Breeding in the wild is the natural process of
animal reproduction occurring in the natural habitat of a given species. This terminology is distinct from
animal husbandry or
breeding of species in captivity. Breeding locations are often chosen for very specific requirements of shelter and proximity to food; moreover, the
breeding season is a particular time window that has evolved for each species to suit species anatomical,
mating
In biology, mating is the pairing of either opposite- sex or hermaphroditic organisms for the purposes of sexual reproduction. ''Fertilization'' is the fusion of two gametes. ''Copulation'' is the union of the sex organs of two sexually reprod ...
-ritual, or climatic and other ecological factors. Many species migrate considerable distances to reach the requisite breeding locations. Certain common characteristics apply to various
taxa
In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular nam ...
within the animal kingdom, which traits are often sorted among amphibians, reptiles, mammals,
avafauna
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweight s ...
,
arthropods and lower life forms.
Amphibians
For many
amphibians, an annual breeding cycle applies, typically regulated by ambient temperature, precipitation, availability of surface water and food supply. This breeding season is accentuated in temperate regions, where prolonged
aestivation or
hibernation renders many amphibian species inactive for prolonged periods. Breeding
habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
s are typically ponds and streams.
Mammals
Annual breeding cycles sometimes apply to mammals, with regulating environmental effects including seasonal temperature variation and food availability. Migration patterns of a mammal may sometimes govern breeding times. Mammal breeding in the wild sometimes involves the use of
maternity dens for birthing and protection of the young. The
polar bear is an example of a mammal who uses a maternity den, whose locations are influenced by migration movements of this species to the seasonal Arctic
pack ice
Drift ice, also called brash ice, is sea ice that is not attached to the shoreline or any other fixed object (shoals, grounded icebergs, etc.).Leppäranta, M. 2011. The Drift of Sea Ice. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. Unlike fast ice, which is "fasten ...
s. In particular, the polar bears who breed in
Wapusk National Park
Wapusk National Park (; is Canada's 37th national park, established in 1996. The name comes from the Cree word for polar bear (''wâpask'').
Located on the shores of Hudson Bay in the Hudson Plains ecozone south of Churchill, its accessibility ...
need to migrate to the
Hudson Bay pack ice.
Effects of inbreeding in wild populations
Keller and Waller
[Keller LF, Waller DM. Inbreeding effects in wild populations. (2002) Trends in Ecology & Evolution. May 17(5):230-41. doi:10.1016/S0169-5347(02)02489-8 ] reviewed the effects of inbreeding in wild-populations. Evidence from mammalian and bird populations indicated that
inbreeding depression often significantly adversely affects birth weight, reproduction and survival, as well as resistance to
environmental stress, disease and
predation. Plant studies have shown significant adverse inbreeding effects on seed set, germination, resistance to stress and survival.
Inbreeding depression is considered to be largely due to the expression of recessive deleterious alleles.
See also
*
Animal sexual behavior
*
Maternity den
*
Mate choice copying
Line notes
References
* Michael F. Braby (2004) ''The Complete Field Guide to Butterflies of Australia'', Published by CSIRO Publishing, 339 pages
* Miron L. Heinselman (1996) ''The Boundary Waters Wilderness ecosystem'', University of Minnesota Press,
* C. Michael Hogan (2008
''Polar Bear: Ursus maritimus'', Globaltwitcher.com, ed. Nicklas Stromberg* William J. Sutherland (1996) ''Ecological Census Techniques: A Handbook'', Cambridge University Press, 336 pages {{ISBN, 0-521-47815-4
Ethology
*
Animal breeding