Long-term annual and spatial variation of polygyny in the white-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus)

Mating strategies are key components in the fitness of organisms, and notably in birds the occurrence of monogamy versus polygyny has attracted wide interest. We address this by a very comprehensive dataset (2899 breeding events spanning the years 1978–2019) of the white-throated dipper Cinclus cinclus. Though the mating system of this species has been regarded as generally monogamous, we find that 7% of all breeding events were performed by polygynous males (approximately 15% of all pairs). The fraction of polygyny has been stable over the entire study period irrespective of population size. The assumption that polygyny is most common at low population density was not supported. Surprisingly, there was no difference between polygynous and monogamous males with regard to the quality of the territories they inhabited, ranked according to their overall frequency of use. The most common age group, first-year breeders, dominated among monogamous males, while among polygynous males second-year breeders were most common, followed by third and first-year breeders. The primary females were in general older than females mated to monogamous males, also when controlled for their general frequency in the population. The majority of the two females mated to a polygynous male, bred in the vicinity of each other. The probability for a male to be involved in polygyny more than once, was significantly higher than by chance, suggesting phenotypic quality differences among males. frequency of polygyny, mating strategy, monogamous, territory quality, white-throated dipper Behavioural ecology, Evolutionary ecology, Population ecologypublishedVersio

Territory location and quality, together with climate, affect the timing of breeding in the whitethroated dipper

Recent climate change has led to advanced spring phenology in many temperate regions. The phenological response to variation in the local environment, such as the habitat characteristics of the territories birds occupy, is less clear. The aim of this study is to understand how ecological conditions affect breeding time, and its consequences for reproduction, in a white-throated dipper Cinclus cinclus population in a river system in Norway during 34 years (1978–2011). Hatching date advanced almost nine days, indicating a response to higher temperatures and the advanced phenology in the area. Earlier breeding was found in warm springs and at lower altitudes. High population density facilitated earlier breeding close to the coast. Furthermore, when population density was low, breeding was early at territories that were rarely occupied, while in years with high density, breeding was early at territories that were frequently occupied. Also, when population density was low, earlier breeding occurred at territories that on average produced more offspring than other territories, while there was no difference in breeding time in high population years. Selection for early breeding was dependent on spring temperatures and high spring temperatures contributed to higher breeding success during the study period. We found that breeding phenology may have strong effects on fitness in the white-throated dipper, and thus that breeding time is an important ecological factor in a species that feeds mainly on aquatic rather than terrestrial prey.publishedVersio

Fluctuating optimum and temporally variable selection on breeding date in birds and mammals

International audienceTemporal variation in natural selection is predicted to strongly impact the evolution and demography of natural populations, with consequences for the rate of adaptation, evolution of plasticity, and extinction risk. Most of the theory underlying these predictions assumes a moving optimum phenotype, with predictions expressed in terms of the temporal variance and autocorrelation of this optimum. However, empirical studies seldom estimate patterns of fluctuations of an optimum phenotype, precluding further progress in connecting theory with observations. To bridge this gap, we assess the evidence for temporal variation in selection on breeding date by modeling a fitness function with a fluctuating optimum, across 39 populations of 21 wild animals, one of the largest compilations of long-term datasets with individual measurements of trait and fitness components. We find compelling evidence for fluctuations in the fitness function, causing temporal variation in the magnitude, but not the direction of selection. However, fluctuations of the optimum phenotype need not directly translate into variation in selection gradients, because their impact can be buffered by partial tracking of the optimum by the mean phenotype. Analyzing individuals that reproduce in consecutive years, we find that plastic changes track movements of the optimum phenotype across years, especially in bird species, reducing temporal variation in directional selection. This suggests that phenological plasticity has evolved to cope with fluctuations in the optimum, despite their currently modest contribution to variation in selection

Fossekallen i Lyngdalsvassdraget 1978-2011. Har kalking resultert i en bedre hekkesuksess?

Jerstad, K., Walseng, B., Nilsson, A.L.K. & Røstad, O.W. 2012. Fossekallen i Lyngdalsvassdraget 1978-2011. Har kalking resultert i en bedre hekkesuksess? – NINA Rapport 808. 46 s. Fossekallbestanden har variert fra 20 til 117 hekkende par i perioden 1978-2011. Til sammen er det ved 158 hekkelokaliteter utført 4709 årssjekker. Middeltemperaturen under vinteren sammen med nedbøren, tidspunktet for islegging på systemets største innsjø, samt NAO-indeks gir de viktigste bidragene til å forklare svingningene i fossekallbestanden. De mest brukte hekkelokalitetene har både størst andel vellykkede hekkeforsøk og produserer flest unger per kull. Det er en direkte sammenheng mellom hekkesuksess og følgende fire variabler: bestandstetthet, høyde over havet, skjul av reiret og kalking. Andel vellykkede hekkeforsøk går ned i år med høy hekkebestand og avtar med høyde over havet. Ungekullstørrelsen viser også at det i gjennomsnitt blir produsert flere unger per kull i de lavereliggende områder. En bedre hekkesuksess i lavereliggende områder er tilfelle også når kalkede lokaliteter utelukkes. Andel vellykkede hekkeforsøk var større når reirene lå skjult enn når de lå åpent eller synlig. Dette resulterte i at reir bak foss og inne i bruer, som oftest lå skjult, gjorde det bra. Et unntak var ”på stein i elva/fossen” der 78,8 % var vellykket til tross for at disse alltid lå åpent eller synlig. Legger vi til grunn lokaliteter som er, eller har vært berørt av kalking, har andelen vellykkede hekkeforsøk vært signifikant høyere i en kalket situasjon sammenlignet med en ukalket situasjon. Antall unger produsert pr hunn har også vært større. Etter etableringen av kalkdosereren ved Rossevatn har antall hekkende par på strekningen nedstrøms blitt redusert, noe som antakelig skyldes en endret tilgang på byttedyr.publishedVersio

Fossekallen i Lyngdalsvassdraget 1978-2011. Har kalking resultert i en bedre hekkesuksess?

Fossekallbestanden har variert fra 20 til 117 hekkende par i perioden 1978-2011. Til sammen er det ved 158 hekkelokaliteter utført 4709 årssjekker. Middeltemperaturen under vinteren sammen med nedbøren, tidspunktet for islegging på systemets største innsjø, samt NAO-indeks gir de viktigste bidragene til å forklare svingningene i fossekallbestanden. De mest brukte hekkelokalitetene har både størst andel vellykkede hekkeforsøk og produserer flest unger per kull. Det er en direkte sammenheng mellom hekkesuksess og følgende fire variabler: bestandstetthet, høyde over havet, skjul av reiret og kalking. Andel vellykkede hekkeforsøk går ned i år med høy hekkebestand og avtar med høyde over havet. Ungekullstørrelsen viser også at det i gjennomsnitt blir produsert flere unger per kull i de lavereliggende områder. En bedre hekkesuksess i lavereliggende områder er tilfelle også når kalkede lokaliteter utelukkes. Andel vellykkede hekkeforsøk var større når reirene lå skjult enn når de lå åpent eller synlig. Dette resulterte i at reir bak foss og inne i bruer, som oftest lå skjult, gjorde det bra. Et unntak var ”på stein i elva/fossen” der 78,8 % var vellykket til tross for at disse alltid lå åpent eller synlig. Legger vi til grunn lokaliteter som er, eller har vært berørt av kalking, har andelen vellykkede hekkeforsøk vært signifikant høyere i en kalket situasjon sammenlignet med en ukalket situasjon. Antall unger produsert pr hunn har også vært større. Etter etableringen av kalkdosereren ved Rossevatn har antall hekkende par på strekningen nedstrøms blitt redusert, noe som antakelig skyldes en endret tilgang på byttedyr.publishedVersio

Fossekallen i Lyngdalsvassdraget 1978-2011. Har kalking resultert i en bedre hekkesuksess?

Jerstad, K., Walseng, B., Nilsson, A.L.K. & Røstad, O.W. 2012. Fossekallen i Lyngdalsvassdraget 1978-2011. Har kalking resultert i en bedre hekkesuksess? – NINA Rapport 808. 46 s. Fossekallbestanden har variert fra 20 til 117 hekkende par i perioden 1978-2011. Til sammen er det ved 158 hekkelokaliteter utført 4709 årssjekker. Middeltemperaturen under vinteren sammen med nedbøren, tidspunktet for islegging på systemets største innsjø, samt NAO-indeks gir de viktigste bidragene til å forklare svingningene i fossekallbestanden. De mest brukte hekkelokalitetene har både størst andel vellykkede hekkeforsøk og produserer flest unger per kull. Det er en direkte sammenheng mellom hekkesuksess og følgende fire variabler: bestandstetthet, høyde over havet, skjul av reiret og kalking. Andel vellykkede hekkeforsøk går ned i år med høy hekkebestand og avtar med høyde over havet. Ungekullstørrelsen viser også at det i gjennomsnitt blir produsert flere unger per kull i de lavereliggende områder. En bedre hekkesuksess i lavereliggende områder er tilfelle også når kalkede lokaliteter utelukkes. Andel vellykkede hekkeforsøk var større når reirene lå skjult enn når de lå åpent eller synlig. Dette resulterte i at reir bak foss og inne i bruer, som oftest lå skjult, gjorde det bra. Et unntak var ”på stein i elva/fossen” der 78,8 % var vellykket til tross for at disse alltid lå åpent eller synlig. Legger vi til grunn lokaliteter som er, eller har vært berørt av kalking, har andelen vellykkede hekkeforsøk vært signifikant høyere i en kalket situasjon sammenlignet med en ukalket situasjon. Antall unger produsert pr hunn har også vært større. Etter etableringen av kalkdosereren ved Rossevatn har antall hekkende par på strekningen nedstrøms blitt redusert, noe som antakelig skyldes en endret tilgang på byttedyr

Disentangling the sources of variation in the survival of the European dipper

The population growth rate of the European dipper has been shown to decrease with winter temperature and population size. We examine here the demographic mechanism for this effect by analysing how these factors affect the survival rate. Using more than 20 years of capture-mark-recapture data (1974-1997) based on more than 4000 marked individuals, we perform analyses using open capture-mark-recapture models. This allowed us to estimate the annual apparent survival rates (probability of surviving and staying on the study site from one year to the next one) and the recapture probabilities. We partitioned the variance of the apparent survival rates into sampling variance and process variance using random effects models, and investigated which variables best accounted for temporal process variation. Adult males and females had similar apparent survival rates, with an average of 0.52 and a coefficient of variation of 40%. Chick apparent survival was lower, averaging 0.06 with a coefficient of variation of 42%. Eighty percent of the variance in apparent survival rates was explained by winter temperature and population size for adults and 48% by winter temperature for chicks. The process variance outweighed the sampling variance both for chick and adult survival rates, which explained that shrunk estimates obtained under random effects models were close to MLE estimates. A large proportion of the annual variation in the apparent survival rate of chicks appears to be explained by inter-year differences in dispersal rates.

Long-term annual and spatial variation of polygyny in the white-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus)

Mating strategies are key components in the fitness of organisms, and notably in birds the occurrence of monogamy versus polygyny has attracted wide interest. We address this by a very comprehensive dataset (2899 breeding events spanning the years 1978–2019) of the white-throated dipper Cinclus cinclus. Though the mating system of this species has been regarded as generally monogamous, we find that 7% of all breeding events were performed by polygynous males (approximately 15% of all pairs). The fraction of polygyny has been stable over the entire study period irrespective of population size. The assumption that polygyny is most common at low population density was not supported. Surprisingly, there was no difference between polygynous and monogamous males with regard to the quality of the territories they inhabited, ranked according to their overall frequency of use. The most common age group, first-year breeders, dominated among monogamous males, while among polygynous males second-year breeders were most common, followed by third and first-year breeders. The primary females were in general older than females mated to monogamous males, also when controlled for their general frequency in the population. The majority of the two females mated to a polygynous male, bred in the vicinity of each other. The probability for a male to be involved in polygyny more than once, was significantly higher than by chance, suggesting phenotypic quality differences among males. frequency of polygyny, mating strategy, monogamous, territory quality, white-throated dipper Behavioural ecology, Evolutionary ecology, Population ecolog

Environmental drivers of varying selective optima in a small passerine: A multivariate, multiepisodic approach

In changing environments, phenotypic traits are shaped by numerous agents of selection. The optimal phenotypic value maximizing the fitness of an individual thus varies through time and space with various environmental covariates. Selection may differ between different life‐cycle stages and act on correlated traits inducing changes in the distribution of several traits simultaneously. Despite increasing interests in environmental sensitivity of phenotypic selection, estimating varying selective optima on various traits throughout the life cycle, while considering (a)biotic factors as potential selective agents has remained challenging. Here, we provide a statistical model to measure varying selective optima from longitudinal data. We apply our approach to analyze environmental sensitivity of phenotypic selection on egg‐laying date and clutch size throughout the life cycle of a white‐throated dipper population. We show the presence of a joint optimal phenotype that varies over the 35‐year period, being dependent on altitude and temperature. We also find that optimal laying date is density‐dependent, with high population density favoring earlier laying dates. By providing a flexible approach, widely applicable to free‐ranging populations for which long‐term data on individual phenotypes, fitness, and environmental factors are available, our study improves the understanding of phenotypic selection in varying environments