AUSTRALIA - Putting on a little weight over winter increases a little penguin’s sexual success according to new research published in Royal Society Open Science last month.
Researchers at Phillip Island Nature Parks, Australia, in collaboration with scientists from the French Research Council, discovered the winter body mass of little penguins has a carry-over effect on timing of breeding and reproductive success during spring and summer.
“Little penguin parents that put on weight in winter, and were heavier than their mass before or after July, were more likely to lay their eggs early, and males were more likely to successfully breed,” André Chiaradia, research scientist at Phillip Island Nature Parks said.
The research team discovered that females invest their extra winter weight in egg laying, whereas males use their winter reserves to increase their chance of sustaining body condition throughout their longer periods ashore during courtship.
The body mass gains and early egg laying also have the advantage of allowing little penguins to make multiple breeding attempts across the season in years of good food availability, or feed chicks longer in the event that conditions deteriorate during the breeding season.
For Dr Chiaradia the research is proof that size really matters in the penguin colony.
“Acquiring and maintaining a good body condition in the lead up to breeding is an effective strategy to meeting the energy demands associated with finding a partner and raising chicks,” he said.
Source
Podgy penguins make better breeders [media release], 21 January 2015, Phillip Island Nature Parks
Royal Society Open Science citation
Salton, M., Saraux, C., Dann, P., & Chiaradia A. (2015). Carry-over body mass effect from winter breeding to a resident seabird, the little penguin. R. Soc. Op. Sci. 2:140390. doi: 10.1098/rsos.140390.
Researchers at Phillip Island Nature Parks, Australia, in collaboration with scientists from the French Research Council, discovered the winter body mass of little penguins has a carry-over effect on timing of breeding and reproductive success during spring and summer.
“Little penguin parents that put on weight in winter, and were heavier than their mass before or after July, were more likely to lay their eggs early, and males were more likely to successfully breed,” André Chiaradia, research scientist at Phillip Island Nature Parks said.
The research team discovered that females invest their extra winter weight in egg laying, whereas males use their winter reserves to increase their chance of sustaining body condition throughout their longer periods ashore during courtship.
The body mass gains and early egg laying also have the advantage of allowing little penguins to make multiple breeding attempts across the season in years of good food availability, or feed chicks longer in the event that conditions deteriorate during the breeding season.
For Dr Chiaradia the research is proof that size really matters in the penguin colony.
“Acquiring and maintaining a good body condition in the lead up to breeding is an effective strategy to meeting the energy demands associated with finding a partner and raising chicks,” he said.
Source
Podgy penguins make better breeders [media release], 21 January 2015, Phillip Island Nature Parks
Royal Society Open Science citation
Salton, M., Saraux, C., Dann, P., & Chiaradia A. (2015). Carry-over body mass effect from winter breeding to a resident seabird, the little penguin. R. Soc. Op. Sci. 2:140390. doi: 10.1098/rsos.140390.
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