Brood parasitic birds constitute a model system for the study of coevolution.Such parasites are unique by having evolved unusually thick eggshells for their body size.ick eggshells have been hypothesized to evolve as ...Brood parasitic birds constitute a model system for the study of coevolution.Such parasites are unique by having evolved unusually thick eggshells for their body size.ick eggshells have been hypothesized to evolve as 1) a means of preventing damage to parasite eggs when the brood parasite lays its egg at a distance from the host clutch(the laying damage hypothesis);2) a consequence of host puncture ejection(the puncture resistance hypothesis);3) a means for the brood parasite to allocate calcium to development of a disproportionately large skeleto-muscular system in evicting parasite chicks(the chick vigour hypothesis);or 4) a means of protecting the cuckoo embryo from microorganisms in the nest of the host(the anti-bacterial protection hypothesis).Here we review the literature studying the evolutionary mechanisms promoting thick eggshells in avian brood parasites,and provide proposals for future studies to test their validity.Available data are insu cient to rigorously test exclusive predictions and assumptions of these not necessarily exclusive hypotheses,although the laying damage and the puncture resistance hypotheses seem to currently be the most well supported alternatives.We discuss how quanti cation of rejection modes(grasp ejection,puncture ejection and desertion) may disclose the validity of the puncture resistance hypothesis,and nally we provide perspectives for future research on testing this speci c hypothesis.展开更多
A central tenet of coevolutionary theory,including theory of the coevolutionary relationship between brood parasites and their hosts,is that temporal and spatial patterns may reveal important information about ecologi...A central tenet of coevolutionary theory,including theory of the coevolutionary relationship between brood parasites and their hosts,is that temporal and spatial patterns may reveal important information about ecological and evolutionary dynamics.For instance,level of genetic structure of populations provides important information about the role of genetics and gene ow in determining local patterns of selection on hosts due to parasitism(i.e.,egg rejection) and on parasites due to selection by hosts(i.e.,egg mimicry).Furthermore,abiotic(i.e.,climatic conditions) and biotic(phenotypic characteristics of animals) factors that also vary spatially may directly or indirectly a ect populations of hosts and brood parasites and,therefore,their interaction.By reviewing the literature,we found considerable evidence for an e ect of the spatially and temporally structured abiotic environment on the phenotype of both parasite and host eggs and the degree of mimicry.Moreover,we found examples suggesting that speci c life history characteristics of hosts that vary geographically and/or temporally may a ect the probability of initial colonization of a new host species and the direction and the speed of coevolution.We provide an exhaustive review of studies investigating temporal and spatial patterns of the interaction between brood parasites and their hosts.Such temporal and spatial trends in parasite and host traits are,together with genetic information on rejection and signi cant e ects of gene ow,consistent with coevolutionary dynamics.However,gene ow and changes in the temporal and spatial patterns of abundance of both parasites and hosts may result in frequent cases of counter-intuitive relationships between the phenotype of the parasite and that of the host(i.e.,poor or no mimicry),which may suggest limits to the degree of adaptation.We provide a list of scienti c questions in need of further investigation,concluding that studies of brood parasites and their hosts may play a central role in testing the geographic theory of coevolution and several alternative hypotheses.展开更多
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos.31071938 to AA,BGS and WL,31272328 to WL,31101646 and 31260514 to CY)Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (NCET-10-0111 to WL)BGS and FF were funded by the Research Council of Norway (218144)
文摘Brood parasitic birds constitute a model system for the study of coevolution.Such parasites are unique by having evolved unusually thick eggshells for their body size.ick eggshells have been hypothesized to evolve as 1) a means of preventing damage to parasite eggs when the brood parasite lays its egg at a distance from the host clutch(the laying damage hypothesis);2) a consequence of host puncture ejection(the puncture resistance hypothesis);3) a means for the brood parasite to allocate calcium to development of a disproportionately large skeleto-muscular system in evicting parasite chicks(the chick vigour hypothesis);or 4) a means of protecting the cuckoo embryo from microorganisms in the nest of the host(the anti-bacterial protection hypothesis).Here we review the literature studying the evolutionary mechanisms promoting thick eggshells in avian brood parasites,and provide proposals for future studies to test their validity.Available data are insu cient to rigorously test exclusive predictions and assumptions of these not necessarily exclusive hypotheses,although the laying damage and the puncture resistance hypotheses seem to currently be the most well supported alternatives.We discuss how quanti cation of rejection modes(grasp ejection,puncture ejection and desertion) may disclose the validity of the puncture resistance hypothesis,and nally we provide perspectives for future research on testing this speci c hypothesis.
文摘A central tenet of coevolutionary theory,including theory of the coevolutionary relationship between brood parasites and their hosts,is that temporal and spatial patterns may reveal important information about ecological and evolutionary dynamics.For instance,level of genetic structure of populations provides important information about the role of genetics and gene ow in determining local patterns of selection on hosts due to parasitism(i.e.,egg rejection) and on parasites due to selection by hosts(i.e.,egg mimicry).Furthermore,abiotic(i.e.,climatic conditions) and biotic(phenotypic characteristics of animals) factors that also vary spatially may directly or indirectly a ect populations of hosts and brood parasites and,therefore,their interaction.By reviewing the literature,we found considerable evidence for an e ect of the spatially and temporally structured abiotic environment on the phenotype of both parasite and host eggs and the degree of mimicry.Moreover,we found examples suggesting that speci c life history characteristics of hosts that vary geographically and/or temporally may a ect the probability of initial colonization of a new host species and the direction and the speed of coevolution.We provide an exhaustive review of studies investigating temporal and spatial patterns of the interaction between brood parasites and their hosts.Such temporal and spatial trends in parasite and host traits are,together with genetic information on rejection and signi cant e ects of gene ow,consistent with coevolutionary dynamics.However,gene ow and changes in the temporal and spatial patterns of abundance of both parasites and hosts may result in frequent cases of counter-intuitive relationships between the phenotype of the parasite and that of the host(i.e.,poor or no mimicry),which may suggest limits to the degree of adaptation.We provide a list of scienti c questions in need of further investigation,concluding that studies of brood parasites and their hosts may play a central role in testing the geographic theory of coevolution and several alternative hypotheses.
