Life-history evolution and cooperative breeding in the sociable weaver

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dc.contributor.advisorDu Plessis, Mornéen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorCovas-Monteiro, Ritaen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2014-09-08T09:47:05Z
dc.date.available2014-09-08T09:47:05Z
dc.date.issued2002en_ZA
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractWhen compared to northern temperate counterparts, birds in the tropics and Southern Hemisphere regions, are characterised by low fecundity, long developmental periods and high Survival. This pattern has been attributed to hypotheses relating to food limitation, nest predation, and reduced seasonality leading to high adult survival. Still, to date few studies have investigated this issue. In particular, detailed studies from southern regions are scarce and as a result our understanding of this question remains weak. Another characteristic of 'southern' birds is a higher frequency of cooperatively-breeding species. It has previously been shown that cooperative breeding is most frequent amongst species with high survival and low fecundity. An explanation for this could be that long occupancy of territories by long-lived breeders leads to reduced opportunities of independent breeding by young birds. However, the biology of some species is such, that they do not experience shortage of breeding territories or other constraints, while still showing delayed dispersal and cooperative breeding. This study investigates what factors drive life-history evolution in a cooperatively breeding southern African passerine, the sociable weaver Philetairus socius. This species departs from the traditional cooperative breeding model in being a non-territorial colonial nester that inhabits an unpredictable semi-arid environment. Sociable weavers face no obvious constraints on independent reproduction, yet cooperative breeding is common. Therefore, I also aimed at determining what factors prompt delayed reproduction in this species, since this life history trait is the first step leading to cooperative breeding.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationCovas-Monteiro, R. (2002). <i>Life-history evolution and cooperative breeding in the sociable weaver</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6944en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationCovas-Monteiro, Rita. <i>"Life-history evolution and cooperative breeding in the sociable weaver."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6944en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationCovas-Monteiro, R. 2002. Life-history evolution and cooperative breeding in the sociable weaver. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Covas-Monteiro, Rita AB - When compared to northern temperate counterparts, birds in the tropics and Southern Hemisphere regions, are characterised by low fecundity, long developmental periods and high Survival. This pattern has been attributed to hypotheses relating to food limitation, nest predation, and reduced seasonality leading to high adult survival. Still, to date few studies have investigated this issue. In particular, detailed studies from southern regions are scarce and as a result our understanding of this question remains weak. Another characteristic of 'southern' birds is a higher frequency of cooperatively-breeding species. It has previously been shown that cooperative breeding is most frequent amongst species with high survival and low fecundity. An explanation for this could be that long occupancy of territories by long-lived breeders leads to reduced opportunities of independent breeding by young birds. However, the biology of some species is such, that they do not experience shortage of breeding territories or other constraints, while still showing delayed dispersal and cooperative breeding. This study investigates what factors drive life-history evolution in a cooperatively breeding southern African passerine, the sociable weaver Philetairus socius. This species departs from the traditional cooperative breeding model in being a non-territorial colonial nester that inhabits an unpredictable semi-arid environment. Sociable weavers face no obvious constraints on independent reproduction, yet cooperative breeding is common. Therefore, I also aimed at determining what factors prompt delayed reproduction in this species, since this life history trait is the first step leading to cooperative breeding. DA - 2002 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2002 T1 - Life-history evolution and cooperative breeding in the sociable weaver TI - Life-history evolution and cooperative breeding in the sociable weaver UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6944 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/6944
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationCovas-Monteiro R. Life-history evolution and cooperative breeding in the sociable weaver. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, 2002 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6944en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentPercy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithologyen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherZoologyen_ZA
dc.titleLife-history evolution and cooperative breeding in the sociable weaveren_ZA
dc.typeDoctoral Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelDoctoral
dc.type.qualificationnamePhDen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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