Brood rearing costs affect future reproduction in the precocial common goldeneye Bucephala clangula

Abstract

Milonoff, M., Pöysä, H., Runko, P. and Ruusila, V. 2004. Brood rearing costs affect future reproduction in the precocial common goldeneye Bucephala clangula . Á/ J. Avian Biol. 35: 344 Á/351.Life-history theory assumes a trade-off between current reproductive effort and future reproductive success. There are a large number of studies demonstrating reproductive trade-offs in different animal taxa, particularly in birds. Most bird studies have focused on the costs of chick rearing in altricial species. These costs have been assumed to be low in precocial species, but this aspect has been little studied. We used long-term individual reproductive data from the common goldeneye Bucephala clangula , an iteroparous precocial duck with uniparental female care, to examine whether brood rearing carries costs that affect future reproductive performance. All females were experienced breeders, and possible differences in female quality were ruled out. We compared within-individual (between-year) changes in clutch size, hatching date and body mass between females that had reared a brood in the previous year and females that had not. It turned out that brood rearing involved a cost in terms of clutch size and hatching date the next year, but not in terms of body mass: females that had reared a brood in the previous year laid relatively smaller clutches and laid relatively later than females that had not reared a brood. Our results show that normal brood rearing in a precocial species involves costs that affect future reproduction.

Nest Predation and the Evolution of Conspecific Brood Parasitism: From Risk Spreading to Risk Assessment

“…The explanation of why parasites and nesters in the common goldeneye differ in their ability to assess nest predation risk probably lies in the fact that the most valuable information regarding site-specific success is available after the ducklings have left the nest (see Pöysä 2006). And this is the time when successful nesting females are busy with time-consuming brood rearing (Milonoff et al 2004), whereas parasites that do not have their own brood are free from parental duties and, therefore, able to invest more time in nest site prospecting to find safe nests for parasitic laying in the next breeding season (Pöysä 2006). Data to study these aspects are difficult to obtain, but similar results concerning nonrandom nest predation and preference for successful nest sites have been found for other species.…”

Carry‐over effects reveal reproductive costs in a long‐distance migrant

“…Parental care is one of the major costs of reproduction (e.g. Pettifor, Perrins & McCleery 1988; Jacobsen, Erikstad & Sæther 1995; Milonoff et al. 2004), and for species with extended parental care this will be most acute during the non‐breeding period.…”

Life history patterns, individual heterogeneity, and density dependence in breeding common goldeneyes of the northern boreal forest

“…Detection of reproductive costs in goldeneyes has been mixed. Multiple studies have reported no difference in survival rates among females that nested successfully compared to those that failed (Savard and Eadie , Ludwichowski et al ), whereas Milonoff et al () reported a negative effect of brood rearing on future reproductive output. Additionally, Dow and Fredga () reported that first‐time breeding females that laid larger clutches were less likely to be encountered again, suggesting age‐related costs of reproduction (Newton , Viallefont et al ).…”