The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Males are sensitive - sex-dependent effect of rearing conditions on nestling growth

På svenska

Author

Summary, in English

The sex-dependent effect of environmental conditions on nestlings has been extensively studied in size dimorphic birds. Whether males or females are more sensitive to poor conditions is not yet clear; however, the degree of sexual size-dimorphism, brood size and their interactions seem to influence the pattern. Much less is known about sex-dependent environmental sensitivity in size-monomorphic species, even though it may result in biased sex allocation. We altered the rearing conditions by brood size manipulation in the size-monomorphic collared flycatcher and then examined the sex-specific development of the nestlings. In all analyses, we controlled for the effect of paternity, because one may expect extra-pair young to be of better genetic quality and perform better at least under poor conditions. However, this was not the case, because we did not find any difference in growth rate or fledging size between extra-and within-pair young. We found that male nestlings had the potential for faster growth under favourable conditions, but suffered more under poor conditions. We found no sex x environment interaction for fledging size probably because the growth curves level off before fledging, and the disadvantaged nestlings can catch up with their siblings. The larger sensitivity of males does not explain the previously found seasonal shift in brood sex ratios and contradicts previous findings in another size-monomorphic species where females were more sensitive. This suggests that even in size-monomorphic species, no general rule exists, which determines the more sensitive sex.

Publishing year

2010

Language

English

Pages

1555-1562

Publication/Series

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology

Volume

64

Issue

10

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Springer

Topic

  • Biological Sciences

Keywords

  • Environmental sensitivity
  • Environmental conditions
  • Extra-pair
  • paternity
  • Offspring development
  • Ficedula albicollis
  • Sex differences
  • Sex allocation

Status

Published

Research group

  • Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1432-0762