An alpine-breeding songbird can adjust dawn incubation rhythms to annual thermal regimes

MacDonald, Elizabeth C.; Camfield, Alaine F.; Jankowski, Jill E.; Martin, Kathy

doi:10.1642/auk-13-234.1

Cited by 20 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…We studied Horned Larks and Savannah Sparrows at HBM during 2003-2007 and 2010-2011 as part of a long-term study on the life history and demography of songbirds breeding in northern alpine regions in western North America (Camfield et al 2010, MacDonald et al 2014). The study site was a 4 km 2 area of subalpine meadows (about 1,500-1,650 m above sea level [a.s.l.])…”

Section: Study Species and Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The alpine and upper subalpine zone is a simple habitat with little vertical vegetative structure. The timing of snowmelt varies annually, with patches of snow persisting through most of June, and the overall length of the growing season is considerably reduced in comparison to low-elevation habitats used by these species (Camfield et al 2010, MacDonald et al 2014. Daily breeding-season temperatures fluctuate widely at the site, dropping near or below freezing on most nights and sometimes exceeding 408C at ground level during the day , MacDonald et al 2013, 2014.…”

Section: Study Species and Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of severe weather on reproduction for sympatric songbirds in an alpine environment: Interactions of climate extremes influence nesting success

Martin

Wilson

MacDonald

et al. 2017

The Auk

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Section: Study Species and Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Study Species and Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of severe weather on reproduction for sympatric songbirds in an alpine environment: Interactions of climate extremes influence nesting success

Martin

Wilson

MacDonald

et al. 2017

The Auk

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“…Additional study of egg cooling and heating rates is needed for both temperate and Neotropical passerines because these rates may be an overlooked factor affecting incubation behavior and adult survival (MacDonald et al. ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although investigators have examined factors that influence the incubation behavior of temperate‐zone passerines (e.g., environmental temperature, egg temperature, and duration of previous off‐bout) (Conway and Martin , MacDonald et al. ), no such studies have been conducted with tropical species.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Breeding biology and egg temperatures of Black-faced Brush-finches (Atlapetes melanolaemus ), Neotropical montane songbirds

Forrester

Londoño

2016

J. Field Ornithol.

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Black‐faced Brush‐finches (Atlapetes melanolaemus) are a common species restricted to the Andes of southern Peru and western Bolivia. We provide the first description of the breeding biology of this Neotropical montane passerine, including an analysis of incubation behavior and egg temperatures. We found 47 nests during seven breeding seasons (2007–2013) near Manu National Park, Peru. Nesting occurred in late July, peaked in early October, and continued into early December. All clutches consisted of two eggs, and the mean incubation period (14.8 ± 0.2 d) was relatively short compared with related species. Nest attentiveness increased and the length of foraging trips decreased as the incubation period progressed, but the number of foraging trips/day was constant. Egg temperatures when birds returned to incubate were negatively correlated with the duration of incubation bouts, whereas ambient temperature and the duration of the previous incubation bout were positively correlated with the duration of foraging bouts. Eggs were consistently incubated at lower temperatures (24‐h mean = 32.1°C) than other Neotropical and temperate species. When incubating birds left nests, egg temperature dropped below the physiological zero temperature (24–27°C) in ~11 min. Nestlings had a high growth rate (k = 0.60) and a long nestling period (mean = 13.8 d) compared with related Neotropical and temperate emberizines. By showing that the duration of incubation and foraging bouts are affected by different intrinsic and extrinsic factors, we provide evidence that incubation is not only temporally dynamic, but also finely modifiable. Our results also suggest that embryos of high‐elevation Neotropical songbirds are particularly resistant to ambient temperature extremes and low incubation temperatures, emphasizing the need for more studies of egg thermoregulation and its consequences for development, growth, and survival. We conclude that closely related species, both on different continents and at the same locations, may differ in parental care strategies and development regimes, cautioning against broad generalizations regarding species groups or geographic areas.

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“…Horned Lark incubation behaviour changes and nest success improves with increasing ambient temperature over the breeding season (MacDonald et al . , ) and it is possible that nest characteristics may also change in accordance with changing weather conditions. Nest characteristics that provide insulation against cold weather early in the season may be energetically costly (e.g.…”

Section: Global Model Structures For Nest Characteristic and Fitnessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Substrate and structure of ground nests have fitness consequences for an alpine songbird

Zwaan

Martin

2018

Ibis

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Songbird nests are an important life‐history component with multiple functions, including the creation of a suitable microclimate for offspring development. Thus, functional nest characteristics may influence fitness correlates, such as nestling size traits, and may co‐vary with prevailing environmental conditions. We investigated among‐ and within‐female variation in nest substrate, lining and decoration structures with associated fitness consequences (hatching success, nestling size traits, nest survival) across two breeding seasons for an alpine population of Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris. We combined these observations with explicit measures of nest temperature to address the influence of nest characteristics on microclimate. Nests in heather substrate had the coldest microclimates compared with grass and bare‐ground substrate, but also the greatest nest survival rates (68% versus 37–44% in other substrates), indicating the potential for substrate use decisions to reflect a trade‐off between microclimate and nest survival in response to prevailing weather and predation risk conditions. Furthermore, nest lining and nest decoration patterns indicated some support for a thermoregulatory function. Nests that were lined with willow (Salix sp.) seed‐down were associated with larger, heavier nestlings and the use of down lining decreased in frequency as the season warmed up. Nest decoration placed in front of the nest (e.g. stones or dirt clumps varying in mass from 5.3 to 186.6 g) was positively associated with warmer nest microclimates. Females demonstrated high phenotypic flexibility, as 61–94% of the observed variance in nest characteristics was explained by within‐female rather than among‐female differences. Such flexible nesting behaviour suggests the capacity to adjust to changing environmental conditions to maintain vital fitness correlates such as nest survival and nestling size development.

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An alpine-breeding songbird can adjust dawn incubation rhythms to annual thermal regimes

Cited by 20 publications

References 40 publications

Effects of severe weather on reproduction for sympatric songbirds in an alpine environment: Interactions of climate extremes influence nesting success

Effects of severe weather on reproduction for sympatric songbirds in an alpine environment: Interactions of climate extremes influence nesting success

Breeding biology and egg temperatures of Black-faced Brush-finches (Atlapetes melanolaemus ), Neotropical montane songbirds

Substrate and structure of ground nests have fitness consequences for an alpine songbird

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