Prolactin concentrations predict parental investment and nest survival in a free-living shorebird

Yuqi Wang; Tamás Székely; Zhengwang Zhang; Pinjia Que

doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104633

Prolactin concentrations predict parental investment and nest survival in a free-living shorebird

Yuqi Wang, Tamás Székely, Zhengwang Zhang, Pinjia Que

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7 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

The hormonal milieu that exists during reproduction is one of the key factors influencing the trade-off between reproductive investment and self-maintenance. Much previous work in birds has focused on prolactin as a physiological mediator since prolactin is involved in the onset and maintenance of parental care. However, how prolactin relates to reproductive success in terms of altering parental behavior in wild bird populations is not fully understood. Here, we report prolactin concentrations in breeding Kentish plovers (Charadrius alexandrinus), a small shorebird with variable mating systems and parental care, as an ecological model of mating system evolution. Throughout the breeding season, we estimated the circulating prolactin concentrations in male and female plovers during incubation. In addition, we monitored parental behavior and determined the fate of nests. We found that prolactin concentrations decreased during incubation but increased with clutch completion date. In addition, males and females with high prolactin concentrations spent more time on incubation than those with low prolactin concentrations. Importantly, higher prolactin concentrations in either males or females predict higher nest survival. Our results suggest that prolactin is an indicator of parental behavior in a wild shorebird population, although additional studies including experimental manipulation of prolactin concentrations are necessary to verify this relationship.

Original language	English
Article number	104633
Journal	Hormones and Behavior
Volume	119
Early online date	5 Dec 2019
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104633
Publication status	Published - 31 Mar 2020

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We are grateful to professor Zhendan Shi from Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences for help with the hormone assay, and Shuai Zhang from Beijing Raptor Rescue Center for veterinary instructions. Also, we thank Zhiwei Tian from Daqinghe Rescuer Center, China, who coordinated our fieldwork with local saltworks. Lastly, we would like to thank our volunteers, Jiawen Li, Marnon Fontaine and Sergio Briones Martin, for their assistance with data collection. This study was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 31600297 and 31572288).

Funding Information:
We are grateful to professor Zhendan Shi from Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences for help with the hormone assay, and Shuai Zhang from Beijing Raptor Rescue Center for veterinary instructions. Also, we thank Zhiwei Tian from Daqinghe Rescuer Center, China, who coordinated our fieldwork with local saltworks. Lastly, we would like to thank our volunteers, Jiawen Li, Marnon Fontaine and Sergio Briones Martin, for their assistance with data collection. This study was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 31600297 and 31572288 ). Appendix A

Funding

We are grateful to professor Zhendan Shi from Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences for help with the hormone assay, and Shuai Zhang from Beijing Raptor Rescue Center for veterinary instructions. Also, we thank Zhiwei Tian from Daqinghe Rescuer Center, China, who coordinated our fieldwork with local saltworks. Lastly, we would like to thank our volunteers, Jiawen Li, Marnon Fontaine and Sergio Briones Martin, for their assistance with data collection. This study was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 31600297 and 31572288). We are grateful to professor Zhendan Shi from Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences for help with the hormone assay, and Shuai Zhang from Beijing Raptor Rescue Center for veterinary instructions. Also, we thank Zhiwei Tian from Daqinghe Rescuer Center, China, who coordinated our fieldwork with local saltworks. Lastly, we would like to thank our volunteers, Jiawen Li, Marnon Fontaine and Sergio Briones Martin, for their assistance with data collection. This study was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 31600297 and 31572288 ). Appendix A

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Endocrinology
Endocrine and Autonomic Systems
Behavioral Neuroscience

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10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104633

Cite this

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title = "Prolactin concentrations predict parental investment and nest survival in a free-living shorebird",

abstract = "The hormonal milieu that exists during reproduction is one of the key factors influencing the trade-off between reproductive investment and self-maintenance. Much previous work in birds has focused on prolactin as a physiological mediator since prolactin is involved in the onset and maintenance of parental care. However, how prolactin relates to reproductive success in terms of altering parental behavior in wild bird populations is not fully understood. Here, we report prolactin concentrations in breeding Kentish plovers (Charadrius alexandrinus), a small shorebird with variable mating systems and parental care, as an ecological model of mating system evolution. Throughout the breeding season, we estimated the circulating prolactin concentrations in male and female plovers during incubation. In addition, we monitored parental behavior and determined the fate of nests. We found that prolactin concentrations decreased during incubation but increased with clutch completion date. In addition, males and females with high prolactin concentrations spent more time on incubation than those with low prolactin concentrations. Importantly, higher prolactin concentrations in either males or females predict higher nest survival. Our results suggest that prolactin is an indicator of parental behavior in a wild shorebird population, although additional studies including experimental manipulation of prolactin concentrations are necessary to verify this relationship.",

author = "Yuqi Wang and Tam{\'a}s Sz{\'e}kely and Zhengwang Zhang and Pinjia Que",

note = "Funding Information: We are grateful to professor Zhendan Shi from Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences for help with the hormone assay, and Shuai Zhang from Beijing Raptor Rescue Center for veterinary instructions. Also, we thank Zhiwei Tian from Daqinghe Rescuer Center, China, who coordinated our fieldwork with local saltworks. Lastly, we would like to thank our volunteers, Jiawen Li, Marnon Fontaine and Sergio Briones Martin, for their assistance with data collection. This study was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 31600297 and 31572288). Funding Information: We are grateful to professor Zhendan Shi from Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences for help with the hormone assay, and Shuai Zhang from Beijing Raptor Rescue Center for veterinary instructions. Also, we thank Zhiwei Tian from Daqinghe Rescuer Center, China, who coordinated our fieldwork with local saltworks. Lastly, we would like to thank our volunteers, Jiawen Li, Marnon Fontaine and Sergio Briones Martin, for their assistance with data collection. This study was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 31600297 and 31572288 ). Appendix A ",

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AU - Székely, Tamás

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PY - 2020/3/31

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N2 - The hormonal milieu that exists during reproduction is one of the key factors influencing the trade-off between reproductive investment and self-maintenance. Much previous work in birds has focused on prolactin as a physiological mediator since prolactin is involved in the onset and maintenance of parental care. However, how prolactin relates to reproductive success in terms of altering parental behavior in wild bird populations is not fully understood. Here, we report prolactin concentrations in breeding Kentish plovers (Charadrius alexandrinus), a small shorebird with variable mating systems and parental care, as an ecological model of mating system evolution. Throughout the breeding season, we estimated the circulating prolactin concentrations in male and female plovers during incubation. In addition, we monitored parental behavior and determined the fate of nests. We found that prolactin concentrations decreased during incubation but increased with clutch completion date. In addition, males and females with high prolactin concentrations spent more time on incubation than those with low prolactin concentrations. Importantly, higher prolactin concentrations in either males or females predict higher nest survival. Our results suggest that prolactin is an indicator of parental behavior in a wild shorebird population, although additional studies including experimental manipulation of prolactin concentrations are necessary to verify this relationship.

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Prolactin concentrations predict parental investment and nest survival in a free-living shorebird

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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