Duration of female parental care and their survival in the little auk Alle alle - are these two traits linked?

Abstract

Desertion of offspring before its independence by one of the parents is observed in a number of avian species with bi-parental care but reasons for this strategy are not fully understood. This behaviour is particularly intriguing in species where bi-parental care is crucial to raise the brood successfully. Here, we focus on the little auk, Alle alle, a small seabird with intensive bi-parental care, where the female deserts the brood at the end of the chick rearing period. The little auk example is interesting as most hypotheses to explain desertion of the brood by females (e.g. "re-mating hypothesis", "body condition hypothesis") have been rejected for this species. Here, we analysed a possible relationship between the duration of female parental care over the chick and her chances to survive to the next breeding season. We performed the study in two breeding colonies on Spitsbergen with different foraging conditionsmore favourable in Hornsund and less favourable in Magdalenefjorden. We predicted that in Hornsund females would stay for shorter periods of time with the brood and would have higher survival rates in comparison with birds from Magdalenefjorden. We found that indeed in less favourable conditions of Magdalenefjorden, females stay longer with the brood than in the more favourable conditions of Hornsund. Moreover, female survival was negatively affected by the length of stay in the brood. Nevertheless, duration of female parental care over the chick was not related to their parental efforts, earlier in the chick rearing period, and survival of males and females was similar. Thus, although females brood desertion and winter survival are linked, the relationship is not straightforward. Significance statementWhen bi-parental care is crucial to raise the brood successfully, one parent desertion raises the question of why this happens. We examined this issue in the little auk, a small seabird with females deserting the brood at the end of the chick rearing period. We hypothesised that females deserting the brood save residual energy and, in this way, increases their chance to survive to the next breeding season. We found that duration of female parental care depends on environmental conditions, with longer staying with the brood in less favourable conditions. As expected, female survival decreased with duration of their staying with the brood but it was not related to their parental efforts (i.e. number of chick feedings, duration of foraging flights). In addition, survival of males and females was similar. Thus, although little auk females brood desertion and winter survival are linked, the relationship is not straightforward.

Seabird’s cry: repertoire and vocal expression of contextual valence in the little auk (Alle alle)

“…The little auk ( Alle alle ) is a long-lived, colonial seabird 29 with a strong nest- and partner fidelity 30 , 31 , suggesting complex and cohesive social networks. Being the most numerous Arctic seabird species 31 , 32 living in dense, populous colonies 29 , it is also relatively easy to access, making it a great model for behavioural studies 31 .…”

The Little Auk Alle alle: an ecological indicator of a changing Arctic and a model organism

“…However, male and female Little Auks do differ in a few traits (morphological, biometrical, hormonal and behavioural), and that makes the species an interesting model for examining the question of mate choice. This is especially relevant in the context of other Little Auk characteristics, like genetic monogamy (Wojczulanis-Jakubas et al 2009a), high partner fidelity (Wojczulanis-Jakubas et al 2020a) and extensive, coordinated parental care (Harding et al 2004;Wojczulanis-Jakubas et al 2018a); these are all closely related to the choice of breeding partner. An assortative mating pattern has been found in the Little Auk in both fixed and labile traits.…”

“…This is especially true, given that none of several hypotheses proposed to explain this aspect of female behaviour [i.e. (1) decline in female body condition as the breeding season progresses because of higher primary reproductive investments, (2) remating with a new partner, (3) male aptitude for escorting the fledgling to sea, (4) reduced winter survival after the breeding season], seem to be fully applicable to the Little Auk (Wojczulanis-Jakubas et al 2009bWojczulanis-Jakubas et al 2013, b, 2015a, 2018c, 2020a.…”

“…Transition from biparental to uniparental chick care Inter-sex differences in morphological and physiological traits (Wojczulanis-Jakubas et al 2009b, 2015a, 2018c, 2020a acts as an ecosystem engineer, transforming terrestrial ecosystems right across its breeding range. Hence, ongoing climate change, causing a deterioration of Little Auk feeding conditions, may force them to leave their current breeding areas, which will have broad implications for both the marine and terrestrial Arctic ecosystems (Stempniewicz et al 2007).…”

Juvenile hormone and temperature effects in the postzygotic parental investment of male waterbug Abedus ovatus (Belostomatidae)

“…However, parental care can be costly (Clutton‐Brock, 1991; Requena et al., 2014). The costs associated with parental investment can be reflected in an increase in mortality risk (Wojczulanis‐Jakubas et al., 2020), loss of mating opportunities (Requena et al., 2014), and deterioration of physiological condition (Cooke et al., 2006). Life‐history theory suggests that individuals must allocate available energy for self‐maintenance and reproduction in order to maximize their fitness (Stearns, 1992).…”