| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
© 1998 International Society for Behavioral Ecology
research-article |
Paying to stay or paying to breed? Field evidence for direct benefits of helping behavior in a cooperatively breeding fish
Konrad Lorenz Institute for Comparative Ethology (KLIVV) Savoyenstrasse la, A-1160, Vienna, Austria
Address correspondence to S. Balshine-Earn. E-mail sigal{at}klivv.oeaw.ac.at
ABSTRACT
Several hypotheses aim to explain the evolution of helping behavior, but conclusive experimental support for evaluating the relative importance of individual hypotheses is still lacking. We report on two field experiments conducted to test the "territory inheritance" and "pay-to-stay" hypotheses in the cooperatively breeding cichlid fish Neolamprologus pulcher The territory inheritance hypothesis was tested by removing one parent, which created breeding vacancies. In 39% of cases, same-sex helpers took over the breeding spot; in 44% of cases helpers continued helping new breeders, and 17% were evicted by new breeders. Helpers that were closely size matched to the removed breeder had a better chance of gaining the breeding spot Male helpers tended to continue helping after a takeover more often than females.The pay-to-stay hypothesis was tested-by temporarily removing helpers. Whereas breeders did not respond aggressively to removals, other group members attacked the removed helpers on their return, and 29% were eventually evicted. The returning helpers assisted more by increasing their rate of territory maintenance and defense and visiting the brood chamber more frequently Size and sex of removed helpers did not explain the observed aggressive reactions of other group members. Thus, our results support both hypotheses: N. pulcher needs to pay with help to be allowed to remain protected in the family group, and there they may inherit the natal territory. N. pulcher helpers gain direct benefits from helping behavior.
Key words: cichlids, cooperative breeding, helping behavior, Neolamprologus pulcher, territory inheritance.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  K. A. Stiver, J. L. Fitzpatrick, J. K. Desjardins, B. D. Neff, J. S. Quinn, and S. Balshine The role of genetic relatedness among social mates in a cooperative breeder Behav. Ecol., July 1, 2008; 19(4): 816 - 823. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. G. McDonald, A. J.N. Kazem, M. F. Clarke, and J. Wright Helping as a signal: does removal of potential audiences alter helper behavior in the bell miner? Behav. Ecol., June 18, 2008; (2008) arn062v2. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
B. Taborsky, E. Skubic, and R. Bruintjes Mothers adjust egg size to helper number in a cooperatively breeding cichlid Behav. Ecol., July 1, 2007; 18(4): 652 - 657. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. Heg, R. Bergmuller, D. Bonfils, O. Otti, Z. Bachar, R. Burri, G. Heckel, and M. Taborsky Cichlids do not adjust reproductive skew to the availability of independent breeding options Behav. Ecol., May 1, 2006; 17(3): 419 - 429. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. K. Desjardins, M. R. Hazelden, G. J. Van der Kraak, and S. Balshine Male and female cooperatively breeding fish provide support for the "Challenge Hypothesis" Behav. Ecol., March 1, 2006; 17(2): 149 - 154. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J.L. Fitzpatrick, J.K. Desjardins, K.A. Stiver, R. Montgomerie, and S. Balshine Male reproductive suppression in the cooperatively breeding fish Neolamprologus pulcher Behav. Ecol., January 1, 2006; 17(1): 25 - 33. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. A. Cant and J. Field Helping effort in a dominance hierarchy Behav. Ecol., July 1, 2005; 16(4): 708 - 715. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
L. Brouwer, D. Heg, and M. Taborsky Experimental evidence for helper effects in a cooperatively breeding cichlid Behav. Ecol., May 1, 2005; 16(3): 667 - 673. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
I. M. Hamilton A commitment model of reproductive inhibition in cooperatively breeding groups Behav. Ecol., July 1, 2004; 15(4): 585 - 591. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
N. Y. Werner, S. Balshine, B. Leach, and A. Lotem Helping opportunities and space segregation in cooperatively breeding cichlids Behav. Ecol., November 1, 2003; 14(6): 749 - 756. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. Buston Forcible eviction and prevention of recruitment in the clown anemonefish Behav. Ecol., July 1, 2003; 14(4): 576 - 582. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
H. Kokko, R. A. Johnstone, and J. Wright The evolution of parental and alloparental effort in cooperatively breeding groups: when should helpers pay to stay? Behav. Ecol., May 1, 2002; 13(3): 291 - 300. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 T. Clutton-Brock Breeding Together: Kin Selection and Mutualism in Cooperative Vertebrates Science, April 5, 2002; 296(5565): 69 - 72. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. Cooney Colony defense in Damaraland mole-rats, Cryptomys damarensis Behav. Ecol., March 1, 2002; 13(2): 160 - 162. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Komdeur and P. Edelaar Male Seychelles warblers use territory budding to maximize lifetime fitness in a saturated environment Behav. Ecol., November 1, 2001; 12(6): 706 - 715. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. Taborsky The Evolution of Bourgeois, Parasitic, and Cooperative Reproductive Behaviors in Fishes J. Hered., March 1, 2001; 92(2): 100 - 110. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. Dierkes, M. Taborsky, and U. Kohler Reproductive parasitism of broodcare helpers in a cooperatively breeding fish Behav. Ecol., September 1, 1999; 10(5): 510 - 515. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|