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Wang L, Zhao H, Luo H, He G, Yan H, Liang W. Importance of cooperation: How host nest defenses effectively prevent brood parasitism from the cuckoos. iScience 2023; 26:106458. [PMID: 37063465 PMCID: PMC10090214 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
As the frontline defense against avian brood parasitism, nest defense is important in reducing nest parasitism and increasing host fitness. However, systematic studies on its effectiveness (i.e., on whether it successfully prevents cuckoo parasitism) are scarce. Based on 214 video recordings from 10 years of field observations, we evaluated the effectiveness of nest defenses of the Oriental reed warbler (Acrocephalus orientalis) in deterring common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) parasitism. Under a breeding pair situation (≤ 2 hosts individuals), warblers were hardly effective in resisting the egg-laying of the cuckoo and many of the cuckoos under attack were able to complete the parasitic process without being harmed. However, when hosts ≥ 3 individuals, the warblers could effectively thwart the cuckoos and cause lethal damage to the cuckoo in partial cases. This indicated that the host group effectively resisted the cuckoo, demonstrating the importance of cooperation among host neighbors in resisting cuckoo parasitism.
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Shen C, Yin D, Yu J, Zhang L, Han Z, Jin L, Liang W, Wang H. Geographical variation in nest defense among cinereous tit populations in China. Curr Zool 2022; 69:59-65. [PMID: 36974144 PMCID: PMC10039177 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Behavioral divergence among populations is common across taxonomic groups, still we know very little about anti-predator behaviors. Animal exposure to predation risk is variable in different ecological contexts. In addition, reproduction value of animals in different geographical regions usually varies. In this study, we tested whether cinereous tits Parus cinereus in different populations exhibited nest defense behaviors similar to those of nest or adult predators and whether their nest defense behaviors showed geographical variation. By using field dummy experiments, we observed tits’ nest defense behavior in nest predator common chipmunk Tamias sibiricus and red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris, adult predator Eurasian sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus and nonthreatening species Oriental turtle dove Streptopelia orientalis in the ZJ (44° N), DLS (18° N) and DZ (31° N) populations, respectively. The response scores varied significantly across the four dummies in ZJ-tits and DLS-tits but did not in DZ-tits. When facing the chipmunk, ZJ-tits showed the highest response score, and DZ-tits showed the lowest response score. When facing the squirrel, ZJ-tits showed a higher response score than tits in the other two populations. However, tits among the three populations responded similarly to a sparrowhawk or dove with slight response behaviors. In addition, response scores to nest predators were positively correlated with brood size across the three populations, but no trend was found for sparrowhawks or doves. Our results indicated that the nest defense behaviors of cinereous tits have evolved in response to large-scale geographical variation in ecological contexts and reproduction value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Shen
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Dake Yin
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Jiangping Yu
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Zheng Han
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Longru Jin
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Wei Liang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, 571158, China
| | - Haitao Wang
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
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