Evolution driven by differential dispersal within a wild bird population.

Microevolution is expected to be commonplace, yet there are few thoroughly documented cases of microevolution in wild populations. In contrast, it is often observed that apparently heritable traits under strong and consistent directional selection…

The long-term study of animal populations facilitates detailed analysis of processes otherwise difficult to measure, and whose significance may appear only when a large sample size from many years is available for analysis. For example, inbreeding…

We tested the effect of detrimental environmental conditions during growth on the heritability of chick body size in a wild population of blue tits (Parus caeruleus) highly parasitized by blowfly larvae. During nine years, we experimentally induced…

Population-based mapping approaches are attractive for tracing the genetic background to phenotypic traits in wild species, given that it is often difficult to gather extensive and well-defined pedigrees needed for quantitative trait locus analysis.…

According to the "public information" hypothesis, some animal species may monitor the current reproductive success of conspecifics to assess local habitat quality and to choose their own subsequent breeding site. To test this hypothesis…

Consistently with the prediction that selection should deplete additive genetic variance (V(A)) in fitness, traits closely associated to fitness have been shown to exhibit low heritabilities (h(2)=V(A)/(V(A)+V(R))). However, empirical data from the…

In most bird species, pairs copulate many times before egg laying. The exact function of repeated inseminations (i.e. successful copulations) is unknown, but several suggestions have been made. We tested the hypothesis that repeated inseminations…

Environmental conditions experienced by a female prior to reproducing may be influenced by her mate. Part of such an indirect effect of a male on his partner's reproduction may be genetic (indirect genetic effect). However, a female's direct and a…

Rapid climate change has been implicated as a cause of evolution in poorly adapted populations. However, phenotypic plasticity provides the potential for organisms to respond rapidly and effectively to environmental change. Using a 47-year…

Early androgen exposure is known to have long-lasting effects on phenotype, behaviour and even fitness, but difficulties in measuring the exposure hinders the study of its importance in evolutionary context. Digit ratios have been highlighted as a…