Multiple parasitism in an evictor brood parasite: patterns revealed by long-term monitoring, continuous video recording, and genetic analyses

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F68081766%3A_____%2F22%3A00565117" target="_blank" >RIV/68081766:_____/22:00565117 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/60076658:12310/22:43905319 RIV/00216208:11310/22:10452927

Result on the web

<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00265-022-03270-x" target="_blank" >https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00265-022-03270-x</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00265-022-03270-x" target="_blank" >10.1007/s00265-022-03270-x</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Multiple parasitism in an evictor brood parasite: patterns revealed by long-term monitoring, continuous video recording, and genetic analyses

Original language description

In some populations of the host of brood parasites, more than two parasite eggs may be laid in a single nest. This phenomenon is known as multiple parasitism, representing a cost to both the host and parasite. In this study, we analysed a long-term dataset (2007-2021) focusing on multiple parasitism of the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) parasitizing the great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus). The annual parasitism rate was on average 54.3% and varied between 5.8% and 92.2%, depending on the year. Out of 720 parasitized nests, double parasitism was recorded in 172 (23.9%) nests, triple in 51 (7.1%) nests, quadruple in 10 (1.3%) nests, and, exceptionally, in the years of heavy parasitism (about 90%), quintuple parasitism was recorded in three (0.4%) nests. The rate of multiple parasitism ranged from 0 to 63% inter-annually and strongly correlated with the parasitism rate and the total number of parasite eggs found. Furthermore, the number of cuckoo eggs laid per one nest increased with the decreasing daily availability of host nests that were at a suitable breeding stage for parasitism. Both genetic and egg phenotype analyses revealed that no cuckoo female laid more than one egg in the same host nest. Using data on long-term parasite-host interactions and from continuous video recording, as well as progressive methods to assign parasite offspring thus helped us better understand various aspects of multiple parasitism in hosts heavily parasitized by an evictor brood parasite. Significance statement Laying more parasite eggs in one host nest (i.e. multiple parasitism) is common in brood parasites whose nestlings share the nest with nestmates. In the species where the parasite's nestling kills its nest mates, multiple parasitism should be rare because it is costly for the parasite. However, in host populations with high parasitism rates, multiple parasitism occurs more often than predicted. Using long-term and video-recording data, we quantified multiple parasitism in the common cuckoo across years and host egg-laying sequences. We found that the rate of multiple parasitism is positively related to the parasitism rate and that the lower the number of nests suitable for parasitism, the higher the number of parasite eggs in one nest. Based on genetic and egg phenotype analyses, we also showed that individual parasitic females avoid laying in the nests they had already parasitized.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10615 - Ornithology

Project

<a href="/en/project/GA22-26812S" target="_blank" >GA22-26812S: Coevolutionary struggle between a highly virulent brood parasite and its major host</a><br>

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2022

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology

ISSN

0340-5443

e-ISSN

1432-0762

Volume of the periodical

76

Issue of the periodical within the volume

12

Country of publishing house

DE - GERMANY

Number of pages

11

Pages from-to

161

UT code for WoS article

000886965300001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85142530946