Social selection analysis reveals limited effect of neighbors' traits in Tree swallows

Social interactions are ubiquitous in nature and can shape the fitness of individuals through social selection. This type of selection arises when phenotypes of neighbors influence the fitness of a focal individual. Quantifying social selection is crucial to better characterize the overall selective landscape. For example, if intraspecific competition is strong, traits that are beneficial for an individual could be detrimental to competitors. In this study, we quantified social selection acting on three key ecological traits (body mass, wing length, and laying date) in wild Tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) females. We used reproductive success measured at three stages throughout the breeding season as fitness proxies to assess selection acting at those decisive moments. We also quantified the effects of environment on selection using measures of conspecifics' density, type of agricultural landscape, and presence of interspecific competitors. Overall, we found no strong evidence of social selection on these traits in our study system, although there were marginally nonsignificant selection gradients suggesting the positive effect of larger neighbors. Environmental variables affected reproductive success but did not strongly affect social selection gradients. Our study calls for more social selection estimates to be reported across environments to better understand its importance in wild populations.