1
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Prentice PM, Thornton A, Kolm N, Wilson AJ. Genetic and context-specific effects on individual inhibitory control performance in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata). J Evol Biol 2023; 36:1796-1810. [PMID: 37916730 PMCID: PMC10947024 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14241] [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: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Among-individual variation in cognitive traits, widely assumed to have evolved under adaptive processes, is increasingly being demonstrated across animal taxa. As variation among individuals is required for natural selection, characterizing individual differences and their heritability is important to understand how cognitive traits evolve. Here, we use a quantitative genetic study of wild-type guppies repeatedly exposed to a 'detour task' to test for genetic variance in the cognitive trait of inhibitory control. We also test for genotype-by-environment interactions (GxE) by testing related fish under alternative experimental treatments (transparent vs. semi-transparent barrier in the detour-task). We find among-individual variation in detour task performance, consistent with differences in inhibitory control. However, analysis of GxE reveals that heritable factors only contribute to performance variation in one treatment. This suggests that the adaptive evolutionary potential of inhibitory control (and/or other latent variables contributing to task performance) may be highly sensitive to environmental conditions. The presence of GxE also implies that the plastic response of detour task performance to treatment environment is genetically variable. Our results are consistent with a scenario where variation in individual inhibitory control stems from complex interactions between heritable and plastic components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela M. Prentice
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
- SRUC, Easter Bush, Roslin Institute BuildingMidlothianUK
| | - Alex Thornton
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
| | - Niclas Kolm
- Department of ZoologyStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
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2
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Brown TJ, Spurgin LG, Dugdale HL, Komdeur J, Burke T, Richardson DS. Causes and consequences of telomere lengthening in a wild vertebrate population. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:5933-5945. [PMID: 34219315 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16059] [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: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres have been advocated to be important markers of biological age in evolutionary and ecological studies. Telomeres usually shorten with age and shortening is frequently associated with environmental stressors and increased subsequent mortality. Telomere lengthening - an apparent increase in telomere length between repeated samples from the same individual - also occurs. However, the exact circumstances, and consequences, of telomere lengthening are poorly understood. Using longitudinal data from the Seychelles warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis), we tested whether telomere lengthening - which occurs in adults of this species - is associated with specific stressors (reproductive effort, food availability, malarial infection and cooperative breeding) and predicts subsequent survival. In females, telomere shortening was observed under greater stress (i.e., low food availability, malaria infection), while telomere lengthening was observed in females experiencing lower stress (i.e., high food availability, assisted by helpers, without malaria). The telomere dynamics of males were not associated with the key stressors tested. These results indicate that, at least for females, telomere lengthening occurs in circumstances more conducive to self-maintenance. Importantly, both females and males with lengthened telomeres had improved subsequent survival relative to individuals that displayed unchanged, or shortened, telomeres - indicating that telomere lengthening is associated with individual fitness. These results demonstrate that telomere dynamics are bidirectionally responsive to the level of stress that an individual faces, but may poorly reflect the accumulation of stress over an individuals lifetime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Brown
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Lewis G Spurgin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Hannah L Dugdale
- Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Terry Burke
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - David S Richardson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.,Nature Seychelles, Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles
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3
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Sparks AM, Spurgin LG, van der Velde M, Fairfield EA, Komdeur J, Burke T, Richardson DS, Dugdale HL. Telomere heritability and parental age at conception effects in a wild avian population. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:6324-6338. [PMID: 33586226 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Individual variation in telomere length is predictive of health and mortality risk across a range of species. However, the relative influence of environmental and genetic variation on individual telomere length in wild populations remains poorly understood. Heritability of telomere length has primarily been calculated using parent-offspring regression which can be confounded by shared environments. To control for confounding variables, quantitative genetic "animal models" can be used, but few studies have applied animal models in wild populations. Furthermore, parental age at conception may also influence offspring telomere length, but most studies have been cross-sectional. We investigated within- and between-parental age at conception effects and heritability of telomere length in the Seychelles warbler using measures from birds caught over 20 years and a multigenerational pedigree. We found a weak negative within-paternal age at conception effect (as fathers aged, their offspring had shorter telomeres) and a weak positive between-maternal age at conception effect (females that survived to older ages had offspring with longer telomeres). Animal models provided evidence that heritability and evolvability of telomere length were low in this population, and that variation in telomere length was not driven by early-life effects of hatch period or parental identities. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction plate had a large influence on telomere length variation and not accounting for it in the models would have underestimated heritability. Our study illustrates the need to include and account for technical variation in order to accurately estimate heritability, as well as other environmental effects, on telomere length in natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M Sparks
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Lewis G Spurgin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Marco van der Velde
- Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Jan Komdeur
- Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Terry Burke
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - David S Richardson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.,Nature Seychelles, Victoria, Mahé, Republic of Seychelles
| | - Hannah L Dugdale
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.,Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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4
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Brown TJ, Dugdale HL, Hammers M, Komdeur J, Richardson DS. Seychelles warblers with silver spoons: Juvenile body mass is a lifelong predictor of annual survival, but not annual reproduction or senescence. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9049. [PMID: 35813920 PMCID: PMC9251861 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The environment experienced during development, and its impact on intrinsic condition, can have lasting outcomes for individual phenotypes and could contribute to variation in adult senescence trajectories. However, the nature of this relationship in wild populations remains uncertain, owing to the difficulties in summarizing natal conditions and in long-term monitoring of individuals from free-roaming long-lived species. Utilizing a closely monitored, closed population of Seychelles warblers (Acrocephalus sechellensis), we determine whether juvenile body mass is associated with natal socioenvironmental factors, specific genetic traits linked to fitness in this system, survival to adulthood, and senescence-related traits. Juveniles born in seasons with higher food availability and into smaller natal groups (i.e., fewer competitors) were heavier. In contrast, there were no associations between juvenile body mass and genetic traits. Furthermore, size-corrected mass-but not separate measures of natal food availability, group size, or genetic traits-was positively associated with survival to adulthood, suggesting juvenile body mass is indicative of natal condition. Heavier juveniles had greater body mass and had higher rates of annual survival as adults, independent of age. In contrast, there was no association between juvenile mass and adult telomere length attrition (a measure of somatic stress) nor annual reproduction. These results indicate that juvenile body mass, while not associated with senescence trajectories, can influence the likelihood of surviving to old age, potentially due to silver-spoon effects. This study shows that measures of intrinsic condition in juveniles can provide important insights into the long-term fitness of individuals in wild populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J. Brown
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
| | - Hannah L. Dugdale
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Martijn Hammers
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - David S. Richardson
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
- Nature SeychellesVictoria, MahéSeychelles
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5
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Barrett LP, Marsh JL, Boogert NJ, Templeton CN, Benson-Amram S. Links between personality traits and problem-solving performance in zebra finches ( Taeniopygia guttata). ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:212001. [PMID: 35706654 PMCID: PMC9156932 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.212001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Consistent individual differences in behaviour across time or contexts (i.e. personality types) have been found in many species and have implications for fitness. Likewise, individual variation in cognitive abilities has been shown to impact fitness. Cognition and personality are complex, multidimensional traits. However, previous work has generally examined the connection between a single personality trait and a single cognitive ability, yielding equivocal results. Links between personality and cognitive ability suggest that behavioural traits coevolved and highlight their nuanced connections. Here we examined individuals' performance on multiple personality tests and repeated problem-solving tests (each measuring innovative performance). We assessed behavioural traits (dominance, boldness, activity, risk-taking, aggressiveness and obstinacy) in 41 captive zebra finches. Birds' scores for boldness and obstinacy were consistent over two years. We also examined whether personality correlated with problem-solving performance on repeated tests. Our results indicate that neophobia, dominance and obstinacy were related to successful solving, and less dominant, more obstinate birds solved the tasks quicker on average. Our results indicate the importance of examining multiple measures over a long period. Future work that identifies links between personality and innovation in non-model organisms may elucidate the coevolution of these two forms of individual differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa P. Barrett
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Dept. 3166, 1000 E. University Ave, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
- Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Jessica L. Marsh
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Dept. 3166, 1000 E. University Ave, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Neeltje J. Boogert
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | | | - Sarah Benson-Amram
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Dept. 3166, 1000 E. University Ave, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
- Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, 3041-2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, 4200-6270 University Blvd, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4
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6
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Novelty at second glance: a critical appraisal of the novel object paradigm based on meta-analysis. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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7
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Buttemer WA, Careau V, Chappell MA, Griffith SC. Metabolic rates of aggressive and submissive phenotypes are colour blind in the polymorphic Gouldian finch. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:271176. [PMID: 34346502 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Evidence from a number of species suggests that behaviours associated with social rank are positively correlated with metabolic rate. These studies, however, are based on metabolic measurements of isolated individuals, thereby ignoring potential effects of social interactions on metabolic rates. Here, we characterised three pertinent metabolic indices in the two predominant genetic colour morphs of the Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae): diurnal resting metabolic rate (RMR), nocturnal basal metabolic rate (BMR) and exercise-induced maximal metabolic rate (MMR). Research reveals that red-headed morphs consistently dominate the less aggressive black-headed morphs and that the two morphs differ in other behavioural and physiological traits. We measured daytime RMR of intermorph naïve birds (first-year virgin males maintained in total isolation from opposite colour morphs) and their metabolic responses to viewing a socially unfamiliar bird of each colour. Subsequently, each bird was placed in a home cage with an opposite colour morph (intermorph exposed) and the series of measurements was repeated. Daytime RMR was indistinguishable between the two morphs, regardless of whether they were intermorph naïve or intermorph exposed. However, both red- and black-headed birds showed a greater short-term increase in metabolic rate when viewing an unfamiliar red-headed bird than when seeing a black-headed bird, but only when intermorph naïve. Measurements of BMR and exercise-induced MMR did not differ between the two morphs, and consequently, aerobic scope was indistinguishable between them. We propose that the behavioural differences between these two sympatric morphs are functionally complementary and represent evolutionary stable strategies permitting establishment of dominance status in the absence of metabolic costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- William A Buttemer
- School of Earth, Atmospheric, and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Vincent Careau
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Mark A Chappell
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Simon C Griffith
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
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8
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Homberger B, Korner-Nievergelt F, Jenni-Eiermann S, Duplain J, Lanz M, Jenni L. Integrating behaviour, physiology and survival to explore the outcome of reintroductions: a case study of grey partridge. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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9
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Tkaczynski PJ, Mielke A, Samuni L, Preis A, Wittig RM, Crockford C. Long-term repeatability in social behaviour suggests stable social phenotypes in wild chimpanzees. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:200454. [PMID: 32968512 PMCID: PMC7481694 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.200454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Consistent individual differences in social phenotypes have been observed in many animal species. Changes in demographics, dominance hierarchies or ecological factors, such as food availability or disease prevalence, are expected to influence decision-making processes regarding social interactions. Therefore, it should be expected that individuals show flexibility rather than stability in social behaviour over time to maximize the fitness benefits of social living. Understanding the processes that create and maintain social phenotypes requires data encompassing a range of socioecological settings and variation in intrinsic state or life-history stage or strategy. Using observational data spanning up to 19 years for some individuals, we demonstrate that multiple types of social behaviour are repeatable over the long term in wild chimpanzees, a long-lived species with complex fission-fusion societies. We controlled for temporal, ecological and demographic changes, limiting pseudo-repeatability. We conclude that chimpanzees living in natural ecological settings have relatively stable long-term social phenotypes over years that may be independent of life-history or reproductive strategies. Our results add to the growing body of the literature suggesting consistent individual differences in social tendencies are more likely the rule rather than the exception in group-living animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick J. Tkaczynski
- Department of Human Behaviour, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Alexander Mielke
- School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Liran Samuni
- Department of Human Behaviour, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Anna Preis
- Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Conakry, Guinea
| | - Roman M. Wittig
- Department of Human Behaviour, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Catherine Crockford
- Department of Human Behaviour, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
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10
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Jablonszky M, Krenhardt K, Markó G, Szász E, Hegyi G, Herényi M, Kötél D, Laczi M, Nagy G, Rosivall B, Török J, Garamszegi LZ. A behavioural trait displayed in an artificial novel environment correlates with dispersal in a wild bird. Ethology 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mónika Jablonszky
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - Katalin Krenhardt
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - Gábor Markó
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
- Department of Plant Pathology Szent István University Budapest Hungary
| | - Eszter Szász
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - Gergely Hegyi
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - Márton Herényi
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
- Department of Zoology and Animal Ecology Szent István University Gödöllő Hungary
| | - Dóra Kötél
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - Miklós Laczi
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - Gergely Nagy
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - Balázs Rosivall
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - János Török
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - László Zsolt Garamszegi
- MTA‐ELTE Theoretical Biology and Evolutionary Ecology Research Group Institute of Physics Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology Estación Biológica de Doñana‐CSIC Seville Spain
- Institute of Ecology and Botany Centre for Ecological Research Hungarian Academy of Sciences Vácrátót Hungary
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11
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Vernouillet A, Kelly DM. Individual exploratory responses are not repeatable across time or context for four species of food-storing corvid. Sci Rep 2020; 10:394. [PMID: 31941921 PMCID: PMC6962162 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56138-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Exploration is among one of the most studied of animal personality traits (i.e., individual-level behavioural responses repeatable across time and contexts). However, not all species show clear evidence of this personality trait, and this is particularly so for members of the Corvidae family. We assessed the exploratory behaviour of four food-caching corvid species: pinyon jays (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus), Clark's nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana), California scrub jays (Aphelocoma californica), and black-billed magpies (Pica hudsonia). Contextual repeatability was assessed through examining behavioural measures during the Novel Environment task and the Novel Object task, whereas temporal repeatability was assessed by examining changes in these measures over repeated trials. Our results suggest that, for corvids, an individual's exploratory behaviour was not repeatable across contexts or over time. Hence, we found no evidence that exploration constitutes a personality trait for these species of corvid. We did find differences in exploratory behaviour, at a species level, that may be explained by relative reliance on cached food.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alizée Vernouillet
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Debbie M Kelly
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. .,Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
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12
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Raj Pant S, Komdeur J, Burke TA, Dugdale HL, Richardson DS. Socio-ecological conditions and female infidelity in the Seychelles warbler. Behav Ecol 2019; 30:1254-1264. [PMID: 31579133 PMCID: PMC6765383 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Within socially monogamous breeding systems, levels of extra-pair paternity can vary not only between species, populations, and individuals, but also across time. Uncovering how different extrinsic conditions (ecological, demographic, and social) influence this behavior will help shed light on the factors driving its evolution. Here, we simultaneously address multiple socio-ecological conditions potentially influencing female infidelity in a natural population of the cooperatively breeding Seychelles warbler, Acrocephalus sechellensis. Our contained study population has been monitored for more than 25 years, enabling us to capture variation in socio-ecological conditions between individuals and across time and to accurately assign parentage. We test hypotheses predicting the influence of territory quality, breeding density and synchrony, group size and composition (number and sex of subordinates), and inbreeding avoidance on female infidelity. We find that a larger group size promotes the likelihood of extra-pair paternity in offspring from both dominant and subordinate females, but this paternity is almost always gained by dominant males from outside the group (not by subordinate males within the group). Higher relatedness between a mother and the dominant male in her group also results in more extra-pair paternity-but only for subordinate females-and this does not prevent inbreeding occurring in this population. Our findings highlight the role of social conditions favoring infidelity and contribute toward understanding the evolution of this enigmatic behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Raj Pant
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Terry A Burke
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Hannah L Dugdale
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - David S Richardson
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
- Nature Seychelles, Roche Caiman, Mahe, Republic of Seychelles
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13
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Collins SM, Hatch SA, Elliott KH, Jacobs SR. Boldness, mate choice and reproductive success in Rissa tridactyla. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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14
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Hammers M, Kingma SA, Spurgin LG, Bebbington K, Dugdale HL, Burke T, Komdeur J, Richardson DS. Breeders that receive help age more slowly in a cooperatively breeding bird. Nat Commun 2019; 10:1301. [PMID: 30899016 PMCID: PMC6428877 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09229-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Helping by group members is predicted to lead to delayed senescence by affecting the trade-off between current reproduction and future survival for dominant breeders. Here we investigate this prediction in the Seychelles warbler, Acrocephalus sechellensis, in which mainly female subordinate helpers (both co-breeders and non-breeding helpers) often help dominants raise offspring. We find that the late-life decline in survival usually observed in this species is greatly reduced in female dominants when a helper is present. Female dominants with a female helper show reduced telomere attrition, a measure that reflects biological ageing in this and other species. Finally, the probability of having female, but not male, helpers increases with dominant female age. Our results suggest that delayed senescence is a key benefit of cooperative breeding for elderly dominants and support the idea that sociality and delayed senescence are positively self-reinforcing. Such an effect may help explain why social species often have longer lifespans. Sociality explains substantial variation in ageing across species, but less is known about this relationship within species. Here, the authors show that female dominant Seychelles warblers with helpers at the nest have higher late-life survival and lower telomere attrition and the probability of having helpers increases with age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martijn Hammers
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9712 CP, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Sjouke A Kingma
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9712 CP, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Department of Animal Science, Wageningen University & Research, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Lewis G Spurgin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR47TJ, UK
| | - Kat Bebbington
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9712 CP, Groningen, The Netherlands.,School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR47TJ, UK
| | | | - Terry Burke
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S102TN, UK
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9712 CP, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - David S Richardson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR47TJ, UK.,Nature Seychelles, Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles
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15
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Rudin FS, Simmons LW, Tomkins JL. Social cues affect quantitative genetic variation and covariation in animal personality traits. Evolution 2019; 73:540-553. [PMID: 30549262 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The social environment is expected to have substantial effects on behavior, and as a consequence, its heritability and evolvability. We investigated these effects by exposing Australian field crickets (Teleogryllus oceanicus) to either silence or recordings of male acoustic sexual signals. We used a combined pedigree and full-sib/half-sib breeding design to estimate the repeatability, heritability, and evolvability of behaviors related to boldness, exploration, and activity. All behaviors measured were significantly repeatable in both social environments. Additionally, most behaviors showed significant heritabilities in the two environments. We found no difference in repeatabilities between the silent and the acoustic environment but did find significant differences in the heritabilities and evolvabilities between these environments. There was a high degree of similarity between the phenotypic covariance matrices across the two environments, while the genotypic covariance matrices were highly dissimilar. Reflecting this, we found significant genotype-by-environment interactions for most of the behaviors. Lastly, we found that the repeatable aspect of behavior ("personality") was significantly heritable for most behaviors, but that these heritabilities were higher in the acoustic than in the silent environment. We conclude that the social environment can have a significant impact on the heritability and evolvability of behavior, and argue that evolutionary inferences from phenotypic studies should be made with caution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian S Rudin
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Leigh W Simmons
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Joseph L Tomkins
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
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16
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Vargas R, Mackenzie S, Rey S. 'Love at first sight': The effect of personality and colouration patterns in the reproductive success of zebrafish (Danio rerio). PLoS One 2018; 13:e0203320. [PMID: 30231039 PMCID: PMC6145548 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Individual differences in animal personality and external appearance such as colouration patterns have both been extensively studied separately. A significant body of research has explored many of pertinent ecological and biological aspects that can be affected by them and their impact upon fitness. Currently little is known about how both factors interact and their effect on reproductive success. In this study, we evaluated two major parameters contributing to the fitness of the species: reproduction and offspring survival. We selected two different phenotypes of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) selected by their colouration patterns: phenotype 1) named Wild type, UAB line (WT-UAB) with a homogeneous colouration pattern (clear and defined lateral stripes) and phenotype 2) Wild type indefinite (WT-I) had a heterogeneous colouration pattern and different degrees of lateral stripe definition. All animals were also screened for personality. We then compared their reproductive success (spawning rate) and offspring survival at different stages, from egg to larvae, and for 2 successive generations (parental generation was G0; First and second generations were G1 and G2 respectively). Our results show that personality traits were the main source of variability between the fitness components measured: both personalities had similar total numbers of eggs spawned but proactive animals, for both colour phenotypes, had higher reproductive success. This was reflected in a higher percentage of spawning viability at 1day post fertilization (dpf), higher total survival and growth rates at larval stages. Proactive phenotypes from WT-UAB population had a higher overall fitness in comparison to the other phenotypes studied. Our findings imply that fitness of this species when kept under similar husbandry conditions is significantly influenced by parental personality and not by their external appearance. Under these conditions the reproductive success is enhanced. The implications of this study are important for zebrafish breeding and husbandry in captivity and are relevant toward understanding the underlying drivers of trait selection in natural environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reynaldo Vargas
- Departamento de Biología Marina y Limnología, Extensión Universitaria de Aguadulce, Universidad de Panamá, Aguadulce, Coclé, República de Panamá
| | - Simon Mackenzie
- Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Sonia Rey
- Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom
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17
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Maiti U, Sadowska ET, ChrzĄścik KM, Koteja P. Experimental evolution of personality traits: open-field exploration in bank voles from a multidirectional selection experiment. Curr Zool 2018; 65:375-384. [PMID: 31413710 PMCID: PMC6688576 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoy068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Evolution of complex physiological adaptations could be driven by natural selection acting on behavioral traits. Consequently, animal personality traits and their correlation with physiological traits have become an engaging research area. Here, we applied a unique experimental evolution model-lines of bank voles selected for (A) high exercise-induced aerobic metabolism, (H) ability to cope with low-quality herbivorous diet, and (P) intensity of predatory behavior, that is, traits shaping evolutionary path and diversity of mammals-and asked how the selection affected the voles' personality traits, assessed in an open field test. The A- and P-line voles were more active, whereas the H-line voles were less active, compared those from unselected control lines (C). H-line voles moved slower but on more meandering trajectories, which indicated a more thorough exploration, whereas the A- and P-line voles moved faster and on straighter trajectories. A-line voles showed also an increased escape propensity, whereas P-line voles tended to be bolder. The remarkable correlated responses to the selection indicate a common genetic underlying mechanism of behavioral and physiological traits, and support the paradigm of evolutionary physiology built around the concept of correlated evolution of behavior and physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uttaran Maiti
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa, Kraków, Poland
| | - Edyta T Sadowska
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa, Kraków, Poland
| | - Katarzyna M ChrzĄścik
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa, Kraków, Poland
| | - Paweł Koteja
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa, Kraków, Poland
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18
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Edwards HA, Dugdale HL, Richardson DS, Komdeur J, Burke T. Extra-pair parentage and personality in a cooperatively breeding bird. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018; 72:37. [PMID: 29491549 PMCID: PMC5814466 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2448-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2017] [Revised: 01/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Why so much variation in extra-pair parentage occurs within and among populations remains unclear. Often the fitness costs and benefits of extra-pair parentage are hypothesised to explain its occurrence; therefore, linking extra-pair parentage with traits such as personality (behavioural traits that can be heritable and affect reproductive behaviour) may help our understanding. Here, we investigate whether reproductive outcomes and success are associated with exploratory behaviour in a natural population of cooperatively breeding Seychelles warblers (Acrocephalus sechellensis) on Cousin Island. Exploratory behaviour correlates positively with traits such as risk-taking behaviour and activity in other wild bird species and might promote extra-pair mating by increasing the rate at which potential extra-pair partners are encountered. We therefore predicted that fast-exploring individuals would have more extra-pair offspring. There is also a potential trade-off between pursuing extra-pair parentage and mate guarding in males. We therefore also predicted that fast-exploring males would be more likely to pursue extra-pair parentage and that this would increase the propensity of their mate to gain extra-pair parentage. We found that neither the total number of offspring nor the number of extra-pair offspring were associated with a male's or female's exploratory behaviour. However, there was a small but significant propensity for females to have extra-pair fertilisations in pairs that were behaviourally disassortative. Overall, we conclude that, due to the small effect size, the association between exploratory behaviour and extra-pair paternity is unlikely to be biologically relevant. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT True genetic monogamy is rare, even in socially monogamous systems, and multiple factors, such as behaviour, social structure, morphology and physiology, determined by the biological system can cause variation in extra-pair parentage (EPP). Therefore, investigating the inherent differences in these factors among individuals could be informative. We investigated whether reproductive outcomes/success are associated with differences in the propensity to explore novel environments/objects in a promiscuous, island-dwelling cooperatively breeding bird, the Seychelles warbler. Our results showed that exploratory behaviour was not associated with the number of offspring produced by an individual, and thus the long-term fitness consequences of different exploratory tendencies did not differ. We also found that the propensity to engage in EPP in females was higher in dissimilar behavioural pairs, but due to the small effect size, we hesitate to conclude that there are personality-dependent mating outcomes in the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah A Edwards
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN UK
| | - Hannah L Dugdale
- School of Biology, The Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT UK
- Behavioural Ecology and Physiological Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, PO Box 11103, 9700 cc Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - David S Richardson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ UK
- Nature Seychelles, PO BOX 1310, Mahe, Republic of Seychelles
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Behavioural Ecology and Physiological Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, PO Box 11103, 9700 cc Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Terry Burke
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN UK
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Edwards HA, Dugdale HL, Richardson DS, Komdeur J, Burke T. Exploration is dependent on reproductive state, not social state, in a cooperatively breeding bird. Behav Ecol 2016; 27:1889-1896. [PMID: 28028379 PMCID: PMC5181527 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2015] [Revised: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Personality is an intriguing phenomenon in populations because it constrains behavioral flexibility. One theory suggests that personality could be generated and maintained if dependent on asset protection. It is predicted that trade-offs with fitness expectations and survival probability encourage consistent behavioral differences among individuals (personality). Although not mutually exclusive, the social niche specialization hypothesis suggests that a group of individuals that repeatedly interact will develop personality to avoid costly social conflict. The point at which behavioral consistency originates in the social niche hypothesis is still unclear, with predictions for development after a change in social status. In the facultative cooperatively breeding Seychelles warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis), residing on Cousin Island, breeding vacancies are limited and this forces individuals into different social roles. We used this system to test whether reproductive and social state predicted among-individual differences in exploration. We had 2 predictions. First, that an individual's start in life can predict personality, whereby young individuals with a good start to life (associated with early age reproduction and earlier onset survival senescence) are fast explorers, suggesting reproductive state-dependence. Second, that an individual's social status can predict personality, whereby dominant individuals will be fast explorers, suggesting that the behavior is social state-dependent. Neither of the behaviors was associated with social state and social state did not affect behavioral consistency. However, novel object exploration was associated with a proxy of reproductive state. Our results provide further support for state being a mechanism for generating individual differences in behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah A Edwards
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield , Sheffield S10 2TN , UK
| | - Hannah L Dugdale
- School of Biology, The Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK,; Behavioural Ecology and Physiological Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, PO Box 11103 9700 cc, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - David S Richardson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7TJ, UK, and; Nature Seychelles, PO BOX 1310, Mahe, Republic of Seychelles
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Behavioural Ecology and Physiological Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen , PO Box 11103 9700 cc, Groningen , The Netherlands
| | - Terry Burke
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield , Sheffield S10 2TN , UK
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