Egg composition in relation to social environment and maternal physiological condition in the collared flycatcher

Hargitai, Rita; Arnold, Kathryn E.; Herényi, Márton; Prechl, József; Török, János

doi:10.1007/s00265-009-0727-4

Cited by 53 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 117 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Thus these results provide only weak support for the adaptive covariation hypothesis (Royle et al, 2001;Groothuis et al, 2006). Previous results on phenotypic variation are controversial; in the study species, a phenotypic correlation between androgens and immune factors was found at between-but not within-clutch level , see also Gasparini et al, 2007), but multiple other studies find no support for the hypothesis (Groothuis et al, 2006;Hargitai et al, 2009;Ruuskanen et al, 2011). In selection lines for yolk T and behavior (quails, Okuliarova et al, 2014), IgY or lysozyme levels did not respond to selection similarly as T, suggesting no genetic covariation.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 47%

“…It has been hypothesized that females balance the costs and benefits of one component with another. For example, higher levels of immune factors could compensate the immunosuppressing effects of high yolk androgen levels (Royle et al, 2001;Groothuis et al, 2006), but the results of the phenotypic correlations are currently contradictory (Groothuis et al, 2006;Gasparini et al, 2007;Hargitai et al, 2009;Ruuskanen et al, 2011;Postma et al, 2014). On the other hand, yolk hormones A4 and T that are phenotypically correlated have been found to show differential effects in offspring: A4, but not T, decreased growth (Muriel et al, 2013) and A4, but not T, was positively correlated with offspring recruitment (Hegyi et al, 2011;Tschirren et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Heritable variation in maternally derived yolk androgens, thyroid hormones and immune factors

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Maternal reproductive investment can critically influence offspring phenotype, and thus these maternal effects are expected to be under strong natural selection. Knowledge on the extent of heritable variation in the physiological mechanisms underlying maternal effects is however limited. In birds, resource allocation to eggs is a key mechanism for mothers to affect their offspring and different components of the egg may or may not be independently adjusted. We studied the heritability of egg components and their genetic and phenotypic covariation in great tits (Parus major), using captive-bred full siblings of wild origin. Egg mass, testosterone (T) and androstenedione (A4) hormone concentrations showed moderate heritability, in agreement with earlier findings. Interestingly, yolk triiodothyronine hormone (T3), but not its precursor, thyroxine hormone (T4), concentration was heritable. An immune factor, albumen lysozyme, showed moderate heritability, but yolk immunoglobulins (IgY) did not. The genetic correlation estimates were moderate but statistically nonsignificant; a trend for a positive genetic correlation was found between A4 and egg mass, T and lysozyme and IgY and lysozyme, respectively. Interestingly, phenotypic correlations were found only between A4 and T, and T4 and T3, respectively. Given that these egg components are associated with fitness-related traits in the offspring (and mother), and that we show that some components are heritable, it opens the possibility that natural selection may shape the rate and direction of phenotypic change via egg composition.

show abstract

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 47%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heritable variation in maternally derived yolk androgens, thyroid hormones and immune factors

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Breeding density may be related to eggshell thickness through affecting the level of food competition between females (Alatalo and Lundberg 1984;Török and Tóth 1988;Hargitai et al 2009), and thus having a negative effect on shell thickness; however, this hypothesis has not been tested before for wild songbirds. Alternatively, high density areas may be of higher quality with more resources (Doliguez et al 2004), where individuals of better quality may be able to settle.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…However, the foraging areas of flycatchers often overlap with those of neighbouring pairs (von Haartman 1956). Previously, it has been shown that egg yolk mass was negatively related to the number of neighbouring pairs in the Collared Flycatcher (Hargitai et al 2009), which could indicate that high local breeding density could limit food availability in this species. We calculated a local breeding density index by summing up the number of breeding Collared Flycatcher pairs in neighbouring (i.e.…”

Section: Study Species and Field Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 97%

Shell thickness and pore density in relation to shell colouration, female characteristics, and environmental factors in the Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis

2010

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Avian eggshell structure may have important consequences for embryonic growth and development, but relatively little is known about the factors responsible for variation in eggshell characteristics of wild birds. In this paper, we explored potential causes of variation in eggshell colour and structure (shell thickness and porosity) in the Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis). We analysed if eggshell colour is affected by shell structure or pigment level, and whether female traits, laying date, local breeding density, and clutch size affect shell thickness and pore density. We found that eggshell blue-green and UV colours were unrelated to shell thickness, pore density and egg size. Eggs with higher concentration of biliverdin showed lower UV reflection and higher reflection in the blue-green part of the spectrum. We found that females in better nutritional condition, indicated by their higher mass controlled for tarsus length, laid eggs with thicker shells. It is possible that females in better condition have more time available for searching calcium-rich food, and thus could produce eggs with stronger shells. However, female physical characteristics had no significant relationships with shell porosity. In contrast to our expectation, shell thickness and pore density were unrelated to local breeding density and laying date, though very late and repeat clutches were not sampled in our study. However, we found that eggs in larger clutches had lower pore density than eggs in smaller clutches, which may be expected if the rate of water loss and nest humidity are to remain constant in clutches of different egg numbers.Zusammenfassung Die Struktur der Eischale von Vögeln kann wichtige Folgen für das Wachstum und die Entwicklung der Embryonen haben, doch über die Faktoren, die für Variation in den Eigenschaften der Eischale bei freilebenden Vögeln verantwortlich sind, ist relativ wenig bekannt. In diesem Artikel haben wir mögliche Gründe für die Variation in Eischalenfarbe und -struktur (Schalendicke und Porosität) beim Halsbandschnäpper (Ficedula albicollis) untersucht. Wir haben analysiert, ob die Eischalenfarbe von der Schalenstruktur oder dem Pigmentgehalt beeinflusst wird und ob Weibchenmerkmale, Legedatum, lokale Brutpaardichte und Gelegegröße die Schalendicke und Porendichte beeinflussen. Wir fanden, dass blaugrüne und ultraviolette Farben der Eischale nicht mit der Schalendicke, Porendichte und Eigröße zusammenhingen. Eier mit einer höheren Biliverdinkonzentration zeigten eine geringere UV-Reflexion und stärkere Reflexion im blaugrünen Bereich des Spektrums. Wir fanden, dass Weibchen in besserem Ernährungszustand, angezeigt durch ihre höhere Körpermasse korrigiert für Tarsuslänge, Eier

show abstract

“…The relative proportions of yolk androgens and antioxidants also vary between species, with a positive association found in house finches (C. mexicanus) (Navara et al 2006b) and no association at all in either barn swallows, H. rustica, (Safran et al 2008) or collared flycatchers, Ficedula albicollis, eggs (Hargitai et al 2009). These studies used wild populations of birds, so the scope for experimental control or manipulation of environmental variables was limited.…”

Section: Ratio Of Antioxidants To Androgensmentioning

confidence: 96%

Mind the gap: the ratio of yolk androgens and antioxidants varies between sons and daughters dependent on paternal attractiveness

Pariser

Gilbert

Hazon

et al. 2011

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Females are expected to partition resources between offspring in a context-dependent way to maximise total fitness returns from a reproductive attempt. Female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) vary the allocation of yolk androgens and antioxidants among offspring. Importantly, the balance between androgens and antioxidants in yolks may be more important than their independent absolute amounts in terms of fitness consequences for developing young. Therefore, we tested whether the relative allocation of these two resources in yolks varies according to either the Trivers-Willard, positive or compensatory maternal investment hypothesis. We manipulated male attractiveness using coloured leg bands (red-banded males appear attractive; green-banded males, unattractive) and measured yolk androgens and antioxidants in each egg, egg sex, clutch sex ratio and female condition. While female zebra finches manipulated the balance of androgens and antioxidants within and between clutches in response to mate attractiveness, offspring sex and their own condition, they did not do so in a way that consistently followed any of the hypotheses. Mothers paired with unattractive males allocated a larger antioxidant/ androgen ratio to daughters than sons. This pattern was reversed when paired to an attractive male; sons received a larger antioxidant/androgen ratio than daughters. We also found offspring sex ratio decreased with increasing female condition for unattractive males, but not for attractive males. However, without knowing the fitness consequences of the balance of different egg constituents, it is difficult to interpret the patterns consistently in terms of the Trivers-Willard, compensatory and positive investment hypotheses.

show abstract

Egg composition in relation to social environment and maternal physiological condition in the collared flycatcher

Cited by 53 publications

References 117 publications

Heritable variation in maternally derived yolk androgens, thyroid hormones and immune factors

Heritable variation in maternally derived yolk androgens, thyroid hormones and immune factors

Shell thickness and pore density in relation to shell colouration, female characteristics, and environmental factors in the Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis

Mind the gap: the ratio of yolk androgens and antioxidants varies between sons and daughters dependent on paternal attractiveness

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About