Oxygen and avian eggshell formation at high altitude

Hempleman, Steven C.; Adamson, T.P.; Bebout, D. E.

doi:10.1016/0034-5687(93)90115-q

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Hence, the rate of egg water loss during laying and incubation might not be determined by ambient temperature in these populations, but most likely by the female's behaviour (Higham and Gosler 2006). Further studies are needed to determine whether the relationship between shell thickness and temperature is due to immediate environmental constraints (as found in previous poultry studies; Hempleman et al 1993) or to adaptive evolution of shell structure (as suggested by Stein and Badyaev 2011).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Variation in eggshell traits between geographically distant populations of pied flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca

Morales¹,

Ruuskanen²,

Laaksonen³

et al. 2012

Journal of Avian Biology

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The expression and impact of maternal effects may vary greatly between populations and environments. However, little is known about large‐scale geographical patterns of variation in maternal deposition to eggs. In birds, as in other oviparous animals, the outermost maternal component of an egg is the shell, which protects the embryo, provides essential mineral resources and allows its interaction with the environment in the form of gas exchange. In this study, we explored variation of eggshell traits (mass, thickness, pore density and pigmentation) across 15 pied flycatcher populations at a large geographic scale. We found significant between‐population variation in all eggshell traits, except in pore density, suggesting spatial variation in their adaptive benefits or in the females’ physiological limitations during egg laying. Between‐ population variation in shell structure was not due to geographic location (latitude and longitude) or habitat type. However, eggshells were thicker in populations that experienced higher ambient temperature during egg laying. This could be a result of maternal resource allocation to the shell being constrained under low temperatures or of an adaptation to reduce egg water loss under high temperatures. We also found that eggshell colour intensity was positively associated with biliverdin pigment concentration, shell thickness and pore density. To conclude, our findings reveal large‐ scale between‐population variation of eggshell traits, although we found little environmental dependency in their expression. Our findings call for further studies that explore other environmental factors (e.g. calcium availability and pollution levels) and social factors like sexual selection intensity that may account for differences in shell structure between populations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Variation in eggshell traits between geographically distant populations of pied flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca

Morales¹,

Ruuskanen²,

Laaksonen³

et al. 2012

Journal of Avian Biology

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“…Across many birds and reptiles, hypoxia has been shown to reduce hatchling size, mass, and in some cases, incubation duration (reviewed in Hempleman, Adamson, and Bebout (); Kam (); Leon‐Velarde and Monge (); Du et al. (); Cordero et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physiological plasticity in lizard embryos exposed to high‐altitude hypoxia

et al. 2017

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Coping with novel environments may be facilitated by plastic physiological responses that enable survival during environmentally sensitive life stages. We tested the capacity for embryos of the common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) from low altitude to cope with low-oxygen partial pressure (hypoxia) in an alpine environment. Developing embryos subjected to hypoxic atmospheric conditions (15-16% O sea-level equivalent) at 2,877 m above sea level exhibited responses common to vertebrates acclimatized to or evolutionarily adapted to high altitude: suppressed metabolism, cardiac hypertrophy, and hyperventilation. These responses might have contributed to the unaltered incubation duration and hatching success relative to the ancestral, low-altitude, condition. Even so, hypoxia constrained egg energy utilization such that larger eggs produced hatchlings with relatively low mass. These findings highlight the role of physiological plasticity in maintaining fitness-relevant phenotypes in high-altitude environments, providing impetus to further explore altitudinal limits to ecological diversification in ectothermic vertebrates.

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“…However, observed changes in eggshell porosity between clutches in response to altitude suggest that birds may be capable of rapid physiological alteration of eggshell structure (Rahn et al. 1982; Hempleman, Adamson & Bebout 1993). Further work on the mechanisms proximately involved in producing modifications in eggshell structure, as well as variation within and between clutches, can provide a better understanding of rapid adaptive evolution of eggshell structure.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, functional changes associated with oogenesis, such as changes in oviduct secretion and absorption of bicarbonate, may influence pore number (Bebout & Hempleman 1994). However, observed changes in eggshell porosity between clutches in response to altitude suggest that birds may be capable of rapid physiological alteration of eggshell structure ( Bebout 1993). Further work on the mechanisms proximately involved in producing modifications in eggshell structure, as well as variation within and between clutches, can provide a better understanding of rapid adaptive evolution of eggshell structure.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of eggshell structure during rapid range expansion in a passerine bird

Stein

Badyaev²

2011

Functional Ecology

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Summary1. Environmental factors such as temperature, humidity and partial oxygen pressure can affect avian eggshell structure because gas exchange across the shell must allow sufficient water loss while preventing dehydration of the embryo. Studies of species with known chronology of colonization of novel environments provide a powerful insight into the relative importance of ecological factors shaping the evolution of eggshell structure. 2. Here, we examined changes in eggshell structure that accompanied rapid range expansion of house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) across North America. We analysed thickness and pore density in eggshells from three ecologically distinct populations: the native desert population in southwestern Arizona and two 30-year-old populations in the northwestern (north-west Montana) and southeastern (south-east Alabama) parts of the species' range. We also conducted cross-foster exchanges of freshly laid eggs within and between the northwestern and southeastern populations to examine consequences of population differences in eggshell structure on embryo development. 3. Eggshell structure was most distinct in a recently established population inhabiting higher humidity environment (southeastern Alabama), where eggs were the largest, eggshells the thickest and pore density the lowest. Populations that experienced highly distinct ambient temperatures (southwestern Arizona and northwestern Montana) nevertheless had similar eggshell structure. These results were corroborated by experiments where humidity differences between cross-fostered nests had twice the effect on embryo survival compared to the effect of change in ambient temperature. Correspondingly, experimental egg exchanges between southeastern. Alabama and northwestern Montana populations were associated with fourfold increase in embryo mortality compared to within-population egg exchanges. 4. We document rapid evolution of eggshell structure in response to colonization of novel environments and establish the relative importance of environmental factors on avian eggshells. We discuss these results in relation to population variation in incubation behaviour and its ability to shield eggshell structure from the selection exerted by novel environments.

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Oxygen and avian eggshell formation at high altitude

Cited by 10 publications

References 15 publications

Variation in eggshell traits between geographically distant populations of pied flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca

Variation in eggshell traits between geographically distant populations of pied flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca

Physiological plasticity in lizard embryos exposed to high‐altitude hypoxia

Evolution of eggshell structure during rapid range expansion in a passerine bird

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