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Yolk androgens do not appear to mediate sexual conflict over parental investment in the collared flycatcher Ficedula albicollis

Ruuskanen, Suvi ; Doligez, Blandine ; Tschirren, Barbara LU ; Pitala, Natalia ; Gustafsson, Lars ; Groothuis, Ton G. G. and Laaksonen, Toni (2009) In Hormones and Behavior 55(4). p.514-519
Abstract
Mates and females are in conflict over parental care, as it would be favourable for one parent to shift labour to the other. Yolk hormones may offer a mechanism through which female birds could influence offspring traits in ways that increase the relative investment by the male. We studied the role of yolk androgens in mediating sexual conflict over parental care in the collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis). In a cross-fostering experiment, the male's proportion of total feeding visits increased with increasing androgen levels in the foster eggs. This could suggest that sexual conflict over parental care may be influenced by the female's differential allocation of yolk androgens or a maternal effect associated with yolk androgens.... (More)
Mates and females are in conflict over parental care, as it would be favourable for one parent to shift labour to the other. Yolk hormones may offer a mechanism through which female birds could influence offspring traits in ways that increase the relative investment by the male. We studied the role of yolk androgens in mediating sexual conflict over parental care in the collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis). In a cross-fostering experiment, the male's proportion of total feeding visits increased with increasing androgen levels in the foster eggs. This could suggest that sexual conflict over parental care may be influenced by the female's differential allocation of yolk androgens or a maternal effect associated with yolk androgens. However, when we experimentally elevated yolk androgen levels, male feeding rates did not differ between control and androgen-manipulated nests. This suggests that other egg components correlated with yolk androgen levels, rather than yolk androgen levels per se, may influence male parental effort. In conclusion, yolk androgens per se do not appear to mediate sexual conflict over parental investment in the collared flycatcher. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Maternal effects, Hormones, Parental investment, Parental care, Reproductive effort
in
Hormones and Behavior
volume
55
issue
4
pages
514 - 519
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000265342300009
  • scopus:63649117159
ISSN
1095-6867
DOI
10.1016/j.yhbeh.2009.01.010
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Animal Ecology (Closed 2011) (011012001)
id
9b33b612-7934-4660-a795-c5bbdfb3a60c (old id 1399523)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:36:38
date last changed
2022-02-03 01:55:46
@article{9b33b612-7934-4660-a795-c5bbdfb3a60c,
  abstract     = {{Mates and females are in conflict over parental care, as it would be favourable for one parent to shift labour to the other. Yolk hormones may offer a mechanism through which female birds could influence offspring traits in ways that increase the relative investment by the male. We studied the role of yolk androgens in mediating sexual conflict over parental care in the collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis). In a cross-fostering experiment, the male's proportion of total feeding visits increased with increasing androgen levels in the foster eggs. This could suggest that sexual conflict over parental care may be influenced by the female's differential allocation of yolk androgens or a maternal effect associated with yolk androgens. However, when we experimentally elevated yolk androgen levels, male feeding rates did not differ between control and androgen-manipulated nests. This suggests that other egg components correlated with yolk androgen levels, rather than yolk androgen levels per se, may influence male parental effort. In conclusion, yolk androgens per se do not appear to mediate sexual conflict over parental investment in the collared flycatcher. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Ruuskanen, Suvi and Doligez, Blandine and Tschirren, Barbara and Pitala, Natalia and Gustafsson, Lars and Groothuis, Ton G. G. and Laaksonen, Toni}},
  issn         = {{1095-6867}},
  keywords     = {{Maternal effects; Hormones; Parental investment; Parental care; Reproductive effort}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{514--519}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Hormones and Behavior}},
  title        = {{Yolk androgens do not appear to mediate sexual conflict over parental investment in the collared flycatcher Ficedula albicollis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2009.01.010}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.yhbeh.2009.01.010}},
  volume       = {{55}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}