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1. Acoustic communication in zebra finches signals when mates will take turns with parental duties

Author

Emilie C. Perez, Ingrid C.A. Boucaud, Simon C. Griffith, Clémentine Vignal, Lauriane S. Ramos, Ecologie et Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielles (ENES), Université Jean Monnet [Saint-Étienne] (UJM), Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay (NeuroPSI), Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 (UP11)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Department of Brain, Behaviour and Evolution, and Macquarie University

Subjects
0106 biological sciences, Reproductive success, biology, [SDV.NEU.PC]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Neurons and Cognition [q-bio.NC]/Psychology and behavior, Ecology, Repertoire, [SDV.NEU.NB]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Neurons and Cognition [q-bio.NC]/Neurobiology, 05 social sciences, Foraging, [SDV.NEU.SC]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Neurons and Cognition [q-bio.NC]/Cognitive Sciences, biology.organism_classification, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, Sexual conflict, Nest, behavior and behavior mechanisms, 0501 psychology and cognitive sciences, Animal Science and Zoology, 050102 behavioral science & comparative psychology, Paternal care, Zebra finch, Social psychology, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Taeniopygia
Abstract

International audience; Bi-parental care may involve both cooperation and conflict between parents. Parents adjust their workload to that of their partner and this ability is likely to affect reproductive success. Whether mates communicate, either to resolve the sexual conflict or to coordinate their joint investment in parental care is a largely unaddressed question which we examined by recording wild zebra finches at the nest during incubation. Zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) partners produce vocal exchanges at the nest that can be characterized as duets. Some duets end in nest-relief (when birds take turns incubating and foraging) but some do not (when the foraging mate vocally interacts with its incubating partner by coming inside or in the vicinity of the nest). Our data indicate that the structure of the duet predicted its outcome (relief or not), with a parent calling differently before leaving or staying in the nest by modifying its vocal repertoire as well as the acoustic structure of one particular call type which is typically used inside the nest. Zebra finch partners may thus exchange on the time to take turns with parental duties. Our results show that acoustic communication between partners might be of importance in the organization of parental care and could help in understanding sexual conflict resolution or cooperation phenomena in future studies.

Published
2017
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2. Variation in Reproductive Success Across Captive Populations: Methodological Differences, Potential Biases and Opportunities

Author

Malika Ihle, Ingrid C.A. Boucaud, Joanna Rutkowska, Susan D. Healy, Neeltje J. Boogert, Laura L. Hurley, Samuel C. Andrew, Larissa Trompf, Tony D. Williams, John P. Swaddle, Marie-Jeanne Holveck, Wolfgang Forstmeier, Stephanie Bittner, Davina L. Hill, Maeve McMahon, Carlos Alonso-Alvarez, E. Tobias Krause, Meghan S. Martin-Wintle, Ondi L. Crino, Marc Naguib, Katherine L. Buchanan, Avelyne S. Villain, Katharina Riebel, Ida E. Bailey, Nora H. Prior, Michael Tobler, Ana Angela Romero-Haro, Luke S.C. McCowan, Valeria Marasco, Nick J. Royle, Ian R. Hartley, David F. Clayton, Mylene M. Mariette, Clémentine Vignal, Claire W. Varian-Ramos, Barbara A. Caspers, Andreas Nord, Lauren M. Guillette, Pat Monaghan, Mariusz Cichoń, Elizabeth Adkins-Regan, Dominique A. Potvin, Simon C. Griffith, Ruedi G. Nager, Sébastien Derégnaucourt, Michael Briga, Fumiaki Y. Nomano, Mark C. Mainwaring, Winnie Boner, Peri E. Bolton, Wiebke Schuett, Department of Brain, Behaviour and Evolution, Macquarie University, Department of Psychology, Cornell University [New York], Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), Institute of Biodiversity, University of Glasgow, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay (NeuroPSI), Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 (UP11)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Ecologie et Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielles (ENES), Université Jean Monnet [Saint-Étienne] (UJM), Institute of Environmental Sciences, Uniwersytet Jagielloński w Krakowie = Jagiellonian University (UJ), Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Laboratoire Éthologie Cognition Développement (LECD), Université Paris Nanterre (UPN), Department of Animal and Plant Sciences [Sheffield], University of Sheffield [Sheffield], Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, School of animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand [Johannesburg] (WITS), Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro), Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, Department of Zoology (The University of British Columbia), University of British Columbia (UBC), Cornell University, Institut des Neurosciences de Paris-Saclay (Neuro-PSI), Jagiellonian University [Krakow] (UJ), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UM3)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), University of St Andrews. School of Biology, University of St Andrews. Institute of Behavioural and Neural Sciences, University of St Andrews. Centre for Social Learning & Cognitive Evolution, University of St Andrews. Centre for Biological Diversity, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud]), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UM3), Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Étienne (UJM), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), and Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])

Subjects
0106 biological sciences, 0301 basic medicine, PHOTOPERIODIC REGULATION, Range (biology), QH301 Biology, [SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio], Captivity, [SHS.PSY]Humanities and Social Sciences/Psychology, zebra finch, reproductive failure, 01 natural sciences, Z60, SEXUAL SELECTION, Behavioral Ecology, Z609, INCUBATION BEHAVIOR, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, biology, PE&RC, 3. Good health, MATE CHOICE, model species, Gedragsecologie, captivity, Sexual selection, MALE ZEBRA FINCHES, CORTICOSTERONE LEVELS, husbandry, NDAS, Zoology, captive breeding, 010603 evolutionary biology, 03 medical and health sciences, QH301, EXPERIMENTAL MANIPULATION, domestication, Captive breeding, Parental investment, Zebra finch, Taeniopygia guttata, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, FINCH TAENIOPYGIA-GUTTATA, Zebra finch, Reproductive success, zebra finch, PARENTAL INVESTMENT, biology.organism_classification, 030104 developmental biology, GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY, Evolutionary biology, WIAS, Animal Science and Zoology, Taeniopygia
Abstract

Our understanding of fundamental organismal biology has been disproportionately influenced by studies of a relatively small number of ‘model’ species extensively studied in captivity. Laboratory populations of model species are commonly subject to a number of forms of past and current selection that may affect experimental outcomes. Here, we examine these processes and their outcomes in one of the most widely used vertebrate species in the laboratory – the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). This important model species is used for research across a broad range of fields, partly due to the ease with which it can be bred in captivity. However despite this perceived amenability, we demonstrate extensive variation in the success with which different laboratories and studies bred their subjects, and overall only 64% of all females that were given the opportunity, bred successfully in the laboratory. We identify and review several environmental, husbandry, life-history and behavioural factors that potentially contribute to this variation. The variation in reproductive success across individuals could lead to biases in experimental outcomes and drive some of the heterogeneity in research outcomes across studies. The zebra finch remains an excellent captive animal system and our aim is to sharpen the insight that future studies of this species can provide, both to our understanding of this species and also with respect to the reproduction of captive animals more widely. We hope to improve systematic reporting methods and that further investigation of the issues we raise will lead both to advances in our fundamental understanding of avian reproduction as well as to improvements in future welfare and experimental efficiency.

Published
2016
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3. Corticosterone triggers high-pitched nestlings’ begging calls and affects parental behavior in the wild zebra finch

Author

Emilie C. Perez, Simon C. Griffith, Précillia Cochard, Christophe O. Soulage, Mylene M. Mariette, Clémentine Vignal, Ecologie et Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielles (ENES), Université Jean Monnet [Saint-Étienne] (UJM), Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay (NeuroPSI), Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 (UP11)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Cardiovasculaire, métabolisme, diabétologie et nutrition (CarMeN), Hospices Civils de Lyon (HCL)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA Lyon), Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Department of Brain, Behaviour and Evolution, Macquarie University, Institut des Neurosciences de Paris-Saclay (Neuro-PSI), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA Lyon), and Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Hospices Civils de Lyon (HCL)

Subjects
0106 biological sciences, 0301 basic medicine, [SDV.NEU.NB]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Neurons and Cognition [q-bio.NC]/Neurobiology, Foraging, Zoology, parental care, call spectrum, acoustic signaling, Biology, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, 03 medical and health sciences, chemistry.chemical_compound, Nest, Corticosterone, High-pitched, Begging, Zebra finch, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, nestling provisioning, Reproductive success, [SDV.NEU.PC]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Neurons and Cognition [q-bio.NC]/Psychology and behavior, Ecology, [SDV.NEU.SC]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Neurons and Cognition [q-bio.NC]/Cognitive Sciences, stress response, humanities, 030104 developmental biology, chemistry, Animal Science and Zoology, Paternal care
Abstract

International audience; Nestlings beg to parents to communicate their need. Nevertheless, the specific signal driving parental care remains only partially understood. No study to date has been able to link a specific change in the physiological state of the young with, on the one hand, the modulation of a precise component of its begging behavior and, on the other hand, a direct modification of parental behavior reflecting an adjustment to an appropriate level of care. Here we orally administrated either exogenous corticosterone or a peanut oil control to free-living zebra finch nestlings and recorded begging behavior directly after treatment. Using a continuous automated monitoring system to record parental behavior in the wild, we simultaneously monitored the rate and duration of parental nest visits and foraging behavior at artificial feeders during 6 days posttreatment. We show that corticosterone modified the begging calls’ spectrum. Parents of corticosterone-treated broods spent more time in the nest and in feeders, and their older nestlings gained more body mass. Begging calls thus show a corticosterone-driven flexibility, which may inform parents of nestlings’ physiological state and allow them to provide an appropriate level of care.

Published
2016
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4. Impact of visual contact on vocal interaction dynamics of pair bonded birds

Author

Hédi Soula, Clémentine Vignal, Marie S. A. Fernandez, Simon C. Griffith, Emilie C. Perez, Ecologie et Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielles (ENES), Université Jean Monnet [Saint-Étienne] (UJM), Artificial Evolution and Computational Biology (BEAGLE), Laboratoire d'InfoRmatique en Image et Systèmes d'information (LIRIS), Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA Lyon), Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-École Centrale de Lyon (ECL), Université de Lyon-Université Lumière - Lyon 2 (UL2)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA Lyon), Université de Lyon-Université Lumière - Lyon 2 (UL2)-Inria Grenoble - Rhône-Alpes, Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (Inria)-Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (Inria)-Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive - UMR 5558 (LBBE), Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (Inria)-VetAgro Sup - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur et de recherche en alimentation, santé animale, sciences agronomiques et de l'environnement (VAS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-VetAgro Sup - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur et de recherche en alimentation, santé animale, sciences agronomiques et de l'environnement (VAS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Lyon-Université Lumière - Lyon 2 (UL2), Macquarie University, Cardiovasculaire, métabolisme, diabétologie et nutrition (CarMeN), Hospices Civils de Lyon (HCL)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA Lyon), Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Université Jean Monnet [Saint-Etienne] (UJM), Université Lumière - Lyon 2 (UL2) - École Centrale de Lyon (ECL) - Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL) - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA) - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) - Université Lumière - Lyon 2 (UL2) - École Centrale de Lyon (ECL) - Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL) - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA) - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) - Inria Grenoble - Rhône-Alpes, Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (Inria) - Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (Inria) - Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive (LBBE), Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL) - Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (Inria) - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) - Laboratoire de recherche en cardiovasculaire, métabolisme, diabétologie et nutrition (CarMeN), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) - Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL) - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA Lyon) - Hospices Civils de Lyon - Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA Lyon) - Hospices Civils de Lyon - Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Université Lumière - Lyon 2 (UL2) - École Centrale de Lyon (ECL) - Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL) - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA) - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Department of Brain, Behaviour and Evolution, Laboratoire de recherche en cardiovasculaire, métabolisme, diabétologie et nutrition (CarMeN), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) - Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL) - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA Lyon) - Hospices Civils de Lyon - Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Étienne (UJM), Université Lumière - Lyon 2 (UL2)-École Centrale de Lyon (ECL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA Lyon), Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Lumière - Lyon 2 (UL2)-École Centrale de Lyon (ECL), Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Inria Grenoble - Rhône-Alpes, Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA Lyon), Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Hospices Civils de Lyon (HCL)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Fernandez, Marie, Université de Lyon-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA Lyon), Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Université Lumière - Lyon 2 (UL2)-École Centrale de Lyon (ECL), Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Inria Grenoble - Rhône-Alpes, Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA), Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Hospices Civils de Lyon (HCL), Sensory Neuro-Ethology (ENES), Centre de recherche en neurosciences de Lyon - Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Étienne (UJM)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), and Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Étienne (UJM)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
Property (programming), Markov process, symbols.namesake, Stimulus modality, [SDV.BA.ZV]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology/Vertebrate Zoology, Zebra finch, Sensory cue, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Communication, biology, Markov chains, business.industry, visual contact, zebra finch, Turn-taking, [SDV.EE.IEO] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment/Symbiosis, biology.organism_classification, Pair bond, vocal communication, symbols, Animal Science and Zoology, [SDV.BA.ZV] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology/Vertebrate Zoology, turn taking, business, Psychology, pair bond, Taeniopygia, [SDV.EE.IEO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment/Symbiosis
Abstract

International audience; Animal social interactions usually revolve around several sensory modalities. For birds, these are pri- marily visual and acoustic. However, some habitat specificities or long distances may temporarily hinder or limit visual information transmission making acoustic transmission a central channel of communi- cation even during complex social behaviours. Here we investigated the impact of visual limitation on the vocal dynamics between zebra finch, Taeniopygia guttata, partners. Pairs were acoustically recorded during a separation and reunion protocol with gradually decreasing distance without visual contact. Without visual contact, pairs displayed more correlated vocal exchanges than with visual contact. We also analysed the turn-taking sequences of individuals' vocalizations during an exchange with or without visual contact. In the absence of visual contact, the identity of a vocalizing individual was well predicted by the knowledge of the identity of the previous vocalizer. This property is characteristic of a stochastic process called a Markov chain and we found that turn-taking sequences of birds deprived of visual contact were Markovian. Thus, both the temporal correlation between the calls of the two partners and Markov properties of acoustic interactions indicate that, in the absence of visual cues, the decision to call is taken on a very short-term basis and solely on acoustic information (both temporal and identity of caller). Strikingly, when individuals were in visual contact both these features of their acoustic social interactions disappeared indicating that birds adapted their calling dynamics to cope with limited visual cues.

Published
2015
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5. The design of artificial nestboxes for the study of secondary hole-nesting birds: A review of methodological inconsistencies and potential biases

Author

Jean Charles Bouvier, Martyn J. Stenning, Caren B. Cooper, Chan Ryul Park, Christopher M. Perrins, Tapio Eeva, Marcel M. Lambrechts, Beat Naef-Daenzer, Emilio Barba, Bengt Silverin, Henrik G. Smith, Arie J. van Noordwijk, L. Scott Johnson, Jordi Camprodon, Anders Pape Møller, Charles F. Thompson, Paulo E. Llambías, Anne E. Goodenough, Oskars Keišs, Bruno Faivre, Jaime Potti, Jan Ke Nilsson, Francisco Atiénzar, Nadia Ziane, Jerzy Bańbura, Alberto Sorace, Tore Slagsvold, Daniel R. Ardia, Arnaud Grégoire, Simon C. Griffith, Lars Gustafsson, Frank Adriaensen, János Török, Marcel Eens, Markku Orell, Alexandr Artemyev, Heinz Richner, Jan Pinowski, Andrew G. Gosler, Ian R. K. Stewart, Vladimír Remeš, Juan Moreno, Jiri Porkert, Seppo Rytkönen, Tomasz D. Mazgajski, David W. Winkler, Bruno Massa, Russell D. Dawson, Ken A. Otter, Ming Tang Shiao, László Zsolt Garamszegi, Piotr Tryjanowski, Wojciech Kania, Mark C. Mainwaring, Raivo Mänd, Ana Cláudia Norte, Animal Ecology (AnE), Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UM3)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Antwerp (UA), Department of Biology, Franklin & Marshall College, Institute of Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences [Moscow] (RAS), Terrestrial Vertebrates Research Unit 'Cavanilles', University of Valencia-Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Experimental Zoology & Evolutionary Biology, Łódź University of Technology, Unité de recherche Plantes et Systèmes de Culture Horticoles (PSH), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Biodiversity Department, Forest Technology Center of Catalonia, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ecosystem Science and Management Program, University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), Department of Biology (Ethology), Section of Ecology, University of Turku, Biogéosciences [UMR 6282] [Dijon] (BGS), Université de Bourgogne (UB)-AgroSup Dijon - Institut National Supérieur des Sciences Agronomiques, de l'Alimentation et de l'Environnement-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estacion Biologica de Donana, Department of Natural and Social Sciences, University of Gloucestershire, Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology-Institute of Human Sciences, Department of Brain, Behaviour and Evolution, Macquarie University, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Towson University [Towson, MD, United States], University of Maryland System-University of Maryland System, Ornithological Station, Polska Akademia Nauk (PAN)-Museum and Institute of Zoology, Laboratory of Ornithology, University of Latvia (LU), Ecologia del Comportamiento Animal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas [Buenos Aires] (CONICET), Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, University of Tartu, Stazione Inanellamento c/o Dipartimento SEN-FIMIZO, Università di Palermo, Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polska Akademia Nauk (PAN), Ecologie Systématique et Evolution (ESE), Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 (UP11)-AgroParisTech-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Center for Advanced Study, Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Spain] (CSIC)-Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN), Swiss Ornithological Institute, Animal Ecology, Lund University [Lund], Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra [Portugal] (UC), University of Oulu, Warm-temperate Forest Research Center, Korea Forest Research Institute, Center of Ecological Research, Palacky University, Institute of Ecology & Evolution (IEE), University of Bern, Wildlife laboratory, National Taiwan University [Taiwan] (NTU), University of Gothenburg (GU), Department of Biosciences [Oslo], Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences [Oslo], University of Oslo (UiO)-University of Oslo (UiO), School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, University of Kentucky, Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics Section, Illinois State University, Behavioural Ecology Group, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Institute of Zoology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Laboratory of Ornithology and Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Laboratoire d'Ecophysiologie animale, Département de Biologie, Lambrechts, M M, Adriaensen, F, Ardia, D R, Artemyev, A V, Atiénzar, F, Bańbura, J, Barba, E, Bouvier, J-C, Camprodon, J, Cooper, C B, Dawson, R D, Eens, M, Eeva, T, Faivre, B, Garamszegi, L Z, Goodenough, A E, Gosler, A G, Grégoire, A, Griffith, S C, Gustafsson, L, Johnson, L S, Kania, W, Keišs, O, Llambias, P E, Mainwaring, M C, Mänd, R, Massa, B, Mazgajski, T D, Møller, A P, Moreno, J, Naef-Daenzer, B, Nilsson, J-C, Norte, A C, Orell, M, Otter, K A, Park, Ch R, Perrins, Ch M, Pinowski, J, Porkert, J, Potti, J, Remes, V, Richner, H, Rytkönen, S, Shiao, M-T, Silverin, B, Slagsvold, T, Smith, H G, Sorace, A, Stenning, M J, Stewart, I, Thompson, Ch F, Török, J, Tryjanowski, P, van Noordwijk, A J, Winkler, D W, Ziane, N, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud]), Centre de Ciència i Tecnologia Forestal de Catalunya (CTFC), Cornell University [New York], University of Northern British Columbia [Prince George] (UNBC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Bourgogne (UB)-AgroSup Dijon - Institut National Supérieur des Sciences Agronomiques, de l'Alimentation et de l'Environnement, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Madrid] (CSIC)-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Madrid] (CSIC), Polska Akademia Nauk = Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN)-Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polska Akademia Nauk = Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Madrid] (CSIC)-Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN), Palacky University Olomouc, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive ( CEFE ), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 ( UM3 ) -Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques ( Montpellier SupAgro ) -École pratique des hautes études ( EPHE ) -Institut national de la recherche agronomique [Montpellier] ( INRA Montpellier ) -Université de Montpellier ( UM ) -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS ) -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement ( IRD [France-Sud] ) -Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier ( Montpellier SupAgro ), University of Antwerp ( UA ), Russian Academy of Sciences [Moscow] ( RAS ), Unité de recherche Plantes et Systèmes de Culture Horticoles ( PSH ), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique ( INRA ), University of Northern British Columbia ( UNBC ), Biogéosciences [Dijon] ( BGS ), Université de Bourgogne ( UB ) -AgroSup Dijon - Institut National Supérieur des Sciences Agronomiques, de l'Alimentation et de l'Environnement-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS ), Polska Akademia Nauk ( PAN ) -Museum and Institute of Zoology, University of Latvia ( LU ), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas ( CONICET ), Polska Akademia Nauk ( PAN ), Ecologie Systématique et Evolution ( ESE ), Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 ( UP11 ) -AgroParisTech-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS ), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Spain] ( CSIC ) -Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, University of Coimbra [Portugal] ( UC ), Institute of Ecology & Evolution ( IEE ), National Taiwan University [Taiwan] ( NTU ), University of Gothenburg ( GU ), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo ( UiO ), Eötvös Loránd University ( ELTE ), and Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates

Subjects
PASSERINES, 0106 biological sciences, Nest-box, design, measures, PARUS, SECONDARY CAVITY-NESTING BIRDS, Otras Ciencias Biológicas, NEST SITES, FLYCATCHER, Ficedula, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, [ SDV.EE ] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment, 010605 ornithology, methods, field experiments, Ciencias Biológicas, nestboxes, tit, Cyanistes, Research based, Statistics, NESTBOXES, FIELD EXPERIMENTS, Nest box, Biological sciences, Biology, secondary cavity-nesting birds, FICEDULA, Parus, [SDV.EE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment, [ SDE.BE ] Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology, biology, Ecology, nest sites, passerines, biology.organism_classification, 3. Good health, TIT, Settore AGR/11 - Entomologia Generale E Applicata, CYANISTES, flycatcher, METHODS, Nesting (computing), Animal Science and Zoology, [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology, CIENCIAS NATURALES Y EXACTAS
Abstract

The widespread use of artificial nestboxes has led to significant advances in our knowledge of the ecology, behaviour and physiology of cavity nesting birds, especially small passerines. Nestboxes have made it easier to perform routine monitoring and experimental manipulation of eggs or nestlings, and also repeatedly to capture, identify and manipulate the parents. However, when comparing results across study sites the use of nestboxes may also introduce a potentially significant confounding variable in the form of differences in nestbox design amongst studies, such as their physical dimensions, placement height, and the way in which they are constructed and maintained. However, the use of nestboxes may also introduce an unconsidered and potentially significant confounding variable due to differences in nestbox design amongst studies, such as their physical dimensions, placement height, and the way in which they are constructed and maintained. Here we review to what extent the characteristics of artificial nestboxes (e.g. size, shape, construction material, colour) are documented in the 'methods' sections of publications involving hole-nesting passerine birds using natural or excavated cavities or artificial nestboxes for reproduction and roosting. Despite explicit previous recommendations that authors describe in detail the characteristics of the nestboxes used, we found that the description of nestbox characteristics in most recent publications remains poor and insufficient. We therefore list the types of descriptive data that should be included in the methods sections of relevant manuscripts and justify this by discussing how variation in nestbox characteristics can affect or confound conclusions from nestbox studies. We also propose several recommendations to improve the reliability and usefulness of research based on long-term studies of any secondary hole-nesting species using artificial nestboxes for breeding or roosting.

Published
2010
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6. How the Thatcher illusion reveals evolutionary differences in the face processing of primates.

Author

Weldon KB, Taubert J, Smith CL, and Parr LA

Subjects
Animals, Biological Evolution, Discrimination, Psychological, Face, Female, Macaca mulatta psychology, Male, Pan troglodytes psychology, Photic Stimulation, Illusions psychology, Primates psychology, Recognition, Psychology
Abstract

Face recognition in humans is a complex cognitive skill that requires sensitivity to unique configurations of eyes, mouth, and other facial features. The Thatcher illusion has been used to demonstrate the importance of orientation when processing configural information within faces. Transforming an upright face so that the eyes and mouth are inverted renders the face grotesque; however, when this "Thatcherized" face is inverted, the effect disappears. Due to the use of primate models in social cognition research, it is important to determine the extent to which specialized cognitive functions like face processing occur across species. To date, the Thatcher illusion has been explored in only a few species with mixed results. Here, we used computerized tasks to examine whether nonhuman primates perceive the Thatcher illusion. Chimpanzees and rhesus monkeys were required to discriminate between Thatcherized and unaltered faces presented upright and inverted. Our results confirm that chimpanzees perceived the Thatcher illusion, but rhesus monkeys did not, suggesting species differences in the importance of configural information in face processing. Three further experiments were conducted to understand why our results differed from previously published accounts of the Thatcher illusion in rhesus monkeys.

Published
2013
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7. Comparative patterns of adrenal activity in captive and wild Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis).

Author

Fanson KV, Wielebnowski NC, Shenk TM, and Lucas JR

Subjects
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone metabolism, Animals, Feces chemistry, Female, Male, Pregnancy, Reproduction physiology, Seasons, Adrenal Glands physiology, Animals, Zoo physiology, Glucocorticoids metabolism, Immunoenzyme Techniques methods, Lynx physiology
Abstract

Stress and animal well-being are often assessed using concentrations of glucocorticoids (GCs), a product of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. However, GC concentrations can also be modulated by predictable events, such as changes in season or life history stage. Understanding normative patterns of adrenal activity is critical for making valid conclusions about changes in GC concentrations. In this study, we validated an assay for monitoring fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) in Canada lynx. We then used this technique to assess patterns of adrenal activity in Canada lynx across several contexts. Our results show that captive lynx have higher FGM concentrations than wild lynx, which may be related to differences in stress levels, metabolic rate, diet, or body condition. We also found that FGM concentrations are correlated with reproductive status in females, but not in males. For males, seasonal increases in FGM expression coincide with the onset of the breeding season, whereas in females, FGM increase toward the end of the breeding season. This information provides a valuable foundation for making inferences about normative versus stress-induced changes in adrenal activity in Canada lynx.

Published
2012
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8. Win-shift and win-stay learning in the rainbow lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus).

Author

Sulikowski D and Burke D

Subjects
Animals, Instinct, Memory, Short-Term, Orientation, Retention, Psychology, Reward, Social Environment, Space Perception, Appetitive Behavior, Avoidance Learning, Motivation, Parrots, Plant Nectar
Abstract

The tendency to win-shift (to better learn to avoid, rather than return to, recently rewarded locations) has been demonstrated in a variety of nectarivorous birds and in honeybees. It is hypothesized to be a cognitive adaptation to the depleting nature of nectar. In the present study we report the first attempt to test for a win-shift bias in a nectarivorous parrot, the rainbow lorikeet (Trichoglossus hematodus). This species differs from others tested for a win-shift bias in that it is a facultative, rather than an obligate, nectarivore. We tested a captive-reared population of the birds on a shift/stay task at long and short retention intervals. The data show no evidence of either a win-shift or a win-stay bias. The birds demonstrated efficient spatial search ability and above chance performance for both shift and stay contingencies at long and short delays. These data suggest that an innate tendency to win-shift may not be present in all avian nectarivores, or that the role experience plays in shaping such behaviors is different for different species., (2011 APA, all rights reserved)

Published
2011
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9. The properties of the visual system in the Australian desert ant Melophorus bagoti.

Author

Schwarz S, Narendra A, and Zeil J

Subjects
Animals, Ants anatomy & histology, Australia, Body Size, Compound Eye, Arthropod physiology, Compound Eye, Arthropod ultrastructure, Head anatomy & histology, Spatial Behavior, Ants physiology, Compound Eye, Arthropod anatomy & histology, Homing Behavior, Vision, Ocular
Abstract

The Australian desert ant Melophorus bagoti shows remarkable visual navigational skills relying on visual rather than on chemical cues during their foraging trips. M. bagoti ants travel individually through a visually cluttered environment guided by landmarks as well as by path integration. An examination of their visual system is hence of special interest and we address this here. Workers exhibit distinct size polymorphism and their eye and ocelli size increases with head size. The ants possess typical apposition eyes with about 420-590 ommatidia per eye, a horizontal visual field of approximately 150° and facet lens diameters between 8 and 19 μm, depending on body size, with frontal facets being largest. The average interommatidial angle Δϕ is 3.7°, the average acceptance angle of the rhabdom Δρ(rh) is 2.9°, with average rhabdom diameter of 1.6 μm and the average lens blur at half-width Δρ(l) is 2.3°. With a Δρ(rh)/Δϕ ratio of much less than 2, the eyes undersample the visual scene but provide high contrast, and surprising detail of the landmark panorama that has been shown to be used for navigation., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Published
2011
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10. Patterns of testicular activity in captive and wild Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis).

Author

Fanson KV, Wielebnowski NC, Shenk TM, Jakubas WJ, Squires JR, and Lucas JR

Subjects
Animals, Animals, Wild physiology, Animals, Zoo physiology, Breeding, Endangered Species, Feces chemistry, Housing, Animal, Male, Orchiectomy, Seasons, Androgens metabolism, Lynx metabolism, Testis physiology
Abstract

Canada lynx are listed as a threatened species in the contiguous US. Understanding the reproductive characteristics (i.e., mating system, behavior, physiology) of a species is useful for ensuring effective in situ and ex situ management plans. The goal of this study was to describe patterns of androgen expression in both captive and wild male Canada lynx using fecal hormone metabolite analysis. Among captive lynx, juvenile and castrated males had lower concentrations of fecal androgens (fA) than intact males, thereby demonstrating that the assay detects biologically meaningful differences in testicular activity. We found that captive males in general had much higher fA levels than wild males. All males showed strong seasonal variation in fA concentrations, with significantly higher levels being expressed during the breeding season (February and March) than during the non-breeding season. Among captive males, variation in seasonal fA levels did not correlate with latitude. Finally, males housed with intact cage-mates (either male or female) had significantly higher fA levels than males housed alone or with a neutered cage-mate., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Published
2010
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11. Patterns of ovarian and luteal activity in captive and wild Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis).

Author

Fanson KV, Wielebnowski NC, Shenk TM, Vashon JH, Squires JR, and Lucas JR

Subjects
Animals, Animals, Wild physiology, Animals, Zoo physiology, Breeding, Estrogens metabolism, Feces chemistry, Female, Ovulation physiology, Progesterone metabolism, Seasons, Corpus Luteum physiology, Lynx physiology, Ovary physiology
Abstract

Canada lynx face some unique breeding restrictions, which may have implications for population viability and captive management. The goal of this study was to improve our understanding of basic reproductive physiology in Canada lynx. Using fecal hormone metabolite analysis, we established normative patterns of fecal estrogen (fE) and progestagen (fP) expression in captive and wild female Canada lynx. Our results indicate that Canada lynx have persistent corpora lutea, which underlie their uncharacteristic fP profiles compared to other felids. Thus, fP are not useful for diagnosing pregnancy in Canada lynx. We also found that Canada lynx are capable of ovulating spontaneously. Captive females had higher concentrations of fE and fP than wild females. Both populations exhibit a seasonal increase in ovarian activity (as measured by fE) between February and April. Finally, there was evidence of ovarian suppression when females were housed together., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Published
2010
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12. Ken Cheng.

Author

Cheng K

Subjects
Animals, Humans, Research, Visual Perception physiology, Behavior, Animal physiology
Published
2010
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13. Sex chromosome linkage of mate preference and color signal maintains assortative mating between interbreeding finch morphs.

Author

Pryke SR

Subjects
Animals, Finches genetics, Color, Finches physiology, Genetic Linkage, Sex Chromosomes, Sexual Behavior, Animal
Abstract

Assortative mating is a key aspect in the speciation process because it is important for both initial divergence and maintenance of distinct species. However, it remains a challenge to explain how assortative mating evolves when diverging populations are undergoing gene flow (e.g., during hybridization). Here I experimentally test how assortative mating is maintained with frequent gene flow between diverged head-color morphs of the Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae). Contrary to the predominant view on the development of sexual preferences in birds, cross-fostered offspring did not imprint on the phenotype of their conspecific (red or black morphs) or heterospecific (Bengalese finch) foster parents. Instead, the mating preferences of F(1) and F(2) intermorph-hybrids are consistent with inheritance on the Z chromosomes, which are also the location for genes controlling color expression and the genes causing low fitness of intermorph-hybrids. Genetic associations between color signal and preference loci on the sex chromosomes may prevent recombination from breaking down these associations when the morphs interbreed, helping to maintain assortative mating in the face of gene flow. Although sex linkage of reproductively isolating traits is theoretically expected to promote speciation, social and ecological constraints may enforce frequent interbreeding between the morphs, thus preventing complete reproductive isolation.

Published
2010
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14. Reward type influences performance and search structure of an omnivorous bird in an open-field maze.

Author

Sulikowski D and Burke D

Subjects
Animals, Birds, Cognition, Memory, Motivation, Space Perception, Spatial Behavior, Behavior, Animal, Maze Learning, Reward
Abstract

Open-field mazes are routinely used to study the spatial cognitive abilities of birds and are often implicitly assumed to be suitable tests of generic spatial memory ability. In recent years there has been extensive research motivated by considerations of an animals' ecology, demonstrating potential examples of specialisations of spatial cognition, as a result of foraging niche. The study reported here demonstrates differences in maze performance as a function of reward type (nectar and invertebrates) that can be predicted from the natural distributions of these rewards. As well as specific implications for the nature of spatial memory specialisation in this species, the results hold more general implications for the use of open-field mazes as tools for measuring and comparing spatial memory ability between species., (2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Published
2010
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15. Socially mediated trade-offs between aggression and parental effort in competing color morphs.

Author

Pryke SR and Griffith SC

Subjects
Animals, Competitive Behavior, Female, Immunity, Cellular, Male, Pigmentation, Selection, Genetic, Aggression, Clutch Size, Finches physiology, Nesting Behavior, Social Environment
Abstract

Individuals often face trade-offs between investment in parental care and alternative investments of time, energy, and resources into other life-history components, such as dominance, attractiveness, and health. Selection is thought to promote the optimal balance between the costs and the benefits of these conflicting activities by favoring individuals that adopt different tactics to maximize their overall evolutionary fitness in different environments. To test this, we experimentally manipulate both aggression (i.e., competitive environment) and parental effort (i.e., brood size) in red and black morphs of the Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae). Although aggressive red males provide parental effort comparable to that of black males in environments where competition is low, irrespective of their relative brood size, they severely reduce or abandon parental investment in highly competitive environments. In contrast, nonaggressive black males are largely unaffected by the competitive environment and instead adaptively adjust their provisioning effort to the relative demands of their brood. Consequently, in highly competitive environments, although dominant red males defend higher-quality nest sites, they produce fewer and lower-quality offspring (in terms of mass and immunocompetence) than black males do. These opposing effects of frequency-dependent competitive environments on red and black males underlie their differential trade-offs between the costs and the benefits of aggression and parental effort.

Published
2009
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16. Optimizing irradiation dose for sterility induction and quality of Bactrocera tryoni.

Author

Collins SR, Weldon CW, Banos C, and Taylor PW

Subjects
Animals, Death, Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation, Female, Flight, Animal radiation effects, Light, Longevity radiation effects, Male, Pupa radiation effects, Reproduction radiation effects, Sex Characteristics, Fertility radiation effects, Infertility, Tephritidae radiation effects
Abstract

The current study is an important step toward calibrating, validating, and improving irradiation methods used for Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt) sterile insect technique (SIT). We used routine International Atomic Energy Agency/U.S. Department of Agriculture/Food and Agriculture Organization quality control tests assessing percentage of emergence, flight ability, sex ratio, mortality under stress, reproductive sterility, and sexual competitiveness, as well as a nonstandard test of longevity under nutritional stress to assess the impact of a range of target irradiation doses (60, 65, 70, 75, and 80 Gy) on the product quality of mass reared B. tryoni used in SIT. Sterility induction remained adequate (>99.5%) for sterile male-fertile female crosses, and 100% sterility was achieved in fertile male-sterile female crosses and sterile male-sterile female crosses for each irradiation doses tested. There was significant increase in mortality under stress as irradiation dose increased, and reduced participation in mating by males irradiated at higher doses. The current target-sterilizing dose for SIT of 70-75 Gy is associated with significant reduction in fly product "quality". Our data suggest that adequate sterility and improved fly quality could be achieved through a small reduction in target sterilizing dose.

Published
2009
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17. Nutrients, not caloric restriction, extend lifespan in Queensland fruit flies (Bactrocera tryoni).

Author

Fanson BG, Weldon CW, Pérez-Staples D, Simpson SJ, and Taylor PW

Subjects
Animal Feed, Animals, Diet, Dietary Carbohydrates metabolism, Dietary Proteins metabolism, Female, Life Expectancy, Sucrose metabolism, Yeasts, Energy Intake, Feeding Behavior physiology, Food classification, Longevity physiology, Tephritidae growth & development
Abstract

Caloric restriction (CR) has been widely accepted as a mechanism explaining increased lifespan (LS) in organisms subjected to dietary restriction (DR), but recent studies investigating the role of nutrients have challenged the role of CR in extending longevity. Fuelling this debate is the difficulty in experimentally disentangling CR and nutrient effects due to compensatory feeding (CF) behaviour. We quantified CF by measuring the volume of solution imbibed and determined how calories and nutrients influenced LS and fecundity in unmated females of the Queensland fruit fly, Bactocera tryoni (Diptera: Tephritidae). We restricted flies to one of 28 diets varying in carbohydrate:protein (C:P) ratios and concentrations. On imbalanced diets, flies overcame dietary dilutions, consuming similar caloric intakes for most dilutions. The response surface for LS revealed that increasing C:P ratio while keeping calories constant extended LS, with the maximum LS along C:P ratio of 21:1. In general, LS was reduced as caloric intake decreased. Lifetime egg production was maximized at a C:P ratio of 3:1. When given a choice of separate sucrose and yeast solutions, each at one of five concentrations (yielding 25 choice treatments), flies regulated their nutrient intake to match C:P ratio of 3:1. Our results (i) demonstrate that CF can overcome dietary dilutions; (ii) reveal difficulties with methods presenting fixed amounts of liquid diet; (iii) illustrate the need to measure intake to account for CF in DR studies and (iv) highlight nutrients rather than CR as a dominant influence on LS.

Published
2009
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18. Genetic incompatibility drives sex allocation and maternal investment in a polymorphic finch.

Author

Pryke SR and Griffith SC

Subjects
Animals, Breeding, Clutch Size, Female, Male, Maternal Behavior, Oviposition, Ovum physiology, Pigmentation genetics, Sex Characteristics, Finches genetics, Finches physiology, Mating Preference, Animal, Nesting Behavior, Reproduction, Sex Ratio
Abstract

Genetic compatibility may drive individual mate choice decisions because of predictable fitness effects associated with breeding with incompatible partners. In Gouldian finches (Erythrura gouldiae), females paired with genetically incompatible males of alternative color morphs overproduce sons, presumably to reduce investment in inviable daughters. We also observed a reduced overall investment in clutch size, egg size, and care to offspring resulting from incompatible matings. Within-female experimental pairings demonstrate that female birds have the ability to adaptively adjust the sex of their eggs and allocate resources on the basis of partner quality. Female Gouldian finches thus make cumulative strategic allocation decisions to minimize the costs of poor-quality pairings when faced with a genetically incompatible partner.

Published
2009
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19. Silent tidbitting in male fowl, Gallus gallus: a referential visual signal with multiple functions.

Author

Smith CL and Evans CS

Subjects
Animals, Female, Male, Social Behavior, Animal Communication, Chickens physiology, Feeding Behavior physiology
Abstract

With the notable exception of bee dances, there are no established examples of multimodal referential signals. The food calls of male fowl, Gallus gallus, are functionally referential and the acoustic component of a multimodal display. However, the specificity of the receiver's response to the visual component (tidbitting) has never been tested. Here we provide the first detailed analysis of tidbitting, and test the hypothesis that these characteristic movements are functionally referential. We conducted a playback experiment with five high-definition video stimuli: Silent tidbit, Matched-frequency motion in the opposite direction, Silent crows, Inactive male and Empty cage. Females searched for food more during Silent tidbitting than under any other condition, suggesting that this visual display specifically predicts the presence of food and hence has similar functional properties to food calls. Silent tidbitting was also singularly effective at evoking approach and close inspection, which may enhance signal memorability. These social responses suggest that the visual component of the display has the unique function of triggering assessment of signaler identity and quality as a potential mate. The acoustic and visual components are hence redundant as a food signal, but synergistic when additional functions are considered. These findings emphasize the perceptual complexity of multimodal displays and provide the first demonstration of multimodal referential signaling in a vertebrate.

Published
2009
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20. Postzygotic genetic incompatibility between sympatric color morphs.

Author

Pryke SR and Griffith SC

Subjects
Animals, Australia, Female, Finches classification, Genetics, Population, Male, Pigmentation, Finches anatomy & histology, Finches genetics
Abstract

Alternative genetically determined color morphs within a population or species are believed to successfully interbreed within a population. However, the occurrence of prezygotic or ecological selection in a number of polymorphic systems may lead to nonrandom mating and prevent genetic morphs from fully interbreeding. Here we show that postzygotic incompatibility significantly limits gene flow between the sympatric red and black color morphs of the Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae). Using a balanced within-female experimental design, in which individuals were forced to breed in pure and mixed morph crosses, we found large inviability effects (>30%) in offspring resulting from genetically mixed genotypes. The consistent mortality effects across different stages of development (e.g., prehatching, juvenile, adulthood), unconfounded by environmentally derived parental effects or social environments, reveal an underlying genetic incompatibility between different genotypes. Furthermore, mortality in mixed morph genotypes was particularly severe (43.6%) for the heterogametic sex (daughters), which is consistent with Haldane's rule predicted for postzygotic incompatibilities between hybridizing species. This significant, but incomplete, postzygotic isolation suggests that the sympatric morphs may represent transient stages in the speciation-hybridization process.

Published
2009
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