Experimental stress during molt suggests the evolution of condition-dependent and condition-independent ornaments in the king penguin
Résumé
Sexual selection and social selection are two important theories proposed for explaining
the evolution of colorful ornamental traits in animals. Understanding signal honesty
requires studying how environmental and physiological factors during
development influence the showy nature of sexual and social ornaments. We experimentally
manipulated physiological stress and immunity status during the molt in adult
king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus), and studied the consequences of our treatments
on colourful ornaments (yellow-orange and UV beak spots and yellow-orange
auricular feather patches) known to be used in sexual and social contexts in this species.
Whereas some ornamental features showed strong condition-dependence
(yellow auricular feather chroma, yellow and UV chroma of the beak), others were
condition-independent and remained highly correlated before and after the molt (auricular
patch size and beak UV hue). Our study provides a rare examination of the links
between ornament determinism and selection processes in the wild. We highlight the
coexistence of ornaments costly to produce that may be honest signals used in mate
choice, and ornaments for which honesty may be enforced by social mediation or rely
on genetic constraints.