Seasonal variation in the metabolism-temperature relation of House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Nzama, Sindisiwe; Downs, Colleen T.; Brown, Mark

doi:10.1016/j.jtherbio.2009.12.002

Cited by 36 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 31 publications

(66 reference statements)

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“…However, birds have a distinct diurnal cycle in body temperature with higher body temperature during the active phase than the rest phase (Nzama et al 2010). Our results show clear seasonal variation in body temperature of Hwameis at daytime and nighttime.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

Daily variation in body mass and thermoregulation in male Hwamei (Garrulax canorus) at different seasons

Zhao

Wang

et al. 2015

Avian Res

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Background: Acclimatization to winter conditions is an essential prerequisite for survival of small passerines of the northern temperate zone. In the present study, we measured diurnal variations in body mass, body temperature and basal metabolic rate (BMR) for seasonally acclimatized Hwameis (Garrulax canorus). Methods: Body mass was determined with a Sartorius balance. Metabolic rates of Hwameis were measured with an open-circuit respirometry system. Results: Body masses varied with time of day and were higher in daytime for Hwameis in both summer and winter, and body masses in winter were higher compared to that in summer. Body temperatures of Hwameis were higher in daytime, and the summer acclimatized birds had significantly higher body temperatures compared to the winter acclimatized birds. BMRs of Hwameis were significantly higher during the daytime compared to the nighttime of the daily cycle in both summer and winter, and Hwameis in winter had significantly higher BMRs than that in summer. Conclusions: This result showed that Hwameis rely mostly on metabolic capacity to maintain their body temperature in cold weathers, and Hwameis exhibited daily and seasonal flexibility in morphology and physiology which is important under changing environmental conditions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

Daily variation in body mass and thermoregulation in male Hwamei (Garrulax canorus) at different seasons

Zhao

Wang

et al. 2015

Avian Res

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“…However, we opted to exclude data for Monk Parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus; Weathers and Caccamise 1978) and House Sparrows (Passer domesticus; Nzama et al 2010), as both these data are from feral populations well outside their respective native latitudinal ranges.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global patterns of seasonal acclimatization in avian resting metabolic rates

2015

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The adjustment of resting metabolic rates represents an important component of avian seasonal acclimatization, with recent studies revealing substantial differences between summer and winter in birds from a wide range of latitudes. We compared seasonal variation in basal metabolic rate (BMR) and summit metabolism (Msum) between temperate and tropical/subtropical latitudes, and examined correlations with latitude and temperature. The direction and magnitude of seasonal adjustments in BMR are broadly related to temperature and latitude, but are significantly more variable among tropical and subtropical species compared to those inhabiting temperate zones. Winter adjustments in BMR among subtropical species, when expressed relative to summer 1 values, range from decreases of approximately 35 % to increases of more than 60 %, whereas the majority of temperate-zone species show increases in BMR during winter. Relatively few seasonal Msum data exist for tropical/subtropical species, but those that are available involve responses ranging from winter decreases to increases of similar magnitude to those characteristic of many temperate-zone species. Recent studies also highlight the substantial variation in seasonal adjustments that may occur within species, and reiterate the need for further investigations of the relative roles of environmental variables such as temperature and food availability as determinants of seasonal metabolic variation.

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“…Although we are not aware of any such data for seasonal acclimatization in free-living subtropical birds, rufouscollared sparrows Zonotrichia capensis from habitats with more pronounced climatic seasonality showed greater changes in BMR in response to thermal acclimation than did populations from more seasonally stable environments (Cavieres and Sabat 2008). Finally, it is also unclear to what extent seasonal metabolic changes differ between captive and free-ranging populations; captive populations of some species, such as the greater vasa parrot Coracopsis vasa (Lovegrove et al 2011), appear to fit the general pattern of winter BMR downregulation in subtropical latitudes identified by Smit and McKechnie (2010), whereas other species, such as the red-winged starling Onychognathus morio (Chamane and Downs 2009) and house sparrow Passer domesticus (Nzama et al 2010), do not.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal Metabolic Variation in Two Populations of an Afrotropical Euplectid Bird

Ven

Mzilikazi²,

McKechnie

2013

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology

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Many birds exhibit seasonal phenotypic flexibility in basal metabolic rate (BMR) and summit metabolism (M sum ), but very little information is available for species from subtropical latitudes or for conspecific populations from sites that vary in climate. We measured body mass (M b ), BMR, and M sum in summer and winter in two populations of the southern red bishop Euplectes orix, a passerine that is widespread in southern Africa. One population occurs at a comparatively warmer coastal site (mean daily minimum air temperature [T a ] in midwinter, 8.3ЊC) and the other at a colder inland site (mean daily minimum T a in midwinter, Ϫ2.8ЊC). Bishops from both populations significantly increased M b in winter. However, seasonal metabolic adjustments differed considerably between the populations. The inland population significantly increased BMR by approximately 58%, mass-specific BMR by approximately 31%, and M sum by approximately 15% in winter, although massspecific M sum did not change significantly. In contrast, the coastal population showed no significant seasonal change in BMR and significant winter reductions in mass-specific BMR (∼15%), M sum (∼8%), and mass-specific M sum (∼15%). The interpopulation differences in the magnitude and direction of seasonal mass-specific BMR changes are qualitatively consistent with global patterns, although the increase shown by the inland population is larger than expected. Our data reveal that avian seasonal metabolic adjustments can vary greatly within subtropical species depending on the climatic conditions experienced by the birds, and our findings reiterate the need to better understand metabolic flexibility in species that inhabit lower latitudes.

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Seasonal variation in the metabolism-temperature relation of House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Cited by 36 publications

References 31 publications

Daily variation in body mass and thermoregulation in male Hwamei (Garrulax canorus) at different seasons

Daily variation in body mass and thermoregulation in male Hwamei (Garrulax canorus) at different seasons

Global patterns of seasonal acclimatization in avian resting metabolic rates

Seasonal Metabolic Variation in Two Populations of an Afrotropical Euplectid Bird

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