We are interested to show evolutionary functionality of the circadian system. Specifically we are now interested whether timing of male display (both seasonal and daily timing) might be generate more attraction for females and possibly lead to more offspring with higher survival. We think about systems like morning song in birds (dawn chorus) or roaring behaviour in red deer. There may be many more examples out there, but the literature is not easily disclosed. We would love to obtain insights from specialists in these behaviours.
The one example I know of, is not circadian. In insect species where male sing in choruses, there is an advantage for male that sing slightly earlier in the chorus. This is taking an advantage of the psychophysics effect called the 'precedence effect' in the females, which will focus on the slightly earlier (even ms to seconds) males.
for review see: https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/19045/stri_Greenfield_Tourtellot_and_Snedden_1997.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
haha! great Eran! indeed it seems different time domain, but, the 'precedence effect' (never heard of this term before) may play a role in the morning chorus of birds as well, right?
Yes, in fact I think it was first described in frogs. There is a classic paper by Peter Narins.
I wonder if larger, older or more dominant males in deer species start displaying earlier. We have some data to test using movement patterns. Perhaps it might reveal something. We would be interested in collaborating if you wish. We will have movement data sets from mammals and raptors atleast. For mammals, changes in movement rates might reveal something, and for raptors, changes in flight patterns during the breeding season can be useful.
I have studied the timing of heat signs (thickness of neck, color of liver, heat smell and rumen content) in bull moose (Alces alces) in the northernmost Finland. The signs come first in bulls ≥7,5 years of age. So it is clear to me that the prime bulls are ready to fertilize the females earlier than the younger and smaller ones. The early fertilization gives better fitness for a species living in North where the growing period is short.
I also studied the timing of fertilization in moose populations with different sex ratios. In areas with the lowest sex ratio (≤ 1,29 females/ bulls) the timing was most early (23. Sept) and when the sex ratio increased also the average fertilization date became later (with sex ratio ≥ 2,5 about five days later). We know that the average age structure of bulls is higher with lower sex ratios.
Unfortunately the results have been published only in Finnish.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/275341574_Lisaantyvat_hirvinaaraat_-_urosten_osuudet_vaikuttavat_hedelmoittymisten_ajoittumiseen
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260392676_Yla-Lapin_hirvenmetsastyksen_aikaistamiskokeilu_2010-2012
Article Lisääntyvät hirvinaaraat - urosten osuudet vaikuttavat hedel...
Article Ylä-Lapin hirvenmetsästyksen aikaistamiskokeilu 2010-2012
Bart Kempenaers might have something for you. It is not necessarily about the displaying, but early (song)birds are probably more successful in extra-pair affiliations
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Social Psychology
- Attitude