Female-Biased Philopatry, Monogamy, and the Timing of Pair Formation in Migratory Waterfowl

Rohwer, Frank C.; Anderson, M.

doi:10.1007/978-1-4615-6787-5_4

Cited by 186 publications

(133 citation statements)

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“…Unfortunately, similar estimates are not available for males. Studies on related species have also found considerably higher genetic differentiation at mitochondrial than nuclear markers, for example, in spectacled eider (Scribner et al, 2001), red-crested pochard (Gay et al, 2004), common eider (Tiedemann et al, 2004) and common pochard , and female philopatry and male-biased dispersal is probably a general pattern among Anatidae (Rohwer and Anderson, 1988). This corresponds to the situation in many mammals while female-mediated gene flow is typically more common in other birds (Lawson Handley and Perrin, 2007).…”

Section: Female Breeding Site Fidelitymentioning

confidence: 94%

Breeding site fidelity and winter admixture in a long-distance migrant, the tufted duck (Aythya fuligula)

2012

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Long-distance migrants are, by definition, highly mobile but it is poorly understood if this leads to high rates of gene flow and an essentially panmictic global population structure. Genetic divergence in migratory species could be promoted, for example, by fidelity to distinct migratory pathways. In this study, we investigate the population genetic structure of tufted duck (Aythya fuligula), a long-distance migrant with a largely continuous breeding distribution across Eurasia. Distinct, longitudinally oriented flyways have been postulated based on geographically disjunct wintering areas and are supported by evidence from ringing data. We generated sequences of the mitochondrial control region and multi-locus microsatellite genotypes for several hundreds of samples from the European and Asian breeding and wintering grounds including some individuals infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1. Significant differentiation between breeding sites was observed for both marker types, but F ST values were approximately 10 times higher for maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA than for biparentally transmitted nuclear markers. The genetic differentiation between the postulated European and Asian flyways was similar to that observed within continents and, in general, genetic divergence was not associated with geographic distance. Neither marker type showed evidence of genetic substructure among aggregations on the European wintering grounds. Our results suggest some breeding site fidelity, especially in females, but extensive population admixture on the wintering grounds. Several scenarios may explain the observed lack of genetic divergence between Europe and Asia including non-equilibrium conditions following a recent range expansion or contemporary gene flow across the postulated migratory divides.

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Section: Female Breeding Site Fidelitymentioning

confidence: 94%

Breeding site fidelity and winter admixture in a long-distance migrant, the tufted duck (Aythya fuligula)

2012

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“…Second, females in laboratory and aviary experiments spent more time with T-implanted males than with controls (Domjan 1987;Enstrom et al 1997). Third, when pairs are together, males in some species increase female foraging success by increasing antipredator vigilance and alarm calling (Sullivan 1985;Rohwer & Anderson 1988;Hannon & Martin 1996), and at least one study showed that these male behaviours were mediated by T (Fusani et al 1997). Lastly, experimental increases in female reproductive steroids during autumn and winter seem to hasten reproductive behaviour between mates (Moore 1983;Wingfield & Monk 1994), so T could have a similar effect.…”

Section: Pair Bond Maintenancementioning

confidence: 99%

The role of testosterone in male downy woodpeckers in winter home range use, mate interactions and female foraging behaviour

Kellam¹,

Lucas²,

Wingfield

2006

Animal Behaviour

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Studies of the role of testosterone (T) in birds have typically focused on sexual or aggressive behaviours of males during the breeding period, but males of nonmigratory species may invest in mate and territory long before breeding, and the influence of T in facilitating nonbreeding-season behaviours is poorly understood. We gave free-living male downy woodpeckers, Picoides pubescens, T-implants during the winter to determine whether elevated levels of T increased a male's ability to exclusively occupy territory-based resources, and whether elevated T strengthened a male's investment in an existing pair bond relationship. We also explored how a female's foraging efficiency might be affected by her mate's behaviour if he had elevated T. We found little difference between control and T-implanted males with regard to home range exclusivity. Surprisingly, male-male display rates were significantly lower in T-implanted males than in controls. Regarding male-female interactions, T-implanted males that experienced high incursion rates from other males maintained more frequent spatial association with their mate, suggesting that T facilitates male behaviours that could restrict the mate's access to other male birds. Female mates of T-males showed reduced foraging rates, but because male-female aggression was similar between treatment groups, the cause for this reduction is unknown. The results indicate that exogenous T during winter affects a variety of behaviours in male woodpeckers, and proximate influences on pair bond maintenance in winter may be a fruitful avenue for future research.Hormones have a vital influence on avian mate choice and life history. For example, male courtship, mate guarding, defence of breeding territory, the number of female mating partners per season and female choice of males depend on testosterone (T) levels in males to some degree (Moore 1984;Wingfield & Farner 1993;Enstrom et al. 1997). However, relatively few studies have examined T's contribution to facilitating male social behaviours outside the traditional breeding season, even though, in resident species, both defence of breeding territory and pairing activities may take place. In some species, T and related control mechanisms may regulate these nonbreeding-season behaviours (Wingfield et al. 1997;Hau et al. 2004). Thus, if behaviours related to defence of breeding territory and maintenance of the pair bond relationship in the nonbreeding period increase a male's fitness (and/or the fitness of his existing or future mate), increases in plasma T before the breeding period could also be advantageous.At the same time, elevated and prolonged T levels could have significant fitness costs. These may include physical wounding or depredation resulting from aggressive or otherwise conspicuous behaviours, immunosuppression and heightened energetic demands (Wingfield Buchanan et al. 2001). High male T levels might also lower the fitness of the male's mate, a possibility that is often overlooked. Increased interaction between mates cou...

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“…Many Northern Hemisphere species, particularly waterfowl and high-latitude waders, make predictable migrations of considerable distances from breeding grounds to wintering areas (Gauthreaux 1982;Bellrose and Trudeau 1988;Rohwer and Anderson 1988;Hestbeck et al 1991) whereas movements of Australian waterbirds are generally more complex and unpredictable. Thus early naturalists and observers suggested that Australian waterbirds, mainly waterfowl, moved into Victoria from elsewhere (e.g.…”

Section: Movementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Australian waterbirds—products of the continent's ecology

Kingsford

Norman

2002

Emu - Austral Ornithology

113

107

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Abstract. Some aspects of the ecology of 93 waterbird species, found predominantly on freshwater ecosystems, are reviewed. These species, belonging to six major orders -Anseriformes (ducks, geese and Black Swan), Podicipediformes (grebes), Pelecaniformes (Australian Pelican and cormorants), Ciconiiformes (herons, ibis, spoonbills and bitterns), Gruiformes (cranes, rails, crakes and gallinules), and Charadriiformes (waders and terns) -use a wide range of habitats and about half occur throughout the continent. Knowledge of their ecology remains poor for many waterbirds, particularly cryptic and rare species, and is moderate to good for hunted species. Life histories of Australian waterbirds differ from their counterparts elsewhere. Australia's highly variable climate and river-flooding patterns create wetland habitats, the spatial and temporal variability of which strongly influence the ecology of local waterbirds. Many waterbirds respond to newly generated habitats to feed and/or breed and then disperse or die as wetlands dry. Regular movements are not common in most Australian species although some, particularly waders, migrate between Northern Hemisphere breeding grounds and non-breeding habitat in Australia. Breeding of Australian waterbirds coincides with food abundance in the southern spring, the wet season in the tropics and following floods inland. Habitat loss through draining of wetlands, regulation of rivers, diversion of water for irrigation and floodplain development are currently the major threats to waterbirds. Other potentially threatening processes include exotic plants and animals, pollution, climate change and over-harvesting but evidence for the impact of these factors remains poor. Understanding of waterbird, particularly waterfowl, ecology has contributed significantly to the conservation management of wetlands in Australia. Research on single species, studies of movements using satellite technology, further investigation of the effects of hunting, long-term monitoring and large-scale analyses of the availability of wetland habitat should be future research priorities.

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Female-Biased Philopatry, Monogamy, and the Timing of Pair Formation in Migratory Waterfowl

Cited by 186 publications

References 100 publications

Breeding site fidelity and winter admixture in a long-distance migrant, the tufted duck (Aythya fuligula)

Breeding site fidelity and winter admixture in a long-distance migrant, the tufted duck (Aythya fuligula)

The role of testosterone in male downy woodpeckers in winter home range use, mate interactions and female foraging behaviour

Australian waterbirds—products of the continent's ecology

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