Medial amygdala ERα expression influences monogamous behaviour of male prairie voles in the field

Formation of long-term pair-bonds is a complex process, involving multiple neural circuits and is context- and experience-dependent. While laboratory studies using prairie voles have identified the involvement of several neural mechanisms, efforts to translate these findings into predictable field outcomes have been inconsistent at best. Here we test the hypothesis that inhibition of oestrogen receptor alpha (ERα) in the medial amygdala of male prairie voles would significantly increase the expression of social monogamy in the field. Prairie vole populations of equal sex ratio were established in outdoor enclosures with males bred for high levels of ERα expression and low levels of prosocial behaviour associated with social monogamy. Medial amygdala ERα expression was knocked down in half the males per population. Knockdown males displayed a greater degree of social monogamy in five of the eight behavioural indices assessed. This study demonstrates the robust nature of ERα in playing a critical role in the expression of male social monogamy in a field setting.

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Mate Attentiveness, Seasonal Timing of Breeding and Long-term Pair Bonding in the House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/156853904772746565 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 141 (1) ◽

pp. 1-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Geoffrey Hill ◽

Kevin McGraw

Keyword(s):

Pair Bond ◽

Egg Laying ◽

Carpodacus Mexicanus ◽

Timing Of Breeding ◽

Pair Bonding ◽

House Finches ◽

Breeding Date ◽

Pair Bonds ◽

Term Pair

AbstractIn seasonally breeding birds, natural selection favors individuals that begin breeding earlier in a year because they produce more or higher quality offspring than those that begin breeding later. Among the factors that influence the timing of breeding, which include the age, health, competitive ability, or mate quality of individuals, is the longevity of the pair bond, with birds that remain mated across years initiating breeding earlier in the season than newly formed pairs. The behavioural interactions between pair members that may facilitate long-term pair bonding and early breeding onset have infrequently been studied, however. Here we report the relationship between male-female affiliative behaviour, pair-bond duration, and breeding date in house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus), a short-lived, socially monogamous passerine species in which the duration of pair bonds is highly variable within and among seasons. Finches that initiated breeding earliest in the season were those that had bred with one another in previous years. Early breeding males from returning pairs maintained significantly closer contact with their mate during the first egg-laying period of the year than did males from late-breeding, newly formed pairs. Similarly, early-breeding females from returning pairs followed their mate more closely in nest-vicinity flights during the fertile period than females from late-breeding, newly formed pairs. These results suggest that attributes of and interactions between both pair members may help to maintain stable breeding pairs and influence the timing of breeding in seasonally nesting, short-lived songbirds. Rather than advertising for or seeking extra-pair fertilization opportunities, high-quality pairs of finches may invest heavily in their mate to secure the pair bond and ensure high intrapair reproductive success.

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The coevolution of long-term pair bonds and cooperation

Journal of Evolutionary Biology ◽

10.1111/jeb.12111 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 26 (5) ◽

pp. 963-970 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Z. Song ◽

M. W. Feldman

Keyword(s):

Pair Bonds ◽

Term Pair

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Monogamous Mating System in the Hill Mynah Gracula Religiosa: The Role of Female–Female Aggression

Avian Biology Research ◽

10.3184/175815617x14951999745899 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 134-138 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Manee Archawaranon

Keyword(s):

Female Aggression ◽

Breeding Pair ◽

Pair Bonding ◽

Pair Bonds ◽

Term Pair ◽

Males And Females ◽

Breeding Seasons ◽

The Hill

This study aimed to discover whether the Hill Mynah Gracula religiosa forms pairs for a single breeding season or engages in long-term pair bonding, and to investigate the role of female aggression in maintaining pair bonds. Experiments were conducted on captive birds in Thailand between 2006 and 2013, and pair behaviours such as allopreening and aggression were observed four times every day. In the first experiment, when each breeding pair was preparing to rear a new clutch, pairs were placed in a new aviary with unfamiliar males and females with which they could potentially form relationships. Results indicated that breeding pairs stayed with the same mates over four continuous breeding seasons (2006–2009) without changing partners or taking additional mates. In a second experiment, the role of female aggression in maintaining long-term pair bonding was examined. Each breeding pair, when preparing to rear a new clutch, was placed in a new aviary with three unfamiliar females. The results showed that female breeders displayed vigorous aggression towards the other three females, forcing them to retreat from the pair; this behaviour was sustained over four continuous breeding seasons (2010–2013). Thus, it is suggested that the Hill Mynah engages in long-term pair bonding and that the aggression of the breeding female is an essential component in the maintenance of pair-bonds.

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Fitness consequences of long-term pair bonds in barnacle geese: monogamy in the extreme

Behavioral Ecology ◽

10.1093/beheco/12.5.640 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 640-645 ◽

Cited By ~ 80

Author(s):

J. M. Black

Keyword(s):

Pair Bonds ◽

Fitness Consequences ◽

Term Pair ◽

Barnacle Geese

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Women would like their Partners to be more Synchronized with them in their Sleep-Wake Rhythm

The Spanish Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1017/sjp.2014.72 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 17 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Christoph Randler ◽

Selina Barrenstein ◽

Christian Vollmer ◽

Juan Francisco Díaz-Morales ◽

Konrad S. Jankowski

Keyword(s):

Sexual Dimorphism ◽

Assortative Mating ◽

Sleep Onset ◽

Pair Bonds ◽

Term Pair ◽

The Difference ◽

Ideal Partners

AbstractMen sleep shorter and go to bed and get up later than women, thus they are later chronotypes. This difference between the sexes is most pronounced between puberty and menopause indicating the possibility that morningness is subject to sexual dimorphism related to reproductive aspects. The objective of the study was to compare the sleep-wake behavior of women with their actual partners and with their preferred partners. As a hypothesis, we expect some assortment in mating concerning chronotype (with the actual partner), but we also expect a higher synchronization with a preferred ideal partner. 167 women were analyzed in this study (mean age: 23.0 ± 2.57 (SD) years). Mated women were earlier chronotypes than their partners (t= –2.051,p= .042,d= .34) but the difference was small (11:02 min ± 1:04 min). The results of the present study showed women preferring a partner synchronized to their own sleep-wake-rhythm more than their actual partners were. The above result was true either for single facets of the sleep-wake rhythm (e.g. bed time, sleep onset) or for midpoint of sleep on free days – an indicator of actual chronotype: women’s and their partners’ correlation of midpoint of sleep was lower (r= .513) than women’s and their ideal partners’ correlation (r= .855). Amongst various sleep-wake measures, women particularly preferred a partner going to bed at the same time. Assortative mating according to sleep-wake rhythm exists, but women for long-term pair-bonds would like their partners far more synchronized.

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Divorce and breeding dispersal in the dunlin Calidris alpina: support for the better option hypothesis?

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/156853912x626295 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 149 (1) ◽

pp. 67-80 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Donald Blomqvist ◽

Lars-Åke Flodin

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Success ◽

Egg Laying ◽

Male Reproductive Success ◽

Breeding Dispersal ◽

Social Monogamy ◽

Calidris Alpina ◽

Pair Bonds ◽

Mate Change ◽

Term Data

AbstractSocial monogamy is a rare mating system among animals, occurring commonly only in birds. In long-lived birds, pair bonds may persist for several seasons in some species, while in others mate change occurs even when both partners are still alive. Here, we test predictions from the adaptive hypotheses for divorce, using long-term data (15 years) on mate change and reproductive success in a long-lived shorebird, the dunlin Calidris alpina. We found that about one quarter of the pairs divorced (23% of 126 breeding attempts). Among the divorcing females, six changed partner more than once (one female changed partner three times). Following divorce, females dispersed longer than males. Start of egg-laying (presumably reflecting arrival time to the breeding ground), previous breeding success, and male age or size did not seem to influence the occurrence of divorce. However, females that changed mate between consecutive breeding attempts achieved higher reproductive success. Moreover, this improvement appeared independent of breeding experience. Since we were unable to detect any effect of divorce on male reproductive success, our results suggest that divorce in the dunlin is best explained by the better option hypothesis.

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Extra-Pair Fertilizations in Sandhill Cranes Revealed Using Microsatellite DNA Markers

The Condor ◽

10.1093/condor/108.4.970 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 108 (4) ◽

pp. 970-976

Author(s):

Matthew A. Hayes ◽

Hugh B. Britten ◽

Jeb A. Barzen

Keyword(s):

Dna Markers ◽

Microsatellite Dna ◽

Breeding Population ◽

Grus Canadensis ◽

Pair Bonds ◽

The Social ◽

Microsatellite Dna Markers ◽

Term Pair ◽

Sandhill Cranes

AbstractAbstractThe presence of extra-pair fertilizations (EPF) in a dense breeding population of Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) was examined using six microsatellite DNA markers. In this long-lived species that maintains long-term pair bonds, 4.4%–11% of 45 chicks were not genetically related to one social parent, and extra-pair chicks were present in 5.6%–22% of 18 family groups. Two confirmed extra-pair chicks were from different broods of the same pair that was socially bonded for a minimum of 12 years. The social male was rejected as the genetic father of both of these chicks. Three other potential cases of EPF (two cases in which the social male was rejected as the genetic parent, one in which the social female was rejected) could also have resulted from mate replacement prior to sampling. The range of EPF in this population of Sandhill Cranes is similar to that of other species with similar mating systems. In the confirmed cases of EPF, the female was able to increase her individual reproductive success without losing her territory.

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Long-Term Pair Bonds in Harlequin Ducks

The Condor ◽

10.1093/condor/102.1.201 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 102 (1) ◽

pp. 201-205 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Cyndi M. Smith ◽

Fred Cooke ◽

Gregory J. Robertson ◽

R. Ian Goudie ◽

W. Sean Boyd

Keyword(s):

British Columbia ◽

Breeding Site ◽

Histrionicus Histrionicus ◽

Pair Bonds ◽

Previous Season ◽

Harlequin Ducks ◽

Term Pair ◽

Wintering Area

Abstract We documented the frequency of pair reunion in Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) on breeding streams in Alberta, and at a molting/wintering area in southwestern British Columbia. As long as their mate is alive, Harlequin Duck pairs reunite on the wintering area and return to the breeding stream together. Pairs reunite even if the female is unsuccessful at breeding the previous season, which suggests that reuniting with the same mate year after year is important. Some males that have lost their mate and fail to re-pair on the wintering area show fidelity to their former breeding site.

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