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Díaz-Lora S, Pérez-Contreras T, Azcárate-García M, Peralta-Sánchez JM, Martínez-Bueno M, José Soler J, Martín-Vivaldi M. Cosmetic coloration of cross-fostered eggs affects paternal investment in the hoopoe ( Upupa epops). Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20203174. [PMID: 33947236 PMCID: PMC8097196 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.3174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The signalling hypothesis suggests that avian eggshell coloration is a sexually selected female signal advertising her quality to its male partner, thereby stimulating his provisioning rate. This hypothesis has been tested for structural eggshell pigments, but not for cosmetic colorations, such as that produced by the uropygial secretion on eggshells. During the breeding season, female hoopoes (Upupa epops) host in their uropygial glands symbiotic bacteria. Females actively smear the eggshells with their secretion, protecting embryos from pathogenic trans-shell infections and changing eggshell coloration. Because the colour of the secretions is related to their antimicrobial potential, cosmetic eggshell coloration may act as a cue or even as a post-mating sexually selected signal if it affects male provisioning rates. To experimentally test this hypothesis, we cross-fostered already-smeared clutches between hoopoe nests, and quantified male feeding behaviour to females before and after the experiment. This approach allows disentanglement of the effects of female quality and of egg coloration on male investment. In accordance with the hypothesis, males adjusted their provisioning rate to the eggshell cosmetic coloration. This is, to our knowledge, the first experimental demonstration that egg colour stained with uropygial secretion could act as a post-mating sexual signal of female quality to males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Díaz-Lora
- Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain
| | - Tomás Pérez-Contreras
- Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain
- Unidad asociada: Coevolución: cucos, hospedadores y bacterias simbiontes, Universidad de Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain
| | - Manuel Azcárate-García
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), Almería, Spain
| | | | - Manuel Martínez-Bueno
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain
- Unidad asociada: Coevolución: cucos, hospedadores y bacterias simbiontes, Universidad de Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain
| | - Juan José Soler
- Unidad asociada: Coevolución: cucos, hospedadores y bacterias simbiontes, Universidad de Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), Almería, Spain
| | - Manuel Martín-Vivaldi
- Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain
- Unidad asociada: Coevolución: cucos, hospedadores y bacterias simbiontes, Universidad de Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain
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Martínez‐Renau E, Ruiz‐Castellano C, Azcárate‐García M, Barón MD, Soler JJ. Coloration of spotless starling nestlings shows genetic and environmentally determined characteristics while begging for food. Funct Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ester Martínez‐Renau
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC) Almería Spain
| | - Cristina Ruiz‐Castellano
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC) Almería Spain
| | - Manuel Azcárate‐García
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC) Almería Spain
| | | | - Juan José Soler
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC) Almería Spain
- Unidad Asociada (CSIC): Coevolución: Cucos, Hospedadores y Bacterias Simbiontes Universidad de Granada Granada Spain
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3
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Avilés JM. Avian egg and nestling detection in the wild: should we rely on visual models or behavioural experiments? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190485. [PMID: 32420848 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0485] [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: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The fields of avian egg and nestling colour detection have rapidly advanced owing to the application of visual models, which have allowed assessing of evolutionary questions considering receiver perception. Here, I first review the literature aiming to identify patterns of avian visual model usage. Second, I elaborate on limitations in the application of the receptor-noise limited perceptual (RNL hereafter) model. A systematic literature review revealed that the RNL model was the most used approach (81% of studies) in the field, and that most studies (76%) were concerned with classic evolutionary questions in avian brood parasitism. Some known limitations of the RNL model deal with model assumptions and parameterization, or, a poor consideration of post-detection neural processes. Others, however, are specific of the fields of egg and nestling discrimination and deal with the highly variable nature of ambient light at the nests, the complex colour design of eggs and nestlings, the multi-dimensional nature of perception, and the possible implication of learning. I, therefore, conclude that visual models should be used with caution to establish inference about egg and nestling discrimination, and rather be used to provide reasonable hypotheses which need to be validated with behavioural experiments. This article is part of the theme issue 'Signal detection theory in recognition systems: from evolving models to experimental tests'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús M Avilés
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Spanish Council for Research (EEZA-CSIC), Carretera de Sacramento s/n, 04120, La Cañada de San Urbano, E04120 Almería, Spain
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4
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Bitton PP, Janisse K, Doucet SM. Assessing Sexual Dicromatism: The Importance of Proper Parameterization in Tetrachromatic Visual Models. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0169810. [PMID: 28076391 PMCID: PMC5226829 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Perceptual models of animal vision have greatly contributed to our understanding of animal-animal and plant-animal communication. The receptor-noise model of color contrasts has been central to this research as it quantifies the difference between two colors for any visual system of interest. However, if the properties of the visual system are unknown, assumptions regarding parameter values must be made, generally with unknown consequences. In this study, we conduct a sensitivity analysis of the receptor-noise model using avian visual system parameters to systematically investigate the influence of variation in light environment, photoreceptor sensitivities, photoreceptor densities, and light transmission properties of the ocular media and the oil droplets. We calculated the chromatic contrast of 15 plumage patches to quantify a dichromatism score for 70 species of Galliformes, a group of birds that display a wide range of sexual dimorphism. We found that the photoreceptor densities and the wavelength of maximum sensitivity of the short-wavelength-sensitive photoreceptor 1 (SWS1) can change dichromatism scores by 50% to 100%. In contrast, the light environment, transmission properties of the oil droplets, transmission properties of the ocular media, and the peak sensitivities of the cone photoreceptors had a smaller impact on the scores. By investigating the effect of varying two or more parameters simultaneously, we further demonstrate that improper parameterization could lead to differences between calculated and actual contrasts of more than 650%. Our findings demonstrate that improper parameterization of tetrachromatic visual models can have very large effects on measures of dichromatism scores, potentially leading to erroneous inferences. We urge more complete characterization of avian retinal properties and recommend that researchers either determine whether their species of interest possess an ultraviolet or near-ultraviolet sensitive SWS1 photoreceptor, or present models for both.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre-Paul Bitton
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Kevyn Janisse
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stéphanie M. Doucet
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
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Toomey MB, Lind O, Frederiksen R, Curley RW, Riedl KM, Wilby D, Schwartz SJ, Witt CC, Harrison EH, Roberts NW, Vorobyev M, McGraw KJ, Cornwall MC, Kelber A, Corbo JC. Complementary shifts in photoreceptor spectral tuning unlock the full adaptive potential of ultraviolet vision in birds. eLife 2016; 5:e15675. [PMID: 27402384 PMCID: PMC4947394 DOI: 10.7554/elife.15675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Color vision in birds is mediated by four types of cone photoreceptors whose maximal sensitivities (λmax) are evenly spaced across the light spectrum. In the course of avian evolution, the λmax of the most shortwave-sensitive cone, SWS1, has switched between violet (λmax > 400 nm) and ultraviolet (λmax < 380 nm) multiple times. This shift of the SWS1 opsin is accompanied by a corresponding short-wavelength shift in the spectrally adjacent SWS2 cone. Here, we show that SWS2 cone spectral tuning is mediated by modulating the ratio of two apocarotenoids, galloxanthin and 11’,12’-dihydrogalloxanthin, which act as intracellular spectral filters in this cell type. We propose an enzymatic pathway that mediates the differential production of these apocarotenoids in the avian retina, and we use color vision modeling to demonstrate how correlated evolution of spectral tuning is necessary to achieve even sampling of the light spectrum and thereby maintain near-optimal color discrimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Toomey
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States
| | - Olle Lind
- Department of Philosophy, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Rikard Frederiksen
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Boston University, Boston, United States
| | - Robert W Curley
- College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, United States
| | - Ken M Riedl
- Department of Food Science and Technology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, United States
- Nutrient and Phytochemical Shared Resource of the OSU-Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, United States
| | - David Wilby
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Steven J Schwartz
- Department of Food Science and Technology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, United States
| | - Christopher C Witt
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
- Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
| | - Earl H Harrison
- Department of Human Nutrition, The Ohio State University, Columbus, United States
| | - Nicholas W Roberts
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Misha Vorobyev
- Department of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Kevin J McGraw
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, United States
| | - M Carter Cornwall
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Boston University, Boston, United States
| | - Almut Kelber
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Joseph C Corbo
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States
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Delhey K, Delhey V, Kempenaers B, Peters A. A practical framework to analyze variation in animal colors using visual models. Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Avilés JM, Parejo D. Colour also matters for nocturnal birds: owlet bill coloration advertises quality and influences parental feeding behaviour in little owls. Oecologia 2013; 173:399-408. [PMID: 23443357 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-013-2625-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2012] [Accepted: 02/11/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Chromatic signals of offspring quality have been shown to play a role in parent-offspring communication in diurnal birds, but are assumed to be useless in dim light conditions because colour-based discrimination probably requires more light. A major ecological and evolutionary conundrum in this scenario is why the nestlings of some nocturnal owls display colourful beaks. Here, we test the hypothesis that yellow bill coloration of owlets of the nocturnal little owl Athene noctua may function as a chromatic signal revealing to parents aspects of quality of their offspring. In a first step, we examined physical variation in bill coloration and its covariation with owlet quality. Secondly, we studied parental provisioning in relation to an experimental manipulation of bill coloration of owlets. Bills of owlets showed higher within-nest variation in yellow-red chroma than in brightness. Plasma carotenoid concentration and nestling immunological status were not associated with chromatic or achromatic features of the bill. Interestingly, however, heavier owlets displayed more yellow bills than lighter ones. The effect of bill coloration on parental favouritism changed with brood size. Parents holding large broods preferentially fed owlets with enhanced over reduced yellow bill coloration, whereas those with small broods did not significantly bias feeding in relation to owlet bill coloration. Our results, based on integration of objective spectrophotometric assessment of colour and experimental procedures, confirm that parent little owls use bill coloration to reveal information on owlet body mass to adjust their feeding strategies, thus highlighting the importance of considering potential chromatic signals for a full comprehension of parent-offspring communication processes in nocturnal bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Avilés
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), General Segura 1, 04001, Almería, Spain,
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Ödeen A, Håstad O. The phylogenetic distribution of ultraviolet sensitivity in birds. BMC Evol Biol 2013; 13:36. [PMID: 23394614 PMCID: PMC3637589 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-13-36] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2012] [Accepted: 10/26/2012] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Colour vision in birds can be categorized into two classes, the ultraviolet (UVS) and violet sensitive (VS). Their phylogenetic distributions have traditionally been regarded as highly conserved. However, the complicated nature of acquiring spectral sensitivities from cone photoreceptors meant that until recently, only a few species had actually been studied. Whether birds are UVS or VS can nowadays be inferred from a wide range of species via genomic sequencing of the UV/violet SWS1 cone opsin gene. Results We present genomic sequencing results of the SWS1 gene from 21 avian orders. Amino acid residues signifying UV sensitivity are found in the two most important spectral tuning sites 86 and 90 of Pteroclidiformes and Coraciiformes, in addition to the major clades, Palaeognathae, Charadriiformes, Trogoniformes, Psittaciformes and Passeriformes, where they where previously known to occur. We confirm that the presumed UVS-conferring amino acid combination F86, C90 and M93 is common to Palaeognathae and unique to this clade, despite available spectrometric evidence showing the ostrich retina to be VS. Conclusions By mapping our results together with data from previous studies on a molecular phylogeny we show that avian colour vision shifted between VS and UVS at least 14 times. Single nucleotide substitutions can explain all these shifts. The common ancestor of birds most likely had a VS phenotype. However, the ancestral state of the avian SWS1 opsin’s spectral tuning sites cannot be resolved, since the Palaeognathae are F86, C90 while the Neognathae are ancestrally S86, S90. The phylogenetic distribution of UVS and VS colour vision in birds is so complex that inferences of spectral sensitivities from closely related taxa should be used with caution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Ödeen
- Department of Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, Uppsala S-752 36, Sweden.
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10
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Ruiz-Rodríguez M, Avilés JM, Cuervo JJ, Parejo D, Ruano F, Zamora-Muñoz C, Sergio F, López-Jiménez L, Tanferna A, Martín-Vivaldi M. Does avian conspicuous colouration increase or reduce predation risk? Oecologia 2013; 173:83-93. [PMID: 23386048 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-013-2599-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2012] [Accepted: 01/18/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Animals often announce their unprofitability to predators through conspicuous coloured signals. Here we tested whether the apparently conspicuous colour designs of the four European Coraciiformes and Upupiformes species may have evolved as aposematic signals, or whether instead they imply a cost in terms of predation risk. Because previous studies suggested that these species are unpalatable, we hypothesized that predators could avoid targeting them based on their colours. An experiment was performed where two artificial models of each bird species were exposed simultaneously to raptor predators, one painted so as to resemble the real colour design of these birds, and the other one painted using cryptic colours. Additionally, we used field data on the black kite's diet to compare the selection of these four species to that of other avian prey. Conspicuous models were attacked in equal or higher proportions than their cryptic counterparts, and the attack rate on the four species increased with their respective degree of contrast against natural backgrounds. The analysis of the predator's diet revealed that the two least attacked species were negatively selected in nature despite their abundance. Both conspicuous and cryptic models of one of the studied species (the hoopoe) received fewer attacks than cryptic models of the other three species, suggesting that predators may avoid this species for characteristics other than colour. Globally, our results suggest that the colour of coraciiforms and upupiforms does not function as an aposematic signal that advises predators of their unprofitability, but also that conspicuous colours may increase predation risk in some species, supporting thus the handicap hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Ruiz-Rodríguez
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Biology, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Almería, Spain.
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Delhey K, Hall M, Kingma SA, Peters A. Increased conspicuousness can explain the match between visual sensitivities and blue plumage colours in fairy-wrens. Proc Biol Sci 2013; 280:20121771. [PMID: 23118438 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.1771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Colour signals are expected to match visual sensitivities of intended receivers. In birds, evolutionary shifts from violet-sensitive (V-type) to ultraviolet-sensitive (U-type) vision have been linked to increased prevalence of colours rich in shortwave reflectance (ultraviolet/blue), presumably due to better perception of such colours by U-type vision. Here we provide the first test of this widespread idea using fairy-wrens and allies (Family Maluridae) as a model, a family where shifts in visual sensitivities from V- to U-type eyes are associated with male nuptial plumage rich in ultraviolet/blue colours. Using psychophysical visual models, we compared the performance of both types of visual systems at two tasks: (i) detecting contrast between male plumage colours and natural backgrounds, and (ii) perceiving intraspecific chromatic variation in male plumage. While U-type outperforms V-type vision at both tasks, the crucial test here is whether U-type vision performs better at detecting and discriminating ultraviolet/blue colours when compared with other colours. This was true for detecting contrast between plumage colours and natural backgrounds (i), but not for discriminating intraspecific variability (ii). Our data indicate that selection to maximize conspicuousness to conspecifics may have led to the correlation between ultraviolet/blue colours and U-type vision in this clade of birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaspar Delhey
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany.
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Ismar SMH, Chong NL, Igic B, Baird K, Ortiz-Catedral L, Fidler AE, Hauber ME. Visual sensitivity, coloration and morphology of red-tailed tropicbirdsPhaethon rubricaudabreeding on the Kermadec Islands. NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 2011. [DOI: 10.1080/03014223.2010.524228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- SMH Ismar
- a School of Biological Sciences , University of Auckland , Auckland, New Zealand
| | - NL Chong
- a School of Biological Sciences , University of Auckland , Auckland, New Zealand
| | - B Igic
- a School of Biological Sciences , University of Auckland , Auckland, New Zealand
- b Division of Evolution, Ecology and Genetics, Research School of Biology , The Australian National University , Canberra, Australia
| | - K Baird
- c Department of Conservation , Auckland Conservancy , New Zealand
- d Forest and Bird , Auckland, New Zealand
| | - L Ortiz-Catedral
- e Ecology and Conservation Lab, Institute of Natural Sciences , Massey University , Auckland, New Zealand
| | - AE Fidler
- f Cawthron Institute , Nelson, New Zealand
| | - ME Hauber
- a School of Biological Sciences , University of Auckland , Auckland, New Zealand
- g Department of Psychology, Hunter College , City University of New York , New York, USA
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13
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Parental favouritism strategies in the asynchronously hatching European Roller (Coracias garrulus). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-011-1164-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Pérez-Rodríguez L, Mougeot F, Bortolotti GR. The effects of preen oils and soiling on the UV–visible reflectance of carotenoid-pigmented feathers. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-011-1153-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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15
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Saino N, Rubolini D, Serra L, Caprioli M, Morganti M, Ambrosini R, Spina F. Sex-related variation in migration phenology in relation to sexual dimorphism: a test of competing hypotheses for the evolution of protandry. J Evol Biol 2010; 23:2054-2065. [PMID: 20722895 DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2010.02068.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Timing of arrival/emergence to the breeding grounds is under contrasting natural and sexual selection pressures. Because of differences in sex roles and physiology, the balance between these pressures on either sex may differ, leading to earlier male (protandry) or female (protogyny) arrival. We test several competing hypotheses for the evolution of protandry using migration data for 22 bird species, including for the first time several monochromatic ones where sexual selection is supposedly less intense. Across species, protandry positively covaried with sexual size dimorphism but not with dichromatism. Within species, there was weak evidence that males migrate earlier because, being larger, they are less susceptible to adverse conditions. Our results do not support the 'rank advantage' and the 'differential susceptibility' hypotheses, nor the 'mate opportunity' hypothesis, which predicts covariation of protandry with dichromatism. Conversely, they are compatible with 'mate choice' arguments, whereby females use condition-dependent arrival date to assess mate quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Saino
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy.
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Sibling competition and conspicuousness of nestling gapes in altricial birds: a comparative study. PLoS One 2010; 5:e10509. [PMID: 20463902 PMCID: PMC2865545 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0010509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2010] [Accepted: 04/12/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Nestlings of altricial birds capture parents' attention through conspicuous visual displays, including exposure of their gape coloration which informs parents about their level of need, competitive ability or health; information that parents use for deciding food allocation among their offspring. Thus, because nestlings compete with nest mates for parental care, nestling conspicuousness is expected to increase with level of sibling competition along bird phylogeny. Methodology/Principal Findings We test this prediction by jointly using information of brood reduction, clutch size and duration of nestling period as proxies for intensity of sibling competition, and visual models that assess detectability of nestlings by adult birds. As predicted, we found a positive association between nestling conspicuousness and intensity of brood reduction, while clutch size and duration of nestling period did not enter in the best models. Level of brood reduction was positively related with the achromatic component of nestling conspicuousness and body mass was negatively related with the chromatic component. Conclusions These associations are in agreement with the hypothesis that sibling competition for parental attention has driven the evolution of visual nestling conspicuousness in a context of parent-offspring communication in altricial birds.
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Avilés JM, Soler JJ. Nestling coloration is adjusted to parent visual performance in altricial birds irrespective of assumptions on vision system for Laniidae and owls, a reply to Renoult et al. J Evol Biol 2009; 23:226-30. [PMID: 19895653 DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2009.01890.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We have recently published support to the hypothesis that visual systems of parents could affect nestling detectability and, consequently, influences the evolution of nestling colour designs in altricial birds. We provided comparative evidence of an adjustment of nestling colour designs to the visual system of parents that we have found in a comparative study on 22 altricial bird species. In this issue, however, Renoult et al. (J. Evol. Biol., 2009) question some of the assumptions and statistical approaches in our study. Their argumentation relied on two major points: (1) an incorrect assignment of vision system to four out of 22 sampled species in our study; and (2) the use of an incorrect approach for phylogenetic correction of the predicted associations. Here, we discuss in detail re-assignation of vision systems in that study and propose alternative interpretation for current knowledge on spectrophotometric data of avian pigments. We reanalysed the data by using phylogenetic generalized least squares analyses that account for the alluded limitations of phylogenetically independent contrasts and, in accordance with the hypothesis, confirmed a significant influence of parental visual system on gape coloration. Our results proved to be robust to the assumptions on visual system evolution for Laniidae and nocturnal owls that Renoult et al. (J. Evol. Biol., 2009) study suggested may have flawed our early findings. Thus, the hypothesis that selection has resulted in increased detectability of nestling by adjusting gape coloration to parental visual systems is currently supported by our comparative data.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Avilés
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Aridas (C.S.I.C.), Almería, Spain.
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Renoult JP, Courtiol A, Kjellberg F. When assumptions on visual system evolution matter: nestling colouration and parental visual performance in birds. J Evol Biol 2009; 23:220-5. [PMID: 19895654 DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2009.01885.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Comparative studies in visual ecology of birds often rely on several assumptions on the evolution of avian vision. In this study, we show that when these assumptions are not upheld, conclusions may be strongly affected. To illustrate this purpose, we reanalysed the data of Avilés & Soler (J. Evol. Biol.22: 376-386, 2009) who demonstrated that nestling gape colouration in altricial birds is associated with visual system. We show that a slight change in analysis methodology leads to opposite conclusions. Such conflicting result raises the problem of applying powerful methods developed for continuous variables to a small sample and a small number of independent events of qualitative visual system shift in comparative analyses. Further, we show that the current trend to assume strong phylogenetic inertia of avian visual systems is contradicted by data and that the sequencing of the SWS1 opsin gene should be considered as an alternative approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P Renoult
- UMR 5175 Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
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