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Chambon R, Paillisson JM, Fournier-Sowinski J, Dugravot S. Agricultural habitat use and selection by a sedentary bird over its annual life cycle in a crop-depredation context. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2024; 12:26. [PMID: 38553766 PMCID: PMC10981352 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-024-00462-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Modern agriculture has undoubtedly led to increasing wildlife-human conflicts, notably concerning bird damage in productive and attractive crops during some parts of the annual cycle. This issue requires utmost attention for sedentary birds that may impact agricultural crops at any stage of their annual life cycle. Reducing bird-human conflicts requires a better understanding of the relationship between bird foraging activity and the characteristics of agricultural areas, notably with respect to changes in food-resource availability and crop sensitivity across the year. METHODS We explored how GPS-tagged adult male western jackdaws- sedentary corvids- utilize agricultural areas throughout their annual cycle, in a context of crop depredation. More precisely, we described their daily occurrence distribution and the extent of habitat use and selection consistency with respect to landscape composition across time. RESULTS Jackdaws moved in the close agricultural surroundings of their urban nesting place over the year (< 2.5 km from the nest, on average). Daily occurrence distributions were restricted (< 2.2 km2), relatively centered on the nesting locality (distance between the daily occurrence centroid and the nest < 0.9 km), and rather spatially stable during each annual life-cycle period (overlap range: 63.4-76.1%). Their foraging patterns highlighted that they fed mainly in grasslands all year round, and foraged complementarily and opportunistically in maize (during sowing- coinciding with the first stages of the birds' breeding period) and cereal crops (during harvesting- their post-fledging period). CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate the very limited space use by breeding male jackdaws which foraged preferentially in grasslands. We call for future investigations in other agricultural contexts and also considering non-breeders for extrapolation purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rémi Chambon
- UMR 7208 - BOREA, MNHN, CNRS, UPMC, IRD, UC, UA, Université de Rennes, Rennes, France.
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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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Sadedin S, Duéñez-Guzmán EA, Leibo JZ. Emotions and courtship help bonded pairs cooperate, but emotional agents are vulnerable to deceit. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2308911120. [PMID: 37948585 PMCID: PMC10655579 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2308911120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Coordinated pair bonds are common in birds and also occur in many other taxa. How do animals solve the social dilemmas they face in coordinating with a partner? We developed an evolutionary model to explore this question, based on observations that a) neuroendocrine feedback provides emotional bookkeeping which is thought to play a key role in vertebrate social bonds and b) these bonds are developed and maintained via courtship interactions that include low-stakes social dilemmas. Using agent-based simulation, we found that emotional bookkeeping and courtship sustained cooperation in the iterated prisoner's dilemma in noisy environments, especially when combined. However, when deceitful defection was possible at low cost, courtship often increased cooperation, whereas emotional bookkeeping decreased it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Sadedin
- Independent Researcher, Abbots LangleyWD5 0QS, United Kingdom
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Garcia-Raventós A, Muñoz-Mérida A, Lapiedra O, Unzeta M, Ferrandiz-Rovira M, Sol D. Identification of sex-linked SNP markers in wild populations of monomorphic birds. Mol Ecol Resour 2023; 23:1905-1913. [PMID: 37675830 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13862] [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: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis is a powerful tool for population genetics, pedigree reconstruction and phenotypic trait mapping. However, the untapped potential of SNP markers to discriminate the sex of individuals in species with reduced sexual dimorphism or of individuals during immature stages remains a largely unexplored avenue. Here, we developed a novel protocol for molecular sexing of birds based on the detection of unique Z- and W-linked SNP markers. Our method is based on the identification of two unique loci, one in each sexual chromosome. Individuals are considered males when they show no calls for the W-linked SNP and are heterozygous or homozygous for the Z-linked SNP, while females exhibit both Z- and W-linked SNP calls. We validated the method in the Jackdaw (Corvus monedula). The reduced sexual dimorphism in this species makes it difficult to identify the sex of individuals in the wild. We assessed the reliability of the method using 36 individuals of known sex and found that their sex was correctly assigned in 100% of cases. The sex-linked markers also proved to be widely applicable for discriminating males and females from a sample of 927 genotyped individuals at different maturity stages, with an accuracy of 99.5%. Since SNP markers are increasingly used in quantitative genetic analyses of wild populations, the approach we propose has great potential to be integrated into broader genetic research programmes without the need for additional sexing techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Antonio Muñoz-Mérida
- CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | | | | | | | - Daniel Sol
- CREAF, Catalonia, Spain
- CSIC, Catalonia, Spain
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Kings M, Arbon JJ, McIvor GE, Whitaker M, Radford AN, Lerner J, Thornton A. Wild jackdaws can selectively adjust their social associations while preserving valuable long-term relationships. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5103. [PMID: 37696804 PMCID: PMC10495349 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40808-7] [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: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Influential theories of the evolution of cognition and cooperation posit that tracking information about others allows individuals to adjust their social associations strategically, re-shaping social networks to favour connections between compatible partners. Crucially, to our knowledge, this has yet to be tested experimentally in natural populations, where the need to maintain long-term, fitness-enhancing relationships may limit social plasticity. Using a social-network-manipulation experiment, we show that wild jackdaws (Corvus monedula) learned to favour social associations with compatible group members (individuals that provided greater returns from social foraging interactions), but resultant change in network structure was constrained by the preservation of valuable pre-existing relationships. Our findings provide insights into the cognitive basis of social plasticity and the interplay between individual decision-making and social-network structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Kings
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Treliever Road, Penryn, TR10 9FE, UK.
| | - Josh J Arbon
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Treliever Road, Penryn, TR10 9FE, UK.
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK.
| | - Guillam E McIvor
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Treliever Road, Penryn, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Martin Whitaker
- technologywithin, Chevron Business Park, Limekiln Lane, Holbury, Southampton, SO45 2QL, UK
| | - Andrew N Radford
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Jürgen Lerner
- Department of Computer and Information Science, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
- HumTec Institute, RWTH Aachen University, 52062, Aachen, Germany
| | - Alex Thornton
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Treliever Road, Penryn, TR10 9FE, UK.
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Bedford NL, Weber JN, Tong W, Baier F, Kam A, Greenberg RA, Hoekstra HE. Interspecific variation in cooperative burrowing behavior by
Peromyscus
mice. Evol Lett 2022; 6:330-340. [PMID: 35937472 PMCID: PMC9346082 DOI: 10.1002/evl3.293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals often adjust their behavior according to social context, but the capacity for such behavioral flexibility can vary among species. Here, we test for interspecific variation in behavioral flexibility by comparing burrowing behavior across three species of deer mice (genus Peromyscus) with divergent social systems, ranging from promiscuous (Peromyscus leucopus and Peromyscus maniculatus) to monogamous (Peromyscus polionotus). First, we compared the burrows built by individual mice to those built by pairs of mice in all three species. Although burrow length did not differ in P. leucopus or P. maniculatus, we found that P. polionotus pairs cooperatively constructed burrows that were nearly twice as long as those built by individuals and that opposite‐sex pairs dug longer burrows than same‐sex pairs. Second, to directly observe cooperative digging behavior in P. polionotus, we designed a burrowing assay in which we could video‐record active digging in narrow, transparent enclosures. Using this novel assay, we found, unexpectedly, that neither males nor females spent more time digging with an opposite‐sex partner. Rather, we demonstrate that opposite‐sex pairs are more socially cohesive and thus more efficient digging partners than same‐sex pairs. Together, our study demonstrates how social context can modulate innate behavior and offers insight into how differences in behavioral flexibility may evolve among closely related species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole L. Bedford
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts 02138 USA
- Museum of Comparative Zoology Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts 02138 USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts 02138 USA
- Current address: Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming 82071 USA
| | - Jesse N. Weber
- Museum of Comparative Zoology Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts 02138 USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts 02138 USA
- Current address: Department of Integrative Biology University of Wisconsin–Madison Madison Wisconsin 53706 USA
| | - Wenfei Tong
- Museum of Comparative Zoology Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts 02138 USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts 02138 USA
| | - Felix Baier
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts 02138 USA
- Museum of Comparative Zoology Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts 02138 USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts 02138 USA
| | - Ariana Kam
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts 02138 USA
| | - Rebecca A. Greenberg
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts 02138 USA
| | - Hopi E. Hoekstra
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts 02138 USA
- Museum of Comparative Zoology Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts 02138 USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts 02138 USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts 02138 USA
- Center for Brain Science Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts 02138 USA
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