scholarly journals The songs of male pied flycatchers: exploring the legacy of the fathers

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e5397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonieta Labra ◽  
Helene M. Lampe

Singing is a key element of songbirds’ behavioral repertoire, particularly for males, which sing during the breeding season to defend resources against other males and to attract females. Different song traits may convey honest information about males’ qualities or conditions, which may be used by females to select their mates. Traits under strong sexual selection have an important component of additive genetic variation (i.e., the main genetic inheritance from parents), and so relatively high heritability; therefore, it can be expected that song traits also do. Although the act of singing is an innate behavior, and thus, genetically determined, songbirds need to learn their songs and therefore the genetic contribution to song traits may be reduced by the effect of environmental factors. We tested this hypothesis in seven song traits recorded in the long-distance migratory bird, the pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca). From a 23-year database (1992–2015), we obtained songs for 28 father–son pairs, and for each song trait we applied parent–offspring regressions to estimate heritability. The type of syllables sung are learned from tutors, and here we also determined the cultural contribution of fathers to the song repertoires of their sons, by quantifying the percentage of syllables that sons shared with their fathers, and compared this with what sons shared with other males in the population (e.g., neighbors). The heritabilities of song traits were highly variable (ranging from −0.22 to 0.56), but most of these were around zero and none of them were significant. These results indicate that the seven song traits are most likely determined by environmental factors. Sons shared more syllables with their fathers than with neighbors (21% vs. 3%), suggesting that fathers are important song tutors during the nestling period. We conclude that there is a cultural inheritance from fathers to their sons’ syllable repertoires, but there is no strong evidence for a genetic contribution of fathers to the seven song traits studied.

2008 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corrado Fagnani ◽  
Isabella Annesi-Maesano ◽  
Sonia Brescianini ◽  
Cristina D'Ippolito ◽  
Emanuela Medda ◽  
...  

AbstractA number of studies have provided evidence of a significant familial aggregation for both asthma and hay fever, and have reported a substantial comorbidity between the two conditions. However, far fewer, especially in Italy, have aimed at clarifying the origins of such comorbidity. The main aims of the present study were (a) to estimate heritability of asthma and hay fever, (b) to measure the association between asthma and hay fever at the individual level, and (c) to assess the extent to which genetic and environmental factors, shared by the two conditions, mediate this association. The twin method was used. The study sample was derived from the Italian Twin Registry, and included 392 twin pairs aged 8 to 17 years. Data collection was performed through parent self-administered questionnaire. Bivariate structural equation twin modeling was applied to asthma and hay fever. Genetic factors accounted for 92% and 78% of the variance in liability to asthma and hay fever, respectively, with the remaining contributions due to unique environmental influences. The within-individual association between asthma and hay fever was substantial. The genetic correlation between the two conditions was .58, whereas no evidence of overlapping unique environmental effects was found. In conclusion, this study showed a high heritability of asthma and hay fever in the Italian child and adolescent population. It also indicated that asthma and hay fever share, to a large extent, a common genetic background, and environmental factors are not relevant to explain the comorbidity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhigang Wu ◽  
Xinwei Xu ◽  
Juan Zhang ◽  
Gerhard Wiegleb ◽  
Hongwei Hou

Abstract Background Due to the environmental heterogeneity along elevation gradients, alpine ecosystems are ideal study objects for investigating how ecological variables shape the genetic patterns of natural species. The highest region in the world, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, is a hotspot for the studies of evolutionary processes in plants. Many large rivers spring from the plateau, providing abundant habitats for aquatic and amphibious organisms. In the present study, we examined the genetic diversity of 13 Ranunculus subrigidus populations distributed throughout the plateau in order to elucidate the relative contribution of geographic distance and environmental dissimilarity to the spatial genetic pattern. Results A relatively low level of genetic diversity within populations was found. No spatial genetic structure was suggested by the analyses of molecular variance, Bayesian clustering analysis and Mantel tests. Partial Mantel tests and multiple matrix regression analysis showed a significant influence of the environment on the genetic divergence of the species. Both climatic and water quality variables contribute to the habitat heterogeneity of R. subrigidus populations. Conclusions Our results suggest that historical processes involving long-distance dispersal and local adaptation may account for the genetic patterns of R. subrigidus and current environmental factors play an important role in the genetic differentiation and local adaptation of aquatic plants in alpine landscapes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia Reséndiz-Infante ◽  
Gilles Gauthier

AbstractMany avian migrants have not adjusted breeding phenology to climate warming resulting in negative consequences for their offspring. We studied seasonal changes in reproductive success of the greater snow goose (Anser caerulescens atlantica), a long-distance migrant. As the climate warms and plant phenology advances, the mismatch between the timing of gosling hatch and peak nutritive quality of plants will increase. We predicted that optimal laying date yielding highest reproductive success occurred earlier over time and that the seasonal decline in reproductive success increased. Over 25 years, reproductive success of early breeders increased by 42%, producing a steeper seasonal decline in reproductive success. The difference between the laying date producing highest reproductive success and the median laying date of the population increased, which suggests an increase in the selection pressure for that trait. Observed clutch size was lower than clutch size yielding the highest reproductive success for most laying dates. However, at the individual level, clutch size could still be optimal if the additional time required to acquire nutrients to lay extra eggs is compensated by a reduction in reproductive success due to a delayed laying date. Nonetheless, breeding phenology may not respond sufficiently to meet future environmental changes induced by warming temperatures.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cosme López Calderón ◽  
Javier Balbontín Arenas ◽  
Keith A. Hobson ◽  
Anders Pape Møller

1974 ◽  
Vol 125 (584) ◽  
pp. 25-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. L. Cazzullo ◽  
E. Smeraldi ◽  
G. Penati

Many inheritance models of schizophrenia have been proposed, in view of its variable age at onset, variable familial occurrence and the relevant influence of a great number of environmental factors (Gottsman and Shields, 1967; Heston, 1970; Ödegård, 1972). However, the real genetic predisposition to schizophrenia has not yet been experimentally verified, and genetic markers have to be looked for, i.e. we need some character, genetically determined, whose transmission is associated with schizophrenia transmission: the more polymorphous the character, the greater will be the probability of finding such associations.


2017 ◽  
Vol 220 (6) ◽  
pp. 1072-1078 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Viegas ◽  
Pedro M. Araújo ◽  
Afonso D. Rocha ◽  
Auxiliadora Villegas ◽  
John G. Jones ◽  
...  

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (1-2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karin Magnusson ◽  
Kåre Birger Hagen

The relative contribution of genetic factors and more modifiable environmental factors to a clinically<br />relevant osteoarthritis (OA) diagnosis is unkown. In this paper we present an ongoing study on the genetic<br />contribution to total joint replacement (TJR) due to hip and knee OA and effects of lifestyle and lifestyle<br />related conditions on TJR due to OA. We have linked data on incident OA from the Norwegian Arthroplasty<br />Registry were l with the Norwegian Twin Registry on the National ID number in 2014, thus obtaining a<br />population based cohort of same-sex twins born 1915-60. Data on height, weight and lifestyle were selfreporteded<br />in questionnaires conducted between 1978 and 1992. The monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic<br />(DZ) concordances as well as the genetic contribution vs. contribution of more modifiable, environmental<br />factors to arthroplasty will be examined in separate analyses for the hip and the knee joint. The sample<br />comprised N=18058 twins (N=3803 MZ and N=5226 DZ pairs) including N=9650 (53.4%) females and a<br />mean (SD) age of 38 (12.3) years at questionnaire response. Some preliminary analyses have been performed<br />showing a higher concordance for TJR due to hip OA among MZ (0.36) than DZ twins (0.16), which may<br />be consistent with a genetic contribution to hip OA. TJR due to hip OA may be determined by genetic<br />factors. Results for the knee joint as well as final results from hereditary analyses and co-twin control<br />analyses of will be published consecutively from 2016.


Author(s):  
Chesco Aloyce Motto

This study intended to explore the school environmental factors influencing female pupils’ academic performance in public primary schools at Iringa Municipality. A cross-sectional study design was used where structured questionnaire using open and closed ended questionnaire as well as interviews to participants were used to collect primary information from 123 girls’ pupils and 36 key informants from seven selected public primary schools. Data analysis was done through descriptive statistics (SPSS). The study findings revealed that harsh environmental factors contributing to poor academic performance through sexual harassment by pest teachers, longer distance of a female pupils form schools that affect pupils attendance and drop out, Shortage of teaching and learning resources as well as facilities i.e. text books, library and shortage of latrines  while teaching and learning it is difficult for them to deriver pedagogical principal of teaching following large class size 68-80, and the bias attitude of the teacher towards subject matter that girls are always do performs poor in science subjects than boys. Finally, the study recommends that the government should build hostels for standard six and seven female pupils for solving the issue of long distance and drop out. Good and enough latrines should be built for girls and boys. Teachers should be well trained in order to handle girls well and also government should organize regular workshops for teachers. Either girls pupils should all the time helped by both male and female teachers in their problems and academic matters openly to avoid bias and mistrust among male teachers.


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