Summary
Aquatic Warblers show a promiscuous mating system and males do not help the female to incubate eggs or feed nestlings. Paternity was determined in 64 broods in the Biebrza basin (NE Poland) studied in 1993, 1994 and 1997 by microsatellite PCR analysis. A total of 14 broods had been sired by a single male and 50 by two and more males (multiple paternity 78.1%); a maximum of 5 fathers was detected in 4 broods (7.8 % of broods), which indicated that almost every young in these broods had been sired by a different father. Few significant performance differences could be found between broods sired by a single male and ones having several fathers. Broods with single paternity were begun significantly earlier than multipaternal broods. The frequency of multiple paternity varied between years, i. e. 54.5 % in 1993, 87.5 % in 1994 and 92.3 % in 1997. Females with long wings or short bills had broods sired by a larger number of males.
Zusammenfassung
Seggenrohrsänger haben ein promiskes Paarungssystem und Mannchen beteiligen sich nicht an der Brutpflege. Mittels Mikrosatelliten-PCR wurden die Vaterschaften von 64 Bruten der Jahre 1993, 1994 und 1997 aus dem Biebrza-Gebiet (NE-Polen) bestimmt. 14 Bruten stammten von jeweils einem Mannchen, in 50 Bruten waren mehr als ein Vater vertreten (multiple Vaterschaft 78,1 %). In fünf Bruten (7,8 % aller Bruten) stammten die Jungvogel von fünf verschiedenen Vätern. Die Häufigkeit mehrfacher Vaterschaften variierte zwischen den Jahren: 54,5 % — 1993, 87,5 % — 1994, 92,3 % — 1997. Wenige Korrelate zu Bruten mit einem Vater bzw. mehreren Vätern konnten gefunden werden. Bruten mit einem Vater wurden jahreszeitlich signifikant früher begonnen als Bruten mit mehrfacher Vaterschaft. Weibchen mit Bruten, die von mehreren Mannchen stammten, hatten längere Flügel und kürzere Schnäbel.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.References
Alatalo, R. V., Gustafsson, L. & Lundberg, A. (1984): Why do young passerine birds have shorter wings than older birds? Ibis 126: 410–415.
Arctander, P. (1988): Comparative studies of avian DNA by fragment length polymorphism analysis. J. Ornithol. 129:205–216.
Birkhead, T. & Møller, A. P. (1992): Sperm Competition in Birds. London.
Birkhead, T. & Møller, A. P. (1998): Sperm competition, sexual selection and different routes to fitness. In: Birkhead, T. & Møller, A. P. (Eds.): Sperm Competition and Sexual Selection. San Diego.
Busse, P. (1970): (Measurements of weight and fatness in migrating populations of birds). Notatki Ornitologiczne 11: 1–15. (in Polish, English summary).
Cordero, P.J., Wetton, J.H. & Parkin, D.T. (1999): Within-clutch patterns of egg viability and paternity in the House Sparrow. J. Avian Biol. 30: 103–107.
Dixon, A., Ross, D., O'Malley, S.L. & Burke, T. (1994): Paternal investment inversely related to degree of extra-pair paternity in the reed bunting. Nature 371: 698–699.
Dunn, P.O. & Robertson, R.J. (1993): Extra-pair paternity in polygynous tree swallows. Animal Behav. 45: 231–239.
Dyrcz, A. (1974): Factors affecting the growth rate of nestling Great Reed Warblers and Reed Warblers at Milicz, Poland. Ibis 116: 330–339.
Dyrcz, A. (1993): Nesting biology of the Aquatic WarblerAcrocephalus paludicola in the Biebrza marshes (NE Poland). Vogelwelt 114: 2–15.
Dyrcz, A. & Zdunek, W. (1993): Breeding ecology of the Aquatic WarblerAcrocephalus paludicola on the Biebrza marshes, northeast Poland. Ibis 135: 181–189.
Ellegren, H. (1992): Polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) analysis of microsatellites: a new approach to studies of genetic relationships in birds. Auk 109: 886–895.
Forstmeier, W., Leisler, B. & Kempenaers, B. (2001): Bill morphology reflects female independence from male parental help. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B. 268: 1583–1588.
Gray, E. M. (1997): Do female red-winged blackbirds benefit genetically from seeking extra-pair copulations. Animal Behav. 53: 605–623.
Hansson, B., Bensch, S. & Hasselquist, D. (2000): Increase of genetic variation over time in a recently founded population of great reed warblers (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) revealed by microsatellites and DNA fingerprinting. Mol. Ecol. 9: 1529–1538.
Heise, G. (1970): Zur Brutbiologie des Seggenrohrsängers (Acrocephalus paludicola). J. Ornithol. 111:54–67.
Hogstad, O. (1985): Age-related increase in wing length of male Willow WarblersPhylloscopus trochilus. Cinclus 8: 116–118.
Keil, R. & Sachser, N. (1998): Reproductive benefits from female promiscuous mating in a small mammal. Ethology 104: 897–903.
Kempenaers, B., Congdon, B., Boag, P. & Robertson, R. J, (1999): Extrapair paternity and egg hatchability in tree swallows: evidence for the genetic compatibility hypothesis? Behavioral Ecology 10: 304–311.
Kempenaers, B., Verheyen, G. R., van den Broeck, M., van Broeckhoven, C. & Dhondt, A. A. (1992): Extra-pair paternity results from female preference for high-quality males in the blue-tit. Nature 357: 494–496.
Korpimäki, E., Lahti, K., May, C.A., Parkin, T. D., Powell, G. B., Tolonen, P. & Wetton, J. H. (1996): Copulatory behaviour and paternity determined by DNA fingerprinting in kestrels: effects of cyclic food abundance. Anim. Behav. 51: 945–955.
Lack, D. (1968): Ecological adaptations for breeding in birds. London.
Leisler, B. & Catchpole, C. K. (1992): The evolution of polygyny in European reed warblers of the genusAcrocephalus: a comparative approach. Ethol. Ecol. & Evol. 4: 225–243.
Leisler, B. & Wink, M. (2000): Frequencies of multiple paternity in threeAcrocephalus species (Aves Sylviidae) with different mating systems (A. palustris, A. arundinaceus, A. paludicola). Ethol. Ecol. & Evol. 12:237–249.
Lifjeld, J., Dunn, P.O., Robertson, R.J., & Boag, P. T. (1993): Extra-pair paternity in monogamous tree swallows. Animal Behav. 45: 213–229.
Morton, E. S., Stutchbury, B. J. M., Howlett, J. S. & Piper, W. H. (1998): Genetic monogamy in blue-headed vireos and a comparison with a sympatric vireo with extra-pair paternity. Behav. Ecol. 9: 515–524.
Perreault, S., Lemon, R.E. & Kuhnlein, U. (1997): Patterns and correlates of extrapair paternity in American redstarts (Setophaga ruticilla). Behav. Ecol. 8: 612–621.
Petrie, M. & Kempenaers, B. (1998): Extra-pair paternity in birds: explaining variation between species and populations. Trends Ecol. & Evol. 13: 52–58.
Primmer, C. R., Moller, A. P. & Ellegren, H. (1996): A wide ranging survey of cross-species microsatellite amplification in birds. Mol. Ecol. 5: 365–378.
Raymond, M. & Rousset, F. (2000): GENEPOP (version 3.2a): population genetics software for exact tests and ecumenicism. J. Heredity 86: 248–249.
Sambrook, J., Fritsch, E.F. & Maniatis, T. (1989): Molecular Cloning. A Laboratory Manual, 2nd edn. New York.
Schaefer, H.M., Naef-Daenzer, B., Leisler, B., Schmidt, V., Müller, J.K., & Schulze-Hagen, K. (2000): Spatial behaviour in the Aquatic Warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola) during mating and breeding. J. Ornithol. 141: 1–7.
Schmidt, V., Schaefer, H.M., Leisler, B. (1999): Song behaviour and range use in the polygamous Aquatic WarblerAcrocephalus paludicola. Acta orn. 34: 209–213.
Schulze-Hagen, K., Flinks, H. & Dyrcz, A. (1989): Brutzeitliche Beutewahl beim SeggenrohrsängerAcrocephalus paludicola. J. Ornithol. 130: 251–255.
Schulze-Hagen, K., Swatschek, I., Dyrcz, A. Wink, M. (1993): Multiple Vaterschaften in Bruten des SeggenrohrsängersAcrocephalus paludicola: Erste Ergebnisse des DNA-Fingerprintings. J. Ornithol. 134:145–154.
Schulze-Hagen, K., Leisler, B., Birkhead, T.R. & Dyrcz, A. (1995): Prolonged copulation, sperm, reserves and sperm competition in the Aquatic WarblerAcrocephalus paludicola. Ibis 137: 85–91.
Slatkin, M. (1995): A measure of population subdivision based on microsatellite allele frequencies. Genetics 139: 457–462.
Stewart, I. F. (1963): Variation of wing length with age. Bird Study 10: 1–9.
Stutchbury, B. J. & Morton, E. S. (1995): The effect of breeding synchrony on extra-pair mating systems in songbirds. Behaviour 132: 675–690.
Stutchbury, B.J., Morton, E.S. & Piper, W.H. (1998): Extra-pair mating system of a synchronously breeding tropical songbird. J. Avian Biol. 29: 72–78.
Svensson, L. (1992): Identification Guide to European passerines, 4th edn. Stockholm.
Swatschek, I., Ristow, D. & Wink, M. (1994): Mate fidelity and parentage in Cory's shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) — Field studies and DNA fingerprinting. Mol. Ecol. 3: 259–262.
Weir, B.S. & Cockerham, C.C. (1984): Estimating F-statistics for the analysis of population structure. Evolution 38: 1358–1370.
Westneat, D.F. (1987): Extra-pair fertilizations in a predominantly monogamous bird: genetic evidence. Animal Behav. 35: 877–886.
Westneat, D.F. & Sherman, P.W. (1997): Density and extra-pair fertilizations in birds: a comparative analysis. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 41: 205–215.
Westneat, D.F., Sherman, P.W. & Morton, M.L. (1990): The ecology and evolution of extra-pair copulations in birds. Current Ornithology 7: 331–369.
Wink, M. & Dyrcz, A. (1999): Mating systems in birds: a review of molecular studies. Acta orn. 34: 91–109.
Zar, J. (1997): Biostatistical analysis, 3rd edn. London.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dyrcz, A., Wink, M., Backhaus, A. et al. Correlates of multiple paternity in the Aquatic Warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola). J Ornithol 143, 430–439 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02465598
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02465598