Effects of Brood Size Manipulation on Physiological Condition of Nestling Blue Tits<i>Cyanistes caeruleus</i>

Bańbura, Jerzy; Skwarska, Joanna; Kaliński, Adam; Wawrzyniak, Jarosław; Słomczyński, Robert; Bańbura, Mirosława; Zieliński, Piotr

doi:10.3161/000164508x395234

Cited by 16 publications

(13 citation statements)

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“…Several experimental studies on birds included the nestling H/L ratio as one of response variables [32], [47], [48], [60], [70]–[72]. Some brood-size manipulations were reported not to affect the H/L ratio of nestlings [70]–[72], while the remaining ones produced significant effects, with nestlings in enlarged broods usually showing an elevated H/L ratio [32], [47], [60].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some brood-size manipulations were reported not to affect the H/L ratio of nestlings [70]–[72], while the remaining ones produced significant effects, with nestlings in enlarged broods usually showing an elevated H/L ratio [32], [47], [60]. Brood-size manipulations change parental effort, amount and quality of food, feeding rate and social interactions between nest-mates; all these factors enhance stress in enlarged broods and may weaken stress in reduced broods [60]. The provision of extra-food makes rearing conditions easier, thus potentially reducing stress.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The H/L ratio turned out to be a reliable indicator of chronic stress that develops over a longer time [18], [41], [43]–[45]. In nestlings of different bird species, the H/L ratio is sensitive to different stressors, especially factors associated with food conditions [32], [46]–[49], [60].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Human-induced changes in habitat structure and function, such as forest fragmentation and management, are known to negatively influence insect abundance and bird foraging [56]–[58], leading to physiological stress in birds [32], [59], [39]. Moreover, exposure to human visitors may disturb the regularity of feeding nestlings by parental birds [25], [60]. All this suggests that stress indicators of nestling tits may indeed be used as indicators of habitat quality and should display some predictable patterns of variation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatial and Temporal Variation in Heterophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratios of Nestling Passerine Birds: Comparison of Blue Tits and Great Tits

et al. 2013

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Environmental factors affecting trophic conditions act as stressors on nestling altricial birds. Access of parental birds to a sufficient supply of food in a limited period of the nestling stage differ in time and space, depending on nesting habitat, prey density and weather conditions. Heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (H/L) is considered as a reliable indicator of prolonged stress reaction in birds. In this study we examine if variation in H/L shows consistent spatio-temporal patterns in nestlings of two parids, blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus and great tit Parus major. We found that blue tit nestlings had on average higher H/L than great tit nestlings, which corresponds with the ecological sensitivity of these species. In both species H/L was higher in a poor parkland habitat than in a high quality forest habitat. In nestling blue tits, higher H/L values occurred in years characterized by more extreme weather conditions and worse caterpillar availability. Such consistent patterns of variation in the H/L ratio of nestling blue tits and great tits suggest that, when age-dependent effects are controlled, the ratio can be used as an indicator of physiological stress that is generated by food-related stressors differing in space and time. In particular, elevated H/L ratios are indicative of human-induced changes in the structure of breeding habitats.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Spatial and Temporal Variation in Heterophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratios of Nestling Passerine Birds: Comparison of Blue Tits and Great Tits

et al. 2013

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“…Human recreation behaviour can interfere with wildlife in many different ways (Young et al 2005;Chace and Walsh 2006;Remacha and Delgado 2009;Marzano and Dandy 2012). Exposure to human visitors in birds may disturb the regularity of feeding nestlings by parents (Ruiz et al 2002;Bańbura et al 2007Bańbura et al , 2008. Lower breeding success is also usually correlated with the number of rainy days, since rainfall often increases mortality of young tits (Zając 1995).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of human-related disturbance on breeding success of urban and non-urban blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus)

et al. 2016

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There is a need to study the effects of urbanization on wildlife in order to understand the ecological implications of increasing urbanization and find out how to reduce its threats to biodiversity. The blue tit evolved as a forest species and prefers deciduous and mixed forests, whereas its nesting in urban habitats is a more recent phenomenon. Our long-term study of blue tit populations has been conducted in two habitats: an urban parkland (frequently visited by people) and a deciduous forest outside of the city. Using linear mixed modeling, we revealed that a relationship of blue tit breeding success (and the number of fledglings) with thermal conditions in May differed between the urban parkland and the forest. While the relationship was positive in the forest, it was negative in the parkland. In addition, breeding success in the parkland increased with increasing number of rainy days in May. We argue that the main possible reason for such patterns is human activity in the parkland, which interferes with tit parental care, especially the regular feeding of nestlings, whereas it is evidently associated with weather conditions. Human disturbance in the forest is likely to be negligible.

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Blood‐feeding ectoparasites as developmental stressors: Does corticosterone mediate effects of mite infestation on nestling growth, immunity and energy availability?

Pryor

Casto

2015

J. Exp. Zool.

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How resources are distributed to growth and self-maintenance early in life is likely to impact survival and reproduction. Early resource allocation decisions may be particularly critical in altricial birds, as they have rapid developmental trajectories, and may be highly susceptible to environmental factors that can perturb development. The aim of this study was to determine if blood-feeding ectoparasites act as developmental stressors in European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) nestlings, driving a trade-off between growth and immunity. We hypothesized that because ectoparasites compete for resources they would induce growth-immunity trade-offs in parasitized nestlings. We also tested the hypothesis that changes in plasma corticosterone mediate the effects of ectoparasites on growth and immunity. Throughout development we assessed between-nest variation in ectoparasite density, measured growth, and a variety of blood parameters, including plasma corticosterone. We also assessed immune function across development. We found that nestlings from nests with high levels of ectoparasites were smaller, had elevated blood glucose, lower hematocrit levels, and appeared to engage in compensatory growth prior to fledging. They also had elevated innate immune responses early, but reduced responses later relative to nestlings from nests with low levels of ectoparasites. Plasma corticosterone was not affected by ectoparasite load, but did increase with nestling age. Overall, we find evidence that ectoparasites are developmental stressors that affect growth-immunity trade-offs, but their effects do not appear to be mediated by changes in circulating levels of corticosterone.

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Effects of Brood Size Manipulation on Physiological Condition of Nestling Blue TitsCyanistes caeruleus

Cited by 16 publications

References 93 publications

Spatial and Temporal Variation in Heterophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratios of Nestling Passerine Birds: Comparison of Blue Tits and Great Tits

Spatial and Temporal Variation in Heterophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratios of Nestling Passerine Birds: Comparison of Blue Tits and Great Tits

Effects of human-related disturbance on breeding success of urban and non-urban blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus)

Blood‐feeding ectoparasites as developmental stressors: Does corticosterone mediate effects of mite infestation on nestling growth, immunity and energy availability?

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