Sexual reproduction with variable mating systems can resist asexuality in a rock-paper-scissors dynamics

Mientras que el sexo puede ser ventajoso para un linaje en el largo plazo, todavía nos falta una explicación para su mantenimiento con el doble coste por generación. Aquí modelamos una población diploide infinita donde dos loci autosómicos determinan, respectivamente, el modo reproductivo, sexual versus asexual y el sistema de apareamiento, poligínico (costoso sexo) versus monógamo (asumiendo una contribución igual de los padres a la progenie, es decir, sexo no costoso). Que los alelos por el sexo costoso pueden propagarse cuando los modos sexuales no costosos amortiguan la interacción entre las estrategias sexuales asexuales y costosas, incluso sin doble beneficio de la recombinación con respecto a la asexualidad. Las tres estrategias que interactúan tienen relaciones intransitivas de la aptitud que conducen a una dinámica de la roca-papel-tijeras, de modo que los alelos para el sexo costoso no pueden ser eliminados por los asexuales en la mayoría de las situaciones a través del espacio del parámetro. Nuestros resultados indican que los linajes sexuales con sistemas de apareamiento variable pueden resistir la invasión de asexuales y permitir que se acumulen efectos a largo plazo, proporcionando así una solución a la pregunta teórica persistente de por qué el sexo no fue desplazado por la asexualidad a lo largo de la evolución.While sex can be advantageous for a lineage in the long term, we still lack an explanation for its maintenance with the twofold cost per generation. Here we model an infinite diploid population where two autosomal loci determine, respectively, the reproductive mode, sexual versus asexual and the mating system, polygynous (costly sex) versus monogamous (assuming equal contribution of parents to offspring, i.e. noncostly sex).We show that alleles for costly sex can spread when non-costly sexual modes buffer the interaction between asexual and costly sexual strategies, even without twofold benefit of recombination with respect to asexuality. The three interacting strategies have intransitive fitness relationships leading to a rock–paper–scissors dynamics, so that alleles for costly sex cannot be eliminated by asexuals in most situations throughout the parameter space. Our results indicate that sexual lineages with variable mating systems can resist the invasion of asexuals and allow for long-term effects to accumulate, thus providing a solution to the persisting theoretical question of why sex was not displaced by asexuality along evolution.Trabajo patrocinado por: Ministerio de Ciencia. Proyectos CGL2007-63594 y CGL2010-17163, para Juan Francisco Carranza AlmansapeerReviewe

The Impact of Pb from Ammunition on the Vegetation of a Bird Shooting Range

Hunting with lead ammunition represents a source of heavy metal pollution to the environment that can be potentially high at the local scale. Intensive hunting of small game species can concentrate high levels of ammunition discharging in small areas. This type of hunting is a relevant economic resource for private landowners in some regions of Spain, and current legislation allows the use of lead ammunition in these scenarios. It becomes, therefore, highly relevant to study whether this activity may pose concerns to the conservation of the environment in the areas where it takes place. Using a red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) shooting range as a study area, we examined the effect of intensive hunting on this species on the vegetation present. We found significantly higher lead levels in the sprouts of plants of shooting areas related to control sites of the same property where partridge shooting does not occur. We found differences in the presence of lead between sprouts of different plant species. In addition, old sprouts of existing vegetation in shooting areas also showed higher lead levels than newly emerged sprouts of the same plants. These results demonstrate the impact of lead ammunition on vegetation in terms of persistence over time and differences between species. Further analyses using chemical and ecotoxicological data are necessary to evaluate the extent of environmental pollution risks. Our results provide new support in favor of the use of alternative ammunition, with particular emphasis on scenarios where hunting activity is intensive

Forage quality of consecutive years interact to affect body condition, reproductive rate and rut phenology in Iberian red deer

Body condition for reproduction in capital breeders such as the red deer (Cervus elaphus) is mostly determined by their stored energy reserves. Thus, environmental conditions and resource availability may affect reproductive performance and breeding success. In warm Mediterranean regions, current climate change is driving to a hotter and drier scenario that is expected to affect the biology and dynamics of many populations. We examined the impact of these local climate variations on red deer body condition and the relationship with female reproductive phenology and breeding success. We used satellite information of landscape vegetation along with a 22-year data series of direct field behavioural observations during the rutting season in Doñana National Park (SW Spain). We analyzed faecal nitrogen content (FN) from faeces collected during the rut. We found that poor vegetation availability in drier years was related to worse body condition of deer (measured by FN) and a delay in the rutting season, which associated with lower reproductive rates (measured by the proportion of females with calves observed the next year). We also evidenced an interesting interaction between environmental conditions in consecutive years on the timing of breeding season, with timing of breeding being more delayed when previous year resource availability was high and many females bred, and the consecutive one was poor, so females hardly recovered condition and the rut occurred later. These findings highlight the carry-over effect of reproduction in capital breeders and the potential impact of climate-change conditions on red deer breeding

The Multiple Origins of Roe Deer Populations in Western Iberia and Their Relevance for Conservation

The roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) is native and widespread in Europe and its phylogeography has been clarified in the last decades. Southern peninsulas are considered as reservoirs of genetic diversity and the source for the recolonization of Europe after the last glacial maximum. Even though roe deer populations have been genetically characterized, there is a major knowledge gap about the populations at the western edge of its distribution. To fill this caveat, and based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA data, we aim to: (i) characterize the genetic diversity and structure of roe deer in western Iberia; (ii) clarify the origins and phylogeographical affinities of these populations, namely the relict population from Peneda Gerês National Park (PNPG, Portugal) and the likely allochthonous populations from central and south (CS) Portugal; (iii) discuss the implications of our findings for the management and conservation of the roe deer. Three major genetic clusters were inferred based on nuclear genotypes and were structured in a similar way as the three major mtDNA clades present in Iberia. Patterns inferred with nuclear markers confirmed PNPG as a relict population. Roe deer from CS Portugal share haplotypes with Central Europe rather than with other western Iberian populations, confirming its mainly allochthonous origin. Our results highlight western Iberia as a diversity hotspot for roe deer. We highlight the role of intraspecific genetic diversity as a source of resilience against ongoing global changes; the need for transboundary management and the importance of genetic data to inform management and conservation. When considered, repopulation or translocation measures should follow the IUCN Law of Reintroductions and meticulously conducted in order to preserve the genetic heritage of the species

Etología. Introducción a la ciencia del comportamiento

1ª ed., 3ª reimp.El objetivo de este libro es proporcionar una introducción a la Etología. Ésta ciencia responde al interés por profundizar en el conocimiento de las costumbres animales; por comprender la variedad de comportamientos que en diferentes situaciones exhiben los individuos de diferentes especies. Una posible definición de Etología podría ser: el estudio científico del comportamiento de los seres vivos. A lo largo de esta obra se analizan todos los aspectos que tienen que ver con el comportamiento animal, desde las causas y mecanismos de actuación o la adaptación y evolución y el bienestar animal.The purpose of this book is to provide an introduction to Ethology. This science responds to the interest in deepening the knowledge of animal customs; to understand the variety of behaviour that in different situations exhibit individuals of different species. A possible definition of ethology could be: the scientific study of the behavior of living beings. Throughout this book all aspects related to animal behavior, from the causes and mechanisms of action or adaptation and evolution and animal welfare, are analyzed

El ámbito de estudio de la Etología

El objetivo de este estudio es proporcionar una introducción a la Etología. La Etología es una ciencia joven, y como tal se encuentra aún en período de formación; sus tejidos se están estructurando, sus estructuras están sufriendo especializaciones, y el conjunto está experimentando un rápido crecimiento. Etimológicamente la palabra Etología procede de las raíces griegas ethos (costumbre) y logos (tratado). El nacimiento de esta ciencia respondía al interés por profundizar en el conocimiento de las costumbres animales; por comprender la variedad de comportamientos que en diferentes situaciones exhiben los individuos de diferentes especies, y a los que en épocas pasadas únicamente se habían dedicado meras descripciones. Una posible definición de Etología podría ser: el estudio científico del comportamiento de los seres vivos.The aim of this study is to provide an introduction to ethology. Ethology is a young science, and as such it is still in a period of formation; its tissues are being structured, its structures are undergoing specialisations, and the whole is undergoing rapid growth. Etymologically, the word Ethology comes from the Greek roots ethos (custom) and logos (treatise). The birth of this science responded to the interest in deepening the knowledge of animal habits; to understand the variety of behaviours exhibited in different situations by individuals of different species, and to which in past times only mere descriptions had been devoted. A possible definition of Ethology could be: the scientific study of the behaviour of living beings