony, suggesting that access to public information was restricted to a narrow area around the main nest. Our study emphasizes how behavioral patterns are plastic traits that vary not only with individual circumstances, but also with time, tracking changes in density and social structure.
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3
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Azcárate-García M, Ruiz-Rodríguez M, Ruiz-Castellano C, Díaz-Lora S, Tomás G, Martín-Vivaldi M, Soler JJ. Beak coloration of starling (Sturnus unicolor) males depends on the length of their throat feathers. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Within the context of complex sexual signaling, most research has focused on exploring the associations between several signals and/or their relationships with different proxies of individual quality. However, very few studies have focused on checking whether the expression of one signal is conditioned by the expression of the others. Here, by experimentally shortening the throat feathers of male spotless starlings (Sturnus unicolor), we evaluated the influence of this trait on the color expression of the beak base. In addition, we tested the relationship between these two sexually dimorphic characters with traits indicating individual qualities, such as body condition and color reflectance at the wavelength related to carotenes in the tip of the beak. Our results show that the coloration of the beak base in males, but not in females, is positively related to body condition and to the length of ornamental throat feathers. Moreover, the experimental shortening of throat feathers in males had a negative effect on the blue chroma intensity of their beak base 1 year after manipulation. These results support for the first time a causal link between the expression of two sexually dimorphic characters, which is essential to understand their functionality in a multiple signaling framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Azcárate-García
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC), La Cañada de San Urbano, Almería, Spain
| | - Magdalena Ruiz-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC), La Cañada de San Urbano, Almería, Spain
| | - Cristina Ruiz-Castellano
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC), La Cañada de San Urbano, Almería, Spain
| | - Silvia Díaz-Lora
- Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Gustavo Tomás
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC), La Cañada de San Urbano, Almería, Spain
| | - Manuel Martín-Vivaldi
- Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
- Unidad Asociada (CSIC): Coevolución: cucos, hospedadores y bacterias simbiontes, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Juan José Soler
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC), La Cañada de San Urbano, Almería, Spain
- Unidad Asociada (CSIC): Coevolución: cucos, hospedadores y bacterias simbiontes, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
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4
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Azcárate-García M, Ruiz-Rodríguez M, Díaz-Lora S, Ruiz-Castellano C, Martín-Vivaldi M, Figuerola J, Martínez-de la Puente J, Tomás G, Pérez-Contreras T, Soler JJ. Ornamental Throat Feathers Predict Telomere Dynamic and Hatching Success in Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor) Males. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
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5
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Cornec C, Robert A, Rybak F, Hingrat Y. Male vocalizations convey information on kinship and inbreeding in a lekking bird. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:4421-4430. [PMID: 31031916 PMCID: PMC6476769 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Kinship and inbreeding are two major components involved in sexual selection and mating system evolution. However, the mechanisms underlying recognition and discrimination of genetically related or inbred individuals remain unclear. We investigated whether kinship and inbreeding information is related to low-frequency vocalizations, "booms," produced by males during their courtship in the lekking houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata undulata). Based on a captive breeding program where the pedigree of all males is known, we investigated the similarity of booms' acoustic parameters among captive males more or less individually inbred and therefore genetically related with each other. In the wild, we investigated the relationship between the spatial distribution of males within leks and the similarity of acoustic parameters of their booms. In the captive population, we found (a) a relationship between the individual inbreeding level of captive males and their vocalization parameters; (b) that kin share similar frequency and temporal characteristics of their vocalizations. In the wild, we found no evidence for spatial structuring of males based on their acoustic parameters, in agreement with previous genetic findings on the absence of kin association within houbara bustard leks. Overall, our results indicate that genetic information potentially related to both the identity and quality of males is contained in their vocalizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clément Cornec
- Institut des Neurosciences Paris‐SaclayUniversité Paris‐Sud, CNRS (UMR 9197)OrsayFrance
- Emirates Center for Wildlife PropagationMissourMorocco
| | - Alexandre Robert
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueSorbonne‐UniversitéParisFrance
| | - Fanny Rybak
- Institut des Neurosciences Paris‐SaclayUniversité Paris‐Sud, CNRS (UMR 9197)OrsayFrance
| | - Yves Hingrat
- Reneco International Wildlife Consultants LLCAbu DhabiUAE
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6
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Soulsbury CD, Lipponen A, Wood K, Mein CA, Hoffman JI, Lebigre C. Age- and quality-dependent DNA methylation correlate with melanin-based coloration in a wild bird. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:6547-6557. [PMID: 30038756 PMCID: PMC6053554 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Secondary sexual trait expression can be influenced by fixed individual factors (such as genetic quality) as well as by dynamic factors (such as age and environmentally induced gene expression) that may be associated with variation in condition or quality. In particular, melanin-based traits are known to relate to condition and there is a well-characterized genetic pathway underpinning their expression. However, the mechanisms linking variable trait expression to genetic quality remain unclear. One plausible mechanism is that genetic quality could influence trait expression via differential methylation and differential gene expression. We therefore conducted a pilot study examining DNA methylation at a candidate gene (agouti-related neuropeptide: AgRP) in the black grouse Lyrurus tetrix. We specifically tested whether CpG methylation covaries with age and multilocus heterozygosity (a proxy of genetic quality) and from there whether the expression of a melanin-based ornament (ultraviolet-blue chroma) correlates with DNA methylation. Consistent with expectations, we found clear evidence for age- and heterozygosity-specific patterns of DNA methylation, with two CpG sites showing the greatest DNA methylation in highly heterozygous males at their peak age of reproduction. Furthermore, DNA methylation at three CpG sites was significantly positively correlated with ultraviolet-blue chroma. Ours is the first study to our knowledge to document age- and quality-dependent variation in DNA methylation and to show that dynamic sexual trait expression across the lifespan of an organism is associated with patterns of DNA methylation. Although we cannot demonstrate causality, our work provides empirical support for a mechanism that could potentially link key individual factors to variation in sexual trait expression in a wild vertebrate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anssi Lipponen
- Department of Biological and Environmental ScienceUniversity of JyväskyläFinland
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular SciencesUniversity of Eastern FinlandKuopioFinland
| | - Kristie Wood
- The Genome Centre, Barts and The London School of Medicine and DentistryQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Charles A. Mein
- The Genome Centre, Barts and The London School of Medicine and DentistryQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Joseph I. Hoffman
- Department of Animal BehaviourUniversity of BielefeldBielefeldGermany
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7
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Molecular characterization of avian malaria in the spotless starling (Sturnus unicolor). Parasitol Res 2018; 117:919-928. [PMID: 29327322 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-018-5748-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
We studied the prevalence and genetic diversity of malaria parasites in the poorly investigated spotless starling (Sturnus unicolor) breeding in central Spain, aiming to describe the phylogenetic relationships among them and with other haemosporidians infecting the genus Sturnus. A total of 180 nestlings and 180 adult individuals from four different breeding seasons were screened for haemosporidian parasites using a nested PCR approach for the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus. Although the malaria prevalence ranged between years, the overall prevalence was 6.94%. Adults had a higher prevalence than chicks: 12.77 vs. 1.11%, respectively. We molecularly characterized avian malaria isolated in peripheral blood samples taken from malaria-infected individuals. Sequence analyses revealed four unique Plasmodium lineages of avian malaria (STURUNI01, STURUNI02, SYAT05, SGS1) in our spotless starling population. The phylogenetic analysis showed a well-supported clade comprised by STURUNI01, STURUNI02, and SYAT05. The most common lineage (SYAT05) has been previously found in 26 other avian host species, including populations of spotless starling in Portugal. Because this sedentary species is widely distributed throughout the Iberian Peninsula, we suggest that the local transmission of these lineages might place migratory birds at infection risk.
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8
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Minias P, Wojczulanis-Jakubas K, Rutkowski R, Kaczmarek K. Local Heterozygosity Effects on Nestling Growth and Condition in the Great Cormorant. Evol Biol 2015; 42:452-460. [PMID: 26586922 PMCID: PMC4642584 DOI: 10.1007/s11692-015-9339-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 07/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Under inbreeding, heterozygosity at neutral genetic markers is likely to reflect genome-wide heterozygosity and, thus, is expected to correlate with fitness. There is, however, growing evidence that some of heterozygosity-fitness correlations (HFCs) can be explained by ‘local effects’, where noncoding loci are at linkage disequilibrium with functional genes. The aim of this study was to investigate correlations between heterozygosity at seven microsatellite loci and two fitness-related traits, nestling growth rate and nutritional condition, in a recently bottlenecked population of great cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis. We found that heterozygosity was positively associated with both nestling traits at the between-brood level, but the individual (within-brood) effects of heterozygosity were non-significant. We also found that only one locus per trait was primarily responsible for the significant multi-locus HFCs, suggesting a linkage disequilibrium with non-identified functional loci. The results give support for ‘local effect’ hypothesis, confirming that HFCs may not only be interpreted as evidence of inbreeding and that genetic associations between functional and selectively neutral markers could be much more common in natural populations than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Minias
- />Department of Teacher Training and Biodiversity Studies, University of Łódź, Banacha 1/3, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
- />Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53201 USA
| | | | - Robert Rutkowski
- />Department of Molecular and Biometrical Techniques, Museum and Institute of Zoology PAS, 00-679 Warsaw, Poland
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9
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Ferrer ES, García-Navas V, Bueno-Enciso J, Sanz JJ, Ortego J. Multiple sexual ornaments signal heterozygosity in male blue tits. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Esperanza S. Ferrer
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales; Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales y Bioquímica; Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha; Avda. Carlos III s/n 45071 Toledo Spain
- Grupo de Investigación de la Biodiversidad Genética y Cultural; Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM); Ronda de Toledo s/n 13071 Ciudad Real Spain
| | - Vicente García-Navas
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales; Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales y Bioquímica; Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha; Avda. Carlos III s/n 45071 Toledo Spain
- Grupo de Investigación de la Biodiversidad Genética y Cultural; Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM); Ronda de Toledo s/n 13071 Ciudad Real Spain
- Evolution and Genetics of Love, Life and Death Group; Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies; University of Zurich; Winterthurerstrasse 190 8057 Zurich Switzerland
| | - Javier Bueno-Enciso
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales; Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales y Bioquímica; Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha; Avda. Carlos III s/n 45071 Toledo Spain
| | - Juan José Sanz
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva; Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC); C/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2 28006 Madrid Spain
| | - Joaquín Ortego
- Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group; Department of Integrative Ecology; Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC); Avda. Américo Vespucio s/n 41092 Seville Spain
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10
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Ruiz‐Rodríguez M, Tomás G, Martín‐Gálvez D, Ruiz‐Castellano C, Soler JJ. Bacteria and the evolution of honest signals. The case of ornamental throat feathers in spotless starlings. Funct Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Ruiz‐Rodríguez
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC) Almería 04120 Spain
| | - Gustavo Tomás
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC) Almería 04120 Spain
| | - David Martín‐Gálvez
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC) Almería 04120 Spain
| | - Cristina Ruiz‐Castellano
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC) Almería 04120 Spain
| | - Juan José Soler
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC) Almería 04120 Spain
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11
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White KL, Eason DK, Jamieson IG, Robertson BC. Evidence of inbreeding depression in the critically endangered parrot, the kakapo. Anim Conserv 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K. L. White
- Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution; Department of Zoology; University of Otago; Dunedin New Zealand
| | - D. K. Eason
- Department of Conservation; Kakapo Recovery Programme; Invercargill New Zealand
| | - I. G. Jamieson
- Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution; Department of Zoology; University of Otago; Dunedin New Zealand
| | - B. C. Robertson
- Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution; Department of Zoology; University of Otago; Dunedin New Zealand
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12
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García-Navas V, Cáliz-Campal C, Ferrer ES, Sanz JJ, Ortego J. Heterozygosity at a single locus explains a large proportion of variation in two fitness-related traits in great tits: a general or a local effect? J Evol Biol 2014; 27:2807-19. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2014] [Revised: 10/29/2014] [Accepted: 10/31/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- V. García-Navas
- Grupo de Investigación de la Biodiversidad Genética y Cultural; Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM); Ciudad Real Spain
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales; Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales y Bioquímica; Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha; Toledo Spain
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies; University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
| | - C. Cáliz-Campal
- Grupo de Investigación de la Biodiversidad Genética y Cultural; Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM); Ciudad Real Spain
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales; Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales y Bioquímica; Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha; Toledo Spain
| | - E. S. Ferrer
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales; Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales y Bioquímica; Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha; Toledo Spain
| | - J. J. Sanz
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales; Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales y Bioquímica; Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha; Toledo Spain
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva; Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC); Madrid Spain
| | - J. Ortego
- Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group; Department of Integrative Ecology; Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC); Seville Spain
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13
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Minias P, Minias A, Dziadek J. Heterozygosity correlates with body size, nest site quality and productivity in a colonial waterbird, the whiskered tern ( Chlidonias hybrida, Aves: Sternidae). J ZOOL SYST EVOL RES 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/jzs.12084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Minias
- Department of Teacher Training and Biodiversity Studies; University of Łódź; Łódź Poland
| | - Alina Minias
- Institute of Medical Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences; Łódź Poland
| | - Jarosław Dziadek
- Institute of Medical Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences; Łódź Poland
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14
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McKee AA, Newton SM, Carter AJR. Influence of Inbreeding on Female Mate Choice in Two Species of Drosophila. JOURNAL OF INSECT BEHAVIOR 2014; 27:613-625. [PMID: 29225418 PMCID: PMC5718203 DOI: 10.1007/s10905-014-9453-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Many organisms have been reported to choose their mates in order to increase the heterozygosity of their offspring by avoiding mating with relatives or homozygous individuals. Most previous studies using Drosophila melanogaster have used artificial chromosomes or extreme inbreeding treatments, situations unlikely to be matched in nature. Additionally, few studies have examined the interaction between female inbreeding status and her choice of mate. Using females and males from populations that had experienced either random mating or one generation of sib-sib inbreeding, we measured the preferences of females for males. Our results indicate that outbred males were chosen more often than inbred males and that this preference may be more pronounced in outbred females than in inbred ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amberle A McKee
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University Long Beach, Hall of Science 104 1250 Bellflower Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
| | - Shanna M Newton
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University Long Beach, Hall of Science 104 1250 Bellflower Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
| | - Ashley J R Carter
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University Long Beach, Hall of Science 104 1250 Bellflower Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
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15
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Herdegen M, Dudka K, Radwan J. Heterozygosity and orange coloration are associated in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata
). J Evol Biol 2013; 27:220-5. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2013] [Accepted: 10/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. Herdegen
- Institute of Environmental Sciences; Jagiellonian University; Krakow Poland
| | - K. Dudka
- Institute of Environmental Sciences; Jagiellonian University; Krakow Poland
| | - J. Radwan
- Institute of Environmental Sciences; Jagiellonian University; Krakow Poland
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16
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Harrison XA, York JE, Cram DL, Young AJ. Extra-group mating increases inbreeding risk in a cooperatively breeding bird. Mol Ecol 2013; 22:5700-15. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2013] [Revised: 08/15/2013] [Accepted: 08/24/2013] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- X. A. Harrison
- Institute of Zoology; Zoological Society of London; Regent's Park London NW1 4RY UK
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation; University of Exeter; Tremough Campus; Penryn Cornwall TR10 9EZ UK
| | - J. E. York
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation; University of Exeter; Tremough Campus; Penryn Cornwall TR10 9EZ UK
| | - D. L. Cram
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation; University of Exeter; Tremough Campus; Penryn Cornwall TR10 9EZ UK
| | - A. J. Young
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation; University of Exeter; Tremough Campus; Penryn Cornwall TR10 9EZ UK
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17
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Gil D, Culver R. Male ornament size in a passerine predicts the inhibitory effect of testosterone on macrophage phagocytosis. Funct Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2011.01878.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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18
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Aparicio JM. The paradox of the resolution of the lek paradox based on mate choice for heterozygosity. Anim Behav 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Janhunen M, Peuhkuri N, Primmer CR, Kolari I, Piironen J. Does Breeding Ornamentation Signal Genetic Quality in Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus? Evol Biol 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s11692-010-9100-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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20
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Navarro C, Pérez-Contreras T, Avilés JM, Mcgraw KJ, Soler JJ. Beak colour reflects circulating carotenoid and vitamin A levels in spotless starlings (Sturnus unicolor). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-010-0920-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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21
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Ryder T, Tori W, Blake J, Loiselle B, Parker P. Mate choice for genetic quality: a test of the heterozygosity and compatibility hypotheses in a lek-breeding bird. Behav Ecol 2009. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arp176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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22
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Setchell JM, Charpentier MJE, Abbott KM, Wickings EJ, Knapp LA. Opposites attract: MHC-associated mate choice in a polygynous primate. J Evol Biol 2009; 23:136-48. [PMID: 19891747 DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2009.01880.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
We investigated reproduction in a semi-free-ranging population of a polygynous primate, the mandrill, in relation to genetic relatedness and male genetic characteristics, using neutral microsatellite and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genotyping. We compared genetic dissimilarity to the mother and genetic characteristics of the sire with all other potential sires present at the conception of each offspring (193 offspring for microsatellite genetics, 180 for MHC). The probability that a given male sired increased as pedigree relatedness with the mother decreased, and overall genetic dissimilarity and MHC dissimilarity with the mother increased. Reproductive success also increased with male microsatellite heterozygosity and MHC diversity. These effects were apparent despite the strong influence of dominance rank on male reproductive success. The closed nature of our study population is comparable to human populations for which MHC-associated mate choice has been reported, suggesting that such mate choice may be especially important in relatively isolated populations with little migration to introduce genetic variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Setchell
- Evolutionary Anthropology Research Group, Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, UK.
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23
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Ortego J, Calabuig G, Bonal R, Muñoz A, Aparicio JM, Cordero PJ. Temporal variation of heterozygosity-based assortative mating and related benefits in a lesser kestrel population. J Evol Biol 2009; 22:2488-95. [PMID: 19878409 DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2009.01865.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Heterozygosity as a target of mate choice has received much attention in recent years and there is growing evidence supporting its role in the evolution of mate preferences. In this study we analyse mating patterns in relation to heterozygosity in a lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni) population intensively monitored over six study years (2002-2007). The magnitude of heterozygosity-based assortative mating varied over time, being particularly patent in the last study years (2006, 2007). We have found evidence that this mating pattern entails both direct and indirect-genetic benefits. Clutch size increased with female heterozygosity and more heterozygous males raised a higher number of fledglings particularly in those years when the strength of the heterozygosity-based assortative mating was markedly higher. In the last study year, parent-offspring correlation of heterozygosity was stronger and higher than the expected if individuals would have randomly mated with respect to heterozygosity. Overall, our results offer empirical support to the heterozygous mate hypothesis of sexual selection but suggest that genetic diversity may act as a temporally variable target for mate choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Ortego
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
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24
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García-Navas V, Ortego J, Sanz JJ. Heterozygosity-based assortative mating in blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus): implications for the evolution of mate choice. Proc Biol Sci 2009; 276:2931-40. [PMID: 19474042 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2009.0417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The general hypothesis of mate choice based on non-additive genetic traits suggests that individuals would gain important benefits by choosing genetically dissimilar mates (compatible mate hypothesis) and/or more heterozygous mates (heterozygous mate hypothesis). In this study, we test these hypotheses in a socially monogamous bird, the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus). We found no evidence for a relatedness-based mating pattern, but heterozygosity was positively correlated between social mates, suggesting that blue tits may base their mating preferences on partner's heterozygosity. We found evidence that the observed heterozygosity-based assortative mating could be maintained by both direct and indirect benefits. Heterozygosity reflected individual quality in both sexes: egg production and quality increased with female heterozygosity while more heterozygous males showed higher feeding rates during the brood-rearing period. Further, estimated offspring heterozygosity correlated with both paternal and maternal heterozygosity, suggesting that mating with heterozygous individuals can increase offspring genetic quality. Finally, plumage crown coloration was associated with male heterozygosity, and this could explain unanimous mate preferences for highly heterozygous and more ornamented individuals. Overall, this study suggests that non-additive genetic traits may play an important role in the evolution of mating preferences and offers empirical support to the resolution of the lek paradox from the perspective of the heterozygous mate hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicente García-Navas
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales, Facultad de Medio Ambiente, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Avenida Carlos III s/n, E-45071 Toledo, Spain
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WETZEL DANIELP, WESTNEAT DAVIDF. Heterozygosity and extra-pair paternity: biased tests result from the use of shared markers. Mol Ecol 2009; 18:2010-21. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2009.04114.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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27
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Blanchet S, Bernatchez L, Dodson JJ. Does interspecific competition influence relationships between heterozygosity and fitness-related behaviors in juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2008. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-008-0695-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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28
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Thom MD, Stockley P, Jury F, Ollier WER, Beynon RJ, Hurst JL. The direct assessment of genetic heterozygosity through scent in the mouse. Curr Biol 2008; 18:619-23. [PMID: 18424142 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2008.03.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2008] [Revised: 03/17/2008] [Accepted: 03/27/2008] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The role of individual genetic heterozygosity in mate choice is the subject of much current debate. Several recent studies have reported female preference for more heterozygous males, but the mechanisms underlying heterozygote preference remain largely unknown. Females could favor males that are more successful in intrasexual competition, but they could also assess male heterozygosity directly at specific polymorphic genetic markers. Here, we use a breeding program to remove the intrinsic correlation between genome-wide heterozygosity and two highly polymorphic gene clusters that could allow direct assessment of heterozygosity through scent in mice: the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and the major urinary proteins (MUPs). When other sources of variation are controlled and intrasexual competition is minimized, female mice prefer to associate with MUP heterozygous over MUP homozygous males. MHC heterozygosity does not influence preference, and neither does heterozygosity across the rest of the genome when intrasexual competition between males is restricted. Female mice thus assess male heterozygosity directly through multiple MUP isoforms expressed in scent signals, independently of the effects of genome-wide heterozygosity on male competitiveness. This is the first evidence that animals may use signals of genetic heterozygosity that have no direct association with individual vigour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Thom
- Mammalian Behaviour and Evolution Group, Department of Veterinary Preclinical Science, University of Liverpool, Leahurst, Neston CH64 7TE, United Kingdom
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29
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Charpentier MJE, Prugnolle F, Gimenez O, Widdig A. Genetic heterozygosity and sociality in a primate species. Behav Genet 2008; 38:151-8. [PMID: 18293079 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-008-9191-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2007] [Accepted: 01/09/2008] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The relationship between an individual's genotype and its phenotype is a central issue in biology, but one that is largely unexplored for the important phenotype of complex social behavior. Here we examine the relationship between heterozygosity and social behavior among unrelated adult female rhesus macaques living on the island of Cayo Santiago (Puerto Rico). We show that female macaques with lower mean neutral heterozygosity were discriminated against by their unrelated conspecifics: less heterozygous females received aggressive behavior at higher rates and received affiliation at lower rates than more heterozygous females. We demonstrate that these results are likely due to local genomic effects associated with particular microsatellite loci. Our study suggests that genetic characteristics can impact the way an individual experiences its social environment and that female macaques that are homozygous at two microsatellite loci appear to be less attractive social partners based on grooming and aggression received by unrelated conspecifics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie J E Charpentier
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Science Drive, Biological Bldg 020, PO 90338, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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30
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López-Rull I, Celis P, Gil D. Egg Colour Covaries with Female Expression of a Male Ornament in the Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor). Ethology 2007. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2007.01400.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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31
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Radwan J. Maintenance of genetic variation in sexual ornaments: a review of the mechanisms. Genetica 2007; 134:113-27. [PMID: 17874278 DOI: 10.1007/s10709-007-9203-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2006] [Accepted: 08/08/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Female preferences for elaborate male sexual traits have been documented in a number of species in which males contribute only genes to the next generation. In such systems, mate choice has been hypothesised to benefit females genetically. For the genetic benefits to be possible there must be additive genetic variation (V A) for sexual ornaments, such that highly ornamented males can pass fitter genes on to the progeny of choosy females. Here, I review the mechanisms that can contribute to the maintenance of this variation. The variation may be limited to sexual ornaments, resulting in Fisherian benefits in terms of the increased reproductive success of male progeny produced by choosy females. Alternatively, ornaments may capture V A in other life-history traits. In the latter case, "good genes" benefits may apply in terms of improved performance of the progeny of either sex. Some mechanisms, however, such as negative pleiotropy, sexually antagonistic variation or overdominance, can maintain V A in ornaments and other life-history traits with little variation in total fitness, leaving little room for any genetic benefits of mate choice. Distinguishing between these mechanisms has consequences not only for the theory of sexual selection, but also for evolution of sex and for biological conservation. I discuss how the traditional ways of testing for genetic benefits can usefully be supplemented by tests detecting benefits resulting from specific mechanisms maintaining V A in sexual ornaments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacek Radwan
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, ul. Gronostajowa 7, Cracow, Poland.
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32
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Cohas A, Yoccoz NG, Allainé D. Extra-pair paternity in alpine marmots, Marmota marmota: genetic quality and genetic diversity effects. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2007. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-006-0341-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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33
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Kempenaers B. Mate Choice and Genetic Quality: A Review of the Heterozygosity Theory. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2007. [DOI: 10.1016/s0065-3454(07)37005-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 210] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
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34
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CELIS P, GIL D, GRAVES JA. Isolation and characterization of polymorphic microsatellites isolated from the spotless starling (Sturnus unicolor) and cross-species amplification in the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2006. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-8286.2006.01571.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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35
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Abstract
The interest to study the effects of inbreeding in natural populations has increased in the last years. Several microsatellite-derived metrics have recently been developed to infer inbreeding from multilocus heterozygosity data without requiring detailed pedigrees that are difficult to obtain in open populations. Internal relatedness (IR) is currently the most widespread used index and its main attribute is that allele frequency is incorporated into the measure. However, IR underestimates heterozygosity of individuals carrying rare alleles. For example, descendants of immigrants paired with natives (normally more outbred) bearing novel or rare alleles would be considered more homozygous than descendants of native parents. Thus, the analogy between homozygosity and inbreeding that generally is carried out would have no logic in those cases. We propose an alternative index, homozygosity by loci (HL) that avoids such problems by weighing the contribution of each locus to the homozygosity index depending on their allelic variability. Under a wide range of simulated scenarios, we found that our index (HL) correlated better than both IR and uncorrected homozygosity (H(O)), measured as proportion of homozygous loci) with genome-wide homozygosity and inbreeding coefficients in open populations. In these populations, which are likely to prevail in nature, the use of HL instead of IR reduced considerably the sample sizes required to achieve a given statistical power. This is likely to have important consequences on the ability to detect heterozygosity fitness correlations assuming the relationship between genome-wide heterozygosity and fitness traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Aparicio
- Grupo de Investigación de la Biodiversidad Genética y Cultural, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos - IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, E-13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
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36
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Setchell JM, Charpentier MJE, Bedjabaga IB, Reed P, Wickings EJ, Knapp LA. Secondary sexual characters and female quality in primates. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2006. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-006-0260-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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37
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Roberts SC, Hale ML, Petrie M. Correlations between heterozygosity and measures of genetic similarity: implications for understanding mate choice. J Evol Biol 2006; 19:558-69. [PMID: 16599932 DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2005.01003.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
There is currently considerable interest in testing the effects of genetic compatibility and heterozygosity on animal mate preferences. Evidence for either effect is rapidly accumulating, although results are not always clear-cut. However, correlations between mating preferences and either genetic similarity or heterozygosity are usually tested independently, and the possibility that similarity and heterozygosity may be confounded has rarely been taken into account. Here we show that measures of genetic similarity (allele sharing, relatedness) may be correlated with heterozygosity, using data from 441 human individuals genotyped at major loci in the major histocompatibility complex, and 281 peafowl (Pavo cristatus) individuals genotyped at 13 microsatellite loci. We show that average levels of allele sharing and relatedness are each significantly associated with heterozygosity in both humans and peafowl, that these relationships are influenced by the level of polymorphism, and that these similarity measures may correlate with heterozygosity in qualitatively different ways. We discuss the implications of these inter-relationships for interpretation of mate choice studies. It has recently become apparent that mating preferences for 'good genes' and 'compatible genes' may introduce discordant choice amongst individuals, since the optimal mate for one trait may not be optimal for the other, and our results are consistent with this idea. The inter-relationship between these measures of genetic quality also carries implications for the way in which mate choice studies are designed and interpreted, and generates predictions that can be tested in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- S C Roberts
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
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38
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Veiga JP, Polo V, Vinuela J. Nest Green Plants as a Male Status Signal and Courtship Display in the Spotless Starling. Ethology 2006. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2006.01148.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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39
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Charpentier M, Setchell JM, Prugnolle F, Knapp LA, Wickings EJ, Peignot P, Hossaert-McKey M. Genetic diversity and reproductive success in mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2005; 102:16723-8. [PMID: 16275917 PMCID: PMC1283825 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0507205102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2005] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies of wild animal populations have shown that estimators of neutral genetic diversity, such as mean heterozygosity, are often correlated with various fitness traits, such as survival, disease susceptibility, or reproductive success. We used two estimators of genetic diversity to explore the relationship between heterozygosity and reproductive success in male and female mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) living in a semifree ranging setting in Gabon. Because social rank is known to influence reproductive success in both sexes, we also examined the correlation between genetic diversity and social rank in females, and acquisition of alpha status in males, as well as length of alpha male tenure. We found that heterozygous individuals showed greater reproductive success, with both females and males producing more offspring. However, heterozygosity influenced reproductive success only in dominant males, not in subordinates. Neither the acquisition of alpha status in males, nor social rank in females, was significantly correlated with heterozygosity, although more heterozygous alpha males showed longer tenure than homozygous ones. We also tested whether the benefits of greater genetic diversity were due mainly to a genome-wide effect of inbreeding depression or to heterosis at one or a few loci. Multilocus effects best explained the correlation between heterozygosity and reproductive success and tenure, indicating the occurrence of inbreeding depression in this mandrill colony.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Charpentier
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Unite Mixte de Recherche 5175, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Montpellier, France.
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40
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Roberts SC, Little AC, Gosling LM, Perrett DI, Carter V, Jones BC, Penton-Voak I, Petrie M. MHC-heterozygosity and human facial attractiveness. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2005. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2004.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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41
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Seddon N, Amos W, Mulder RA, Tobias JA. Male heterozygosity predicts territory size, song structure and reproductive success in a cooperatively breeding bird. Proc Biol Sci 2004; 271:1823-9. [PMID: 15315898 PMCID: PMC1691794 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2004.2805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies of non-social animals have shown that sexually selected traits signal at least one measure of genetic quality: heterozygosity. To determine whether similar cues reveal group quality in more complex social systems, we examined the relationship between territory size, song structure and heterozygosity in the subdesert mesite (Monias benschi), a group-living bird endemic to Madagascar. Using nine polymorphic microsatellite loci, we found that heterozygosity predicted both the size of territories and the structure of songs used to defend them: more heterozygous groups had larger territories, and more heterozygous males used longer, lower-pitched trills in their songs. Heterozygosity was linked to territory size and song structure in males, but not in females, implying that these traits are sexually selected by female choice and/or male-male competition. To our knowledge, this study provides the first direct evidence in any animal that territory size is related to genetic diversity. We also found a positive association between seasonal reproductive success and heterozygosity, suggesting that this heritable characteristic is a reliable indicator of group quality and fitness. Given that heterozygosity predicts song structure in males, and can therefore be determined by listening to acoustic cues, we identify a mechanism by which social animals may assess rival groups, prospective partners and group mates, information of potential importance in guiding decisions related to conflict, breeding and dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Seddon
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK.
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42
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Buchholz R, Jones Dukes MD, Hecht S, Findley AM. Investigating the turkey's 'snood' as a morphological marker of heritable disease resistance. J Anim Breed Genet 2004. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0388.2004.00449.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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43
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Foerster K, Delhey K, Johnsen A, Lifjeld JT, Kempenaers B. Females increase offspring heterozygosity and fitness through extra-pair matings. Nature 2003; 425:714-7. [PMID: 14562103 DOI: 10.1038/nature01969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 397] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2003] [Accepted: 07/25/2003] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Females in a variety of species commonly mate with multiple males, and there is evidence that they benefit by producing offspring of higher genetic quality; however, the nature of these genetic benefits is debated. Enhanced offspring survival or quality can result from intrinsic effects of paternal genes---'good genes'--or from interactions between the maternal and paternal genomes--'compatible genes'. Evidence for the latter process is accumulating: matings between relatives lead to decreased reproductive success, and the individual level of inbreeding--measured as average heterozygosity--is a strong fitness predictor. Females should thus benefit from mating with genetically dissimilar males. In many birds, social monogamy restricts mate choice, but females may circumvent this by pursuing extra-pair copulations. Here we show that female blue tits, Parus caeruleus, increase the heterozygosity of their progeny through extra-pair matings. Females thereby produce offspring of higher reproductive value, because less inbred individuals have increased survival chances, a more elaborate male secondary sexual trait (crown colour) and higher reproductive success. The cost of inbreeding may therefore be an important factor driving the evolution of female extra-pair mating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Foerster
- Max Planck Research Centre for Ornithology, PO Box 1564, D-82305 Starnberg (Seewiesen), Germany
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