Neuroendocrine patterns underlying seasonal song and year-round territoriality in male black redstarts

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dc.contributor.authorVillavicencio, Camila P
dc.contributor.authorWindley, Harriet
dc.contributor.authorD’Amelio, Pietro B
dc.contributor.authorGahr, Manfred
dc.contributor.authorGoymann, Wolfgang
dc.contributor.authorQuispe, René
dc.date.accessioned2021-10-12T05:06:52Z
dc.date.available2021-10-12T05:06:52Z
dc.date.issued2021-02-24
dc.date.updated2021-02-28T04:18:34Z
dc.description.abstractBackground The connection between testosterone and territoriality in free-living songbirds has been well studied in a reproductive context, but less so outside the breeding season. To assess the effects of seasonal androgenic action on territorial behavior, we analyzed vocal and non-vocal territorial behavior in response to simulated territorial intrusions (STIs) during three life-cycle stages in free-living male black redstarts: breeding, molt and nonbreeding. Concurrently, we measured changes in circulating testosterone levels, as well as the mRNA expression of androgen and estrogen receptors and aromatase in the preoptic, hypothalamic and song control brain areas that are associated with social and vocal behaviors. Results Territorial behavior and estrogen receptor expression in hypothalamic areas did not differ between stages. But plasma testosterone was higher during breeding than during the other stages, similar to androgen receptor and aromatase expression in the preoptic area. The expression of androgen receptors in the song control nucleus HVC was lower during molt when birds do not sing or sing rarely, but similar between the breeding and the nonbreeding stage. Nevertheless, some song spectral features and the song repertoire differed between breeding and nonbreeding. Territorial behavior and song rate correlated with the expression of steroid receptors in hypothalamic areas, and in the song control nucleus lMAN. Conclusions Our results demonstrate seasonal modulation of song, circulating testosterone levels, and brain sensitivity to androgens, but a year-round persistency of territorial behavior and estrogen receptor expression in all life-cycle stages. This suggests that seasonal variations in circulating testosterone concentrations and brain sensitivity to androgens is widely uncoupled from territorial behavior and song activity but might still affect song pattern. Our study contributes to the understanding of the complex comparative neuroendocrinology of song birds in the wild.en_US
dc.identifier.apacitationVillavicencio, C. P., Windley, H., , Gahr, M., Goymann, W., & Quispe, R. (2021). Neuroendocrine patterns underlying seasonal song and year-round territoriality in male black redstarts. <i>Frontiers in Zoology</i>, 18(Article number: 8), http://hdl.handle.net/11427/35173en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationVillavicencio, Camila P, Harriet Windley, , Manfred Gahr, Wolfgang Goymann, and René Quispe "Neuroendocrine patterns underlying seasonal song and year-round territoriality in male black redstarts." <i>Frontiers in Zoology</i> 18, Article number: 8. (2021) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/35173en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationVillavicencio, C.P., Windley, H., , Gahr, M., Goymann, W. & Quispe, R. 2021. Neuroendocrine patterns underlying seasonal song and year-round territoriality in male black redstarts. <i>Frontiers in Zoology.</i> 18(Article number: 8) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/35173en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Villavicencio, Camila P AU - Windley, Harriet AU - D’Amelio, Pietro B AU - Gahr, Manfred AU - Goymann, Wolfgang AU - Quispe, René AB - Background The connection between testosterone and territoriality in free-living songbirds has been well studied in a reproductive context, but less so outside the breeding season. To assess the effects of seasonal androgenic action on territorial behavior, we analyzed vocal and non-vocal territorial behavior in response to simulated territorial intrusions (STIs) during three life-cycle stages in free-living male black redstarts: breeding, molt and nonbreeding. Concurrently, we measured changes in circulating testosterone levels, as well as the mRNA expression of androgen and estrogen receptors and aromatase in the preoptic, hypothalamic and song control brain areas that are associated with social and vocal behaviors. Results Territorial behavior and estrogen receptor expression in hypothalamic areas did not differ between stages. But plasma testosterone was higher during breeding than during the other stages, similar to androgen receptor and aromatase expression in the preoptic area. The expression of androgen receptors in the song control nucleus HVC was lower during molt when birds do not sing or sing rarely, but similar between the breeding and the nonbreeding stage. Nevertheless, some song spectral features and the song repertoire differed between breeding and nonbreeding. Territorial behavior and song rate correlated with the expression of steroid receptors in hypothalamic areas, and in the song control nucleus lMAN. Conclusions Our results demonstrate seasonal modulation of song, circulating testosterone levels, and brain sensitivity to androgens, but a year-round persistency of territorial behavior and estrogen receptor expression in all life-cycle stages. This suggests that seasonal variations in circulating testosterone concentrations and brain sensitivity to androgens is widely uncoupled from territorial behavior and song activity but might still affect song pattern. Our study contributes to the understanding of the complex comparative neuroendocrinology of song birds in the wild. DA - 2021-02-24 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town IS - Article number: 8 J1 - Frontiers in Zoology KW - Sexual hormones KW - Phoenicurus ochruros KW - Brain receptors KW - Hypothalamus KW - Song control system KW - Aggressive behavior KW - Seasonality KW - Individual variation KW - mRNA expression KW - In situ hybridization LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PY - 2021 T1 - Neuroendocrine patterns underlying seasonal song and year-round territoriality in male black redstarts TI - Neuroendocrine patterns underlying seasonal song and year-round territoriality in male black redstarts UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/35173 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-021-00389-x
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/35173
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationVillavicencio CP, Windley H, , Gahr M, Goymann W, Quispe R. Neuroendocrine patterns underlying seasonal song and year-round territoriality in male black redstarts. Frontiers in Zoology. 2021;18(Article number: 8) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/35173.en_ZA
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.language.rfc3066en
dc.publisher.departmentPercy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithologyen_US
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_US
dc.rights.holderThe Author(s)
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/en_US
dc.sourceFrontiers in Zoologyen_US
dc.source.journalissueArticle number: 8en_US
dc.source.journalvolume18en_US
dc.source.urihttps://frontiersinzoology.biomedcentral.com/
dc.subjectSexual hormonesen_US
dc.subjectPhoenicurus ochrurosen_US
dc.subjectBrain receptorsen_US
dc.subjectHypothalamusen_US
dc.subjectSong control systemen_US
dc.subjectAggressive behavioren_US
dc.subjectSeasonalityen_US
dc.subjectIndividual variationen_US
dc.subjectmRNA expressionen_US
dc.subjectIn situ hybridizationen_US
dc.titleNeuroendocrine patterns underlying seasonal song and year-round territoriality in male black redstartsen_US
dc.typeJournal Articleen_US
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