Fledging mass is color morph specific and affects local recruitment in a wild bird
(2020) In American Naturalist 196(5).- Abstract
Early-life conditions may have long-lasting effects on life history. In color polymorphic species, morph-specific sensitivity to environmental conditions may lead to differential fitness. In tawny owls (Strix aluco), pheomelanin-based color polymorphism is expected to be maintained because the brown morph has higher adult fitness in warmer environments, while selection favors the gray morph under colder conditions. Here we investigate body mass at fledging and its consequences until adulthood in a population at the species’ cold range margin. Using 40 years of data (1979–2017), we show that brown pairs, which mainly produce brown offspring consistent with a one-locus-two-alleles inheritance model, consistently raised heavier offspring... (More)
Early-life conditions may have long-lasting effects on life history. In color polymorphic species, morph-specific sensitivity to environmental conditions may lead to differential fitness. In tawny owls (Strix aluco), pheomelanin-based color polymorphism is expected to be maintained because the brown morph has higher adult fitness in warmer environments, while selection favors the gray morph under colder conditions. Here we investigate body mass at fledging and its consequences until adulthood in a population at the species’ cold range margin. Using 40 years of data (1979–2017), we show that brown pairs, which mainly produce brown offspring consistent with a one-locus-two-alleles inheritance model, consistently raised heavier offspring than mixed (gray-brown) pairs and gray pairs. Offspring mass declined seasonally, except among offspring raised by brown pairs. Brown offspring could be heavier because of morph-specific parental care and/or offspring growth. Furthermore, mass at fledging is associated with fitness: the probability of local recruitment into the breeding population increased with higher mass at fledging, especially in mild winters and with favorable food conditions, although recruitment is not morph specific. Fledgling mass thus provides a fitness benefit in terms of recruitment probability that is modulated by environmental factors, which appear to level off any direct morph-specific recruitment benefits.
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- author
- Morosinotto, Chiara LU ; Brommer, Jon E. ; Lindqvist, Atte ; Ahola, Kari ; Aaltonen, Esa ; Karstinen, Teuvo and Karell, Patrik LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2020
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Body mass, Early-life condition, Life-history strategy, Parent-offspring morph, Plumage coloration, Winter temperature
- in
- American Naturalist
- volume
- 196
- issue
- 5
- publisher
- University of Chicago Press
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85092261601
- pmid:33064585
- ISSN
- 0003-0147
- DOI
- 10.1086/710708
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 2deb5a48-c6e3-4025-9e03-bd324e5ed914
- date added to LUP
- 2020-10-22 15:11:05
- date last changed
- 2024-10-03 09:41:32
@article{2deb5a48-c6e3-4025-9e03-bd324e5ed914,
abstract = {{<p>Early-life conditions may have long-lasting effects on life history. In color polymorphic species, morph-specific sensitivity to environmental conditions may lead to differential fitness. In tawny owls (Strix aluco), pheomelanin-based color polymorphism is expected to be maintained because the brown morph has higher adult fitness in warmer environments, while selection favors the gray morph under colder conditions. Here we investigate body mass at fledging and its consequences until adulthood in a population at the species’ cold range margin. Using 40 years of data (1979–2017), we show that brown pairs, which mainly produce brown offspring consistent with a one-locus-two-alleles inheritance model, consistently raised heavier offspring than mixed (gray-brown) pairs and gray pairs. Offspring mass declined seasonally, except among offspring raised by brown pairs. Brown offspring could be heavier because of morph-specific parental care and/or offspring growth. Furthermore, mass at fledging is associated with fitness: the probability of local recruitment into the breeding population increased with higher mass at fledging, especially in mild winters and with favorable food conditions, although recruitment is not morph specific. Fledgling mass thus provides a fitness benefit in terms of recruitment probability that is modulated by environmental factors, which appear to level off any direct morph-specific recruitment benefits.</p>}},
author = {{Morosinotto, Chiara and Brommer, Jon E. and Lindqvist, Atte and Ahola, Kari and Aaltonen, Esa and Karstinen, Teuvo and Karell, Patrik}},
issn = {{0003-0147}},
keywords = {{Body mass; Early-life condition; Life-history strategy; Parent-offspring morph; Plumage coloration; Winter temperature}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{5}},
publisher = {{University of Chicago Press}},
series = {{American Naturalist}},
title = {{Fledging mass is color morph specific and affects local recruitment in a wild bird}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/710708}},
doi = {{10.1086/710708}},
volume = {{196}},
year = {{2020}},
}