共查询到20条相似文献,搜索用时 31 毫秒
1.
Ø. Holand R. B. Weladji K. H. Røed H. Gjøstein J. Kumpula J.-M. Gaillard M. E. Smith M. Nieminen 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》2006,59(5):682-688
The manipulation of the sex ratio and age structure in many managed ungulate populations calls for a better understanding
of their potential consequences on females’ condition and behavior during rut. During 1996–2002, we manipulated the male age
structure and male percentage (nine treatments during 7 years) within an experimental herd of semidomestic reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) and investigated their influence on both the body mass change and the behavior of females during rut. On average, the females
lost body mass (−0.95±SE 0.18 kg) during rut, which we contend to reflect somatic costs. The females’ losses increased as
the percentage of male decreased, but this was certainly ascribed to one treatment with high male percentage (27.7%) as compared
to the others (ranging from 3.9 to 12.2%). Female losses were highest for treatments including both young and adult males
as compared to only adult or only young males, and higher for treatments including only young compared to only adult males.
This is supported by (1) the higher female harassment frequency when females are exposed to only young or a mixture of young
and adult males as compared to only adults, (2) the higher female harassment frequency by young males as compared to adults
in the mixed treatments, and (3) the reduced females’ feeding activity in treatments including both young and adult males.
We conclude that the male age structure during rut will influence the females’ behavior and mass change and may have implications
for females’ life history and for population dynamics. 相似文献
2.
Specimens from the prosobranch Hinia reticulata collected along the coast of Brittany and Normandy from 1988 to 1991 exhibited imposex (occurrence of male parts in addition to the female genital duct) in response to tributyltin (TBT) pollution. Four stages of imposex development (1 to 4) with two different types in the Stages 1, 3 and 4 could be distinguished and have been documented with scanning electron micrographs for the first time. Furthermore, three additional alterations of the genital tract are shown. Neither TBT-induced sterilization nor sex change occurred. TBT accumulation in whole body and selected tissues is described and sex-related differences are shown. The VDS (vas deferens sequence) index, cubed and uncubed RPS (relative penis size) index and average female penis length of a population were analysed with regard to their quality as indices for TBT biomonitoring. Based on the way imposex develops in this species the VDS is recommended as the most valid index. Only in highly polluted areas should the uncubed RPS be used as a second index. 相似文献
3.
Correlates of extra-pair fertilization success in hooded warblers 总被引:13,自引:0,他引:13
Bridget J. M. Stutchbury W. H. Piper D. L. Neudorf S. A. Tarof Judith M. Rhymer G. Fuller R. C. Fleischer 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》1997,40(2):119-126
We examined correlates of extra-pair fertilization (EPF) success in the hooded warbler (Wilsonia citrina), a species where females pursue extra-pair matings. The good genes hypothesis predicts that females choose extra-pair mates
with morphological or behavioral traits that reflect differences in male genetic quality. EPFs were common, as 35.3% (42/119)
of broods contained extra-pair young (EPY) and 26.7% (95/356) of nestlings were the result of EPFs. There was a strong skew
in male EPF success which increased the variance in annual male mating success 2–3 fold. However, male morphology did not
predict EPF success, as extra-pair males were not older or larger than the males they cuckolded. Likewise, there were no significant
correlations between the proportion of extra-pair young in a brood and male size or age. The good genes hypothesis predicts
that high-quality males will be consistently preferred as genetic mates, but the number of young sired by a male with his
social mate was not consistent from one year to the next. There was a significant negative correlation between female age
and proportion of EPY produced, which could result if older females obtain higher-quality social mates. We found no strong
evidence that females choose extra-pair mates for good genes, but females may use behavioral rather than morphological cues
to assess relative male quality.
Received: 31 May 1996 / Accepted after revision: 17 October 1996 相似文献
4.
Social monogamy and extra-pair fertilization in an Australian lizard, Tiliqua rugosa 总被引:3,自引:0,他引:3
C. Michael Bull Steven J. B. Cooper Ben C. Baghurst 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》1998,44(1):63-72
This study investigates social monogamy in the Australian sleepy lizard, Tiliqua rugosa. At a 70-ha site near Mount Mary, South Australia, we radio tracked 55 adult female and 39 adult male lizards during their
spring activity periods. Each lizard was observed in 1–5 years. Females were observed with a single male partner on an average
of 10.8 days per year, although in 17.3% of cases, females were observed on 2 or fewer days with a male. The most intense
pairing period each year was 15 September–15 November when females were with male partners on an average of 36% of observation
days. Partnerships lasted an average of 43.3 days each year. After mating in early November, the pairs separated. Observations
of females pairing with other males were rare. Most males (82%) were also consistently monogamous, although 7 were observed
pairing with 2 females within one season. To investigate paternity, we allowed 21 gravid females to give birth to 42 offspring
in the laboratory. We determined genotypes at five polymorphic microsatellite DNA loci for the females, their male partners
and their offspring. Four litters (19%) and 6 of the offspring from those litters (14.3%) showed evidence of extra-pair fertilization
(EPF). Although the sample sizes are small, females of polygynous males were more likely to experience EPF.
Received: 22 February 1998 / Accepted after revision: 23 May 1998 相似文献
5.
Ellen J. Censky 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》1997,40(4):221-225
Mate choice by females has been documented in a variety of taxa. Female mate choice in species lacking male resource control
or paternal care might occur if preferred males provide protection from harassment. Female mate choice was investigated in
a natural population of the non-territorial lizard Ameiva plei (Teiidae). Consort pairs were allowed to form naturally. Consort males were significantly larger than non-consort males.
After removal of consort males, the “abandoned” female's reaction to the first male who approached her was recorded. Females
rejected all small males. Female preference for large males was significantly higher than preference for small males. Large
males may be better equipped to guard the females from harassment and behavior of large males is less harassing than behavior
of small males, thereby affording the female increased foraging time.
Received: 21 June 1996 / Accepted after revision: 28 December 1996 相似文献
6.
Polyandry and enhanced reproductive success in the harlequin-beetle-riding pseudoscorpion 总被引:1,自引:0,他引:1
J. A. Zeh 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》1997,40(2):111-118
The growing molecular evidence that females of many species mate with several males calls for a critical reassessment of
the selective forces which act to shape female mating tactics. In natural populations of the harlequin-beetle-riding pseudoscorpion,
Cordylochernes scorpioides, females are polyandrous and typically produce mixed-paternity broods. Laboratory behavioral analyses and breeding experiments
indicate that polyandry in this pseudoscorpion is an active strategy which increases female reproductive success. Females
restricted to mating with a single male experienced a higher rate of embryo failure and produced significantly fewer offspring
than either females mated to more than one male in the laboratory or females naturally inseminated in the field. Forced copulation,
insufficient sperm from a single mating, male nutrient donations and variation in inherent male genetic quality cannot explain
the greater number of nymphs hatched by polyandrous females in this study. Evidence suggests that, by mating with several
males, C. scorpioides females may exploit postcopulatory mechanisms for reducing the risk and/or cost of embryo failure resulting from fertilization
by genetically incompatible sperm.
Received: 5 May 1996 / Accepted after revision: 16 October 1996 相似文献
7.
Condition-dependent control of paternity by female purple martins: implications for coloniality 总被引:9,自引:0,他引:9
Proposed causal links between extra-pair copulation (EPC) and colony formation in socially monogamous birds hinge on the
question of which sex controls fertilizations. We examined in colonial purple martins Progne subis (1) whether EPCs were forced or accepted by females, and (2) the degree to which apparently receptive females were able to
obtain EPCs against their mates’ paternity defenses. Paternity analyses of multilocus DNA fingerprinting confirmed previous
findings of a marked relationship between age class and extra-pair fertilizations (EPFs), with young males losing paternity
of 43% (n = 53) of their putative offspring compared to 4% (n = 85) by old males. All assignable extra-pair offspring were sired by old males, with one male obtaining most EPFs each year.
Contrary to the hypothesis that EPCs are forced, EPF frequency within age class did not increase with seasonal increases in
the number of males per fertile female. Whereas the male control hypothesis predicted that the male age class that mate-guarded
more would be cuckolded less, the reverse was true: young males guarded significantly more intensely. The male age class difference
in cuckoldry could not be explained by the possibility that young and inexperienced females (which are usually paired to young
males) were more vulnerable to forced copulation because EPFs were unrelated to female age. These findings suggest that females
(1) pair with old males and avoid EPCs, or (2) pursue a mixed mating strategy of pairing with young males and accepting EPCs
from old males. The receptivity to EPCs by females paired to young males put them in conflict with their mates. Two factors
determined the paternity achieved by young males: (1) the relative size of the male to the female, with young males achieving
much higher paternity when they were larger than their mates, and (2) the intensity of mate-guarding. Both variables together
explained 77% of the variance in paternity and are each aspects of male-female conflict. Given female receptivity to EPCs,
mate-guarding can be viewed as male interference with female mating strategies. We conclude that EPCs are rarely or never
forced, but the opportunity for females paired to young males to obtain EPCs is relative to the ability of their mates to
prevent them from encountering other males. Evidence of mixed mating strategies by females, combined with other features of
the martin mating system, is consistent with the female-driven “hidden lek hypothesis” of colony formation which predicts
that males are drawn to colonies when females seek extra-pair copulations.
Received: 23 March 1995/Accepted after revision: 14 January 1996 相似文献
8.
Scott Nunes Peter A. Zugger Anne L. Engh Kurt O. Reinhart Kay E. Holekamp 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》1997,40(3):199-207
We examined the effects of food provisioning on the natal dispersal behavior of Belding's ground squirrels (Spermophilus beldingi). We provided extra food to adult and yearling females in their maternal territories during pregnancy and lactation, and
to offspring of these females in their natal areas for 6 weeks after weaning. We used unprovisioned young of unprovisioned
mothers as controls. Provisioning influenced the probability of dispersal from the natal area by female but not male S. beldingi. All surviving male S.␣beldingi dispersed by 55 weeks of age, regardless of whether they and their mothers received extra food. By contrast, we observed
a significant trend, beginning 3 weeks after weaning and continuing through the yearling year, for a greater proportion of
provisioned than control female S. beldingi to emigrate from the natal area. Competition for food did not appear to influence natal dispersal of females. However, overall
population density, density of females weaning litters, and rates of aggression and vigilance among these females, were higher
in provisioned than control areas, suggesting that competition for non-food resources was unusually intense in provisioned
areas. We propose that juvenile female, but not juvenile male, S. beldingi may emigrate from the natal site to increase access to areas with low densities of conspecifics. Together with findings of
earlier workers, our results suggest that spatial and temporal distributions of environmental resources are important influences
on the dispersal behavior of female ground squirrels.
Received: 28 February 1996 / Accepted after revision: 16 October 1996 相似文献
9.
B. A. Kerrigan 《Marine Biology》1997,127(3):395-402
The effects of food availability, female size, and social interactions on the quality of Pomacentrus amboinensis larvae at hatching were examined using two field-based experiments. In Experiment 1, food availability and female size significantly
influenced size, eye diameter and levels of yolk reserves of larvae at hatching. Small females (47 to 52 mm standard length,
SL) whose diets were not supplemented, produced the longest larvae (3.0 ± 0.01 mm total length, TL) with the least yolk reserves
(50.1 ± 1.04 μm2). Irrespective of female size, those that received additional food produced larvae with the largest yolk-sacs (large females:
87.60 ± 1.53 μm2; small females: 80.14 ± 1.24 μm2). In Experiment 2, interactions with conspecifics had a greater affect on the somatic development of larvae at hatching than
food availability. Increased social interactions resulted in larvae that were ⋍3% longer, with 2% greater head depth, than
larvae from females that spawned in isolation on the experimental reefs. Fed females produced larvae with ⋍20% more yolk than
larvae from females whose diets were not supplemented. All three factors (food availability, female size, and intensity of
social interactions) tested within these experiments vary spatially and temporally among reefs. There is the potential, therefore,
for larvae at the onset of the planktonic stage to vary in quality, level of development, and probability of survival.
Received: 12 August 1996 / Accepted: 26 August 1996 相似文献
10.
Sexual cohabitation as mate-guarding in the leaf-curling spider Phonognatha graeffei Keyserling (Araneoidea, Araneae) 总被引:1,自引:1,他引:1
The leaf-curling spider Phonognatha graeffei incorporates a twisted leaf into the central hub of its orb-web that is used as a retreat. This species is unusual among orb-weaving
spiders because males cohabit in the leaf retreat with both immature and mature females, mating with the former shortly after
the female molts. Cohabitation appears to be a form of mate-guarding because cohabiting males respond agonistically to rival
males that venture onto the web, and their behaviour depends upon the reproductive status of the female; males defending immature
females are more aggressive than those defending virgin, adult females. Males copulate with previously mated females for significantly
longer than with virgin females. Females may cannibalise cohabiting males, which occurs independently of whether the female
has been deprived of food. Females that cannibalise a single male do not have a higher fecundity than non-cannibalistic females.
Received: 2 February 1996 / Accepted after revision: 27 October 1996 相似文献
11.
We provide evidence that male lizards can use chemosensory cues to identify individual females and probably therefore maintain
long-term associations with these females in the wild. In the laboratory, males preferentially followed the scent trail of
their vitellogenic female “partner” rather than that of another vitellogenic female. Our 5-year field study of the small viviparous
scincid lizard (Niveoscincus microlepidotus) in alpine Tasmania showed that sexually mature males and females commonly formed “pairs” for long periods (on average 29 days).
These pairs occurred primarily during the mating season, always involved one adult male and one adult female, and usually
involved vitellogenic rather than gravid females. Our laboratory experiments suggest that a significant factor in maintaining
those prolonged partnerships is male scent trailing of partners.
Received: 28 October 1997 / Accepted after revision: 28 May 1998 相似文献
12.
Oreochromis mossambicus collected from Koraiyar, a tributary of the river Cauvery exhibited variations in their external genital features such as enlarged male genital papilla among equal sized fish, branching or budding in existing male genitalia, development of imposex (male genital papilla in female fish) and increased gonado-somatic index (GSI) and elevated male sex ratio in the population. All these variations at different levels is observed in their external genitalia indicated that they were all prompted towards maleness. This ambiguous sexual characteristic might be caused by endocrine disrupting environmental androgenic or anti-estrogenic substances, perhaps, present in the agrochemicals and sewage-mixed Koraiyar water. 相似文献
13.
Effect of female molt stage and sex ratio on courtship behavior of the blue crab Callinectes sapidus
In many species, males and females actively participate in courtship, and the outcome of pre-mating interactions influences
the mating success of both sexes. Female blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus, mate soon after their final molt to maturity; thus female molt stage dictates the timing of mating. In a field experiment,
we manipulated female molt stage and sex ratio to test their effects on the courtship behavior of both sexes, if female behavior
influences the behavior and pairing success of males, and if male courtship influences male pairing-success. Early-molt-stage
females avoided males during courtship, whereas late-molt-stage females sought out males. As a result, males had to pursue
and capture early-molt-stage females whereas males displayed to late-molt-stage females and more easily physically controlled
them. Males sometimes abandoned late-molt-stage females, but this occurred more often when females were abundant. The rate
at which females avoided males was positively correlated with that of males abandoning females, and males that were unsuccessful
at pairing met with higher rates of female resistance than successful males, suggesting that female behavior influences male
pairing-success. Unlike unsuccessful males, successful males more often made the transition between display and maintaining
physical control of the female. At high male sex ratios, males initiated courtship more readily; thus both sexual competition
and female behavior influence male courtship in this species.
Received: 7 July 1996 / Accepted: 10 January 1998 相似文献
14.
Stefan H. Nessler Gabriele Uhl Jutta M. Schneider 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》2009,63(3):355-362
Sperm competition is a potent driving force in evolution leading to a remarkable variety of male adaptations that prevent
or reduce fertilization by rivals. An extraordinary defensive strategy against sperm competition has evolved in a number of
web spiders where males break off parts of their paired genitalia in order to obstruct the copulatory openings of females
(mating plug). A recent comparative analysis on the family level reports that genital damage is most frequent in species with
sexual cannibalism although, as yet, a functional association between sexual cannibalism and genital damage has not been found.
Using the moderately sexually cannibalistic orb-web spider Argiope lobata, we show for the first time that males cannibalized during their first copulation damaged their pedipalps with significantly
higher probability (74%) than males that escaped (15%). Of all males that damaged their genitalia, 44% were able to place
a genital fragment inside the copulatory opening of the female, resulting in a relatively low total plugging rate of 14%.
Successful obstruction of the female copulatory opening reduced the share of paternity of subsequent males (P
2 = 0.06%), thus, indicating that genital damage may have evolved as a response to sperm competition in this species as well.
However, the low incidence of successful plugging and the strong relationship between sexual cannibalism and genital damage
suggest that apart from paternity protection, the nature of genital damage in A. lobata is further shaped by sexual conflict or cryptic female choice. 相似文献
15.
The purpose of this investigation was to establish reproductive phenology of the dioecious marine floridean red alga Polysiphonia lanosa (L.) Tandy. Specifically, the distribution and frequencies of male and female plants, timing of their sexual maturity, fecundity
and success of fertilization were investigated. The presence of cystocarps was taken as an indication of syngamy. Populations
of P. lanosa in the Bay of Fundy reproduce in spring, summer and autumn. Both male and female filaments were present in equal abundance
at all sampling locations, grew in close proximity, and occurred with equal abundance at all elevations above chart datum.
During the growing season most of the mature plants contained reproductive organs with apparently functional gametangia containing
gametes the structure and behavior of which conformed to those reported in the literature for other species of the genus.
Male and female plants of P. lanosa matured synchronously during late May to early July at all collecting sites. The ratio of spermatia to carpogonia calculated
for the sampled population was high, 3000–4800 spermatia:1 carpogonium. At the end of the growing season (late October) the
fertilization success was at its maximum of 50 to 90% and at its minimum in July at 24%. The three free-living life-history
phases (females, males and tetrasporophytes) were abundant and occurred with equal frequency, indicating that a complete life
cycle was common at the studied location.
Received: 10 December 1996 / Accepted: 16 January 1997 相似文献
16.
M. Thiel 《Marine Biology》1998,132(2):209-221
The suspension-feeding amphipod Dyopedos monacanthus (Metzger, 1875) is a common epibenthic amphipod that lives on self-constructed “mud whips” (built from filamentous algae,
detritus and sediment particles) in estuaries of the northern North Atlantic Ocean. The population biology of D. monacanthus at a shallow subtidal site in the Damariscotta River Estuary (Maine, USA) was examined between July 1995 and July 1997. The
resident population at the study site was dominated by adult females during most months of the year. High percentages of subadults
were found in late summer/early fall. Often, between 10 and 20% of the adult females were paired with males, and the percentage
of ovigerous females varied between 40 and 100%, indicating continuous reproduction. The percentage of parental females varied
between 40 and 80% during most months, but dropped to levels below 20% during summer/early fall. The average size of amphipods
on their own mud whips was ∼4 mm during the summer/early fall, after which it increased continuously to >7.0 mm in March or
April, and then dropped again. In March and April, the average number of eggs and juveniles female−1 was ∼100 eggs and 55 juveniles, while during the summer/early fall the average number of eggs female−1 was <20 and that of juveniles female−1 was <10. Many juveniles grew to large sizes (>1.4 mm) on their mothers' whips in winter/early spring but not in the summer/fall.
The average number of amphipods at the study site was low in late summer/early fall (<50 individuals m−2), increased steadily during the winter, and reached peak densities of >3000 individuals m−2 in April 1996 (>1600 individuals m−2 in May 1997), after which densities decreased again. The decrease of the D.␣monacanthus population at the study site coincided with a strong increase of amphipods found pelagic in the water column. This behavioural
shift occurred when temperatures increased and benthic predators became more abundant and active on shallow soft-bottoms,
suggesting that D. monacanthus at the study site is strongly affected by predation. The effects are direct (by predation on amphipods) and indirect (by
reducing duration of extended parental care and enhancing pelagic movements). Both extended parental care and pelagic movements
are important behavioural traits of D.␣monacanthus (and other marine amphipods), and significantly affect its population dynamics.
Received: 18 January 1998 / Accepted: 27 May 1998 相似文献
17.
Robert M. Gibson 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》1996,39(1):55-59
Previous studies of female choice in sage grouse Centrocercus urophasianus have implicated both the acoustic quality and repetition rate of the stereotyped strut display as putative cues for female
choice. Stages in the choice process at which specific components of male courtship display influence female decisions were
investigated using field observations of female pre-mating behavior. Females visited a subset of territorial males and then
actively chose one of these as a mate. The order in which males were visited suggested that females searched until an acceptable
mate was found, rather than employing a “best-of-n” tactic. Numbers of females visiting a male were related to differences
in an acoustical component of display (inter-pop interval) whereas the probability that a visiting female mated was related
to display rate (Table 3), indicating that initial attraction and active choice are influenced by different components of
display. In addition, inter-pop interval and display rate tended to covary inversely (Fig. 1), suggesting that attraction
and active choice may impose conflicting selection pressures on display performance.
Received: 11 November 1995/Accepted after revision: 16 March 1996 相似文献
18.
Parker's seminal work brought attention to the possibility of postmating sexual selection by non-random fertilization success.
Mechanisms for these processes are still only partly understood and there is clearly a need for more studies of intraspecific
variation in sperm precedence. Here, we report results from an experimental study of the variation in fertilization success
between males of the water strider Gerris lacustris. Genital morphology, male body size, and copulation duration were examined as possible correlates of paternity. The significance
of guarding duration was also analysed. Only male genital morphology was correlated to fertilization success. This is one
of the first studies showing a relationship between male genital traits and fertilization success, supporting the view that
sexual selection may be responsible for the rapid and divergent evolution of genital structures in animals with internal fertilization.
The fertilization success of last males varied considerably after double matings with a short mating interval (10 min). Last-male
priority ranged from 0 to 100% and usually one of the males involved fertilized almost all the eggs. After double matings
with a short mating interval, the proportion of eggs fertilized by the last male averaged 0.68 and was greater than 0.5. In
contrast, the average fertilization success was biased towards the first male when the matings were more spread out over time
(24 h). These results do not support earlier suggestions of a widespread last-male sperm priority in water striders.
Received: 28 July 1998 / Received in revised form: 15 March 1999 / Accepted: 28 March 1999 相似文献
19.
Reproductive dominance and differential ovicide in the communally breeding burying beetle Nicrophorus tomentosus 总被引:4,自引:0,他引:4
Michelle Pellissier Scott 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》1997,40(5):313-320
Communal breeding can be characterized by the division of reproduction among cooperating individuals and, if the distribution
of reproduction is inequitable, by the mechanisms for achieving skewed reproductive success. The burying beetle (Nicrophorus tomentosus) is a facultative communal breeder. Unrelated adults, especially females, provide extensive parental care to broods of mixed
parentage. The frequency and degree of reproductive skew between two females were examined experimentally. On medium-size
carcasses, the proportion of eggs attributed to each female was not significantly different from random in 42% of the broods,
skewed in 42% and not shared in 16%. Although reproduction was usually skewed in favor of the larger female, the relative
sizes of the two females did not predict the degree of skew. On large carcasses, the proportion of eggs attributed to each
female was not different from random in 87% of the broods and weakly skewed in 13%. Several mechanisms for biasing reproductive
success were investigated. Females increase the proportion of their offspring in the brood by committing differential ovicide.
Secondly, burying and preparing a carcass cooperatively stimulates ovarian development of the larger female and slows it for
the smaller female, reducing or delaying oviposition by the subordinate. Thirdly, larger females are more likely to be dominant
and are more fecund than smaller females.
Received: 20 July 1996 / Accepted after revision: 30 November 1996 相似文献
20.
James V. Briskie Robert Montgomerie Tarmo Põldmaa Peter T. Boag 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》1998,43(3):181-190
In species where females copulate with more than one male during a single breeding attempt, males risk investing in offspring
that are not their own. In the polygynandrous Smith's longspur (Calcarius pictus), females copulate sequentially with one to three males for each clutch of eggs and most of these males later assist in feeding
the young. Using multilocus DNA profiling, we determined that there was mixed paternity in >75% of broods (n=31) but that few offspring (<1% of 114 nestlings) were sired by males outside the polygynandrous group. Male feeding rate
increased significantly with the number of young sired, with males siring four nestlings feeding the brood at double the frequency
of males siring only a single nestling. However, male Smith's longspurs appear to show a graded adjustment of paternal care
in response to paternity only when other males are available to compensate for reduced care: feeding rate did not vary in
relation to paternity when only one male provisioned young at the nest. There was no evidence that males could recognise their
own offspring within a brood and feed them preferentially. The number of offspring sired by each male was significantly correlated
with the number of days spent copulating with the attending female: on average, a male sired one offspring for every 2 days
of copulatory access. If males use their access to females to estimate paternity (and thereby decide on their subsequent level
of parental investment), a positive relationship is expected between the amount of female access and the subsequent feeding
rate to the nestlings. Nonetheless, male feeding effort was only weakly correlated with female access and more study is needed
to determine how males estimate their paternity in a brood.
Received: 1 June 1997 / Accepted after revision: 1 April 1998 相似文献