An Analysis of the Heat Budgets of the Eggs and Nest of the White-Crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys, in Relation to Parental Attentiveness

Webb, Diane; King, James R.

doi:10.1086/physzool.56.4.30155872

Cited by 61 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Small thermocouples were inserted into the centers of two zebra finch eggs in each chamber, and these eggs were placed on opposite ends of the rocking platform, closest to both the cold-and warm-air intakes, so that they would experience the extreme values of any thermal gradient that might arise across the width of the environmental chambers. For ∼1-g eggs, metabolic heat production has little effect on egg temperature (Webb and King 1983), so temperature differences between live eggs and dead thermocouple-implanted eggs were considered negligible. The mean temperature of the two implanted eggs within each chamber was measured at 10-s intervals using a Campbell Scientific CR10 datalogger.…”

Section: Artificial Incubationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Periodic Cooling of Bird Eggs Reduces Embryonic Growth Efficiency

Olson

Vleck

2006

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology

171

161

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For many bird embryos, periodic cooling occurs when the incubating adult leaves the nest to forage, but the effects of periodic cooling on embryo growth, yolk use, and metabolism are poorly known. To address this question, we conducted incubation experiments on eggs of zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) that were frequently cooled and then rewarmed or were allowed to develop at a constant temperature. After 12 d of incubation, embryo mass and yolk reserves were less in eggs that experienced periodic cooling than in controls incubated constantly at 37.5C. Embryos that regularly cooled to 20C had higher mass-specific metabolic rates than embryos incubated constantly at 37.5C. Periodic cooling delayed development and increased metabolic costs, reducing the efficiency with which egg nutrients were converted into embryo tissue. Avian embryos can tolerate periodic cooling, possibly by adjusting their physiology to variable thermal conditions, but at a cost to growth efficiency as well as rate of development. This reduction in embryo growth efficiency adds a new dimension to the fitness consequences of variation in adult nest attentiveness. Disciplines Ornithology | Other Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology | Zoology CommentsThis article is from Physiological and Biochemical Zoology 79 (2006) ABSTRACTFor many bird embryos, periodic cooling occurs when the incubating adult leaves the nest to forage, but the effects of periodic cooling on embryo growth, yolk use, and metabolism are poorly known. To address this question, we conducted incubation experiments on eggs of zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) that were frequently cooled and then rewarmed or were allowed to develop at a constant temperature. After 12 d of incubation, embryo mass and yolk reserves were less in eggs that experienced periodic cooling than in controls incubated constantly at 37.5ЊC. Embryos that regularly cooled to 20ЊC had higher mass-specific metabolic rates than embryos incubated constantly at 37.5ЊC. Periodic cooling delayed development and increased metabolic costs, reducing the efficiency with which egg nutrients were converted into embryo tissue. Avian embryos can tolerate periodic cooling, possibly by adjusting their physiology to variable thermal conditions, but at a cost to growth efficiency as well as rate of development. This reduction in embryo growth efficiency adds a new dimension to the fitness consequences of variation in adult nest attentiveness.

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Section: Artificial Incubationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Periodic Cooling of Bird Eggs Reduces Embryonic Growth Efficiency

Olson

Vleck

2006

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology

171

161

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“…Temperature can influence egg viability (Webb, 1987;Cook et al, 2003;Beissinger et al, 2005) and directly increase, or decrease, energetic costs for parents (White and Kinney, 1974;Vleck, 1981;Ardia et al, 2009;Ardia et al, 2010) and offspring (Webb and King, 1983;Quinney et al, 1986;Visser, 1998;Ardia, 2005a;Pérez et al, 2008). For example, colder temperatures may reduce nestling quality by modifying patterns of nestling development (Ardia et al, 2010;DuRant et al, 2010DuRant et al, , 2012.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effects of Nestbox Thermal Environment on Fledging Success and Haematocrit in Tree Swallows

Ardia

2013

Avian Biology Research

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Nest microclimate, particularly temperature, can affect energy balance of both parents and offspring. Here I investigate patterns of correlation between internal temperatures of artificial nestboxes and fitness in Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor). Nests with cold overnight temperatures were less likely to fledge offspring. Conversely, nests with high daytime temperatures were also less likely to fledge offspring. In particular, nest success declined when internal nestbox temperatures exceeded 35°C. To investigate a potential physiological cause for reduced fitness, I tested whether haematocrit, a rough indicator of blood volume, was related to warmer nest temperatures. Whilst variable, nests with higher temperatures had higher average haematocrit of nestlings on day 13. This may indicate greater evaporative heat loss reflected in lower plasma volumes. These results as a whole indicate that temperatures outside the thermo-neutral zone may influence energy balance of both parents and offspring and may have an important effect on fitness.

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“…Wind, which is forced convection (henceforth referred to as convection), is often considered to be more important for heat loss than conduction and evaporation [3]–[5]. The energetics of a variety of avian species exposed to wind has been explored using doubly-labelled water, time energy budgets and respirometry techniques in wind tunnels [6]–[9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Wind on the Rate of Heat Loss from Avian Cup-Shaped Nests

Heenan

Seymour²

2012

PLoS ONE

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Forced convection can significantly influence the heat loss from birds and their offspring but effects may be reduced by using sheltered micro-sites such as cavities or constructing nests. The structural and thermal properties of the nests of two species, the spiny-cheeked honeyeater ( Acanthagenys rufogularis ) and yellow-throated miner ( Manorina flavigula ), were measured in relation to three wind speeds. Nest dimensions differ between the two species, despite the similar body mass of the incubating adults, however nest conductance is comparable. As wind speed increases, so does the rate of heat loss from the nests of both species, and further still during incubation recesses. The significance of forced convection through the nest is a near-doubling in heat production required by the parent, even when incubating at relatively low wind speeds. This provides confirmation that selecting a sheltered nest site is important for avian reproductive success.

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An Analysis of the Heat Budgets of the Eggs and Nest of the White-Crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys, in Relation to Parental Attentiveness

Cited by 61 publications

References 16 publications

Periodic Cooling of Bird Eggs Reduces Embryonic Growth Efficiency

Periodic Cooling of Bird Eggs Reduces Embryonic Growth Efficiency

The Effects of Nestbox Thermal Environment on Fledging Success and Haematocrit in Tree Swallows

The Effect of Wind on the Rate of Heat Loss from Avian Cup-Shaped Nests

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