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The effects of mating with multiple males on reproductive success of a female: An experimental study in leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius)
Ševčíková, Pavlína ; Frynta, Daniel (advisor) ; Rehák, Ivan (referee)
The aim of the project was to test female advantages of promiscuous and/or polyandrous mating. Although, previous studies reported improved reproductive success of females copulating with multiple males in many model species, including Eublepharis macularius, this study failed to demonstrate such a benefit of polyandry. Traits reflecting female reproductive success, i.e. the number of produced eggs, egg mass, hatchability, hatchling mass, growth and survival were not influenced by copulation with multiple partners, but some of them were dependent on female condition. Only initial stages of juvenile growth were influenced by female identity and/or investment.
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The role of individual traits in the Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) females on breeding performance, mating status and male incubation effort
Sládeček, Martin ; Šálek, Miroslav (advisor) ; Fuchs, Roman (referee)
Feather ornaments and its role as a signals in sexual selection has been broadly studied topic in avian biology. However, vast majority of studies focus especially on role of male ornamentation and female preferences in sexual selection. Despite this fact, recent work shows, that similar palette of adaptive functions can be found for female feather ornaments, and male preferences for them, respectively. This study focuses on possible importance of female melanin-based ornaments and other individual on breeding performance in the Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), common polygynous wader breeding in agricultural landscape. No significant predictor of female investment to egg size was found. Long winged females with bigger proportion of secondaries changed during prenuptial moulting and bigger extent of melanin ornaments tended, surprisingly, to later timing of breeding. Contrary to this trend, extent of female ornamentation seems to be sexually selected trait by males. Analysis of male incubation behavior shows, that males incubate more in nests of more ornamented females, as well as in nests in later incubation stage. These findings seems to be in a good agreement with "Differential allocation hypothesis". On the other site, no effect of clutch egg sizes and timing of breeding was found....
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Sperm competition in frogs in relation to the reproductive strategy
Malečková, Vendulka ; Šandera, Martin (advisor) ; Hortová, Kateřina (referee)
2 Abstract This bachelor thesis focuses the comparison of the various reproductive strategies of frogs and the degree of sperm competition. Frogs are ecologically important group inhabiting all continents except Antarctica and northern polar regions. Frogs have species-specific reproductive strategies. Most frogs have external fertilization, but there are exceptions (eg. Ascaphidae) with internal fertilization. Before mating occurs, male grips female - this is called amplexus. Amplexus is divided into several types according to the place of gripping the female, and there are exceptions that do not use amplexus. Even for them there is a complex behavior, in which the male directs the female to the eggs laying spot. Mating mostly occurs in water. Frogs are polyandrous, meaning that one female mates with multiple males. Such a system encourages the male-male competition, as well as the sperm-competition. Breeding of frogs can be classified as explosive or prolonged. Clutches of eggs are being laid by females into water or foam nests. In some cases the male takes part in taking care of the clutch, nest building, or they steal other clutches. In conclusion, it is discussed whether there is a connection between specific reproductive strategies and levels of sperm competition. Key words: amplexus, clutch-piracy,...
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Sperm competition in frogs in relation to the reproductive strategy
Malečková, Vendulka ; Šandera, Martin (advisor) ; Hortová, Kateřina (referee)
This bachelor thesis focuses the comparison of the various reproductive strategies of frogs and the degree of sperm competition. Frogs are ecologically important group inhabiting all continents except Antarctica and northern polar regions. Frogs have species-specific reproductive strategies. Most frogs have external fertilization, but there are exceptions (eg. Ascaphidae) with internal fertilization. Before mating occurs, male grips female - this is called amplexus. Amplexus is divided into several types according to the place of gripping the female, and there are exceptions that do not use amplexus. Even for them there is a complex behavior, in which the male directs the female to the eggs laying spot. Mating mostly occurs in water. Frogs are polyandrous, meaning that one female mates with multiple males. Such a system encourages the male-male competition, as well as the sperm-competition. Breeding of frogs can be classified as explosive or prolonged. Clutches of eggs are being laid by females into water or foam nests. In some cases the male takes part in taking care of the clutch, nest building, or they steal other clutches. In conclusion, it is discussed whether there is a connection between specific reproductive strategies and levels of sperm competition. Key words: amplexus, clutch-piracy,...
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The role of individual traits in the Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) females on breeding performance, mating status and male incubation effort
Sládeček, Martin ; Šálek, Miroslav (advisor) ; Fuchs, Roman (referee)
Feather ornaments and its role as a signals in sexual selection has been broadly studied topic in avian biology. However, vast majority of studies focus especially on role of male ornamentation and female preferences in sexual selection. Despite this fact, recent work shows, that similar palette of adaptive functions can be found for female feather ornaments, and male preferences for them, respectively. This study focuses on possible importance of female melanin-based ornaments and other individual on breeding performance in the Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), common polygynous wader breeding in agricultural landscape. No significant predictor of female investment to egg size was found. Long winged females with bigger proportion of secondaries changed during prenuptial moulting and bigger extent of melanin ornaments tended, surprisingly, to later timing of breeding. Contrary to this trend, extent of female ornamentation seems to be sexually selected trait by males. Analysis of male incubation behavior shows, that males incubate more in nests of more ornamented females, as well as in nests in later incubation stage. These findings seems to be in a good agreement with "Differential allocation hypothesis". On the other site, no effect of clutch egg sizes and timing of breeding was found....
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The effects of mating with multiple males on reproductive success of a female: An experimental study in leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius)
Ševčíková, Pavlína ; Frynta, Daniel (advisor) ; Rehák, Ivan (referee)
The aim of the project was to test female advantages of promiscuous and/or polyandrous mating. Although, previous studies reported improved reproductive success of females copulating with multiple males in many model species, including Eublepharis macularius, this study failed to demonstrate such a benefit of polyandry. Traits reflecting female reproductive success, i.e. the number of produced eggs, egg mass, hatchability, hatchling mass, growth and survival were not influenced by copulation with multiple partners, but some of them were dependent on female condition. Only initial stages of juvenile growth were influenced by female identity and/or investment.
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Mating systems and ecological correlates in family Rallidae
VRÁNA, Jakub
Correlation among ecological factors and mating systems of Rallidae was analysed. Tested factors included: sociality, fligthless, sexual dimorphism in colouration, sexual dimorphism in weight, occurrence in aquatic and semiaquatic biotopes and occurrence in terrestrial biotopes. Data was obtained from articles and books.
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