A5029967445- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Plant and animal studies
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Bird parasitology and diseases
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Fish biology, ecology, and behavior
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- melanin and skin pigmentation
- Animal and Plant Science Education
- Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
- Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology
- Reproductive biology and impacts on aquatic species
University of Padua
2014-2024
Google (United States)
2018
University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna
2011-2017
John Wiley & Sons (United States)
2016
Ecological Society of America
2016
University of Milan
2016
Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale
2016
University of Veterinary Medicine
2014
Flinders University
2012
Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research
2006-2011
How do parents recognize their offspring when the cost of making a recognition error is high? Avian brood parasite-host systems have been used to address this question because high parasitism host fitness. We discovered that superb fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus) females call eggs, and upon hatching, nestlings produce begging calls with key elements from mother's "incubation call." Cross-fostering experiments showed highest similarity between foster mother nestling calls, intermediate genetic...
A major aim of evolutionary biology is to understand why patterns genomic diversity vary within taxa and space. Large-scale studies widespread species are useful for studying how environment demography shape divergence. Here, we describe one the most geographically comprehensive surveys variation in a wild vertebrate date; great tit (Parus major) HapMap project. We screened ca 500,000 SNP markers across 647 individuals from 29 populations, spanning ~30 degrees latitude 40 longitude - almost...
Growing evidence suggests that structural feather colours honestly reflect individual quality or body condition but, contrary to pigment-based colours, it is not clear what mechanism links reflectance in colours. We experimentally accelerated the moult speed of a group blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) by exposing them rapidly decreasing photoperiod and compared spectral characteristics their with those control birds. Blue were sexually dimorphic on UV/blue crown white cheek feathers. Moult...
Females can potentially assess the quality of potential mates using their secondary sexual traits, and obtain "good genes" that increase offspring fitness. Another indirect benefit from mating preferences is genetic compatibility, which does not require extravagant or viability indicator traits. Several studies with mammals fish indicate genes major histocompatibility complex (MHC) influence olfactory cues preferences, such confer benefits to offspring. We investigated whether individual MHC...
The differential allocation hypothesis (DAH) predicts that individuals should adjust their parental investment to current mate's quality. Although in principle the DAH holds for both sexes, male adjustment of has only been tested a few experimental studies, revealing contradictory results. We conducted field experiment test whether blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) allocate effort relation female ornamentation (ultraviolet colouration crown), as predicted by DAH.We reduced UV reflectance...
Abstract Aim Migratory animals regularly move between often distant breeding and non‐breeding ranges. Knowledge about how these ranges are linked by movements of individuals from different populations is crucial for unravelling temporal variability in population spatial structuring identifying environmental drivers dynamics acting at spatio‐temporal scales. We performed a large‐scale individual‐based migration tracking study an Afro‐Palaearctic migratory raptor, to determine the patterns...
Abstract We investigated the effect of moult speed on expression a sexually selected, carotenoid‐based feather ornament in rock sparrow ( Petronia petronia ). experimentally accelerated group birds by exposing them to rapidly decreasing photoperiod and compared area spectral characteristics their ornaments with those control birds. Birds moulting rate showed smaller yellow patch lower reflectance slow‐moulting counterparts. Considering that time available for is usually constrained between...
Albeit there is growing evidence that males prefer to mate with ornamented females, it has been suggested the production of costly ornaments may reduce female fecundity, hence favoring a preference for females average ornamentation. In rock sparrow, Petronia petronia, and possess sexually selected patch yellow feathers on breast (a carotenoid-based trait). To test whether largest ornament or male sparrows were simultaneously faced 3 conspecific differing in size house sparrow as control. We...
Abstract A general mechanism to account for the maintenance of sexually selected traits is armament–ornament model, which predicts that females exploit signals used in male–male aggressive contests. Melanin‐based ornaments are good candidates be dual utility because they usually involved competition and function as male dominance or fighting ability. Despite this, very few studies have investigated melanin‐based plumage results remain generally ambiguous. In this study, we a trait (the black...
Enhancement of information transfer has been proposed as a key driver the evolution coloniality. Transfer on location food resources implies that individuals from same colony share foraging areas and each can be associated to specific area. In colonial breeding vertebrates, colony-specific are often spatially segregated, mitigating intercolony intraspecific competition. By means simultaneous GPS tracking lesser kestrels (Falco naumanni) neighbouring colonies, we showed clear segregation...
The quality of a breeding site may have major fitness consequences. A fundamental step to understanding the process nest-site selection is identification information individuals use choose high-quality nest sites. For secondary cavity-nesting bird species that do not add lining material, organic remains (faeces, pellets) accumulated inside cavities during previous events be cue for nest-sites, as they contain about past successful and improve thermal insulation eggs incubation. However, in...
Female condition-dependent variation in mate preference may have important evolutionary implications, not only within the same population but also among populations. There are few experiments, however, on how condition and/or genotype influences female preferences. The black throat patch of male house sparrow, Passer domesticus, is an intensively studied plumage trait. It often referred to as a 'badge status' and seems be involved choice, differences exist Between-population occur for We...
Abstract Plumage colour can be used as an honest signal to convey health and status, which has traditionally been examined in the sexual selection context of choosy females elaborate males. We use a model avian system study role plumage coloration social such inter‐ intrasexual competition over food resources. The diamond firetail ( Stagonopleura guttata ) is endemic Australian finch: have more white flank spots than males, spot number was correlated with cell‐mediated immune response...
Abstract Background Consistent inter-individual differences in behavioural phenotypes may entail energy efficiency and expenditure, with different fitness payoffs. In colonial-breeding species, foraging behaviour evolve to reduce resource use overlap among conspecifics exploiting shared areas. Furthermore, individual covary characteristics, such as sex or physiological conditions. Methods We investigated tactics of a colonial raptor, the lesser kestrel ( Falco naumanni ). tracked trips...
Group-living animals can develop social bonds. Social bonds be considered a type of relationship characterized by frequent and consistent affiliative (non-reproductive) interactions. with conspecifics bring many advantages, also in terms direct fitness. A characteristic is that they need time to develop. Several studies on humans have emphasized the fact sharing experiences affect strength similar trend spotted non-human species. For example, recent experiment showed if chimpanzees watched...