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Míčková K, Tomášek O, Jelínek V, Šulc M, Pazdera L, Albrechtová J, Albrecht T. Age-related changes in sperm traits and evidence for aging costs of sperm production in a sexually promiscuous passerine. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1105596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
In many animal species, organismal performance declines with age in a process known as aging or senescence. Senescence typically leads to a deterioration of physiological functionality and can impact the development of primary sexual phenotypes. Sperm production is a complex and costly process that is sensitive to changes in individual physiological state, yet remarkably little is known about age-related changes in sperm performance and aging costs of sperm production. Here we use a non-linear generalized additive mixed models (GAMM) modelling to evaluate age-related changes in postcopulatory sexual traits in the European barn swallow (Hirundo rustica rustica), a relatively short lived sexually promiscuous passerine species, where male extra-pair fertilization success has been shown to increase with age. We confirmed a positive relationship between sperm midpiece length and sperm velocity in this species. Within-male changes in sperm morphology and sperm velocity were in general absent, with only sperm length decreasing linearly with increasing age, although this change was negligible compared to the overall variation in sperm size among males. In contrast, the cloacal protuberance (CP) size changed nonlinearly with age, with an initial increase between the first and third year of life followed by a plateau. The results further indicate the existence of a trade-off between investments in sperm production and survival as males with large CP tended to have a reduced lifespan. This seems consistent with the idea of expensive sperm production and survival aging costs associated with investments in post-copulatory traits in this sexually promiscuous species.
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When Older Males Sire More Offspring—Increased Attractiveness or Higher Fertility? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022; 76:61. [PMID: 35535127 PMCID: PMC9034975 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03170-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
In birds with extrapair mating, older males usually have higher fertilization success than younger males. Two hypotheses can potentially explain this pattern: 1) females prefer older, and often more ornamented males, or 2) older males invest more in reproduction and fertility than younger males. Here we studied factors associated with age-related male fertilization success in a population of barn swallows Hirundo rustica in Canada. We document that male fertilization success increased gradually up to a minimum age of four-year old. The age effect was especially strong for the number of extrapair offspring obtained and the occurrence of a second brood. The higher fertilization success of older males was also associated with an early start of breeding in spring. The length of the elongated outermost tail feathers, a postulated male ornament preferred by females, also increased with age (in both sexes), but it was not a significant predictor of male fertilization success within age classes. Male fertility traits, especially testis size, but also sperm motility and sperm velocity, increased significantly across age groups. Our results suggest that the higher fertilization success by older males is due to their higher reproductive investments and that their longer tails are an adaptation to early arrival on the breeding grounds. Significance statement The barn swallow is a socially monogamous passerine with extensive extrapair mating. We found that males become more successful in siring both withinpair and extrapair offspring as they become older. Their increased fertilization success was associated with a higher reproductive effort as indicated by larger testes, more motile sperm, and an earlier start of breeding in spring. The length of the outer tail feathers increased with age in both sexes, but long tails did not enhance male fertilization success among males of the same age. Long tails are probably an adaptation to rapid migration and earlier arrival on the breeding grounds. Our findings suggest that the commonly observed age-related increase in male fertilization success in passerine birds is better explained by life history theory than by sexual selection theory. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00265-022-03170-0.
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Abstract
Abstract
Complex sexual signals spanning multiple sensory modalities may be common in nature, yet few studies have explored how combinations of phenotypic traits influence male attractiveness and mating success. Here, we investigate whether combinations of multiple male phenotypic traits (both within and across sensory modalities) predict male mating and fertilization success in the critically endangered southern corroboree frog, Pseudophryne corroboree. We conducted breeding trials in a standardized captive environment where females were given the opportunity to choose between multiple males over the duration of the breeding season. For each male, we measured multiple call traits, aspects of coloration, body size, and age. We found that complex interactions between multiple traits best predicted male mating and fertilization success. In general, males with lower call frequency, lower call rate, and shorter call duration had the highest mating and fertilization success. Fertilization success was additionally linked to male body size and age. These findings suggest that female P. corroboree select mates based on a suite of acoustic traits, adding to a growing body of evidence that females use multiple traits to assess male quality. Our results also suggest that females may combine information from multiple signals non-additively. Moreover, our results imply that females gain direct fertility benefits from their mate choice decisions. We argue that understanding female mate choice based on various signals across multiple sensory modalities has important implications for the integration of mate choice into conservation breeding programs and needs to be considered when developing behavior-based captive breeding strategies.
Significance statement
Sexual signals are often highly complex, yet we know little about how multiple signal components both within and across various sensory modalities predict male mating success. We investigated whether combinations of multiple phenotypic traits (within and across sensory modalities) predicted male breeding success in threatened corroboree frogs. We conducted captive breeding trials in a homogeneous environment, where females could choose between multiple males over the duration of a single breeding season. We found that interactions between multiple male traits predicted mating and fertilization success. Males with lower call frequency, call rate, and duration had higher mating success. Fertilization success was also linked to acoustic signals, body size, and age. Understanding mate choice for multiple traits further elucidates the complexity of female mate choice. This study is one of the first to consider the conservation implications of multimodal signaling in mate choice.
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Segami JC, Lind MI, Qvarnström A. Should females prefer old males? Evol Lett 2021; 5:507-520. [PMID: 34621537 PMCID: PMC8484724 DOI: 10.1002/evl3.250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Whether females should prefer to mate with old males is controversial. Old males may sire offspring of low quality because of an aging germline, but their proven ability to reach an old age can also be an excellent indicator of superior genetic quality, especially in natural populations. These genetic effects are, however, hard to study in nature, because they are often confounded with direct benefits offered by old males to the female, such as experience and high territory quality. We, therefore, used naturally occurring extra‐pair young to disentangle different aspects of male age on female fitness in a natural population of collared flycatchers because any difference between within‐ and extra‐pair young within a nest should be caused by paternal genetic effects only. Based on 18 years of long‐term data, we found that females paired with older males as social partners experienced an overall reproductive advantage. However, offspring sired by old males were of lower quality as compared to their extra‐pair half‐siblings, whereas the opposite was found in nests attended by young males. These results imply a negative genetic effect of old paternal age, given that extra‐pair males are competitive middle‐age males. Thus, offspring may benefit from being sired by young males but raised by old males, to maximize both genetic and direct effects. Our results show that direct and genetic benefits from pairing with old males may act in opposing directions and that the quality of the germline may deteriorate before other signs of senescence become obvious.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Carolina Segami
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology Uppsala University Uppsala SE-75236 Sweden
| | - Martin I Lind
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology Uppsala University Uppsala SE-75236 Sweden
| | - Anna Qvarnström
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology Uppsala University Uppsala SE-75236 Sweden
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Choi ON, Corl A, Wolfenden A, Lublin A, Ishaq SL, Turjeman S, Getz WM, Nathan R, Bowie RCK, Kamath PL. High-Throughput Sequencing for Examining Salmonella Prevalence and Pathogen—Microbiota Relationships in Barn Swallows. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.683183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies in both humans and model organisms suggest that the microbiome may play a significant role in host health, including digestion and immune function. Microbiota can offer protection from exogenous pathogens through colonization resistance, but microbial dysbiosis in the gastrointestinal tract can decrease resistance and is associated with pathogenesis. Little is known about the effects of potential pathogens, such as Salmonella, on the microbiome in wildlife, which are known to play an important role in disease transmission to humans. Culturing techniques have traditionally been used to detect pathogens, but recent studies have utilized high throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to characterize host-associated microbial communities (i.e., the microbiome) and to detect specific bacteria. Building upon this work, we evaluated the utility of high throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing for potential bacterial pathogen detection in barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) and used these data to explore relationships between potential pathogens and microbiota. To accomplish this, we first compared the detection of Salmonella spp. in swallows using 16S rRNA data with standard culture techniques. Second, we examined the prevalence of Salmonella using 16S rRNA data and examined the relationship between Salmonella-presence or -absence and individual host factors. Lastly, we evaluated host-associated bacterial diversity and community composition in Salmonella-present vs. -absent birds. Out of 108 samples, we detected Salmonella in six (5.6%) samples based on culture, 25 (23.1%) samples with unrarefied 16S rRNA gene sequencing data, and three (2.8%) samples with both techniques. We found that sex, migratory status, and weight were correlated with Salmonella presence in swallows. In addition, bacterial community composition and diversity differed between birds based on Salmonella status. This study highlights the value of 16S rRNA gene sequencing data for monitoring pathogens in wild birds and investigating the ecology of host microbe-pathogen relationships, data which are important for prediction and mitigation of disease spillover into domestic animals and humans.
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Hund AK, Hubbard JK, Krausová S, Munclinger P, Safran RJ. Different underlying mechanisms drive associations between multiple parasites and the same sexual signal. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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7
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Brouwer L, Griffith SC. Extra-pair paternity in birds. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:4864-4882. [PMID: 31587397 PMCID: PMC6899757 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Since the first molecular study providing evidence for mating outside the pair bond in birds over 30 years ago, >500 studies have reported rates of extra‐pair paternity (EPP) in >300 bird species. Here, we give a detailed overview of the current literature reporting EPP in birds and highlight the sampling biases and patterns in the data set with respect to taxonomy, avian phylogeny and global regions, knowledge of which will be crucial for correct interpretation of results in future comparative studies. Subsequently, we use this comprehensive dataset to simultaneously test the role of several ecological and life history variables. We do not find clear evidence that variation in EPP across socially monogamous species can be explained by latitude, density (coloniality), migration, generation length, genetic structuring (dispersal distance), or climatic variability, after accounting for phylogeny. These results contrast previous studies, most likely due to the large heterogeneity within species in both EPP and the predictor of interest, indicating that using species averages might be unreliable. Despite the absence of broadscale ecological drivers in explaining interspecific variation in EPP, we suggest that certain behaviours and ecological variables might facilitate or constrain EPP, as indicated by our finding that EPP was negatively associated with latitude within noncolonial species, suggesting a role of breeding synchrony. Thus, rather than focussing on general explanations for variation in EPP across all species, a future focus should be on how various aspects of ecology or life history might have driven variation in EPP among groups of species or populations of the same species. Hence, we argue that variation in EPP can be partly explained when taking the right perspective. This comprehensive overview, and particularly the dataset provided herein will create a foundation for further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyanne Brouwer
- Department of Animal Ecology & Physiology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Simon C Griffith
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
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Michálková R, Tomášek O, Adámková M, Kreisinger J, Albrecht T. Extra-pair paternity patterns in European barn swallows Hirundo rustica are best explained by male and female age rather than male ornamentation. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2725-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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9
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Wiebe KL. Age-related improvements in fecundity are driven by the male in a bird with partially reversed sex roles in parental care. Oecologia 2018; 188:1095-1104. [PMID: 30368615 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4286-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Age-related improvement in reproductive performance is widespread in vertebrates and constraints at young ages are a common cause. The sex that invests energetically more in reproduction, typically the female, is predicted to show stronger age-related performance but the effect of the male's age on reproduction has often been ignored. I studied age-related reproduction of both sexes in northern flickers, in which males invest more parental care than females, predicting that the effect of age would be stronger in males than in females. Longitudinal data on individuals collected during an 18-year field study confirmed this prediction. Laying dates for females improved only between the first 2 years of her life and no other reproductive parameter changed over her lifetime when the male's age was statistically controlled. In contrast, males improved up to age five for laying date, clutch size, hatching success and fledging success. Partner familiarity (fidelity) was further associated with earlier laying, larger clutches, improved fledging success and more fledglings. There was significant assortative pairing by age but there is apparently little benefit for males to choose older females, but a benefit to females with older males. Females appear to strategically lay larger clutches when paired to old males which invest more in paternal care than younger males. This is the first example of clutch size being influenced by only male age and not female age in any bird and suggests that sex roles in parental care are important determinants of aging patterns in vertebrates with diverse life histories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen L Wiebe
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada.
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10
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Freeman-Gallant CR, Taff CC. Age and infection history are revealed by different ornaments in a warbler. Oecologia 2018; 188:1025-1036. [PMID: 30291422 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4268-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Female preference for older or more disease-resistant males are both possible outcomes of parasite-mediated sexual selection, but the extent to which infection alters the development of ornaments to yield signals of male age and health has rarely been explored. In a longitudinal study of 61 male common yellowthroats (Geothlypis trichas), age-related increases in the size of the melanin-based mask and carotenoid-based bib were not correlated among young males, likely owing to differences in how blood parasites affect ornament development. Infection with trypanosomes and hemosporidians in a male's first breeding season was associated with slower growth of the mask; uninfected males attained large masks in their second breeding season, while infected males attained large masks in their third breeding season. In contrast, the bib size of males increased every year regardless of infection. As a consequence, different populations of males are identified by the largest ornaments-older males in the case of bib and a combination of older males and young, uninfected males in the case of mask. Although mask is thus the more informative trait with respect to male health, females prefer large bibs in our population. If infection is opportunistic, young, uninfected males may not possess good genes for parasite resistance but simply good luck, and it may benefit females to prefer older males who are more likely to have withstood prior episodes of selection. A "pure" signal of age may be a more reliable signal of resistance to parasites than an ornament whose expression is modulated by infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Conor C Taff
- Laboratory of Ornithology, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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11
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Turčoková L, Chutný B, Pavel V, Svoboda A, Osiejuk TS. Older is better? Age-related variation in ornamental and breeding traits in bluethroats, Luscinia s. svecica. FOLIA ZOOLOGICA 2018. [DOI: 10.25225/fozo.v67.i2.a2.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Turčoková
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Science Comenius University, Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, Mly
| | - Bohumír Chutný
- Department of Zoology and Laboratory of Ornithology, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Tř. Svo
| | - Václav Pavel
- Department of Zoology and Laboratory of Ornithology, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Tř. Svo
| | - Aleš Svoboda
- Department of Zoology and Laboratory of Ornithology, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Tř. Svo
| | - Tomasz S. Osiejuk
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mick
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12
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Bishop AM, Stewart JE, Pomeroy P, Twiss SD. Intraseasonal temporal variation of reproductive effort for male grey seals. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Freeman-Gallant CR, Taff CC. Age-specific patterns of infection with haemosporidians and trypanosomes in a warbler: implications for sexual selection. Oecologia 2017; 184:813-823. [PMID: 28756490 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-017-3919-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Although the selective loss of individuals susceptible to disease can favor the evolution of female preference for older males, the interrelationship between age, infection, longevity, and mating success remains poorly characterized in natural populations. In a longitudinal study of 61 male common yellowthroats (Geothlypis trichas), we found that the probability of infection with hematozoa increased as males aged from 1 to 5 years. Despite a significant, negative association between infection and longevity that partially masked age-effects, the odds that a male was infected with Trypanosoma, Plasmodium, or Leucocytozoon increased 71-212% per year. Nearly 75% of males in their first breeding season were either uninfected or infected with only a single parasite, while 50% of older males were infected with at least two parasites and 16% were infected with all three. No males escaped infection after their second breeding season. Older males were also more likely to sire extra-pair young (EPY) and, as a consequence, infection with multiple parasites was associated with a fourfold increase in the odds of producing EPY. Unlike younger males, 80% of the oldest males had a history of either surviving chronic infection or recovering. Combined with previous work showing higher diversity at the major histocompatibility complex among older males, our results suggest that the song and plumage traits that signal male age in common yellowthroats also, perforce, signal resistance to parasites. By preferring older males, females may obtain good genes for disease resistance even in the absence of any effect of infection on male ornamentation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Conor C Taff
- Laboratory of Ornithology, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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15
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Arai E, Hasegawa M, Makino T, Hagino A, Sakai Y, Ohtsuki H, Wakamatsu K, Kawata M. Physiological conditions and genetic controls of phaeomelanin pigmentation in nestling barn swallows. Behav Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arx012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
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16
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Romano A, Costanzo A, Rubolini D, Saino N, Møller AP. Geographical and seasonal variation in the intensity of sexual selection in the barn swallowHirundo rustica: a meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2016; 92:1582-1600. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2015] [Revised: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 07/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Romano
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze; Università degli Studi di Milano; via Celoria 26 I-20133 Milano Italy
| | - Alessandra Costanzo
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze; Università degli Studi di Milano; via Celoria 26 I-20133 Milano Italy
| | - Diego Rubolini
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze; Università degli Studi di Milano; via Celoria 26 I-20133 Milano Italy
| | - Nicola Saino
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze; Università degli Studi di Milano; via Celoria 26 I-20133 Milano Italy
| | - Anders Pape Møller
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, AgroParisTech; Université Paris-Saclay; F-91400 Orsay France
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Wilkins MR, Karaardıç H, Vortman Y, Parchman TL, Albrecht T, Petrželková A, Özkan L, Pap PL, Hubbard JK, Hund AK, Safran RJ. Phenotypic differentiation is associated with divergent sexual selection among closely related barn swallow populations. J Evol Biol 2016; 29:2410-2421. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2016] [Accepted: 08/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. R. Wilkins
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Colorado Boulder CO USA
- School of Biological Sciences University of Nebraska‐Lincoln Lincoln NE USA
| | - H. Karaardıç
- Department of Biology Faculty of Science Akdeniz University Antalya Turkey
- Elementary Science Education Department Education Faculty Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University Alanya Turkey
| | - Y. Vortman
- Department of Zoology Tel‐Aviv University Tel‐Aviv Israel
- Department of Animal Sciences Hula Research Center Tel‐Hai College Tel‐Hai Israel
| | | | - T. Albrecht
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology Czech Academy of Sciences Brno Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology and Ecology Charles University in Prague Prague Czech Republic
| | - A. Petrželková
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology Czech Academy of Sciences Brno Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology and Ecology Charles University in Prague Prague Czech Republic
| | - L. Özkan
- Department of Biology Faculty of Science Akdeniz University Antalya Turkey
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Management Faculty of Forestry Düzce University Düzce Turkey
| | - P. L. Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology Babeş‐Bolyai University Cluj‐Napoca Romania
| | - J. K. Hubbard
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Colorado Boulder CO USA
- School of Biological Sciences University of Nebraska‐Lincoln Lincoln NE USA
| | - A. K. Hund
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Colorado Boulder CO USA
| | - R. J. Safran
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Colorado Boulder CO USA
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18
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Whittingham LA, Dunn PO. Experimental evidence that brighter males sire more extra-pair young in tree swallows. Mol Ecol 2016; 25:3706-15. [PMID: 27105297 DOI: 10.1111/mec.13665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2015] [Revised: 02/28/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Across taxa, extra-pair mating is widespread among socially monogamous species, but few studies have identified male ornamental traits associated with extra-pair mating success, and even fewer studies have experimentally manipulated male traits to determine whether they are related directly to paternity. As a consequence, there is little experimental evidence to support the widespread hypothesis that females choose more ornamented males as extra-pair mates. Here, we conducted an experimental study of the relationship between male plumage colour and fertilization success in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), which have one of the highest levels of extra-pair mating in birds. In this study, we experimentally dulled the bright blue plumage on the back of males (with nontoxic ink markers) early in the breeding season prior to most mating. Compared with control males, dulled males sired fewer extra-pair young, and, as a result, fewer young overall. Among untreated males, brighter blue males also sired more extra-pair young, and in paired comparisons, extra-pair sires had brighter blue plumage than the within-pair male they cuckolded. These results, together with previous work on tree swallows, suggest that extra-pair mating behaviour is driven by benefits to both males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda A Whittingham
- Behavioral and Molecular Ecology Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, USA
| | - Peter O Dunn
- Behavioral and Molecular Ecology Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, USA
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19
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Wilkins MR, Shizuka D, Joseph MB, Hubbard JK, Safran RJ. Multimodal signalling in the North American barn swallow: a phenotype network approach. Proc Biol Sci 2015; 282:20151574. [PMID: 26423842 PMCID: PMC4614773 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.1574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Accepted: 09/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Complex signals, involving multiple components within and across modalities, are common in animal communication. However, decomposing complex signals into traits and their interactions remains a fundamental challenge for studies of phenotype evolution. We apply a novel phenotype network approach for studying complex signal evolution in the North American barn swallow (Hirundo rustica erythrogaster). We integrate model testing with correlation-based phenotype networks to infer the contributions of female mate choice and male-male competition to the evolution of barn swallow communication. Overall, the best predictors of mate choice were distinct from those for competition, while moderate functional overlap suggests males and females use some of the same traits to assess potential mates and rivals. We interpret model results in the context of a network of traits, and suggest this approach allows researchers a more nuanced view of trait clustering patterns that informs new hypotheses about the evolution of communication systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Wilkins
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309, CO, USA School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68588, NE, USA
| | - Daizaburo Shizuka
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68588, NE, USA
| | - Maxwell B Joseph
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309, CO, USA
| | - Joanna K Hubbard
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309, CO, USA School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68588, NE, USA
| | - Rebecca J Safran
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309, CO, USA
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Losdat S, Arcese P, Reid JM. Double decomposition: decomposing the variance in subcomponents of male extra-pair reproductive success. J Anim Ecol 2015; 84:1384-95. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2014] [Accepted: 05/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain Losdat
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences; School of Biological Sciences; Zoology Building; University of Aberdeen; Tillydrone Avenue Aberdeen AB24 2TZ UK
| | - Peter Arcese
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences; University of British Columbia; 2424 Main Mall Vancouver BC V6T 1Z4 Canada
| | - Jane M. Reid
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences; School of Biological Sciences; Zoology Building; University of Aberdeen; Tillydrone Avenue Aberdeen AB24 2TZ UK
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Expression of multiple sexual signals by fathers and sons in the East-Mediterranean barn swallow: are advertising strategies heritable? PLoS One 2015; 10:e0118054. [PMID: 25679206 PMCID: PMC4332686 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2014] [Accepted: 12/20/2014] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The level of expression of sexually selected traits is generally determined by genes, environment and their interaction. In species that use multiple sexual signals which may be costly to produce, investing in the expression of one sexual signal may limit the expression of the other, favoring the evolution of a strategy for resource allocation among signals. As a result, even when the expression of sexual signals is condition dependent, the relative level of expression of each signal may be heritable. We tested this hypothesis in the East-Mediterranean barn swallow (Hirundo rustica transitiva), in which males have been shown to express two uncorrelated sexual signals: red-brown ventral coloration, and long tail streamers. We show that variation in both signals may partially be explained by age, as well as by paternal origin (genetic father-son regressions), but that the strongest similarity between fathers and sons is the relative allocation towards one trait or the other (relative expression index), rather than the expression of the traits themselves. These results suggest that the expression of one signal is not independent of the other, and that genetic strategies for resource allocation among sexual signals may be selected for during the evolution of multiple sexual signals.
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Bradley RJ, Hubbard JK, Jenkins BR, Safran RJ. Patterns and ecological predictors of age-related performance in female North American barn swallows, Hirundo rustica erythrogaster. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-014-1797-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Bradley RJ, Safran RJ. Conceptual Revision and Synthesis of Proximate Factors Associated with Age-Related Improvement in Reproduction. Ethology 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel J. Bradley
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Colorado; Boulder CO USA
| | - Rebecca J. Safran
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Colorado; Boulder CO USA
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Grunst AS, Rotenberry JT, Grunst ML. Age-dependent relationships between multiple sexual pigments and condition in males and females. Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/art124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Hasegawa M, Arai E. Differential Female Access to Males with Large Throat Patches in the Asian Barn SwallowHirundo rustica gutturalis. Zoolog Sci 2013; 30:913-8. [DOI: 10.2108/zsj.30.913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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26
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Variation in sperm morphometry and sperm competition among barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) populations. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-012-1450-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Timing of arrival from spring migration is associated with flight performance in the migratory barn swallow. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2012; 67:91-100. [PMID: 23293424 PMCID: PMC3536968 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-012-1429-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2012] [Revised: 09/23/2012] [Accepted: 10/03/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Timing of arrival at the breeding grounds by migratory birds affects their mating success and access to superior resources, thus being a major factor associated with fitness. Much empirical work has been devoted to investigate the condition dependence of arrival sequence of migrants and characteristics of individuals that influence arrival time from migration. Surprisingly, there are no studies examining the relationship between flight performance of individual birds and their arrival time. I investigated the relative importance of direct effects of short-term flight performance, age, body condition and the degree of sexual ornamentation (tail length) on timing of spring arrival in the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica), a long-distance trans-equatorial passerine migrant. I evaluated short-term flight performance (a composite variable comprising flight manoeuvrability, velocity and acceleration) in a standardised manner using flight tunnels. Short-term flight performance was a significant and important predictor of spring arrival date. Furthermore, locomotion predicted arrival date of individual birds independently of morphological variables—the degree of sexual ornamentation (the length of the tail) and wing aspect ratio and body condition. I discuss the possible role short-term flight performance may have in determining migratory performance. This is the first time flight performance has been shown to be associated with timing of arrival from migration in a migratory bird.
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Galván I, Alonso-Alvarez C, Negro JJ. Relationships between hair melanization, glutathione levels, and senescence in wild boars. Physiol Biochem Zool 2012; 85:332-47. [PMID: 22705484 DOI: 10.1086/666606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The synthesis of melanins, which are the most common animal pigments, is influenced by glutathione (GSH), a key intracellular antioxidant. At high GSH levels, pheomelanin (the lightest melanin form) is produced, whereas production of eumelanin (the darkest melanin form) does not require GSH. Oxidative damage typically increases with age, and age-related decreases in GSH have accordingly been found in diverse organisms. Therefore, there should be positive associations between the capacity to produce eumelanic traits, GSH levels, and senescence, whereas there should be negative associations between the capacity to produce pheomelanic traits, GSH levels, and senescence. We explored this hypothesis in a free-ranging population of wild boars Sus scrofa of different ages. As expected from the fact that pheomelanogenesis consumes GSH, levels of this antioxidant in muscle tended to be negatively related to pheomelanization and positively related to eumelanization in pelage, and the degree of pelage pheomelanization was positively related to oxidative damage as reflected by levels of thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances (TBARS), which is consistent with the hypothesis that pheomelanin synthesis has physiological costs. In our cross-sectional sample, GSH levels did not show senescence effects, and we did not detect senescence effects in pelage melanization. Prime body condition and low TBARS levels were also associated with hair graying, which is attributable to a loss of melanin produced by oxidative stress, thus raising the possibility that hair graying constitutes a signal of resistance to oxidative stress in wild boars. Our results suggest that the degree of melanization is linked to GSH levels in wild boars and that their antioxidant damage shows senescence effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismael Galván
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, E-28006 Madrid, Spain.
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