Experimental manipulation of a signal trait reveals complex phenotype-behaviour coordination

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 8; no. 1; pp. 15533 - 7
• Main Authors: Levin, Iris I., Fosdick, Bailey K., Tsunekage, Toshi, Aberle, Matthew A., Bergeon Burns, Christine M., Hund, Amanda K., Safran, Rebecca J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 19.10.2018; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/158/2455; 631/158/856; Animal reproduction; Birds; Breeding success; Corticosterone; Data collection; Eggs; Experiments; Females; Genotype & phenotype; Humanities and Social Sciences; Males; Morphology; multidisciplinary; Pair bond; Paternity; Phenotypes; Physiology; Plumage; Reproductive fitness; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Social interactions; Social networks; Success; Testosterone; Social Matters; Stress-induced CORT Levels; Plumage Colour; Unmanipulated Males; Signal Traits
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33948-0
• ISSN: 2045-2322

Animals use morphological signals such as ornamental traits or weaponry to mediate social interactions, and the extent of signal trait elaboration is often positively associated with reproductive success. By demonstrating relationships between signal traits and fitness, researchers often make inferences about how behaviour operates to shape those outcomes. However, detailed information about fine-scale individual behaviour, and its physiological basis, can be difficult to obtain. Here we show that experimental manipulations to exaggerate a signal trait (plumage colour) and concomitant changes in testosterone and stress-induced corticosterone levels altered social interactivity between manipulated males and their social mates. On average, darkened males did not have higher levels of interactivity than unmanipulated males; however, males who experienced a greater shift in colour (pale to dark), a larger, positive change in testosterone levels, and a dampened stress-induced corticosterone response had a larger increase in the number of interactions with their social mate post-manipulation compared to pre-manipulation. This work provides new insights into the integration and real-time flexibility of multivariate phenotypes and direct evidence for the role of social interactions in pair bond maintenance.