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Heritability of arrival date in a migratory bird
1Laboratoire d'Ecologie, CNRS UMR 7625, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France. amoller@hall.snv.jussieu.fr
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|February 24, 2001
Summary
The arrival date of barn swallows is heritable, with males showing exaggerated traits arriving earliest. This suggests a genetic basis for condition-dependent migration, crucial for adapting to environmental changes.
Area of Science:
- Ornithology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Behavioral Ecology
Background:
- Long-distance migratory bird behavior is influenced by genetics.
- Competition for early arrival may link migration timing to fitness and individual condition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the repeatability and heritability of arrival date in barn swallows (Hirundo rustica).
- To investigate the genetic correlation between arrival date and a condition-dependent secondary sexual character.
Main Methods:
- Field data collection on barn swallows.
- Estimation of heritability for arrival date.
- Analysis of genetic correlation between arrival date and tail length in males.
Main Results:
- Arrival date in barn swallows showed significant repeatability and a heritability estimate of 0.54.
- No significant inflation of heritability by environmental or maternal effects was found.
- Males with exaggerated secondary sexual characters (longer tail feathers) arrived earlier, indicating condition-dependent migration.
- A significant genetic correlation was found between arrival date and tail length in males.
Conclusions:
- Arrival date and migration timing in barn swallows are condition-dependent and have a substantial heritable component.
- The high heritability of arrival date suggests it can readily respond to selection pressures, such as environmental change.