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Environmental transmission of a personality trait: foster parent exploration behaviour predicts offspring exploration behaviour in zebra finches
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 15:46 authored by Wiebke SchuettWiebke Schuett, S R X Dall, A J Wilson, N J RoyleConsistent behavioural differences among individuals are common in many species and can have important effects on offspring fitness. To understand such ‘personality’ variation, it is important to determine the mode ofinheritance, but this has been quantified for only a few species. Here, we report results from a breeding experiment in captive zebra finches, Taeniopygia guttata, in which we cross-fostered offspring to disentangle the importance of genetic and nongenetic transmission of behaviour. Genetic and foster-parents’ exploratory type was measured in a novel environment pre-breeding and offspring exploratory type was assessed at adulthood. Offspring exploratory type was predicted by the exploratory behaviour of the foster but not the genetic parents, whereas offspring sizewas predicted by genetic but not foster-parents’ size. Other aspects of the social environment, such as rearing regime (uni- versus biparental), hatching position, brood size or an individual’s sex did not influence offspring exploration. Our results therefore indicate that non-genetic transmission of behaviour can play an important role in shaping animal personality variation.
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Published version
Journal
Biology LettersISSN
1744-9561Publisher
The Royal SocietyExternal DOI
Issue
4Volume
9Page range
20130120 1-6Department affiliated with
- Evolution, Behaviour and Environment Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2018-11-07First Open Access (FOA) Date
2018-11-07First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2018-11-07Usage metrics
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