Skip to content
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Menu
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Menu
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Kin associations and direct vs indirect fitness benefits in colonial cooperatively breeding sociable weavers Philetairus socius
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, Volume 60, No. 3, Year 2006
Notification
URL copied to clipboard!
Description
Indirect fitness benefits are believed to be an important force behind the evolution of cooperative breeding. However, helpers may associate with their relatives as a result of delayed dispersal, hence, kin associations might be a consequence of demographic viscosity rather than active choice. In addition, recent studies showed that helpers may have access to reproduction therefore direct benefits might also play an important role. Here, we investigate the possible roles of direct genetic benefits and kin associations on helping behavior in the sociable weaver Philetairus socius, a colonial and cooperatively breeding passerine. We used a microsatellite-based genotyping method to describe the genetic structure within nests and colonies. Within a colony, we found considerable genetic structure between males but not females. Sociable weaver colonies have several nests that are simultaneously active, giving individuals a choice of associating with a range of first-order kin to unrelated individuals. Helpers were significantly more related to the young in the helped nests than in other nests of the colony, suggesting an active choice for associating with kin. The helpers were generally offspring or first-order relatives of one (50%) or both (43%) breeders, although more infrequently, seemingly unrelated individuals also helped (7%). We found no supporting evidence of extrapair parentage and hence no direct genetic gains from helping in our population. This strong reproductive skew is contrary to theoretical models predicting conflicts over reproduction in stepfamilies. We discuss whether female decisions and/or other direct benefits of remaining in kin associations or helping might explain the high skew observed. © Springer-Verlag 2006.
Authors & Co-Authors
Covas, Rita
South Africa, Cape Town
University of Cape Town
United Kingdom, Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh
Portugal, Evora
University of Évora
Dalecky, Ambroise
France, Montpellier
Inrae's Occitanie-montpellier Centre
Caizergues, Alain
France, Paris
Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage
Doutrelant, Claire
South Africa, Cape Town
University of Cape Town
France, Paris
Cnrs Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Statistics
Citations: 66
Authors: 4
Affiliations: 6
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1007/s00265-006-0168-2
ISSN:
03405443
Research Areas
Genetics And Genomics
Health System And Policy
Sexual And Reproductive Health
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Participants Gender
Female