1
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Da Silva AV, De Almeida JGL, Ventura SPR, Oliveira R, Peixoto PEC. A meta-analysis on alternative mating tactics: when the main and the alternative yield similar reproductive success. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024. [PMID: 39171481 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
In many species, individuals of the same sex exhibit different mating behaviours, a phenomenon known as alternative mating tactics (AMTs). These AMTs may occur in species in which morphology prevents individuals from adopting different tactics (fixed expression of AMTs) as well as in species in which individuals can alternate between them (flexible expression of AMTs). Regardless of the way different mating tactics are expressed, a key point to understanding the selective forces driving AMT evolution relies on identifying differences in the reproductive success between tactics. Empirical studies often indicate that individuals adopting the main tactic (generally the more aggressive) have higher mating success than those adopting the secondary tactic. However, while this is expected for species showing flexible expression of AMTs, the same should not hold for species showing fixed expression of AMTs. In species with fixed expression of AMTs, individuals adopting each tactic have morphological specialisations in acquiring mates that may be responsible for eliminating differences in reproductive success between tactics. Despite such expectations, a comprehensive investigation across species regarding differences in the reproductive success of AMTs is lacking. Using a meta-analytical approach, we investigated if there is a difference in the reproductive success between tactics and whether this difference is related to how these tactics are expressed (fixed or flexible). We focused on males since information on reproductive success for females with AMTs is still scarce. We hypothesised that (i) males adopting the main tactic have higher reproductive success than males adopting the secondary tactic, and (ii) the difference in reproductive success between tactics will be higher in species with flexible rather than fixed expression of AMTs. When all species were pooled, we found that males adopting the main tactic had a similar reproductive success to males adopting the secondary mating tactic. However, this trend changed between species with fixed and flexible expression of AMTs. In species with flexible expression of AMTs, males exhibiting the main tactic have higher mating success than those adopting secondary tactics, while in species with fixed expression of AMTs, males adopting distinct tactics have similar reproductive success. Thus, the widespread assumption that males adopting the main tactic have higher reproductive success than males adopting the secondary tactic may be restricted to species in which individuals can alternate between tactics during their lifespan. However, we found that most data on the reproductive success of males adopting AMTs is restricted to short reproductive windows and may not reflect differences in lifetime reproductive success between tactics. Therefore, we highlight the importance of examining the selective pressures associated with fixed and flexible expression of AMTs on lifetime reproductive success to attain a deeper understanding of AMT evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda V Da Silva
- LASEXIA, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Presidente Antônio Carlos Avenue, 6627, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Evolução e Diversidade, Universidade Federal do ABC, Alameda da Universidade, s/n, São Bernardo do Campo, 09606-045, Brazil
| | - João Gabriel L De Almeida
- LASEXIA, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Presidente Antônio Carlos Avenue, 6627, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Conservação e Manejo da Vida Silvestre, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Presidente Antônio Carlos Avenue, 6627, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Stefânia P R Ventura
- LASEXIA, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Presidente Antônio Carlos Avenue, 6627, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, trav. 14, 101, São Paulo, SP, 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Reisla Oliveira
- LASEXIA, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Presidente Antônio Carlos Avenue, 6627, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Paulo Enrique C Peixoto
- LASEXIA, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Presidente Antônio Carlos Avenue, 6627, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Conservação e Manejo da Vida Silvestre, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Presidente Antônio Carlos Avenue, 6627, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
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2
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Wilkinson GS, Adams DM, Rayner JG. Sex, season, age and status influence urinary steroid hormone profiles in an extremely polygynous neotropical bat. Horm Behav 2024; 164:105606. [PMID: 39059233 PMCID: PMC11330717 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Several polygynous mammals exhibit reproductive skew in which only a few males reproduce. Successful males need strength, stamina and fighting ability to exclude competitors. Consequently, during the mating season their androgens and glucocorticoids are expected to increase to support spermatogenesis and aggressive behavior. But, during the nonmating season these hormones should decline to minimize deleterious effects, such as reduced immune function. Bats that exhibit harem polygyny in which males aggressively defend large groups of females year-round are ideal for assessing hormonal and other consequences of extreme polygyny. Here we use DNA methylation to estimate age and gas chromatography, tandem mass spectrometry to profile steroid metabolites in urine of wild greater spear-nosed bats, Phyllostomus hastatus, across seasons. We find that condition, measured by relative weight, is lower during the mating season for both sexes, although it remains high in harem males during the mating season. Average age of females is greater than males, and females exhibit substantial seasonal differences in androgens, estrogens and glucocorticoids with higher levels of all hormones during the mating season. Males, however, show little seasonal differences but substantial age-associated increases in most steroid metabolites. Harem males have larger, persistently scrotal testes and are older than bachelor males. While cortisone generally declines with age, harem males maintain higher amounts of biologically active cortisol than bachelor males all year and cortisol levels increase more quickly in response to restraint in males than in females. Taken together, these results suggest that attaining reproductive dominance requires hormone levels that reduce lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Danielle M Adams
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742
| | - Jack G Rayner
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742
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3
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Macedo-Rego RC, Jennions MD, Santos ESA. Does the potential strength of sexual selection differ between mating systems with and without defensive behaviours? A meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:1504-1523. [PMID: 38597347 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13078] [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: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
The Darwin-Bateman paradigm predicts that females enhance their fitness by being choosy and mating with high-quality males, while males should compete to mate with as many females as possible. In many species, males enhance their fitness by defending females and/or resources used by females. That is, males directly defend access to mating opportunities. However, paternity analyses have repeatedly shown that females in most species mate polyandrously, which contradicts traditional expectations that male defensive behaviours lead to monandry. Here, in an extensive meta-analysis, encompassing 109 species and 1026 effect sizes from across the animal kingdom, we tested if the occurrence of defensive behaviours modulates sexual selection on females and males. If so, we can illuminate the extent to which males really succeed in defending access to mating and fertilisation opportunities. We used four different indices of the opportunity for sexual selection that comprise pre-mating and/or post-mating episodes of selection. We found, for both sexes, that the occurrence of defensive behaviours does not modulate the potential strength of sexual selection. This implies that male defensive behaviours do not predict the true intensity of sexual selection. While the most extreme levels of sexual selection on males are in species with male defensive behaviours, which indicates that males do sometimes succeed in restricting females' re-mating ability (e.g. elephant seals, Mirounga leonina), estimates of the opportunity for sexual selection vary greatly across species, regardless of whether or not defensive behaviours occur. Indeed, widespread polyandry shows that females are usually not restricted by male defensive behaviours. In addition, our results indicate that post-mating episodes of selection, such as cryptic female choice and sperm competition, might be important factors modulating the opportunity for sexual selection. We discuss: (i) why male defensive behaviours fail to lower the opportunity for sexual selection among females or fail to elevate it for males; (ii) how post-mating events might influence sexual selection; and (iii) the role of females as active participants in sexual selection. We also highlight that inadequate data reporting in the literature prevented us from extracting effect sizes from many studies that had presumably collected the relevant data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renato C Macedo-Rego
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, trav. 14, no. 321, São Paulo, SP 05508-090, Brazil
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Michael D Jennions
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), Wallenberg Centre, 10 Marais Street, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa
| | - Eduardo S A Santos
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, trav. 14, no. 321, São Paulo, SP 05508-090, Brazil
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4
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Mouginot M, Cheng L, Wilson ML, Feldblum JT, Städele V, Wroblewski EE, Vigilant L, Hahn BH, Li Y, Gilby IC, Pusey AE, Surbeck M. Reproductive inequality among males in the genus Pan. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220301. [PMID: 37381849 PMCID: PMC10291431 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Reproductive inequality, or reproductive skew, drives natural selection, but has been difficult to assess, particularly for males in species with promiscuous mating and slow life histories, such as bonobos (Pan paniscus) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Although bonobos are often portrayed as more egalitarian than chimpanzees, genetic studies have found high male reproductive skew in bonobos. Here, we discuss mechanisms likely to affect male reproductive skew in Pan, then re-examine skew patterns using paternity data from published work and new data from the Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve, Democratic Republic of Congo and Gombe National Park, Tanzania. Using the multinomial index (M), we found considerable overlap in skew between the species, but the highest skew occurred among bonobos. Additionally, for two of three bonobo communities, but no chimpanzee communities, the highest ranking male had greater siring success than predicted by priority-of-access. Thus, an expanded dataset covering a broader demographic range confirms that bonobos have high male reproductive skew. Detailed comparison of data from Pan highlights that reproductive skew models should consider male-male dynamics including the effect of between-group competition on incentives for reproductive concessions, but also female grouping patterns and factors related to male-female dynamics including the expression of female choice. This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolutionary ecology of inequality'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maud Mouginot
- Department of Anthropology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Leveda Cheng
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Michael L. Wilson
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
- Institute on the Environment, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Joseph T. Feldblum
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Veronika Städele
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, and Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - Emily E. Wroblewski
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Linda Vigilant
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Beatrice H. Hahn
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yingying Li
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ian C. Gilby
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, and Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Anne E. Pusey
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Martin Surbeck
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig 04103, Germany
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5
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Baird TA, Leibold DC. An experimental field test of female defense in territorial male collared lizards. Behav Ecol 2023. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arac119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
A widely held principle in behavioral ecological research is that polygynous social systems evolve either by direct male defense of females or male defense of resources, although which of these mechanisms applies in particular species is rarely examined experimentally. We tested the relative importance of female versus resource defense in polygynous territorial male collared lizards (Crotaphytus collaris). Using a novel experimental design, we temporarily removed some of the resident females from male territories to create a female-free removal zone, whereas resident females were left intact within a non-removal zone. We then compared activity of males within each zone during three experimental phases; before we removed females, for two days when females were absent, and the day after return of females. If males defend females directly, we expected them to adjust the location of their patrol and display within removal and non-removal zones depending on the presence/absence of females, whereas we expected no such change if males defend resources. Male activity in the removal zone generally decreased when females were removed but then increased when females were replaced, whereas we observed the opposite pattern in the non-removal zone. The observed shifts in the location of patrol and display in response to the presence/absence of females, while resources remained constant, indicate that polygynous male collared lizards defend females directly. Our results suggest that male collared lizards take advantage of strong female philopatry to relatively small areas by focusing their patrol and display activities where potential mates reside.
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Affiliation(s)
- Troy A Baird
- Department of Biology, Center for Wildlife Forensics and Conservation Studies, University of Central Oklahoma , 100 North University Drive, Edmond, OK 73034 , USA
| | - Dalton C Leibold
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University , 46 Sullivan’s Creek Way, Acton, ACT 2601 , Australia
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6
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Zimmermann H, Bose APH, Eisner H, Henshaw JM, Ziegelbecker A, Richter F, Bračun S, Katongo C, Fritzsche K, Sefc KM. Seasonal variation in cuckoldry rates in the socially monogamous cichlid fish Variabilichromis moorii. HYDROBIOLOGIA 2022; 850:2371-2383. [PMID: 37325485 PMCID: PMC10261196 DOI: 10.1007/s10750-022-05042-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Mating patterns in animal populations can respond to environmental conditions and consequently vary across time. To examine this variation in nature, studies must include temporal replicates from the same population. Here, we report temporal variation in genetic parentage in the socially monogamous cichlid Variabilichromis moorii from Lake Tanganyika, using samples of broods and their brood-tending parents that were collected across five field trips from the same study population. The sampled broods were either spawned during the dry season (three field trips) or during the rainy season (two trips). In all seasons, we detected substantial rates of extra-pair paternity, which were ascribed to cuckoldry by bachelor males. Paternity shares of brood-tending males were consistently higher, and the numbers of sires per brood were consistently lower, in broods that were spawned in the dry seasons compared to broods from the rainy seasons. In contrast, the strength of size-assortative pairing in our V. moorii population did not vary temporally. Seasonal fluctuations in environmental conditions, such as water turbidity, are proposed as a mechanism behind variable cuckolder pressure. Our data demonstrate the utility of long-term monitoring to improve our understanding of animal mating patterns. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10750-022-05042-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holger Zimmermann
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Present Address: Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Aneesh P. H. Bose
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Present Address: Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), 90183 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Helgit Eisner
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Present Address: Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Jonathan M. Henshaw
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Present Address: Institute of Biology I, University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Florian Richter
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Sandra Bračun
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Cyprian Katongo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Zambia, Great East Road Campus, P.O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Karoline Fritzsche
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Present Address: Institute of Biology I, University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Kristina M. Sefc
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
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7
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Nichols HJ, Fuchs B, Paijmans AJ, Lewis G, Bonin CA, Goebel ME, Hoffman JI. Where are the beachmasters? Unexpectedly weak polygyny among southern elephant seals on a South Shetland Island. J Zool (1987) 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- H. J. Nichols
- Department of Biosciences Swansea University Swansea UK
- Department of Animal Behaviour University of Bielefeld Bielefeld Germany
| | - B. Fuchs
- Department of Animal Behaviour University of Bielefeld Bielefeld Germany
| | - A. J. Paijmans
- Department of Animal Behaviour University of Bielefeld Bielefeld Germany
| | - G. Lewis
- Department of Biosciences Swansea University Swansea UK
| | - C. A. Bonin
- Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences Hampton University Hampton USA
| | - M. E. Goebel
- Institute of Marine Sciences University of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz CA USA
| | - J. I. Hoffman
- Department of Animal Behaviour University of Bielefeld Bielefeld Germany
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8
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Hex SBSW, Tombak K, Rubenstein DI. A new classification of mammalian uni-male multi-female groups based on the fundamental principles governing inter- and intrasexual relationships. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03046-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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9
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Uchida K, Ng R, Vydro SA, Smith JE, Blumstein DT. The benefits of being dominant: health correlates of male social rank and age in a marmot. Curr Zool 2021; 68:19-26. [PMID: 35169626 PMCID: PMC8836331 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoab034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The benefits of dominance may not come without costs, particularly for males. For example, the “immunocompetence handicap hypothesis” states that males with enhanced mating success allocate resources to enhance reproductive output at a cost to their current health, whereas the “resource quality hypothesis” predicts that high-ranking males may benefit from increased reproduction and good health. Whereas the predictions from each have been well tested in captive animals and in a variety of highly social primates, fewer studies have been carried out in free-living, facultatively social animals. Using adult male yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer), we evaluated predictions of these hypotheses by examining the relationship between social rank and 2 health indicators—fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FCM) levels, and neutrophil/lymphocyte (N/L) ratios—after accounting for variation explained by age, body mass, and seasonality. We found that higher-ranking males tended to have a lower N/L ratio (reflecting good health) than lower-ranking individuals, whereas FCM levels were not significantly related to rank. In addition, heavier male marmots had lower N/L ratios, whereas body mass was not associated with FCM levels. We also found that older adult males had lower FCM levels (reflecting less physiological stress) but higher N/L ratios than younger adults. Finally, we found that FCM levels decreased as the active season progressed and FCM levels were associated with the time of the day. Overall, our results suggest that socially-dominant male marmots enjoyed better, not worse health in terms of lower N/L ratios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenta Uchida
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
| | - Rachel Ng
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
| | - Samuel A Vydro
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
| | - Jennifer E Smith
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
- Department of Biology, Mills College, Oakland, CA 94613, USA
| | - Daniel T Blumstein
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
- The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Crested Butte, CO 81224, USA
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10
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Intrasexual Selection: How Males Compete. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-82879-0_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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11
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Saitoh T. High variation of mitochondrial
DNA
diversity as compared to nuclear microsatellites in mammalian populations. Ecol Res 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1440-1703.12190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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12
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Male condition and group heterogeneity predict extra-group paternity in a Neotropical bat. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02919-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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13
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Airst JI, Lingle S. Male size and alternative mating tactics in white-tailed deer and mule deer. J Mammal 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Within populations, individual males adopt different courtship tactics due to differences in their competitive ability, which may vary depending on the animal’s age and size. To test the hypothesis that mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and white-tailed deer (O. virginianus) males vary their courtship behavior based on their size, we conducted focal observations of 144 mule deer and 85 white-tailed males that varied in size, at a large grassland site in southern Alberta. The smallest mule deer males devoted more time to feeding, were less likely to engage in late-stage courtship than larger males and were less likely to move among female groups. Other males, including small white-tailed males, appeared to use a roving strategy to search for estrous females in different groups, which is consistent with recent research on male movements. Both medium and large males increased the time they spent in one-male groups, and specifically isolated pairs, as courtship advanced, presumably to reduce competition with other males. However, this trend was most pronounced for medium mule deer males, and for all size classes of white-tailed deer. In contrast, large mule deer males spent a similar proportion of time tending females in all group types. Our results identified potential size-dependent tactics for mule deer males. In contrast, white-tailed males of all sizes appeared to rely on a tactic of finding and tending estrous females in isolation from other males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason I Airst
- Department of Biology, The University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Susan Lingle
- Department of Biology, The University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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14
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Huck M, Di Fiore A, Fernandez-Duque E. Of Apples and Oranges? The Evolution of “Monogamy” in Non-human Primates. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
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15
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomeng Guo
- Animal Behaviour Group Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour McMaster University Hamilton ON Canada
| | - Reuven Dukas
- Animal Behaviour Group Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour McMaster University Hamilton ON Canada
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16
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“Nose-metrics” of wild southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) males using image analysis and geometric morphometrics. J ZOOL SYST EVOL RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/jzs.12276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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17
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Zappes IA, Fabiani A, Sbordoni V, Rakaj A, Palozzi R, Allegrucci G. New data on Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) colonies: A genetic analysis of a top predator from the Ross Sea, Antarctica. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0182922. [PMID: 28796829 PMCID: PMC5552091 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In this paper, we studied the genetic variability in Weddell seal from colonies in Terra Nova Bay and Wood Bay, both sites located in the Ross Sea area, Antarctica. Two mitochondrial genes and one nuclear gene, with different mutation rates, were sequenced to investigate the haplotype diversity of the colonies and to test for a possible recent expansion. Fifteen microsatellites were used to analyze their genetic structure. Sequenced genes and microsatellites were also used to estimate the effective population size of the studied colonies and the Ross Sea seal population. The Ross Sea has a high density population of Weddel seals, with an estimated effective number of 50,000 females, and 1,341 individuals for the sampling area, possibly due to its high primary production. The colonies showed high diversity (Hd > 0.90) and many exclusive haplotypes (> 75%), likely a consequence of the surprisingly high site fidelity of Weddell seals, despite the proximity of the colonies. Nevertheless, there was low microsatellite differentiation between colonies, suggesting that they are part of a single larger population. Their expansion seemed to have started during the last glacial cycle (around 58,000 years ago), indicating that the Ross Sea seal populations have been present in the area for long time, probably due to the lack of hunting by humans and terrestrial predation. As a top predator, the role of Weddell seals in the Ross Sea ecology is crucial, and its demographic dynamics should be monitored to follow the future changes of such an important ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ighor Antunes Zappes
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Lazio, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Anna Fabiani
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Lazio, Italy
| | - Valerio Sbordoni
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Lazio, Italy
| | - Arnold Rakaj
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Lazio, Italy
| | - Roberto Palozzi
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Lazio, Italy
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McMahon CR, Harcourt RG, Burton HR, Daniel O, Hindell MA. Seal mothers expend more on offspring under favourable conditions and less when resources are limited. J Anim Ecol 2017; 86:359-370. [PMID: 27859273 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2016] [Accepted: 11/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
In mammals, maternal expenditure on offspring is a complex mix of several factors including the species' mating system, offspring sex and the condition and age of the mother. While theory suggests that in polygynous species mothers should wean larger male offspring than females when resources and maternal conditions allow, the evidence for this remains equivocal. Southern elephant seals are highly dimorphic, polygynous capital breeders existing in an environment with highly variable resources and should therefore provide clear evidence to support the theoretical expectations of differential maternal expenditure in male and female pups. We quantified maternal size (mass and length) and pup size at birth and weaning for 342 elephant seal mothers at Macquarie Island. The study was conducted over 11 years of contrasting sea-ice and Southern Annular Mode values, both indices of maternal prey resources. Overall, large females weaned male pups that weighed 17 kg (15·5%) more than female pups. Maternal condition varied by as much as 59 kg among years, and was positively related to Southern Annular Mode, and negatively to maximum sea-ice extent. Smaller mothers weaned relatively larger male pups under favourable conditions, this effect was less apparent for larger mothers. We developed a simple model linking environmental variation to maternal masses post-partum, followed by maternal masses post-partum to weaning masses and then weaning masses to pup survival and demonstrated that environmental conditions affected predicted survival so that the pups of small mothers had an estimated 7% increase in first year survival in 'good' vs. 'bad' years compared to 1% for female pups of large mothers. Co-occurrence of environmental quality and conservative reproductive tactics suggests that mothers retain substantial plasticity in maternal care, enhancing their lifetime reproductive success by adjusting reproductive expenditure relative to both prevailing environmental conditions and their own capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clive R McMahon
- Sydney Institute of Marine Science, 19 Chowder Bay Road, Mosman, NSW, 2088, Australia.,Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 129, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia.,Marine Predator Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Robert G Harcourt
- Marine Predator Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Harry R Burton
- Australian Antarctic Division, Channel Highway, Kingston, TAS, 7050, Australia
| | - Owen Daniel
- Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 129, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia
| | - Mark A Hindell
- Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 129, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia.,Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia
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Roberts SJ, Cords M. Life as a bachelor: quantifying the success of an alternative reproductive tactic in male blue monkeys. PeerJ 2015; 3:e1043. [PMID: 26131380 PMCID: PMC4485239 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 05/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In species that live in one-male groups, resident males monopolize access to a group of females and are assumed to have higher reproductive success than bachelors. We tested this assumption using genetic, demographic, and behavioral data from 8 groups of wild blue monkeys observed over 10 years to quantify reproduction by residents and bachelors and compare the success of the two tactics. We used maximum-likelihood methods to assign sires to 104 offspring born in the study groups, 36 of which were sired by extra-group males, i.e., residents of neighboring groups and bachelors. Among these extra-group males, high-ranking males (many of whom were neighboring residents) were more likely to sire offspring than low-ranking males, but the time these visiting males spent in the mother’s group when she conceived (male presence) did not predict their relative success. When bachelors competed for reproduction with other bachelors, neither rank nor male presence during the mother’s conceptive period affected the probability of siring an offspring, suggesting that highly opportunistic mating with conceptive females is important in bachelor reproduction. In a second analysis, we used long-term data to estimate resident and bachelor reproductive success over the long term, and particularly to determine if there are any circumstances in which a typical bachelor may sire as many offspring as a typical resident during one or two periods of residency. Our findings generally support the assumption of a resident reproductive advantage because in most circumstances, a lifelong bachelor would be unable to sire as many offspring as a resident. However, a bachelor who performs at the average rate in the average number of groups for several years may have similar lifetime reproductive success as a male whose reproduction is limited to one short period of residency, especially in a small group. Our findings suggest that one should not assume a resident reproductive advantage for males in one-male groups in all circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Jen Roberts
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University , New York, NY , USA ; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology , New York, NY , USA ; New Knowledge Organization Ltd. , New York, NY , USA
| | - Marina Cords
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University , New York, NY , USA ; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology , New York, NY , USA
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20
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Franco-Trecu V, Costa P, Schramm Y, Tassino B, Inchausti P. Sex on the rocks: reproductive tactics and breeding success of South American fur seal males. Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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21
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Georgiev AV, Russell AF, Emery Thompson M, Otali E, Muller MN, Wrangham RW. The Foraging Costs of Mating Effort in Male Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii). INT J PRIMATOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-014-9788-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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22
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Meise K, Piedrahita P, Krüger O, Trillmich F. Being on time: size-dependent attendance patterns affect male reproductive success. Anim Behav 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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23
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Parker P, Maniscalco JM. A long-term study reveals multiple reproductive behavior strategies among territorial adult male Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus). CAN J ZOOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2013-0099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
We conducted a long-term study to assess how tenure and territorial behaviors influence reproductive success among male Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus (Schreber, 1776)). Copulations by males (n = 44) that maintained territories on a rookery in the Gulf of Alaska from 2001 to 2009 were observed using a remote video system. Approximately half of postpartum females copulated with a male in a different territory from where they gave birth. Nearly two-thirds of territorial males with known tenure were unsuccessful in copulating during their first year. Number of copulations for territorial males increased from acquisition year to year 2 with no change in subsequent years. Cluster analysis of tenure and territorial tactic variables for 15 males with observed lifetime reproductive success was used to describe multiple reproductive strategies. Characteristics of the two most successful strategies were the following: (i) males typically copulated in their first year, retained the same territories for 3–5 years, and occupied centrally located coastal territories where the highest percentage of females gave birth and (ii) males did not copulate until at least their third year and occupied peripheral territories with fewer births for a longer tenure of 7–8 years. Results indicated that lifetime reproductive success was not achieved solely by time on the breeding area; rather, it was achieved from a combination of tenure and territorial tactics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Parker
- Alaska SeaLife Center, P.O. Box 1329, Seward, AK 99664, USA
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24
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Roberts SJ, Nikitopoulos E, Cords M. Factors affecting low resident male siring success in one-male groups of blue monkeys. Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Desprez M, McMahon CR, Hindell MA, Harcourt R, Gimenez O. Known unknowns in an imperfect world: incorporating uncertainty in recruitment estimates using multi-event capture-recapture models. Ecol Evol 2013; 3:4658-68. [PMID: 24363895 PMCID: PMC3867902 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2013] [Revised: 09/17/2013] [Accepted: 09/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Studying the demography of wild animals remains challenging as several of the critical parts of their life history may be difficult to observe in the field. In particular, determining with certainty when an individual breeds for the first time is not always obvious. This can be problematic because uncertainty about the transition from a prebreeder to a breeder state - recruitment - leads to uncertainty in vital rate estimates and in turn in population projection models. To avoid this issue, the common practice is to discard imperfect data from the analyses. However, this practice can generate a bias in vital rate estimates if uncertainty is related to a specific component of the population and reduces the sample size of the dataset and consequently the statistical power to detect effects of biological interest. Here, we compared the demographic parameters assessed from a standard multistate capture-recapture approach to the estimates obtained from the newly developed multi-event framework that specifically accounts for uncertainty in state assessment. Using a comprehensive longitudinal dataset on southern elephant seals, we demonstrated that the multi-event model enabled us to use all the data collected (6639 capture-recapture histories vs. 4179 with the multistate model) by accounting for uncertainty in breeding states, thereby increasing the precision and accuracy of the demographic parameter estimates. The multi-event model allowed us to incorporate imperfect data into demographic analyses. The gain in precision obtained has important implications in the conservation and management of species because limiting uncertainty around vital rates will permit predicting population viability with greater accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Desprez
- Marine Predator Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie UniversityNorth Ryde, 2109, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Clive R McMahon
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of TasmaniaHobart, 7001, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Mark A Hindell
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of TasmaniaHobart, 7001, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Robert Harcourt
- Marine Predator Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie UniversityNorth Ryde, 2109, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Olivier Gimenez
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, campus CNRS, UMR 51751919 Route de Mende, Montpellier Cedex 5, 34293, France
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Rose E, Paczolt KA, Jones AG. The Contributions of Premating and Postmating Selection Episodes to Total Selection in Sex-Role-Reversed Gulf Pipefish. Am Nat 2013; 182:410-20. [DOI: 10.1086/671233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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González-Suárez M, Cassini MH. Variance in male reproductive success and sexual size dimorphism in pinnipeds: testing an assumption of sexual selection theory. Mamm Rev 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Manuela González-Suárez
- Department of Conservation Biology; Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC; Calle Américo Vespucio s/n 41092 Sevilla Spain
| | - Marcelo H. Cassini
- Behavioural Biology Lab; IBYME-CONICET; Obligado 2490 1428 Buenos Aires Argentina
- Group of Studies in Ecology of Mammals; DCB; Universidad de Luján; Rutas 5 y 7 6700 Buenos Aires Argentina
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Georgiev AV, Klimczuk ACE, Traficonte DM, Maestripieri D. When Violence Pays: A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Aggressive Behavior in Animals and Humans. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2013; 11:678-699. [PMCID: PMC10426886 DOI: 10.1177/147470491301100313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2012] [Revised: 11/09/2012] [Accepted: 11/09/2012] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
An optimization analysis of human behavior from a comparative perspective can improve our understanding of the adaptiveness of human nature. Intra-specific competition for resources provides the main selective pressure for the evolution of violent aggression toward conspecifics, and variation in the fitness benefits and costs of aggression can account for inter-specific and inter-individual differences in aggressiveness. When aggression reflects competition for resources, its benefits vary in relation to the characteristics of the resources (their intrinsic value, abundance, spatial distribution, and controllability) while its costs vary in relation to the characteristics of organisms and how they fight (which, in turn, affects the extent to which aggression entails risk of physical injury or death, energetic depletion, exposure to predation, psychological and physiological stress, or damage to social relationships). Humans are a highly aggressive species in comparison to other animals, probably as a result of an unusually high benefit-to-cost ratio for intra-specific aggression. This conclusion is supported by frequent and widespread occurrence of male-male coalitionary killing and by male-female sexual coercion. Sex differences in violent aggression in humans and other species probably evolved by sexual selection and reflect different optimal competitive strategies for males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Dario Maestripieri
- Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, Illinois, USA
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29
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Isolation and cross-species amplification of novel microsatellite loci in a charismatic marine mammal species, the northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris). CONSERV GENET RESOUR 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s12686-012-9741-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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30
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Mobley KB, Jones AG. OVERCOMING STATISTICAL BIAS TO ESTIMATE GENETIC MATING SYSTEMS IN OPEN POPULATIONS: A COMPARISON OF BATEMAN'S PRINCIPLES BETWEEN THE SEXES IN A SEX-ROLE-REVERSED PIPEFISH. Evolution 2012; 67:646-60. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2012.01819.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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31
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Schindler S, Breidbach O, Jost J. Preferring the fittest mates: an analytically tractable model. J Theor Biol 2012; 317:30-8. [PMID: 23036914 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2012.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2012] [Revised: 09/17/2012] [Accepted: 09/18/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
We develop an analytically tractable model of female preference for fit mates. Our population-genetic model allows to trace the dynamics at both the individual and the population level. The preference for fit mates links ecological adaptation and mating success is individually advantageous and causes polymorphic subpopulations. This polymorphism is a strong and stable clustering in genotype and phenotype space. The alleles coding for the mating preference spread rapidly through the population, thereby increasing the selection pressure between different habitats. The resulting polymorphism exceeds the expected selection-migration equilibrium by several orders of magnitude. The evolution of preference for fit mates can, thus, act as the trigger for parapatric speciation because it initiates prezygotic isolation and divergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Schindler
- Imperial College London, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, SL5 7PY, United Kingdom.
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Fitzpatrick JL, Almbro M, Gonzalez-Voyer A, Kolm N, Simmons LW. MALE CONTEST COMPETITION AND THE COEVOLUTION OF WEAPONRY AND TESTES IN PINNIPEDS. Evolution 2012; 66:3595-604. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2012.01713.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Lidgard D, Bowen W, Boness D. Longitudinal changes and consistency in male physical and behavioural traits have implications for mating success in the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus). CAN J ZOOL 2012. [DOI: 10.1139/z2012-053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
We examined age-related changes and consistency in physical and behavioural traits of 20 male grey seals ( Halichoerus grypus (Fabricius, 1791)) and implications for a proxy of mating success (number of oestrous females attended) over four successive breeding seasons on Sable Island, Canada. Across the study, young males (10–15 years) gained body mass, while old males (23–31 years) lost body mass. Body length was an important determinant of tenure (time spent at a site among females) and males of all ages exhibited a high level of consistency in duration of tenure (r = 0.40–0.50). In young males, our proxy of success showed a strong relationship with arrival body mass and also exhibited a high level of consistency (r = 0.50). None of the physical traits measured explained variation in success by exhibiting mating tactics that did not involve tenure, which is likely due to the opportunistic nature of those tactics. Whereas young male grey seals exhibited age-dependent improvements in success owing to changes in their physical state, later in life physical traits were less influential and suggest that nonphysical traits may compensate for a deteriorating physical state and its impact on male success.
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Affiliation(s)
- D.C. Lidgard
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - W.D. Bowen
- Population Ecology Division, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 4A2, Canada
| | - D.J. Boness
- Department of Conservation Biology, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20008, USA
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Ingalls V. Sex Differences in the Creation of Fictional Heroes with Particular Emphasis on Female Heroes and Superheroes in Popular Culture: Insights from Evolutionary Psychology. REVIEW OF GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY 2012. [DOI: 10.1037/a0027917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Cultural and psychological perspectives have been used to examine the characteristics of modern fictional heroes, but rarely if ever has an evolutionary approach been applied to this topic, an approach that could be quite enlightening. Evolutionary psychology suggests that sexual selection will have shaped differences in the underlying behavioral tendencies of males and females. Specifically, the higher parental investment of females makes establishing dominance more valuable to males and the helping of family members more valuable for females. If this is true, evolved differences manifesting themselves in the subconscious could influence the characteristics of the fictional heroes created by each sex. Here, I use a preliminary examination of female superheroes from the popular media to help frame an exploration of these predicted sex differences, which is followed by a more systematic approach examining heroes found in recent children's fantasy novels. If there are evolved differences, the female heroes created by men are expected to be more physically powerful and exhibit more displays of physical power than those created by women. In addition, the primary goal of the two types should also differ, with female-generated heroes displaying more concern for family members. Analyzing these characters using evolutionary psychology is compared to previous approaches. If the evolutionary approach proves to be valid, this new method of hero comparisons should be of interest to those studying gender issues and role models for girls.
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Crocker DE, Houser DS, Webb PM. Impact of Body Reserves on Energy Expenditure, Water Flux, and Mating Success in Breeding Male Northern Elephant Seals. Physiol Biochem Zool 2012; 85:11-20. [DOI: 10.1086/663634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Grandi MF, de Oliveira LR, Dans SL, Crespo E. A hunted population in recovery: Effective population size for South American sea lions from Patagonia. ANIM BIOL 2012. [DOI: 10.1163/157075612x642941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Effective population size () is a parameter of central importance in evolutionary biology and conservation. Factors such as unequal sex ratios of breeding individuals, periodic fluctuation in population size and variance in reproductive success can affect the in general. At present, South American sea lions, Otaria flavescens, from northern Patagonia, Argentina, belongs to one of the several populations that are recovering from overhunting which occurred in the early 20th century. Here, we present the estimate of for this population that takes into account the effects of their polygynous mating system and variation in population size through time. The resultant overall ’s were 4171 ± 2450 or 4745 ± 2681 breeding animals depending on the inclusion of peripheral adult males. The estimated ’s are not critical, because they are close to the average mean minimum viable population for vertebrates (5000 breeding adults). Even though the northern Patagonian population of O. flavescens is increasing its abundance is still far below its historical numbers. The estimated should be considered the minimum range to be maintained, especially in light of bycatch related to fishery interactions along the Patagonian coast. We emphasise the importance of estimating for future management plans of the species within different populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Florencia Grandi
- 1Laboratorio de Mamíferos Marinos, Centro Nacional Patagónico-CONICET, Bvd. Brown 2915, 9120 Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
| | - Larissa R. de Oliveira
- 2Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), Avenida Unisinos 950, 93022-000 São Leopoldo, RS, Brazil
- 3Grupo de Estudos de Mamíferos Aquáticos do Rio Grande do Sul (GEMARS), Rua Felipe Neri 382/203, 90440-150 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Silvana L. Dans
- 1Laboratorio de Mamíferos Marinos, Centro Nacional Patagónico-CONICET, Bvd. Brown 2915, 9120 Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
- 4Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Bvd. Brown 3051, 9120 Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
| | - Enrique A. Crespo
- 1Laboratorio de Mamíferos Marinos, Centro Nacional Patagónico-CONICET, Bvd. Brown 2915, 9120 Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
- 4Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Bvd. Brown 3051, 9120 Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
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Wiszniewski J, Corrigan S, Beheregaray LB, Möller LM. Male reproductive success increases with alliance size in Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus). J Anim Ecol 2011; 81:423-31. [PMID: 21981240 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2011.01910.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
1. Determining the extent of variation in male mating strategies and reproductive success is necessary to understand the fitness benefits of social and cooperative behaviour. 2. This study assesses the reproductive success of male Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins in a small embayment population where different behavioural strategies of males have previously been identified. Parentage for 44 sampled calves was examined using 23 microsatellite loci and one mitochondrial DNA marker. Our candidate parent pool of 70 males and 64 females contained individuals sampled from both the embayment and adjacent coastal populations. 3. A moderate level of polygyny was detected in our sample. We assigned paternity of 23 calves to 12 males at the strict 95% confidence level and an additional nine calves to two males at the 80% confidence level. The majority (92%) of successful males were identified as residents to the embayment, and 46% of offspring were located within the same social group or community as their father. 4. Our results suggest that the size of alliances was the best predictor of reproductive success for males in this population, while the strength of association among allied males, alliance stability and male ranging patterns had little influence. In line with predictions for male alliances formed between unrelated individuals, we found that reproductive skew within alliances was not large. 5. Together, our genetic and behavioural analyses demonstrate that alliance formation between male dolphins is a successful strategy to enhance reproductive output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Wiszniewski
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia.
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38
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de Bruyn P, Tosh C, Bester M, Cameron E, McIntyre T, Wilkinson I. Sex at sea: alternative mating system in an extremely polygynous mammal. Anim Behav 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Lindenfors P, Tullberg BS. Evolutionary aspects of aggression the importance of sexual selection. ADVANCES IN GENETICS 2011; 75:7-22. [PMID: 22078475 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-380858-5.00009-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Aggressive behaviors in animals, for example, threat, attack, and defense, are commonly related to competition over resources, competition over mating opportunities, or fights for survival. In this chapter, we focus on aggressive competition over mating opportunities, since this competition explains much of the distribution of weaponry and large body size, but also because this type of competition sheds light on the sex skew in the use of violence in mammals, including humans. Darwin (1871) termed this type of natural selection, where differences in reproductive success are caused by competition over mates, sexual selection. Not all species have a pronounced competition over mates, however. Instead, this aspect of sociality is ultimately determined by ecological factors. In species where competition over mates is rampant, this has evolutionary effects on weaponry and body size such that males commonly bear more vicious weapons and are larger than females. A review of sexual selection in mammals reveals how common aggressive competition over mating opportunities is in this group. Nearly half of all mammal species exhibit male-biased sexual size dimorphism, a pattern that is clearly linked to sexual selection. Sexual selection is also common in primates, where it has left clear historical imprints in body mass differences, in weaponry differences (canines), and also in brain structure differences. However, when comparing humans to our closest living primate relatives, it is clear that the degree of male sexual competition has decreased in the hominid lineage. Nevertheless, our species displays dimorphism, polygyny, and sex-specific use of violence typical of a sexually selected mammal. Understanding the biological background of aggressive behaviors is fundamental to understanding human aggression.
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HIRSCH BENT, MALDONADO JESUSE. Familiarity breeds progeny: sociality increases reproductive success in adult male ring-tailed coatis (Nasua nasua). Mol Ecol 2010; 20:409-19. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2010.04940.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Pörschmann U, Trillmich F, Mueller B, Wolf JBW. Male reproductive success and its behavioural correlates in a polygynous mammal, the Galápagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki). Mol Ecol 2010; 19:2574-86. [PMID: 20497325 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2010.04665.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Sexual selection theory predicts competitive males and choosy females. Nevertheless, since molecular marker-based studies, paternity outside the expected mating patterns has increasingly been described. Even in highly polygynous systems, where paternity is expected to be strongly skewed towards large, dominant males, alternative mating tactics have been suggested. We examined reproductive success in the polygynous Galápagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki). Semiaquatic territoriality allows females to move freely and may lower the degree of polygyny otherwise suggested by both territorial behaviour and strong sexual dimorphism. We assigned paternities with 22 microsatellites and analysed how male reproductive success was related to size, dominance status, intra-sexual agonistic behaviour, proximity to females, and attendance in the colony. Male behaviour was consistent across two seasons for all parameters under consideration. Attendance was by far the most important determinant of paternal success. Skew in reproductive success towards large, dominant males was weak and dominance status played no role. This appears to be caused by an extremely long reproductive season lasting five or more months, making it difficult for any male to monopolize receptive females. Females seem to choose displaying males that were present in the colony for a long time rather than dominance per se. Sexual dimorphism in Galápagos sea lions may thus be more influenced by selection for fasting than fighting ability. Our data provide further evidence for alternative mating tactics, as several males gained relatively high reproductive success despite short attendance and hardly any involvement in agonistic interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Pörschmann
- Department of Behavioural Biology, Bielefeld University, Morgenbreede 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
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de Bruyn M, Hall BL, Chauke LF, Baroni C, Koch PL, Hoelzel AR. Rapid response of a marine mammal species to holocene climate and habitat change. PLoS Genet 2009; 5:e1000554. [PMID: 19593366 PMCID: PMC2700269 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1000554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2009] [Accepted: 06/09/2009] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental change drives demographic and evolutionary processes that determine diversity within and among species. Tracking these processes during periods of change reveals mechanisms for the establishment of populations and provides predictive data on response to potential future impacts, including those caused by anthropogenic climate change. Here we show how a highly mobile marine species responded to the gain and loss of new breeding habitat. Southern elephant seal, Mirounga leonina, remains were found along the Victoria Land Coast (VLC) in the Ross Sea, Antarctica, 2,500 km from the nearest extant breeding site on Macquarie Island (MQ). This habitat was released after retreat of the grounded ice sheet in the Ross Sea Embayment 7,500–8,000 cal YBP, and is within the range of modern foraging excursions from the MQ colony. Using ancient mtDNA and coalescent models, we tracked the population dynamics of the now extinct VLC colony and the connectivity between this and extant breeding sites. We found a clear expansion signal in the VLC population ∼8,000 YBP, followed by directional migration away from VLC and the loss of diversity at ∼1,000 YBP, when sea ice is thought to have expanded. Our data suggest that VLC seals came initially from MQ and that some returned there once the VLC habitat was lost, ∼7,000 years later. We track the founder-extinction dynamics of a population from inception to extinction in the context of Holocene climate change and present evidence that an unexpectedly diverse, differentiated breeding population was founded from a distant source population soon after habitat became available. In order to understand how biodiversity is generated and maintained over time, we need to understand the process by which populations form and diverge. Natural variation within species is typically partitioned among populations, which sometimes forms the basis for speciation events. One mechanism for the establishment of novel variation at the population level is through a response to emerging habitat. Here we use data from ancient DNA to show how elephant seal populations responded when new breeding habitat was gained and then lost over the course of approximately 7,000 years. We show that the seals quickly took advantage of newly available breeding habitat, far from the nearest extant breeding site, and that a highly diverse and genetically differentiated population was established over a matter of generations. The key factors were likely the abundant local food resource and extensive physical habitat that allowed rapid expansion after the initial founder event and a tendency for females to return to annual breeding sites in this species. Tracking the founder-extinction dynamics of historical populations provides insight into the likely implications of future environmental change. This is an important tool in our efforts to mitigate the impact of human-induced change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark de Bruyn
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Durham, Durham, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (MdB); (ARH)
| | - Brenda L. Hall
- Climate Change Institute and Department of Earth Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, United States of America
| | - Lucas F. Chauke
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Carlo Baroni
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paul L. Koch
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - A. Rus Hoelzel
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Durham, Durham, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (MdB); (ARH)
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Hoffman JI, Forcada J. Genetic Analysis of Twinning in Antarctic Fur Seals (Arctocephalus gazella). J Mammal 2009. [DOI: 10.1644/08-mamm-a-264r1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Reichard M, Ondračková M, Bryjová A, Smith C, Bryja J. BREEDING RESOURCE DISTRIBUTION AFFECTS SELECTION GRADIENTS ON MALE PHENOTYPIC TRAITS: EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON LIFETIME REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS IN THE BITTERLING FISH (RHODEUS AMARUS). Evolution 2009; 63:377-90. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2008.00572.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Variation in offspring sex ratio among individual Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) females of different quality. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2008. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-008-0596-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Mainguy J, Côté SD, Cardinal E, Houle M. Mating tactics and mate choice in relation to age and social rank in male mountain goats. J Mammal 2008. [DOI: 10.1644/07-mamm-a-234r.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Abstract
For humans and many other animals, gender is a fact of life. Most individuals are born either male or female and their sex will have an enormous influence on their behaviour, physiology and life history. In this review, I consider the effect gender has on lifespan. In particular, I discuss the role played by behaviour, immunity and oxidative damage in determining sex-dependent differences in longevity. I consider existing explanations for the effect of gender on lifespan and how these explanations fit together. Finally, I expand on the recent suggestion of a key role for the insulin/IGF-1 signalling pathway in regulating sex-dependent differences in lifespan and I highlight a number of areas for future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin C May
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
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Galimberti F, Sanvito S, Braschi C, Boitani L. The cost of success: reproductive effort in male southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2007. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-007-0450-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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