Gadagkar, R. (2015) Referee Report For: Competition over guarding in the Arabian babbler (Turdoides squamiceps), a cooperative breeder [version 1; referees: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]. In: F1000Research, 4 (618).
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Abstract
The evolutionary origins and maintenance of altruism are indeed major unsolved problems in the study of animals and humans. Most people attempt to find ways in which altruistic behaviour, which is believed to be detrimental to the fitness of the actors, is nevertheless favoured by natural selection. Zahavi and his co-workers on the other hand, have consistently pursued the idea that so-called altruistic behaviour is actually beneficial to the actor. This is because the very fact that the altruist is willing (and capable) to undertake costly altruistic behaviour increases his prestige and therefore his access to mates. In this paper the authors attempt to provide support for their idea (often refereed to as the Handicap Principle), by showing that males of the Arabian babbler compete with each other to have the opportunity to undertake presumably costly, altruistic sentinel or guarding behaviour. Such a claim has been made by this group before but has been criticised by others who were either unable to find such pattern in sentinel behaviour of this species or argued that the observed pattern can be explained by other means. It may be very hard to conclusively demonstrate that males do or do not compete to perform sentinel behaviour or that all other explanations have been ruled out. The best way therefore to test the Handicap Principle in this case is to measure the actual costs and benefits of sentinel behaviour. This has not yet been done and is perhaps hard to do. Thus until such costs and benefits can be measured, we continue to rely on understanding and explaining the patterns of sentinel behaviour. In such a situation, wide acceptance of the Handicap Principle will necessarily depend on other researchers finding evidence in support of it. More research, more data and reiteration by the same authors and their associates are unlikely to be sufficient.
| Item Type: | Journal Article |
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| Publication: | F1000Research |
| Publisher: | F1000 Research Ltd. |
| Keywords: | Competition, Guarding, Arabian babbler, Turdoides squamiceps, Cooperative breeder, altruism, allofeeding, dominance, fitness, handicap, prestige, sentinel, signal |
| Department/Centre: | Division of Biological Sciences > Centre for Ecological Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 23 Mar 2021 09:30 |
| Last Modified: | 23 Mar 2021 09:30 |
| URI: | http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/68332 |
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