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Hooper R, Maher K, Moore K, McIvor G, Hosken D, Thornton A. Ultimate drivers of forced extra-pair copulations in birds lacking a penis: jackdaws as a case-study. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:231226. [PMID: 38545615 PMCID: PMC10966391 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Forced copulation is common, presumably because it can increase male reproductive success. Forced extra-pair copulation (FEPC) occurs in birds, even though most species lack a penis and are widely thought to require female cooperation for fertilization. How FEPC persists, despite a presumed lack of siring success and likely non-negligible costs to the male, is unknown. Using the jackdaw (Corvus monedula) as a case study, we use SNPs to quantify the extra-pair paternity rate through FEPC and evaluate explanations for the persistence of FEPC in species without a penis. We then collate evidence for FEPC across penis-lacking birds. Combining genetic and behavioural analyses, our study suggests that the most likely explanations for the maintenance of FEPC in jackdaws are that it provides a selective advantage to males or it is a relic. Our literature review shows that across birds lacking a penis, FEPC is taxonomically widespread, and yet, little is known about its evolution. A broader implementation of the approach used here, combining both genetic and behavioural data, may shed light on why this widespread sexual behaviour persists. Additional work is necessary to understand whether a penis is needed for paternity through forced copulation and to quantify the costs of FEPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Hooper
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Kathryn Maher
- NERC Environmental Omics Facility, School of Biosciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Karen Moore
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Guillam McIvor
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, UK
| | - David Hosken
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, UK
| | - Alex Thornton
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, UK
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2
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Ben Mocha Y, Scemama de Gialluly S, Griesser M, Markman S. What is cooperative breeding in mammals and birds? Removing definitional barriers for comparative research. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:1845-1861. [PMID: 37332253 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Cooperative breeding (i.e. when alloparents care for the offspring of other group members) has been studied for nearly a century. Yet, inconsistent definitions of this breeding system still hamper comparative research. Here, we identify two major inconsistencies, discuss their consequences and propose a way forward. First, some researchers restrict the term 'cooperative breeding' to species with non-breeding alloparents. We show that such restrictive definitions lack distinct quantitative criteria to define non-breeding alloparents. This ambiguity, we argue, reflects the reproductive-sharing continuum among cooperatively breeding species. We therefore suggest that cooperative breeding should not be restricted to the few species with extreme reproductive skew and should be defined independent of the reproductive status of alloparents. Second, definitions rarely specify the type, extent and prevalence of alloparental care required to classify species as cooperative breeders. We thus analysed published data to propose qualitative and quantitative criteria for alloparental care. We conclude by proposing the following operational definition: cooperative breeding is a reproductive system where >5% of broods/litters in at least one population receive species-typical parental care and conspecifics provide proactive alloparental care that fulfils >5% of at least one type of the offspring's needs. This operational definition is designed to increase comparability across species and disciplines while allowing to study the intriguing phenomenon of cooperative breeding as a behaviour with multiple dimensions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yitzchak Ben Mocha
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
- Department of Biology and Environment, University of Haifa at Oranim, Tivon, 36006, Israel
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, Konstanz, 78457, Germany
- Center for the Advanced Study of Collective Behavior, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, Konstanz, 78457, Germany
| | | | - Michael Griesser
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, Konstanz, 78457, Germany
- Center for the Advanced Study of Collective Behavior, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, Konstanz, 78457, Germany
- Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour, Universitätsstrasse 10, Konstanz, 78457, Germany
| | - Shai Markman
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
- Department of Biology and Environment, University of Haifa at Oranim, Tivon, 36006, Israel
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Ben Mocha Y, Dahan T, Zou Y, Griesser M, Markman S. Evidence for a reproductive sharing continuum in cooperatively breeding mammals and birds: consequences for comparative research. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230607. [PMID: 37700641 PMCID: PMC10498043 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Extreme reproductive skew occurs when a dominant female/male almost monopolizes reproduction within a group of multiple sexually mature females/males, respectively. It is sometimes considered an additional, restrictive criterion to define cooperative breeding. However, datasets that use this restrictive definition to classify species as cooperative breeders systematically overestimate reproductive skew by including groups in which reproduction cannot be shared by definition (e.g. groups with a single female/male). Here, we review the extent of reproductive sharing in 41 mammal and 37 bird species previously classified as exhibiting alloparental care and extreme reproductive skew, while only considering multi-female or multi-male groups. We demonstrate that in groups where unequal reproduction sharing is possible, extreme reproductive skew occurs in a few species only (11/41 mammal species and 12/37 bird species). These results call for significant changes in datasets that classify species' caring and mating system. To facilitate these changes, we provide an updated dataset on reproductive sharing in 63 cooperatively breeding species. At the conceptual level, our findings suggest that reproductive skew should not be a defining criterion of cooperative breeding and support the definition of cooperative breeding as a care system in which alloparents provide systematic care to other group members' offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yitzchak Ben Mocha
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, 3498838 Haifa, Israel
- Department of Biology and Environment, University of Haifa at Oranim, 36006 Tivon, Israel
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
- Center for the Advanced Study of Collective Behavior, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Tal Dahan
- Department of Biology and Environment, University of Haifa at Oranim, 36006 Tivon, Israel
| | - Yuqi Zou
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Michael Griesser
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
- Center for the Advanced Study of Collective Behavior, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Shai Markman
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, 3498838 Haifa, Israel
- Department of Biology and Environment, University of Haifa at Oranim, 36006 Tivon, Israel
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Mouginot M, Cheng L, Wilson ML, Feldblum JT, Städele V, Wroblewski EE, Vigilant L, Hahn BH, Li Y, Gilby IC, Pusey AE, Surbeck M. Reproductive inequality among males in the genus Pan. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220301. [PMID: 37381849 PMCID: PMC10291431 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Reproductive inequality, or reproductive skew, drives natural selection, but has been difficult to assess, particularly for males in species with promiscuous mating and slow life histories, such as bonobos (Pan paniscus) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Although bonobos are often portrayed as more egalitarian than chimpanzees, genetic studies have found high male reproductive skew in bonobos. Here, we discuss mechanisms likely to affect male reproductive skew in Pan, then re-examine skew patterns using paternity data from published work and new data from the Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve, Democratic Republic of Congo and Gombe National Park, Tanzania. Using the multinomial index (M), we found considerable overlap in skew between the species, but the highest skew occurred among bonobos. Additionally, for two of three bonobo communities, but no chimpanzee communities, the highest ranking male had greater siring success than predicted by priority-of-access. Thus, an expanded dataset covering a broader demographic range confirms that bonobos have high male reproductive skew. Detailed comparison of data from Pan highlights that reproductive skew models should consider male-male dynamics including the effect of between-group competition on incentives for reproductive concessions, but also female grouping patterns and factors related to male-female dynamics including the expression of female choice. This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolutionary ecology of inequality'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maud Mouginot
- Department of Anthropology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Leveda Cheng
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Michael L. Wilson
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
- Institute on the Environment, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Joseph T. Feldblum
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Veronika Städele
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, and Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - Emily E. Wroblewski
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Linda Vigilant
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Beatrice H. Hahn
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yingying Li
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ian C. Gilby
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, and Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Anne E. Pusey
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Martin Surbeck
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig 04103, Germany
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Wheeler SS, Taff CC, Reisen WK, Townsend AK. Mosquito blood-feeding patterns and nesting behavior of American crows, an amplifying host of West Nile virus. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:331. [PMID: 34158103 PMCID: PMC8220764 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04827-x] [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: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although American crows are a key indicator species for West Nile virus (WNV) and mount among the highest viremias reported for any host, the importance of crows in the WNV transmission cycle has been called into question because of their consistent underrepresentation in studies of Culex blood meal sources. Here, we test the hypothesis that this apparent underrepresentation could be due, in part, to underrepresentation of crow nesting habitat from mosquito sampling designs. Specifically, we examine how the likelihood of a crow blood meal changes with distance to and timing of active crow nests in a Davis, California, population. Methods Sixty artificial mosquito resting sites were deployed from May to September 2014 in varying proximity to known crow nesting sites, and Culex blood meal hosts were identified by DNA barcoding. Genotypes from crow blood meals and local crows (72 nestlings from 30 broods and 389 local breeders and helpers) were used to match mosquito blood meals to specific local crows. Results Among the 297 identified Culex blood meals, 20 (6.7%) were attributable to crows. The mean percentage of blood meals of crow origin was 19% in the nesting period (1 May–18 June 2014), but 0% in the weeks after fledging (19 June–1 September 2014), and the likelihood of a crow blood meal increased with proximity to an active nest: the odds that crows hosted a Culex blood meal were 38.07 times greater within 10 m of an active nest than > 10 m from an active nest. Nine of ten crow blood meals that could be matched to a genotype of a specific crow belonged to either nestlings in these nests or their mothers. Six of the seven genotypes that could not be attributed to sampled birds belonged to females, a sex bias likely due to mosquitoes targeting incubating or brooding females. Conclusion Data herein indicate that breeding crows serve as hosts for Culex in the initial stages of the WNV spring enzootic cycle. Given their high viremia, infected crows could thereby contribute to the re-initiation and early amplification of the virus, increasing its availability as mosquitoes shift to other moderately competent later-breeding avian hosts.![]() Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-04827-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah S Wheeler
- Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District, 8631 Bond Road, Elk Grove, CA, 95624, USA.
| | - Conor C Taff
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - William K Reisen
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Andrea K Townsend
- Department of Biology, Hamilton College, 198 College Hill Rd, Clinton, NY, 13323, USA
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Kaiser SA, Martin TE, Oteyza JC, Danner JE, Armstad CE, Fleischer RC. Within-group relatedness and patterns of reproductive sharing and cooperation in the tropical chestnut-crested yuhina. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Townsend AK, Taff CC, Jones ML, Getman KH, Wheeler SS, Hinton MG, Logsdon RM. Apparent inbreeding preference despite inbreeding depression in the American crow. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:1116-1126. [PMID: 30222228 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Revised: 08/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Although matings between relatives can have negative effects on offspring fitness, apparent inbreeding preference has been reported in a growing number of systems, including those with documented inbreeding depression. Here, we examined evidence for inbreeding depression and inbreeding preference in two populations (Clinton, New York, and Davis, California, USA) of the cooperatively breeding American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos). We then compared observed inbreeding strategies with theoretical expectations for optimal, adaptive levels of inbreeding, given the inclusive fitness benefits and population-specific magnitude of inbreeding depression. We found that low heterozygosity at a panel of 33 microsatellite markers was associated with low survival probability (fledging success) and low white blood cell counts among offspring in both populations. Despite these costs, our data were more consistent with inbreeding preference than avoidance: The observed heterozygosity among 396 sampled crow offspring was significantly lower than expected if local adults were mating by random chance. This pattern was consistent across a range of spatial scales in both populations. Adaptive levels of inbreeding, given the magnitude of inbreeding depression, were predicted to be very low in the California population, whereas complete disassortative mating was predicted in the New York population. Sexual conflict might have contributed to the apparent absence of inbreeding avoidance in crows. These data add to an increasing number of examples of an "inbreeding paradox," where inbreeding appears to be preferred despite inbreeding depression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Conor C Taff
- Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York
| | - Melissa L Jones
- Avian Sciences Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, California
| | | | - Sarah S Wheeler
- Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District, Elk Grove, California
| | - Mitch G Hinton
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Ryane M Logsdon
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, California
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Townsend AK, Taff CC, Wheeler SS, Weis AM, Hinton MG, Jones ML, Logsdon RM, Reisen WK, Freund D, Sehgal RNM, Saberi M, Suh YH, Hurd J, Boyce WM. Low heterozygosity is associated with vector‐borne disease in crows. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Conor C. Taff
- Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology Ithaca New York 14850 USA
| | - Sarah S. Wheeler
- Sacramento‐Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District Elk Grove California 95624 USA
| | - Allison M. Weis
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction School of Veterinary Medicine 100K Pathogen Genome Project University of California Davis California 95616 USA
| | - Mitch G. Hinton
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group University of California Davis California 95616 USA
| | - Melissa L. Jones
- Avian Sciences Graduate Group University of California Davis California 95616 USA
| | - Ryane M. Logsdon
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group University of California Davis California 95616 USA
| | - William K. Reisen
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology School of Veterinary Medicine University of California Davis California 95616 USA
| | - David Freund
- Department of Biology San Francisco State University San Francisco California 94132 USA
| | - Ravinder N. M. Sehgal
- Department of Biology San Francisco State University San Francisco California 94132 USA
| | - Mojan Saberi
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology University of California Davis California 95616 USA
| | - Young Ha Suh
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Cornell University Ithaca New York 14853 USA
| | - Jacqueline Hurd
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology University of California Davis California 95616 USA
| | - Walter M. Boyce
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology School of Veterinary Medicine University of California Davis California 95616 USA
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9
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Townsend AK, Wheeler SS, Freund D, Sehgal RNM, Boyce WM. Links between blood parasites, blood chemistry, and the survival of nestling American crows. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:8779-8790. [PMID: 30271545 PMCID: PMC6157653 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies have used the avian hemosporidians (Leucocytozoon, Plasmodium, and Hemoproteus) to test hypotheses of host-parasite co-evolution, yet documented health and survival consequences of these blood parasites vary among studies and generalizations about their pathogenicity are debatable. In general, the negative effects of the hemosporidians are likely to be greatest during acute infections of young birds, yet most previous studies in wild passerines have examined chronic effects in adults. Here, we evaluated responses of nestling American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) to acute infection (prevalence and burden), as well as its short- and long-term survival consequences. We used panel of nine hematological and biochemical parameters that are regularly used to evaluate the health of domestic animals, including leukocyte profiles, hematocrit, and plasma proteins. We assessed the effects of infection on survival in a mark-recapture framework. Overall, 56% of crows (n = 321 samples) were infected by at least one of the three genera. Infections by all genera were associated with elevated plasma proteins and globulins, which could indicate an adaptive immune response. However, only Plasmodium infections were associated with low hematocrit (anemia) and lower fledging success, possibly mediated by the negative effect of low hematocrit values on body condition. Moreover, early Plasmodium infection (<40 days of age) had long-term survival implications: it was associated with lower apparent survival probability within 3 years after fledging. These results suggest that young crows mounted an adaptive immune response to all three genera. Short- and long-term pathological effects, however, were only apparent with Plasmodium infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah S. Wheeler
- Sacramento‐Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control DistrictElk GroveCalifornia
| | - David Freund
- Department of BiologySan Francisco State UniversitySan FranciscoCalifornia
| | | | - Walter M. Boyce
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and ImmunologySchool of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCalifornia
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10
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Kaiser SA, Martin TE, Oteyza JC, Armstad C, Fleischer RC. Direct fitness benefits and kinship of social foraging groups in an Old World tropical babbler. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arx196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sara A Kaiser
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Science Building, National Zoological Park, 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW., Washington, DC, USA
| | - Thomas E Martin
- U. S. Geological Survey, Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana, Natural Sciences Room 205, Missoula, USA, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Juan C Oteyza
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana, MT, USA
| | - Connor Armstad
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana, MT, USA
| | - Robert C Fleischer
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Science Building, National Zoological Park, 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW., Washington, DC, USA
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11
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Riehl C. Kinship and Incest Avoidance Drive Patterns of Reproductive Skew in Cooperatively Breeding Birds. Am Nat 2017; 190:774-785. [PMID: 29166167 DOI: 10.1086/694411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Social animals vary in how reproduction is divided among group members, ranging from monopolization by a dominant pair (high skew) to equal sharing by cobreeders (low skew). Despite many theoretical models, the ecological and life-history factors that generate this variation are still debated. Here I analyze data from 83 species of cooperatively breeding birds, finding that kinship within the breeding group is a powerful predictor of reproductive sharing across species. Societies composed of nuclear families have significantly higher skew than those that contain unrelated members, a pattern that holds for both multimale and multifemale groups. Within-species studies confirm this, showing that unrelated subordinates of both sexes are more likely to breed than related subordinates are. Crucially, subordinates in cooperative groups are more likely to breed if they are unrelated to the opposite-sex dominant, whereas relatedness to the same-sex dominant has no effect. This suggests that incest avoidance, rather than suppression by dominant breeders, may be an important proximate mechanism limiting reproduction by subordinates. Overall, these results support the ultimate evolutionary logic behind concessions models of skew-namely, that related subordinates gain indirect fitness benefits from helping at the nests of kin, so a lower direct reproductive share is required for selection to favor helping over dispersal-but not the proximate mechanism of dominant control assumed by these models.
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12
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Wikberg EC, Jack KM, Fedigan LM, Campos FA, Yashima AS, Bergstrom ML, Hiwatashi T, Kawamura S. Inbreeding avoidance and female mate choice shape reproductive skew in capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus imitator). Mol Ecol 2016; 26:653-667. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2015] [Revised: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 09/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eva C. Wikberg
- Department of Integrated Biosciences; University of Tokyo; Bioscience Building 502, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha Kashiwa Chiba 277-8562 Japan
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology; University of Calgary; 2500 University Drive NW Calgary AB T2N 1N4 Canada
| | - Katharine M. Jack
- Department of Anthropology; Tulane University; 6823 St. Charles Avenue, 101 Dinwiddie Hall New Orleans LA 70119 USA
| | - Linda M. Fedigan
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology; University of Calgary; 2500 University Drive NW Calgary AB T2N 1N4 Canada
| | - Fernando A. Campos
- Department of Anthropology; Tulane University; 6823 St. Charles Avenue, 101 Dinwiddie Hall New Orleans LA 70119 USA
| | - Akiko S. Yashima
- Department of Integrated Biosciences; University of Tokyo; Bioscience Building 502, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha Kashiwa Chiba 277-8562 Japan
| | - Mackenzie L. Bergstrom
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology; University of Calgary; 2500 University Drive NW Calgary AB T2N 1N4 Canada
| | - Tomohide Hiwatashi
- Department of Integrated Biosciences; University of Tokyo; Bioscience Building 502, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha Kashiwa Chiba 277-8562 Japan
| | - Shoji Kawamura
- Department of Integrated Biosciences; University of Tokyo; Bioscience Building 502, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha Kashiwa Chiba 277-8562 Japan
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Influence of Host Ecology and Behavior on Campylobacter jejuni Prevalence and Environmental Contamination Risk in a Synanthropic Wild Bird Species. Appl Environ Microbiol 2016; 82:4811-20. [PMID: 27260356 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01456-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 05/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Campylobacter jejuni is a foodborne pathogen that often leads to human infections through the consumption of contaminated poultry. Wild birds may play a role in the transmission of C. jejuni by acting as reservoir hosts. Despite ample evidence that wild birds harbor C. jejuni, few studies have addressed the role of host ecology in transmission to domestic animals or humans. We tested the hypothesis that host social behavior and habitat play a major role in driving transmission risk. C. jejuni infection and host ecology were studied simultaneously in wild American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) in Davis, CA, over 3 years. We found that 178 of 337 samples tested were culture positive (53%), with infection varying by season and host age. Among adult crows, infection rates were highest during the winter, when migrants return and crows form large communal roosts. Nestlings had the highest risk of infection, and whole-genome sequencing supports the observation of direct transmission between nestlings. We deployed global positioning system (GPS) receivers to quantify habitat use by crows; space use was nonrandom, with crows preferentially occupying some habitats while avoiding others. This behavior drastically amplified the risk of environmental contamination from feces in specific locations. This study demonstrates that social behavior contributes to infection within species and that habitat use leads to a heterogeneous risk of cross-species transmission. IMPORTANCE Campylobacter jejuni is the most common cause of gastroenteritis in industrialized countries. Despite efforts to reduce the colonization of poultry flocks and eventual infection of humans, the incidence of human C. jejuni infection has remained high. Because wild birds can harbor strains of C. jejuni that eventually infect humans, there has long been speculation that wild birds might act as an important reservoir in the C. jejuni infection cycle. We simultaneously studied infection prevalence, social behavior, and movement ecology in wild American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos). We found that social behavior contributed to patterns of infection and that movement behavior resulted in some areas having a high risk of transmission while others had a low risk. The incorporation of ecological data into studies of C. jejuni in wild birds has the potential to resolve when and how wild birds contribute to domestic animal and human C. jejuni infection, leading to better control of initial poultry contamination.
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14
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Freund D, Wheeler SS, Townsend AK, Boyce WM, Ernest HB, Cicero C, Sehgal RNM. Genetic sequence data reveals widespread sharing of Leucocytozoon lineages in corvids. Parasitol Res 2016; 115:3557-65. [PMID: 27189064 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-5121-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2016] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Leucocytozoon, a widespread hemosporidian blood parasite that infects a broad group of avian families, has been studied in corvids (family: Corvidae) for over a century. Current taxonomic classification indicates that Leucocytozoon sakharoffi infects crows and related Corvus spp., while Leucocytozoon berestneffi infects magpies (Pica spp.) and blue jays (Cyanocitta sp.). This intrafamily host specificity was based on the experimental transmissibility of the parasites, as well as slight differences in their morphology and life cycle development. Genetic sequence data from Leucocytozoon spp. infecting corvids is scarce, and until the present study, sequence data has not been analyzed to confirm the current taxonomic distinctions. Here, we predict the phylogenetic relationships of Leucocytozoon cytochrome b lineages recovered from infected American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos), yellow-billed magpies (Pica nuttalli), and Steller's jays (Cyanocitta stelleri) to explore the host specificity pattern of L. sakharoffi and L. berestneffi. Phylogenetic reconstruction revealed a single large clade containing nearly every lineage recovered from the three host species, while showing no evidence of the expected distinction between L. sakharoffi and L. berestneffi. In addition, five of the detected lineages were recovered from both crows and magpies. This absence of the previously described host specificity in corvid Leucocytozoon spp. suggests that L. sakharoffi and L. berestneffi be reexamined from a taxonomic perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dave Freund
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA.
| | - Sarah S Wheeler
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Andrea K Townsend
- Department of Biology, Hamilton College, 198 College Hill Rd., Clinton, NY, 13323, USA
| | - Walter M Boyce
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Holly B Ernest
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA
| | - Carla Cicero
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Ravinder N M Sehgal
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA
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15
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Arct A, Drobniak SM, Cichoń M. Genetic similarity between mates predicts extrapair paternity—a meta-analysis of bird studies. Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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16
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Pizzari T, Biernaskie JM, Carazo P. Inclusive fitness and sexual conflict: how population structure can modulate the battle of the sexes. Bioessays 2014; 37:155-66. [PMID: 25389109 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201400130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Competition over reproductive opportunities among members of one sex often harms the opposite sex, creating a conflict of interest between individual males and females. Recently, this battle of the sexes has become a paradigm in the study of intersexual coevolution. Here, we review recent theoretical and empirical advances suggesting that - as in any scenario of intraspecific competition - selfishness (competitiveness) can be influenced by the genetic relatedness of competitors. When competitors are positively related (e.g. siblings), an individual may refrain from harming its competitor(s) and their mate(s) because this can improve the focal individual's inclusive fitness. These findings reveal that population genetic structure might be of paramount importance when studying the battle of the sexes. We conclude by identifying some new lines of research at the interface of sexual selection and social evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Pizzari
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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17
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Steller sex: infidelity and sexual selection in a social Corvid (Cyanocitta stelleri). PLoS One 2014; 9:e105257. [PMID: 25148039 PMCID: PMC4141755 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2014] [Accepted: 07/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic analysis of avian mating systems has revealed that more than 70% of monogamous species show incidence of offspring parentage that does not match the social partner. Extra-pair parentage (EPP) has been linked to a variety of factors, including size and symmetry of ornamental traits, coloration, resource availability, and local conspecific density. We examined how ornamental plumage traits of individual Steller's jays (Cyanocitta stelleri) and territory characteristics influence genetic fidelity of socially monogamous pairs. We used seven highly polymorphic microsatellite markers to assign paternity to 79 offspring, and identified 12 (15.2%) as extra-pair young (EPY). Steller's jays with extra-pair young had significantly lower values of feather brightness and hue, indicating more ultraviolet-blue shifted coloration, and nested in closer proximity to the forest edge than Steller's jays with no detected EPY. Body size, crest height, asymmetry of ornamental crest stripes, as well as vegetative composition of territories and their proximity to supplemental feeders appeared to have little relationship to EPP. These results indicate that extra-pair parentage plays a role in the evolution of secondary sexual characteristics in both sexes, and suggest local density and availability of resources may influence Steller's jay mating dynamics.
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18
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Díaz-Muñoz SL, DuVal EH, Krakauer AH, Lacey EA. Cooperating to compete: altruism, sexual selection and causes of male reproductive cooperation. Anim Behav 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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19
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Wong M, Fauvelot C, Planes S, Buston P. Discrete and continuous reproductive tactics in a hermaphroditic society. Anim Behav 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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20
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Nelson-Flower MJ, Hockey PAR, O’Ryan C, Ridley AR. Inbreeding avoidance mechanisms: dispersal dynamics in cooperatively breeding southern pied babblers. J Anim Ecol 2012; 81:876-83. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2012.01983.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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21
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Nonacs P, Hager R. The past, present and future of reproductive skew theory and experiments. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2011; 86:271-98. [PMID: 20545672 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-185x.2010.00144.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
A major evolutionary question is how reproductive sharing arises in cooperatively breeding species despite the inherent reproductive conflicts in social groups. Reproductive skew theory offers one potential solution: each group member gains or is allotted inclusive fitness equal to or exceeding their expectation from reproducing on their own. Unfortunately, a multitude of skew models with conflicting predictions has led to confusion in both testing and evaluating skew theory. The confusion arises partly because one set of models (the 'transactional' type) answer the ultimate evolutionary question of what ranges of reproductive skew can yield fitness-enhancing solutions for all group members. The second set of models ('compromise') give an evolutionarily proximate, game-theoretic evolutionarily stable state (ESS) solution that determines reproductive shares based on relative competitive abilities. However, several predictions arising from compromise models require a linear payoff to increased competition and do not hold with non-linear payoffs. Given that for most species it may be very difficult or impossible to determine the true relationship between effort devoted to competition and reproductive share gained, compromise models are much less predictive than previously appreciated. Almost all skew models make one quantitative prediction (e.g. realized skew must fall within ranges predicted by transactional models), and two qualitative predictions (e.g. variation in relatedness or competitive ability across groups affects skew). A thorough review of the data finds that these three predictions are relatively rarely supported. As a general rule, therefore, the evolution of cooperative breeding appears not to be dependent on the ability of group members to monitor relatedness or competitive ability in order to adjust their behaviour dynamically to gain reproductive share. Although reproductive skew theory fails to predict within-group dynamics consistently, it does better at predicting quantitative differences in skew across populations or species. This suggests that kin selection can play a significant role in the evolution of sociality. To advance our understanding of reproductive skew will require focusing on a broader array of factors, such as the frequency of mistaken identity, delayed fitness payoffs, and selection pressures arising from across-group competition. We furthermore suggest a novel approach to investigate the sharing of reproduction that focuses on the underlying genetics of skew. A quantitative genetics approach allows the partitioning of variance in reproductive share itself or that of traits closely associated with skew into genetic and non-genetic sources. Thus, we can determine the heritability of reproductive share and infer whether it actually is the focus of natural selection. We view the 'animal model' as the most promising empirical method where the genetics of reproductive share can be directly analyzed in wild populations. In the quest to assess whether skew theory can provide a framework for understanding the evolution of sociality, quantitative genetics will be a central tool in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Nonacs
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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22
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Townsend AK, Bowman R, Fitzpatrick JW, Dent M, Lovette IJ. Genetic monogamy across variable demographic landscapes in cooperatively breeding Florida scrub-jays. Behav Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arq227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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23
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Townsend AK, Clark AB, McGowan KJ, Miller AD, Buckles EL. Condition, innate immunity and disease mortality of inbred crows. Proc Biol Sci 2010; 277:2875-83. [PMID: 20444716 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2010.0480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cooperatively breeding American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) suffer a severe disease-mediated survival cost from inbreeding, but the proximate mechanisms linking inbreeding to disease are unknown. Here, we examine indices of nestling body condition and innate immunocompetence in relationship to inbreeding and disease mortality. Using an estimate of microsatellite heterozygosity that predicts inbreeding in this population, we show that inbred crows were in relatively poor condition as nestlings, and that body condition index measured in the first 2-33 days after hatching, in addition to inbreeding index, predicted disease probability in the first 34 months of life. Inbred nestlings also mounted a weaker response along one axis of innate immunity: the proportion of bacteria killed in a microbiocidal assay increased as heterozygosity index increased. Relatively poor body condition and low innate immunocompetence are two mechanisms that might predispose inbred crows to ultimate disease mortality. A better understanding of condition-mediated inbreeding depression can guide efforts to minimize disease costs of inbreeding in small populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea K Townsend
- Fuller Evolutionary Biology Program, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, , 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA.
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24
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Kingma SA, Hall ML, Arriero E, Peters A. Multiple benefits of cooperative breeding in purple-crowned fairy-wrens: a consequence of fidelity? J Anim Ecol 2010; 79:757-68. [PMID: 20443991 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2010.01697.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
1. Kin selection is one of the mechanisms that can explain apparent altruism by subordinate individuals in cooperatively breeding species, if subordinates boost the production of kin. We compared productivity and breeder survival in pairs with and without subordinates in a genetically monogamous cooperatively breeding bird, the purple-crowned fairy-wren Malurus coronatus. 2. Additive effects of subordinate help increased productivity. Total feeding rates to the nest were increased by two or more subordinates, and fledgling production was greater in larger groups. Not all subordinates contributed to nestling feeding, and the effect of group size was greater when non-contributors were excluded from analyses, suggesting that increased fledgling production was a direct result of help. 3. Compensatory effects of subordinate help improved breeder survival. Assisted breeders reduced their workload by 20-30%, irrespective of the number of helpers. Although re-nesting intervals were not affected by group size, reduced breeder feeding rates resulted in improved survival and breeders in larger groups survived better. 4. Subordinates and nestlings are usually progeny of the breeding pair in this species, and benefits of cooperative breeding are very different from three congeners with extremely high levels of extra-group paternity (EGP). In these Malurus, fledgling production and survival of male breeders are not enhanced in larger groups. This is consistent with the expectation that kin-selected benefits vary with relatedness, and thus levels of EGP. 5. We tested whether benefits of cooperative breeding in 37 avian species varied with levels of extra-group mating. Both direct and phylogenetically controlled comparisons showed that improvement of (male) breeder survival and enhanced productivity are more likely when fidelity is higher, as predicted when investment of subordinates correlates with relatedness to offspring. This pattern highlights the importance of considering the genetic mating system for understanding the evolution of cooperative breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sjouke A Kingma
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Vogelwarte Radolfzell, Schlossallee 2, Radolfzell, Germany.
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25
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Townsend A, Clark A, McGowan K. Direct Benefits and Genetic Costs of Extrapair Paternity for Female American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos). Am Nat 2010; 175:E1-9. [DOI: 10.1086/648553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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26
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Townsend AK, Clark AB, McGowan KJ, Buckles EL, Miller AD, Lovette IJ. Disease-mediated inbreeding depression in a large, open population of cooperative crows. Proc Biol Sci 2009; 276:2057-64. [PMID: 19324784 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2008.1852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Disease-mediated inbreeding depression is a potential cost of living in groups with kin, but its general magnitude in wild populations is unclear. We examined the relationships between inbreeding, survival and disease for 312 offspring, produced by 35 parental pairs, in a large, open population of cooperatively breeding American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos). Genetic analyses of parentage, parental relatedness coefficients and pedigree information suggested that 23 per cent of parental dyads were first- or second-order kin. Heterozygosity-heterozygosity correlations suggested that a microsatellite-based index of individual heterozygosity predicted individual genome-wide heterozygosity in this population. After excluding birds that died traumatically, survival probability was lower for relatively inbred birds during the 2-50 months after banding: the hazard rate for the most inbred birds was 170 per cent higher than that for the least inbred birds across the range of inbreeding index values. Birds that died with disease symptoms had higher inbreeding indices than birds with other fates. Our results suggest that avoidance of close inbreeding and the absence of inbreeding depression in large, open populations should not be assumed in taxa with kin-based social systems, and that microsatellite-based indices of individual heterozygosity can be an appropriate tool for examining the inbreeding depression in populations where incest and close inbreeding occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea K Townsend
- Fuller Evolutionary Biology Program, Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA.
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