M. Hoi-leitner et al., Female extra-pair behaviour and environmental quality in the serin (Serinus serinus): a test of the 'constrained female hypothesis', P ROY SOC B, 266(1423), 1999, pp. 1021-1026
Citations number
43
Categorie Soggetti
Experimental Biology
Journal title
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON SERIES B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Recent behavioural and molecular studies have shown that in most monogamous
bird species extra-pair copulations and fertilizations outside the pair bo
nd occur routinely. The consequences of female extrapair behaviour might co
mprise effects on important life-history traits, such as the extent of male
parental care. In this study we test the assumption that, within a species
, females' options for extra-pair mating depend on female quality and the e
nvironments that females occupy. This 'constrained female hypothesis' predi
cts that females in good environments or high-quality females are able to r
esist males' control efforts better than females in poor environments or lo
w-quality females. We test the idea in the socially monogamous serin. Mie f
ound that the likelihood of extra-pair paternity is significantly higher in
territories with high availability of food. There was a negative relations
hip between environmental quality (food availability) and paternity both in
natural and in experimentally manipulated habitats. Male feeding rates wer
e negatively related to food availability and positively related to paterni
ty. These data and the additional result that in better environments all of
a females' offspring were sired by one extra-pair male provide support for
Gowaty's 'constrained female hypothesis'.