Field investigations reveal genetic and physiological links to personality traits in yellow-rumped flycatchers, indicating notable sex differences.
Key Points
To investigate the associations between genetic polymorphisms, body condition, and personality traits in yellow-rumped flycatchers, focusing on sex differences.
Conducted field investigations during the 2020 breeding season at Zuojia Nature Reserve, northeast China.
Used stress tests to measure breathing rates as a proxy for personality.
Genotyped 10 highly polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci to analyze genetic diversity and individual heterozygosity.
Calculated body condition index (BCI) to assess physical condition in relation to personality.
Found significant associations between higher heterozygosity and lower breathing rates in female adults.
Observed an opposite trend in male nestlings where greater heterozygosity correlated with higher breathing rates.
No significant correlations found in male adults or male chicks.
BCI negatively correlated with breathing rates in female adults, indicating less fearfulness in those with better body condition.