Toni Mingozzi

Extrapair paternity as a cost of polygyny in the rock sparrow: behavioural and genetic evidence of the ‘trade-off’ hypothesis

We studied the association between extrapair paternity (EPP) rate and male mating status in the rock sparrow, Petronia petronia, a facultative polygynous species. Overall, 32.0% (58/181) of the chicks were not sired by the social father and 57.1% (24/42) of the broods contained at least one extrapair young. Polygynous males allocated less time to guarding their mate during her fertile period than monogamous males but did not differ in the time spent guarding their nest. Polygynous males were cuckolded more frequently than monogamous males (50.5 and 6.6% of the young, respectively) and their paternity loss was positively correlated with the degree of overlap between the fertile periods of their primary and secondary females. Paternity loss did not differ between primary and secondary broods of polygynous males and acquiring a second mate was possible only at the expense of paternity in both broods. Late broods contained fewer extrapair young, despite no significant seasonal trend in the time allocated by the male to guarding his mate. Male yellow badge size was not associated with paternity. Old males were cuckolded less frequently than first-year males, but male age had a minor effect on paternity compared with male mating status. Reproductive success (number of young fledged/year) did not differ between monogamous and polygynous males once paternity was accounted for. Together, these results suggest that mate guarding can be efficient in preventing cuckoldry, and that there is a trade-off between attracting an additional mate and protecting paternity in the rock sparrow, whereas male age and phenotype were, at best, fair predictors of paternity.  2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour

Mating strategies in the Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia: the role of female quality

We investigated the breeding phenology and breeding output in relation to female breeding status in the polygamous Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia). The proportion of polygamous males was around 0.38 though it varied over the study periods. We selected 169 clutches of which the pairs breeding status was known. Within these clutches, we compared the breeding biology of females that mate monogamously, females that started breeding early with a polygamous male (primary females) and late breeding females that chose an already mated male (secondary females). Secondary females produced significantly fewer fledglings than monogamous females and females who started breeding early in a polygamous system. Our results showed that primary females and females mated with a monogamous male were heavier than secondary females. No age effect was detected. Overall, our results indicate that a females decision to mate monogamously or late in a polygamous systems was probably not independent of her phenotype (body condition).

Stipa austroitalica garigues and mountain pastureland in the Pollino National Park (Calabria, Southern Italy)

As part of a LIFE-Nature project promoted by the Pollino National Park, the semi-open mountain pastureland of the Pollino karstic massif has been studied. The most important habitats in terms of nature conservation have been found at lower altitudes in the Stipa austroitalica garigues, that are composed of a very complex mosaic of successional habitats ranging from open grassland to more or less mature forest. Cattle grazing and burning seem to be the most effective rejuvenation factors and both are helpful in maintaining high biodiversity levels in birds (many lark species), butterflies and Carabid beetles (some quantitative data are presented for invertebrates). Vegetation features, relationships with land use and possible management in relation to faunal conservation are discussed.

Autumn Migration of Common Cranes Grus grus Through the Italian Peninsula: New Vs. Historical Flyways and Their Meteorological Correlates

Abstract Since the 1990s, Common Cranes migrating in autumn through Italy have increased significantly both in number and in flock size. In the present study we provided a countrywide profile of autumn crane migration across Italy between 2001 and 2007 (486 records). To investigate the association of climatic characteristics with temporal and spatial migration patterns, we used weather data and climate anomalies over 60 years (1948–2007; NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis Project database). Autumn migration showed different phenological patterns along two main migratory routes: 1) a Southern Italy route and 2) a Northern Italy route. The Southern route, across the lower Adriatic Sea was only partially described before, and more inferred than documented, whereas the Northern route, across the Po River plain, resulted as a new flyway, never described before. Crane migrations along the Northern route occurred 7 to 14 days earlier than along the Southern one. Along both routes, we detected mass migration events concurring with particular weather conditions: the use of Southern route was associated with southward winds in the Balkans, the records along Northern route with high pressure and favourable westward winds in Central Europe and in the main stop-over site (Hortobágy) of likely origin. In the last 60 years, the occurrence of the latter weather configurations has slightly, but consistently, increased, suggesting that the Northern route may have recently established as an alternative route for the cranes migrating from Eastern Europe, joining the two traditional continental routes (the West-European, and the Baltic-Hungarian).

Polymorphism in Mitochondrial Coding Regions of Mediterranean Loggerhead Turtles: Evolutionary Relevance and Structural Effects

We sequenced coding portions (1.6 kb) of the mtDNA in 170 loggerhead (Caretta caretta) turtles sampled in the central Mediterranean. The sequences spanned the entire ND1 and ND3 genes, the tRNAGly and tRNAArg, plus the 3′ and 5′ termini of COXIII and ND4L genes, respectively. Based on our sequencing results and published complete mitogenomes, we constructed a maximum parsimony phylogeny of C. caretta matrilines that sheds new light on the evolutionary relationships within the collection of lineages found in the Mediterranean and so far recognized by D-loop haplotypes only. We show that the new variants are useful to understand the ancestry of extant haplotypes, to improve genetically based studies on the philopatry and migratory behavior of the species, and for conservation purposes. In order to better understand the biological significance of the observed variation, we addressed intraspecific nonsynonymous substitutions in the context of the three-dimensional modeled structures of ND1 and ND3. The positions of variant amino acids within the folded subunits are consistent with a coadaptation with the restructuring of membrane thickness, fluidity, and lipid composition, a well-known response mechanism to thermal conditions. The pattern of amino acid substitutions departs from neutrality, suggesting local adaptation and/or polymorphism-based local selection.