scholarly journals Parent–offspring conflict and transition to crèche phase in Chinstrap Penguins (Pygoscelis antarctica)

Polar Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (10) ◽  
pp. 1961-1966
Author(s):  
Virginia Morandini ◽  
Javier Viñuela ◽  
Josabel Belliure ◽  
Miguel Ferrer
Keyword(s):  
Parental Investment ◽  
Brood Size ◽  
Parental Behavior ◽  
Conflict Theory ◽  
Hatching Date ◽  
Nest Location ◽  
Decision To Leave ◽  
Pygoscelis Antarctica ◽  
Parental Aggression ◽  
Short Time

AbstractParent–offspring conflict theory predicts that offspring seek to prolong the parental care period, while parents strive to shorten it as much as possible. Transition to the crèche phase in penguins involves changes in the dynamic of parental investment in chicks, and thus may be modulated by interests that benefit parent or offspring. We explored parent–offspring interactions in the Chinstrap Penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) to understand the influence such interactions would have on transition to crèche phase. We studied the effect of hatching date, nestling age, brood size, and nest location on parent–offspring interactions and the length of the guard phase. All behavioral variables related to nestling demands for parental investment increased as well as parental aggression towards their chicks, with increased nestling age. Brood size showed significant effects on both nestling and parental behavior. Hatching date was negatively correlated with the age at crèche. Consequently, the decision to leave the chicks unguarded seemed to be more based on the condition of adults rather than of the chicks. Given the short time available for breeding in Antarctica and that penguins are long-lived birds with several opportunities to breed, there may be conflicting selective factors between investment in feeding chicks versus extending the period of resource acquisition and storage prior to moult.

scholarly journals Serial monogamy benefits both sexes in the biparental convict cichlid

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e6535 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Snekser ◽  
Murray Itzkowitz
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Brood Size ◽  
Parental Behavior ◽  
Convict Cichlid ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Serial Monogamy ◽  
Convict Cichlids ◽  
Amatitlania Nigrofasciata ◽  
Males And Females

Monogamy can be either long-term or serial, with new pairs formed with each breeding bout. Costs and benefits are associated with each strategy. Because biparental convict cichlids (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) typically switch mates, exhibiting serial monogamy, we tested for the costs associated with forcing individuals to remain with the same mate. Convict cichlids were observed over two successive breeding bouts, either with the same or a new, equally experienced, mate. Parental behavior did not differ between breeding bouts, nor did brood size. Surprisingly, fish that remained with their original partner for a second bout took significantly longer to produce a brood compared to fish that paired with new partners. New partners were also more likely to successfully produce a second brood than re-mated partners. This is in contrast to the majority of bird studies that show many benefits to staying with the same partner for multiple broods. In convict cichlids, there seems to be no benefit associated with remaining with the same partner and switching mates reduces duration between broods for both males and females, potentially increasing overall reproductive success.

An experimental test of the effect of brood size on glucocorticoid responses, parental investment, and offspring phenotype

2017 ◽  
Vol 247 ◽  
pp. 97-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maren N. Vitousek ◽  
Brittany R. Jenkins ◽  
Joanna K. Hubbard ◽  
Sara A. Kaiser ◽  
Rebecca J. Safran
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Test ◽  
Parental Investment ◽  
Brood Size

scholarly journals Parental aggression as a predictor of boys’ hostile attribution across the transition to middle school

2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 452-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Yaros ◽  
John E. Lochman ◽  
Karen Wells
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Middle School ◽  
Aggressive Behavior ◽  
Parental Behavior ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Transition To Middle School ◽  
Child Aggression ◽  
Hostile Attribution ◽  
Parental Aggression ◽  
Hostile Attributions

Aggression among youth is a public health problem that is often studied in the context of how youth interpret social information. Social cognitive factors, especially hostile attribution biases, have been identified as risk factors for the development of youth aggression, particularly across the transition to middle school. Parental behaviors, including parental aggression to children in the form of corporal punishment and other aggressive behavior, have also been linked to aggressive behavior in children at these ages. Despite the important role played by these two risk factors, the connection between the two has not been fully studied in the literature. This study examined the link between parental aggression and children’s hostile attributions longitudinally among a diverse sample of 123 boys as they entered middle school. Results support acceptance of a model in which parental aggression to children prior to entering middle school predicted children’s hostile attributions after the transition to middle school above and beyond that which was predicted by previous levels of hostile attributions. As expected, hostile attributions also predicted change in parent- and teacher-rated child aggression. These findings provide important evidence of the role that parental behavior plays in youth social cognition at this critical age, which has implications for understanding the development of aggressive behavior.

Effect of Experimentally Altered Brood Size on Frequency and Timing of Second Clutches in the Great Tit

The Auk ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 104 (4) ◽  
pp. 700-706 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrik G. Smith ◽  
Hans Källander ◽  
Jan-Åke Nilsson
Keyword(s):  
Brood Size ◽  
Parus Major ◽  
Reproductive Development ◽  
Great Tit ◽  
Lower Probability ◽  
Hatching Date ◽  
Fledgling Survival ◽  
First Clutch ◽  
Second Clutch ◽  
Food Depletion

Abstract Brood size in the Great Tit (Parus major) was manipulated (increased, decreased, or unchanged) when nestlings were 5 days old. Both the frequency of second clutches and the interbrood interval were affected. The number of nestlings and hatching date, but not nestling and female mass, differed between first broods followed and not followed by second clutches. Hatching date and the number of nestlings in the first brood explained most of the variation in interbrood interval, whereas female mass did not contribute. Feeding first-brood nestlings and fledglings is an energy-demanding process, and the female may have to allocate resources to brood-feeding at the expense of reproductive development. Furthermore, a larger brood requires a longer period of feeding than a smaller brood. These circumstances probably explain why the size of the first brood affects the timing of the second clutch. Female condition and food depletion of the territory do not seem to be important. Because late second clutches have a lower probability of fledgling survival than do earlier ones-and consequently are of lower value from the female's standpoint-a large first clutch may delay laying to the point that a second clutch is not worthwhile. We conclude that a female's decision whether to lay a second clutch is a strategic one based on the value of the second clutch; a female that "decides" to lay a second clutch starts as quickly as possible.

Examination of Parental Investment in Nest Defence in a Tropical Songbird, the Pied Bush Chat (Saxicola Caprata)

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-23
Author(s):  
Navjeevan Dadwal ◽  
Dinesh Bhatt
Keyword(s):  
Parental Care ◽  
Parental Investment ◽  
Detailed Account ◽  
Nest Defence ◽  
Alarm Calls ◽  
Nest Protection ◽  
Himalayan Foothills ◽  
Defence Behaviour ◽  
Parental Aggression

Most animals that demonstrate parental care are also engaged in such behaviour that increases their offspring chance of survival when confronted by a predator. The present study is equipped with a detailed account of the parental investment in nest defence behaviour of a tropic zone (Haridwar, Himalayan foothills, India) inhabiting species, the Pied Bush Chat ( Saxicola caprata) (PBC). During simulated nest defence treatments, we recorded two distinct types of calls which were used during the display of parental aggression by PBCs, threat calls and alarm calls. Significant differences were noted for the usage of the threat calls over the alarm calls during nest defence. For the most part males were found to be more aggressive than females (on the basis of their call rates) during the simulated attacks of the decoy predator. Results also indicated that parental aggression was more inclined towards nestlings than that of the eggs. The results were consistent with the hypothesis that the nest protection intensity increases with the progression of the nesting cycle.

The Breeding Behaviour of the Pink-Footed Goose: Parental Care and Vigilant Behaviour During the Fledging Period

Behaviour ◽  
1978 ◽  
Vol 65 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 62-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lazarus John ◽  
Inglis I.R.
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Parental Care ◽  
Group Size ◽  
Parental Investment ◽  
Brood Size ◽  
Time Budget ◽  
Feeding Time ◽  
Anser Brachyrhynchus ◽  
Term Pair ◽  
Pink Footed Goose

In this study we describe the pattern of parental investment in the pink-footed goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) during the fledging period in Iceland, concentrating particularly on the analysis of vigilant behaviour as one important element of parental care. We quantify parental investment, and its cost to the parent, by comparing the behaviour of parents with that of 'pairs' of adults without young (most of which are probably failed breeders). Each partner's strategy of investment is not expected to be purely selfish in this long-term pair-bonding species, and the sex differences in parental care are examined in this light. The time budgets of parents and pairs differed, parents walking more, grazing more and preening less. Parents also spent more time in the extreme head up posture and less in the head low and head on back postures than pairs but time devoted to the head up posture was the same for both. Brood size had no effect on the time budget. Time spent extreme head up declined over the study period in parents but not in pairs. Spacing patterns and behaviour varied independently in non-breeding birds but families sat closer to other geese when the vigilance level of the parents was low (i.e. in the head on back or head low postures) than when it was high (the head up or extreme head up postures). All agonistic encounters between parents and non-breeders were both initiated and won by the parents. Tied encounters occurred between birds of equivalent status in terms of brood size or non-breeding group size. The potential sources of parental care are summarized (Table 6) and, after considering the evidence for each, it is concluded that (apart from brooding) two types of parental investment are made by parents: (1) enhancement of offspring feeding efficiency by reducing competition through agonistic behaviour, and perhaps avoidance; and (2) protection from predators by (a) active defence, (b) seeking proximity with other geese when resting, and (c) visual scanning for predators (mainly by the male) using the extreme head up posture. Parents paid for this investment by devoting less time to preening and sleeping. The male's investment in predator vigilance was made at the cost of a reduced feeding time and to compensate for this he pecked at a faster rate than his mate. These sex differences are explicable in terms of earlier differences during incubation. The adoption of unrelated goslings was observed and the implications of the phenomenon are discussed. For individuals in non-breeding groups the time spent extreme head up declined as group size increased. The functional significance of this finding is discussed and it is concluded that in sitting groups extreme head up is probably used to scan for predators.

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