Socially-induced variation in physiological mediators of parental care in a colonial bird.

• Published in: Hormones and Behavior
• Main Authors: Beaulieu, Michael, Ancel, André, Chastel, Olivier, Criscuolo, François, Raclot, Thierry
• Other Authors: Institute of Zoology, Universität Greifswald - University of Greifswald, Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie (DEPE-IPHC), Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2017
• Subjects: Antioxidants; Ecophysiology; Hormones; Parental care; Social environment; Sociophysiology; [SDE]Environmental Sciences; Pygoscelis adeliae
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-01504539; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.03.007

International audience Social facilitation of reproduction occurs in humans and animals, and may represent one of the bases of reproductionin groups. However, its underlying physiological mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Here, we found ina colonial bird, the Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae), that the number of parental interactions (nest relief ceremonies)performed by breeding individuals on the colony was positively related to prolactin levels in otherbreeding individuals exposed to these interactions (i.e. focal individuals). As prolactin is typically involved inthe expression of parental behaviour in birds, this suggests that parental interactions by conspecifics representsocial cues that might increase parental motivation in focal individuals. Moreover, parental interactions werenot related to corticosterone levels in focal individuals, suggesting that these social cues were not stressful forpenguins. However, social stimulation still had a cost for focal individuals, as itwas negatively related to their antioxidantdefences (a component of self-maintenance). As social stimulationwas also positively related to prolactinlevels, this highlights the fact that social stimulation acts on the trade-off between reproduction and selfmaintenance.For the first time, the results of the current study shed light on the physiological factors potentiallyunderlying social facilitation of parental care. Importantly, they suggest that, even though social facilitation of parentalcare may increase breeding performance, it can also negatively affect other fitness components.