DOES TESTOSTERONE AFFECT THE TRADE-OFF BETWEEN INVESTMENT IN SEXUAL/TERRITORIAL BEHAVIOUR AND PARENTAL CARE IN MALE GREAT TITS?
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Abstract
Breeding testosterone (T) profiles of free-living male birds are hypothesized to reflect a trade-off between investment in competitive behaviour for mates or territories, typically accompanied by high T-levels, and investment in paternal care, typically accompanied by low T-levels. To test this hypothesis we monitored song activity, as a measure of territorial advertisement or mate attraction, and feeding efforts, as a measure of paternal care, in great tit Parus major males that either received T-filled or empty implants in the middle of the feeding phase, a period of high paternal commitment and low T-levels. In support of the trade-off hypothesis, T-implanted males sang significantly more than controls. However, we found no significant effect of the elevated T-levels on male and female feeding behaviour despite the large increase in T following implantation. Also, no short-term effects on male fitness were found. Taken together these results do not support the trade-off hypothesis. We discuss that the low overall responsiveness in our study might be related to a high fitness cost of neglecting offspring in favour of T-enhanced behaviour.
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| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 1132 | 103 | 10 |
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DOES TESTOSTERONE AFFECT THE TRADE-OFF BETWEEN INVESTMENT IN SEXUAL/TERRITORIAL BEHAVIOUR AND PARENTAL CARE IN MALE GREAT TITS?
In: BehaviourSearch for other papers by Els Van Duyse in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Rianne Pinxten in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Marcel Eens in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
Breeding testosterone (T) profiles of free-living male birds are hypothesized to reflect a trade-off between investment in competitive behaviour for mates or territories, typically accompanied by high T-levels, and investment in paternal care, typically accompanied by low T-levels. To test this hypothesis we monitored song activity, as a measure of territorial advertisement or mate attraction, and feeding efforts, as a measure of paternal care, in great tit Parus major males that either received T-filled or empty implants in the middle of the feeding phase, a period of high paternal commitment and low T-levels. In support of the trade-off hypothesis, T-implanted males sang significantly more than controls. However, we found no significant effect of the elevated T-levels on male and female feeding behaviour despite the large increase in T following implantation. Also, no short-term effects on male fitness were found. Taken together these results do not support the trade-off hypothesis. We discuss that the low overall responsiveness in our study might be related to a high fitness cost of neglecting offspring in favour of T-enhanced behaviour.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 1132 | 103 | 10 |
| Full Text Views | 188 | 5 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 125 | 11 | 0 |
