Meeting Abstract

S10.4  Tuesday, Jan. 6  Springing ahead – The evolution and control of avian protandry COPPACK, T.; Univ. of Zurich, Switzerland coppack@access.uzh.ch

Migration is a critical life-history stage, ultimately determining when, and in which order, males and females arrive at the site of reproduction. In migratory organisms, the evolution of the timing of reproduction, therefore, can only be understood in light of the cues and constraints that shape the timing (and extent) of migration. Protandry, i.e. the earlier arrival of males relative to females, is a prime example of how closely the timing of migration is associated with sex-specific activities during the reproductive period. The phenomenon of protandrous migration is widespread across animal taxa, including insects and anadromous fish. Among migratory bird species, the time lag between male and female arrival covaries with characteristics that are directly subject to sexual selection. Within avian species, high-quality males tend to occupy prime territories first and reproduce earlier and more successfully than late-arriving males of lower quality. Despite the plethora of studies on sex- and condition-dependent arrival patterns in birds, the proximate mechanisms that cause males to arrive before females are still unclear. Future studies should attempt to identify the genetic and physiological bases of sex-specific migratory traits. An in-depth understanding of the causal links between animal migration and mating systems is becoming increasingly important for predicting how species and populations will respond to global environmental change.