Møller A P
Laboratoire d'Ecologie, CNRS UMR 7625, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France.
Proc Biol Sci. 2001 Jan 22;268(1463):203-6. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2000.1351.
The behaviour of long-distance migratory birds is assumed to partly be under the influence of genes, as demonstrated by selection experiments. Furthermore, competition for early arrival among males may lead to condition-dependent migration associated with fitness benefits of early arrival achieved by individuals in prime condition. Here I present field data on the repeatability and the heritability of arrival date in a trans-equatorial migratory bird, the barn swallow Hirundo rustica, and I test for a genetic correlation between arrival date and the expression of a condition-dependent secondary sexual character. The repeatability was statistically significant and the heritability of arrival date was estimated to be 0.54 (s.e. = 0.15). There was no significant evidence of this estimate being inflated by environmental or maternal condition during rearing. Arrival date and migration are condition dependent in the barn swallow, with males with the most exaggerated secondary sexual characters also arriving the earliest. There was a significant genetic correlation between arrival date and tail length in male barn swallows, providing indirect evidence for a genetic basis of this condition dependence. Given the high level of heritability, arrival date could readily respond to selection caused by environmental change.
正如选择实验所表明的那样，远距离候鸟的行为被认为部分受基因影响。此外，雄性之间对早到的竞争可能导致与处于最佳状态的个体早到所带来的适应性益处相关的条件依赖性迁徙。在此，我展示了关于一种跨赤道候鸟家燕（Hirundo rustica）到达日期的重复性和遗传力的实地数据，并测试了到达日期与一种条件依赖性第二性征表达之间的遗传相关性。重复性具有统计学意义，到达日期的遗传力估计为0.54（标准误 = 0.15）。没有显著证据表明这一估计因饲养期间的环境或母体条件而被夸大。家燕的到达日期和迁徙取决于条件，具有最夸张第二性征的雄性也最早到达。雄性家燕的到达日期与尾长之间存在显著的遗传相关性，为这种条件依赖性的遗传基础提供了间接证据。鉴于遗传力水平较高，到达日期很容易对环境变化引起的选择做出反应。
