1
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Freiler MK, Smith GT. Neuroendocrine mechanisms contributing to the coevolution of sociality and communication. Front Neuroendocrinol 2023; 70:101077. [PMID: 37217079 PMCID: PMC10527162 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Communication is inherently social, so signaling systems should evolve with social systems. The 'social complexity hypothesis' posits that social complexity necessitates communicative complexity and is generally supported in vocalizing mammals. This hypothesis, however, has seldom been tested outside the acoustic modality, and comparisons across studies are confounded by varying definitions of complexity. Moreover, proximate mechanisms underlying coevolution of sociality and communication remain largely unexamined. In this review, we argue that to uncover how sociality and communication coevolve, we need to examine variation in the neuroendocrine mechanisms that coregulate social behavior and signal production and perception. Specifically, we focus on steroid hormones, monoamines, and nonapeptides, which modulate both social behavior and sensorimotor circuits and are likely targets of selection during social evolution. Lastly, we highlight weakly electric fishes as an ideal system in which to comparatively address the proximate mechanisms underlying relationships between social and signal diversity in a novel modality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan K Freiler
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States; Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States.
| | - G Troy Smith
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States; Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
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2
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Katsis AC, Bennett AT, Buchanan KL, Kleindorfer S, Mariette MM. Prenatal sound experience affects song preferences in male zebra finches. Anim Behav 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2023]
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3
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Leary CJ, Crocker-Buta S, Holloway A, Kennedy JGC. Glucocorticoid-Mediated Changes in Male Green Treefrog Vocalizations Alter Attractiveness to Females. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:283-291. [PMID: 33940612 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adrenal glucocorticoids (GCs) are increasingly recognized as important modulators of male courtship signals, suggesting that circulating levels of these steroids can play a central role in sexual selection. However, few studies have examined whether GC-mediated effects on male sexual signals actually impact mate choice by females. Here, we examine how corticosterone (CORT)-mediated changes in the vocalizations of male green treefrogs, Dryophytes cinereus, influence attractiveness to females. In this species, agonistic acoustic signaling between rival males competing for mates increases circulating CORT levels in contest losers. Acute elevations in CORT, in turn, decrease the duration of male advertisement calls and increase the latency between successive calls, resulting in a net reduction in vocal effort (the amount of signaling per unit time) that occurs independently of changes in circulating androgens. Based on known preferences for acoustic features in D. cinereus, and other anuran species, the direction of CORT-mediated effects on temporal call characteristics is expected to compromise attractiveness to females, but whether they are of sufficient magnitude to impact female mate choice decisions is unclear. To examine whether CORT-mediated effects on male advertisement calls reduce attractiveness to females, we broadcast vocalizations in dual speaker playback experiments approximating the mean and 1 SD above and below the mean call duration and vocal effort values (the two primary vocal features impacted by elevated CORT) of males with low and high CORT levels. Results revealed strong preferences by females for the calls characteristic of males with low CORT in tests using the approximate mean and 1 SD above the mean call duration and vocal effort values, but females did not show a preference for calls of males with low CORT in trials using call values approximating 1 SD below the mean. Overall, females preferred males with signal traits predictive of low CORT, however this effect was nonlinear with attenuated preferences when signal alternatives differed only marginally indicating a possible thresholding effect. Specifically, females appeared to discriminate between males with low versus high CORT based primarily on differences in call rates associated with CORT-mediated changes in call duration and vocal effort. Our results highlight that changes in circulating CORT during male-male vocal interactions can decrease attractiveness to females, suggesting that circulating levels of CORT can play a critical role in both intra- and intersexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ashli Holloway
- Department of Biological Sciences, Alcorn State University, Lorman, MS 39096, USA
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4
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Leary CJ, Baugh AT. Glucocorticoids, male sexual signals, and mate choice by females: Implications for sexual selection. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 288:113354. [PMID: 31830474 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.113354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Revised: 12/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
We review work relating glucocorticoids (GCs), male sexual signals, and mate choice by females to understand the potential for GCs to modulate the expression of sexually selected traits and how sexual selection potentially feeds back on GC regulation. Our review reveals that the relationship between GC concentrations and the quality of male sexual traits is mixed, regardless of whether studies focused on structural traits (e.g., coloration) or behavioral traits (e.g., vocalizations) or were examined in developmental or activational frameworks. In contrast, the few mate choice experiments that have been done consistently show that females prefer males with low GCs, suggesting that mate choice by females favors males that maintain low levels of GCs. We point out, however, that just as sexual selection can drive the evolution of diverse reproductive strategies, it may also promote diversity in GC regulation. We then shift the focus to females where we highlight evidence indicating that stressors or high GCs can dampen female sexual proceptivity and the strength of preferences for male courtship signals. Hence, even in cases where GCs are tightly coupled with male sexual signals, the strength of sexual selection on aspects of GC physiology can vary depending on the endocrine status of females. Studies examining how GCs relate to sexual selection may shed light on how variation in stress physiology, sexual signals, and mate choice are maintained in natural populations and may be important in understanding context-dependent relationships between GC regulation and fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Leary
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, PO Box 1848, University, MS 38677, USA.
| | - Alexander T Baugh
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA
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5
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Romero-Diaz C, Gonzalez-Jimena V, Fitze PS. Corticosterone mediated mate choice affects female mating reluctance and reproductive success. Horm Behav 2019; 113:1-12. [PMID: 31034792 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The study of stress-related hormones as mediators of sexual selection has traditionally focused on the effect of glucocorticoids on male quality and competing ability. However, environmental stressors are expected to affect both males and females, and the strength of sexual selection might be affected by changes in female mating decisions, a hypothesis that has rarely been tested. Here, we investigated whether female common lizard (Zootoca vivipara) mating behaviour and mating preferences are affected by different levels of administered corticosterone and conditioned by the familiarity of their partners, which is known to influence Z. vivipara social behaviour. To this end, two females, one corticosterone-treated and one control female, were simultaneously presented with an unfamiliar male and the following day with either a familiar or an unfamiliar male. Females treated with corticosterone (Cort) were more aggressive towards males and mated less. Furthermore, copulation probability in Cort females, but not in control females, increased with body size. On the second day, Cort females only mated with familiar partners. In contrast, male behaviour towards females was not affected by treatment and only bigger males successfully copulated with Cort females. This shows that corticosterone directly affected female mating behaviour and mating preferences, while male mating behaviour was unaffected by the female's level of corticosterone. Environmental and social stressors may affect reproductive strategies of females, the strength of sexual selection, and sexual conflict through their effects on female glucocorticoid levels, potentially in a wide range of species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Romero-Diaz
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), c/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain; Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC), Avda. Nª Sª de la Victoria s/n, 22700 Jaca, Spain; School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 427 E Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ 85287, United States of America.
| | - Virginia Gonzalez-Jimena
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), c/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain; Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC), Avda. Nª Sª de la Victoria s/n, 22700 Jaca, Spain
| | - Patrick S Fitze
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), c/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain; Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC), Avda. Nª Sª de la Victoria s/n, 22700 Jaca, Spain.
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6
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Wilson KM, Tatarenkov A, Burley NT. Early life and transgenerational stressors impact secondary sexual traits and fitness. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kerianne M Wilson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Andrey Tatarenkov
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Nancy Tyler Burley
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
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7
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Scalera A, Tomaszycki ML. Acute exogenous corticosterone treatments have few effects on courtship and pair bonding in zebra finches. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 268:121-127. [PMID: 30102882 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2018] [Revised: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Stress impacts social relationships. In turn, social relationships buffer the stress response in some species. Studies that have investigated the role of corticosterone (CORT) on courtship, mate choice, mating, and pairing have found mixed results. We therefore tested the role of CORT in these steps of the pairing process in the monogamous zebra finch. Male and female zebra finches received either one of 2 doses of corticosterone (CORT, 10 μg and 20 μg, referred to as low and high dose) or a vehicle control (peanut oil). Subjects were then given the opportunity to pair in mixed sex aviaries. Courtship and pair bonding behaviors were observed over 3 days. Overall, zebra finches of both sexes were equally likely to pair or not pair regardless of treatment, although a high dose of CORT increased the latency to form a pair bond. There were no effects of CORT on courtship behavior in either sex, though the low dose increased undirected (non-courtship) singing in males relative to the high dose. Animals treated with CORT, regardless of dose, engaged in fewer copulations than did control animals. When we examined pairing behaviors, we found a decrease in co-nesting in low dose animals. Our results suggest that acute CORT has few effects on pair bonding, suggesting species-specific effects of CORT on behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Scalera
- Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience, Lafayette College, Easton, PA 18042, United States
| | - Michelle L Tomaszycki
- Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience, Lafayette College, Easton, PA 18042, United States.
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8
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Hiyama G, Mizushima S, Matsuzaki M, Tobari Y, Choi JH, Ono T, Tsudzuki M, Makino S, Tamiya G, Tsukahara N, Sugita S, Sasanami T. Female Japanese quail visually differentiate testosterone-dependent male attractiveness for mating preferences. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10012. [PMID: 29968815 PMCID: PMC6030125 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28368-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Biased mating due to female preferences towards certain traits in males is a major mechanism driving sexual selection, and may constitute an important evolutionary force in organisms with sexual reproduction. In birds, although the role of male ornamentation, plumage coloration, genetic dissimilarity, and body size have on mate selection by females have been examined extensively, few studies have clarified exactly how these characteristics affect female mate preferences. Here, we show that testosterone (T)-dependent male attractiveness enhances female preference for males of a polygamous species, the Japanese quail. A significant positive correlation between female mating preference and circulating T in the male was observed. The cheek feathers of attractive males contained higher levels of melanin and were more brightly colored. The ability of females to distinguish attractive males from other males was negated when the light source was covered with a sharp cut filter (cutoff; < 640 nm). When females were maintained under short-day conditions, the expression of retinal red-sensitive opsin decreased dramatically and they became insensitive to male attractiveness. Our results showed that female preference in quail is strongly stimulated by male feather coloration in a T-dependent manner and that female birds develop a keen sense for this coloration due to upregulation of retinal red-sensitive opsin under breeding conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gen Hiyama
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Shizuoka University, 836 Ohya, Shizuoka, Shizuoka, 422-8529, Japan
- Medical-Industrial Translational Research Center, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, 960-8031, Japan
| | - Shusei Mizushima
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Kita 10 Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0810, Japan
| | - Mei Matsuzaki
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Shizuoka University, 836 Ohya, Shizuoka, Shizuoka, 422-8529, Japan
| | - Yasuko Tobari
- Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Fuchinobe 1-17-71, Sagamihara, 252-5201, Japan
| | - Jae-Hoon Choi
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Shizuoka University, 836 Ohya, Shizuoka, Shizuoka, 422-8529, Japan
| | - Takashi Ono
- Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8528, Japan
| | - Masaoki Tsudzuki
- Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8528, Japan
| | - Satoshi Makino
- Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Gen Tamiya
- Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8575, Japan
- RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project, 1-4-1 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 103-0027, Japan
| | - Naoki Tsukahara
- CrowLab Inc., Utsunomiya-ventures #3, Tochigi Prefecture Industrial Center, 3-1-4, Chuo, Utsunomiya-shi, Tochigi, 320-0806, Japan
| | - Shoei Sugita
- Faculty of Agriculture, Utsunomiya University, Utsunomiya, Tochigi, 321-8505, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Sasanami
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Shizuoka University, 836 Ohya, Shizuoka, Shizuoka, 422-8529, Japan.
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9
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Leary CJ, Crocker‐Buta S. Rapid effects of elevated stress hormones on male courtship signals suggest a major role for the acute stress response in intra‐ and intersexual selection. Funct Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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10
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Mészáros B, Herczeg G, Bajer K, Török J, Molnár O. Effects of energy and thermoregulation time on physiological state and sexual signal in a lizard. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2018; 327:570-578. [PMID: 29377549 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Revised: 12/26/2017] [Accepted: 01/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Theory of sexual selection states that males often develop showy signals, which reduce their survival but increase their reproductive success. During mate choice, these conspicuous signals can be honest indicators of individual quality conveying information about the signaler's physiological state. Sexually selected signals are influenced by many environmental factors; however, whether signals and physiological state are affected together is rarely studied. The ultraviolet-blue throat color of male Lacerta viridis is an intra- and intersexually selected signal connected to blood parasite infection and influenced by environmental factors. The aim of this study was to experimentally investigate how ecologically relevant environmental factors affect color signal intensity and key physiological traits parallel. During the mating season, we exposed 40 adult male lizards infected with blood parasites to food and basking time treatments in a full factorial design. We measured color, amount of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), hematocrit, immunocompetence, and blood parasite intensity before and after treatments. High basking time resulted in elevated immunocompetence coupled with increased ROMs. The high food treatment increased nuptial color brightness, but also increased ROMs and decreased immunocompetence. In summary, our study provides experimental evidence about environmentally induced parallel changes in an honest sexual signal and several quality-indicator physiological traits. We showed that available energy and time for high metabolism have independent and sometimes opposite effects on individual state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boglárka Mészáros
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Herczeg
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Katalin Bajer
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.,Laboratório de Biogeografia e Macroecologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte Centro de Biociências, Departamento de Botânica, Ecologia e Zoologia, Campus Universitário, Lagoa Nova, Natal-RN, Brazil
| | - János Török
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Orsolya Molnár
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.,Laboratório de Biogeografia e Macroecologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte Centro de Biociências, Departamento de Botânica, Ecologia e Zoologia, Campus Universitário, Lagoa Nova, Natal-RN, Brazil
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11
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Jerónimo S, Khadraoui M, Wang D, Martin K, Lesku JA, Robert KA, Schlicht E, Forstmeier W, Kempenaers B. Plumage color manipulation has no effect on social dominance or fitness in zebra finches. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arx195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Jerónimo
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Germany
| | - Mehdi Khadraoui
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Germany
| | - Daiping Wang
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Germany
| | - Katrin Martin
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Germany
| | - John A Lesku
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Kylie A Robert
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Emmi Schlicht
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Forstmeier
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Germany
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Germany
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12
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Wang D, Forstmeier W, Kempenaers B. No mutual mate choice for quality in zebra finches: Time to question a widely held assumption. Evolution 2017; 71:2661-2676. [PMID: 28857165 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2017] [Revised: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Studies of mate choice typically assume that individuals prefer high quality mates and select them based on condition-dependent indicator traits. In species with biparental care, mutual mate choice is expected to result in assortative mating for quality. When assortment is not perfect, the lower quality pair members are expected to compensate by increased parental investment to secure their partner (positive differential allocation). This framework has been assumed to hold for monogamous species like the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), but progress has been hampered by the difficulty to define individual quality. By combining multiple measures of causes (inbreeding, early nutrition) and consequences (ornaments, displays, fitness components) of variation in quality into a single principal component, we here show that quality variation can be quantified successfully. We further show that variation in quality indeed predicts individual pairing success, presumably because it reflects an individual's vigor or ability to invest in reproduction. However, despite high statistical power, we found no evidence for either assortative mating or for positive differential allocation. We suggest that zebra finch ornaments and displays are not sufficiently reliable for the benefits of choosiness to exceed the costs of competition for the putative best partner. To assess the generality of these findings unbiased quantification of signal honesty and preference strength is required, rather than selective reporting of significant results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiping Wang
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Forstmeier
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
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13
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Rogovin KA, Khrushchova AM, Shekarova ON, Vasilieva NA, Vasilieva NY. Females choose gentle, but not healthy or macho males in Campbell dwarf hamsters ( Phodopus campbelli Thomas 1905). Curr Zool 2017; 63:545-554. [PMID: 29492014 PMCID: PMC5804195 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zow090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Androgen-dependent male sexual traits (STs) as well as immunocompetence are theoretically assumed to be key indicators of a male's quality for the mate-choosing female. We studied mate choice by sexually motivated (SM) females of Campbell's dwarf hamsters. Females chose between 2 tethered male siblings that differed in expression of STs. Males were unrelated to the female and able to contact and copulate with her. In both males, we measured sex-related morphology of body mass, mid-ventral specific skin gland, ano-genital distance, and external testicular diameter. We also estimated levels of blood testosterone and cortisol, specific T- and B-cell immune responses to antigens, as well as aggressive and sexual dominance in sibling males through additional encounter experiments with another SM female (male sibs could freely compete for the female). We found that SM females chose a partner among 2 male sibs and spent over 80% of their time on average with the preferred male compared with the non-preferred one. Her choice was not associated with the first visit of the chosen male, with a higher expression of sex-related traits, higher levels of blood testosterone, or with aggressive dominance. The choice was not associated with the intensity of T-cell immune response to phitohemagglutinin (PHA). Instead there was a tendency for a negative relationship with the expression of STs and B-cell response to the antigen challenge. The only character that unambiguously influenced female choice was the non-aggressive male to female grooming during sexual contact. There was no difference in breeding success between preferred and non-preferred males paired with virgin females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantin A. Rogovin
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, RAS, Leninskii prospect 33, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - Anastasiya M. Khrushchova
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, RAS, Leninskii prospect 33, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - Olga N. Shekarova
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, RAS, Leninskii prospect 33, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - Nina A. Vasilieva
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, RAS, Leninskii prospect 33, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - Nina Yu Vasilieva
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, RAS, Leninskii prospect 33, Moscow 119071, Russia
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14
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Broughton DR, Schneider BC, McGraw KJ, Ardia DR. Carotenoids buffer the acute phase response on fever, sickness behavior, and rapid bill color change in zebra finches. J Exp Biol 2017; 220:2957-2964. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.155069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 06/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Carotenoids are finite resources that animals can allocate to self-maintenance, attractiveness, or reproduction. Here we test how carotenoids affect the acute phase response (APR), an intense rapid systemic response characterized by fever, sickness behavior, and production of acute phase proteins, which serves to reduce pathogen persistence. We conducted a 2x2 factorial design experiment in captive adult male and female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) to determine the effects of carotenoid supplementation on the intensity of the APR. We measured changes in feeding rate, activity level, and body temperature of the birds. We found that, relative to unsupplemented controls, carotenoid-supplemented birds exhibited less severe reductions in feeding and activity, smaller increases in body temperature, and lower circulating levels of haptoglobin (an acute phase protein) 24 h after inducing an APR. Among supplemented individuals, those with higher blood carotenoid levels exhibited a lower reduction in activity rate after 24 h. Forty-eight hours after APR induction, birds exhibited a significant decrease in plasma carotenoid levels and a decrease in bill hue, with less reduction in hue in carotenoid-supplemented individuals. These results demonstrate that carotenoids can alleviate several important behavioral and physiological effects of an APR and that bill color can change rapidly following induction of the costly APR immune defense. In particular, immune activation may have caused birds to preferentially draw down carotenoids from the bloodstream, ostensibly for use in health. Rapid bill color changes over a 48-hr period support growing evidence that bills may serve as short-term signals of health and condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deanna R. Broughton
- Department of Biology, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, PA 17604, USA
| | - Brent C. Schneider
- Department of Biology, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, PA 17604, USA
| | - Kevin J. McGraw
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Daniel R. Ardia
- Department of Biology, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, PA 17604, USA
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15
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Beaulieu M. A Bird in the House: The Challenge of Being Ecologically Relevant in Captivity. Front Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2016.00141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
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16
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Foo YZ, Nakagawa S, Rhodes G, Simmons LW. The effects of sex hormones on immune function: a meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2016; 92:551-571. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 220] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Revised: 10/30/2015] [Accepted: 11/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zhi Foo
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, School of Psychology, University of Western Australia; 35 Stirling Hwy Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia; 35 Stirling Hwy Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- Department of Zoology; University of Otago; 340 Great King Street Dunedin 9016 New Zealand
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales; UNSW Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
| | - Gillian Rhodes
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, School of Psychology, University of Western Australia; 35 Stirling Hwy Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
| | - Leigh W. Simmons
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, School of Psychology, University of Western Australia; 35 Stirling Hwy Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia; 35 Stirling Hwy Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
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17
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Desprat JL, Lengagne T, Dumet A, Desouhant E, Mondy N. Immunocompetence handicap hypothesis in tree frog: trade-off between sexual signals and immunity? Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
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18
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Reedy AM, Edwards A, Pendlebury C, Murdaugh L, Avery R, Seidenberg J, Aspbury AS, Gabor CR. An acute increase in the stress hormone corticosterone is associated with mating behavior in both male and female red-spotted newts, Notophthalmus viridescens. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2014; 208:57-63. [PMID: 25157790 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2014.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2014] [Revised: 07/30/2014] [Accepted: 08/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Hormones play key, functional roles in mediating the tradeoff between survival and reproduction. Glucocorticoid hormones can inhibit reproduction and improve chances of survival during periods of stress. However, glucocorticoid hormones are, at times, also associated with successfully engaging in energetically costly courtship and mating behaviors. Corticosterone (CORT), a primary glucocorticoid hormone in amphibians, reptiles and birds, may be important in activating or sustaining energetically costly mating behaviors. We used a non-invasive, water-borne hormone assay to measure CORT release rates of male and female red-spotted newts (Notophthalmus viridescens) collected when either engaged in amplexus or when not engaged in amplexus. Because amplexus is energetically costly for males, we predicted that males would have higher CORT release rates than females. We also predicted that females in amplexus would have elevated CORT release rates because the restraint of amplexus prevents foraging and breathing and may be costly. Here we show that an acute increase in CORT is associated with amplexus behavior in both male and female red-spotted newts. Additionally we demonstrate that males have higher overall CORT release rates both in and out of amplexus than do females. Our results support the hypothesis that glucocorticoid hormones are associated with energetically costly courtship and mating behaviors for both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron M Reedy
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22902, USA; Mountain Lake Biological Station, Pembroke, VA 24136, USA.
| | - Alex Edwards
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22902, USA; Mountain Lake Biological Station, Pembroke, VA 24136, USA
| | - Chloe Pendlebury
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22902, USA; Mountain Lake Biological Station, Pembroke, VA 24136, USA
| | - Laura Murdaugh
- Mountain Lake Biological Station, Pembroke, VA 24136, USA; Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA 15705, USA
| | - Ryan Avery
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22902, USA; Mountain Lake Biological Station, Pembroke, VA 24136, USA
| | | | - Andrea S Aspbury
- Mountain Lake Biological Station, Pembroke, VA 24136, USA; Department of Biology, Texas State University-San Marcos, TX 78666-4684, USA
| | - Caitlin R Gabor
- Mountain Lake Biological Station, Pembroke, VA 24136, USA; Department of Biology, Texas State University-San Marcos, TX 78666-4684, USA
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19
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Prokuda AY, Roff DA. The quantitative genetics of sexually selected traits, preferred traits and preference: a review and analysis of the data. J Evol Biol 2014; 27:2283-96. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2014] [Revised: 08/13/2014] [Accepted: 08/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Y. Prokuda
- Department of Biology; University of California; Riverside CA USA
| | - D. A. Roff
- Department of Biology; University of California; Riverside CA USA
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20
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D'Alba L, Van Hemert C, Spencer KA, Heidinger BJ, Gill L, Evans NP, Monaghan P, Handel CM, Shawkey MD. Melanin-Based Color of Plumage: Role of Condition and of Feathers' Microstructure. Integr Comp Biol 2014; 54:633-44. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icu094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
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21
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LaPlante KA, Huremovic E, Tomaszycki ML. Effects of acute corticosterone treatment on partner preferences in male and female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2014; 199:33-7. [PMID: 24530631 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2014.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2013] [Revised: 01/27/2014] [Accepted: 02/02/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Stress alters physiology and behavior across species. Most research on the effects of stress on behavior uses chronic stressors, and most are correlational. The effects of acute stressors on physiology and behavior have been mixed. Here, we use zebra finches, a highly gregarious species that forms long-term pair bonds, to test the effects of an acute corticosterone (CORT) on opposite-sex partner preferences over a same-sex individual or a group (the latter is a highly appealing option). We had two competing hypotheses. First, we predicted that acute CORT would alter preferences for the opposite sex bird in both conditions in both sexes. However, since there is a sex difference in the effects of CORT on partner preferences in voles, these effects may be more pronounced in males than in females. To test our hypotheses, we administered 2 doses of CORT (10μg and 20μg) or vehicle (control) using a repeated measures design. In the male vs. female test, there was a significant Sex by Treatment interaction, such that in males, 10μg CORT increased preferences for a female over the male compared to when these same males were treated with saline at baseline. There were no effects of treatment in females. In the opposite-sex vs. group condition, there was an overall effect of Treatment, such that the 10μg dose increased preference for the opposite-sex individual over both saline treatments, regardless of sex. These findings further our understanding of the effects of an acute stressor on sexual partner preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Enida Huremovic
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
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22
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Leary CJ, Knapp R. The stress of elaborate male traits: integrating glucocorticoids with androgen-based models of sexual selection. Anim Behav 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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23
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Moore FR, Coetzee V, Contreras-Garduño J, Debruine LM, Kleisner K, Krams I, Marcinkowska U, Nord A, Perrett DI, Rantala MJ, Schaum N, Suzuki TN. Cross-cultural variation in women's preferences for cues to sex- and stress-hormones in the male face. Biol Lett 2013; 9:20130050. [PMID: 23536442 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2013.0050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Women in the UK prefer the faces of men with low levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and the relationship is moderated by the sex hormone testosterone. In a Latvian sample, however, women's preferences were not affected by cortisol, and the interaction with testosterone differed from that of the UK. To further explore cross-cultural variation in preferences for facial cues to sex- and stress-hormones, we tested the preferences of women from 13 countries for facial composites constructed to differ in combinations of the hormones. We found significant relationships between a measure of societal development (the United Nations human development index 2011) and preferences for cues to testosterone in the face, and the interaction between preferences for cues to testosterone and cortisol. We also found a significant relationship between preferences for cues to testosterone and a societal-level measure of parasite stress. We conclude that societal-level ecological factors influence the relative value of traits revealed by combinations of sex- and stress-hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
- F R Moore
- School of Psychology, University of Dundee, , Dundee DD1 4HN, UK.
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24
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Prior NH, Heimovics SA, Soma KK. Effects of water restriction on reproductive physiology and affiliative behavior in an opportunistically-breeding and monogamous songbird, the zebra finch. Horm Behav 2013; 63:462-74. [PMID: 23274698 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2012.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2012] [Revised: 12/07/2012] [Accepted: 12/10/2012] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Wild zebra finches form long-term monogamous pair-bonds that are actively maintained year-round, even when not in breeding condition. These desert finches are opportunistic breeders, and breeding is highly influenced by unpredictable rainfall. Their high levels of affiliation and complex breeding patterns make zebra finches an excellent model in which to study the endocrine regulation of affiliation. Here, we compared zebra finch pairs that were provided with water ad libitum (control) or water restricted. We examined (1) reproductive physiology, (2) pair-maintenance behaviors in several contexts, and (3) circulating and brain steroid levels. In females, water restriction profoundly reduced largest ovarian follicle size, ovary size, oviduct size, and egg laying. In males, water restriction had no effect on testes size but decreased systemic testosterone levels. However, in the hypothalamus, local testosterone and estradiol levels were unaffected by water restriction in both sexes. Systemic and local levels of the androgen precursor dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) were also unaffected by water restriction. Lastly, in three different behavioral paradigms, we examined a variety of pair-maintenance behaviors, and none were reduced by water restriction. Taken together, these correlational data are consistent with the hypothesis that local production of sex steroids in the brain promotes the expression of pair-maintenance behaviors in non-breeding zebra finches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora H Prior
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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25
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Woodgate JL, Mariette MM, Bennett AT, Griffith SC, Buchanan KL. Male song structure predicts reproductive success in a wild zebra finch population. Anim Behav 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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26
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Rantala MJ, Moore FR, Skrinda I, Krama T, Kivleniece I, Kecko S, Krams I. Evidence for the stress-linked immunocompetence handicap hypothesis in humans. Nat Commun 2012; 3:694. [PMID: 22353724 PMCID: PMC4355638 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2011] [Accepted: 01/23/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Secondary sexual traits that develop under the action of testosterone, such as masculine human male facial characteristics, have been proposed to signal the strength of the immune system due to the sex hormone's immunosuppressive action. Recent work has suggested that glucocorticoid stress hormones may also influence expression of such sexual signals due to their effects on immune function. Precise roles, however, remain unclear. Here we show positive relationships between testosterone, facial attractiveness and immune function (antibody response to a hepatitis B vaccine) in human males, and present some preliminary evidence that these relationships are moderated by naturally co-occurring cortisol (a glucocorticoid stress hormone involved in the fight-or-flight response). We conclude that our results provide support for a role of glucocorticoids in hormonally mediated sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus J. Rantala
- Department of Biology, Section of Ecology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Fhionna R. Moore
- Department of Psychology, Evolutionary and Biological Approaches to Behaviour Group, Abertay University, Bell Street, Dundee DD1 1HG, UK
| | - Ilona Skrinda
- Institute of Systematic Biology, University of Daugavpils, LV-5401 Daugavpils, Latvia
| | - Tatjana Krama
- Institute of Systematic Biology, University of Daugavpils, LV-5401 Daugavpils, Latvia
| | - Inese Kivleniece
- Institute of Systematic Biology, University of Daugavpils, LV-5401 Daugavpils, Latvia
| | - Sanita Kecko
- Institute of Systematic Biology, University of Daugavpils, LV-5401 Daugavpils, Latvia
| | - Indrikis Krams
- Department of Biology, Section of Ecology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
- Institute of Systematic Biology, University of Daugavpils, LV-5401 Daugavpils, Latvia
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, 51014 Tartu, Estonia
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27
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Blood corticosterone levels and intersexual selection games: best-of-bad-job strategies of male common lizards. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-011-1278-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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28
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Moore FR, Al Dujaili EAS, Cornwell RE, Smith MJL, Lawson JF, Sharp M, Perrett DI. Cues to sex- and stress-hormones in the human male face: functions of glucocorticoids in the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis. Horm Behav 2011; 60:269-74. [PMID: 21672543 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2010] [Revised: 05/07/2011] [Accepted: 05/31/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The stress-linked version of the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis has been proposed to account for inconsistencies in relationships between testosterone and immune response. The model has received some support from studies demonstrating roles of stress hormones in relationships between testosterone, immune function and secondary sexual ornamentation. Such work, however, has relied on artificial elevation of testosterone so may not reflect relationships in natural populations. We created human male facial stimuli on the basis of naturally co-occurring levels of salivary testosterone and the stress hormone cortisol. In Study 1 we tested female preferences for male faces with cues to combinations of the hormones across the menstrual cycle, and in Study 2 we tested perceptions of health and dominance in a novel set of facial stimuli. Females preferred cues to low cortisol, a preference that was strongest during the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle. The effects of cortisol on attractiveness and perceived health and dominance were contingent upon level of testosterone: the effects of the stress hormone were reduced when testosterone was high. We propose explanations for our results, including low cortisol as a cue to a heritable component of health, attractiveness as a predictor of low social-evaluative threat (and, therefore, low baseline cortisol) and testosterone as a proxy of male ability to cope efficiently with stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- F R Moore
- School of Psychology, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, Fife, KY16 9JP, UK.
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29
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Simons MJ, Verhulst S. Zebra finch females prefer males with redder bills independent of song rate—a meta-analysis. Behav Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arr043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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30
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Woodgate JL, Leitner S, Catchpole CK, Berg ML, Bennett AT, Buchanan KL. Developmental stressors that impair song learning in males do not appear to affect female preferences for song complexity in the zebra finch. Behav Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arr006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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31
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McGraw KJ, Lee K, Lewin A. The effect of capture-and-handling stress on carotenoid-based beak coloration in zebra finches. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2011; 197:683-91. [DOI: 10.1007/s00359-011-0631-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2010] [Revised: 01/30/2011] [Accepted: 02/07/2011] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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32
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Moore FR, Cornwell RE, Smith MJL, Al Dujaili EAS, Sharp M, Perrett DI. Evidence for the stress-linked immunocompetence handicap hypothesis in human male faces. Proc Biol Sci 2010; 278:774-80. [PMID: 20843854 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2010.1678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The stress-linked immunocompetence handicap hypothesis (SL-ICHH) of sexual selection incorporates a role of the stress hormone corticosterone (C; cortisol in humans) in relationships between testosterone (T), immunity and secondary sexual trait expression. In support of this, C has been shown to mediate and moderate relationships between T and immune response and to be inversely related to attractiveness in some avian species. We predicted that female preferences for cues to T in human male faces would be contingent upon co-occurring cortisol levels. In study 1, we tested relationships between T and cortisol and attractiveness, masculinity and health ratings of raw male faces. We found cortisol to be inversely related to attractiveness. In study 2, we tested female preferences for male faces that were parametrically manipulated on the basis of cues to naturally co-occurring levels of T and cortisol across the menstrual cycle. Women preferred cues to low cortisol in general and in the fertile phase of the cycle, and there was an interaction between T and cortisol in general and in the non-fertile phase. Results were consistent with the SL-ICHH but not the original immunocompetence handicap model: females expressed preferences for cues to cortisol but not for cues to T, except in interaction with the stress hormone. Results inform the SL-ICHH by demonstrating female preferences for low cortisol and the nature of its interaction with T in humans, as well as indicating the traits that may be signalled by different combinations of the hormones including immune response, current health and resource acquisition characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- F R Moore
- Division of Psychology, University of Abertay Dundee, Dundee, UK.
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33
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Mougeot F, Martínez-Padilla J, Bortolotti GR, Webster LMI, Piertney SB. Physiological stress links parasites to carotenoid-based colour signals. J Evol Biol 2010; 23:643-50. [PMID: 20074170 DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2009.01926.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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34
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Moore IT, Hopkins WA. Interactions and trade-offs among physiological determinants of performance and reproductive success. Integr Comp Biol 2009; 49:441-51. [PMID: 21665832 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icp081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
How an animal performs in its natural environment ultimately plays a key role in its reproductive success. While a number of studies have investigated how selection acts on performance-related traits, far fewer studies have examined the mechanisms responsible for variation in performance. Among mechanisms, variable morphology has received the most attention. Although physiological traits have received less attention, they are intrinsically related to performance and ultimately to reproductive success. We present a framework whereby investigators can link some basic physiological functions with organismal performance and ultimately with reproductive success. We propose that performance and ultimately reproductive success are strongly influenced by hormones, immune functions, and energetics. We further argue that no physiological function can be considered in isolation and thus our model emphasizes interactions and trade-offs both within each physiological function as well as among them. Some of the most commonly studied trade-offs are between reproduction and immune functions, with energetics as one of the key common currencies for these trade-offs. From an evolutionary perspective, the largest gaps in our knowledge lie in how these interactions and trade-offs influence reproductive success. We believe that a full understanding of how hormones, immune functions, and energetics influence performance traits related to reproduction and, ultimately, lifetime reproductive success requires recognition of the complex relationships, interactions, and trade-offs among these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio T Moore
- Department of Biological Sciences, 2119 Derring Hall, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
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35
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Campbell DLM, Weiner SA, Starks PT, Hauber ME. Context and Control: Behavioural Ecology Experiments in the Laboratory. ANN ZOOL FENN 2009. [DOI: 10.5735/086.046.0204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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36
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Bortolotti GR, Mougeot F, Martinez-Padilla J, Webster LMI, Piertney SB. Physiological stress mediates the honesty of social signals. PLoS One 2009; 4:e4983. [PMID: 19319197 PMCID: PMC2656621 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0004983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2008] [Accepted: 02/24/2009] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extravagant ornaments used as social signals evolved to advertise their bearers' quality. The Immunocompetence Handicap Hypothesis proposes that testosterone-dependent ornaments reliably signal health and parasite resistance; however, empirical studies have shown mixed support. Alternatively, immune function and parasite resistance may be indirectly or directly related to glucocorticoid stress hormones. We propose that an understanding of the interplay between the individual and its environment, particularly how they cope with stressors, is crucial for understanding the honesty of social signals. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We analyzed corticosterone deposited in growing feathers as an integrated measure of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity in a wild territorial bird, the red grouse Lagopus lagopus scoticus. We manipulated two key, interrelated components, parasites and testosterone, which influence both ornamentation and fitness. Birds were initially purged of parasites, and later challenged with parasites or not, while at the same time being given testosterone or control implants, using a factorial experimental design. At the treatment level, testosterone enhanced ornamentation, while parasites reduced it, but only in males not implanted with testosterone. Among individuals, the degree to which both parasites and testosterone had an effect was strongly dependent on the amount of corticosterone in the feather grown during the experiment. The more stressors birds had experienced (i.e., higher corticosterone), the more parasites developed, and the less testosterone enhanced ornamentation. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE With this unique focus on the individual, and a novel, integrative, measure of response to stressors, we show that ornamentation is ultimately a product of the cumulative physiological response to environmental challenges. These findings lead toward a more realistic concept of honesty in signaling as well as a broader discussion of the concept of stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary R Bortolotti
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
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37
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Roberts ML, Buchanan KL, Hasselquist D, Bennett ATD, Evans MR. Physiological, morphological and behavioural effects of selecting zebra finches for divergent levels of corticosterone. J Exp Biol 2007; 210:4368-78. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.007104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARY
The effects of environmental stress on the physiology and behaviour of higher vertebrates has become an important avenue of research in recent years. Evidence from recent studies has suggested that the avian stress-related hormone corticosterone (CORT) may play a role in immunocompetence and sexual selection. We tested whether CORT is immunosuppressive by studying humoral and cell-mediated immune responses in populations of captive zebra finches selected for divergent peak levels of CORT. We also investigated whether selection for peak CORT has an effect on the quality of several sexually selected regions of the male zebra finch; in addition we compared morphometric parameters and the dominance ranking in males from the different selection lines. We also tested whether different components of the immune system compete for limited resources. We found that selection for divergent levels of peak CORT had little effect on humoral immunity, male sexual signal quality or dominance ranking. However, contrary to expectations, we did find a positive relationship between CORT titre and cell-mediated immunity, as well as a greater cell-mediated response in the birds selected for high CORT titre than those selected for low CORT titre. Consistent with predictions, significant negative relationships were found between both testosterone and CORT titre on humoral immunity. Birds from the low CORT lines were significantly larger in terms of skeletal size than those from the high CORT lines. Overall, our results suggest that the cell-mediated immune response is associated with a reduction in the humoral response, but only in males, and that there is no simple relationship between peak CORT levels and immune function.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. L. Roberts
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - K. L. Buchanan
- School of Biosciences, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff University,Cardiff CF10 3TL, UK
| | - D. Hasselquist
- Department of Animal Ecology, Lund University, Ecology Building,Sölvegatan 37, 22362 Lund, Sweden
| | - A. T. D. Bennett
- School of Biological Sciences, Woodland Road, University of Bristol,Bristol BS8 1UG, UK
| | - M. R. Evans
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9EZ, UK
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