1
|
Noiret A, Karanewsky C, Aujard F, Terrien J. Sex-specific heterothermy patterns in wintering captive Microcebus murinus do not translate into differences in energy balance. J Therm Biol 2024; 121:103829. [PMID: 38569326 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2024.103829] [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: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
The physiological mechanisms of responses to stressors are at the core of ecophysiological studies that examine the limits of an organism's flexibility. Interindividual variability in these physiological responses can be particularly important and lead to differences in the stress response among population groups, which can affect population dynamics. Some observations of intersexual differences in heterothermy raise the question of whether there is a difference in energy management between the sexes. In this study, we assessed male and female differences in mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus), a highly seasonal malagasy primate, by measuring their physiological flexibility in response to caloric restriction and examining the subsequent impact on reproductive success. Using complementary methods aiming to describe large-scale and daily variations in body temperature throughout a 6-month winter-like short-day (SD) period, we monitored 12 males and 12 females, applying chronic 40% caloric restriction (CR) to 6 individuals in each group. We found variations in Tb modulation throughout the SD period and in response to caloric treatment that depended on sex, as females, regardless of food restriction, and CR males, only, entered deep torpor. The use of deeper torpor, however, did not translate into a lower loss of body mass in females and did not affect reproductive success. Captive conditions may have buffered the depth of torpor and minimised the positive effects of torpor on energy savings. However, the significant sex differences in heterothermy we observed may point to physiological benefits other than preservation of energy reserves.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aude Noiret
- Unité Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution (MECADEV), Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS UMR 7179, Brunoy, France.
| | - Caitlin Karanewsky
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, California, 94305, USA
| | - Fabienne Aujard
- Unité Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution (MECADEV), Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS UMR 7179, Brunoy, France
| | - Jérémy Terrien
- Unité Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution (MECADEV), Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS UMR 7179, Brunoy, France.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Delaitre S, Visser ME, van Oers K, Caro SP. Odours of caterpillar-infested trees increase testosterone concentrations in male great tits. Horm Behav 2024; 160:105491. [PMID: 38340412 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Trees release Herbivore-Induced Plant Volatiles (HIPVs) into the air in response to damage inflicted by insects. It is known that songbirds use those compounds to locate their prey, but more recently the idea emerged that songbirds could also use those odours as cues in their reproductive decisions, as early spring HIPVs may contain information about the seasonal timing and abundance of insects. We exposed pre-breeding great tits (Parus major) to the odours of caterpillar-infested trees under controlled conditions, and monitored reproduction (timing of egg laying, number of eggs, egg size) and two of its main hormonal drivers (testosterone and 17β-estradiol in males and females, respectively). We found that females exposed to HIPVs did not advance their laying dates, nor laid larger clutches, or larger eggs compared to control females. 17β-estradiol concentrations in females were also similar between experimental and control birds. However, males exposed to HIPVs had higher testosterone concentrations during the egg-laying period. Our study supports the hypothesis that insectivorous songbirds are able to detect minute amounts of plant odours. The sole manipulation of plant scents was not sufficient to lure females into a higher reproductive investment, but males increased their reproductive effort in response to a novel source of information for seasonal breeding birds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcel E Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O. Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Kees van Oers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O. Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Samuel P Caro
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Renoirt M, Angelier F, Cheron M, Brischoux F. What are the contributions of maternal and paternal traits to fecundity and offspring development? A case study in an amphibian species, the spined toad Bufo spinosus. Curr Zool 2023; 69:527-534. [PMID: 37637310 PMCID: PMC10449425 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Assessing the determinants of reproductive success is critical but often complicated because of complex interactions between parental traits and environmental conditions occurring during several stages of a reproductive event. Here, we used a simplified ecological situation-an amphibian species lacking post-oviposition parental care-and a laboratory approach to investigate the relationships between parental (both maternal and paternal) phenotypes (body size and condition) and reproductive success (fecundity, egg size, embryonic and larval duration, larval and metamorphic morphology). We found significant effects of maternal phenotype on fecundity, hatching success, and tadpole size, as well as on the duration of larval development. Interestingly, and more surprisingly, we also found a potential contribution of the paternal phenotype occurring during early (embryonic development duration) offspring development. Although our study focused on life-history traits such as body size and development duration, additional mechanisms involving physiological costs of development may well mediate the relationships between parental phenotypes and offspring development. Future studies are required to decipher the mechanisms underlying our findings in order to clarify the mechanistic basis of the links between parental phenotypes and offspring development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Renoirt
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CEBC UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CEBC UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Marion Cheron
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CEBC UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - François Brischoux
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CEBC UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Whelan S, Benowitz-Fredericks ZM, Hatch SA, Parenteau C, Chastel O, Elliott KH. Sex-specific responses to GnRH challenge, but not food supply, in kittiwakes: Evidence for the "sensitivity to information" hypothesis. Horm Behav 2023; 154:105389. [PMID: 37327549 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Seasonal timing of breeding is usually considered to be triggered by endogenous responses linked to predictive cues (e.g., photoperiod) and supplementary cues that vary annually (e.g., food supply), but social cues are also important. Females may be more sensitive to supplementary cues because of their greater role in reproductive timing decisions, while males may only require predictive cues. We tested this hypothesis by food-supplementing female and male colonial seabirds (black-legged kittiwakes, Rissa tridactyla) during the pre-breeding season. We measured colony attendance via GPS devices, quantified pituitary and gonadal responses to gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) challenge, and observed subsequent laying phenology. Food supplementation advanced laying phenology and increased colony attendance. While female pituitary responses to GnRH were consistent across the pre-breeding season, males showed a peak in pituitary sensitivity at approximately the same time that most females were initiating follicle development. The late peak in male pituitary response to GnRH questions a common assumption that males primarily rely on predictive cues (e.g., photoperiod) while females also rely on supplementary cues (e.g., food availability). Instead, male kittiwakes may integrate synchronising cues from their social environment to adjust their reproductive timing to coincide with female timing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shannon Whelan
- Department of Natural Resources Sciences, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada.
| | | | - Scott A Hatch
- Institute for Seabird Research and Conservation, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Charline Parenteau
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, UMR-7372, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Olivier Chastel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, UMR-7372, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Kyle H Elliott
- Department of Natural Resources Sciences, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Graham JL, Charlier TD, Bonadonna F, Caro SP. Olfactory detection of trace amounts of plant volatiles is correlated with testosterone in a passerine bird. Horm Behav 2021; 136:105045. [PMID: 34537486 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In response to damage by insects, plants release herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) into the air. Insectivorous birds exploit these cues and, consequently, reduce the damages inflicted to the plants. However, little is known about whether they solely use HIPVs as foraging cues, or if they also use them to modulate traits linked to reproduction. As caterpillars are the primary food source required for insectivorous birds to raise offspring, their ability to locate and predict future peaks in caterpillar biomass using olfaction is likely to be advantageous. Therefore, we tested whether an insectivorous songbird that naturally inhabits oak dominated forests can be trained to detect early spring infestation by hatchling caterpillars, at a time when oaks begin bursting, and birds prepare to breed. Tree buds were either infested with caterpillars or left as a control and visually obscured in a Y-Maze choice test. Additionally, we measured testosterone and 17β-estradiol as they influence olfactory perception in mammals and are linked to reproduction in vertebrates. After being trained to associate the presence of HIPVs with that of food, blue tits spent more time with, were more active around, and more frequently chose to first visit the infested trees, showing that blue tits can smell caterpillar activity. Males with higher testosterone spent more time around infested trees, suggesting that foraging behavior during the pre-breeding season is linked with a major reproductive signal. There was no relationship between foraging and estradiol in females. These results are an important foundation for further investigation of the role of hormones in avian olfaction and how smell may be useful for making breeding decisions that could improve reproductive success.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Thierry D Charlier
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail), UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France.
| | | | - Samuel P Caro
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Biquet J, Bonamour S, de Villemereuil P, de Franceschi C, Teplitsky C. Phenotypic plasticity drives phenological changes in a Mediterranean blue tit population. J Evol Biol 2021; 35:347-359. [PMID: 34669221 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Earlier phenology induced by climate change, such as the passerines' breeding time, is observed in many natural populations. Understanding the nature of such changes is key to predict the responses of wild populations to climate change. Genetic changes have been rarely investigated for laying date, though it has been shown to be heritable and under directional selection, suggesting that the trait could evolve. In a Corsican blue tit population, the birds' laying date has significantly advanced over 40 years, and we here determine whether this response is of plastic or evolutionary origin, by comparing the predictions of the breeder's and the Robertson-Price (STS) equations, to the observed genetic changes. We compare the results obtained for two fitness proxies (fledgling and recruitment success), using models accounting for their zero inflation. Because the trait appears heritable and under directional selection, the breeder's equation predicts that genetic changes could drive a significant part of the phenological change observed. We, however, found that fitness proxies and laying date are not genetically correlated. The STS, therefore, predicts no evolution of the breeding time, predicting correctly the absence of trend in breeding values. Our results also emphasize that when investigating selection on a plastic trait under fluctuating selection, part of the fitness-trait phenotypic covariance can be due to within individual covariance. In the case of repeated measurements, splitting within and between individual covariance can shift our perspective on the actual intensity of selection over multiple selection episodes, shedding light on the potential for the trait to evolve.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juliette Biquet
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Suzanne Bonamour
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France.,Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO, UMR 7204), Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Pierre de Villemereuil
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France.,Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), École Pratique des Hautes Études, PSL, MNHN, CNRS, SU, UA, Paris, France
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Reproduction is affected by individual breeding experience but not pair longevity in a socially monogamous bird. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03042-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
8
|
Kimmitt AA. Females as the Gatekeepers to Seasonal Breeding: What We Can Learn by Studying Reproductive Mechanisms in Both Sexes. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 60:703-711. [PMID: 32617554 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icaa095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Seasonal reproduction is a widespread adaptation in vertebrates, such that individuals time their reproductive efforts to match peak resource abundance. Individuals rely on environmental cues to regulate hormonal mechanisms governing timing of breeding. Historically, studies on physiological mechanisms of seasonal reproduction, specifically in birds, have disproportionately focused on males compared to females. For this review, I conducted a literature search of the last decade of avian research and found a persistent sex bias in the field of physiological mechanisms of seasonal reproduction. Using work conducted with the dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis) as a case study, I present a possible solution to combat the sex bias: natural comparisons of populations that differ in reproductive timing to investigate mechanisms of reproduction in both sexes. Populations of dark-eyed juncos that differ in migratory behavior (i.e., migrant and resident) exhibit overlapping ranges during winter and early spring; residents begin breeding in early spring prior to the departure of migrants. This system, and others like it, provides an opportunity to compare mechanisms of reproduction in populations that differ in reproductive timing despite experiencing the same environmental conditions in early spring. In juncos, migrant and resident females and males exhibit similar patterns of hypothalamic regulation of reproduction in early spring, but sex differences in gonadal sensitivity between the populations could be an important distinction that partially explains sex differences in reproductive development. Comparing mechanisms of reproduction in free-living populations and in captivity can reveal important mechanisms that determine the onset of reproductive development, as well as potential sex differences in these mechanisms. Understanding the mechanisms of reproductive phenology has important implications for understanding how species will survive and reproduce in a changing climate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abigail A Kimmitt
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, 3258 TAMU College Station, TX 77843, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Pavlik M, Williams TD, Green DJ. Female Songbirds Can Initiate the Transition from a Migratory to a Reproductive Physiology during Spring Migration. Physiol Biochem Zool 2021; 94:188-198. [PMID: 33852373 DOI: 10.1086/714218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe high energetic costs of both migration and reproduction and the physiological changes to support these costs suggest that these life-history stages should be compartmentalized with little overlap between stages. In contrast, previous studies have shown that male birds can initiate reproductive development during migration before arrival on the breeding grounds with increases in plasma testosterone levels and testis size. However, sex differences in seasonal gonadal function are now recognized as profound, and few studies to date have shown that females can initiate the costly, but critical, estrogen-dependent final stages of gonadal maturation and changes in liver function (yolk precursor synthesis, vitellogenesis) while on migration. Here, we show that female yellow warblers (Setophaga petechia) arrive on the breeding grounds with elevated plasma triglyceride levels compared with males. Some females had plasma triglyceride levels of 5-7 mmol L-1, suggesting that they arrived in a relatively advanced stage of yolk precursor production. Furthermore, we show that females that arrived with higher plasma triglyceride levels took less time to initiate their first clutch. Adaptive plasticity in the timing of the transition from a migratory to a reproductive physiology might help migrant birds buffer against a mismatch between timing of arrival and conditions on the breeding grounds and allow them to advance timing of breeding to maximize breeding productivity.
Collapse
|
10
|
Messmer DJ, Alisauskas RT, Pöysä H, Runko P, Clark RG. Plasticity in timing of avian breeding in response to spring temperature differs between early and late nesting species. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5410. [PMID: 33686142 PMCID: PMC7940653 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84160-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasticity for breeding dates may influence population vulnerability to climate change via phenological mismatch between an organism’s life cycle requirements and resource availability in occupied environments. Some life history traits may constrain plasticity, however there have been remarkably few comparisons of how closely-related species, differing in key traits, respond to common phenology gradients. We compared population- and individual-level plasticity in clutch initiation dates (CID) in response to spring temperature among five duck species with early- to late-season nesting life histories. Plasticity was strongest in females of the earliest breeding species (common goldeneye [Bucephala clangula], mallard [Anas platyrhynchos], and gadwall [Mareca strepera]), whereas late-nesting lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) and white-winged scoter (Melanitta fusca deglandi) did not respond. These results contrast with previous work in other bird families that suggested late-breeders are generally more flexible. Nevertheless, late-breeding species exhibited annual variation in mean CID, suggesting response to other environmental factors unrelated to spring temperature. Goldeneye and gadwall females varied in their strength of individual plasticity (‘individual × environment’ interactions) and goldeneye and scoter females showed evidence of interannual repeatability of CID. Fitness consequences of CID plasticity in response to spring phenology, including trophic mechanisms and population consequences, warrant investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David J Messmer
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 2E5, Canada. .,Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, 1420 East 6th Avenue, Helena, MT, USA.
| | - Ray T Alisauskas
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 2E5, Canada.,Environment and Climate Change Canada, 115 Perimeter Road, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0X4, Canada
| | - Hannu Pöysä
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Natural Resources, Joensuu, Finland
| | | | - Robert G Clark
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 2E5, Canada.,Environment and Climate Change Canada, 115 Perimeter Road, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0X4, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Álvarez‐Quintero N, Velando A, Noguera JC, Kim S. Environment-induced changes in reproductive strategies and their transgenerational effects in the three-spined stickleback. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:771-783. [PMID: 33520165 PMCID: PMC7820166 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
An organism may increase its fitness by changing its reproductive strategies in response to environmental cues, but the possible consequences of those changes for the next generation have rarely been explored. By using an experiment on the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus), we studied how changes in the onset of breeding photoperiod (early versus late) affect reproductive strategies of males and females, and life histories of their offspring. We also explored whether telomeres are involved in the within- and transgenerational effects. In response to the late onset of breeding photoperiod, females reduced their investment in the early clutches, but males increased their investment in sexual signals. Costs of increased reproductive investment in terms of telomere loss were evident only in the late females. The environmentally induced changes in reproductive strategies affected offspring growth and survival. Most notably, offspring growth rate was the fastest when both parents experienced a delayed (i.e., late) breeding photoperiod, and survival rate was the highest when both parents experienced an advanced (i.e., early) breeding photoperiod. There was no evidence of transgenerational effects on offspring telomere length despite positive parents-offspring relationships in this trait. Our results highlight that environmental changes may impact more than one generation by altering reproductive strategies of seasonal breeders with consequences for offspring viability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Náyade Álvarez‐Quintero
- Grupo Ecoloxía Animal (Lab 97)Torre CACTICentro de Investigación MariñaUniversidade de VigoVigoSpain
| | - Alberto Velando
- Grupo Ecoloxía Animal (Lab 97)Torre CACTICentro de Investigación MariñaUniversidade de VigoVigoSpain
| | - Jose C. Noguera
- Grupo Ecoloxía Animal (Lab 97)Torre CACTICentro de Investigación MariñaUniversidade de VigoVigoSpain
| | - Sin‐Yeon Kim
- Grupo Ecoloxía Animal (Lab 97)Torre CACTICentro de Investigación MariñaUniversidade de VigoVigoSpain
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Harris SM, Descamps S, Sneddon LU, Cairo M, Bertrand P, Patrick SC. Personality-specific carry-over effects on breeding. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20202381. [PMID: 33290675 PMCID: PMC7739942 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Carry-over effects describe the phenomenon whereby an animal's previous conditions influence its subsequent performance. Carry-over effects are unlikely to affect individuals uniformly, but the factors modulating their strength are poorly known. Variation in the strength of carry-over effects may reflect individual differences in pace-of-life: slow-paced, shyly behaved individuals are thought to favour an allocation to self-maintenance over current reproduction, compared to their fast-paced, boldly behaved conspecifics (the pace-of-life syndrome hypothesis). Therefore, detectable carry-over effects on breeding should be weaker in bolder individuals, as they should maintain an allocation to reproduction irrespective of previous conditions, while shy individuals should experience stronger carry-over effects. We tested this prediction in black-legged kittiwakes breeding in Svalbard. Using miniature biologging devices, we measured non-breeding activity of kittiwakes and monitored their subsequent breeding performance. We report a number of negative carry-over effects of non-breeding activity on breeding, which were generally stronger in shyer individuals: more active winters were followed by later breeding phenology and poorer breeding performance in shy birds, but these effects were weaker or undetected in bolder individuals. Our study quantifies individual variability in the strength of carry-over effects on breeding and provides a mechanism explaining widespread differences in individual reproductive success.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M. Harris
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, USA
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Lynne U. Sneddon
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Milena Cairo
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Philip Bertrand
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø, Norway
- Department of Biology and Centre for Northern Studies, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Canada
| | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Moiron M, Araya-Ajoy YG, Teplitsky C, Bouwhuis S, Charmantier A. Understanding the Social Dynamics of Breeding Phenology: Indirect Genetic Effects and Assortative Mating in a Long-Distance Migrant. Am Nat 2020; 196:566-576. [PMID: 33064582 DOI: 10.1086/711045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AbstractPhenological traits, such as the timing of reproduction, are often influenced by social interactions between paired individuals. Such partner effects may occur when pair members affect each other's prebreeding environment. Partner effects can be environmentally and/or genetically determined, and quantifying direct and indirect genetic effects is important for understanding the evolutionary dynamics of phenological traits. Here, using 26 years of data from a pedigreed population of a migratory seabird, the common tern (Sterna hirundo), we investigate male and female effects on female laying date. We find that female laying date harbors both genetic and environmental variation and is additionally influenced by the environmental and, to a lesser extent, genetic component of its mate. We demonstrate this partner effect to be largely explained by male arrival date. Interestingly, analyses of mating patterns with respect to arrival date show mating to be strongly assortative, and using simulations we show that assortative mating leads to overestimation of partner effects. Our study provides evidence for partner effects on breeding phenology in a long-distance migrant while uncovering the potential causal pathways underlying the observed effects and raising awareness for confounding effects resulting from assortative mating or other common environmental effects.
Collapse
|
14
|
Cooper EB. Digest: Indirect genetic effects of males on female reproductive traits in the wild. Evolution 2020; 74:2421-2422. [PMID: 32749668 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The indirect genetic effects of fathers on the expression and evolution of female reproductive traits in the wild is not well understood. In a wild population of great tits (Parus major), Evans et al. estimated the genetic and nongenetic effects of male mates on two female reproductive traits, lay date and clutch size. The estimated heritability of lay date (but not of clutch size) was increased by 1.5 times after accounting for male indirect genetic effects. This finding illustrates the importance of considering the effects of social partners in classic quantitative genetic models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eve B Cooper
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Branch CL, Sonnenberg BR, Pitera AM, Benedict LM, Kozlovsky DY, Bridge ES, Pravosudov VV. Testing the greater male variability phenomenon: male mountain chickadees exhibit larger variation in reversal learning performance compared with females. Proc Biol Sci 2020. [PMID: 32673560 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0895rspb20200895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The greater male variability phenomenon predicts that males exhibit larger ranges of variation in cognitive performance compared with females; however, support for this pattern has come exclusively from studies of humans and lacks mechanistic explanation. Furthermore, the vast majority of the literature assessing sex differences in cognition is based on studies of humans and a few other mammals. In order to elucidate the underpinnings of cognitive variation and the potential for fitness consequences, we must investigate sex differences in cognition in non-mammalian systems as well. Here, we assess the performance of male and female food-caching birds on a spatial learning and memory task and a reversal spatial task to address whether there are sex differences in mean cognitive performance or in the range of variation in performance. For both tasks, male and female mean performance was similar across four years of testing; however, males did exhibit a wider range of variation in performance on the reversal spatial task compared with females. The implications for mate choice and sexual selection of cognitive abilities are discussed and future directions are suggested to aid in the understanding of sex-related cognitive variation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carrie L Branch
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Benjamin R Sonnenberg
- Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Graduate Program, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Angela M Pitera
- Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Graduate Program, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Lauren M Benedict
- Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Graduate Program, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Dovid Y Kozlovsky
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Eli S Bridge
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Vladimir V Pravosudov
- Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Graduate Program, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Branch CL, Sonnenberg BR, Pitera AM, Benedict LM, Kozlovsky DY, Bridge ES, Pravosudov VV. Testing the greater male variability phenomenon: male mountain chickadees exhibit larger variation in reversal learning performance compared with females. Proc Biol Sci 2020. [PMID: 32673560 DOI: 10.5061/dryad.j6q573nb4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The greater male variability phenomenon predicts that males exhibit larger ranges of variation in cognitive performance compared with females; however, support for this pattern has come exclusively from studies of humans and lacks mechanistic explanation. Furthermore, the vast majority of the literature assessing sex differences in cognition is based on studies of humans and a few other mammals. In order to elucidate the underpinnings of cognitive variation and the potential for fitness consequences, we must investigate sex differences in cognition in non-mammalian systems as well. Here, we assess the performance of male and female food-caching birds on a spatial learning and memory task and a reversal spatial task to address whether there are sex differences in mean cognitive performance or in the range of variation in performance. For both tasks, male and female mean performance was similar across four years of testing; however, males did exhibit a wider range of variation in performance on the reversal spatial task compared with females. The implications for mate choice and sexual selection of cognitive abilities are discussed and future directions are suggested to aid in the understanding of sex-related cognitive variation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carrie L Branch
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Benjamin R Sonnenberg
- Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Graduate Program, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Angela M Pitera
- Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Graduate Program, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Lauren M Benedict
- Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Graduate Program, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Dovid Y Kozlovsky
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Eli S Bridge
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Vladimir V Pravosudov
- Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Graduate Program, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Branch CL, Sonnenberg BR, Pitera AM, Benedict LM, Kozlovsky DY, Bridge ES, Pravosudov VV. Testing the greater male variability phenomenon: male mountain chickadees exhibit larger variation in reversal learning performance compared with females. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200895. [PMID: 32673560 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The greater male variability phenomenon predicts that males exhibit larger ranges of variation in cognitive performance compared with females; however, support for this pattern has come exclusively from studies of humans and lacks mechanistic explanation. Furthermore, the vast majority of the literature assessing sex differences in cognition is based on studies of humans and a few other mammals. In order to elucidate the underpinnings of cognitive variation and the potential for fitness consequences, we must investigate sex differences in cognition in non-mammalian systems as well. Here, we assess the performance of male and female food-caching birds on a spatial learning and memory task and a reversal spatial task to address whether there are sex differences in mean cognitive performance or in the range of variation in performance. For both tasks, male and female mean performance was similar across four years of testing; however, males did exhibit a wider range of variation in performance on the reversal spatial task compared with females. The implications for mate choice and sexual selection of cognitive abilities are discussed and future directions are suggested to aid in the understanding of sex-related cognitive variation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carrie L Branch
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Benjamin R Sonnenberg
- Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Graduate Program, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Angela M Pitera
- Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Graduate Program, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Lauren M Benedict
- Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Graduate Program, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Dovid Y Kozlovsky
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Eli S Bridge
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Vladimir V Pravosudov
- Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Graduate Program, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Perrier C, Rougemont Q, Charmantier A. Demographic history and genomics of local adaptation in blue tit populations. Evol Appl 2020; 13:1145-1165. [PMID: 32684952 PMCID: PMC7359843 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the genomic processes underlying local adaptation is a central aim of modern evolutionary biology. This task requires identifying footprints of local selection but also estimating spatio‐temporal variations in population demography and variations in recombination rate and in diversity along the genome. Here, we investigated these parameters in blue tit populations inhabiting deciduous versus evergreen forests, and insular versus mainland areas, in the context of a previously described strong phenotypic differentiation. Neighboring population pairs of deciduous and evergreen habitats were weakly genetically differentiated (FST = 0.003 on average), nevertheless with a statistically significant effect of habitat type on the overall genetic structure. This low differentiation was consistent with the strong and long‐lasting gene flow between populations inferred by demographic modeling. In turn, insular and mainland populations were moderately differentiated (FST = 0.08 on average), in line with the inference of moderate ancestral migration, followed by isolation since the end of the last glaciation. Effective population sizes were large, yet smaller on the island than on the mainland. Weak and nonparallel footprints of divergent selection between deciduous and evergreen populations were consistent with their high connectivity and the probable polygenic nature of local adaptation in these habitats. In turn, stronger footprints of divergent selection were identified between long isolated insular versus mainland birds and were more often found in regions of low recombination, as expected from theory. Lastly, we identified a genomic inversion on the mainland, spanning 2.8 Mb. These results provide insights into the demographic history and genetic architecture of local adaptation in blue tit populations at multiple geographic scales.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charles Perrier
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive UMR 5175 CNRS Univ Montpellier CNRS EPHE IRD Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3 Montpellier France.,Centre de Biologie pour la Gestion des Populations UMR CBGP INRAE CIRAD IRD Montpellier SupAgro Univ Montpellier Montpellier France
| | - Quentin Rougemont
- Département de Biologie Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS) Université Laval Québec Québec Canada
| | - Anne Charmantier
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive UMR 5175 CNRS Univ Montpellier CNRS EPHE IRD Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3 Montpellier France
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Kimmitt AA, Webb AL, Greives TJ, Ketterson ED. Migrant and resident female songbirds differ in gonadal response to upstream stimulation during seasonal sympatry. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 293:113469. [PMID: 32220572 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 03/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Timing of seasonal reproduction is driven by environmental cues acting on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. Groups of individuals, or populations, of the same species can exhibit different phenology despite facing similar environmental cues or living in the same habitat (i.e., seasonal sympatry). The mechanisms giving rise to population-level differences in reproductive timing are not fully understood, particularly for females. We studied the dark-eyed junco, a songbird with migratory and sedentary (i.e., resident) populations that live in overlapping distributions during winter. In early spring, residents initiate breeding and associated behaviors, including territory establishment and formation of pair bonds, while migrants prepare to depart for their breeding grounds. We tested whether migrant and resident hormonal response to upstream hormonal stimulation differed during this time period. We collected blood from free-living females in early spring, and challenged them with repeated gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) injections to measure testosterone (T) response. We predicted that if migrants are less sensitive to upstream stimulation than residents, then they would exhibit lower response to the repeated GnRH challenges in migrants. We found that migrant and resident females both responded to an initial challenge by elevating T, but residents responded more robustly, indicating that the ovary plays a role in population-level differences in reproductive timing. We also found that migrants and residents attenuated their response to repeated challenges, and did not differ from one another in final T levels. We speculate that the explanation for the generally reduced T response after repeated GnRH injections need not be the same for migrants and residents, but possible explanations include suppression of upstream stimulation owing to negative feedback after the initial injection oraromatization of T to estradiol between sampling time points. We suggest that future studies experimentally explore how the ovarian response to upstream stimulation changes during the transition to reproduction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abigail A Kimmitt
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 E. Third St., Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
| | - Ashlee L Webb
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID 83725, USA
| | - Timothy J Greives
- Department of Biological Sciences and Environmental and Conservation Sciences Program, North Dakota State University, 1340 Bolley Drive, Fargo, ND 58102, USA
| | - Ellen D Ketterson
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 E. Third St., Bloomington, IN 47405, USA; Environmental Resilience Institute, Indiana University, 717 E. Eighth St., Bloomington, IN 47408, USA
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Evans SR, Postma E, Sheldon BC. It takes two: Heritable male effects on reproductive timing but not clutch size in a wild bird population*. Evolution 2020; 74:2320-2331. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.13980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon R. Evans
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxford OX1 3SZ UK
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter Penryn TR10 9FE UK
| | - Erik Postma
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter Penryn TR10 9FE UK
| | - Ben C. Sheldon
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxford OX1 3SZ UK
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Caro SP, Cornil CA, van Oers K, Visser ME. Personality and gonadal development as sources of individual variation in response to GnRH challenge in female great tits. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 286:20190142. [PMID: 31039718 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.0142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Seasonal timing of reproduction is a key life-history trait, but we know little about the mechanisms underlying individual variation in female endocrine profiles associated with reproduction. In birds, 17β-oestradiol is a key reproductive hormone that links brain neuroendocrine mechanisms, involved in information processing and decision-making, to downstream mechanisms in the liver, where egg-yolk is produced. Here, we test, using a simulated induction of the reproductive system through a Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) challenge, whether the ovary of pre-breeding female great tits responds to brain stimulation by increasing oestradiol. We also assess how this response is modified by individual-specific traits like age, ovarian follicle size, and personality, using females from lines artificially selected for divergent levels of exploratory behaviour. We show that a GnRH injection leads to a rapid increase in circulating concentrations of oestradiol, but responses varied among individuals. Females with more developed ovarian follicles showed stronger responses and females from lines selected for fast exploratory behaviour showed stronger increases compared to females from the slow line, indicating a heritable component. This study shows that the response of the ovary to reproductive stimulation from the brain greatly varies among individuals and that this variation can be attributed to several commonly measured individual traits, which sheds light on the mechanisms shaping heritable endocrine phenotypes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel P Caro
- 1 Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) , Wageningen , The Netherlands.,2 Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE-CNRS), Unité Mixte de Recherche CNRS 5175 , Montpellier , France
| | | | - Kees van Oers
- 1 Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Marcel E Visser
- 1 Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Kimmitt AA, Sinkiewicz DM, Ketterson ED. Seasonally sympatric songbirds that differ in migratory strategy also differ in neuroendocrine measures. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 285:113250. [PMID: 31445009 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.113250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Seasonally breeding animals initiate gonadal recrudescence when mechanisms that suppress reproduction give way to mechanisms that stimulate it. However, knowledge of mechanistic changes in hormonal regulation during this transition is limited. Further, most studies of reproductive timing have focused on males, despite the critical role of females in determining breeding phenology. Closely related populations that live in the same environment but differ in reproductive timing provide an opportunity to examine differences in mechanisms during the transition from the pre-reproductive to reproductive state. We studied closely related migrant and resident populations of dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis) that reside in the same environment in spring but differ in breeding phenology. Residents initiate breeding earlier than migrants, which do not breed until after they have migrated. To directly study differences in the hypothalamic mechanisms of reproduction, we captured 16 migrant and 13 resident females from the field on March 25-April 11. We quantified expression of mRNA transcripts and show that resident females had higher abundance of gonadotropin-releasing hormone transcripts than migrant females, indicating greater reproductive development in resident than migrant females living in the same environment. We also found higher transcript abundance of estrogen receptor and androgen receptor in migrant than resident females, suggesting that negative feedback may delay reproductive development in migrant females until after they migrate. These differences in hypothalamic mechanisms may help to explain differences in reproductive timing in populations that differ in migratory strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abigail A Kimmitt
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 E. Third St., Bloomington, IN 47405, United States.
| | - David M Sinkiewicz
- Center for Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, 1001 E. Third St., Bloomington, IN 47405, United States
| | - Ellen D Ketterson
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 E. Third St., Bloomington, IN 47405, United States; Environmental Resilience Institute, Indiana University, 717 E. Eighth St., Bloomington, IN 47408, United States
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Low M, Arlt D, Knape J, Pärt T, Öberg M. Factors influencing plasticity in the arrival-breeding interval in a migratory species reacting to climate change. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:12291-12301. [PMID: 31832160 PMCID: PMC6854385 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Revised: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is profoundly affecting the phenology of many species. In migratory birds, there is evidence for advances in their arrival time at the breeding ground and their timing of breeding, yet empirical studies examining the interdependence between arrival and breeding time are lacking. Hence, evidence is scarce regarding how breeding time may be adjusted via the arrival-breeding interval to help local populations adapt to local conditions or climate change. We used long-term data from an intensively monitored population of the northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) to examine the factors related to the length of 734 separate arrival-to-breeding events from 549 individual females. From 1993 to 2017, the mean arrival and egg-laying dates advanced by approximately the same amount (~5-6 days), with considerable between-individual variation in the arrival-breeding interval. The arrival-breeding interval was shorter for: (a) individuals that arrived later in the season compared to early-arriving birds, (b) for experienced females compared to first-year breeders, (c) as spring progressed, and (d) in later years compared to earlier ones. The influence of these factors was much larger for birds arriving earlier in the season compared to later arriving birds, with most effects on variation in the arrival-breeding interval being absent in late-arriving birds. Thus, in this population it appears that the timing of breeding is not constrained by arrival for early- to midarriving birds, but instead is dependent on local conditions after arrival. For late-arriving birds, however, the timing of breeding appears to be influenced by arrival constraints. Hence, impacts of climate change on arrival dates and local conditions are expected to vary for different parts of the population, with potential negative impacts associated with these factors likely to differ for early- versus late-arriving birds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Low
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
| | - Debora Arlt
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
| | - Jonas Knape
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
| | - Tomas Pärt
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
| | - Meit Öberg
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
- WSP Sverige ABUppsalaSweden
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Verhagen I, Laine VN, Mateman AC, Pijl A, de Wit R, van Lith B, Kamphuis W, Viitaniemi HM, Williams TD, Caro SP, Meddle SL, Gienapp P, van Oers K, Visser ME. Fine-tuning of seasonal timing of breeding is regulated downstream in the underlying neuro-endocrine system in a small songbird. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:jeb.202481. [PMID: 31371403 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.202481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The timing of breeding is under selection in wild populations as a result of climate change, and understanding the underlying physiological processes mediating this timing provides insight into the potential rate of adaptation. Current knowledge on this variation in physiology is, however, mostly limited to males. We assessed whether individual differences in the timing of breeding in females are reflected in differences in candidate gene expression and, if so, whether these differences occur in the upstream (hypothalamus) or downstream (ovary and liver) parts of the neuroendocrine system. We used 72 female great tits from two generations of lines artificially selected for early and late egg laying, which were housed in climate-controlled aviaries and went through two breeding cycles within 1 year. In the first breeding season we obtained individual egg-laying dates, while in the second breeding season, using the same individuals, we sampled several tissues at three time points based on the timing of the first breeding attempt. For each tissue, mRNA expression levels were measured using qPCR for a set of candidate genes associated with the timing of reproduction and subsequently analysed for differences between generations, time points and individual timing of breeding. We found differences in gene expression between generations in all tissues, with the most pronounced differences in the hypothalamus. Differences between time points, and early- and late-laying females, were found exclusively in the ovary and liver. Altogether, we show that fine-tuning of the seasonal timing of breeding, and thereby the opportunity for adaptation in the neuroendocrine system, is regulated mostly downstream in the neuro-endocrine system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Irene Verhagen
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Veronika N Laine
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - A Christa Mateman
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Agata Pijl
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ruben de Wit
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bart van Lith
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Willem Kamphuis
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN-KNAW), 1105 BA Amsterdam-Zuidoost, The Netherlands
| | - Heidi M Viitaniemi
- Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tony D Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada, V5A 1S6
| | - Samuel P Caro
- Departement d'Ecologie Evolutive, Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle & Evolutive, 34293 Montpellier 5, France
| | - Simone L Meddle
- Department of Behavioural Neuroendocrinology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9YL, UK
| | - Phillip Gienapp
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kees van Oers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel E Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Laine VN, Verhagen I, Mateman AC, Pijl A, Williams TD, Gienapp P, van Oers K, Visser ME. Exploration of tissue-specific gene expression patterns underlying timing of breeding in contrasting temperature environments in a song bird. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:693. [PMID: 31477015 PMCID: PMC6720064 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-6043-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Seasonal timing of breeding is a life history trait with major fitness consequences but the genetic basis of the physiological mechanism underlying it, and how gene expression is affected by date and temperature, is not well known. In order to study this, we measured patterns of gene expression over different time points in three different tissues of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal-liver axis, and investigated specifically how temperature affects this axis during breeding. We studied female great tits (Parus major) from lines artificially selected for early and late timing of breeding that were housed in two contrasting temperature environments in climate-controlled aviaries. We collected hypothalamus, liver and ovary samples at three different time points (before and after onset of egg-laying). For each tissue, we sequenced whole transcriptomes of 12 pools (n = 3 females) to analyse gene expression. RESULTS Birds from the selection lines differed in expression especially for one gene with clear reproductive functions, zona pellucida glycoprotein 4 (ZP4), which has also been shown to be under selection in these lines. Genes were differentially expressed at different time points in all tissues and most of the differentially expressed genes between the two temperature treatments were found in the liver. We identified a set of hub genes from all the tissues which showed high association to hormonal functions, suggesting that they have a core function in timing of breeding. We also found ample differentially expressed genes with largely unknown functions in birds. CONCLUSIONS We found differentially expressed genes associated with selection line and temperature treatment. Interestingly, the latter mainly in the liver suggesting that temperature effects on egg-laying date may happen down-stream in the physiological pathway. These findings, as well as our datasets, will further the knowledge of the mechanisms of tissue-specific avian seasonality in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Veronika N. Laine
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O. Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Irene Verhagen
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O. Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - A. Christa Mateman
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O. Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Agata Pijl
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O. Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Tony D. Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Phillip Gienapp
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O. Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kees van Oers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O. Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel E. Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), P.O. Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Shutt JD, Cabello IB, Keogan K, Leech DI, Samplonius JM, Whittle L, Burgess MD, Phillimore AB. The environmental predictors of spatio-temporal variation in the breeding phenology of a passerine bird. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20190952. [PMID: 31409248 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.0952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Establishing the cues or constraints that influence avian timing of breeding is the key to accurate prediction of future phenology. This study aims to identify the aspects of the environment that predict the timing of two measures of breeding phenology (nest initiation and egg laying date) in an insectivorous woodland passerine, the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus). We analyse data collected from a 220 km, 40-site transect over 3 years and consider spring temperatures, tree leafing phenology, invertebrate availability and photoperiod as predictors of breeding phenology. We find that mean night-time temperature in early spring is the strongest predictor of both nest initiation and lay date and suggest this finding is most consistent with temperature acting as a constraint on breeding activity. Birch budburst phenology significantly predicts lay date additionally to temperature, either as a direct cue or indirectly via a correlated variable. We use cross-validation to show that our model accurately predicts lay date in two further years and find that similar variables predict lay date well across the UK national nest record scheme. This work refines our understanding of the principal factors influencing the timing of tit reproductive phenology and suggests that temperature may have both a direct and indirect effect.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jack D Shutt
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, The University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Irene Benedicto Cabello
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, The University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Katharine Keogan
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, The University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - David I Leech
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU, UK
| | - Jelmer M Samplonius
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, The University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Lorienne Whittle
- Woodland Trust, Kempton Way, Grantham, Lincolnshire NG31 6LL, UK
| | - Malcolm D Burgess
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL, UK.,Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, The University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon EX4 4QG, UK
| | - Albert B Phillimore
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, The University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Abstract
AbstractMate choice is generally regarded as an independent event, but a growing body of evidence indicates that it can be influenced by social information provided by conspecifics. This is known as non-independent mate choice. Individuals use information gathered by observing interactions between conspecifics to copy or not copy the mate choice of these conspecifics. In this review, we examine the factors that affect non-independent mate choice and mate choice copying and how it is influenced by social and environmental information that is available to the subject or focal individual. Specifically, we discuss how non-independent mate choice and whether individuals copy the choices of conspecifics can be influenced by factors such as habitat and differences in ecology, mating system and parental care. We focus on the social information provided to the focal animal, the model and the audience. Nearly all studies of non-independent mate choice and mate copying have focused on individuals in species that use visual cues as the source of social information. Nevertheless, we highlight studies that indicate that individuals in some species may use chemical cues and signals as sources of social information that may affect non-independent mate choice and mate copying.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan C Scauzillo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ellington Hall, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Michael H Ferkin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ellington Hall, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Cowles SA, Uy JAC. Rapid, complete reproductive isolation in two closely related
Zosterops
White‐eye bird species despite broadly overlapping ranges*. Evolution 2019; 73:1647-1662. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.13797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A. Cowles
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Miami Coral Gables Florida 33146
| | - J. Albert C. Uy
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Miami Coral Gables Florida 33146
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Kimmitt AA, Hardman JW, Stricker CA, Ketterson ED. Migratory strategy explains differences in timing of female reproductive development in seasonally sympatric songbirds. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jack W. Hardman
- Department of Biology Indiana University Bloomington Indiana
| | | | - Ellen D. Ketterson
- Department of Biology Indiana University Bloomington Indiana
- Environmental Resilience Institute Indiana University Bloomington Indiana
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Evans SR, Waldvogel D, Vasiljevic N, Postma E. Heritable spouse effects increase evolutionary potential of human reproductive timing. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 285:rspb.2017.2763. [PMID: 29643210 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.2763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual reproduction is inherently interactive, especially in animal species such as humans that exhibit extended pair bonding. Yet we have little knowledge of the role of male characteristics and their evolutionary impact on reproductive behavioural phenotypes, to the extent that biologists typically consider component traits (e.g. reproductive timing) as female-specific. Based on extensive genealogical data detailing the life histories of 6435 human mothers born across four centuries of modern history, we use an animal modelling approach to estimate the indirect genetic effect of men on the reproductive phenotype of their partners. These analyses show that a woman's reproductive timing (age at first birth) is influenced by her partner's genotype. This indirect genetic effect is positively correlated with the direct genetic effect expressed in women, such that total heritable variance in this trait is doubled when heritable partner effects are considered. Our study thus suggests that much of the heritable variation in women's reproductive timing is mediated via partner effects, and that the evolutionary potential of this trait is far greater than previously appreciated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon R Evans
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland .,Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Dominique Waldvogel
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nina Vasiljevic
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Erik Postma
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.,Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Fisher DN, Wilson AJ, Boutin S, Dantzer B, Lane JE, Coltman DW, Gorrell JC, McAdam AG. Social effects of territorial neighbours on the timing of spring breeding in North American red squirrels. J Evol Biol 2019; 32:559-571. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- David N. Fisher
- Department for Integrative Biology University of Guelph Guelph Ontario Canada
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour McMaster University Hamilton Ontario Canada
| | - Alastair J. Wilson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter Penryn Cornwall UK
| | - Stan Boutin
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta Canada
| | - Ben Dantzer
- Department of Psychology University of Michigan Ann Arbour Michigan
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Michigan Ann Arbour Michigan
| | - Jeffrey E. Lane
- Department of Biology University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon Saskatchewan Canada
| | - David W. Coltman
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta Canada
| | - Jamie C. Gorrell
- Biology Department University of Vancouver Island Nanaimo British Columbia Canada
| | - Andrew G. McAdam
- Department for Integrative Biology University of Guelph Guelph Ontario Canada
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Ramakers JJC, Gienapp P, Visser ME. Phenological mismatch drives selection on elevation, but not on slope, of breeding time plasticity in a wild songbird. Evolution 2019; 73:175-187. [PMID: 30556587 PMCID: PMC6519030 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity is an important mechanism for populations to respond to fluctuating environments, yet may be insufficient to adapt to a directionally changing environment. To study whether plasticity can evolve under current climate change, we quantified selection and genetic variation in both the elevation (RNE ) and slope (RNS ) of the breeding time reaction norm in a long-term (1973-2016) study population of great tits (Parus major). The optimal RNE (the caterpillar biomass peak date regressed against the temperature used as cue by great tits) changed over time, whereas the optimal RNS did not. Concordantly, we found strong directional selection on RNE , but not RNS , of egg-laying date in the second third of the study period; this selection subsequently waned, potentially due to increased between-year variability in optimal laying dates. We found individual and additive genetic variation in RNE but, contrary to previous studies on our population, not in RNS . The predicted and observed evolutionary change in RNE was, however, marginal, due to low heritability and the sex limitation of laying date. We conclude that adaptation to climate change can only occur via micro-evolution of RNE, but this will necessarily be slow and potentially hampered by increased variability in phenotypic optima.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jip J. C. Ramakers
- Department of Animal EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)6700AB WageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Phillip Gienapp
- Department of Animal EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)6700AB WageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Marcel E. Visser
- Department of Animal EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)6700AB WageningenThe Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Needham KB, Bergeon Burns C, Graham JL, Bauer CM, Kittilson JD, Ketterson ED, Hahn T, Greives TJ. Changes in processes downstream of the hypothalamus are associated with seasonal follicle development in a songbird, the dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2019; 270:103-112. [PMID: 30339809 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Revised: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Mechanisms related to seasonal reproductive timing in vertebrates have received far more study in males than in females, despite the fact that female timing decisions dictate when rearing of offspring will occur. Production and release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) by the hypothalamus stimulates the pituitary to secrete gonadotropins, initiating the beginning stages of gonadal recrudescence and production of the sex steroids, testosterone and estradiol, which are necessary to prime the liver for secretion of yolk precursors in breeding female birds. While stimulation by the hypothalamus can occur during the pre-breeding period, egg development itself is likely regulated downstream of the hypothalamus. We used GnRH challenges to examine variation in breeding-stage-specific patterns of pituitary and ovarian responsiveness in free-living female dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis) and also examined the ovary and liver for variation in mRNA expression of candidate genes. Baseline LH levels increased during the transition from pre-breeding to egg-development, however no significant difference was observed in post-GnRH injection levels for LH or sex steroids (testosterone and estradiol). Interestingly, a stage by time-point interaction was observed, with post-GnRH LH levels increasing over baseline during the pre-breeding stage, but not during the egg-development stage. We observed a decrease in liver mRNA expression of estradiol receptor-alpha, and glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors and a decrease in glucocorticoid receptor expression levels in the ovary. A decline in FSH receptor expression across stages was also observed in the ovary. Combined, our data suggest seasonal variation in female's sensitivity to signals of HPG activity and energetic or stress signals. These data provide additional insight into the physiological mechanisms regulating onset of clutch initiation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katie B Needham
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA; Environmental and Conservation Sciences Program, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA
| | | | - Jessica L Graham
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA; Environmental and Conservation Sciences Program, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA
| | - Carolyn M Bauer
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA; Department of Biology, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Kittilson
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA
| | | | - Thomas Hahn
- College of Biological Sciences, UC Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Timothy J Greives
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA; Environmental and Conservation Sciences Program, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Kimmitt AA, Dietz SL, Reichard DG, Ketterson ED. Male courtship preference during seasonal sympatry may maintain population divergence. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:11833-11841. [PMID: 30598780 PMCID: PMC6303717 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Revised: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal migration can lead to a population distribution known as seasonal sympatry, in which closely-related migrant and resident populations of the same species co-occur in sympatry during part of the year, but are otherwise allopatric. During seasonal sympatry in early spring, residents may initiate reproduction before migrants depart, presenting an opportunity for gene flow. Differences in reproductive timing between migrant and resident populations may favor residents that exhibit preferences for potential mates of similar migratory behavior and reproductive timing, thus maintaining population divergence. We studied dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis), a songbird that exhibits seasonal sympatry. We conducted simulated courtship interactions in which we presented free-living resident males with either a caged migrant or resident female and quantified courtship behavior prior to the departure of the migrants. We found that resident males preferred to court resident females: they sang more short-range songs and exhibited more visual displays associated with courtship when presented with resident females. We conclude that males distinguish between migrant and resident females during seasonal sympatry when the risk of interacting with non-reproductive, migrant females is high. Male mate choice in seasonal sympatry is likely adaptive for male reproductive success. As a secondary effect, male mating preference could act to maintain or promote divergence between populations that differ in migratory strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Samantha L. Dietz
- Department of Biological SciencesNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth Carolina
- Department of Biological ScienceFlorida State UniversityTallahasseeFlorida
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
Hau M, Dominoni D, Casagrande S, Buck CL, Wagner G, Hazlerigg D, Greives T, Hut RA. Timing as a sexually selected trait: the right mate at the right moment. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 372:rstb.2016.0249. [PMID: 28993493 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection favours the expression of traits in one sex that attract members of the opposite sex for mating. The nature of sexually selected traits such as vocalization, colour and ornamentation, their fitness benefits as well as their costs have received ample attention in field and laboratory studies. However, sexually selected traits may not always be expressed: coloration and ornaments often follow a seasonal pattern and behaviours may be displayed only at specific times of the day. Despite the widely recognized differences in the daily and seasonal timing of traits and their consequences for reproductive success, the actions of sexual selection on the temporal organization of traits has received only scant attention. Drawing on selected examples from bird and mammal studies, here we summarize the current evidence for the daily and seasonal timing of traits. We highlight that molecular advances in chronobiology have opened exciting new opportunities for identifying the genetic targets that sexual selection may act on to shape the timing of trait expression. Furthermore, known genetic links between daily and seasonal timing mechanisms lead to the hypothesis that selection on one timescale may simultaneously also affect the other. We emphasize that studies on the timing of sexual displays of both males and females from wild populations will be invaluable for understanding the nature of sexual selection and its potential to act on differences within and between the sexes in timing. Molecular approaches will be important for pinpointing genetic components of biological rhythms that are targeted by sexual selection, and to clarify whether these represent core or peripheral components of endogenous clocks. Finally, we call for a renewed integration of the fields of evolution, behavioural ecology and chronobiology to tackle the exciting question of how sexual selection contributes to the evolution of biological clocks.This article is part of the themed issue 'Wild clocks: integrating chronobiology and ecology to understand timekeeping in free-living animals'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Hau
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany .,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Davide Dominoni
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Bioengineering Innovation, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Gabriela Wagner
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT: the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - David Hazlerigg
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT: the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Timothy Greives
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA
| | - Roelof A Hut
- Chronobiology unit, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Morinay J, Forsman JT, Kivelä SM, Gustafsson L, Doligez B. Heterospecific Nest Site Copying Behavior in a Wild Bird: Assessing the Influence of Genetics and Past Experience on a Joint Breeding Phenotype. Front Ecol Evol 2018. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2017.00167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
|
37
|
Spool JA, Riters LV. Associations Between Environmental Resources and the "Wanting" and "Liking" of Male Song in Female Songbirds. Integr Comp Biol 2017; 57:835-845. [PMID: 28985327 PMCID: PMC5886317 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icx117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Reproductive success requires animals to adjust social and sexual behaviors in response to changes in environmental resources. In many species, males produce courtship signals to attract females; however, not all females are attracted by these signals. One possible explanation for this is that environmental resources alter neural mechanisms underlying motivation and reward in females so that male courtship is attractive when conditions are most favorable for an individual to breed. Here, we first introduce resource-dependent breeding behaviors of female songbirds. We then review studies that show associations between neural systems underlying motivation and reward, female responses to male courtship stimuli, and environmental resources necessary for breeding success (e.g., in female starlings, a nest cavity). Overall, we review evidence supporting the working hypotheses that (1) dopamine underlies sexually-motivated female responses to male courtship stimuli (i.e., song), (2) opioids underlie reward induced in females by hearing male courtship song, and (3) these systems are possibly modified by resources such that male courtship song is only attractive and rewarding to females with access to limited environmental resources essential for breeding success.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy A. Spool
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Lauren V. Riters
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Schield DR, Adams RH, Card DC, Perry BW, Pasquesi GM, Jezkova T, Portik DM, Andrew AL, Spencer CL, Sanchez EE, Fujita MK, Mackessy SP, Castoe TA. Insight into the roles of selection in speciation from genomic patterns of divergence and introgression in secondary contact in venomous rattlesnakes. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:3951-3966. [PMID: 28616190 PMCID: PMC5468163 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Investigating secondary contact of historically isolated lineages can provide insight into how selection and drift influence genomic divergence and admixture. Here, we studied the genomic landscape of divergence and introgression following secondary contact between lineages of the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) to determine whether genomic regions under selection in allopatry also contribute to reproductive isolation during introgression. We used thousands of nuclear loci to study genomic differentiation between two lineages that have experienced recent secondary contact following isolation, and incorporated sampling from a zone of secondary contact to identify loci that are resistant to gene flow in hybrids. Comparisons of patterns of divergence and introgression revealed a positive relationship between allelic differentiation and resistance to introgression across the genome, and greater‐than‐expected overlap between genes linked to lineage‐specific divergence and loci that resist introgression. Genes linked to putatively selected markers were related to prominent aspects of rattlesnake biology that differ between populations of Western Diamondback rattlesnakes (i.e., venom and reproductive phenotypes). We also found evidence for selection against introgression of genes that may contribute to cytonuclear incompatibility, consistent with previously observed biased patterns of nuclear and mitochondrial alleles suggestive of partial reproductive isolation due to cytonuclear incompatibilities. Our results provide a genome‐scale perspective on the relationships between divergence and introgression in secondary contact that is relevant for understanding the roles of selection in maintaining partial isolation of lineages, causing admixing lineages to not completely homogenize.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Drew R Schield
- Department of Biology The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington TX USA
| | - Richard H Adams
- Department of Biology The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington TX USA
| | - Daren C Card
- Department of Biology The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington TX USA
| | - Blair W Perry
- Department of Biology The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington TX USA
| | - Giulia M Pasquesi
- Department of Biology The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington TX USA
| | - Tereza Jezkova
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Arizona Tucson AZ USA
| | - Daniel M Portik
- Department of Biology The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington TX USA
| | - Audra L Andrew
- Department of Biology The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington TX USA
| | - Carol L Spencer
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology University of California Berkeley CA USA
| | - Elda E Sanchez
- National Natural Toxins Research Center and Department of Chemistry Texas A&M University Kingsville Kingsville TX USA
| | - Matthew K Fujita
- Department of Biology The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington TX USA
| | - Stephen P Mackessy
- School of Biological Sciences University of Northern Colorado Greeley CO USA
| | - Todd A Castoe
- Department of Biology The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington TX USA
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Germain RR, Wolak ME, Arcese P, Losdat S, Reid JM. Direct and indirect genetic and fine-scale location effects on breeding date in song sparrows. J Anim Ecol 2016; 85:1613-1624. [PMID: 27448623 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Quantifying direct and indirect genetic effects of interacting females and males on variation in jointly expressed life-history traits is central to predicting microevolutionary dynamics. However, accurately estimating sex-specific additive genetic variances in such traits remains difficult in wild populations, especially if related individuals inhabit similar fine-scale environments. Breeding date is a key life-history trait that responds to environmental phenology and mediates individual and population responses to environmental change. However, no studies have estimated female (direct) and male (indirect) additive genetic and inbreeding effects on breeding date, and estimated the cross-sex genetic correlation, while simultaneously accounting for fine-scale environmental effects of breeding locations, impeding prediction of microevolutionary dynamics. We fitted animal models to 38 years of song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) phenology and pedigree data to estimate sex-specific additive genetic variances in breeding date, and the cross-sex genetic correlation, thereby estimating the total additive genetic variance while simultaneously estimating sex-specific inbreeding depression. We further fitted three forms of spatial animal model to explicitly estimate variance in breeding date attributable to breeding location, overlap among breeding locations and spatial autocorrelation. We thereby quantified fine-scale location variances in breeding date and quantified the degree to which estimating such variances affected the estimated additive genetic variances. The non-spatial animal model estimated nonzero female and male additive genetic variances in breeding date (sex-specific heritabilities: 0·07 and 0·02, respectively) and a strong, positive cross-sex genetic correlation (0·99), creating substantial total additive genetic variance (0·18). Breeding date varied with female, but not male inbreeding coefficient, revealing direct, but not indirect, inbreeding depression. All three spatial animal models estimated small location variance in breeding date, but because relatedness and breeding location were virtually uncorrelated, modelling location variance did not alter the estimated additive genetic variances. Our results show that sex-specific additive genetic effects on breeding date can be strongly positively correlated, which would affect any predicted rates of microevolutionary change in response to sexually antagonistic or congruent selection. Further, we show that inbreeding effects on breeding date can also be sex specific and that genetic effects can exceed phenotypic variation stemming from fine-scale location-based variation within a wild population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan R Germain
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada. .,Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Zoology Building, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK.
| | - Matthew E Wolak
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Zoology Building, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK
| | - Peter Arcese
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Sylvain Losdat
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Zoology Building, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK
| | - Jane M Reid
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Zoology Building, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Reed TE, Gienapp P, Visser ME. Testing for biases in selection on avian reproductive traits and partitioning direct and indirect selection using quantitative genetic models. Evolution 2016; 70:2211-2225. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.13017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2015] [Accepted: 07/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas E. Reed
- School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences; University College Cork; Cork Ireland
| | - Phillip Gienapp
- Department of Animal Ecology; Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW); 6700 AB Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Marcel E. Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology; Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW); 6700 AB Wageningen The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Grimm A, Weiß BM, Kulik L, Mihoub JB, Mundry R, Köppen U, Brueckmann T, Thomsen R, Widdig A. Earlier breeding, lower success: does the spatial scale of climatic conditions matter in a migratory passerine bird? Ecol Evol 2016; 5:5722-34. [PMID: 27069620 PMCID: PMC4813123 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2015] [Revised: 09/28/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Following over 20 years of research on the climatic effects on biodiversity we now have strong evidence that climate change affects phenology, fitness, and distribution ranges of different taxa, including birds. Bird phenology likely responds to changes in local weather. It is also affected by climatic year‐to‐year variations on larger scales. Although such scale‐related effects are common in ecology, most studies analyzing the effects of climate change were accomplished using climatic information on a single spatial scale. In this study, we aimed at determining the scale‐dependent sensitivity of breeding phenology and success to climate change in a migratory passerine bird, the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica). For both annual broods, we investigated effects of local weather (local scale) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO, large scale) on the timing of breeding and breeding success. Consistent with previous studies in migratory birds we found that barn swallows in Eastern Germany bred progressively earlier. At the same time, they showed reduced breeding success over time in response to recent climatic changes. Responses to climatic variation were observed on both local and large climatic scales, but they differed with respect to the ecological process considered. Specifically, we found that the timing of breeding was primarily influenced by large‐scale NAO variations and to a lesser extent by local weather on the breeding grounds. Conversely, climatic conditions on the local scale affected breeding success, exclusively. The observed decrease in breeding success over years is likely a consequence of scale‐related mismatches between climatic conditions during different breeding phases. This provides further evidence that a species' response of earlier breeding may not be enough to cope with climate change. Our results emphasize the importance of considering the response of ecological processes along different climatic scales in order to better understand the complexity of climate change effects on biodiversity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annegret Grimm
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group Institute of Biology University of Leipzig Leipzig Germany; Department of Conservation Biology UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research Leipzig Germany
| | - Brigitte M Weiß
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group Institute of Biology University of Leipzig Leipzig Germany; Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection Department of Primatology Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig Germany
| | - Lars Kulik
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group Institute of Biology University of Leipzig Leipzig Germany; Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection Department of Primatology Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig Germany
| | - Jean-Baptiste Mihoub
- Department of Conservation Biology UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research Leipzig Germany
| | - Roger Mundry
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig Germany
| | | | | | - Ruth Thomsen
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group Institute of Biology University of Leipzig Leipzig Germany; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig Germany; Department of Anthropology University College London London UK
| | - Anja Widdig
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group Institute of Biology University of Leipzig Leipzig Germany; Junior Research Group of Primate Kin Selection Department of Primatology Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig Germany; German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Leipzig Germany
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Watts HE, Edley B, Hahn TP. A potential mate influences reproductive development in female, but not male, pine siskins. Horm Behav 2016; 80:39-46. [PMID: 26836771 PMCID: PMC4818704 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2015] [Revised: 12/29/2015] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The role of photoperiod in avian reproductive timing has been well studied, and we are increasingly recognizing the roles of other environmental cues such as social cues. However, few studies have evaluated the extent to which males and females of the same species respond similarly to the same type of cue. Moreover, previous studies have rarely examined how variation in the quality or nature of a given social cue might modulate its effect. Here, we examine the sensitivity of male and female pine siskins (Spinus pinus) to a potential mate as a stimulatory cue for gonadal recrudescence, and we investigate whether variation in the relationship between a bird and its potential mate modulates the effect of that potential mate. Birds were initially housed without opposite sex birds on a 12L:12D photoperiod with ad libitum food. After gonadal recrudescence had begun males and females were randomly paired with an opposite sex bird or housed alone. An additional group of males was paired with estradiol-implanted females. In males, these social treatments had no effect on testis length, cloacal protuberance length, luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, or testosterone levels. In females, presence of a potential mate had a significant and positive effect on ovary score, defeathering of the brood patch, and LH levels. Among paired birds, the degree of affiliation within a pair corresponded to the extent of reproductive development in females, but not males. Thus, reproductive timing in females appears to be sensitive to both the presence of a potential mate and her relationship with him.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heather E Watts
- Department of Biology, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA.
| | - Bruce Edley
- Department of Biology, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA
| | - Thomas P Hahn
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology & Behavior, University of California, Davis 95616, USA
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Fudickar AM, Greives TJ, Atwell JW, Stricker CA, Ketterson ED. Reproductive Allochrony in Seasonally Sympatric Populations Maintained by Differential Response to Photoperiod: Implications for Population Divergence and Response to Climate Change. Am Nat 2016; 187:436-46. [DOI: 10.1086/685296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
|
44
|
Mettler R, Segelbacher G, Schaefer HM. Interactions between a Candidate Gene for Migration (ADCYAP1), Morphology and Sex Predict Spring Arrival in Blackcap Populations. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0144587. [PMID: 26684459 PMCID: PMC4684316 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2015] [Accepted: 11/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Avian research has begun to reveal associations between candidate genes and migratory behaviors of captive birds, yet few studies utilize genotypic, morphometric, and phenological data from wild individuals. Previous studies have identified an association between ADCYAP1 polymorphism and autumn migratory behavior (restlessness, or zugunruhe), but little is known about the relationship between ADCYAP1 and spring migratory behavior. The timing of spring migration and arrival to the breeding ground are phenological traits which could be particularly favorable for establishing territories and acquiring mates, thus important to fitness and reproductive success. Here, we investigated how individual genotypic ADCYAP1 variation and phenotypic variation (wing length and shape) of blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) affect spring arrival date across nine natural populations in Europe. We hypothesized that longer alleles should be associated with earlier spring arrival dates and expected the effect on arrival date to be stronger for males as they arrive earlier. However, we found that longer wings were associated with earlier spring arrival to the breeding grounds for females, but not for males. Another female-specific effect indicated an interaction between ADCYAP1 allele size and wing pointedness on the response of spring arrival: greater allele size had a positive effect on spring arrival date for females with rounder wings, while a negative effect was apparent for females with more pointed wings. Also, female heterozygotes with pointed wing tips arrived significantly earlier than both homozygotes with pointed wings and heterozygotes with round wings. Stable isotope ratios (δ2H) of a subset of blackcaps captured in Freiburg in 2011 allowed us also to assign individuals to their main overwintering areas in northwest (NW) and southwest (SW) Europe. NW males arrived significantly earlier to the Freiburg breeding site than both SW males and females in 2011. NW females had more pointed wing tips compared to SW females, but no difference in ADCYAP1 allele size was found between the different migration routes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raeann Mettler
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Animal Ecology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- School of Natural Sciences, Black Hills State University, Spearfish, South Dakota, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Gernot Segelbacher
- Wildlife Ecology and Management, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - H. Martin Schaefer
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Animal Ecology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Mariette MM, Buchanan KL, Buttemer WA, Careau V. Tough decisions: Reproductive timing and output vary with individuals' physiology, behavior and past success in a social opportunistic breeder. Horm Behav 2015; 76:23-33. [PMID: 25917863 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2014] [Revised: 03/05/2015] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "SBN 2014". Photoperiod and the hormonal response it triggers are key determinants of reproductive timing in birds. However, other cues and physiological traits may permit flexibility in the timing of breeding and perhaps facilitate adaptation to global change. Opportunistic breeders are excellent models to study the adaptive significance of this flexibility, especially at the individual level. Here, we sought to quantify whether particular male physiological and behavioral traits were linked to reproductive timing and output in wild-derived zebra finches. We repeatedly assessed male stress-induced corticosterone levels (CORT), basal metabolic rate (BMR), and activity before releasing them into outdoor aviaries and quantifying each pair's breeding timing, investment, and output over a seven-month period. Despite unlimited access to food and water, the colony breeding activity occurred in waves, probably due to interpair social stimulations. Pairs adjusted their inter-clutch interval and clutch size to social and temperature cues, respectively, but only after successful breeding attempts, suggesting a facultative response to external cues. When these effects were controlled for statistically or experimentally, breeding intervals were repeatable within individuals across reproductive attempts. In addition, males' first laying date and total offspring production varied with complex interactions between pre-breeding CORT, BMR and activity levels. These results suggest that no one trait is under selection but that, instead, correlational selection acts on hormone levels, metabolism, and behavior. Together our results suggest that studying inter-individual variation in breeding strategy and their multiple physiological and behavioral underpinnings may greatly improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the evolution of breeding decisions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mylene M Mariette
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria 3216, Australia.
| | - Katherine L Buchanan
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria 3216, Australia
| | - William A Buttemer
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria 3216, Australia
| | - Vincent Careau
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria 3216, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Charmantier A, Doutrelant C, Dubuc-Messier G, Fargevieille A, Szulkin M. Mediterranean blue tits as a case study of local adaptation. Evol Appl 2015; 9:135-52. [PMID: 27087844 PMCID: PMC4780380 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
While the study of the origins of biological diversity across species has provided numerous examples of adaptive divergence, the realization that it can occur at microgeographic scales despite gene flow is recent, and scarcely illustrated. We review here evidence suggesting that the striking phenotypic differentiation in ecologically relevant traits exhibited by blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus in their southern range‐edge putatively reflects adaptation to the heterogeneity of the Mediterranean habitats. We first summarize the phenotypic divergence for a series of life history, morphological, behavioural, acoustic and colour ornament traits in blue tit populations of evergreen and deciduous forests. For each divergent trait, we review the evidence obtained from common garden experiments regarding a possible genetic origin of the observed phenotypic differentiation as well as evidence for heterogeneous selection. Second, we argue that most phenotypically differentiated traits display heritable variation, a fundamental requirement for evolution to occur. Third, we discuss nonrandom dispersal, selective barriers and assortative mating as processes that could reinforce local adaptation. Finally, we show how population genomics supports isolation – by – environment across landscapes. Overall, the combination of approaches converges to the conclusion that the strong phenotypic differentiation observed in Mediterranean blue tits is a fascinating case of local adaptation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anne Charmantier
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive Campus CNRS Montpellier France
| | - Claire Doutrelant
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive Campus CNRS Montpellier France
| | - Gabrielle Dubuc-Messier
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive Campus CNRS Montpellier France; Département des sciences biologiques Université du Québec à Montréal Succursalle centre-ville QC Canada
| | | | - Marta Szulkin
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive Campus CNRS Montpellier France
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Gienapp P, Reed TE, Visser ME. Why climate change will invariably alter selection pressures on phenology. Proc Biol Sci 2015; 281:rspb.2014.1611. [PMID: 25165771 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.1611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The seasonal timing of lifecycle events is closely linked to individual fitness and hence, maladaptation in phenological traits may impact population dynamics. However, few studies have analysed whether and why climate change will alter selection pressures and hence possibly induce maladaptation in phenology. To fill this gap, we here use a theoretical modelling approach. In our models, the phenologies of consumer and resource are (potentially) environmentally sensitive and depend on two different but correlated environmental variables. Fitness of the consumer depends on the phenological match with the resource. Because we explicitly model the dependence of the phenologies on environmental variables, we can test how differential (heterogeneous) versus equal (homogeneous) rates of change in the environmental variables affect selection on consumer phenology. As expected, under heterogeneous change, phenotypic plasticity is insufficient and thus selection on consumer phenology arises. However, even homogeneous change leads to directional selection on consumer phenology. This is because the consumer reaction norm has historically evolved to be flatter than the resource reaction norm, owing to time lags and imperfect cue reliability. Climate change will therefore lead to increased selection on consumer phenology across a broad range of situations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Phillip Gienapp
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), PO Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas E Reed
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), PO Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, The Netherlands School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Republic of Ireland
| | - Marcel E Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), PO Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Watts HE, MacDougall-Shackleton SA, Hahn TP. Variation among individuals in photoperiod responses: Effects of breeding schedule, photoperiod, and age-related photoperiodic experience in birds. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 323:368-74. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.1929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2014] [Revised: 02/11/2015] [Accepted: 02/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Heather E. Watts
- Department of Biology; Loyola Marymount University; Los Angeles California
| | | | - Thomas P. Hahn
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior; University of California; Davis California
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Dominoni DM, Van't Hof TJ, Partecke J. Social cues are unlikely to be the single cause for early reproduction in urban European blackbirds (Turdus merula). Physiol Behav 2015; 142:14-9. [PMID: 25619949 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2014] [Revised: 01/19/2015] [Accepted: 01/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Despite urban ecology being an established field of research, there is still surprisingly little information about the relative contribution of specific environmental factors driving the observed changes in the behavior and physiology of city dwellers. One of the most reported effects of urbanization is the advanced phenology observed in birds. Many factors have been suggested to underline such effect, including warmer microclimate, anthropogenic food supply and light pollution. Since social stimuli are known to affect reproductive timing and breeding density is usually higher in urban populations compared to rural ones, we experimentally tested whether social interactions could advance the onset of reproduction in European blackbirds (Turdus merula). We housed male blackbirds of rural and urban origins with or without a conspecific female, and recorded their seasonal variation in gonadal size and production of luteinizing hormone (LH). Paired and unpaired males of both urban and rural origins did not significantly differ in their timing of gonadal growth. Moreover, rural and urban birds did not differ in their response to the social stimuli, rather they became reproductively active at the same time, a result that confirms previous studies that attributed the difference in reproductive timing observed in the field to phenotypic plasticity. We conclude that social stimuli do not contribute substantially to the observed early onset of reproductive physiology in urban bird species, rather other factors such as light pollution are likely to be stronger drivers of these physiological changes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Davide M Dominoni
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G128QQ, UK; Department of Migration and Immuno-ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany.
| | - Thomas J Van't Hof
- Takizaki Corporation, 2-4-7 Honkomagome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0021, Japan
| | - Jesko Partecke
- Department of Migration and Immuno-ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Perfito N, Guardado D, Williams TD, Bentley GE. Social cues regulate reciprocal switching of hypothalamic Dio2/Dio3 and the transition into final follicle maturation in European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). Endocrinology 2015; 156:694-706. [PMID: 25490148 DOI: 10.1210/en.2014-1450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
With final maturation of ovarian follicles, birds are committed to a major energetic investment: egg laying. Follicles develop in a 2-step process: 1) initial development of regressed follicles stimulated by long days and 2) yolk incorporation into hierarchical follicles, ovulation, and oviposition. We know little about how females transduce environmental cues into neuroendocrine signals regulating the second step. The present study measures gene expression in tissues within the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis. Females were housed in seminatural enclosures experiencing natural changes in photoperiod and environmental cues (eg, temperature, rainfall, etc), without males or with constant access to males (January to April). By April, females with males had begun to lay eggs, whereas those without males had not. In a second study, females without males for 3.5 months were then given access to males for 7 days. Restricting male access completely inhibited final follicle maturation, whereas 7-day male access stimulated full vitellogenesis and follicle maturation. Few gene expression changes were attributable to constant male access (January to March), but naïve females given 7-day male access had increased type 2 deiodinase (DIO2) and decreased DIO3 synthesis in the hypothalamus, potentially influencing local thyroid hormone metabolism, increased expression of LH receptor and aromatase in follicles and vitellogenin in liver. Our data suggest that initial follicle development may be more heavily influenced by photoperiod, but the second step (final maturation) is sensitive to other cues such as social interactions. This is the first demonstration of a social effect on the Dio2/Dio3 system, previously thought only responsive to photoperiod cues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Perfito
- Department of Integrative Biology (N.P., D.G., G.E.B.) and the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute (G.E.B.), University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720; and Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University (T.D.W.), Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A1S6
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|