Behavioral implications of strict monogamy: Individual recognition and genetic bases of mate choice in the Black-legged kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla.

• Main Author: Mulard, Hervé
• Other Authors: Fonctionnement et évolution des systèmes écologiques (FESE), École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS-PSL), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris VI, Etienne Danchin([e-mail])
• Format: Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis
• Language: French
• Published: HAL CCSD 2007
• Subjects: sexual selection; individual recognition; vocal recognition; parent-offspring recognition; fledging; mate choice; mating pattern; microsatellites; genetic similarity; inbreeding depression; MHC Class II; black-legged kittiwakes; Rissa tridactyla; sélection sexuelle; reconnaissance individuelle; reconnaissance vocale; reconnaissance parent-enfant; premier envol; choix du partenaire; système d'appariement; microsatellite; distance génétique; dépression de consanguinité; CMH de Classe II; olfaction; mouette tridactyle; Rissa tridatyla; [SDV.EE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology; environment; Black-legged Kittiwake; Mouette tridactyle; rissa tridactyla
• Online Access: https://theses.hal.science/tel-00205076; https://theses.hal.science/tel-00205076v2/document; https://theses.hal.science/tel-00205076v2/file/TheseTELHal.pdf

This thesis is a study of individual recognition and mate choice in the black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), a monogamous seabird with high inter-annual mate fidelity. Mate vocal recognition is experimentally shown, as well as parent recognition by chicks. Parental recognition of offspring at fledging is supported by the fact that newly fledged chicks return faster to their nests if parents react to their calls. Such recognition may be adaptive because recognized fledglings may spend less energy in unnecessary flights and interactions with other residents. Kittiwakes appear to be mated with genetically more dissimilar individuals than expected by chance, a pattern that seems to allow them to produce better and more heterozygous offspring. Genetically dissimilar pairs have higher hatching success, and homozygous offspring grow slower and are more likely to die before 25 days old than heterozygous offspring. Genetically similar pairs copulate less frequently, suggesting that genetic similarity between mates may affect their behaviour. Cues used by individuals to estimate their mate's genotype are still speculative. Vocal parameters are not likely to give information on genetic similarity, as calls of genetically dissimilar pairs do not differ from calls of genetically similar ones. Other parameters, whether visual or olfactory, may therefore be involved. Overall, these results suggest that mate choice may be quite intense in this genetically monogamous species. Cette thèse est consacrée à la reconnaissance individuelle et au choix du partenaire chez la mouette tridactyle (Rissa tridactyla), espèce génétiquement monogame et fidèle à son partenaire d'une saison sur l'autre. Mes expériences démontrent l'existence d'une reconnaissance vocale entre les partenaires d'un couple, ainsi qu'une reconnaissance des parents par les poussins. Des observations empiriques suggèrent que les parents utilisent également le cri pour reconnaître leurs poussins. Ceci pourrait relever d'une stratégie adaptative: les poussins ...