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How helpers help: disentangling ecological confounds from the benefits of cooperative breeding.
- Source :
-
Journal of Animal Ecology . May2008, Vol. 77 Issue 3, p427-429. 3p. 1 Color Photograph. - Publication Year :
- 2008
-
Abstract
- Evolutionary explanations for helping in cooperative breeding systems usually require a positive effect of helping on the fitness of the breeders being assisted. However, such helper effects have proven surprisingly difficult to quantify. Cockburn et al. (this issue ) apply detailed statistical analyses to long-term field data on the enigmatic superb fairy-wren. They show that it is possible to disentangle the complex web of ecological and evolutionary interactions that confound so many studies. Whilst fairy-wren helpers may not increase nest productivity, they do increase future survival of breeding females. This study points the way for future statistical explorations of long-term data in other cooperative birds and mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00218790
- Volume :
- 77
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Animal Ecology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 31641937
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2656.2008.01391.x