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Reproductive senescence in a polymorphic raptor: phenotypic, sex, and environmental effects
Elisa P Badás1,2, Duarte S Viana3, Jordi Figuerola3,4
1Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences-Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), C/José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, Madrid 28006, Spain.
Summary
Reproductive senescence varies by color morph in female Eleonora's falcons. Early-life conditions significantly impact lifetime reproductive success, suggesting a "silver-spoon" effect on fitness.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Animal Ecology
- Reproductive Biology
Background:
- Reproductive senescence, the decline in reproductive performance with age, is a known evolutionary process.
- Factors influencing senescence rates, such as sex, phenotype, and early-life conditions, are understudied, especially their interactions.
- Polymorphic species offer insights into senescence variation under environmental constraints due to distinct phenotypic responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age, environmental, and phenotypic effects on reproductive output in Eleonora's falcons (Falco eleonorae).
- To analyze annual offspring number and lifetime reproductive success in relation to senescence.
- To disentangle the interplay of sex, color morph, and early-life conditions on reproductive strategies and success.
Main Methods:
- Collected complete life history data over 13 years for Eleonora's falcons.
- Analyzed annual offspring number and lifetime reproductive success.
- Evaluated effects of age, sex, color morph, and developmental environment on reproductive performance.
Main Results:
- Evidence of within-individual reproductive senescence in females, with differing patterns between color morphs.
- Increased breeding success at older ages in both sexes (population-level selective appearance effect).
- Higher lifetime reproductive success linked to benign early-life conditions ('silver-spoon' effect), though less pronounced in short-lived individuals.
Conclusions:
- Sex-specific effects of melanin production on senescence rates warrant further investigation.
- Early-life conditions have a lasting impact on fitness, with potential trade-offs between lifespan and reproductive effort.
- A strategy maximizing early reproductive effort may be advantageous under harsh developmental conditions, potentially shortening lifespan.
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