鸟类鸣声与个体适合度关系的研究进展

鸣声蕴藏着丰富的生物学信息,是鸟类间信息交流最主要的方式之一。本文综述了鸟类鸣声行为与包括个体状态(体征、激素水平和健康状况)、社会等级及繁殖(性选择和成效)在内的个体适合度关系的研究进展。文章总结发现,鸟类的鸣声水平与单一体征参数关系的研究结果不稳定,鸣声可能受个体内部的多种激素调控,并与个体的社会等级有直接关系。雌雄个体鸣声均与繁殖有一定相关性,但双亲鸣声行为策略存在差异。鸣声对繁殖适合度的影响受到其他因素如物种、婚配制度等因素的影响。鸟类鸣声代表的生物学信息是个体身体质量的综合体现,与鸟类个体适合度的关系较为复杂。为解释鸣声所代表的生物学信息,需要从适合度的多个角度(社会等级、身体状况和繁殖情况等)来考虑多种鸣声参数。     

黄腹山鹪莺稳定的配偶关系限制雄性欺骗者

多数鸟类通过性特征限制在同性竞争和配偶选择中的“欺骗者”存在,与此相反,雀形目扇尾莺科部分物种表现出繁殖季节性特征消退的身体特征变化模式.在广州市南沙区通过“目字笼”对黄腹山鹪莺配偶关系稳定性的限制机制进行研究,发现虽然雌性个体到访原配个体和对照个体的次数几乎相同,但是雌性个体对原配雄性的单次选择时间明显长于对照雄性个体,总计选择时间也明显长于对照雄性个体.选择实验过程中,原配雄性的跳动次数明显高于对照个体雄性,以竖尾扑哧和鸣声恐吓等为代表的威慑行为次数也明显高于对照雄性个体.结果说明,雌性更青睐于原配个体,配对时间越长,忠诚度越高,而且原配雄性比入侵雄性个体表现出更高的活跃度和威慑行为.繁殖季节性特征消退的物种可以通过保持稳定的配偶关系以限制“欺骗者”存在.可以推测繁殖的巨大投入和雌性之间的同性竞争可能是产生这种配偶稳定性的主要原因.     

青海省海北地区高寒草甸雀形目鸟类的繁殖生产力

通过对高寒草甸１０种雀形目鸟类繁殖生产力研究表明,高寒草甸鸟类的繁殖生产与鸟类栖息地所处的地理环境、营巢类型和繁殖方式密切相关。其中繁殖季节长度和窝卵数是影响高寒草甸鸟类繁殖生产力的两个最重要的因子（Ｐ〈０．０５）。鸟类平均繁殖生产力为２．８０（只／对．年）。     

青海北部高寒草甸雀形目鸟类繁殖生态学的研究进展

从鸟巢特征、巢址选择、窝卵数、育幼行为、雏鸟生长发育、繁殖生产力以及繁殖对策等方面,对青藏高原高寒草甸雀形目鸟类繁殖生态学进行了综合分析与评述。高寒草甸雀形目鸟类受适合繁殖季节长度、食物资源和捕食压力的影响,或选择逐步投资对策,或选择一次投资对策;每个种群的常见窝卵数就是最适窝卵数;雏鸟的发育模式相对固定,不存在补偿性生长,但是生长期长度是可变化的。①研究亲-子通讯行为的进化和稳定性,提出适应高寒草甸雀形目鸟类的亲-子间的通讯行为假设;②建立在巢环境特征变化梯度(开放到封闭)上的生命表,找出决定适合度的生命表参数(繁殖率和存活率)的因果关系;③测定在巢环境特征变化梯度上的生态领域变化将是未来研究的3个方向。     

人工巢箱条件下两种山雀鸟类的同域共存机制

种间竞争会导致鸟类对自身的生存策略进行多方面调整,将多种因素结合起来分析不同鸟类的同域共存机制具有十分重要的意义.2009-2011年的3-7月,在辽宁省东部山区以悬挂人工巢箱的方法招引杂色山雀(Parus varius)和大山雀(Parus major),通过比较这两种鸟类在繁殖时间、繁殖参数和巢址选择上的差异,分析其繁殖期的栖息地选择及繁殖对策,探讨这两种鸟类同域共存的机制.结果表明,生态位的部分分离是大山雀和杂色山雀能够长期共存的基础.两者都是在繁殖期到来立即开始繁殖,均出现两次繁殖高峰,采用消减窝卵数的对策来适应环境质量的下降.对繁殖参数的分析表明,两种鸟类的繁殖对策都为k-选择,但大山雀略偏向r端,大山雀倾向高窝卵数、低繁殖成功率的繁殖策略;杂色山雀倾向低窝卵数、高繁殖成功率的繁殖策略.两种鸟类都选择在林龄较长的森林中筑巢,但是大山雀较注重巢址的安全性能,巢距地面较高,周围乔木密集;杂色山雀较为注重植被类型的选择,巢址多选择在植被多样、灌木生长茂盛的针阔混交林中,推测可能与杂色山雀的食物构成有关.     

人工巢箱繁殖鸟类主要巢捕食者及其影响因素

巢捕食是影响鸟类繁殖成功率的一个重要因素,也是鸟类繁殖生态研究中的一项重要内容。确定鸟类的主要巢捕食者及影响巢捕食的因素对于了解鸟类繁殖成功率、种群增长率及种群数量等具有重要意义。2009—2012年,对辽宁仙人洞国家级自然保护区人工巢箱中繁殖的杂色山雀(Parus varius)、沼泽山雀(P.palustris)、大山雀(P.major)和白眉姬鹟(Ficedula zanthopygia)四种鸟类的巢捕食率及影响巢捕食的因素进行了研究。研究共记录到238个繁殖巢(杂色山雀74巢、沼泽山雀21巢、大山雀118巢、白眉姬鹟25巢),其中35巢被捕食,捕食率为14.7%,雏鸟期被捕食占91.4%。巢捕食率在4种鸟类之间无差异(x~2=0.429,df=3,P=0.934)。以锦蛇(Elaphe spp.)为代表的蛇类是该地区小型森林洞巣鸟类繁殖期主要捕食者,占总捕食率的94.3%。对影响巢捕食的22个相关因子进行二元逻辑斯蒂回归分析发现,坡度、地面裸露率、草本盖度对巢捕食具有显著性影响;出雏时间、坡位、距碎石块距离对巢捕食的影响接近显著水平;而巢高、树粗、巢箱年龄、窝卵数、距路距离等对巢捕食无显著影响。因此,处于坡度较陡,坡位较高,草本覆盖率较高,地面裸露率较低,距碎石块距离较近,且出雏时间较晚的巢更容易被捕食。     

气候变化对鸟类影响：长期研究的意义

过去一个多世纪全球气候发生了明显变化,地球表面温度正在逐渐变暖。已有大量研究结果表明,鸟类已经在种群动态变化、生活史特性以及地理分布范围等方面对全球气候变化作出了相应的反应。根据全球范围内气候变化对鸟类影响的研究资料,尤其是北美和欧洲的一些长期研究项目的成果,综述了气候变化对鸟类分布范围、物候、繁殖和种群动态变化等方面的可能影响。这些长期研究项目为探讨气候变化在个体和种群的水平上如何长时间地影响鸟类提供了独特的机会,对未来中国鸟类学研究也会有所裨益。     

温带次生林破碎化对白眉姬鹟繁殖的影响

于2005～2006年鸟类繁殖季节,通过悬挂人工巢箱,探讨了次生林破碎化对白眉姬鹟Ficedula zanthopygia繁殖的影响.结果 表明:次生林破碎化对白眉姬鹟繁殖产生很大的影响,斑块面积、形状指数、隔离度均在不同程度上影响着白眉姬鹟的繁殖参数,破碎化指数不同的斑块间白眉姬鹟的窝卵数、孵化率和出飞率差异均不显著(P＞0.05);卵重变异很大,差异显著(P＜0.05);卵体积变动更大,差异达到极显著水平(P＜0.01).回归分析表明,斑块破碎化指数与白眉姬鹟繁殖参数间均存在一元二次方程关系:当窝卵数达到最大值时,卵质量降低,出雏率达到最低,雏鸟存活率反而增大,出飞率达到最大,从而提高繁殖功效;当窝卵数达到最小值时,卵质量最高,出雏率增大,出飞率也相应的增高,从而使繁殖功效增大.白眉姬鹟存在一个最优窝卵数,验证了Lack的窝卵数假说.另外,白眉姬鹟通过对自身繁殖参数的调节来适应生境破碎化,尽量提高自身的繁殖功效,从而弥补自身种群.     

气候变化对鸟类影响：长期研究的意义

过去一个多世纪全球气候发生了明显变化，地球表面温度正在逐渐变暖。已有大量研究结果表明，鸟类已经在种群动态变化、生活史特性以及地理分布范围等方面对全球气候变化作出了相应的反应。根据全球范围内气候变化对鸟类影响的研究资料，尤其是北美和欧洲的一些长期研究项目的成果，综述了气候变化对鸟类分布范围、物候、繁殖和种群动态变化等方面的可能影响。这些长期研究项目为探讨气候变化在个体和种群的水平上如何长时间地影响鸟类提供了独特的机会，对未来中国鸟类学研究也会有所裨益。     

鸟类的扩散行为研究进展

扩散是生物个体之间相互远离的单线性运动,是生物的基本特征之一,对种群的分布、动态及遗传结构等方面均有重要影响.扩散有出生扩散和繁殖扩散等主要形式.动物发生扩散的主要原因包括:避免近亲繁殖、减少竞争、改变繁殖地点等.近年来,扩散已经成为鸟类学研究的前沿领域.评述了鸟类扩散行为的性别差异、体质对于扩散的影响,阐述了扩散的基本过程及栖息地选择、长距离扩散等内容,同时介绍了环志标记、无线电遥测、分子生物学等研究鸟类扩散的主要方法.展望了鸟类扩散研究的发展趋势,认为新技术和新方法的应用将成为扩散生态学家关注的重要问题,未来研究将更加重视对鸟类扩散理论问题的探讨,而对鸟类扩散行为的研究成果也会更广泛地应用于濒危物种及其栖息地的保护工作中.     

Understanding testosterone variation in a tropical lek-breeding bird

Male reproductive coalitions, in which males cooperate to attract females, are a rare strategy among vertebrates. While some studies have investigated ultimate aspects of these relationships, little is known about the mechanistic role that hormones play in modulating cooperative behaviours. Here, we examined male testosterone variation in a tropical lekking bird, the wire-tailed manakin (Pipra filicauda), which exhibits cooperative male-male display coalitions. We found that testosterone levels in territorial males were comparable to those of temperate breeding birds, a surprising result given their environmental, social and reproductive dynamics. In addition, social status rather than plumage was a strong predictor of testosterone variation. Territorial males had significantly higher testosterone levels than did two other plumage classes of floater males, who do not hold territories. We hypothesize that testosterone variation plays an important role in the establishment of male dominance hierarchies (competition), while concurrently facilitating stable display partnerships (cooperation).     

Testosterone and autumn territorial behavior in male red grouse Lagopus lagopus scoticus

In many bird species, males exhibit territorial aggression outside the breeding season, when testosterone concentrations are low and may not regulate territorial behaviors. The hormonal regulation of aggression at this time of year has only been studied in passerine birds. Here, we investigated the role of testosterone in the regulation of aggression in a non-passerine bird, the red grouse Lagopus lagopus scoticus. Male red grouse are aggressive in early spring when breeding starts, in autumn when they establish territories, and sporadically through much of the winter. We first describe seasonal variations in plasma testosterone concentrations and in the size of males' sexual ornaments, their red combs, which relates to aggressiveness. Testosterone concentrations and comb size were correlated. Both increased in autumn to a peak in October, and then increased again in spring, to a greater peak in early April. Secondly, we experimentally investigated the effects of testosterone, and of an anti-androgen (flutamide) used in combination with an aromatase inhibitor (ATD), on autumn territorial behavior. Males were treated with either empty implants, as controls (C-males), testosterone implants (T-males), or with flutamide and ATD implants (FA-males). One month after implanting, both T- and FA-males had higher concentrations of testosterone than C-males. Comb size, aggressive call rate, and response to playbacks of territorial call all significantly increased in T-males. However, the increase in testosterone in FA-males did not increase comb size or aggressive behavior. In the following spring, after the content of implants was used, FA-males had significantly lower testosterone than C-males, and had a reduced seasonal increase in comb size. The results suggest that testosterone plays a significant role in regulating red grouse aggressive behavior in autumn. However, the observation that flutamide and ATD treatment did not reduce territorial behavior, suggests that estradiol may also be involved in the regulation of non-breeding aggression.     

Reproductive competition promotes the evolution of female weaponry

Secondary sexual traits in females are a relatively rare phenomenon. Empirical studies have focused on the role of male mate choice in their evolution; however, recently it has been suggested that secondary sexual traits in females are more likely to be under selection via reproductive competition. We investigated female competition and the influence of female phenotype on fitness in Onthophagus sagittarius, a species of dung beetle that exhibits female-specific horns. We compared reproductive fitness when females were breeding in competition versus breeding alone and found that competition for breeding resources reduced fitness for all females, but that smaller individuals suffered a greater fitness reduction than larger individuals. When females were matched for body size, those with the longest horns gained higher reproductive fitness. The fitness function was positive and linear, favouring increased horn expression. Thus, we present evidence that female body size and horn size in O. sagittarius are under directional selection via competition for reproductive resources. Our study is a rare example of female contest competition selecting for female weaponry.     

Territorial aggression does not feed back on testosterone in a multiple-brooded songbird species with breeding and non-breeding season territoriality,the European stonechat

Testosterone mediates reproductive behaviours in male vertebrates. For example, breeding season territoriality depends on testosterone in many species of birds and in some, territorial interactions feed back on testosterone concentrations. However, the degree to which territorial behaviour and testosterone are associated differs even between species with seemingly similar life histories, especially between species that also defend territories outside the breeding season. Here, we investigate the link between territorial behaviour and testosterone in European stonechats. Previous studies found that territorial aggression in stonechats depends on testosterone in a breeding, but not in a non-breeding context. We investigated whether stonechats show a rise in testosterone during simulated territorial intrusions (STI) during the breeding season. Post-capture testosterone concentrations of males caught after an STI were not higher than those of males caught in a control situation regardless of breeding stage. However, most of the males would have been able to mount a testosterone response because the same individuals that did not increase testosterone during the STI showed a substantial increase in testosterone after injections of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). GnRH-induced and post-capture testosterone concentrations were positively correlated and both decreased with successive breeding stages. Further, territory owners with a short latency to attack the decoy expressed higher post-capture testosterone concentrations than males with a longer latency to attack the decoy. Thus, there is no evidence for behavioural feedback on testosterone concentrations during male-male interactions in stonechats. In combination with previous studies our data suggest that testosterone functions as an on/off switch of high intensity territorial aggression during the breeding season in stonechats. The among-species variation in the androgen control of territorial behaviour may be only partly a result of environmental differences. Instead, potential differences in how territoriality evolved in different species may have influenced whether and how a reproductive hormone such as testosterone was co-opted into the mechanistic control of territorial behaviour.     

Steroid hormones and immune function: experimental studies in wild and captive dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis)

Monogamous and polygynous male songbirds generally differ in their breeding season profiles of circulating testosterone. Testosterone level spikes early in the breeding season of monogamists and then declines, but it remains high in polygynists. Male dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis) are socially monogamous and exhibit the usual pattern, but experimental maintenance of high testosterone throughout the breeding season alters normal behavior and physiology and affects various components of annual reproductive success but not overall annual success. Because stabilizing selection predicts that alteration of naturally existing phenotypes should reduce lifetime reproductive success, we asked whether prolonged testosterone exposure might impair immune function and perhaps thereby reduce life span. We assessed immune function in captive and wild male juncos that we treated with either testosterone-filled or empty Silastic implants. Results indicate that prolonged elevation of testosterone suppresses antibody production in captive males and cell-mediated immunity in wild males. Together these results suggest that testosterone-treated males may be more susceptible to disease or parasitic infection. As earlier studies have shown, levels of corticosterone as well as testosterone are higher in testosterone-treated males, so it is unclear whether the immune suppression we observed is due to testosterone's direct effects on immunity or testosterone's influence on glucocorticoid production. We discuss results in the context of recent hypotheses regarding life-history theory and potential endocrine-immune interactions.     

Operational sex ratio, sexual conflict and the intensity of sexual selection

Modern sexual selection theory indicates that reproductive costs rather than the operational sex ratio predict the intensity of sexual selection. We investigated sexual selection in the polygynandrous common lizard Lacerta vivipara . This species shows male aggression, causing high mating costs for females when adult sex ratios (ASR) are male-biased. We manipulated ASR in 12 experimental populations and quantified the intensity of sexual selection based on the relationship between reproductive success and body size. In sharp contrast to classical sexual selection theory predictions, positive directional sexual selection on male size was stronger and positive directional selection on female size weaker in female-biased populations than in male-biased populations. Thus, consistent with modern theory, directional sexual selection on male size was weaker in populations with higher female mating costs. This suggests that the costs of breeding, but not the operational sex ratio, correctly predicted the strength of sexual selection.     

The evolution of plumage polymorphism in birds of prey and owls: the apostatic selection hypothesis revisited

Co-evolution between phenotypic variation and other traits is of paramount importance for our understanding of the origin and maintenance of polymorphism in natural populations. We tested whether the evolution of plumage polymorphism in birds of prey and owls was supported by the apostatic selection hypothesis using ecological and life-history variables in birds of prey and owls and performing both cross taxa and independent contrast analyses. For both bird groups, we did not find any support for the apostatic selection hypothesis being the maintaining factor for the polymorphism: plumage polymorphism was not more common in taxa hunting avian or mammalian prey, nor in migratory species. In contrast, we found that polymorphism was related to variables such as sexual plumage dimorphism, population size and range size, as well as breeding altitude and breeding latitude. These results imply that the most likely evolutionary correlate of polymorphism in both bird groups is population size, different plumage morphs might simply arise in larger populations most likely because of a higher probability of mutations and then be maintained by sexual selection.     

Testosterone, testes size, and mating success in birds: a comparative study

Reproductive behaviors of vertebrates are often underpinned by temporal patterns of hormone secretion. We investigated interspecific patterns of circulating testosterone in male birds to test the hypothesis that testosterone plays a crucial role in sexual selection as determined by degree of polygyny and extra-pair paternity. We predicted that the evolution of increased levels of polygyny and extra-pair paternity would have resulted in the evolution of increased levels of testosterone to allow males more efficiently to compete for mates. This hypothesis was tested in comparative analyses of 116 species of birds using Generalized Least Squares Models. We assessed the importance of latitudinal distribution, because this can confound the relationship between testosterone and mating success. There were weak positive phylogenetic correlations between measures of testosterone and estimates of mating success at the social level, but this association appeared to be confounded by latitudinal distribution, a significant correlate of testosterone titers. However, we found a significantly positive relationship between peak and residual peak testosterone (which is the peak testosterone level that is controlled for the baseline level) and extra-pair paternity independent of latitude. These results suggest that selection pressures arising from social and sexual mating differently affected testosterone levels with the former being mediated by factors associated with latitudinal distribution. An analysis of residual testes size revealed a positive association between peak and residual testosterone and testes size relative to body size. In a path analysis, we show that relative testis size primarily evolved in association with intense sperm competition and thus high sperm production, and these mechanisms had a secondary impact on blood testosterone levels at a phylogenetic scale. Our results suggest that sperm competition has played an important role in the evolution of reproductive mechanisms in birds.     

Variation in selection pressure acting on body size by age and sex in a reverse sexual size dimorphic raptor

Body size strongly influences fitness, with larger individuals benefiting in terms of both greater productivity and survivorship; for reverse sexual size dimorphic (RSD) species, this relationship may be more complex. We examined the selection pressures acting on body size in male and female Merlins Falco columbarius to assess whether larger or smaller individuals of this RSD species were favoured in terms of survival and breeding performance. For males and females there were clear links between body size and survival but the exact relationship varied by sex. Among males, birds that survived each year class were larger than those that died and yearlings were on average smaller than older birds, but there were no measurable differences among adult males (age 2+). Among females, larger individuals aged 1 and 2 years were more likely to survive, but this size‐based pattern was not apparent in older age classes. Size early in life predicted the lifespan in male Merlins but not as strongly as for females and not for the largest individuals. Reproductive performance based on brood size was not associated with body size in either males or females, but there was a weak positive relationship between female body size and lifetime reproductive success. Selection appears to favour larger males and females but there is no indication that the population is evolving towards bigger individuals, perhaps in part due to selection against the largest birds. Increased survival may allow larger and higher quality individuals to occupy higher quality territories as they age and thereby to accrue greater lifetime reproductive success in the process.     

Genetic similarity, breeding distribution range and sexual selection

Large populations with extensive breeding distributions may sustain greater genetic variability, thus producing a positive relationship between genetic variation and population size. Levels of genetic variability may also be affected by sexual selection, which could either reduce levels because a small fraction of males contribute to the following generation, or augment them by generating genetic variability through elevated rates of mutations. We investigated to what extent genetic variability, as estimated from band sharing coefficients for minisatellite markers, could be predicted by breeding distribution range, population size and intensity of sexual selection (as reflected by degree of polygyny and extra-pair paternity). Across a sample of 62 species of birds in the Western Palearctic, we found extensive interspecific variation in band sharing coefficients. High band sharing coefficients (implying low local genetic variability among individuals) were associated with restricted breeding distributions, a conclusion confirmed by analysis of statistically independent linear contrasts. Independently, species with large population sizes had small band sharing coefficients. Furthermore, bird species with a high richness of subspecies for their breeding distribution range had higher band sharing coefficients. Finally, bird species with high levels of polygyny and extra-pair paternity had small band sharing coefficients. These results suggest that breeding distribution range, population size and intensity of sexual selection are important predictors of levels of genetic variability in extant populations.