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Tidière M, Müller P, Sliwa A, Siberchicot A, Douay G. Sex-specific actuarial and reproductive senescence in zoo-housed tiger (Panthera tigris): The importance of sub-species for conservation. Zoo Biol 2021; 40:320-329. [PMID: 33861886 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
A fifth of all known species are currently classified as threatened in the wild: the rate of biodiversity loss is rapid, continuous, and mostly due to anthropogenic activities. To slow down this decline, the accurate estimation of demographic parameters for threatened species is critical. With this aim, zoo institutions play an important role, giving access to data on zoo-housed animals, which aids researchers working on species life-history traits and intrinsic factors influencing the fitness of both sexes, such as age. While tigers (Panthera tigris) are particularly threatened in their natural environment, few of their demographic parameters have been determined because of their solitary and elusive nature as well as low population density. Using individual-based information for more than 9200 tigers (from 1938 to 2018) recorded in the International Tiger Studbook 2018, we aimed to determine sub-species and sex-specific variability of survival and reproductive parameters with age. No significant sex-difference in actuarial senescence (i.e., decline of survival probabilities with age) was observed but males tended to have a higher juvenile mortality and a faster senescence than females. Reproductive senescence (i.e., decline of reproductive parameters with age) was more pronounced in females than males. Moreover, we observed sub-species-specific variation in mortality and reproductive patterns, pointing out the necessity to consider them independently for conservation goals. Our findings can provide meaningful improvements to the husbandry of zoo-housed tigers, emphasizing the importance of adult breeding females of 7-9 years-old to control zoo-housed population size, but also providing accurate demographic estimates, crucial to set up effective conservation plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgane Tidière
- Conservation Science Alliance, Species360, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55425, USA.,Interdisciplinary Center on Population Dynamics, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | | | | | - Aurélie Siberchicot
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR5558 CNRS, Université de Lyon, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Guillaume Douay
- Conservation, Research, and Veterinary Department, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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Colchero F, Jones OR, Conde DA, Hodgson D, Zajitschek F, Schmidt BR, Malo AF, Alberts SC, Becker PH, Bouwhuis S, Bronikowski AM, De Vleeschouwer KM, Delahay RJ, Dummermuth S, Fernández-Duque E, Frisenvaenge J, Hesselsøe M, Larson S, Lemaître JF, McDonald J, Miller DAW, O'Donnell C, Packer C, Raboy BE, Reading CJ, Wapstra E, Weimerskirch H, While GM, Baudisch A, Flatt T, Coulson T, Gaillard JM. The diversity of population responses to environmental change. Ecol Lett 2018; 22:342-353. [PMID: 30536594 PMCID: PMC6378614 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Revised: 09/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The current extinction and climate change crises pressure us to predict population dynamics with ever‐greater accuracy. Although predictions rest on the well‐advanced theory of age‐structured populations, two key issues remain poorly explored. Specifically, how the age‐dependency in demographic rates and the year‐to‐year interactions between survival and fecundity affect stochastic population growth rates. We use inference, simulations and mathematical derivations to explore how environmental perturbations determine population growth rates for populations with different age‐specific demographic rates and when ages are reduced to stages. We find that stage‐ vs. age‐based models can produce markedly divergent stochastic population growth rates. The differences are most pronounced when there are survival‐fecundity‐trade‐offs, which reduce the variance in the population growth rate. Finally, the expected value and variance of the stochastic growth rates of populations with different age‐specific demographic rates can diverge to the extent that, while some populations may thrive, others will inevitably go extinct.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Colchero
- Interdisciplinary Center on Population Dynamics, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense M, Denmark.,Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Owen R Jones
- Interdisciplinary Center on Population Dynamics, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense M, Denmark.,Institute of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Dalia A Conde
- Interdisciplinary Center on Population Dynamics, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense M, Denmark.,Institute of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense M, Denmark.,Species360 Conservation Science Alliance, 7900 International Drive, Suite 1040, Bloomington, MN, 55425, USA
| | - David Hodgson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - Felix Zajitschek
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Benedikt R Schmidt
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland.,Info Fauna Karch, UniMail, Bâtiment G, Bellevaux 51, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Aurelio F Malo
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK.,Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad de Alcalá, 28805, Madrid, Spain
| | - Susan C Alberts
- Departments of Biology and Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.,Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Peter H Becker
- Institut of Avian Research An der Vogelwarte, 21 D-26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Sandra Bouwhuis
- Institut of Avian Research An der Vogelwarte, 21 D-26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Anne M Bronikowski
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, 251 Bessey Hall, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Kristel M De Vleeschouwer
- Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Koningin Astridplein, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Richard J Delahay
- National Wildlife Management Centre, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodchester Park Nympsfield, Gloucestershire, GL10 3UJ, UK
| | - Stefan Dummermuth
- Info Fauna Karch, UniMail, Bâtiment G, Bellevaux 51, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | | | - John Frisenvaenge
- Amphi Consult, Sciencepark NOVI, Niels Jernes Vej 10, DK, 9220, Aalborg Ø, Denmark
| | - Martin Hesselsøe
- Amphi Consult, Sciencepark NOVI, Niels Jernes Vej 10, DK, 9220, Aalborg Ø, Denmark
| | - Sam Larson
- Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jean-François Lemaître
- Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Jennifer McDonald
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - David A W Miller
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, 411 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Colin O'Donnell
- Department of Conservation, Te Papa Atawhai, PO Box 4715, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand
| | - Craig Packer
- College of Biological Sciences, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 123 Snyder Hall, 1475 Gortner Ave, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Becky E Raboy
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 3B2
| | - Chris J Reading
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, CEH Wallingford, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh, Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Erik Wapstra
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 5, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Henri Weimerskirch
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Geoffrey M While
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France.,Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Annette Baudisch
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense M, Denmark.,Institute of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense M, Denmark.,Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, 5000, Denmark
| | - Thomas Flatt
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Ch. du Musée 10, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Tim Coulson
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK
| | - Jean-Michel Gaillard
- Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France
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Briga M, Koetsier E, Boonekamp JJ, Jimeno B, Verhulst S. Food availability affects adult survival trajectories depending on early developmental conditions. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2016.2287. [PMID: 28053061 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.2287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2016] [Accepted: 12/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Food availability modulates survival in interaction with (for example) competition, disease and predators, but to what extent food availability in natural populations affects survival independent of these factors is not well known. We tested the effect of food availability on lifespan and actuarial senescence in a large population of captive zebra finches by increasing the effort required to obtain food, reflecting natural contrasts in food availability. Food availability may not affect all individuals equally and we therefore created heterogeneity in phenotypic quality by raising birds with different numbers of siblings. Low food availability had no effect on lifespan for individuals from benign developmental conditions (raised in small broods), but shortened lifespan for individuals from harsh developmental conditions. The lifespan difference arose through higher baseline mortality rate of individuals from harsh developmental conditions, despite a decrease in the rate of actuarial senescence. We found no evidence for sex-specific environmental sensitivity, but females lived shorter than males due to increased actuarial senescence. Thus, low food availability by itself shortens lifespan, but only in individuals from harsh developmental conditions. Our food availability manipulation resembles dietary restriction as applied to invertebrates, where it extends lifespan in model organisms and we discuss possible reasons for the contrasting results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Briga
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Egbert Koetsier
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jelle J Boonekamp
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Blanca Jimeno
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Simon Verhulst
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
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