Contrasting drivers of reproductive ageing in albatrosses

Froy, Hannah; Lewis, Sue; Nussey, Daniel H.; Wood, Andrew G.; Phillips, Richard A.. 2017 Contrasting drivers of reproductive ageing in albatrosses. Journal of Animal Ecology, 86 (5). 1022-1032. 10.1111/1365-2656.12712

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.12712

Abstract/Summary

1. Age-related variation in reproductive performance is ubiquitous in wild vertebrate populations and has important consequences for population and evolutionary dynamics. 2. The ageing trajectory is shaped by both within-individual processes, such as improvement and senescence, and by the among-individual effects of selective appearance and disappearance. To date, few studies have compared the role of these different drivers among species or populations. 3. In this study, we use nearly 40 years of longitudinal monitoring data to contrast the within- and among-individual processes contributing to the reproductive ageing patterns in three albatross species (two biennial and one annual breeder), and test whether these can be explained by differences in life-histories. 4. Early life performance in all species increased with age, and was predominantly influenced by within-individual improvements. However, reproductive senescence was detected in only two of the species. In the species exhibiting senescent declines, we also detected a terminal improvement in breeding success. This is suggestive of a trade-off between reproduction and survival, which was supported by evidence of selective disappearance of good breeders. 5. We demonstrate that comparisons of closely-related species which differ in specific aspects of their life-history can shed light on the ecological and evolutionary forces shaping variation in ageing patterns.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1111/1365-2656.12712
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > BAS Programmes 2015 > Ecosystems
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Watt
ISSN:	0021-8790
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	Bird Island South Georgia, black-browed albatross, Thalassarche melanophris, grey-headed albatross, Thalassarche chrysostoma, life-history trade-off, selective disappearance, senescence, terminal effect, wandering albatross, Diomedea exulans
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment Zoology
Date made live:	27 Jun 2017 10:57 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/517230

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1111/1365-2656.12712

Programmes:

BAS Programmes > BAS Programmes 2015 > Ecosystems

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Watt

ISSN:

0021-8790

Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:

Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.

Additional Keywords:

Bird Island South Georgia, black-browed albatross, Thalassarche melanophris, grey-headed albatross, Thalassarche chrysostoma, life-history trade-off, selective disappearance, senescence, terminal effect, wandering albatross, Diomedea exulans

NORA Subject Terms:

Ecology and Environment
Zoology

Date made live:

27 Jun 2017 10:57 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/517230