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Breeders that receive help age more slowly in a cooperatively breeding bird

Author

Listed:
  • Martijn Hammers

    (University of Groningen)

  • Sjouke A. Kingma

    (University of Groningen
    Wageningen University & Research)

  • Lewis G. Spurgin

    (University of East Anglia)

  • Kat Bebbington

    (University of Groningen
    University of East Anglia)

  • Hannah L. Dugdale

    (University of Leeds)

  • Terry Burke

    (University of Sheffield)

  • Jan Komdeur

    (University of Groningen)

  • David S. Richardson

    (University of East Anglia
    Nature Seychelles)

Abstract

Helping by group members is predicted to lead to delayed senescence by affecting the trade-off between current reproduction and future survival for dominant breeders. Here we investigate this prediction in the Seychelles warbler, Acrocephalus sechellensis, in which mainly female subordinate helpers (both co-breeders and non-breeding helpers) often help dominants raise offspring. We find that the late-life decline in survival usually observed in this species is greatly reduced in female dominants when a helper is present. Female dominants with a female helper show reduced telomere attrition, a measure that reflects biological ageing in this and other species. Finally, the probability of having female, but not male, helpers increases with dominant female age. Our results suggest that delayed senescence is a key benefit of cooperative breeding for elderly dominants and support the idea that sociality and delayed senescence are positively self-reinforcing. Such an effect may help explain why social species often have longer lifespans.

Suggested Citation

  • Martijn Hammers & Sjouke A. Kingma & Lewis G. Spurgin & Kat Bebbington & Hannah L. Dugdale & Terry Burke & Jan Komdeur & David S. Richardson, 2019. "Breeders that receive help age more slowly in a cooperatively breeding bird," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-09229-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09229-3
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    Cited by:

    1. Michela Busana & Franz J Weissing & Martijn Hammers & Joke Bakker & Hannah L Dugdale & Sara Raj Pant & David S Richardson & Terrence A Burke & Jan Komdeur, 2022. "Structural equation modeling reveals determinants of fitness in a cooperatively breeding bird," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 33(2), pages 352-363.

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