A Bolt on Year in Sustainability Studies
Dr Colin RA Hewitt
Discovery-led and Discovery-enabling
Learning Strategy - 2016 - 2020
Our commitments
Transformative teaching and learning
We will ensure that every student has an opportunity to engage in
a professionalising and transforming experience in a work
placement or an internship, as a volunteer, an ambassador or a
mentor.
Our priorities, 2016-2020
Transformative teaching and learning will be
delivered by:
Building internationalisation and sustainability
into the curriculum and student experience
Our commitments
Offering a vibrant, successful academic portfolio
We will develop a distinctively flexible, exciting curriculum, so that
students have opportunities to balance disciplinary depth and
interdisciplinary breadth…
School of Biological Sciences
Department of Geography
Centre for Interdisciplinary Science
Environmental Sustainability Strategy
To promote and raise awareness of teaching and
learning that provides students and staff with relevant
sustainability literacy.
What is it?
• A zero-credit year/module between the 2nd and 3rd year of any
degree
• A year coherent with the core programme
• Setting:
Industrial
Institute or university
EAA through the Erasmus Exchange Scheme
Any other location worldwide or in the UK
• Awarded on a pass/fail basis
“…With a Year in Sustainability Studies”
Aim
To give students experience of laboratory or qualitative research
in the context of sustainable solutions to a global problems
Subject-specific learning outcomes:
• Explain the responsibilities of the individual and corporate
interests within a global community
• Describe contributions that differing disciplines can provide in
seeking sustainable solutions to global problems
• Demonstrate how integration of diverse disciplines
offer insight and practical suggestions for
collaborative actions towards sustainable
development
• Reflect on the key findings of laboratory or
qualitative research in the contest of sustainability
“…With a Year in Sustainability Studies”
Non-subject-specific learning outcomes:
• Demonstrate the capacity to work on a sustainability-related
project for > 9 months in an industrial setting, research institute
or external university research
• Test an hypothesis by appropriate experimental techniques
• Conduct experimental procedures and demonstrate good
laboratory practice AND/OR conduct qualitative or quantitative
research
• Analyse and present experimental data in writing
• Locate appropriate literature sources and interpret
their findings in relation to other work in the subject
• Produce a well written and presented report
Three Phases
Can be taken in an industrial, institute or university setting in the
EAA through the Erasmus Exchange Scheme, at any other
location worldwide or in the UK.
Phase 1
• Sustainable Futures online programme
• Taken early in Semester 1
• Introduction to Sustainable Development
• One Earth
• Energy and Climate
• Feeding the World
• Are we doomed?
• (Yes, almost certainly)
• Must pass (40%) to be awarded “…with a year
in sustainability” award
Three Phases
Phase 2
• Experimental/analytical research project
• Field-based
• Laboratory-based
• Qualitative
• Clearly related to sustainability and core degree
Three Phases
Phase 2
Indicative projects for Biological and Natural Sciences
students
• Genetically engineered crops and animals
• Microbial bioremediation of pollutants
• Biochemistry: bioenergy and biophotovoltaics
• Biosensors and pollution monitoring
• Sustainable biotechnology
• Sustainable fisheries - molecular approaches to traceability
• Microbiome barcoding and traceability
• Molecular markers in sustainable forestry
• Conservation genetics
Three Phases
Phase 2
Indicative projects for Human Geography students
• Social movements for sustainability
• Justice in sustainability
• Economic alternatives to development
• Degrowth
• New understandings of prosperity
• Diverse knowledges of environmental value
• Corporate social responsibility
Three Phases
Phase 3
Final Assessment
• Research project report in the style of a scientific or
critical review paper
• Commentary on the sustainability context of the research
project
• Discussion of the environmental social and economic
aspects of the subject and the potential impact of the
research project
• Must pass (40%) to be awarded “…with a year
in sustainability” award
Programme Approval
Business and Academic cases
• Both written
• Needs approval at UPMG and in both colleges
Up for discussion
• CSE have proposed a standard format and support for
student industrial placements
• This includes
• An employability module
• Issues of governance
• Learning logs
• Monitoring & support
• If approved, the CMBSP would hope to join that
programme with adaptations as appropriate
Why Study Tropical Birds?
• Most tropical passerines – little or no EPF
• Why?
• Asynchronous or synchronous breeding
• As nesting synchrony increases, so does EPF
Cercomacroides tyrannina (F)
• Most tropical birds nest asynchronously
Cercomacroides tyrannina (M)
• Studies of temperate zone birds have
traditionally provided data to model
generalities
• ‘Tropical birds are just species oddities’.
• Temperate zone bias
Temperate zone bias
• Why are temperate zone species thought to be typical?
• Where is the greatest diversity of avian species?
• Should we reverse questions about avian behaviour and physiology?
• Why do temperate birds lay so many eggs?
• Why do 90% of temperate species only defend territories when
breeding whilst 87% of tropical species defend territories all year round
Biodiversity.org
Climate – an abiotic selection factor
Tropical/subtropical zone
http://www.all-creatures.org/hope/gw/biome_map_trop_savanna.jpg
http://www.all-creatures.org/hope/gw/biome_map_temp_forests.jpg
Temperate zone
Impact of abiotic factors on biotic factors
Suits synchronous breeding
Suits asynchronous breeding
Simmon R and Allen J, http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/AmazonEVI/
Breeding season synchrony
50
Mangrove Swallow (Tachycineta Albilinea)
%Clutch initiations
%Clutch initiations
Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrina)
40
30
20
10
0
40
30
20
10
0
White-fronted Bee-eater, (Merops bullokoides)
40
50
%Nesting
%Clutch initiations
Rufous-collared sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis)
20
0
40
30
20
10
0
J F
M A M J
J
A S O N D
J F
M A M J
J
A S O N D
Selection factors
• Temperate
– Major selection factor is abiotic - climate
– Synchronous breeding season of two to three months
• Tropical
– Major selection factors are biotic – food availability and predation
– Biotic selection shapes biodiversity, behaviour and morphology to a
greater extent than in temperate zones e.g., broadly..
• Frugivorous species breed in dry season
• Insectivorous species breed in the wet season
– Asynchronous breeding season four to eight months
Habitat disruption
• Biotic factors heavily impacted by disruption to habitat
– 15 million ha of tropical forest is cut per year (Wales is 2 million ha)
– Evolutionary history is being lost
– Conservation
Rondônia1975
Rondônia 2009
Selection factors, biodiversity and latitude
Accipitridae
Troglodytidae
(Hawks and Kites)
(Wrens)
Rupornis magnirostris
Troglodytes aedon
Tyrannidae
(Tyrant
Flycatchers)
Tyrannus savana
Formicariidae
(Antbirds)
Formicarius colma
Number of genera in each family
6
8
22
1
4
7
5
5
31
0
0
9
22
9
49
23
23
9
79
34
80% of all passerine species breed in tropical regions
High levels of adaptation to be expected
Behavioural adaptations
• Breeding
• Territoriality
• Food abundance
• Not independent variables
Breeding Extra-Pair Fertilisations
• Individual socially
monogamous birds commonly
participate in extra-pair
copulations (EPC) that lead to
extra-pair offspring (EPO)
• EPF strategically similar with
leks
– Males provide an opportunity
for females to assess a wide
range of males for selection
of the best possible traits
– Increase chances of males
encountering females
– Outcome is that all
fertilisations are extra-pair
Extra-Pair Fertilisations
• Neither random nor opportunistic – strategic
– Covert visits to neighbouring territories
– Female advertisement of fertility
– Intense example of sperm competition
• Reflected by testis size
Stuchbury and Morton 1995 Behaviour 132. 675-690
What’s in it for males?
• Sire more offspring without cost of care
• EPF and uncertain paternity imply that a male’s EPO will be spread
across several neighbouring nests
Could focus the safety and productivity on the neighbourhood rather
using all resources on their own social nest?
• Is there a self-interest to ‘cooperate’ with other males and redirect
paternal investment from care provided at their own nest towards
neighbourhood roles?
• Could sustain public good among unrelated males in large groups be
a mechanism of the evolution of ‘cooperation’?
• (Note that this is different from ‘‘cooperative breeding”)
• Risk that an individual, who would be better off exploiting the public
good, leaves others to pay the cooperative investment
What’s in it for females?
• Females actively seek EPFs – likely to be beneficial – but how??
• Risk of social mate withdrawing parental care if share of paternity
becomes too low
• Benefits of a cooperative neighbourhood may outweigh the risk of
lost care from her social mate?
• Females may seek EPC to ensure fertilization of their eggs consistent with a fertility-insurance hypothesis, obtain more nuptial
gifts or recruit increased paternal care at her nest
Genetic-benefit hypotheses of extra-pair
mating
• Genetic quality of EPO improved by EPF with males of higher
quality/more compatible genetics than their social partner
• Predicts EPO genetically/phenotypically superior than within- pair
offspring (WPO)
• Compare features of EPO and WPO from the same nest – only
father different
• EPO found to be more fit than WPO w.r.t growth rate, fledging mass,
size, or condition, survival to fledging, immune function and
recruitment to the local breeding population in subsequent years
• Non-genetic explanations?
• Maternal effects?
Testosterone fluctuation – an EPF-related
adaptation?
• Temperate zone socially monogamous species
– Testosterone high during territory establishment and pair formation
– Testis size increases dramatically before breeding
– Testosterone drops once males start feeding young,
• Temperate zone polygynous species
– Lower male parental care - persistent mate attraction across a season
– Testosterone remains high – maintains attraction and EPF success
• Tropical zone species
– Low testosterone all year
– Small testes
• High testosterone not required for territoriality and mate attraction
• Is high testosterone in temperate zone species is an adaptation to
compete for mates and EPF during synchronous nesting?
Proximate cues for breeding
http://www.gaisma.com/en/
– Long-term cues - photoperiod governs
hormonal (LH & T) and gonadal changes
between reproductive inactivity/activity
– Short-term cues - temperature, food, nest
site availability lead to reproductive events
Hour
• Proximate factors that stimulate endocrine
pathways to gonadal development
In temperate species
Leicester
Month
• In tropical species
Hour
– Twelve hr to 12 hr 17 min sufficient to
stimulate gonadal growth - not accompanied
by changes in LH & T.
– Humidity and water availability
Panamá
Month
Hau et al., (1998) Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 265, 89-95
Why no EPF in tropical species?
• EPF is the norm in socially monogamous,
temperate passerines
• Tropical species: Clay Coloured Thrush
Turdus grayi – extensive EPF
• Most tropical passerines Dusky Antbird
Cercomacroides tyrannina – little EPF
Turdus grayi
• Why?
• A role for synchronous or synchronous
breeding
• Most tropical birds nest asynchronously
Cercomacroides
tyrannina (F)
Cercomacroides
tyrannina (M)
Why no EPF in tropical species?
• As nesting synchrony increases, so does EPF
• How can EPF be of benefit if the genetic-benefit hypothesis is
correct?
Stuchbury and Morton 1995 Behaviour 132. 675-690
Is there a genetic contribution to the superior
performance of EPO?
• EPO are larger and heavier and
more likely to fledge than within
pair offspring (WPO)
• Study of relationship between
paternity and laying order in
Blue Tits, Cyanistes caeruleus,
• Large clutches
• EPO typically occur in over
40% of broods
• Clutches hatch asynchronously
over several days - size and
mortality hierarchies
Maggrath (2009) Current Biology 19, p792–797
Laying order and hatch asynchrony
Proportion of EPO
Survival probability
Relative laying order
Body mass
Tarsus length
Hatch time (hr)
Hatch time (hr)
• Appears that EPO hatch earlier than WPO
• EPF more common in first half of clutch (Why?)
• Is development of EPO advanced compared with WPO?
Maggrath (2009) Current Biology 19, p792–797
Wing length
Difference between EPO
hatch and WPO hatch (hr)
EPO hatch
after WPO in clutches
with greater synchrony
Hatching asynchrony (hr)
% Difference between EPO and WPO
Doubts about evidence for the geneticbenefit hypotheses of EPF
EPO hatch
before WPO in clutches
with greater asynchrony
Maggrath (2009) Current Biology 19, p792–797
Survival Wing Tarsus Body
mass
Offspring trait
Doubts about evidence for the geneticbenefit hypotheses of EPF
• Add to doubts about the strength of evidence for the genetic-benefit
hypotheses of EPF
• Why don’t tropical birds engage in EPF?
– Is there a role for territories?
– …a role for clutch size?
– …a role for food availability?
Territories
• Temperate zone
– Often migrate to small territory
– Territory establishment by male - defence essential to prevent EPF
– Song coincides with territoriality, mate attraction and threat of EPF
• Tropical zone
–
–
–
–
–
–
Year-round residents holding large, stable territories
High adult longevity and pairing
Very low territory turnover
Few opportunities to choose mates
Defence is for real estate – not against EPF
Song used to defend territory, not to attract mates (when paired) or
prevent EPF
– Primed, however, to attract mates…e.g. Cercomacroides tyrannina
Experimental removal of Cercomacroides
tyrannina from territory
Cercomacroides tyrannina
(F)
Males replaced (n = 9, circles)
Females replaced (n = 5, squares)
Morton et al. Behavioural Ecology 2000;11:648-653
Cercomacroides
tyrannina (M)
Clutch size and latitude
• Lack’s hypothesis (1947) suggested clutch size determined by food
abundance during the breeding period
– Northern species have large clutches because photoperiod is longer
than those in the tropics.
• Life-history theory - high seasonality leads to high adult mortality
– high investment in reproduction and large clutch sizes because survival
to next breeding season is low
• Ashmole suggested that high adult mortality reduces population
density and increases per-individual resource availability in the
breeding season
– Allows temperate birds to nourish large clutches
Clutch size
Fewest species – breed in
higher latitude, temperate zones
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.0060303.g001
Clutch size and latitude
• Precocial vs altricial – mobility of offspring – less intensive parenting
• Latitude - captures global environmental variation
• Energy availability more seasonal and reduced at higher latitudes
• Clutch sizes smallest in species with most aseasonal environments –
clutch size increases linearly with temperature seasonality
Clutch size
http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.0060303
For you to consider…..
Is there a link between clutch size, and EPF and is this
impacted upon by abiotic or biotic selection factors?
• How might clutch size may be related to the need for EPF in
temperate species?
• If you lay a dozen eggs, why might it be advantageous to engage in
EPF?
• If you lay one egg why might you remain with your social mate and
avoid EPF?
Temperate species – breeding and food
availability
• Lack’s Food Availability Hypothesis 1954
Birds should breed when the most food is
available for raising young
Winter moth caterpillar
(Operophtera brumata)
Great tit
(Parus major)
Van Noordwijket al.,Journal of Animal Ecology, Vol. 64, No. 4 (Jul., 1995), pp. 451-458
Food availability hypothesis in a temperate
species – Parus major
• Highest energy demand for birds starts ~30 days after laying of the
first egg (9 days of egg laying+ 14 days of incubation, 7 days of
nestling growth)
• 30 days post-1st egg must coincide with peak caterpillar availability
• Birds will be too late in warm years - caterpillars develop quickly
Too early in cold years - caterpillar development - slow
• Once clutch is laid and incubation started, birds can do nothing to
match development of eggs with caterpillars
(May be able to mitigate effects before incubation)
• ‘Wrong timing index’ = (caterpillar
half-fall date) minus (1st egg date)
minus (30)
• Correlates with mean temperature
30 days after laying when energy
demand peaks
• Wrong timing not explained by the
seasonal increase in temperature.
• Compatible with birds being less
flexible in laying than caterpillars in
developing
Wrong timing index
Biotic selection in temperate zone – abiotic
impact of climate
Birds laid early/caterpillars
dropped late
Birds laid
late/Caterpillars
dropped early
Mean temperature 30 days after laying °C
• Reproductive success not
measured
Van Noordwijket al.,Journal of Animal Ecology, Vol. 64, No. 4 (Jul., 1995), pp. 451-458
20
30
15
20
10
10
5
0
5
%Breeding
60
J
F
M A
M
J
J
A
S
200
?
?
40
250
200
20
150
0
100
D
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
%Clutches
?
200
20
150
10
100
0
50
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
White-collared Manakin
(Manacus candei)
O N
30
D
Long-tailed Hermit
(Phaethornis Superciliosus)
O N
Fruit abundance
D
O N
Arthropod abundance
%Nesting
40
Flower abundance
Food availability and breeding
inconsistencies?
Tropical House Wren
(Troglodytes aedon)
Food availability and individual fitness
• La Selva, Costa Rica
%Breeding
60
200
Arthropods
250
40
200
20
150
0
100
D
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
Fruit abundance
– “…insects appear to be most plentiful at La Selva in February-April…
which is when Manakin breeding activity starts.”
White-collared Manakin
(Manacus candei)
O N
• Fruit is low in protein, nestlings are dependent on high-protein
insect food. Breeding therefore coincides with peak arthropod
abundance, not adult food availability.
Levey D (1988) Ecological Monographs, Vol. 58, 251-269a
Food availability and individual fitness
• Tropical species lay low numbers of eggs
%Clutches
Dispersal
30
200
20
150
10
100
0
50
D
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O N
Arthropod abundance
• Vacant breeding territories are scarce
Tropical House Wren
(Troglodytes aedon)
• Reproductive success limited by survival and dispersal of fledglings
rather than ability to feed a large brood of nestlings
• Fledglings remain on parents’ territory for several months
• Post-juvenile moult
Post-Juvenile moult
• A complete moult requires synthesis of one-quarter of total body protein
in the form of feathers and other epidermal structures
• High demand on energy and nutrients, especially protein
Food availability, moult and dispersal
• Post-juvenile and adult moult
– High demand on energy and nutrients, especially protein
30
200
20
150
10
100
50
0
D
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
Arthropod abundance
%Nesting
Moult
Tropical House Wren
(Troglodytes aedon)
N
• Reproduction timed to facilitate post-breeding activities, not activities
associated with nesting itself
Young B, (1994) The Condor 96:341-353
Reproductive success – controlled by
genetic or environmental factors?
• Seychelles Warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis)
–
–
–
–
Lays a single egg per nesting attempt
Endemic of the Seychelles islands
No predators of adults
Very stable territories
Birds
Aride
Cousin
Cousine
All pairs on Cousin studied for 2yr pre –translocation
Pairs translocated to Aride and Cousine
Controls left on Cousin
Praslin
Food abundance
Aride
+++++ 3.4x
Cousine +++
1.8x
Cousin +
1x
Seasonal pattern identical
Komdeur JA (1996) J. Biol. Rhythms 11: 333-350
Reproductive success – controlled by
genetic or environmental factors?
• Territories with nesting attempts following translocation
– Aride
– Cousine
– Cousin
6.1x
2.9x
1x
(Food 3.4x)
(Food 1.8x)
(Food 1x)
• All other variables shown not to be significant
% territories with
nesting attempts
Cousin
Aride
1986
1987
1988
Komdeur JA (1996) J. Biol. Rhythms 11: 333-350
Cousine
1989
1990
1991
Link between reproductive success and food
abundance
• Seychelles Warblers (Acrocephalus sechellensis)
– Highest reproductive success when nests begun
two months before peak food abundance (on Cousin)
– “Differences [in] reproductive timing and success
by warblers on the… islands are due not to genetic
differences but entirely to… environmental conditions.”
Aride
Clutches per nest
Building attempt (%)
Cousin
-7 -6 - 5 -4 - 3 - 2 -1 0 +1+2 +3 +4
Month
Komdeur JA (1996) J. Biol. Rhythms 11: 333-350
-7 -6 - 5 -4 - 3 - 2 -1 0 +1+2 +3 +4
Month
Summary
Picture credits
Michael Woodruff https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cercomacra_tyrannina_(female)_NW_Ecuador-8
Hector Bottai https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Cercomacra_tyrannina__Dusky_Antbird_%28male%29.JPG
Greg Gilbert https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/Turdus_grayi_Garita%2C_Alajuela%2C_Costa_Rica-8.jpg
Dario Sanches https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buteo_magnirostris.jpg
Calibas https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:House-wren.jpg
Reynaldo https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tesourinha_REFON.JPG
Dario Sanches https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Formicarius_colma_Vale_do_Ribeira,_Registro,_Sao_Paulo,_Brazil-8_(1).jpg
Dario Sanches https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufous-collared_sparrow#/media/File:TICOTICO_(Zonotrichia_capensis_)_(2195772708).jpg
Janet and Phil https://www.flickr.com/photos/dharma_for_one/7168698198/in/photostream/
Aat Bender http://www.pbase.com/aatbender/image/108984982
Robert Gallardo http://chandra.as.utexas.edu/hondurasbirds.html
Waldemar Reczydło http://www.birdwatching.pl/galeria/ostatnio-dodane/zdjecie/32936
Anne Tanne https://www.flickr.com/photos/annetanne/4621971435
Patrick Yates https://www.flickr.com/photos/billoddie3/22046336803
Terjee Kolaas https://www.flickr.com/photos/69629061@N08/6325206397/
Magnus Manske https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blue_Tit_(5333869204).jpg