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Leucocyte counts variation and measures of male fitness in the lekking Black Grouse

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Abstract

Differences in the ability to sustain chronic stress can underlie the variation in individuals’ fitness directly or indirectly by impairing the expression of condition-dependent signals used in female mate choice. Therefore, understanding the effect of the stress response on individuals’ fitness is key to identifying the mechanism of sexual selection. We tested the hypothesis that an indicator of stress—the heterophil/lymphocyte ratio (H/L ratio)—is related to several major components of male fitness in the lekking Black Grouse (Tetrao tetrix), a species with intense male–male competition. The H/L ratio accurately measured the stress response, as it increased within a few hours of trapping and during the months prior to the mating season. The H/L ratio was positively related to the expression of morphological traits, suggesting that males of higher “quality” might be able to express elaborated ornaments and better cope with stressful conditions or with changes in health status. However, in Black Grouse, ornaments are (partly) independent of behavioural display and are under only weak selective pressure. Therefore, the H/L ratio was not significantly related to male mating success and survival to the following year. Under natural conditions, observed levels of the H/L ratio might not be associated with strongly deleterious effects because of behavioural adjustments. Mechanisms other than the stress response may mediate the observed variance in male mating success.

Zusammenfassung

Die Fähigkeit, chronischen Stress auszuhalten, kann den Schwankungen individueller Fitness direkt oder indirekt zugrunde liegen, durch die Beeinträchtigung der Expression konditionsabhängiger Signale, die bei der Weibchenwahl eine Rolle spielen. Daher ist das Verständnis des Effekts der Stressreaktion auf die individuelle Fitness entscheidend, um die Mechanismen zu identifizieren, durch die sexuelle Selektion wirken kann. Wir haben die Hypothese getestet, dass ein Stressanzeiger—das Heterophile/Lymphozyten-Verhältnis (H/L-Verhältnis)—mit mehreren Hauptkomponenten der Fitness von Männchen des im Lek balzenden Birkhuhns (Tetrao tetrix), einer Art mit intensiver Männchenkonkurrenz, in Zusammenhang steht. Das H/L-Verhältnis maß akkurat die Stressreaktion, da es innerhalb weniger Stunden nach dem Fang und in den Monaten vor der Paarungszeit anstieg. Das H/L-Verhältnis stand in positiver Beziehung zu der Expression morphologischer Merkmale, was darauf hindeutet, dass Männchen höherer “Qualität” in der Lage sein könnten, aufwändige Ornamente auszubilden und besser mit Stressbedingungen oder Veränderungen ihres Gesundheitszustands fertig zu werden. Bei Birkhühnern sind Ornamente jedoch (teilweise) unabhängig von Balzverhalten und unterliegen nur schwachem Selektionsdruck. Daher stand das H/L-Verhältnis in keinem signifikanten Bezug zum Paarungserfolg der Männchen und ihrem Überleben bis zum nächsten Jahr. Es könnte sein, dass die beobachteten H/L-Verhältnisse unter natürlichen Bedingungen keine starken schädlichen Wirkungen haben, da Verhaltensanpassungen erfolgen. Andere Mechanismen als die Stressreaktion könnten die beobachtete Varianz im männlichen Fortpflanzungserfolg herbeiführen.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Elina Virtanen for help in the lab, Victor Apanius for guidance in leukocyte identification, Judith Morales for guidance in cell counting, Panu Halme, Heikki Helle, Laura Häsä and Matti Halonen for field assistance, and Maxine Iversen for improving the English. Anders Møller, Jacob Höglund, Jan Lifjeld and Jesus Martinez-Padilla gave insightful comments on previous drafts of the manuscript. This project was founded by the Academy of Finland (grant nos. 7211271 and 7119165) and the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Evolutionary Research. This research was carried out in compliance with the current laws of Finland and received permission from the Central Finland Environmental Centre and the Animal Care committee of the University of Jyväskylä.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Zoology Building, Room 419, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK

    C. Lebigre

  2. Centre of Excellence in Evolutionary Research, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland

    R. V. Alatalo & H. Siitari

  3. Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    J. Kilpimaa

  4. Institute of Infection and Immunology Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK

    V. Staszewski

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  1. C. Lebigre
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  2. R. V. Alatalo
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  3. J. Kilpimaa
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  4. V. Staszewski
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  5. H. Siitari
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Correspondence to C. Lebigre.

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Communicated by C. G. Guglielmo.

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Lebigre, C., Alatalo, R.V., Kilpimaa, J. et al. Leucocyte counts variation and measures of male fitness in the lekking Black Grouse. J Ornithol 153, 95–102 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-011-0701-6

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