Ecology and allometry predict the evolution of avian developmental durations

Christopher R. Cooney; Catherine Sheard; Andrew D. Clark; Susan D. Healy; András Liker; Sally E. Street; Camille A. Troisi; Gavin H. Thomas; Tamás Székely; Nicola Hemmings; Alison E. Wright

doi:10.1038/s41467-020-16257-x

Ecology and allometry predict the evolution of avian developmental durations

Christopher R. Cooney
, Catherine Sheard
, Andrew D. Clark
, Susan D. Healy
, András Liker
, Sally E. Street
, Camille A. Troisi
, Gavin H. Thomas
, Tamás Székely
, Nicola Hemmings
, Alison E. Wright

University of Sheffield
University of St Andrews
University of Bristol
Tufts University
University of Pannonia
MTA-PE Evolutionary Ecology Research Group
Durham University
University College Cork
University of Debrecen
State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and College of Ecology and Evolution
Sun Yat-sen University
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering
Beijing Normal University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

52 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

The duration of the developmental period represents a fundamental axis of life-history variation, yet broad insights regarding the drivers of this diversity are currently lacking. Here, we test mechanistic and ecological explanations for the evolution of developmental duration using embryological data and information on incubation and fledging for 3096 avian species. Developmental phases associated primarily with growth are the longest and most variable, consistent with a role for allometric constraint in determining the duration of development. In addition, developmental durations retain a strong imprint of deep evolutionary history and body size differences among species explain less variation than previously thought. Finally, we reveal ecological correlates of developmental durations, including variables associated with the relative safety of the developmental environment and pressures of breeding phenology. Overall, our results provide broad-scale insight into the relative importance of mechanistic, ecological and evolutionary constraints in shaping the diversification of this key life-history trait.

Original language	English
Article number	2383
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	11
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16257-x
Publication status	Published - 14 May 2020

Funding

We thank Kevin Laland for providing access to data, Dustin Marshall for stimulating discussion and Joseph Brown, Angela Chira, Yichen He, Emma Hughes and Jonathon Kennedy for constructive comments on the manuscript. This work was funded by a Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship (ECF-2018-101) to C.R.C., a NKFIH (KH 130430) and a Hungarian Ministry of Human Capacities grant (20385-3/2018/FEKUSTRAT) to A.L., a Royal Society University Research Fellowship (URF\R\180006) and European Research Council grant (615709 Project ‘ToLERates’) to G.H.T., a Royal Society Wolfson Merit Award (WM170050, APEX APX\R1\191045), a Leverhulme Trust grant (RF/2/RFG/2005/0279, ID200660763) and a National Research, Development and Innovation Office of Hungary grant (ÉLVONAL KKP-126949, K-116310) to T.S., a Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Research Fellowship (DH160200) to N.H. and a NERC Independent Research Fellowship (NE/N013948/1) to A.E.W.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Chemistry
General Biochemistry,Genetics and Molecular Biology
General Physics and Astronomy

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10.1038/s41467-020-16257-xLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Ecology and allometry predict the evolution of avian developmental durations",

abstract = "The duration of the developmental period represents a fundamental axis of life-history variation, yet broad insights regarding the drivers of this diversity are currently lacking. Here, we test mechanistic and ecological explanations for the evolution of developmental duration using embryological data and information on incubation and fledging for 3096 avian species. Developmental phases associated primarily with growth are the longest and most variable, consistent with a role for allometric constraint in determining the duration of development. In addition, developmental durations retain a strong imprint of deep evolutionary history and body size differences among species explain less variation than previously thought. Finally, we reveal ecological correlates of developmental durations, including variables associated with the relative safety of the developmental environment and pressures of breeding phenology. Overall, our results provide broad-scale insight into the relative importance of mechanistic, ecological and evolutionary constraints in shaping the diversification of this key life-history trait.",

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AU - Troisi, Camille A.

AU - Thomas, Gavin H.

AU - Székely, Tamás

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AU - Wright, Alison E.

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Ecology and allometry predict the evolution of avian developmental durations

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