@misc{10481/75193,
year = {2022},
month = {5},
url = {http://hdl.handle.net/10481/75193},
abstract = {Floaters constitute the sexually mature but non-breeding part of populations. Despite being ubiquitous in most species,
knowledge about floaters is scarce. Ignoring this significant number of individuals may strongly bias our understanding of
population dynamics and sexual selection processes. We used the spotless starling (Sturnus unicolor) to examine whether
phenotypical and non-phenotypical variables from early and adult life predict reproductive status, focusing on the earliest
age at which most individuals start to breed, when the percentage of floaters is the highest. We compiled data from a longterm
study involving eight female and seven male cohorts of individuals PIT-tagged at birth. We compared a suite of nestling
(condition, hatching date and brood size) and adult variables (condition, size and ornamentation) between floaters and breeders.
We found that adult and nestling body condition strongly and positively influenced the likelihood of breeding in males.
Path analysis revealed that male reproductive status could only be predicted by considering nestling body condition—the
influence of this variable superseded adult body condition. Female reproductive status was only negatively associated with
hatching date. Ornamentation was not associated with reproductive status in any of the sexes, although path analyses revealed
that body condition was positively associated with throat feather length. We conclude that predictors of reproductive status
are sex-specific in the spotless starling, suggesting an important role of body condition in access to breeding resources in
males. Our results also highlight the long-term influence of early life on life trajectories and their potential implications on
floating status.},
organization = {CRUECSIC agreement},
organization = {Springer Nature},
organization = {Spanish Government	CGL2017-83843-C2-1-P	
CGL2008-03501/BOS	
CGL2011-26318},
organization = {Spanish Ministry of Science and Universities (MCIN/AEI)	PGC2018-099596-B-I00},
organization = {Spanish Ministry of Science and Universities (ERDF A way of making Europe)	PGC2018-099596-B-I00},
publisher = {Springer},
keywords = {Floating},
keywords = {Starling},
keywords = {Reproductive status},
keywords = {Nonbreeders},
keywords = {Early conditions},
title = {Sexual differences in phenotypical predictors of floating status: body condition influences male but not female reproductive status in a wild passerine},
doi = {10.1007/s00442-022-05180-1},
author = {Redondo, Iralda and Muriel, Jaime},
}