Konrad Lorenz Institute for Ethology

 

David S. Richardson

Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK

 

Title
Maximising fitness through cooperation; Altruism, infidelity and grandparents in the Seychelles warbler

 

Abstract
In vertebrate cooperative breeding systems adult individuals other than the breeding pair assist in rearing offspring from a single breeding attempt. In these systems some individuals care for young that are not their own genetic offspring (Brown 1987). This provides an apparent paradox for current evolutionary thinking. Inclusive fitness benefits have been suggested to be a major selective force behind the evolution of cooperative breeding, however there is still much debate about the relative importance of indirect benefits and direct benefits. Over the last 10 years I have been investigating the evolution of cooperative breeding in the Seychelles warbler, Acrocephalus sechellensis, using a combination of detailed field studies and molecular analysis. I show that in this species direct breeding benefits are higher than indirect kin benefits for all subordinates. Furthermore, females are able to gain considerably more direct fitness benefits through being a subordinate than males. Female subordinates also appear to maximise the indirect fitness benefits they gain from helping by directing their provisioning using associative learning cues. However, because of high levels of infidelity, female subordinates cannot trust their legitimacy through the male line; consequently they only use the continued presence of the primary female, but not the primary male, as a reliable cue to determine when to feed related nestlings. Finally, I report exciting new data investigating the adaptive significance of ‘grandparent’ helpers in the Seychelles warbler, the first bird species in which this phenomenon has been observed.

 

CV

  • Date of Birth:    6 December 1968
    Nationality:       British

  • University of Leicester, Ph.D.

  • University of Leicester, ESF Traineeship.

  • Manchester Metropolitan University, BSc. Honours Applied Biology 2(i).

Professional experience

 

 

 

  • 2007 -             Lecturer in Molecular ecology, University of East Anglia

  • 2004- 2007      NERC Fellow and lecturer, University of East Anglia. Endoparasites, fitness and the maintenance of genetic diversity at the MHC in a wild avian population.

  • 2001-2003       Marie Curie Research Fellowship. Animal Ecology, University of Lund. MHC-based mate choice in the Seychelles warbler.

  • Research Associate. Animal and Plant Sciences, Sheffield University. Genetic benefits of mate choice and life history decisions in the Seychelles warbler.

  • Ph.D. University of Leicester (Supervisor: Prof. T. Burke). The affects of breeding density and male age upon mixed reproductive strategies in birds

 

 

Research interests

I am a molecular ecologist with primary interests in the use of neutral molecular markers and functional genes to address questions in evolutionary and behavioural ecology. I use model avian systems, including species such as the Seychelles warbler, to investigate the adaptive significance of reproductive and life history strategies and to study host-parasite co-evolution. The study and conservation of endangered island bird species (i.e. the Seychelles warbler, white-eye, and fody) is also an important part of my work.

Current projects include:

  • The evolution of cooperative breeding

  • The benefits of mate choice in the Seychelles warbler

  • The role of the Major histocompatibility complex in parasite resistance, fitness and mate choice in the Seychelles warbler

  • The role of the Major histocompatibility complex in sexual selection in red jungle fowl 

  • Populations genetics and conservation of the Seychelles fody

  • Genetic differentiation and host-parasite coevolution in Macaronesian birds

 

 

 

Selected recent publications:

 

PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

2007

  1. Illera JC, Emerson BC, Richardson DS, (In Press, 2007) Population history of Berthelot’s pipit: colonisation, gene flow and morphological divergence in Macaronesia.  Mol. Ecol.

  2. Richardson DS, Burke T, Komdeur J, (In Press, 2007) Grandparent helpers: the adaptive significance of older, post-dominant helpers in the Seychelles warbler. Evolution

  3.  Komdeur J, Richardson DS (In Press, 2007) Molecular ecology reveals the hidden complexities of the Seychelles Warbler. Advances in the Study of Behavior

  4. Eikenaar C, Richardson DS, Brouwer L, Komdeur J. (In Press, 2007) Causes of sex biased natal dispersal in a closed saturated population of the Seychelles warbler. J. Avian Biol.

  5. Brouwer L, Komdeur J, Richardson DS (2007) Investigating heterozygosity-fitness correlations in a bottlenecked island species; a case study on the Seychelles warbler. Mol. Ecol. 16,3134-3144

  6. Komdeur J, Burke T, Richardson DS (2007) Explicit experimental evidence for the effectiveness of proximity as mate guarding behaviour in reducing extra-pair fertilization in the Seychelles warbler. Mol. Ecol. 16, 3679–3688

  7. Eikenaar C, Richardson DS, Brouwer L, Komdeur J (2007) Parent presence, delayed dispersal and territory acquisition in the Seychelles warbler. Behav. Ecol. 18, 874-879

  8. Vega L. Holloway G, Millet J, Richardson DS (2007) Extreme gender-based post-fledging brood division in the toc-toc. Behav. Ecol. 18, 730-735

2006

  1. Hadfield J, Richardson DS, Burke T (2006) Towards unbiased parentage assignment: combining genetic, behavioural and spatial data in a Bayesian framework. Mol. Ecol. 15, 3715-3730

  2. Brouwer L, Richardson DS, Eikenaar C, Komdeur J (2006) The role of group size and environmental factors on survival in a cooperatively breeding tropical passerine. J.  Anim. Ecol. 75, 1321-1329

  3. Komdeur J, Richardson DS, Burke T (2006) Fitness consequences of cooperative breeding in the Seychelles warbler. Acta Zoologica Sinica. 52, 257-261.

  4. Ridley J, Komdeur J, Richardson DS, Sutherland WJ (2006) Population predictions for Seychelles warblers in novel environments. Acta Zoologica Sinica. 52, 465-469.

  5. Jorgensen T, Richardson DS, Andersson S (2006) Comparative analyses of population structure in two subspecies of Nigella degenii: evidence for diversifying selection on pollen-colour dimorphisms. Evolution 60, 518-528.

2005

  1. Richardson DS, Burke T, Komdeur J, von Schantz T (2005) MHC-based patterns of social and extra-pair mate choice in the Seychelles warbler. Proc. Roy. Soc. B

  2. Hansson B, Richardson DS (2005) Genetic variation in two endangered Acrocephalus species compared to a widespread congener: estimates based on functional and random loci. Anim. Cons.  8, 83-90.

2004

  1. Richardson DS, Komdeur J, Burke T (2004) Inbreeding in the Seychelles warbler: environment-dependent maternal effects. Evolution 58, 2037-2048.

  2. Van de Crommenacker J, Richardson DS, Groothuis TGG, Eising CM, Dekker AL, Komdeur J (2004) Testosterone, cuckoldry risk and extra-pair opportunities in the Seychelles warbler Proc. Roy. Soc. B 271, 1023-1031

  3. Komdeur J, Richardson DS, Burke T. (2004). Experimental evidence that kin discrimination in the Seychelles warbler is based on association and not on genetic relatedness. Proc. Roy. Soc. B 271, 963-969

  4. Komdeur J, Richardson DS, Piersma T, Kraaijeveld K, Kraaijeveld-Smit. (2004) Why Seychelles warblers fail to recolonise nearby islands: were they selected for reduced flight performance? IBIS 146, 298-302.

2003

  1. Richardson DS, Westerdahl H (2003). MHC diversity in two Acrocephalus species: the outbred great reed warbler and the inbred Seychelles warbler. Mol. Ecol. 12, 3523-3529

  2. Richardson DS, Komdeur J, Burke T. (2003) Subordinate Seychelles warblers accurately maximise indirect benefits using a simple rule-of-thumb. J. Evol.  Biol (16) 854-861

  3. Richardson DS, Komdeur J, Burke T. (2003) Altruism and infidelity in the Seychelles warbler. Nature 422, 581

  4. Richardson DS, & Rocamora G (2003) Genetic and morphological differentiation between the two remnant populations of Seychelles White-eye Zosterops modestus. Ibis 145 E34-E44

2002

  1. Richardson DS, Komdeur J, Burke T. (2002) Direct benefits explain the evolution of cooperative breeding in the Seychelles warblers. Evolution 56 (9): 2313-2321

  2. Stanback M, Richardson DS, Boix C, Mendelsohn J. (2002) Female dependence and expensive male parental care result in genetic monogamy in Monteiro's hornbill, Tockus monteiri. Anim. Behav. 63: 787-793

2001

  1. Richardson DS, Jury FL, Blaakmeer K, Komdeur J, Burke T. (2001) Parentage assignment and extra-group paternity in a cooperative breeder: the Seychelles warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis). Mol. Ecol. 10, 2263-2273.

  2. Richardson DS, Burke T. (2001) Extra-pair paternity and variance in reproductive success related to breeding density in Bullock's orioles. Anim. Behav.  62, 519-525.

  3. Eising C, Komdeur J, Buys J, Reemer M, Richardson DS. (2001) Islands in a desert: breeding ecology of the African Reed Warbler Acrocephalus baeticatus in Namibia. Ibis 143(3): 482-493

  4. Dowling DK, Richardson DS, Komdeur, J. (2001). No effects of a feather mite on life-history components and grooming behaviour in the Seychelles warbler, Acrocephalus sechellensis. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol., 50(3): 257-262

  5. Dowling DK, Richardson DS, Komdeur J. (2001) Biotic and abiotic factors affect parasite loads: feather mite load influenced by salt exposure, age and reproductive stage in the Seychelles warbler. J. Avian Biol., 32 (4): 364-369

2000

  1. Richardson DS, Jury FL, Dawson DA, Salguiero P, Komdeur J, Burke T. (2000) Fifty Seychelles warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis) microsatellite loci polymorphic in Sylviidae species and their cross-species amplification in other passerine birds. Mol. Ecol. 9, 2155-2234

  2. Veen T, Richardson DS, Blaakmeer K, and Komdeur K. (2000). Experimental evidence for innate predator recognition in the Seychelles warbler. Proc. Roy. Soc. B 267, 2253-2258

1999

  1. Richardson DS, Burke, T. (1999) Extra-pair paternity in relation to male age in Bullock's orioles. Mol. Ecol., 8(12) 2115-2126.

  2. Richardson DS, Bolen G. (1999) A nesting association between semi-colonial Bullock's orioles and yellow-billed magpies: evidence for the predator protection hypothesis. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 46(6), 373-380

 

COMPILED VOLUMES AND REPORTS

  • Richardson DS, Bristol R, Shah NJ. (2006) Translocation of Seychelles warbler Acrocephalus sechellensis to establish a new population on Denis Island, Seychelles. Case 416. ConservationEvidence.com.

  • Richardson DS, (2001). Species conservation assessment and action plan: The Seychelles warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis). N.J. Shah & J. Nevill (eds) Mahe, Birdlife Seychelles/ Department of Environment Seychelles: 1-7.

  • Rocamora G. Richardson DS (2000). How different are the White-eye populations of Conception and Mahé? G. Rocamora and J. François (eds). Seychelles White-eye Recovery Programme. Results from Phase 1. Report for the Ministry of Environment Transports/ IUCN/Dutch Trust Fund. Mahe.

  • Stanback M, Boix C, Richardson DS, Birkhead T, Fletcher B, Mendelsohn J. (1998) Sperm storage, pair bondage and genetic monogamy in hornbills. Proceedings of the 22nd International Ornithological Congress, Durban, University of Natal, 2657-2665

  • Komdeur J, Blaakmeer K, Richardson DS. (1997) Monitoring and studying the Seychelles warbler Acrocephalus sechellensis. Rare and threatened species, sites and habitats monitoring programme in Seychelles. G. Rocamora, (ed). Department of the Environment, Mahe.

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BOOK CHAPTERS

  • Komdeur J, Richardson DS, Hatchwell B. (In Press 2007) Kin recognition mechanisms in cooperative breeding systems: ecological causes and behavioural consequences of variation. In: The ecology of social life. ed Korb J, & Heinze J. Springer publishing.

 

Institution address:

David S. Richardson
Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
Work Tel: 01603 591496; Fax: 01603 592250

e-Mail: David.richardson@uea.aco.uk
webpage: http://bioweb2.bio.uea.ac.uk/faculty/RichardsonDS.aspx