Elevated glucocorticoid concentrations during gestation predict reduced reproductive success in subordinate female banded mongooses.
Dominant females in social species have been hypothesized to reduce the reproductive success of their subordinates by inducing elevated circulating glucocorticoid (GC) concentrations. However, this 'stress-related suppression' hypothesis has received little support in cooperatively breeding species, despite evident reproductive skews among females. We tested this hypothesis in the banded mongoose (Mungos mungo), a cooperative mammal in which multiple females conceive and carry to term in each communal breeding attempt. As predicted, lower ranked females had lower reproductive success, even among females that carried to term. While there were no rank-related differences in faecal glucocorticoid (fGC) concentrations prior to gestation or in the first trimester, lower ranked females had significantly higher fGC concentrations than higher ranked females in the second and third trimesters. Finally, females with higher fGC concentrations during the third trimester lost a greater proportion of their gestated young prior to their emergence from the burrow. Together, our results are consistent with a role for rank-related maternal stress in generating reproductive skew among females in this cooperative breeder. While studies of reproductive skew frequently consider the possibility that rank-related stress reduces the conception rates of subordinates, our findings highlight the possibility of detrimental effects on reproductive outcomes even after pregnancies have become established.
Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter (Penryn Campus), Penryn TR10 9FE, UK.
J L
JL
Sanderson
School of Natural Science and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK.
H J
HJ
Nichols
Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter (Penryn Campus), Penryn TR10 9FE, UK.
H H
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2120-243X
HH
Marshall
Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter (Penryn Campus), Penryn TR10 9FE, UK.
E I K
EI
Vitikainen
Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter (Penryn Campus), Penryn TR10 9FE, UK.
F J
FJ
Thompson
Chester Zoo Wildlife Endocrinology Laboratory, Caughall Road, Upton-by-Chester, Chester CH2 1LH, UK.
S L
SL
Walker
Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter (Penryn Campus), Penryn TR10 9FE, UK m.a.cant@exeter.ac.uk.
M A
MA
Cant
Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter (Penryn Campus), Penryn TR10 9FE, UK.
A J
AJ
Young
D000818:Animals; D004291:Dominance-Subordination; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000032:analysis*; D008988:Herpestidae / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000378:metabolism*; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D014454:Uganda
D005938:Glucocorticoids
cooperative breeding; female competition; intra-sexual selection; reproductive conflict