Emily Burt
McGill University
Ph.D. candidate
Supervisor: Mélanie Guigueno
Shawn Craik, Université Sainte-Anne; Rodger Titman, McGill University
Start: 2022-09-01
End: 2027-04-30
Ph.D. candidate
Supervisor: Mélanie Guigueno
Shawn Craik, Université Sainte-Anne; Rodger Titman, McGill University
Start: 2022-09-01
End: 2027-04-30
Project
Ecological, Social, and Evolutionary Factors that Promote Conspecific Brood Parasitism in the Red-breasted Merganser, Mergus serratorBroad questions in ecology and evolution can be addressed using study systems with alternative strategies, such as brood parasitism. Conspecific brood parasitism is a widespread alternative reproductive strategy in birds where a parasite will lay its eggs in the nest of a host of the same species to avoid parental care costs. These costs are transferred to the host, who may experience reduced hatching success and survival. The factors that promote conspecific brood parasitism are largely unresolved, and a female’s decision to parasitize likely depends on extrinsic and intrinsic constraints, such as nest site availability or body condition. Another hypothesis suggests that kin selection, where an organism promotes a relative’s reproductive success even at a cost to themselves, could facilitate host acceptance of parasitic eggs due to the indirect fitness benefits of having a relative reproduce. The objective of my doctoral thesis is to explore the ecological, social, and evolutionary factors that promote conspecific brood parasitism in a colonially breeding sea duck, the red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator). Using DNA samples to genotype individuals and analyze kinship, I will identify parasites and evaluate the genetic relationships between hosts and parasites. To assess female behaviour, I will use cameras to observe host-parasite interactions at the nest and match marked females observed on camera to their genotype. As conspecific brood parasitism can impact hatching success and host survival, this project will provide novel insights on a reproductive behaviour that can have management implications for population dynamics and will expand our knowledge on the evolutionary mechanisms behind alternative reproductive strategies.
