A possible case of contemporary selection leading to a decrease in sexual plumage dimorphism in a grassland-breeding shorebird

In sexually dimorphic species, males with more exaggerated plumage ornamentation generally have higher body condition, are preferred by females, and have higher reproductive output. In contrast to the majority of studies, we describe that less ornamented males of the monogamous and sexually dimorphi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Behavioral Ecology
Main Authors: Schroeder, Julia, Lourenco, Pedro M., Hooijmeijer, Jos C.E.W., Both, Christiaan, Piersma, Theunis
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2009
Subjects:
contemporary evolution
egg size
Limosa limosa limosa
meadow bird
plumage coloration
sexual selection
LIMOSA-LIMOSA-LIMOSA
REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS
MELANIN ORNAMENTS
REGRESSION-MODELS
HOUSE SPARROWS
RICE FIELDS
BLACK
BIRDS
SIZE
CHICKS
black-tailed godwit
Limosa limosa
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/11370/4b6df7d2-a6ab-4430-b107-b2d96ae08fa7
https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/a-possible-case-of-contemporary-selection-leading-to-a-decrease-in-sexual-plumage-dimorphism-in-a-grasslandbreeding-shorebird(4b6df7d2-a6ab-4430-b107-b2d96ae08fa7).html
https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arp063
Description
Summary:In sexually dimorphic species, males with more exaggerated plumage ornamentation generally have higher body condition, are preferred by females, and have higher reproductive output. In contrast to the majority of studies, we describe that less ornamented males of the monogamous and sexually dimorphic black-tailed godwit Limosa limosa were larger and heavier during late incubation than more ornamented males and were mated with females that laid larger eggs. In females, we detected no such correlations. If paler and larger males indeed have higher fitness, this suggests ongoing selection for a reduction in male ornamentation, leading to a decrease in plumage ornamentation. We found evidence for such a change since 1840: Male ornamentation in museum specimens became progressively less in all our measured plumage traits. One explanation for this could be that formerly sexually selected plumage traits are now selected against and that the sexual plumage dimorphism of West-European breeding black-tailed godwits might be waning. Concomitant with this change in plumage coloration, this species has experienced enormous human-mediated changes in both breeding and nonbreeding habitat, and we suggest that these might have led to increased costs or reduced fitness benefits for highly ornamented male godwits.

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