Beatriz C Saldanha, Patrícia Beltrão, Ana Cristina R Gomes, Marta C Soares, Gonçalo C Cardoso, Sandra Trigo
The amino acid tryptophan (Trp) is precursor of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Trp supplementation or other forms of serotonergic enhancement generally promote pro-social behavior, decreasing aggression and also feeding in different animals. However, past research has been conducted in confined spaces, and there is little work in naturalistic conditions where animals move and associate more freely. We gave a Trp-enriched diet to a free-flying flock of common waxbills (Estrilda astrild) in semi-natural conditions, and monitored group foraging, aggressions during feeding and the social network. Contrary to expectations, aggressiveness and feeding increased during Trp supplementation. Consistent with the prediction of increased social associations, foraging groups became larger and individuals joined more foraging groups, but these changes appear driven by increased appetite during Trp treatment. Also, the mean strength of associations in the social network did not change. Overall, Trp supplementation affected group behavior in this free-flying flock, but mostly in directions unanticipated based on research conducted in small spaces. To harmonize our results with those found in small confined spaces, we hypothesise that free-flying birds have energetic requirements not experienced in lab-housed individuals, which may impact social behaviour and responses to Trp.
{"title":"Dietary tryptophan affects group behavior in a social bird","authors":"Beatriz C Saldanha, Patrícia Beltrão, Ana Cristina R Gomes, Marta C Soares, Gonçalo C Cardoso, Sandra Trigo","doi":"10.1093/beheco/arae018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arae018","url":null,"abstract":"The amino acid tryptophan (Trp) is precursor of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Trp supplementation or other forms of serotonergic enhancement generally promote pro-social behavior, decreasing aggression and also feeding in different animals. However, past research has been conducted in confined spaces, and there is little work in naturalistic conditions where animals move and associate more freely. We gave a Trp-enriched diet to a free-flying flock of common waxbills (Estrilda astrild) in semi-natural conditions, and monitored group foraging, aggressions during feeding and the social network. Contrary to expectations, aggressiveness and feeding increased during Trp supplementation. Consistent with the prediction of increased social associations, foraging groups became larger and individuals joined more foraging groups, but these changes appear driven by increased appetite during Trp treatment. Also, the mean strength of associations in the social network did not change. Overall, Trp supplementation affected group behavior in this free-flying flock, but mostly in directions unanticipated based on research conducted in small spaces. To harmonize our results with those found in small confined spaces, we hypothesise that free-flying birds have energetic requirements not experienced in lab-housed individuals, which may impact social behaviour and responses to Trp.","PeriodicalId":8840,"journal":{"name":"Behavioral Ecology","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140150647","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Natalia Tepox-Vivar, Guadalupe Lopez-Nava, Juan H García-Chávez, Palestina Guevara-Fiore
The presence of bystanders can influence the behaviour of a forager, which has mainly been studied in primates and birds. We tested the effect of the absence and presence of an unfamiliar audience (females, males, and their combination) near or far from a food patch, on the foraging behaviour of guppies (Poecilia reticulata). Our investigation includes both males and females, recognising that different social dynamics and reproductive strategies between the sexes could lead to varied responses to audience effects. For each focal fish, we measured the latency to start feeding, bite frequency, time spent near the audience, and overall mobility. Both males and females started feeding faster when food was close to any audience type. Specifically, females exhibited a faster feeding response in the presence of a female audience. Males reduced their feeding rate in the presence of male and mixed audiences, while both sexes increased their consumption when food was close to the audience. Focal fish, irrespective of their sex, spent more time in the vicinity of the audience zone when the audience was present but, surprisingly, females spent less time with a female audience compared to others. Only females increased their mobility when the food patch was far from any audience. Here we show that guppies adjust their foraging behaviour in the presence of an audience. The specific responses observed varied between the sexes, reflecting the distinct social trade-offs faced by each sex.
{"title":"Sex-dependent audience effect in foraging guppies","authors":"Natalia Tepox-Vivar, Guadalupe Lopez-Nava, Juan H García-Chávez, Palestina Guevara-Fiore","doi":"10.1093/beheco/arae017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arae017","url":null,"abstract":"The presence of bystanders can influence the behaviour of a forager, which has mainly been studied in primates and birds. We tested the effect of the absence and presence of an unfamiliar audience (females, males, and their combination) near or far from a food patch, on the foraging behaviour of guppies (Poecilia reticulata). Our investigation includes both males and females, recognising that different social dynamics and reproductive strategies between the sexes could lead to varied responses to audience effects. For each focal fish, we measured the latency to start feeding, bite frequency, time spent near the audience, and overall mobility. Both males and females started feeding faster when food was close to any audience type. Specifically, females exhibited a faster feeding response in the presence of a female audience. Males reduced their feeding rate in the presence of male and mixed audiences, while both sexes increased their consumption when food was close to the audience. Focal fish, irrespective of their sex, spent more time in the vicinity of the audience zone when the audience was present but, surprisingly, females spent less time with a female audience compared to others. Only females increased their mobility when the food patch was far from any audience. Here we show that guppies adjust their foraging behaviour in the presence of an audience. The specific responses observed varied between the sexes, reflecting the distinct social trade-offs faced by each sex.","PeriodicalId":8840,"journal":{"name":"Behavioral Ecology","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140150336","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ever since Darwin’s pioneering work, the definition of sexual selection has been subject to recurrent controversies. The main focus of a more recent debate centers on whether or not sexual selection encompasses intra-sexual competition for resources other than gametes. Specifically, it has been proposed to define sexual selection as competition for access to gametes and to consider competition for any other resources provided by mates as forms of natural selection. In this review, I elaborate on several drawbacks of this gamete-centered approach arguing that it (i) implies an artificial split of pre-copulatory competition for mates into two indistinguishable processes, (ii) hinders the identification and quantification of sexual selection and therefore its separation from other forms of natural selection, (iii) gives rise to an overly male-biased perception on sexual selection, and (iv) does not conform to Darwin’s original conception. In an attempt to provide a definition, which is explicit regarding the ultimate target of intra-sexual competition, I propose to define sexual selection as competition for access to reproductive resources provided by potential mating partners. I specify the main characteristics of this alternative definition in the context of previous ones and discuss potential limitations.
{"title":"Sexual selection: competition for resources provided by mating partners","authors":"Tim Janicke","doi":"10.1093/beheco/arae016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arae016","url":null,"abstract":"Ever since Darwin’s pioneering work, the definition of sexual selection has been subject to recurrent controversies. The main focus of a more recent debate centers on whether or not sexual selection encompasses intra-sexual competition for resources other than gametes. Specifically, it has been proposed to define sexual selection as competition for access to gametes and to consider competition for any other resources provided by mates as forms of natural selection. In this review, I elaborate on several drawbacks of this gamete-centered approach arguing that it (i) implies an artificial split of pre-copulatory competition for mates into two indistinguishable processes, (ii) hinders the identification and quantification of sexual selection and therefore its separation from other forms of natural selection, (iii) gives rise to an overly male-biased perception on sexual selection, and (iv) does not conform to Darwin’s original conception. In an attempt to provide a definition, which is explicit regarding the ultimate target of intra-sexual competition, I propose to define sexual selection as competition for access to reproductive resources provided by potential mating partners. I specify the main characteristics of this alternative definition in the context of previous ones and discuss potential limitations.","PeriodicalId":8840,"journal":{"name":"Behavioral Ecology","volume":"68 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140126479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Paolo Panizzon, Jakob Gismann, Bernd Riedstra, Marion Nicolaus, Culum Brown, Ton Groothuis
Individual differences in laterality and personality are expected to covary, as emotions are processed differently by the two hemispheres and personality involves emotional behavior. Fish species are often used to investigate this topic due to the large variability in personality and laterality patterns. While some species show a positive relationship between lateralization strength and boldness, others show a negative relationship, and some show no relationship. A new way to assess the robustness of such relationship is to manipulate both laterality and personality to examine how this affects their relationship. To this end, we conducted a fully factorial design experiment manipulating predation and group size during early development. Results showed that the strength of laterality was influenced by predation threat, while social tendency and boldness were influenced by group size. These findings suggest that early life conditions can have an impact on laterality and social behavior. The relationship between laterality and personality traits, while present, was heavily influenced by the specific trial conditions, but not by the different developmental conditions. In summary, the relationship between laterality and behaviors appears to be context-dependent, yet resilient to early environmental manipulations.
{"title":"Effects of early predation and social cues on the relationship between laterality and personality","authors":"Paolo Panizzon, Jakob Gismann, Bernd Riedstra, Marion Nicolaus, Culum Brown, Ton Groothuis","doi":"10.1093/beheco/arae012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arae012","url":null,"abstract":"Individual differences in laterality and personality are expected to covary, as emotions are processed differently by the two hemispheres and personality involves emotional behavior. Fish species are often used to investigate this topic due to the large variability in personality and laterality patterns. While some species show a positive relationship between lateralization strength and boldness, others show a negative relationship, and some show no relationship. A new way to assess the robustness of such relationship is to manipulate both laterality and personality to examine how this affects their relationship. To this end, we conducted a fully factorial design experiment manipulating predation and group size during early development. Results showed that the strength of laterality was influenced by predation threat, while social tendency and boldness were influenced by group size. These findings suggest that early life conditions can have an impact on laterality and social behavior. The relationship between laterality and personality traits, while present, was heavily influenced by the specific trial conditions, but not by the different developmental conditions. In summary, the relationship between laterality and behaviors appears to be context-dependent, yet resilient to early environmental manipulations.","PeriodicalId":8840,"journal":{"name":"Behavioral Ecology","volume":"142 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140055176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Himal Thapa, Adam L Crane, Gabrielle H Achtymichuk, Sultan M M Sadat, Douglas P Chivers, Maud C O Ferrari
Living with a diverse array of predators provides a significant challenge for prey to learn and retain information about each predator they encounter. Consequently, some prey respond to novel predators because they have previous experience with a perceptually similar predator species, a phenomenon known as generalization of predator recognition. However, it remains unknown whether prey can generalize learned responses across ontogenetic stages of predators. Using wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) tadpole prey we conducted two experiments to explore the extent of predator generalization of different life stages of two different predators: (1) predacious diving beetles (Dytiscus sp.) and (2) tiger salamanders (Ambystoma mavortium). In both experiments, we used chemical alarm cues (i.e., injured conspecific cues) to condition tadpoles to recognize the odor of either the larval or adult stage of the predator as risky. One day later, we tested tadpoles with either the larval or adult predator odor to determine whether they generalized their learned responses to the other life stage of the predator. Tadpoles generalized between larval and adult beetle odors but failed to generalize between larval and adult salamander odors. These results suggest that the odor of some predator species changes during metamorphosis to an extent that reduces their recognisability by prey. This ‘predator identity reset’ increases the number of threats to which prey need to attend.
{"title":"Predator metamorphosis and its consequence for prey risk assessment","authors":"Himal Thapa, Adam L Crane, Gabrielle H Achtymichuk, Sultan M M Sadat, Douglas P Chivers, Maud C O Ferrari","doi":"10.1093/beheco/arae014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arae014","url":null,"abstract":"Living with a diverse array of predators provides a significant challenge for prey to learn and retain information about each predator they encounter. Consequently, some prey respond to novel predators because they have previous experience with a perceptually similar predator species, a phenomenon known as generalization of predator recognition. However, it remains unknown whether prey can generalize learned responses across ontogenetic stages of predators. Using wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) tadpole prey we conducted two experiments to explore the extent of predator generalization of different life stages of two different predators: (1) predacious diving beetles (Dytiscus sp.) and (2) tiger salamanders (Ambystoma mavortium). In both experiments, we used chemical alarm cues (i.e., injured conspecific cues) to condition tadpoles to recognize the odor of either the larval or adult stage of the predator as risky. One day later, we tested tadpoles with either the larval or adult predator odor to determine whether they generalized their learned responses to the other life stage of the predator. Tadpoles generalized between larval and adult beetle odors but failed to generalize between larval and adult salamander odors. These results suggest that the odor of some predator species changes during metamorphosis to an extent that reduces their recognisability by prey. This ‘predator identity reset’ increases the number of threats to which prey need to attend.","PeriodicalId":8840,"journal":{"name":"Behavioral Ecology","volume":"50 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140055304","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sociality impacts many biological processes and can be tightly linked to an individual’s fitness. To maximize advantages of group living, many social animals prefer to associate with individuals that provide the most benefits, such as kin, familiar individuals or those of similar phenotype. Such social strategies are not necessarily stable over time but can vary with changing selection pressures. In particular, young individuals transitioning to independence should continuously adjust their social behavior in light of developmental changes. However, social strategies exhibited during adolescence in animals are understudied and the factors underlying social network formation during ontogeny remain elusive. Here, we tracked associations of wild great tits (Parus major) during transition to independence and across their first year of life. Both spatial and social factors predicted dyadic associations. During transition to independence in spring, fledglings initially preferred to associate with siblings and peers over non-parent adults. We found no evidence for preferred associations among juveniles of similar age or fledge weight during that time, but weak evidence for some potential inheritance of the parental social network. By autumn, after juveniles had reached full independence, they exhibited social strategies similar to those of adults by establishing stable social ties based on familiarity that persisted through winter into next spring. Overall, this research demonstrates dynamic changes in social networks during ontogeny in a species with fast life-history and limited parental care, which likely reflect changes in selective pressures. It further highlights the importance of long-term social bonds based on familiarity in this species.
{"title":"The ontogeny of social networks in wild great tits (Parus major)","authors":"Sonja Wild, Gustavo Alarcón-Nieto, Lucy Aplin","doi":"10.1093/beheco/arae011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arae011","url":null,"abstract":"Sociality impacts many biological processes and can be tightly linked to an individual’s fitness. To maximize advantages of group living, many social animals prefer to associate with individuals that provide the most benefits, such as kin, familiar individuals or those of similar phenotype. Such social strategies are not necessarily stable over time but can vary with changing selection pressures. In particular, young individuals transitioning to independence should continuously adjust their social behavior in light of developmental changes. However, social strategies exhibited during adolescence in animals are understudied and the factors underlying social network formation during ontogeny remain elusive. Here, we tracked associations of wild great tits (Parus major) during transition to independence and across their first year of life. Both spatial and social factors predicted dyadic associations. During transition to independence in spring, fledglings initially preferred to associate with siblings and peers over non-parent adults. We found no evidence for preferred associations among juveniles of similar age or fledge weight during that time, but weak evidence for some potential inheritance of the parental social network. By autumn, after juveniles had reached full independence, they exhibited social strategies similar to those of adults by establishing stable social ties based on familiarity that persisted through winter into next spring. Overall, this research demonstrates dynamic changes in social networks during ontogeny in a species with fast life-history and limited parental care, which likely reflect changes in selective pressures. It further highlights the importance of long-term social bonds based on familiarity in this species.","PeriodicalId":8840,"journal":{"name":"Behavioral Ecology","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140003338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tanner Yuen, Kathreen E Ruckstuhl, April Robin Martinig, Peter Neuhaus
Lifetime fitness and its determinants are an important topic in the study of behavioural ecology and life-history evolution. Early life conditions comprise some of these determinants, warranting further investigation into their impact. In some mammals, babies born lighter tend to have lower life expectancy than those born heavier, and some of these life-history traits are passed on to offspring, with lighter-born females giving birth to lighter offspring. We investigated how weight at weaning, the relative timing of birth in the season, maternal weight, and maternal age affected the longevity and lifetime reproductive success (LRS) of female Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus). We hypothesized that early life conditions such as offspring weight would not only have lifetime fitness consequences but also intergenerational effects. We found that weight at weaning had a significant impact on longevity, with heavier individuals living longer. The relative timing of an individual’s birth did not have a significant association with either longevity or LRS. Individuals born to heavier mothers were found to have significantly higher LRS than those born to lighter mothers. Finally, maternal age was found to be significantly associated with their offspring’s LRS, with older mothers having less successful offspring. Our results provide evidence that early life conditions do have lifelong fitness and sometimes intergenerational consequences for Columbian ground squirrels.
{"title":"Born with an advantage: Early life and maternal effects on fitness in female ground squirrels","authors":"Tanner Yuen, Kathreen E Ruckstuhl, April Robin Martinig, Peter Neuhaus","doi":"10.1093/beheco/arae013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arae013","url":null,"abstract":"Lifetime fitness and its determinants are an important topic in the study of behavioural ecology and life-history evolution. Early life conditions comprise some of these determinants, warranting further investigation into their impact. In some mammals, babies born lighter tend to have lower life expectancy than those born heavier, and some of these life-history traits are passed on to offspring, with lighter-born females giving birth to lighter offspring. We investigated how weight at weaning, the relative timing of birth in the season, maternal weight, and maternal age affected the longevity and lifetime reproductive success (LRS) of female Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus). We hypothesized that early life conditions such as offspring weight would not only have lifetime fitness consequences but also intergenerational effects. We found that weight at weaning had a significant impact on longevity, with heavier individuals living longer. The relative timing of an individual’s birth did not have a significant association with either longevity or LRS. Individuals born to heavier mothers were found to have significantly higher LRS than those born to lighter mothers. Finally, maternal age was found to be significantly associated with their offspring’s LRS, with older mothers having less successful offspring. Our results provide evidence that early life conditions do have lifelong fitness and sometimes intergenerational consequences for Columbian ground squirrels.","PeriodicalId":8840,"journal":{"name":"Behavioral Ecology","volume":"46 7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140002775","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rita Fortuna, Rita Covas, Pietro B D’Amelio, Liliana R Silva, Charline Parenteau, Louis Bliard, Fanny Rybak, Claire Doutrelant, Matthieu Paquet
Predation risk can influence behaviour, reproductive investment and, ultimately, individuals’ fitness. In high-risk environments, females often reduce allocation to reproduction, which can affect offspring phenotype and breeding success. In cooperative breeders, helpers contribute to feed the offspring, and groups often live and forage together. Helpers can therefore improve reproductive success, but also influence breeders’ condition, stress levels and predation risk. Yet, whether helper presence can buffer the effects of predation risk on maternal reproductive allocation remains unstudied. Here, we used the cooperatively breeding sociable weaver Philetairus socius to test interactive effects of predation risk and breeding group size on maternal allocation to clutch size, egg mass, yolk mass, and yolk corticosterone. We increased perceived predation risk before egg laying using playbacks of the adults’ main predator, gabar goshawk (Micronisus gabar). We also tested interactive effects of group size and prenatal predator-playbacks on offspring hatching and fledging probability. Predator-exposed females laid eggs with 4% lighter yolks, but predator-calls’ exposure did not clearly affect clutch size, egg mass or egg corticosterone levels. Playback-treatment effects on yolk mass were independent of group size, suggesting that helpers’ presence did not mitigate predation risk effects on maternal allocation. Although predator-induced reductions in yolk mass may decrease nutrients’ availability to offspring, potentially affecting their survival, playback-treatment effects on hatching and fledging success were not evident. The interplay between helper presence and predator effects on maternal reproductive investment is still an overlooked area of life history and physiological evolutionary trade-offs that requires further studies.
{"title":"Interplay of cooperative breeding and predation risk on egg allocation and reproductive output","authors":"Rita Fortuna, Rita Covas, Pietro B D’Amelio, Liliana R Silva, Charline Parenteau, Louis Bliard, Fanny Rybak, Claire Doutrelant, Matthieu Paquet","doi":"10.1093/beheco/arae010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arae010","url":null,"abstract":"Predation risk can influence behaviour, reproductive investment and, ultimately, individuals’ fitness. In high-risk environments, females often reduce allocation to reproduction, which can affect offspring phenotype and breeding success. In cooperative breeders, helpers contribute to feed the offspring, and groups often live and forage together. Helpers can therefore improve reproductive success, but also influence breeders’ condition, stress levels and predation risk. Yet, whether helper presence can buffer the effects of predation risk on maternal reproductive allocation remains unstudied. Here, we used the cooperatively breeding sociable weaver Philetairus socius to test interactive effects of predation risk and breeding group size on maternal allocation to clutch size, egg mass, yolk mass, and yolk corticosterone. We increased perceived predation risk before egg laying using playbacks of the adults’ main predator, gabar goshawk (Micronisus gabar). We also tested interactive effects of group size and prenatal predator-playbacks on offspring hatching and fledging probability. Predator-exposed females laid eggs with 4% lighter yolks, but predator-calls’ exposure did not clearly affect clutch size, egg mass or egg corticosterone levels. Playback-treatment effects on yolk mass were independent of group size, suggesting that helpers’ presence did not mitigate predation risk effects on maternal allocation. Although predator-induced reductions in yolk mass may decrease nutrients’ availability to offspring, potentially affecting their survival, playback-treatment effects on hatching and fledging success were not evident. The interplay between helper presence and predator effects on maternal reproductive investment is still an overlooked area of life history and physiological evolutionary trade-offs that requires further studies.","PeriodicalId":8840,"journal":{"name":"Behavioral Ecology","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140003014","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In species that provide biparental care, there is sexual conflict between parents over how much each should contribute towards caring for their joint offspring. Theoretical models for the resolution of this conflict through behavioral negotiation between parents assume that parents cannot assess their partner’s state directly but do so indirectly by monitoring their partner's contribution. Here, we test whether parents can assess their partner’s state directly by investigating the effect of nutritional state on cooperation between parents in the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides. We used a two-by-two factorial design, in which a well-fed or food-deprived female was paired with a well-fed or food-deprived male. We found that females adjusted their level of care in response to both their own nutritional state and that of their partner and that these decisions were independent of their partner’s contribution. We found no evidence that males responded directly to nutritional state. Males instead responded indirectly based on the contribution of their partner. Our results suggest that parents are able to assess the state of their partner, in contrast to what has been assumed, and that these assessments play an important role in the mediation of sexual conflict between caring parents.
{"title":"Flexible females: nutritional state influences biparental cooperation in a burying beetle","authors":"Georgia A Lambert, Per T Smiseth","doi":"10.1093/beheco/arae009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arae009","url":null,"abstract":"In species that provide biparental care, there is sexual conflict between parents over how much each should contribute towards caring for their joint offspring. Theoretical models for the resolution of this conflict through behavioral negotiation between parents assume that parents cannot assess their partner’s state directly but do so indirectly by monitoring their partner's contribution. Here, we test whether parents can assess their partner’s state directly by investigating the effect of nutritional state on cooperation between parents in the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides. We used a two-by-two factorial design, in which a well-fed or food-deprived female was paired with a well-fed or food-deprived male. We found that females adjusted their level of care in response to both their own nutritional state and that of their partner and that these decisions were independent of their partner’s contribution. We found no evidence that males responded directly to nutritional state. Males instead responded indirectly based on the contribution of their partner. Our results suggest that parents are able to assess the state of their partner, in contrast to what has been assumed, and that these assessments play an important role in the mediation of sexual conflict between caring parents.","PeriodicalId":8840,"journal":{"name":"Behavioral Ecology","volume":"40 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139956939","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Behavior, like most other traits, can have a spatial component and variability of behavior at the population level is predicted. In the present paper we explore male mate choice at this level. Male mate choice, while maybe not as common as female choice, is expected to evolve when males respond to significant variation in female quality and for example prefer females with higher fecundity. In fishes, higher fecundity is associated with larger body size, an easily measured trait. In the present study we investigated the presence of male mate choice for larger females in a widespread species of livebearing fish, Limia perugiae, while comparing preferences between populations. We hypothesized that environmental variation, for example in the form of salinity, might result in population differences. Using dichotomous choice tests, we analyzed behavioral data for 80 individuals from seven distinct populations from Hispaniola. We found that L. perugiae males significantly preferred large females, but that there was no significant statistical variation between populations.
{"title":"No geographical differences in male mate choice in a widespread fish, Limia perugiae","authors":"Chance Powell, Ingo Schlupp","doi":"10.1093/beheco/arae008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arae008","url":null,"abstract":"Behavior, like most other traits, can have a spatial component and variability of behavior at the population level is predicted. In the present paper we explore male mate choice at this level. Male mate choice, while maybe not as common as female choice, is expected to evolve when males respond to significant variation in female quality and for example prefer females with higher fecundity. In fishes, higher fecundity is associated with larger body size, an easily measured trait. In the present study we investigated the presence of male mate choice for larger females in a widespread species of livebearing fish, Limia perugiae, while comparing preferences between populations. We hypothesized that environmental variation, for example in the form of salinity, might result in population differences. Using dichotomous choice tests, we analyzed behavioral data for 80 individuals from seven distinct populations from Hispaniola. We found that L. perugiae males significantly preferred large females, but that there was no significant statistical variation between populations.","PeriodicalId":8840,"journal":{"name":"Behavioral Ecology","volume":"66 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139755267","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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