1
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Dyble M. Explaining variation in the kinship composition of mammal groups. Behav Ecol 2024; 35:arae032. [PMID: 38690088 PMCID: PMC11059295 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arae032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Variation in cooperative behavior across mammals is strongly related to the kinship composition of groups. Although the factors affecting average genetic relatedness within groups have been studied, the factors that contribute to the production of different categories of kin remain underexplored. Here, I use a mathematical model to explore the factors that determine the proportion of full siblings, maternal half-siblings, paternal half-siblings, and non-siblings within mammal groups. The results suggest that the production of paternal half-siblings is increased by high male reproductive skew and a female-biased sex ratio, the production of maternal half-siblings is increased by high female reproductive skew and male-biased sex ratio, and that there are two routes to the production of full siblings: either high reproductive skew in both sexes (as seen in cooperatively breeding species) or pair-bond stability within groups of low reproductive skew (as seen in humans). These results broadly correspond to observed variation in sibling composition across mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Dyble
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, CB2 3DZ Cambridge, United Kingdom
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2
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Li S, Liu Y, DU X, Li G, Liao W. Nest complexity correlates with larger brain size but smaller body mass across bird species. Integr Zool 2024; 19:496-504. [PMID: 37378973 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12744] [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] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Amniotes differ substantially in absolute and relative brain size after controlling for allometry, and numerous hypotheses have been proposed to explain brain size evolution. Brain size is thought to correlate with processing capacity and the brain's ability to support complex manipulation such as nest-building skills. The increased complexity of nest structure is supposed to be a measure of an ability to manipulate nesting material into the required shape. The degree of nest-structure complexity is also supposed to be associated with body mass, partly because small species lose heat faster and delicate and insulated nests are more crucial for temperature control of eggs during incubation by small birds. Here, we conducted comparative analyses to test these hypotheses by investigating whether the complexity of species-typical nest structure can be explained by brain size and body mass (a covariate also to control for allometric effects on brain size) across 1353 bird species from 147 families. Consistent with these hypotheses, our results revealed that avian brain size increases as the complexity of the nest structure increases after controlling for a significant effect of body size, and also that a negative relationship exists between nest complexity and body mass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaobin Li
- College of Life Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Yuxin Liu
- College of Life Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Xiaolong DU
- College of Life Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Guopan Li
- College of Life Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Wenbo Liao
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
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3
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Dunbar A, Drigo B, Djordjevic SP, Donner E, Hoye BJ. Impacts of coprophagic foraging behaviour on the avian gut microbiome. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:582-597. [PMID: 38062990 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13036] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Avian gut microbial communities are complex and play a fundamental role in regulating biological functions within an individual. Although it is well established that diet can influence the structure and composition of the gut microbiota, foraging behaviour may also play a critical, yet unexplored role in shaping the composition, dynamics, and adaptive potential of avian gut microbiota. In this review, we examine the potential influence of coprophagic foraging behaviour on the establishment and adaptability of wild avian gut microbiomes. Coprophagy involves the ingestion of faeces, sourced from either self (autocoprophagy), conspecific animals (allocoprophagy), or heterospecific animals. Much like faecal transplant therapy, coprophagy may (i) support the establishment of the gut microbiota of young precocial species, (ii) directly and indirectly provide nutritional and energetic requirements, and (iii) represent a mechanism by which birds can rapidly adapt the microbiota to changing environments and diets. However, in certain contexts, coprophagy may also pose risks to wild birds, and their microbiomes, through increased exposure to chemical pollutants, pathogenic microbes, and antibiotic-resistant microbes, with deleterious effects on host health and performance. Given the potentially far-reaching consequences of coprophagy for avian microbiomes, and the dearth of literature directly investigating these links, we have developed a predictive framework for directing future research to understand better when and why wild birds engage in distinct types of coprophagy, and the consequences of this foraging behaviour. There is a need for comprehensive investigation into the influence of coprophagy on avian gut microbiotas and its effects on host health and performance throughout ontogeny and across a range of environmental perturbations. Future behavioural studies combined with metagenomic approaches are needed to provide insights into the function of this poorly understood behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Dunbar
- Future Industries Institute (FII), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, GPO Box 2471 5095, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Barbara Drigo
- Future Industries Institute (FII), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, GPO Box 2471 5095, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- UniSA STEM, University of South Australia, GPO Box 2471, Adelaide, South Australia, 5001, Australia
| | - Steven P Djordjevic
- Australian Institute for Microbiology and Infection, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Ultimo, New South Wales, 2007, Australia
- Australian Centre for Genomic Epidemiological Microbiology, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Ultimo, New South Wales, 2007, Australia
| | - Erica Donner
- Future Industries Institute (FII), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, GPO Box 2471 5095, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Cooperative Research Centre for Solving Antimicrobial Resistance in Agribusiness, Food, and Environments (CRC SAAFE), University of South Australia, GPO Box 2471 5095, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Bethany J Hoye
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia
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4
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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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5
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Roper M, Green JP, Salguero-Gómez R, Bonsall MB. Inclusive fitness forces of selection in an age-structured population. Commun Biol 2023; 6:909. [PMID: 37670147 PMCID: PMC10480192 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05260-9] [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: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hamilton's force of selection acting against age-specific mortality is constant and maximal prior to the age of first reproduction, before declining to zero at the age of last reproduction. The force of selection acting on age-specific reproduction declines monotonically from birth in a growing or stationary population. Central to these results is the assumption that individuals do not interact with one another. This assumption is violated in social organisms, where an individual's survival and/or reproduction may shape the inclusive fitness of other group members. Yet, it remains unclear how the forces of selection might be modified when inclusive fitness, rather than population growth rate, is considered the appropriate metric for fitness. Here, we derive such inclusive fitness forces of selection, and show that selection on age-specific survival is not always constant before maturity, and can remain above zero in post-reproductive age classes. We also show how the force of selection on age-specific reproduction does not always decline monotonically from birth, but instead depends on the balance of costs and benefits of increasing reproduction to both direct and indirect fitness. Our theoretical framework provides an opportunity to expand our understanding of senescence across social species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Roper
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK.
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Jonathan P Green
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Roberto Salguero-Gómez
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
- Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Konrad-Zuse-Straße 1, 18057, Rostock, Germany
| | - Michael B Bonsall
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
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6
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Green JP, Franco C, Davidson AJ, Lee V, Stockley P, Beynon RJ, Hurst JL. Cryptic kin discrimination during communal lactation in mice favours cooperation between relatives. Commun Biol 2023; 6:734. [PMID: 37454193 PMCID: PMC10349843 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05115-3] [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: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Breeding females can cooperate by rearing their offspring communally, sharing synergistic benefits of offspring care but risking exploitation by partners. In lactating mammals, communal rearing occurs mostly among close relatives. Inclusive fitness theory predicts enhanced cooperation between related partners and greater willingness to compensate for any partner under-investment, while females are less likely to bias investment towards own offspring. We use a dual isotopic tracer approach to track individual milk allocation when familiar pairs of sisters or unrelated house mice reared offspring communally. Closely related pairs show lower energy demand and pups experience better access to non-maternal milk. Lactational investment is more skewed between sister partners but females pay greater energetic costs per own offspring reared with an unrelated partner. The choice of close kin as cooperative partners is strongly favoured by these direct as well as indirect benefits, providing a driver to maintain female kin groups for communal breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan P Green
- Mammalian Behaviour & Evolution Group, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, CH64 7TE, UK
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Catarina Franco
- Centre for Proteome Research, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Amanda J Davidson
- Mammalian Behaviour & Evolution Group, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Vicki Lee
- Centre for Proteome Research, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Paula Stockley
- Mammalian Behaviour & Evolution Group, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Robert J Beynon
- Centre for Proteome Research, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Jane L Hurst
- Mammalian Behaviour & Evolution Group, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, CH64 7TE, UK.
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7
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Bourne AR, Ridley AR, Cunningham SJ. Helpers don't help when it's hot in a cooperatively breeding bird, the Southern Pied Babbler. Behav Ecol 2023; 34:562-570. [PMID: 37434640 PMCID: PMC10332451 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arad023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cooperative breeding, where more than two individuals invest in rearing a single brood, occurs in many bird species globally and often contributes to improved breeding outcomes. However, high temperatures are associated with poor breeding outcomes in many species, including cooperative species. We used data collected over three austral summer breeding seasons to investigate the contribution that helpers make to daytime incubation in a cooperatively breeding species, the Southern Pied Babbler Turdoides bicolor, and the ways in which their contribution is influenced by temperature. Helpers spent a significantly higher percentage of their time foraging (41.8 ± 13.7%) and a significantly lower percentage of their time incubating (18.5 ± 18.8%) than members of the breeding pair (31.3 ± 11% foraging and 37.4 ± 15.7% incubating). In groups with only one helper, the helper's contribution to incubation was similar to that of breeders. However, helpers in larger groups contributed less to incubation, individually, with some individuals investing no time in incubation on a given observation day. Helpers significantly decrease their investment in incubation on hot days (>35.5°C), while breeders tend to maintain incubation effort as temperatures increase. Our results demonstrate that pied babblers share the workload of incubation unequally between breeders and helpers, and this inequity is more pronounced during hot weather. These results may help to explain why recent studies have found that larger group size does not buffer against the impacts of high temperatures in this and other cooperatively breeding species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amanda R Ridley
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, Australia
| | - Susan J Cunningham
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
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8
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Sumner S, Favreau E, Geist K, Toth AL, Rehan SM. Molecular patterns and processes in evolving sociality: lessons from insects. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220076. [PMID: 36802779 PMCID: PMC9939270 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Social insects have provided some of the clearest insights into the origins and evolution of collective behaviour. Over 20 years ago, Maynard Smith and Szathmáry defined the most complex form of insect social behaviour-superorganismality-among the eight major transitions in evolution that explain the emergence of biological complexity. However, the mechanistic processes underlying the transition from solitary life to superorganismal living in insects remain rather elusive. An overlooked question is whether this major transition arose via incremental or step-wise modes of evolution. We suggest that examination of the molecular processes underpinning different levels of social complexity represented across the major transition from solitary to complex sociality can help address this question. We present a framework for using molecular data to assess to what extent the mechanistic processes that take place in the major transition to complex sociality and superorganismality involve nonlinear (implying step-wise evolution) or linear (implying incremental evolution) changes in the underlying molecular mechanisms. We assess the evidence for these two modes using data from social insects and discuss how this framework can be used to test the generality of molecular patterns and processes across other major transitions. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Collective behaviour through time'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seirian Sumner
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environmental Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Emeline Favreau
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environmental Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Katherine Geist
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, and Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Amy L. Toth
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, and Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Sandra M. Rehan
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Canada M3J 1P3
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9
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Dyble M, Clutton-Brock TH. Turnover in male dominance offsets the positive effect of polygyny on within-group relatedness. Behav Ecol 2023; 34:261-268. [PMID: 36998996 PMCID: PMC10047635 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arac121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Evidence of an association between cooperative breeding systems and average coefficients of relatedness between group members in vertebrates have led to increased interest in the social and ecological factors affecting average kinship within groups. Previous studies have suggested that polygynous mating systems and high degrees of male reproductive skew increase average relatedness because they increase the proportion of offspring born in each group that are paternal siblings. Although this may be the case in semelparous organisms, in many multiparous polygynous animals, intense competition between males shortens the breeding tenure of males and leads to their frequent replacement by competitors which reduces paternal relatedness and average kinship between members of multigenerational groups. Here, we explore the interaction between male reproductive skew and the frequency of turnover in breeding males and its effects on within-group relatedness. Our theoretical model shows that increases in rates of dominance turnover in polygynous systems can offset the positive effect of male skew on relatedness between group members within seasons, showing that polygynous mating systems will not necessarily lead to significant increases in average relatedness, especially in species where there is extensive overlap between generations among group members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Dyble
- Department of Anthropology, University College London , 14 Taviton Street, London WC1H 0BW , UK
| | - Tim H Clutton-Brock
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge , Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ , UK
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10
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Abstract
Metazoans function as individual organisms but also as “colonies” of cells whose single-celled ancestors lived and reproduced independently. Insights from evolutionary biology about multicellular group formation help us understand the behavior of cells: why they cooperate, and why cooperation sometimes breaks down. Current explanations for multicellularity focus on two aspects of development which promote cooperation and limit conflict among cells: a single-cell bottleneck, which creates organisms composed of clones, and a separation of somatic and germ cell lineages, which reduces the selective advantage of cheating. However, many obligately multicellular organisms thrive with neither, creating the potential for within-organism conflict. Here, we argue that the prevalence of such organisms throughout the Metazoa requires us to refine our preconceptions of conflict-free multicellularity. Evolutionary theory must incorporate developmental mechanisms across a broad range of organisms—such as unusual reproductive strategies, totipotency, and cell competition—while developmental biology must incorporate evolutionary principles. To facilitate this cross-disciplinary approach, we provide a conceptual overview from evolutionary biology for developmental biologists, using analogous examples in the well-studied social insects.
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11
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Davis GH, Crofoot MC, Farine DR. Using optimal foraging theory to infer how groups make collective decisions. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 37:942-952. [PMID: 35842325 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Studying animal behavior as collective phenomena is a powerful tool for understanding social processes, including group coordination and decision-making. However, linking individual behavior during group decision-making to the preferences underlying those actions poses a considerable challenge. Optimal foraging theory, and specifically the marginal value theorem (MVT), can provide predictions about individual preferences, against which the behavior of groups can be compared under different models of influence. A major strength of formally linking optimal foraging theory to collective behavior is that it generates predictions that can easily be tested under field conditions. This opens the door to studying group decision-making in a range of species; a necessary step for revealing the ecological drivers and evolutionary consequences of collective decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace H Davis
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancon, Panama; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany; Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
| | - Margaret C Crofoot
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancon, Panama; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany; Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany; Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Damien R Farine
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany; Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
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12
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Ostwald MM, Haney BR, Fewell JH. Ecological Drivers of Non-kin Cooperation in the Hymenoptera. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.768392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the prominence of kin selection as a framework for understanding the evolution of sociality, many animal groups are comprised of unrelated individuals. These non-kin systems provide valuable models that can illuminate drivers of social evolution beyond indirect fitness benefits. Within the Hymenoptera, whose highly related eusocial groups have long been cornerstones of kin selection theory, groups may form even when indirect fitness benefits for helpers are low or absent. These non-kin groups are widespread and abundant, yet have received relatively little attention. We review the diversity and organization of non-kin sociality across the Hymenoptera, particularly among the communal bees and polygynous ants and wasps. Further, we discuss common drivers of sociality across these groups, with a particular focus on ecological factors. Ecological contexts that favor non-kin sociality include those dominated by resource scarcity or competition, climatic stressors, predation and parasitism, and/or physiological constraints associated with reproduction and resource exploitation. Finally, we situate Hymenopteran non-kin sociality within a broader biological context by extending insights from these systems across diverse taxa, especially the social vertebrates. Non-kin social groups thus provide unique demonstrations of the importance of ecological factors in mediating the evolutionary transition from solitary to group living.
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13
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Camerlenghi E, McQueen A, Delhey K, Cook CN, Kingma SA, Farine DR, Peters A. Cooperative breeding and the emergence of multilevel societies in birds. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:766-777. [PMID: 35000255 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Multilevel societies (MLSs), where social levels are hierarchically nested within each other, are considered one of the most complex forms of animal societies. Although thought to mainly occurs in mammals, it is suggested that MLSs could be under-detected in birds. Here, we propose that the emergence of MLSs could be common in cooperatively breeding birds, as both systems are favoured by similar ecological and social drivers. We first investigate this proposition by systematically comparing evidence for multilevel social structure in cooperative and non-cooperative birds in Australia and New Zealand, a global hotspot for cooperative breeding. We then analyse non-breeding social networks of cooperatively breeding superb fairy-wrens (Malurus cyaneus) to reveal their structured multilevel society, with three hierarchical social levels that are stable across years. Our results confirm recent predictions that MLSs are likely to be widespread in birds and suggest that these societies could be particularly common in cooperatively breeding birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ettore Camerlenghi
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alexandra McQueen
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kaspar Delhey
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Carly N Cook
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sjouke A Kingma
- Department of Animal Sciences, Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Damien R Farine
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.,Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Anne Peters
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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14
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Sankar R, Rougier NP, Leblois A. Computational benefits of structural plasticity, illustrated in songbirds. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 132:1183-1196. [PMID: 34801257 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The plasticity of nervous systems allows animals to quickly adapt to a changing environment. In particular, the structural plasticity of brain networks is often critical to the development of the central nervous system and the acquisition of complex behaviors. As an example, structural plasticity is central to the development of song-related brain circuits and may be critical for song acquisition in juvenile songbirds. Here, we review current evidences for structural plasticity and their significance from a computational point of view. We start by reviewing evidence for structural plasticity across species and categorizing them along the spatial axes as well as the along the time course during development. We introduce the vocal learning circuitry in zebra finches, as a useful example of structural plasticity, and use this specific case to explore the possible contributions of structural plasticity to computational models. Finally, we discuss current modeling studies incorporating structural plasticity and unexplored questions which are raised by such models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remya Sankar
- Inria Bordeaux Sud-Ouest, Talence, France; Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France; Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, CNRS, UMR 5293, France; LaBRI, Université de Bordeaux, INP, CNRS, UMR 5800, Talence, France
| | - Nicolas P Rougier
- Inria Bordeaux Sud-Ouest, Talence, France; Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France; Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, CNRS, UMR 5293, France; LaBRI, Université de Bordeaux, INP, CNRS, UMR 5800, Talence, France
| | - Arthur Leblois
- Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France; Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, CNRS, UMR 5293, France.
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15
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Riehl C. Evolutionary origins of cooperative and communal breeding: Lessons from the crotophagine cuckoos. Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christina Riehl
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton NJ USA
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16
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Bodawatta KH, Hird SM, Grond K, Poulsen M, Jønsson KA. Avian gut microbiomes taking flight. Trends Microbiol 2021; 30:268-280. [PMID: 34393028 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2021.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Birds harbor complex gut bacterial communities that may sustain their ecologies and facilitate their biological roles, distribution, and diversity. Research on gut microbiomes in wild birds is surging and it is clear that they are diverse and important - but strongly influenced by a series of environmental factors. To continue expanding our understanding of how the internal ecosystems of birds work in their natural settings, we believe the most pressing needs involve studies on the functional and evolutionary aspects of these symbioses. Here we summarize the state of the field and provide a roadmap for future studies on aspects that are pivotal to understanding the biology of avian gut microbiomes, emphasizing prospects for integrating gut microbiome work in avian conservation and host health monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasun H Bodawatta
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Sarah M Hird
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA; Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Kirsten Grond
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Michael Poulsen
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Knud A Jønsson
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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17
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Roper M, Capdevila P, Salguero-Gómez R. Senescence: why and where selection gradients might not decline with age. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20210851. [PMID: 34284628 PMCID: PMC8292751 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Patterns of ageing across the tree of life are much more diverse than previously thought. Yet, we still do not adequately understand how, why and where across the tree of life a particular pattern of ageing will evolve. An ability to predict ageing patterns requires a firmer understanding of how and why different ecological and evolutionary factors alter the sensitivity of fitness to age-related changes in mortality and reproduction. From this understanding, we can ask why and where selection gradients might not decline with age. Here, we begin by summarizing the recent breadth of literature that is unearthing, empirically and theoretically, the mechanisms that drive variation in patters of senescence. We focus on the relevance of two key parameters, population structure and reproductive value, as key to understanding selection gradients, and therefore senescence. We discuss how growth form, individual trade-offs, stage structure and social interactions may all facilitate differing distributions of these two key parameters than those predicted by classical theory. We argue that these four key aspects can help us understand why patterns of negligible and negative senescence can actually be explained under the same evolutionary framework as classical senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Roper
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Pol Capdevila
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Roberto Salguero-Gómez
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4071, Australia
- Evolutionary Demography Laboratory, Max Plank Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock 18057, Germany
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18
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Cusick JA, Wellman CL, Demas GE. The call of the wild: using non-model systems to investigate microbiome-behaviour relationships. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:jeb224485. [PMID: 33988717 PMCID: PMC8180253 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.224485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
On and within most sites across an animal's body live complex communities of microorganisms. These microorganisms perform a variety of important functions for their hosts, including communicating with the brain, immune system and endocrine axes to mediate physiological processes and affect individual behaviour. Microbiome research has primarily focused on the functions of the microbiome within the gastrointestinal tract (gut microbiome) using biomedically relevant laboratory species (i.e. model organisms). These studies have identified important connections between the gut microbiome and host immune, neuroendocrine and nervous systems, as well as how these connections, in turn, influence host behaviour and health. Recently, the field has expanded beyond traditional model systems as it has become apparent that the microbiome can drive differences in behaviour and diet, play a fundamental role in host fitness and influence community-scale dynamics in wild populations. In this Review, we highlight the value of conducting hypothesis-driven research in non-model organisms and the benefits of a comparative approach that assesses patterns across different species or taxa. Using social behaviour as an intellectual framework, we review the bidirectional relationship between the gut microbiome and host behaviour, and identify understudied mechanisms by which these effects may be mediated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A. Cusick
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Biology Building 142, 1001 East Third Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
- Animal Behavior Program, Indiana University, 409 N. Park Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Cara L. Wellman
- Animal Behavior Program, Indiana University, 409 N. Park Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, 1101 E. 10th Street, Bloomington, IN 47405-7007, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Psychology Building, 1101 E 10th Street Bloomington, IN 47405-2204, USA
| | - Gregory E. Demas
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Biology Building 142, 1001 East Third Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
- Animal Behavior Program, Indiana University, 409 N. Park Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Psychology Building, 1101 E 10th Street Bloomington, IN 47405-2204, USA
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West SA, Cooper GA, Ghoul MB, Griffin AS. Ten recent insights for our understanding of cooperation. Nat Ecol Evol 2021; 5:419-430. [PMID: 33510431 PMCID: PMC7612052 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-01384-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Since Hamilton published his seminal papers in 1964, our understanding of the importance of cooperation for life on Earth has evolved beyond recognition. Early research was focused on altruism in the social insects, where the problem of cooperation was easy to see. In more recent years, research into cooperation has expanded across the entire tree of life, and has been revolutionized by advances in genetic, microbiological and analytical techniques. We highlight ten insights that have arisen from these advances, which have illuminated generalizations across different taxa, making the world simpler to explain. Furthermore, progress in these areas has opened up numerous new problems to solve, suggesting exciting directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart A West
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Guy A Cooper
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Downing PA, Griffin AS, Cornwallis CK. Hard-working helpers contribute to long breeder lifespans in cooperative birds. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20190742. [PMID: 33678023 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In many species that raise young in cooperative groups, breeders live an exceptionally long time despite high investment in offspring production. How is this possible given the expected trade-off between survival and reproduction? One possibility is that breeders extend their lifespans by outsourcing parental care to non-reproductive group members. Having help lightens breeder workloads and the energy that is saved can be allocated to survival instead. We tested this hypothesis using phylogenetic meta-analysis across 23 cooperatively breeding bird species. We found that breeders with helpers had higher rates of annual survival than those without helpers (8% on average). Increased breeder survival was correlated with reduced investment in feeding offspring, which in turn depended on the proportion of feeding provided by helpers. Helpers had similar effects on female and male breeder survival. Our results indicate that one of the secrets to a long life is reduced investment in parental care. This appears to be a unique feature of cooperative societies with hard-working helpers. This article is part of the theme issue 'Ageing and sociality: why, when and how does sociality change ageing patterns?'
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21
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Pull CD, McMahon DP. Superorganism Immunity: A Major Transition in Immune System Evolution. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
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22
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Abdi MK, Hardy ICW, Jucker C, Lupi D. Kinship effects in quasi-social parasitoids II: co-foundress relatedness and host dangerousness interactively affect host exploitation. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Sclerodermus brevicornis is a parasitoid that exhibits cooperative multi-foundress brood production. Prior work showed that the time lag to paralysis of small-sized hosts is shorter when co-foundress relatedness is higher and predicted that the greater risks and greater benefits of attacking larger hosts would combine with co-foundress relatedness to determine the limits to the size of a host that a female is selected to attack as a public good. It was also predicted that the time to host attack would be affected by an interaction between host size and relatedness. Here, we show empirically that both host size and kinship affect S. brevicornis reproduction and that they interact to influence the timing of host attack. We also find effects of co-foundress relatedness after hosts have been suppressed successfully. A public goods model using parameters estimated for S. brevicornis again suggests that selection for individual foundresses to attack and, if successful, to share hosts will be dependent on both the size of the host and the relatedness of the foundresses to any co-foundresses present. Females will not be selected to bear the individual cost of a public good when hosts are large and dangerous or when their relatedness to the co-foundress is low. We conclude that although reproductive behaviours exhibited by Sclerodermus females can be cooperative, they are unlikely to be exhibited without reference to kinship or to the risks involved in attempting to suppress and share large and dangerous hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Khadar Abdi
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, UK
| | - Ian C W Hardy
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, UK
| | - Costanza Jucker
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, Milano (MI), Italy
| | - Daniela Lupi
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, Milano (MI), Italy
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