Meeting Abstract

P3.36  Monday, Jan. 6 15:30  Effect of Early-life Stressors on Honest Signaling of Zebra Finches (Poephila guttata) BORUTA, M*; KILVITIS, H.J; KELP, S; EVERETT, B; MARTIN, L.B; Univ. of South Florida, Tampa; Univ. of South Florida, Tampa; Univ.of South Florida, Tampa; Univ. of South Florida, Tampa; Univ. of South Florida, Tampa mboruta@mail.usf.edu

Honest signals of male quality are costly and therefore preferred. Many sexually selected traits are sensitive to stressors in adulthood and early development, and may infer a mate’s recent and past condition. Males with no previous parasite exposure may be preferred; but, if exposed, females should choose males that overcome infections, especially if they better resist a second encounter. Parasite avoidance may be rare: do females prefer males never exposed to parasites or those generating robust defenses and capable of future survival to exposures? When environmental factors are considered, are mechanisms providing protection against subsequent infections more likely to be compromised? We compared various developmental stressors on zebra finch sexually selected traits; some birds experienced a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) simulated infection, an avian stress steroid, corticosterone (CORT), both challenges (CORT/LPS), or some were controls. We predicted CORT/LPS individuals would grow slowest and express the least developed sexual characteristics (i.e., bill and cheek patch coloration). We also predicted increased growth in CORT-only and LPS-only birds compared to birds challenged with both substances. We expected LPS-only birds to have more developed sexual characteristics than CORT-only birds because they survived a simulated infection thus favorable to choosy females. However, LPS-only birds grew faster than all other groups, which grew at similar rates. There was no difference in bill coloration among manipulated treatments, but there was a tendency for CORT males to have brighter cheek patches than LPS males. Additional analyses are ongoing, but we interpret these data as physiological mechanisms may be impacted differently, altering female choice in adulthood.