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Schlicht E, Gilsenan C, Santema P, Türk A, Wittenzellner A, Kempenaers B. Removal of older males increases extra-pair siring success of yearling males. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002584. [PMID: 38626215 PMCID: PMC11020368 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024] Open
Abstract
In animals, reproductive performance typically improves over time early in life. Several ultimate and proximate mechanisms may contribute to such an age-related improvement and these mechanisms can act in a relative or in an absolute sense. Low performance of young individuals may be the consequence of a comparison or competition with older individuals (relative), or it may be due to specific traits of young individuals and be unrelated to the presence of older competitors (absolute). Here, we perform a test to disentangle whether the effect of age class (yearling or older) on male extra-pair siring success is relative or absolute. Male age is the most consistent predictor of male extra-pair siring success across bird species, yet the mechanisms underlying this pattern are not well understood. Low extra-pair siring success of yearling males may be a consequence of the presence of older ("adult") males (hypothesis 1), because adult males are more successful in intra- and intersexual interactions or because females prefer to copulate with adult males when available (relative preference). Alternatively, low extra-pair siring success of yearlings may be independent of the presence of adult males (hypothesis 2), for example, if yearling males on average invest less in extra-pair behavior or if females avoid them as extra-pair mates, independent of the availability of older males (absolute preference). To distinguish between these 2 hypotheses, we experimentally manipulated the age structure of a nest-box-breeding population of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) by removing almost all adult males, and compared patterns of extra-pair paternity in the experimental year with those from the preceding 15 "control" years. Removal of adult males resulted in a substantial increase in the extra-pair siring success of yearling males compared to the "control" years, but did not affect the population-level frequency of extra-pair paternity or its spatial patterns. Our results provide clear evidence that extra-pair siring success of yearlings can increase and that it depends on the presence of older males in the population, indicating a relative effect of age on reproductive performance. These results suggest that older males outcompete yearling males in direct or indirect interactions, in sperm competition or as a result of differences in attractiveness to females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmi Schlicht
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Department of Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Carol Gilsenan
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Department of Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Peter Santema
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Department of Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Agnes Türk
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Department of Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Andrea Wittenzellner
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Department of Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Department of Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
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2
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Schlicht E, Kempenaers B. Age trajectories in extra-pair siring success suggest an effect of maturation or early-life experience. J Evol Biol 2023; 36:1213-1225. [PMID: 37438929 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Across birds, male age is the most consistent predictor of extra-pair siring success, yet little is known about age effects on paternity over the lifetime of individuals. Here, we use data from a 13-year study of a population of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) to investigate how extra-pair siring success changes with age within individuals. Our results indicate that extra-pair siring success does not continuously increase with male age. Instead, siring success was related to male age in a threshold fashion, whereby yearling males were less likely to gain paternity than older males. This effect was independent of the age of the social partner, but influenced by the age of the extra-pair female: success of yearlings at siring extra-pair young (EPY) with older females was even lower. Among males that sired at least one EPY, the number of extra-pair mates and the proportion of EPY sired were unrelated to male age. We found no evidence for an influence of selective disappearance on extra-pair reproduction. Senescence, if anything, only occurs at ages blue tits rarely reach. A literature review indicates that an effect of male age on extra-pair siring success may be limited to the switch from yearling to older in many species. Thus, the generally observed age effect on male extra-pair siring success may be linked to age class rather than continuous ageing. This suggests that lack of experience or not fully completed maturation are important drivers of age patterns in extra-pair paternity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmi Schlicht
- Department of Ornithology, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Department of Ornithology, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Seewiesen, Germany
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3
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Schlicht L, Santema P, Kempenaers B. Start and end of daily activity predict extrapair siring success independently of age in male blue tits. Anim Behav 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
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4
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Salazar SM, Hlebowicz K, Komdeur J, Korsten P. Repeatable parental risk taking across manipulated levels of predation threat: no individual variation in plasticity. Anim Behav 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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5
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Iyer P, Shukla A. Partial paternity does not always select for female-biased care. Evolution 2021; 75:2672-2684. [PMID: 34599602 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The theoretical literature predicts that parentage differences between the sexes, due to females mating with multiple males, select males to provide less parental care and females to care more for the offspring. We formulate simple evolutionary games to question the generality of this prediction. We find that the relationship between paternal care and fitness gained from extra-pair matings is important. A trade-off between these two quantities is required for partial paternity and complete maternity to bias the evolutionary stable strategy (ESS) toward more female care. We argue that this trade-off has been implicitly or explicitly assumed in most previous theories. However, if there is no trade-off between paternal care and extra-pair matings, parentage differences do not influence the ESS sex roles. Moreover, it is also possible for these two quantities to have a positive relationship, in which case we predict selection for male care is possible. We support these predictions using agent-based simulations. We also consider the possibility that caring males have greater opportunities to guard their paternity, and find that this mechanism can also select for male-biased care. Hence, we derive the conditions under which male care may be selected despite partial paternity and complete maternity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priya Iyer
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560012, India
| | - Abhishek Shukla
- Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3, Canada
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6
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Male aggressiveness and risk-taking during reproduction are repeatable but not correlated in a wild bird population. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03044-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The existence of among-individual variation in behaviour within populations is poorly understood. Recent theory suggests that fine-scale individual differences in investment into current versus future reproduction may lead to a ‘slow-fast’-pace-of-life continuum, also referred to as the ‘pace-of-life-syndrome’ (POLS) hypothesis. According to this idea, individuals are predicted to differ in their level of risk-taking, which may drive among-individual variation and covariation of behaviours. Consistent individual differences in aggression, an ecologically relevant and potentially risky behaviour, have been reported across the animal kingdom. Here we test whether such individual differences in aggression are a manifestation of underlying differences in risk-taking. In a wild blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) population, we used standard behavioural tests to investigate if male territorial aggressiveness and risk-taking during breeding are positively related. At the start of breeding, we simulated conspecific territorial intrusions to obtain repeated measures of male aggressiveness. Subsequently, we measured male risk-taking as their latency to resume brood provisioning after presenting two different predators at their nest: human and sparrowhawk, a common predator of adult songbirds. First, we found substantial repeatability for male aggressiveness (R = 0.56 ± 0.08 SE). Second, while males took longer to resume provisioning after presentation of a sparrowhawk mount as compared to a human observer, risk-taking was repeatable across these two predator contexts (R = 0.51 ± 0.13 SE). Finally, we found no evidence for a correlation between male aggressiveness and risk-taking, thereby providing little support to a main prediction of the POLS hypothesis.
Significance statement
Consistent, and often correlated, individual differences in basal behaviours, such as aggression, exploration and sociability, are found across the animal kingdom. Why individuals consistently differ in their behaviour is poorly understood, as behavioural traits would seem inherently flexible. The ‘pace-of-life syndrome’ (POLS) hypothesis proposes observed behavioural variation to reflect differences in risk-taking associated with individual reproductive strategies. We tested this idea in a wild blue tit population by investigating whether individual males that were more aggressive toward territorial intruders also took more risk when provisioning their nestlings under a threat of predation. While we found consistent individual differences in both aggressiveness and risk-taking, these behaviours were not significantly correlated. Therefore, our study demonstrates among-individual variation in ecologically relevant behaviours in wild blue tits but provides little support for the POLS hypothesis.
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7
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Germain RR, Hallworth MT, Kaiser SA, Sillett TS, Webster MS. Variance in within-pair reproductive success influences the opportunity for selection annually and over the lifetimes of males in a multibrooded songbird. Evolution 2021; 75:915-930. [PMID: 33433909 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In socially monogamous species, male reproductive success consists of "within-pair" offspring produced with their socially paired mate(s), and "extra-pair" offspring produced with additional females throughout the population. Both reproductive pathways offer distinct opportunities for selection in wild populations, as each is composed of separate components of mate attraction, female fecundity, and paternity allocation. Identifying key sources of variance and covariance among these components is a crucial step toward understanding the reproductive strategies that males use to maximize fitness both annually and over their lifetimes. We use 16 years of complete reproductive data from a population of black-throated blue warblers (Setophaga caerulescens) to partition variance in male annual and lifetime reproductive success, and thereby identify if the opportunity for selection varies over the lifetimes of individual males and what reproductive strategies likely favor maximum lifetime fitness. The majority of variance in male reproduction was attributable to within-pair success, but the specific effects of individual components of variance differed between total annual and total lifetime reproductive success. Positive overall lifetime covariance between within-pair and extra-pair components indicates that males able to maximize within-pair success, particularly with double-brooding females, likely achieve higher overall lifetime fitness via both within-pair and extra-pair reproductive pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan R Germain
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.,Department of Biology & GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael T Hallworth
- Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC.,Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | - Sara A Kaiser
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - T Scott Sillett
- Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC
| | - Michael S Webster
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
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8
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Badás EP, Autor A, Martínez J, Rivero-de Aguilar J, Merino S. Individual Quality and Extra-Pair Paternity in the Blue Tit: Sexy Males Bear the Costs. Evolution 2020; 74:559-572. [PMID: 31944288 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Adaptive explanations for the evolution of extra-pair paternity (EPP) suggest that females seek extra-pair copulations with high quality males. Still, the link between ornamentation, individual quality, and paternity remains unclear. Moreover, honest signaling is essential when explaining EPP because it is needed for sexual selection to occur; yet, it is understudied in multiple ornaments. Because blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) show variable color expression in several plumage patches, we tested: (i) over two seasons, whether males in better condition, more ornamented and less infected by blood parasites gain EPP and have higher reproductive success, and (ii) over three seasons, whether mating patterns affect color change. Males with more saturated yellow feathers, brighter tails, and in better condition had higher reproductive success in one of the seasons. Contrary to expectation, in another season, males that gained EPP were parasitized by blood parasites, suggesting increased vector exposure during extra-pair copulations. Our results for two seasons show that males siring more extra-pair young were older and grew brighter cheek or tail feathers for the following season. Despite the increased mating costs, in socially monogamous avian systems, high quality males incur in EPP without compromising traits that may be under sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa P Badás
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, CSIC, Jose Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain.,School of Biology, The Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, Leeds, UK
| | - Amaia Autor
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, CSIC, Jose Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Martínez
- Department of Biomedicine and Biotechnology (Area of Parasitology), University of Alcalá de Henares, Autovia A2, 28805, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Rivero-de Aguilar
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, Department of Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Santiago, Chile
| | - Santiago Merino
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, CSIC, Jose Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
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9
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Robinson CM, Creanza N. Species-level repertoire size predicts a correlation between individual song elaboration and reproductive success. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:8362-8377. [PMID: 31380095 PMCID: PMC6662282 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Birdsong has long been considered a sexually selected trait that relays honest information about male quality, and laboratory studies generally suggest that female songbirds prefer larger repertoires. However, analysis of field studies across species surprisingly revealed a weak correlation between song elaboration and reproductive success, and it remains unknown why only certain species show this correlation in nature. Taken together, these studies suggest that females in numerous species can detect and prefer larger repertoires in a laboratory setting, but larger individual repertoires correlate with reproductive success only in a subset of these species. This prompts the question: Do the species that show a stronger correlation between reproductive success and larger individual repertoires in nature have anything in common? In this study, we test whether between-species differences in two song-related variables-species average syllable repertoire size and adult song stability over time-can be used to predict the importance of individual song elaboration in reproductive success within a species. Our cross-species meta-analysis of field studies revealed that species with larger average syllable repertoire sizes exhibited a stronger correlation between individual elaboration and reproductive success than species with smaller syllable repertoires. Song stability versus plasticity in adulthood provided little predictive power on its own, suggesting that the putative correlation between repertoire size and age in open-ended learners does not explain the association between song elaboration and reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicole Creanza
- Department of Biological SciencesVanderbilt UniversityNashvilleTennessee
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10
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Grunst AS, Grunst ML, Korody ML, Forrette LM, Gonser RA, Tuttle EM. Extrapair mating and the strength of sexual selection: insights from a polymorphic species. Behav Ecol 2019; 30:278-290. [PMID: 30971857 PMCID: PMC6450205 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Revised: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Extrapair mating could drive sexual selection in socially monogamous species, but support for this hypothesis remains equivocal. We used lifetime fitness data and a unique model species, the dimorphic white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), to examine how extrapair mating affects the potential for sexual selection. In this species, the morphs employ distinct reproductive strategies, with white males pursuing extrapair mating at higher rates than tan counterparts. Social and extrapair mating is disassortative by morph, with paternity exchange occurring primarily between pairs composed of white males and tan females. Bateman gradients and Jones indexes indicated stronger sexual selection via mate numbers in white males than in females and tan males, and generally did not differ between females as compared with tan males. Extrapair mating contributed more to the Bateman gradient for white than tan males, and white males also had higher variance in annual reproductive success. However, variance in lifetime reproductive success did not differ between morphs or sexes. Moreover, extrapair mating did not increase variance in male reproductive success relative to apparent patterns, and within-pair success accounted for much more variance than extrapair success. Thus, extrapair mating by white males increases Bateman gradients and the potential for sexual selection via mate numbers. However, our latter results support previous research suggesting that extrapair mating may play a limited role in driving the overall potential for sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea S Grunst
- Department of Biology, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN, USA
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerpen (Wilrijk), Belgium
| | - Melissa L Grunst
- Department of Biology, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN, USA
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerpen (Wilrijk), Belgium
| | - Marisa L Korody
- Department of Biology, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN, USA
- Conservation Genetics/Northern White Rhino Initiative, Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, Escondido, CA, USA
| | | | - Rusty A Gonser
- Department of Biology, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN, USA
| | - Elaine M Tuttle
- Department of Biology, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN, USA
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11
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Polygyny is linked to accelerated birdsong evolution but not to larger song repertoires. Nat Commun 2019; 10:884. [PMID: 30792389 PMCID: PMC6385279 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08621-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-monogamous mating behaviors including polygyny or extra-pair paternity are theorized to amplify sexual selection, since some males attract multiple mates or copulate with paired females. In several well-studied songbird species, females prefer more complex songs and larger repertoires; thus, non-monogamous mating behaviors are predicted to accelerate song evolution, particularly toward increased complexity. However, studies within songbird clades have yielded mixed results, and the effect of non-monogamy on song evolution remains unclear. Here, we construct a large-scale database synthesizing mating system, extra-pair paternity, and song information and perform comparative analyses alongside songbird genetic phylogenies. Our results suggest that polygyny drives faster evolution of syllable repertoire size (measured as average number of unique syllables), but this rapid evolution does not produce larger repertoires in polygynous species. Instead, both large and small syllable repertoires quickly evolve toward moderate sizes in polygynous lineages. Contrary to expectation, high rates of extra-pair paternity coincide with smaller repertoires. Sexual selection is expected to be intensified in non-monogamous mating systems; in birds this might accelerate song evolution. Here, the authors show that across songbirds, polygyny and extra-pair paternity are associated with faster syllable repertoire size evolution and smaller repertoire size, respectively.
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12
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Structure of sexual networks determines the operation of sexual selection. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 115:E53-E61. [PMID: 29255016 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1710450115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection is a fundamental evolutionary process but remains debated, particularly in the complexity of polyandrous populations where females mate with multiple males. This lack of resolution is partly because studies have largely ignored the structure of the sexual network, that is, the pattern of mate sharing. Here, we quantify what we call mating assortment with network analysis to specify explicitly the indirect as well as direct relationships between partners. We first review empirical studies, showing that mating assortment varies considerably in nature, due largely to basic properties of the sexual network (size and density) and partly to nonrandom patterns of mate sharing. We then use simulations to show how variation in mating assortment interacts with population-level polyandry to determine the strength of sexual selection on males. Controlling for average polyandry, positive mating assortment, arising when more polygynous males tend to mate with more polyandrous females, drastically decreases the intensity of precopulatory sexual selection on male mating success (Bateman gradient) and the covariance between male mating success and postcopulatory paternity share. Average polyandry independently weakened some measures of sexual selection and crucially also impacted sexual selection indirectly by constraining mating assortment through the saturation of the mating network. Mating assortment therefore represents a key-albeit overlooked-modulator of the strength of sexual selection. Our results show that jointly considering sexual network structure and average polyandry more precisely describes the strength of sexual selection.
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13
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Costanzo A, Ambrosini R, Caprioli M, Gatti E, Parolini M, Canova L, Rubolini D, Romano A, Gianfranceschi L, Saino N. Lifetime reproductive success, selection on lifespan, and multiple sexual ornaments in male European barn swallows. Evolution 2017; 71:2457-2468. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.13312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Costanzo
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy; University of Milan; via Celoria 26, I-20133 Milan Italy
| | - Roberto Ambrosini
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT); University of Milano Bicocca; Piazza della Scienza, 1, I-20126 Milan Italy
| | - Manuela Caprioli
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy; University of Milan; via Celoria 26, I-20133 Milan Italy
| | - Emanuele Gatti
- Department of Biosciences; University of Milan; via Celoria 26, I-20133 Milan Italy
| | - Marco Parolini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy; University of Milan; via Celoria 26, I-20133 Milan Italy
| | - Luca Canova
- Department of Chemistry; Via Taramelli 12, I-27100 Pavia Italy
| | - Diego Rubolini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy; University of Milan; via Celoria 26, I-20133 Milan Italy
| | - Andrea Romano
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy; University of Milan; via Celoria 26, I-20133 Milan Italy
| | - Luca Gianfranceschi
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT); University of Milano Bicocca; Piazza della Scienza, 1, I-20126 Milan Italy
| | - Nicola Saino
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy; University of Milan; via Celoria 26, I-20133 Milan Italy
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14
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15
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de Jong B, Lens L, van der Velde M, Korsten P, Groothuis T, Komdeur J. Testosterone Reduces Promiscuity of Female Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus): An Experimental Study. Ethology 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Berber de Jong
- Behavioural and Physiological Ecology; Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences; University of Groningen; Groningen The Netherlands
- Behavioural Biology; Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences; University of Groningen; Groningen The Netherlands
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit; Department Biology; Ghent University; Ghent Belgium
| | - Luc Lens
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit; Department Biology; Ghent University; Ghent Belgium
| | - Marco van der Velde
- Behavioural and Physiological Ecology; Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences; University of Groningen; Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Peter Korsten
- Department of Animal Behaviour; Bielefeld University; Bielefeld Germany
| | - Ton Groothuis
- Behavioural Biology; Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences; University of Groningen; Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Behavioural and Physiological Ecology; Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences; University of Groningen; Groningen The Netherlands
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16
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Mueller JC, Kuhl H, Timmermann B, Kempenaers B. Characterization of the genome and transcriptome of the blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus: polymorphisms, sex-biased expression and selection signals. Mol Ecol Resour 2015. [PMID: 26220359 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.12450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Decoding genomic sequences and determining their variation within populations has potential to reveal adaptive processes and unravel the genetic basis of ecologically relevant trait variation within a species. The blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus--a long-time ecological model species--has been used to investigate fitness consequences of variation in mating and reproductive behaviour. However, very little is known about the underlying genetic changes due to natural and sexual selection in the genome of this songbird. As a step to bridge this gap, we assembled the first draft genome of a single blue tit, mapped the transcriptome of five females and five males to this reference, identified genomewide variants and performed sex-differential expression analysis in the gonads, brain and other tissues. In the gonads, we found a high number of sex-biased genes, and of those, a similar proportion were sex-limited (genes only expressed in one sex) in males and females. However, in the brain, the proportion of female-limited genes within the female-biased gene category (82%) was substantially higher than the proportion of male-limited genes within the male-biased category (6%). This suggests a predominant on-off switching mechanism for the female-limited genes. In addition, most male-biased genes were located on the Z-chromosome, indicating incomplete dosage compensation for the male-biased genes. We called more than 500,000 SNPs from the RNA-seq data. Heterozygote detection in the single reference individual was highly congruent between DNA-seq and RNA-seq calling. Using information from these polymorphisms, we identified potential selection signals in the genome. We list candidate genes which can be used for further sequencing and detailed selection studies, including genes potentially related to meiotic drive evolution. A public genome browser of the blue tit with the described information is available at http://public-genomes-ngs.molgen.mpg.de.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob C Mueller
- Department of Behavioural Ecology & Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Heiner Kuhl
- Sequencing Core Facility, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestrasse 73, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Bernd Timmermann
- Sequencing Core Facility, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestrasse 73, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology & Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
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17
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García-Navas V, Ferrer ES, Cáliz-Campal C, Bueno-Enciso J, Barrientos R, Sanz JJ, Ortego J. Spatiotemporal and genetic contingency of extrapair behaviour in a songbird. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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18
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Annavi G, Newman C, Dugdale HL, Buesching CD, Sin YW, Burke T, Macdonald DW. Neighbouring-group composition and within-group relatedness drive extra-group paternity rate in the European badger (Meles meles). J Evol Biol 2014; 27:2191-203. [PMID: 25234113 PMCID: PMC4283041 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2014] [Revised: 07/22/2014] [Accepted: 07/27/2014] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Extra-group paternity (EGP) occurs commonly among group-living mammals and plays an important role in mating systems and the dynamics of sexual selection; however, socio-ecological and genetic correlates of EGP have been underexplored. We use 23 years of demographic and genetic data from a high-density European badger (Meles meles) population, to investigate the relationship between the rate of EGP in litters and mate availability, mate incompatibility and mate quality (heterozygosity). Relatedness between within-group assigned mothers and candidate fathers had a negative quadratic effect on EGP, whereas the number of neighbouring-group candidate fathers had a linear positive effect. We detected no effect of mean or maximum heterozygosity of within-group candidate fathers on EGP. Consequently, EGP was associated primarily with mate availability, subject to within-group genetic effects, potentially to mitigate mate incompatibility and inbreeding. In badgers, cryptic female choice, facilitated by superfecundation, superfoetation and delayed implantation, prevents males from monopolizing within-group females. This resonates with a meta-analysis in group-living mammals, which proposed that higher rates of EGP occur when within-group males cannot monopolize within-group females. In contrast to the positive meta-analytic association, however, we found that EGP associated negatively with the number of within-group assigned mothers and the number of within-group candidate fathers; potentially a strategy to counter within-group males committing infanticide. The relationship between the rate of EGP and socio-ecological or genetic factors can therefore be intricate, and the potential for cryptic female choice must be accounted for in comparative studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Annavi
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of OxfordTubney, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK
- NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of SheffieldSheffield, UK
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, University of Putra MalaysiaSelangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - C Newman
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of OxfordTubney, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - H L Dugdale
- NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of SheffieldSheffield, UK
- Theoretical Biology, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of GroningenGroningen, The Netherlands
- Behavioural Ecology and Self-Organization, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of GroningenGroningen, The Netherlands
| | - C D Buesching
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of OxfordTubney, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Y W Sin
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of OxfordTubney, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK
- NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of SheffieldSheffield, UK
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard UniversityCambridge, MA, USA
| | - T Burke
- NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of SheffieldSheffield, UK
| | - D W Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of OxfordTubney, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK
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19
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Reid JM, Arcese P, Losdat S. Genetic covariance between components of male reproductive success: within-pair vs. extra-pair paternity in song sparrows. J Evol Biol 2014; 27:2046-56. [PMID: 25186454 PMCID: PMC4283045 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2014] [Revised: 06/09/2014] [Accepted: 06/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The evolutionary trajectories of reproductive systems, including both male and female multiple mating and hence polygyny and polyandry, are expected to depend on the additive genetic variances and covariances in and among components of male reproductive success achieved through different reproductive tactics. However, genetic covariances among key components of male reproductive success have not been estimated in wild populations. We used comprehensive paternity data from socially monogamous but genetically polygynandrous song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) to estimate additive genetic variance and covariance in the total number of offspring a male sired per year outside his social pairings (i.e. his total extra-pair reproductive success achieved through multiple mating) and his liability to sire offspring produced by his socially paired female (i.e. his success in defending within-pair paternity). Both components of male fitness showed nonzero additive genetic variance, and the estimated genetic covariance was positive, implying that males with high additive genetic value for extra-pair reproduction also have high additive genetic propensity to sire their socially paired female's offspring. There was consequently no evidence of a genetic or phenotypic trade-off between male within-pair paternity success and extra-pair reproductive success. Such positive genetic covariance might be expected to facilitate ongoing evolution of polygyny and could also shape the ongoing evolution of polyandry through indirect selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Reid
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland
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20
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Lemons PR, Marshall TC, McCloskey SE, Sethi SA, Schmutz JA, Sedinger JS. A likelihood-based approach for assessment of extra-pair paternity and conspecific brood parasitism in natural populations. Mol Ecol Resour 2014; 15:107-16. [DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.12287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2012] [Revised: 05/23/2014] [Accepted: 05/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- P. R. Lemons
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Marine Mammals Management; 1011 East Tudor Road Anchorage AK 99503 USA
| | | | - S. E. McCloskey
- U.S. Geological Survey - Alaska Science Center; 4210 University Drive Anchorage AK 99508 USA
| | - S. A. Sethi
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Biometrics; 1011 East Tudor Road Anchorage AK 99503 USA
| | - J. A. Schmutz
- U.S. Geological Survey - Alaska Science Center; 4210 University Drive Anchorage AK 99508 USA
| | - J. S. Sedinger
- Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences; University of Nevada Reno; Reno NV 89512 USA
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21
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Reid JM, Arcese P, Keller LF, Losdat S. Female and male genetic effects on offspring paternity: additive genetic (co)variances in female extra-pair reproduction and male paternity success in song sparrows (Melospiza melodia). Evolution 2014; 68:2357-70. [PMID: 24724612 PMCID: PMC4285967 DOI: 10.1111/evo.12424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2013] [Accepted: 04/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Ongoing evolution of polyandry, and consequent extra-pair reproduction in socially monogamous systems, is hypothesized to be facilitated by indirect selection stemming from cross-sex genetic covariances with components of male fitness. Specifically, polyandry is hypothesized to create positive genetic covariance with male paternity success due to inevitable assortative reproduction, driving ongoing coevolution. However, it remains unclear whether such covariances could or do emerge within complex polyandrous systems. First, we illustrate that genetic covariances between female extra-pair reproduction and male within-pair paternity success might be constrained in socially monogamous systems where female and male additive genetic effects can have opposing impacts on the paternity of jointly reared offspring. Second, we demonstrate nonzero additive genetic variance in female liability for extra-pair reproduction and male liability for within-pair paternity success, modeled as direct and associative genetic effects on offspring paternity, respectively, in free-living song sparrows (Melospiza melodia). The posterior mean additive genetic covariance between these liabilities was slightly positive, but the credible interval was wide and overlapped zero. Therefore, although substantial total additive genetic variance exists, the hypothesis that ongoing evolution of female extra-pair reproduction is facilitated by genetic covariance with male within-pair paternity success cannot yet be definitively supported or rejected either conceptually or empirically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane M Reid
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Zoology Building, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, Scotland.
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22
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Walker LK, Ewen JG, Brekke P, Kilner RM. Sexually selected dichromatism in the hihi Notiomystis cincta: multiple colours for multiple receivers. J Evol Biol 2014; 27:1522-35. [PMID: 24836349 PMCID: PMC4515105 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2013] [Revised: 03/24/2014] [Accepted: 04/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Why do some bird species show dramatic sexual dichromatism in their plumage? Sexual selection is the most common answer to this question. However, other competing explanations mean it is unwise to assume that all sexual dichromatism has evolved by this mechanism. Even if sexual selection is involved, further work is necessary to determine whether dichromatism results from competition amongst rival males, or by female choice for attractive traits, or both. Here, we test whether sexually dichromatic hihi (Notiomystis cincta) plumage is currently under sexual selection, with detailed behavioural and genetic analyses of a free-living island population. Bateman gradients measured for males and females reveal the potential for sexual selection, whilst selection gradients, relating reproductive success to specific colourful traits, show that there is stabilizing selection on white ear tuft length in males. By correlating colourful male plumage with different components of reproductive success, we show that properties of yellow plumage are most likely a product of male–male competition, whilst properties of the black and white plumage are an outcome of both male–male competition and female choice. Male plumage therefore potentially signals to multiple receivers (rival males and potential mates), and this may explain the multicoloured appearance of one of the most strikingly dichromatic species in New Zealand.
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Affiliation(s)
- L K Walker
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Zoological Society of London, Institute of Zoology, London, UK
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23
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Ferree ED, Dickinson JL. Male western bluebirds that sire extrapair young are also successful within-pair mates. Anim Behav 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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24
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García-Navas V, Ferrer ES, Bueno-Enciso J, Barrientos R, Sanz JJ, Ortego J. Extrapair paternity in Mediterranean blue tits: socioecological factors and the opportunity for sexual selection. Behav Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/art111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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25
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Vedder O, Magrath MJL, van der Velde M, Komdeur J. Covariance of paternity and sex with laying order explains male bias in extra-pair offspring in a wild bird population. Biol Lett 2013; 9:20130616. [PMID: 24026349 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2013.0616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been hypothesized that parents increase their fitness by biasing the sex ratio of extra-pair offspring (EPO) towards males. Here, we report a male bias among EPO in a wild population of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus). This resulted from a decline in both the proportion of males and EPO over the laying order of eggs in the clutch. However, previous studies suggest that, unlike the decline in EPO with laying order, the relationship between offspring sex ratio and laying order is not consistent between years and populations in this species. Hence, we caution against treating the decline in proportion of males with laying order, and the resulting male bias among EPO, as support for the above hypothesis. Variable patterns of offspring sex and paternity over the laying order may explain inconsistent associations between offspring sex and paternity, between and within species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Vedder
- Behavioural Ecology and Self-Organization, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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26
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Sousa BF, Westneat DF. Variance in mating success does not produce strong sexual selection in a polygynous songbird. Behav Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/art077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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27
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Schlicht E, Kempenaers B. EFFECTS OF SOCIAL AND EXTRA-PAIR MATING ON SEXUAL SELECTION IN BLUE TITS (CYANISTES CAERULEUS). Evolution 2013; 67:1420-34. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2011] [Accepted: 02/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emmi Schlicht
- Department Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology; Eberhard-Gwinner-Straße; 82319 Seewiesen; Germany
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Department Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology; Eberhard-Gwinner-Straße; 82319 Seewiesen; Germany
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28
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Positive association between social and extra-pair mating in a polygynous songbird, the dickcissel (Spiza americana). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-012-1444-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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29
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Schwagmeyer PL, Parker PG, Mock DW, Schwabl H. Alternative matings and the opportunity costs of paternal care in house sparrows. Behav Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ars080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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30
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Krist M, Munclinger P. Superiority of extra-pair offspring: maternal but not genetic effects as revealed by a mixed cross-fostering design. Mol Ecol 2011; 20:5074-91. [PMID: 22061105 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2011.05337.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Extra-pair copulations (EPC) are the rule rather than an exception in socially monogamous birds, but despite widespread occurrences, the benefits of female infidelity remain elusive. Most attention has been paid to the possibility that females gain genetic benefits from EPC, and fitness comparisons between maternal half-siblings are considered to be a defining test of this hypothesis. Recently, it was shown that these comparisons may be confounded by within-brood maternal effects where one such effect may be the distribution of half-siblings in the laying order. However, this possibility is difficult to study as it would be necessary to detect the egg from which each chick hatched. In this study, we used a new approach for egg-chick assignment and cross-fostered eggs on an individual basis among a set of nests of the collared flycatcher Ficedula albicollis. After hatching, chicks were ascribed to mothers and therefore to individual eggs by molecular genetic methods. Extra-pair young predominated early in the laying order. Under natural conditions, this should give them a competitive advantage over their half-siblings, mediated by hatching asynchrony. However, we experimentally synchronized hatching, and after this treatment, extra-pair young did not outperform within-pair young in any studied trait including survival up to recruitment and several indicators of reproductive success and attractiveness. We obtained only modest sample sizes for the last two traits and did not test for extra-pair success of male offspring. Thus, we cannot exclude the possibility of advantages of extra-pair young during the adult phase of life. However, our data tentatively suggest that the more likely reason for females' EPCs is the insurance against the infertility of a social mate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miloš Krist
- Museum of Natural History, nám. Republiky 5, 771 73 Olomouc, Czech Republic.
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