Is phenotypic variation of blue tits (Parus caeruleus L.) in Mediterranean mainland and insular landscapes adaptive?

Blondel, Jacques; Perret, Philippe; Dias, Paula C.; Lambrechts, Marcel M.

doi:10.1186/bf03500877

Cited by 20 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 58 publications

(79 reference statements)

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“…; Blondel et al. ; Doutrelant et al. ); Muro versus Pirio valleys (24.1 km between D‐Muro and E‐Pirio, where ‘D’ stands for Deciduous and ‘E’ for Evergreen), and three deciduous plots (D‐Muro) versus three evergreen plots (E‐Muro) within the Muro valley (separated by 5.6 km).…”

Section: A Model Species In a Model Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This sustained hard work aimed at elucidating the phenotypic variation displayed by blue tits at three spatial scales : mainland versus Corsica (min. distance of 85 km off mainland Italy and 170 km off the French mainland), a scale that is not the main focus of the present study (but more details about this inference level can be found in Dias and Blondel 1996;Lambrechts et al 1997b;Blondel et al 2001;); Muro versus Pirio valleys (24.1 km between D-Muro and E-Pirio, where 'D' stands for Deciduous and 'E' for Evergreen), and three deciduous plots (D-Muro) versus three evergreen plots (E-Muro) within the Muro valley (separated by 5.6 km). Although these distinct study plots within the Muro valley have been detailed in some previous publications (e.g.…”

Section: Box 1: Personal Reflectionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mediterranean blue tits as a case study of local adaptation

Charmantier

Doutrelant

Dubuc‐Messier

et al. 2015

Evolutionary Applications

127

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While the study of the origins of biological diversity across species has provided numerous examples of adaptive divergence, the realization that it can occur at microgeographic scales despite gene flow is recent, and scarcely illustrated. We review here evidence suggesting that the striking phenotypic differentiation in ecologically relevant traits exhibited by blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus in their southern range‐edge putatively reflects adaptation to the heterogeneity of the Mediterranean habitats. We first summarize the phenotypic divergence for a series of life history, morphological, behavioural, acoustic and colour ornament traits in blue tit populations of evergreen and deciduous forests. For each divergent trait, we review the evidence obtained from common garden experiments regarding a possible genetic origin of the observed phenotypic differentiation as well as evidence for heterogeneous selection. Second, we argue that most phenotypically differentiated traits display heritable variation, a fundamental requirement for evolution to occur. Third, we discuss nonrandom dispersal, selective barriers and assortative mating as processes that could reinforce local adaptation. Finally, we show how population genomics supports isolation – by – environment across landscapes. Overall, the combination of approaches converges to the conclusion that the strong phenotypic differentiation observed in Mediterranean blue tits is a fascinating case of local adaptation.

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Section: A Model Species In a Model Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Box 1: Personal Reflectionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mediterranean blue tits as a case study of local adaptation

Charmantier

Doutrelant

Dubuc‐Messier

et al. 2015

Evolutionary Applications

127

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“…We suggest that these factors are Mediterranean‐specific and do not necessarily contradict the previous explanations. The environment of blue tits in the Mediterranean region sharply differs from that of Central and temperate Europe where these birds evolved (Perrins 1979), as shown in Blondel et al. (2001).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We study variation in EPP in relation to various environmental and population‐specific factors in both an island and a mainland population which differ considerably in many respects (see e.g. Blondel et al. 1993, 1999, 2001; Lambrechts et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We study variation in EPP in relation to various environmental and population-specific factors in both an island and a mainland population which differ considerably in many respects (see e.g. Blondel et al 1993Blondel et al , 1999Blondel et al , 2001Lambrechts et al 1997), including features potentially affecting EPC rates such as habitat quality. From the hypotheses stated above we use individual broods as units of analysis and predict: (1) a positive correlation between EPP rate and breeding density at both the level of population and the level of individual neighbourhood, (2) if females take the decision to engage in EPC, a positive correlation between EPP rate and breeding synchrony, (3) if females seek high quality males, a lower rate of EPP in the island compared with mainland population, assuming a lower genetic variability in the island population.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Contrast in Extra‐Pair Paternity Levels on Mainland and Island Populations of Mediterranean Blue Tits

Charmantier

Blondel

2003

Ethology

Self Cite

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Extra‐pair copulation (EPC) is a widespread behaviour amongst birds, yet the rate of occurrence of extra‐pair offspring is highly variable both within and across species. Two populations of Mediterranean blue tits, Parus caeruleus, one on the mainland and the other on the island of Corsica, are characterized by high levels of extra‐pair paternity (EPP), with 14 and 25% of extra‐pair offspring (in 46 and 68% of the nests), respectively. The rate of EPP is significantly higher in the island population. Such high rates on Corsica contradict the predictions of higher mate fidelity and lower levels of EPP on islands. Despite expressing several traits that characterize an insular syndrome, blue tits of Corsica do not exhibit lower genetic variation which could be associated with low levels of EPP on islands. Furthermore, our results do not support any of the hypotheses that have been proposed so far to explain variation in EPP rates at the local level. We tentatively suggest that proximate Mediterranean constraints, especially consistent food shortage, prompt females to seek better breeding opportunities through a two‐step process including high rates of EPC and divorce.

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Christian Ludwig Brehm (1787–1864) über Spezies und Subspezies von Vögeln

Haffer¹

2003

J Ornithol

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SummaryChristian Ludwig Brehm (1787-1864) on species and subspecies of birds C.L. Brehm's main ornithological objective was to increase the knowledge of the natural history of the European bird species including their seasonal migrations. For this reason he analyzed in detail the variation of birds and described many subspecies from different regions of Europe. 55 of his geographical subspecies have later been accepted as valid. In addition, Brehm suggested that, during the breeding season, most widely distributed species of birds form an ecologically determined microgeographical mosaic of slightly differentiated populations each of which he also distinguished by a separate subspecies name. However, these named groups later turned out to have been based on individual variants of widespread breeding populations which cannot be designated with separate taxonomic names. On the other hand, during the 20 th century, the existence of ecological forms within subspecies differing in certain biological characteristics has been confirmed for many bird species. Like his colleagues, Brehm distinguished species and subspecies of birds. Beginning in 1826, he treated the subspecies as separate reproductive communities conceptually like ,,species". At the same time, however, he grouped most of them into polytypic species. In his Handbook of the Natural Histoo' of all the Birds' of Germany (1831) Brehm numbered the subspecies of a particular species consecutively (e. g. 1-3) and gave each of them a Latin binomen followed in parentheses by their common species name. The sequence of subspecies composing the next species (e. g. 1-5) begins again with that species' subspecies number 1. Monotypic species are not numbered. In later lists ( 1855a, b) he presented the hierarchic system of genus, species and subspecies more clearly than in his earlier publications. Generally speaking, Brehm emphasized in his work the analysis of the smallest morphological-ecological units (subspecies), while his colleagues and adversaries E Faber and C.W.L. Gloger practiced the combination (synthesis) of subspecies into broadly delimited taxonomic species.

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Is phenotypic variation of blue tits (Parus caeruleus L.) in Mediterranean mainland and insular landscapes adaptive?

Cited by 20 publications

References 58 publications

Mediterranean blue tits as a case study of local adaptation

Mediterranean blue tits as a case study of local adaptation

A Contrast in Extra‐Pair Paternity Levels on Mainland and Island Populations of Mediterranean Blue Tits

Christian Ludwig Brehm (1787–1864) über Spezies und Subspezies von Vögeln

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