Navigation Links
Savanna habitat drives birds, and perhaps others, to cooperative breeding
Date:8/16/2007

>

"Since rain equals food to the birds because it drives patterns of insect availability," said Rubenstein, "we think that by living in family groups with helpers that aid in feeding babies, these birds can cope better in these unpredictable savannas."

Rubenstein noted that this social strategy also helps in good years with lots of rain. Helpers bring enough extra food back to the nest to allow the cooperatively breeding species to breed longer and raise more broods of young than the non-cooperative ones.

"In some cases, the more social species tend to breed longer in benign years and thus produce more offspring," he said. "Often, parents don't have to spend so much time and energy going out and getting food because helpers compensate and do a lot of the parenting."

The origin of cooperative breeding in a savanna habitat may extend beyond starlings, Rubenstein said, noting that the first humans also lived in the savannas of East Africa.

"We think this relationship between sociality and temporal variability in rainfall and, hence, food availability, might help explain the distribution of cooperative breeding in other groups of birds, and even some mammals, living in semi-arid environments around the world," he said.

He added that with global warming, weather patterns are expected to become more variable worldwide and could possibly drive social behavior more toward cooperative breeding among temperate species that don't normally live in family groups.


'/>"/>

Contact: Robert Sanders
rsanders@berkeley.edu
510-643-6998
University of California - Berkeley
Source:Eurekalert

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2 3 4

Related biology news :

1. Habitat use by North Pacific right whales, Eubalaena japonica, in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska
2. Could better mangrove habitats have spared lives in the 2004 tsunami?
3. Bird song changes sound alarm over habitat fragmentation
4. Habitat microstructure drives salamander metamorphosis
5. New tiger report release: Tiger habitat down from just a decade ago
6. Invasive species alter habitat to their benefit
7. Palaus coral reefs show differential habitat recovery following the 1998 bleaching event
8. Unchecked DNA replication drives earliest steps toward cancer
9. Climate change drives widespread amphibian extinctions
10. Mindless autopilot drives people to underestimate food decisions
11. Buildup of damaged DNA in cells drives aging
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:5/24/2013)... noise in one French Quarter neighborhood of New Orleans ... ordinances, Annette Hurley, PhD, Assistant Professor of Audiology at ... a third-year LSUHSC doctor of audiology student, recommend that ... health. Their case study is published online in the ... ., "An important part of an audiologist,s practice is ...
(Date:5/23/2013)... honored more than 165 staff for their creation, ... annual Intellectual Property Commercialization Recognition & Rewards Program ... laboratory named materials scientist Jun Liu Inventor of ... that can store large amounts of energy, ease ... time it takes to charge cell phones, electric ...
(Date:5/23/2013)... the overall health, development, and academic success of ... ensuring that all students have opportunities to engage ... vigorous or moderate-intensity physical activity, says a new ... estimates suggest that only about half of school-age ... health and development. The report recommends that ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Please do try this at home 2PNNL staff recognized for scientific accomplishments, moving technologies into the marketplace 2Schools should provide opportunities for 60 minutes of daily physical activity to all students 2Schools should provide opportunities for 60 minutes of daily physical activity to all students 3
... German . , In emerging countries such as ... consumption of red meat has quadrupled since 1961. The United ... lead to a doubling of global meat production by the ... limited farmland resources, will still be able to meet all ...
... DECEMBER 30, 2010 A recent study by a team ... incident of pathogens in biosolids over a 19 year period ... researchers also analyzed pathogen levels in biosolids at 18 wastewater ... analysis indicates pathogens levels have dropped since the implementation of ...
... you know that when you pick up a product promoted ... significant amount of this potentially harmful substance? An article by ... published in the January/February 2011 issue of the American ... can result in medically significant intake of harmful trans fat, ...
Cached Biology News:Eating low-fat, thanks to lupin proteins 2Wastewater treatment lowers pathogen levels 2Call for truth in trans fats labeling by the FDA 2
(Date:5/23/2013)... Patheon Inc ., a leading provider of contract ... will host a complimentary webinar on “Cleaning Validation: Science, ... 4, 2013 at 11 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. ... regulations for cleaning validation. Many companies have incorporated ... evaluation of risk. Some companies have chosen to ...
(Date:5/23/2013)... , May 23, 2013 VG ... strategic alliance with DAK Renewable Research to conduct ... oil yield. VG Energy is a majority owned ... VGLS). VG Energy,s exclusively licensed compound ... the oil yield in plants, possessing a wide ...
(Date:5/23/2013)... 23, 2013 Z Trim Holdings, Inc. (OTC ... a variety of industries, announced that Chef ... at this year,s National Restaurant Association ("NRA") NRA Show, ... of the Research Chefs Association.  Chef Ryan spoke on ... the Bad and the Ugly," joining four other prestigious ...
(Date:5/23/2013)... Toronto, Canada (PRWEB) May 23, 2013 ... subjects, it is critical to adhere to principles ... protection (HSP). , Esteemed speaker Dr. Jeremy Lim, ... the audience: , ,     Understand the ... Clinical Practice (GCP) and additional regulations for the ...
Breaking Biology Technology:Patheon to Present on “Cleaning Validation: Science, Risk and Novel Approaches to Testing” 2VG Energy Enters into a Strategic Alliance with DAK Renewable Research for LipidMax Field Trials 2VG Energy Enters into a Strategic Alliance with DAK Renewable Research for LipidMax Field Trials 3Z Trim's Chef Erin Ryan sits on Expert Panel at NRA Show 2Z Trim's Chef Erin Ryan sits on Expert Panel at NRA Show 3Adhering to Good Clinical Practice, New Webinar Hosted by Xtalks 2
... markets, the trend in health care employment could be counted on ... bringing yearly growth up over 345,000.The MedZilla.com Employment Report analyzes the ... ... Seattle, WA (Vocus) December 3, 2008 -- The U.S. economy ...
... and HOUSTON, Dec. 2 Transgenomic,Inc. (OTC ... Inc. (OTC,Bulletin Board: PWRM) today announced that ... acquire exclusive rights for Power3 Medical,s Neurodegenerative,Biomarkers, ... Alzheimer,s,and Parkinson,s disease. Transgenomic plans to ...
... postmenopause , , MONTVALE, N.J., ... symptoms is a challenge for women experiencing menopause. OBG ... have recently published a supplement titled Vasomotor symptoms: Managing ... James McGregor, MD, CM and Lee P. Shulman, MD, discuss ...
Cached Biology Technology:The MedZilla Report: October 2008 Employment Outlook for Biotech/Pharma/Health 2The MedZilla Report: October 2008 Employment Outlook for Biotech/Pharma/Health 3Transgenomic Signs Letter of Intent for an Agreement to Exclusive License With Option to Acquire Power3 Medical Products' Neurodegenerative Diagnostics 2Transgenomic Signs Letter of Intent for an Agreement to Exclusive License With Option to Acquire Power3 Medical Products' Neurodegenerative Diagnostics 3Transgenomic Signs Letter of Intent for an Agreement to Exclusive License With Option to Acquire Power3 Medical Products' Neurodegenerative Diagnostics 4
Immunogen: Peptide corresponding to amino acid residues from the N-terminal region of human thyroid hormone receptor, alpha1/alpha2-isotype. Storage: -20 C, Avoid Freeze/Thaw Cycles...
Antibodies were affinity purified using epitopes specific to QKI immobilized on solid support....
Direct ELISA Assay Diluent, 10 L...
SpectroQuest single beam 1.8nm UV/Vis spectrophotometer; stand-alone unit...
Biology Products: