Group size and nest success in Red-cockaded Woodpeckers in the West Gulf Coastal Plain: helpers make a difference

Conner, Richard N.; Saenz, Daniel; Schaefer, Richard R.; McCormick, James R.; Rudolph, D. Craig; Burt, D. Brent

doi:10.1648/0273-8570-75.1.74

Cited by 18 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Studies of cooperatively breeding birds report both positive (Magrath 2001, Conner et al 2004, Woxvold and Magrath 2005, Valencia et al 2006) and negative effects (Brouwer et al 2006) of group living on reproductive success and survival. In the Apostlebird (struthidea cinerea), fledgling production and annual recruitment appear to result from the presence of active helpers rather than being associated with group size per se (Woxvold and Magrath 2005).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post-Fledgling Survival of the Cooperatively Breeding Puff-Throated Bulbul (Alophoixus Pallidus)

Sankamethawee

Gale

Hardesty

2009

Condor

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post-Fledgling Survival of the Cooperatively Breeding Puff-Throated Bulbul (Alophoixus Pallidus)

Sankamethawee

Gale

Hardesty

2009

Condor

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“…; Walters ; DeLotelle and Epting ; LaBranche and Walters ; Engstrom and Sanders ; Conner et al. , ; Daniels and Walters ; Doresky et al. ; Leonard et al.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Weighing the relative potential impacts of climate change and land‐use change on an endangered bird

Bancroft

Lawler

Schumaker

2016

Ecology and Evolution

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Climate change and land‐use change are projected to be the two greatest drivers of biodiversity loss over the coming century. Land‐use change has resulted in extensive habitat loss for many species. Likewise, climate change has affected many species resulting in range shifts, changes in phenology, and altered interactions. We used a spatially explicit, individual‐based model to explore the effects of land‐use change and climate change on a population of the endangered Red‐cockaded Woodpecker (RCW; Picoides borealis). We modeled the effects of land‐use change using multiple scenarios representing different spatial arrangements of new training areas for troops across Fort Benning. We used projected climate‐driven changes in habitat and changes in reproductive output to explore the potential effects of climate change. We summarized potential changes in habitat based on the output of the dynamic vegetation model LPJ‐GUESS, run for multiple climate change scenarios through the year 2100. We projected potential changes in reproduction based on an empirical relationship between spring precipitation and the mean number of successful fledglings produced per nest attempt. As modeled in our study, climate change had virtually no effect on the RCW population. Conversely, simulated effects of land‐use change resulted in the loss of up to 28 breeding pairs by 2100. However, the simulated impacts of development depended on where the development occurred and could be completely avoided if the new training areas were placed in poor‐quality habitat. Our results demonstrate the flexibility inherent in many systems that allows seemingly incompatible human land uses, such as development, and conservation actions to exist side by side.

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“…How these auxiliaries affect group reproduction and why they help are key questions that still stimulate extensive debate (Emlen 1991;Dickinson and Hatchwell 2004;Brouwer et al 2012;Manica and Marini 2012). The presence of auxiliaries is generally thought to have a positive effect on breeder fitness, such as enhanced group productivity (Emlen and Wrege 1991;Conner et al 2004;Brand and Chapuisat 2014), increased quality of young produced (Hatchwell 1999;Brouwer et al 2012), or increased breeder survival (Reyer 1984;Russell et al 2007;Cockburn et al 2008). There are even unusual cases of species that are unable to breed without assistance, s u c h a s t h e w h i t e -w i n g e d c h o u g h ( C o rc o r a x melanorhamphos, Heinsohn 1992) and the apostlebird (Struthidea cinerea, Woxvold and Magrath 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Helping enhances productivity in campo flicker (Colaptes campestris) cooperative groups

Dias

Webster

Macêdo

2015

Sci Nat

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Reproductive adults in many bird species are assisted by non-breeding auxiliary helpers at the nest, yet the impact of auxiliaries on reproduction is variable and not always obvious. In this study, we tested Hamilton's rule and evaluated the effect of auxiliaries on productivity in the facultative cooperative breeder campo flicker (Colaptes campestris campestris). Campo flickers have a variable mating system, with some groups having auxiliaries and others lacking them (i.e., unassisted pairs). Most auxiliaries are closely related to the breeding pair (primary auxiliaries), but some auxiliaries (secondary auxiliaries) are unrelated females that joined established groups. We found no effect of breeder quality (body condition) or territory quality (food availability) on group productivity, but the presence of auxiliaries increased the number of fledglings produced relative to unassisted pairs. Nonetheless, the indirect benefit of helping was small and did not outweigh the costs of delayed breeding and so seemed insufficient to explain the evolution of cooperative breeding in campo flickers. We concluded that some ecological constraints must limit dispersal or independent breeding, making staying in the group a "best-of-a-bad-job" situation for auxiliaries.

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Group size and nest success in Red-cockaded Woodpeckers in the West Gulf Coastal Plain: helpers make a difference

Cited by 18 publications

References 7 publications

Post-Fledgling Survival of the Cooperatively Breeding Puff-Throated Bulbul (Alophoixus Pallidus)

Post-Fledgling Survival of the Cooperatively Breeding Puff-Throated Bulbul (Alophoixus Pallidus)

Weighing the relative potential impacts of climate change and land‐use change on an endangered bird

Helping enhances productivity in campo flicker (Colaptes campestris) cooperative groups

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