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Resource limitation moderates the adaptive suppression of subordinate breeding in a cooperatively breeding mongoose

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  • H. J. Nichols
  • M. B. V. Bell
  • S. J. Hodge
  • M. A. Cant

Abstract

Social animal species show considerable variation in the way in which reproduction is distributed among group members. Recent attempts to explain this variation have proposed that differences in reproductive skew are attributable to differences in the net benefits group members receive from suppressing each other's breeding attempts. Despite receiving relatively little theoretical and empirical attention, the availability of resources required for successful breeding may have an important influence in determining the costs and benefits of suppressing reproduction and thus influence reproductive skew within social groups. Here, we test this possibility using a long-term study of female reproductive success in the banded mongoose Mungos mungo. We find that females experience greater costs of co-breeding when resources are in short supply and that older, more dominant females respond to this cost by suppressing subordinate breeding. This results in differing patterns of reproductive success for females of different competitive abilities, with the oldest, most dominant females breeding regardless of resource availability and younger, subordinate females breeding only when resources are abundant. Our findings highlight the role of resource limitation in determining the distribution of reproductive opportunities within social groups.

Suggested Citation

  • H. J. Nichols & M. B. V. Bell & S. J. Hodge & M. A. Cant, 2012. "Resource limitation moderates the adaptive suppression of subordinate breeding in a cooperatively breeding mongoose," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 23(3), pages 635-642.
  • Handle: RePEc:oup:beheco:v:23:y:2012:i:3:p:635-642.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/beheco/ars008
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Martha J. Nelson-Flower & Phil A.R. Hockey & Colleen O'Ryan & Nichola J. Raihani & Morné A. du Plessis & Amanda R. Ridley, 2011. "Monogamous dominant pairs monopolize reproduction in the cooperatively breeding pied babbler," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 22(3), pages 559-565.
    2. Sarah J. Hodge & Matthew B.V. Bell & Francis Mwanguhya & Solomon Kyabulima & Ruth C. Waldick & Andy F. Russell, 2009. "Maternal weight, offspring competitive ability, and the evolution of communal breeding," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 20(4), pages 729-735.
    3. Ashleigh S. Griffin & Josephine M. Pemberton & Peter N. M. Brotherton & Grant McIlrath & David Gaynor & Ruth Kansky & Justin O'Riain & Timothy H. Clutton-Brock, 2003. "A genetic analysis of breeding success in the cooperative meerkat (Suricata suricatta)," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 14(4), pages 472-480, July.
    4. Jason S. Gilchrist, 2006. "Female eviction, abortion, and infanticide in banded mongooses (Mungos mungo): implications for social control of reproduction and synchronized parturition," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 17(4), pages 664-669, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Alistair M Senior & Michael A Charleston & Mathieu Lihoreau & Jerome Buhl & David Raubenheimer & Stephen J Simpson, 2015. "Evolving Nutritional Strategies in the Presence of Competition: A Geometric Agent-Based Model," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(3), pages 1-24, March.

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