Seasonal, Age, and Sex-Related Variation in Fatty-Acid Composition of Depot Fat in Relation to Migration in Western Sandpipers

Egeler, Oliver; Williams, Tony

doi:10.1093/auk/117.1.110

Cited by 18 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…We also found no differences in fatty acid composition of different fat depots, a finding consistent with other data for shorebirds (Egeler and Williams 2000) and in contrast to some mammals (Calder et al 1992). Our observations, along with those from previous studies, indicate that investigators could take adipose tissue biopsies from the saddle depot instead of the furcular depot, limiting the invasive procedure to areas least likely to impact flight performance.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…As also reported for Western and Semipalmated sandpipers collected in coastal habitats (Napolitano and Ackman 1990, Egeler and Williams 2000, Maillet and Weber 2006, we found that shorebird depot fat was composed primarily of long-chain saturated and J. Field Ornithol.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…Importantly, the percentage of 18:1n-7 in purified triglyceride fractions from the adipose lipid extracts was identical to that of the total neutral lipid extract, indicating that the presence of this fatty acid was not due to bacterial contamination. Thus, our results and those of previous studies indicate that fatty acid composition is similar across a diverse group of migratory shorebirds and this similarity could be due to the need for easy mobilization of fat stores during migratory flights (Egeler and Williams 2000).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

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Fatty acid composition of depot fat of shorebirds collected at mid-continental stopover sites during spring migration

Rivers

Rintoul

2011

Journal of Field Ornithology

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Despite the critical role of fat in providing energy for large‐scale seasonal movements, little is known about the fatty acid composition of shorebird depot fat. Fatty acid composition is important because it may impact flight performance and seasonal migratory movements. We analyzed the fatty acid composition of depot fat of 12 species of shorebirds collected during spring migration at stopover sites in Kansas from two different subcutaneous fat depots (furcular and saddle depots). Five fatty acids (palmitate [16:0], palmitoleate [16:1], stearate [18:0], oleate [18:1n‐9], and vaccenate [18:1n‐7]) accounted for 70–96% of the total composition of depot fat despite the diverse foraging behaviors of the species sampled. This similarity in fatty acid profiles may be due to a limited availability of high‐lipid food items in the shallow water and mudflat habitats where migratory shorebirds forage in the southern Great Plains. In addition, shorebird depot fat was composed primarily of long‐chain saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids (i.e., 16‐ and 18‐carbon), fatty acids thought to be more easily converted to energy during migration. Depot fat in the furcular depot was similar in composition to fat from the saddle depot, and we found no differences in fatty acid composition of the adipose tissue of males and females. Thus, our results suggest that representative shorebird depot fat fatty acid profiles can be obtained even if investigators are limited to sampling one sex, and that adipose tissue collected from saddle depots provide representative samples so biopsies can be limited to areas of the body with the least impact on flight performance.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

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Fatty acid composition of depot fat of shorebirds collected at mid-continental stopover sites during spring migration

Rivers

Rintoul

2011

Journal of Field Ornithology

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“…A few recent studies have directly compared fatty acid composition of fat depot just before and during migration in the same bird species, an approach recommended by Blem (1976). Proportion of 16:1 and 18:1 increased between winter and spring migration in western sandpipers (Egeler and Williams 2000), and proportion of 18:1 increased just prior to migration in wood thrush Hylocichla mustelina (Conway et al 1994). Similarly, proportion of 16:1 increased between breeding period (2%) and fall migration (28%) in red-eyed vireos (Pierce 2003).…”

Section: What Determines the Fatty Acid Composition Of Body Fat?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Flying, fasting, and feeding in birds during migration: a nutritional and physiological ecology perspective

McWilliams¹,

Guglielmo²,

Pierce³

et al. 2004

Journal of Avian Biology

400

315

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Unlike exercising mammals, migratory birds fuel very high intensity exercise (e.g., flight) with fatty acids delivered from the adipose tissue to the working muscles by the circulatory system. Given the primary importance of fatty acids for fueling intense exercise, we discuss the likely limiting steps in lipid transport and oxidation for exercising birds and the ecological factors that affect the quality and quantity of fat stored in wild birds. Most stored lipids in migratory birds are comprised of three fatty acids (16:0, 18:1 and 18:2) even though migratory birds have diverse food habits. Diet selection and selective metabolism of lipids play important roles in determining the fatty acid composition of birds which, in turn, affects energetic performance during intense exercise. As such, migratory birds offer an intriguing model for studying the implications of lipid metabolism and obesity on exercise performance. We conclude with a discussion of the energetic costs of migratory flight and stopover in birds, and its implications for bird migration strategies. Migration poses distinct physiological challenges for birds. For example, long-distance migrants rely virtually entirely on stored energy and nutrients to fuel each flight, and then must rapidly restore the necessary energy and nutrients at stopover sites along their migration route. Solutions to the physiological challenges associated with alternating intense exercise without feeding and then intense feeding and refueling at stopover sites are often physiologically incompatible. Determining how birds overcome these physiological challenges requires understanding how the physiological capabilities of exercising and fasting birds relate to the ecological conditions encountered during migration. This review focuses on the nutritional and physiological ecology of birds during migration. We discuss the current model of how birds fuel the costs of migration and the likely limiting steps in lipid transport and oxidation for exercising birds, and how lipid metabolism in birds is different from that in other vertebrates. We then place these aspects of the biochemistry and metabolism of birds during migration within an ecological context. We review selected aspects of the nutritional ecology of birds during migration with an emphasis on how birds accumulate fat stores, how fatty acid composition of diet influences composition of fat stores, and the effect of fatty acid composition of fat # JOURNAL OF AVIAN BIOLOGY REVIEW Reviews provide an opportunity to summarize existing knowledge within ornithological research, especially in areas where rapid and significant advances are occurring. Reviews should be concise and should cite all key references. An abstract is required.

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“…Studies involving adipose sampling of small-bodied vertebrates have used destructive methods (Bower & Helms 1968;Morton & Liebman 1974;Conway, Eddleman & Simpson 1994;Egeler & Williams 2000;Pierce & McWilliams 2005;McGuire, Fenton & Guglielmo 2013) . For example, McGuire, Fenton & Guglielmo (2013) used destructive sampling to demonstrate differences in adipose tissue compositions between migrant and resident hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Minimally invasive collection of adipose tissue facilitates the study of eco‐physiology in small‐bodied mammals

et al. 2016

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Summary Adipose tissue is the primary fuel storage for vertebrates and is an important component of energy budgets during periods of peak energetic demands. Investigating the composition of adipose tissue can provide information about energetics, migration, reproduction and other life‐history traits. Until now, most field methods for sampling adipose tissue of small‐bodied vertebrates have been destructive. Therefore, investigations of adipose tissue in small‐bodied vertebrates have been limited in their broadscale application. We developed a field‐ready micro‐adipose biopsy method for sampling adipose tissue of small‐bodied vertebrates, by adopting fine‐needle adipose aspiration. We applied the method to silver‐haired bats (Lasionycteris noctivagans) and then quantified the resulting fatty acid signatures of a summer group and an autumn group to demonstrate one possible application of the method. We successfully obtained interpretable fatty acid signatures from 74·5% of micro‐adipose biopsy attempts, with success positively correlated with body mass index. Summer and autumn groups of bats had different fatty acid signatures likely representing varied available dietary compositions at resident sites (the habitat where adipose deposits are accumulated prior to migration). The fatty acid profile of autumn silver‐haired bats was largely characterized by 16:0, 18:1 and 14:0, and the summer group was characterized by 16:0, 16:1 and 18:0. Our results suggest that fatty acid signatures have the potential to characterize the origins of migrating individuals, or the number of unique subpopulations being supported by a migration route. This field‐ready fine‐needle adipose aspiration method can be used on small‐bodied mammals and modified for application to other small‐bodied vertebrates. This non‐destructive approach to sampling adipose tissue has great value because it allows for robust sample sizes, longitudinal studies of the same individuals across space and time, and sampling of rare, threatened and endangered species.

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Seasonal, Age, and Sex-Related Variation in Fatty-Acid Composition of Depot Fat in Relation to Migration in Western Sandpipers

Cited by 18 publications

References 24 publications

Fatty acid composition of depot fat of shorebirds collected at mid-continental stopover sites during spring migration

Fatty acid composition of depot fat of shorebirds collected at mid-continental stopover sites during spring migration

Flying, fasting, and feeding in birds during migration: a nutritional and physiological ecology perspective

Minimally invasive collection of adipose tissue facilitates the study of eco‐physiology in small‐bodied mammals

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