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Mermoz ME, Villarruel C, de la Colina A, Mahler B. Fledgling sex-ratio is biased towards the helping sex in a Neotropical cooperative breeder, the brown-and-yellow marshbird (Pseudoleistes virescens). BEHAVIOUR 2021. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
In many cooperatively breeding species, helpers increase the breeding success of their parents. The repayment hypothesis predicts a skewed sex-ratio towards the helping sex at population level; at individual level bias would increase in broods attended by a smaller number of helpers. We studied a brown-and-yellow marshbird (Pseudoleistes virescens) population during 11 breeding seasons. We found that 90% of helpers were males and that they increased nestling survival, although this effect disappeared in presence of parasitic shiny cowbirds. Helpers sometimes helped at nests of adults other than their parents. Population sex-ratio of fledglings was highly skewed towards males (1.4:1). At individual level, male-biased sex-ratio of fledglings was more pronounced early in the season and increased with brood losses but was not affected by number of helpers. Marshbirds feed at communal areas so retaining helpers would not be costly. Therefore, a general skew towards males might be the best adaptive strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam E. Mermoz
- Instituto de Ecología, Genética, y Evolución de Buenos Aires (UBA-CONICET), Intendente Güiraldes 2160 — Ciudad Universitaria — C1428EGA, CABA, Argentina
- Departamento de Ecología, Genética, y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160 — C1428EGA Ciudad Universitaria, CABA, Argentina
| | - Cecilia Villarruel
- Departamento de Ecología, Genética, y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160 — C1428EGA Ciudad Universitaria, CABA, Argentina
- Current address: Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (UBA-CONICET), Intendente Güiraldes 2160 — C1428EGA Ciudad Universitaria, CABA, Argentina
| | - Alicia de la Colina
- Instituto de Ecología, Genética, y Evolución de Buenos Aires (UBA-CONICET), Intendente Güiraldes 2160 — Ciudad Universitaria — C1428EGA, CABA, Argentina
- Current address: Departamento de Conservación e Investigación, Fundación Temaikèn — B1625 Escobar, Prov. de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Bettina Mahler
- Instituto de Ecología, Genética, y Evolución de Buenos Aires (UBA-CONICET), Intendente Güiraldes 2160 — Ciudad Universitaria — C1428EGA, CABA, Argentina
- Departamento de Ecología, Genética, y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160 — C1428EGA Ciudad Universitaria, CABA, Argentina
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Costanzo A, Rubolini D, Ambrosini R, Caprioli M, Gatti E, Romano A, Parolini M, Gianfranceschi L, Saino N. Association between extra-pair paternity and nestling sex and condition in the barn swallow. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2552-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Arai E, Hasegawa M, Ito S, Wakamatsu K. Sex allocation based on maternal body size in Japanese barn swallows. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2017.1336118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emi Arai
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, Sokendai (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0115, Japan
| | - Masaru Hasegawa
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, Sokendai (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0115, Japan
| | - Shosuke Ito
- Department of Chemistry, Fujita Health University School of Health Sciences, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192, Japan
| | - Kazumasa Wakamatsu
- Department of Chemistry, Fujita Health University School of Health Sciences, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192, Japan
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Kato T, Matsui S, Terai Y, Tanabe H, Hashima S, Kasahara S, Morimoto G, Mikami OK, Ueda K, Kutsukake N. Male-specific mortality biases secondary sex ratio in Eurasian tree sparrows Passer montanus. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:10675-10682. [PMID: 29299247 PMCID: PMC5743541 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex allocation theory predicts that parents bias the offspring sex ratio strategically. In avian species, the offspring sex ratio can be biased at multiple growth stages, although the mechanisms are not well known. It is crucial to reveal a cause and timing of biased offspring sex ratio. We investigated (i) offspring sex ratio at multiple growth stages, from laying to fledging; and (ii) the stage at which offspring sex ratio became biased; and (iii) the cause of biased offspring sex ratio in Eurasian tree sparrows Passer montanus. Sex determination of 218 offspring, including hatchlings and unhatched eggs from 41 clutches, suggested that the offspring sex ratio was not biased at the egg‐laying stage but was significantly female‐biased after the laying stage due to higher mortality of male embryos. Half of the unhatched eggs showed no sign of embryo development (37/74, 50.00%), and most undeveloped eggs were male (36/37, 97.30%). Additional experiments using an incubator suggested that the cause of embryo developmental failure was a lack of developmental ability within the egg, rather than a failure of incubation. This study highlights the importance of clarifying offspring sex ratio at multiple stages and suggests that offspring sex ratio is adjusted after fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Kato
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems School of Advanced Sciences SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies) Hayama Japan
| | - Shin Matsui
- Department of Biology School of Biological Sciences Tokai Univerrsity Sapporo Japan
| | - Yohey Terai
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems School of Advanced Sciences SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies) Hayama Japan
| | - Hideyuki Tanabe
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems School of Advanced Sciences SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies) Hayama Japan
| | - Sayaka Hashima
- Department of Life Science Graduate School of Engineering Science Akita University Akita Japan
| | - Satoe Kasahara
- Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science Hirosaki University Hirosaki Japan
| | - Gen Morimoto
- Division of Avian Conservation Yamashina Institute for Ornithology Abiko City Japan.,Wildlife Conservation Center Department of Life Sciences Toho University Chiba Japan
| | - Osamu K Mikami
- Department of International and Regional Studies Faculty of Education Hokkaido University of Education Hakodate Japan
| | | | - Nobuyuki Kutsukake
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems School of Advanced Sciences SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies) Hayama Japan
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Costanzo A, Panseri S, Giorgi A, Romano A, Caprioli M, Saino N. The Odour of Sex: Sex-Related Differences in Volatile Compound Composition among Barn Swallow Eggs Carrying Embryos of Either Sex. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0165055. [PMID: 27851741 PMCID: PMC5112806 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Avian communication has been traditionally believed to be mainly mediated by visual and auditory channels. However, an increasing number of studies are disclosing the role of olfaction in the interaction of birds with their social environment and with other species, as well as in other behaviors such as nest recognition, food location and navigation. Olfaction has also been suggested to play a role in parent-offspring communication not only in the post- but also in the pre-hatching period. Volatile compounds produced during embryogenesis and passively released through the eggshell pores may indeed represent the only cue at parents' disposal to assess offspring quality, including the sex composition of their clutch before hatching. In turn, sex identification before hatching may mediate adaptive strategies of allocation to either sex. In the present study, we analyzed odour composition of barn swallow eggs incubated in their nest in order to identify any sex-related differences in volatile compounds emitted. For the first time in any bird species, we also investigated whether odour composition is associated with relatedness. The evidence of differences in odour composition among eggs containing embryos of either sex indicates that parents have a cue to identify their brood sex composition even before hatching which can be used to modulate their behavior accordingly. Moreover, odour similarity within nests may represent the prerequisite for kin recognition in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sara Panseri
- Department of Veterinary Science and Public Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Annamaria Giorgi
- Centre for Applied Studies in the Sustainable Management and Protection of the Mountain Environment, Ge.S.Di.Mont., University of Milan, Edolo, Brescia, Italy
| | - Andrea Romano
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Nicola Saino
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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Maternal natal environment and breeding territory predict the condition and sex ratio of offspring. Evol Biol 2016; 44:11-20. [PMID: 28286350 DOI: 10.1007/s11692-016-9380-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Females in a variety of taxa adjust offspring sex ratios to prevailing ecological conditions. However, little is known about whether conditions experienced during a female's early ontogeny influence the sex ratio of her offspring. We tested for past and present ecological predictors of offspring sex ratios among known-age females that were produced as offspring and bred as adults in a population of house wrens. The body condition of offspring that a female produced and the proportion of her offspring that were male were negatively correlated with the size of the brood in which she herself was reared. The proportion of sons within broods was negatively correlated with maternal hatching date, and varied positively with the quality of a female's current breeding territory as predicted. However, females producing relatively more sons than daughters were less likely to return to breed in the population the following year. Although correlative, our results suggest that the rearing environment can have enduring effects on later maternal investment and sex allocation. Moreover, the overproduction of sons relative to daughters may increase costs to a female's residual reproductive value, constraining the extent to which sons might be produced in high-quality breeding conditions. Sex allocation in birds remains a contentious subject, largely because effects on offspring sex ratios are small. Our results suggest that offspring sex ratios are shaped by various processes and trade-offs that act throughout the female life history and ultimately reduce the extent of sex-ratio adjustment relative to classic theoretical predictions.
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Booksmythe I, Mautz B, Davis J, Nakagawa S, Jennions MD. Facultative adjustment of the offspring sex ratio and male attractiveness: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2015; 92:108-134. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2014] [Revised: 08/09/2015] [Accepted: 08/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Isobel Booksmythe
- Division of Evolution, Ecology & Genetics; Research School of Biology, The Australian National University; Daley road Canberra Australian Capital Territory 2601 Australia
- Department of Animal Ecology; Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University; Norbyvägen 18D SE-75236 Uppsala Sweden
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies; University of Zürich; Winterthurerstrasse 190 CH-8057 Zürich Switzerland
| | - Brian Mautz
- Division of Evolution, Ecology & Genetics; Research School of Biology, The Australian National University; Daley road Canberra Australian Capital Territory 2601 Australia
- Department of Animal Ecology; Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University; Norbyvägen 18D SE-75236 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Jacqueline Davis
- Division of Evolution, Ecology & Genetics; Research School of Biology, The Australian National University; Daley road Canberra Australian Capital Territory 2601 Australia
- Department of Psychology; University of Cambridge; Downing Street CB2 3EB Cambridge U.K
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- Department of Zoology; University of Otago; PO Box 56 Dunedin 9054 New Zealand
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences; University of New South Wales; Sydney New South Wales 2052 Australia
| | - Michael D. Jennions
- Division of Evolution, Ecology & Genetics; Research School of Biology, The Australian National University; Daley road Canberra Australian Capital Territory 2601 Australia
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Romano A, Romano M, Caprioli M, Costanzo A, Parolini M, Rubolini D, Saino N. Sex allocation according to multiple sexually dimorphic traits of both parents in the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica). J Evol Biol 2015; 28:1234-47. [PMID: 25913917 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2015] [Revised: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 04/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Parents should differentially invest in sons or daughters depending on the sex-specific fitness returns from male and female offspring. In species with sexually selected heritable male characters, highly ornamented fathers should overproduce sons, which will be more sexually attractive than sons of less ornamented fathers. Because of genetic correlations between the sexes, females that express traits which are under selection in males should also overproduce sons. However, sex allocation strategies may consist in reaction norms leading to spatiotemporal variation in the association between offspring sex ratio (SR) and parental phenotype. We analysed offspring SR in barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) over 8 years in relation to two sexually dimorphic traits: tail length and melanin-based ventral plumage coloration. The proportion of sons increased with maternal plumage darkness and paternal tail length, consistently with sexual dimorphism in these traits. The size of the effect of these parental traits on SR was large compared to other studies of offspring SR in birds. Barn swallows thus manipulate offspring SR to overproduce 'sexy sons' and potentially to mitigate the costs of intralocus sexually antagonistic selection. Interannual variation in the relationships between offspring SR and parental traits was observed which may suggest phenotypic plasticity in sex allocation and provides a proximate explanation for inconsistent results of studies of sex allocation in relation to sexual ornamentation in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Romano
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - M Romano
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - M Caprioli
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - A Costanzo
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - M Parolini
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - D Rubolini
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - N Saino
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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