Breeding synchrony does not affect extra-pair paternity in great reed warblers

AbstractBreeding synchrony is hypothesised to influence the occurrence and frequency of extra-pair fertilisations (EPFs) in birds irrespective of the social mating system. The two proposed hypotheses make opposite predictions. (1) Synchronous breeding leads to a lower frequency of EPFs because males face a trade-off between mate guarding and obtaining additional matings via extra-pair copulations (EPCs) ('guarding constraint' hypothesis). (2) Synchronous breeding promotes EPFs because females are able to compare displaying males simultaneously, which provides them with more reliable cues for extra-pair mate choice ('mate assessment' hypothesis). In a study of great reed warblers (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) from 1987-1998, annual breeding was asynchronous and the frequency of EPFs was rather low (extra-pair young occurring in 6.4% of the broods). Within this population, however, there was no relationship between the frequency of EPFs and breeding synchrony, thus not favouring any of the two hypotheses. Contrary to assumptions of the hypotheses, mate guarding did not seem to constrain males from engaging in EPCs (disfavouring the 'guarding constraint' hypothesis), and females seem to have repeated opportunities to compare males irrespective of breeding synchrony (disfavouring the 'mate assessment' hypothesis). Our results suggest that breeding synchrony is not an important factor influencing patterns of EPFs in great reed warblers. The low frequency of EPFs may instead be explained by the socially polygynous mating system, where females are less constrained in their choice of a social male.

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Incomplete Female Knowledge of Male Quality May Explain Variation in Extra-Pair Paternity in Birds

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/156853997x00584 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 134 (5-6) ◽

pp. 353-371 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Jan T. Lifjeld ◽

Tore Slagsvold

Keyword(s):

Mate Guarding ◽

Egg Laying ◽

Male Quality ◽

Essential Information ◽

Genetic Quality ◽

Extra Pair Paternity ◽

Early Arrival ◽

The Social ◽

Male Mate

AbstractWe present and discuss an hypothesis to explain inter- and intraspecific variation in levels of extra-pair paternity (EPP) in birds. In species with biparental care, females may be willing to engage in extra-pair copulation (EPC) to improve the genetic quality of the offspring. However, it may be costly to sample males and difficult to assess their genetic quality. Hence, we suggest that variation occurs in the extent of such knowledge between females, causing variation in the extent to which they are willing to engage in EPC. From the hypothesis we present nine predictions on occurrence of EPP in birds, e.g. cuckolders should mainly be resident, close neighbours; rate of EPP should be positively related to breeding density, to rate of male intrusion, to female opportunity to assess male quality from competitive interactions between males, to early arrival time of females relative to time of egg laying, and to breeding synchrony. Finally, we discuss implications on male behaviour. We suggest a new function of male mate guarding, namely that mate guarding is a means to prevent the social mate from obtaining essential information about the quality of potential extra-pair mates.

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Old female reed buntings (Emberiza schoeniclus) increase extra-pair paternity in their broods when mated to young males

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/156853905774831819 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 142 (11-12) ◽

pp. 1449-1463 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Karen M. Bouwman ◽

Jan Komdeur

Keyword(s):

Mate Guarding ◽

Male Preference ◽

Young Males ◽

Young Females ◽

Extra Pair Paternity ◽

The Social ◽

Socially Monogamous ◽

Behavioural Interactions ◽

Emberiza Schoeniclus ◽

Older Males

AbstractIn birds, females are generally assumed to determine whether extra-pair copulations occur, and thus most studies on extra-pair paternity (EPP) have focussed on female preference for male traits, whereas female traits have been largely neglected. However, the occurrence of EPP is likely to be a result of behavioural interactions (e.g., mate guarding by the social male and escaping mate guarding by the female), and may be related to individual experience, which is expected to increase with age. We investigated the effect of age on levels of EPP in reed buntings Emberiza schoeniclus, a socially monogamous passerine with extremely high levels of extra-pair young (more than 50% of offspring). In broods of older males the rate of cuckoldry declined, which is in agreement with our previous finding that older males are more successful, either through female choice or through male experience. In contrast, older females tended to increase the level of extra-pair paternity in their broods. When including the age of the partner, we found that young males, but not old males, were cuckolded more by old females than by young females. The increase in EPP with female age is not likely to be due to disassortative mating with respect to age, an increased capacity of older females to raise a brood without male help, nor a male preference for older females. With age, males nor females changed their share in parental effort. We suggest that with increase in age, females become more choosy when selecting the male that sires their offspring, or alternatively, become more experienced at circumventing paternity assurance tactics of young males.

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Almost faithful: SNP markers reveal low levels of extra-pair paternity in the Eurasian beavers

10.7287/peerj.preprints.27866 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Priyank Sharad Nimje ◽

Helga Veronica Tinnesand ◽

Christina Buesching ◽

Mona Sæbø ◽

Helen Senn ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Paternity ◽

Low Frequency ◽

Mate Guarding ◽

Snp Markers ◽

Social Monogamy ◽

Single Nucleotide ◽

Extra Pair Paternity ◽

Eurasian Beaver ◽

Genetic Monogamy ◽

Mate Change

Mating systems largely affect individual reproductive strategies which further drives evolution. Monogamy, where males and females form exclusive pairs for more than one breeding season, is particularly intriguing in this context, as there are real and potential costs of genetic monogamy to both sexes. However, molecular studies in a variety of species have revealed that social monogamy does not necessarily imply genetic monogamy due to occurrence of extra-pair copulations resulting in extra-pair offspring. Although common in birds, <10% of mammals are monogamous. Here we use single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) to investigate the genetic mating system of the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber), a species traditionally considered to be not only socially but also genetically monogamous. We found evidence for low frequency of extra-pair paternity (EPP) and multiple paternity within litter. Only 5.4% young were produced by EPP and only 7% of litter contain at least one extra-pair young. Moreover, we found indications that only pairings of old individuals engaged in EPP. None of these pairs produced more than one litter as a result of EPP and none of the EPP events resulted in mate change. Our findings suggest that EPP in beavers might be the consequence of a lapse in mate guarding ability of old males.

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Almost faithful: SNP markers reveal low levels of extra-pair paternity in the Eurasian beavers

10.7287/peerj.preprints.27866v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Priyank Sharad Nimje ◽

Helga Veronica Tinnesand ◽

Christina Buesching ◽

Mona Sæbø ◽

Helen Senn ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Paternity ◽

Low Frequency ◽

Mate Guarding ◽

Snp Markers ◽

Social Monogamy ◽

Single Nucleotide ◽

Extra Pair Paternity ◽

Eurasian Beaver ◽

Genetic Monogamy ◽

Mate Change

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Does Reproductive Synchrony Limit Male Opportunities or Enhance Female Choice for Extra-Pair Paternity?

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/156853997x00520 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 134 (7-8) ◽

pp. 551-562 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Bart Kempenaers

Keyword(s):

Female Choice ◽

Timing Of Breeding ◽

Parus Caeruleus ◽

Male Quality ◽

Blue Tit ◽

Fertile Period ◽

Trade Off ◽

Reproductive Synchrony ◽

Extra Pair Paternity ◽

Breeding Synchrony

AbstractBreeding synchrony has been suggested as one factor that might explain the variation in frequency of extra-pair paternity, both between and within species. Reproductive synchrony might limit the opportunities for males to engage in extra-pair copulations (EPCs), because males face a trade-off with guarding their own fertile partner. Alternatively, breeding synchrony may promote extra-pair paternity, because of reduced male-male competition for EPCs or because of enhanced possibilities for females to assess male quality. In this study, I investigated the influence of synchrony on the occurrence of extra-pair paternity in the blue tit Parus caeruleus. Over four years, breeding synchrony and extra-pair paternity were positively related. Within a season, extra-pair paternity occurred independently of the timing of breeding. The fertile period of the extra-pair male's social mate and that of the extra-pair female often overlapped considerably. However, males who performed EPCs during the fertile period of their social mate were not more likely to lose paternity than males who performed EPCs after the fertile period of their mate. These data suggest that breeding synchrony has little influence on the occurrence of extra-pair paternity in the blue tit.

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Effects of Natural Variation in Sex Ratio and Habitat Structure On Mate-Guarding Decisions in Amphipods (Crustacea)

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/156853996x00567 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 133 (13-14) ◽

pp. 985-996 ◽

Cited By ~ 49

Author(s):

Jaimie T.A. Dick ◽

Robert W. Elwood

Keyword(s):

Natural Populations ◽

Mate Guarding ◽

Reproductive Behaviour ◽

Male Competition ◽

Female Body Size ◽

The Social ◽

Size Assortment ◽

Assortative Pairing ◽

Study Species

AbstractWe employed field-based studies, with complementary laboratory-based studies, to investigate social and environmental influences on tactical mate-guarding decisions in amphipods (Crustacea). Firstly, we investigated variation in precopulatory mate-guarding duration in Cammarus duebeni celticus in relation to the social structure of natural populations. Variation in population density of up to two orders of magnitude had no effect on precopula duration, whereas guarding durations increased as the sex ratios of the populations became more male biased. That is, males have some ability to assess the probability of other males taking females into precopula and are prepared to guard for longer as this threat of male: male competition increases. A field demonstration of tactical shifts in reproductive behaviour in response to pertinent social conditions is thus provided. Secondly, the 'habitat segregation' hypothesis, which proposes that positive size-assortative pairing in amphipod populations arises due to variation in the use of micro-habitats, was tested in natural field populations and under laboratory conditions in Echinogammarus marinus. This was necessary in order to distinguish any purely environmental determinants of size-assortment from the role of active decisions by males concerning mate choice and male: male competition. The hypothesis was rejected on the grounds that size-assortative pairing arises under both heterogeneous and homogeneous environmental conditions. Further, in both study species, male and female body size were positively correlated with precopula duration. Thus, indirect competition for access to large, fecund females, based on the timing of male entry into precopula, together with direct aggression, provides the explanation for size-assortative pairing in amphipods.

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The social and genetic mating system in flickers linked to partially reversed sex roles

Behavioral Ecology ◽

10.1093/beheco/arn138 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 453-458 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Karen L. Wiebe ◽

Bart Kempenaers

Keyword(s):

Mating System ◽

Sex Roles ◽

The Social ◽

Genetic Mating System

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The representations of adolescents about gynecological consultation

Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP ◽

10.1590/s0080-623420140000300008 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 48 (3) ◽

pp. 438-445 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Vera Lúcia de Oliveira Gomes ◽

Adriana Dora da Fonseca ◽

Denize Cristina de Oliveira ◽

Camila Daiane Silva ◽

Daniele Ferreira Acosta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽

Social Representations ◽

Low Frequency ◽

Social Representation ◽

Contextual Analysis ◽

Central Nucleus ◽

Treatment Results ◽

Education Professionals ◽

The Social ◽

Qualitative Descriptive

Objective: To analyze the social representation of adolescents about gynecological consultation and the influence of those in searching for consultations. Method: Qualitative descriptive study based on the Social Representations Theory, conducted with 50 adolescents in their last year of middle school. The data was collected between April and May of 2010 by Evocations and a Focal Group. The software EVOC and contextual analysis were used in the data treatment. Results: The elements fear and constraint, constant in the central nucleus, can justify the low frequency of adolescents in consultations. The term embarrassment in the peripheral system reinforce current sociocultural norms, while prevention, associated with learning about sex and clarifying doubts, allows to envision an educative function. Obtained testimonies in the focal groups exemplify and reinforce those findings. Conclusion: For an effective health education, professionals, including nurses, need to clarify the youth individually and collectively about their rights to privacy, secrecy, in addition to focus the gynecological consultation as a promotion measure to sexual and reproductive health.

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