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McClelland SC, Cassey P, Maurer G, Hauber ME, Portugal SJ. How much calcium to shell out? Eggshell calcium carbonate content is greater in birds with thinner shells, larger clutches and longer lifespans. J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20210502. [PMID: 34583563 PMCID: PMC8479367 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The avian eggshell is a bio-ceramic structure that protects the embryo. It is composed almost entirely of calcium carbonate and a small amount of organic material. An optimal amount of calcium carbonate in the eggshell is essential for the embryo's development, yet how the ratio of calcium carbonate to organic matter varies between species has not been investigated. Calcium is a limiting resource for most birds, so its investment in their eggs should be optimized for a bird's life history. We measured the relative calcium carbonate content of eggshells in 222 bird species and tested hypotheses for how this trait has evolved with the life-history strategies of these species and other traits of their respective egg physiologies. We found that (i) eggshell calcium carbonate content was positively correlated with species having thinner eggshells and smaller than expected eggs relative to incubating parental mass, (ii) species with small mean clutch sizes had lower calcium carbonate content in their eggshells, and (iii) for species with larger clutch sizes, eggshell calcium carbonate content was negatively correlated with their mean lifespan. The pattern of lower eggshell calcium carbonate in longer lived, larger clutched birds suggests that calcium provision to the eggshell has long-term costs for the individual.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie C. McClelland
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Phillip Cassey
- Invasion Science & Wildlife Ecology Lab, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - Golo Maurer
- BirdLife Australia, 2/5, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Studies, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland 4878, Australia
| | - Mark E. Hauber
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Steven J. Portugal
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham TW20 0EX, UK
- The Natural History Museum, Tring HP23 6AP, UK
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2
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Vieco‐Galvez D, Castro I, Morel PCH, Chua WH, Loh M. The eggshell structure in apteryx; form, function, and adaptation. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:3184-3202. [PMID: 33841776 PMCID: PMC8019059 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Apteryx is a genus of flightless birds endemic to New Zealand known to lay very large eggs in proportion to body weight. The eggshell of Apteryx is unusually thin and less porous than allometrically expected possibly as a compensation for a very long incubation period. Past studies have been carried out on Apteryx australis, a species which once comprised all kiwi with brown plumage, now separated into three distinct species. These species use different habitats and live at different latitudes and altitudes, therefore generating a need to revise our knowledge of the attributes of their eggshells. In this study, we measured the physical characteristics and water conductance on eggshell fragments of these three species and Great-spotted Kiwi and relate them to the environmental conditions of their respective environments; we also measured the water vapor conductance of Brown Kiwi eggs of late stages of incubation. We found that several trade-offs exist between incubation behavior, environmental conditions, and eggshell structure. We found differences between species in eggshell water vapor conductance seemingly related to altitude; Brown Kiwi and Rowi generally inhabiting lower altitudes had the highest conductance and Tokoeka, generally living in montane environments, the lowest. This is achieved by an increased eggshell thickness rather than a pore area reduction. Finally, the water vapor conductance late in incubation was 58% higher than infertile unincubated eggs, suggesting a drastic increase in conductance throughout the long incubation period. Using the values previously reported, we calculated the embryonic eggshell thinning to be 32.5% at the equatorial region of the eggshell. We describe several new features, such as triangular mineral particles in the cuticle, reported for the extinct Trigonoolithus amoei, and confirmed the existence of plugged pores. We suggest that these structures provide microbial protection needed by a burrow nesting species with a long incubation period.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Vieco‐Galvez
- School of Agriculture and EnvironmentMassey UniversityPalmerston NorthNew Zealand
| | - Isabel Castro
- School of Agriculture and EnvironmentMassey UniversityPalmerston NorthNew Zealand
| | - Patrick C. H. Morel
- School of Agriculture and EnvironmentMassey UniversityPalmerston NorthNew Zealand
| | - Wei Hang Chua
- School of Health SciencesMassey UniversityPalmerston NorthNew Zealand
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3
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Bird Feces as Indicators of Metal Pollution: Pitfalls and Solutions. TOXICS 2020; 8:toxics8040124. [PMID: 33353152 PMCID: PMC7767019 DOI: 10.3390/toxics8040124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Bird feces are commonly used as a proxy for measuring dietary metal exposure levels in wild populations. Our study aims to improve the reliability and repeatability of fecal metal measurements and gives some recommendations for sampling. First, we studied levels of variation in metallic element (arsenic, calcium, cadmium, cobalt, copper, nickel, lead) concentrations: temporal variation within an individual, among siblings in a brood and among-brood/spatial variation. Second, we explored the variation caused by dual composition (urate vs. feces) of bird droppings. Two sets of fresh fecal samples were collected from pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) nestlings living in a metal polluted area in summers 2017 (dataset 1) and 2018 (dataset 2). We found a great deal of temporal intra-individual variation in metal levels, suggesting that dietary exposure varied markedly in a short time scale (within a day). A sample from only one nestling per brood did not well describe the brood mean value, and we recommend that at least four siblings should be sampled. Brood level samples give relatively good temporal repeatability for most metals. For all the metals, the levels in the fecal portion were more than double to those in the urate portion. Since the mass proportion of urate in the bird droppings varied a great deal among samples, standardizing sampling, e.g., by collecting only the fecal part, would markedly reduce the variation due to composition. Alternatively, urate portion could be used for biomonitoring of internally circulated bioavailable metal.
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Shriver WG, Ladin ZS, Buler J, D’Amico V. Non-native shrubs and calcium availability are important for birds breeding in urban forests. Urban Ecosyst 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-020-01049-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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5
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Carter WA, DeMoranville KJ, Pierce BJ, McWilliams SR. The effects of dietary linoleic acid and hydrophilic antioxidants on basal, peak, and sustained metabolism in flight-trained European starlings. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:1552-1566. [PMID: 32076533 PMCID: PMC7029098 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Dietary micronutrients have the ability to strongly influence animal physiology and ecology. For songbirds, dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and antioxidants are hypothesized to be particularly important micronutrients because of their influence on an individual's capacity for aerobic metabolism and recovery from extended bouts of exercise. However, the influence of specific fatty acids and hydrophilic antioxidants on whole-animal performance remains largely untested. We used diet manipulations to directly test the effects of dietary PUFA, specifically linoleic acid (18:2n6), and anthocyanins, a hydrophilic antioxidant, on basal metabolic rate (BMR), peak metabolic rate (PMR), and rates of fat catabolism, lean catabolism, and energy expenditure during sustained flight in a wind tunnel in European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). BMR, PMR, energy expenditure, and fat metabolism decreased and lean catabolism increased over the course of the experiment in birds fed a high (32%) 18:2n6 diet, while birds fed a low (13%) 18:2n6 diet exhibited the reverse pattern. Additionally, energy expenditure, fat catabolism, and flight duration were all subject to diet-specific effects of whole-body fat content. Dietary antioxidants and diet-related differences in tissue fatty acid composition were not directly related to any measure of whole-animal performance. Together, these results suggest that the effect of dietary 18:2n6 on performance was most likely the result of the signaling properties of 18:2n6. This implies that dietary PUFA influence the energetic capabilities of songbirds and could strongly influence songbird ecology, given their availability in terrestrial systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wales A. Carter
- Department of Natural Resources ScienceUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRIUSA
| | | | | | - Scott R. McWilliams
- Department of Natural Resources ScienceUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRIUSA
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Low M, Arlt D, Knape J, Pärt T, Öberg M. Factors influencing plasticity in the arrival-breeding interval in a migratory species reacting to climate change. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:12291-12301. [PMID: 31832160 PMCID: PMC6854385 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Revised: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is profoundly affecting the phenology of many species. In migratory birds, there is evidence for advances in their arrival time at the breeding ground and their timing of breeding, yet empirical studies examining the interdependence between arrival and breeding time are lacking. Hence, evidence is scarce regarding how breeding time may be adjusted via the arrival-breeding interval to help local populations adapt to local conditions or climate change. We used long-term data from an intensively monitored population of the northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) to examine the factors related to the length of 734 separate arrival-to-breeding events from 549 individual females. From 1993 to 2017, the mean arrival and egg-laying dates advanced by approximately the same amount (~5-6 days), with considerable between-individual variation in the arrival-breeding interval. The arrival-breeding interval was shorter for: (a) individuals that arrived later in the season compared to early-arriving birds, (b) for experienced females compared to first-year breeders, (c) as spring progressed, and (d) in later years compared to earlier ones. The influence of these factors was much larger for birds arriving earlier in the season compared to later arriving birds, with most effects on variation in the arrival-breeding interval being absent in late-arriving birds. Thus, in this population it appears that the timing of breeding is not constrained by arrival for early- to midarriving birds, but instead is dependent on local conditions after arrival. For late-arriving birds, however, the timing of breeding appears to be influenced by arrival constraints. Hence, impacts of climate change on arrival dates and local conditions are expected to vary for different parts of the population, with potential negative impacts associated with these factors likely to differ for early- versus late-arriving birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Low
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
| | - Debora Arlt
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
| | - Jonas Knape
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
| | - Tomas Pärt
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
| | - Meit Öberg
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
- WSP Sverige ABUppsalaSweden
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7
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Bleu J, Agostini S, Angelier F, Biard C. Experimental increase in temperature affects eggshell thickness, and not egg mass, eggshell spottiness or egg composition in the great tit (Parus major). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2019; 275:73-81. [PMID: 30735670 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Revised: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Phenotypic effects of global warming have been documented in many different taxa. However, the importance of transgenerational phenotypic plasticity in these adaptations are seldom studied. In birds, temperature could affect egg characteristics. Higher temperatures during egg-laying may reduce maintenance costs for females and allow a higher investment in reproduction. Yet, females may also use temperatures as a cue for the risk of mismatch latter in the season. Thus, higher temperatures may be correlated to an acceleration of embryonic development (e.g. via hormonal manipulation). We performed an experiment in which night-time temperature was increased in the nestbox by approximately 1 °C throughout the entire laying period in great tits (Parus major). We collected one pre-treatment egg (beginning of the laying sequence) and one post-treatment egg (end of the laying sequence). Egg content (yolk androgens and lysozymes in the albumen), eggshell coloration, eggshell mass, egg mass, and shape were not affected by the treatment. However, last-laid eggs in clutches from control nestboxes had a thicker eggshell than last-laid eggs from heated nestboxes, suggesting a putative slight decrease of maternal investment with the experimental increase of temperature. We also observed effects of the laying sequence on egg characteristics. Eggs that were laid late in the laying sequence were heavier, larger, had larger spots and higher yolk androgens than eggs laid earlier. Lysozyme concentration decrease with the laying sequence in late clutches only. Thus, effects of temperature may also change with the laying sequence and it would be interesting in the future to tests the effects on first-laid eggs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefa Bleu
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC, UMR 7178, F-67000 Strasbourg, France.
| | - Simon Agostini
- CEREEP-Ecotron Ile-de-France, UMS 3194, École Normale Supérieure, St-Pierre-les-Nemours, France
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 - CNRS & Université de la Rochelle, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Clotilde Biard
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC, CNRS, INRA, IRD, Université Paris Diderot, Université Paris-Est Créteil, UMR 7618, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 75005 Paris, France
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8
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L'Herpiniere KL, O'Neill LG, Russell AF, Duursma DE, Griffith SC. Unscrambling variation in avian eggshell colour and patterning in a continent-wide study. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:181269. [PMID: 30800374 PMCID: PMC6366205 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.181269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The evolutionary drivers underlying marked variation in the pigmentation of eggs within many avian species remains unclear. The leading hypotheses proposed to explain such variation advocate the roles of genetic differences, signalling and/or structural integrity. One means of testing among these hypotheses is to capitalize on museum collections of eggs obtained throughout a broad geographical range of a species to ensure sufficient variation in predictors pertaining to each hypothesis. Here, we measured coloration and patterning in eggs from 272 clutches of Australian magpies (Cracticus tibicen) collected across most of their geographical range of ca 7 million km2; encompassing eight subspecies, variation in environmental parameters, and the presence/absence of a brood parasite. We found considerable variation in background colour, as well as in the extent and distribution of patterning across eggs. There was little evidence that this variation was explained by subspecies or the contemporary presence of a brood parasite. However, measures of maximum temperature, leaf area index and soil calcium all contributed to variation in egg appearance, although their explanatory power was relatively low. Our results suggest that multiple factors combine to influence egg appearance in this species, and that even in species with highly variable eggs, coloration is not readily explained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiara L. L'Herpiniere
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Louis G. O'Neill
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter Cornwall Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Andrew F. Russell
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter Cornwall Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Daisy Englert Duursma
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Simon C. Griffith
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
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Bańbura M, Glądalski M, Kaliński A, Markowski M, Skwarska J, Wawrzyniak J, Zieliński P, Bańbura J. A consistent long-lasting pattern of spatial variation in egg size and shape in blue tits ( Cyanistes caeruleus). Front Zool 2018; 15:34. [PMID: 30305833 PMCID: PMC6169024 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-018-0279-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Interspecies variation in avian egg shape and size is understandable in terms of adaptation, allometry and phylogeny. Within-species variation in egg properties influences offspring fitness and can be explained by differences in allocation of resources into reproductive components of life history in mulidimensionally variable environments. Egg size is inherently traded-off with clutch size, which may also be true of egg shape in some cases. We investigated long-term variation in egg shape and size between two geographically close populations of blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus in relation to clutch size and habitat differences. Results The main finding is that there exists a persistent long-lasting pattern of spatial variation of egg size and shape between the two study populations of blue tits, 10 km apart, controlling for clutch size. Eggs in the urban park site were on average larger in volume and less spherical in shape than eggs in the forest site over 12 years of this study. Egg sizes were negatively associated with clutch sizes. Egg shape was not correlated with clutch size. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the pattern of variation in egg size and shape results from different trophic richness of the breeding habitats of the study populations, demanding different allocation of resources and, especially, from the contrasting difference in the availability of calcium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirosława Bańbura
- 1Natural History Museum, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Kilińskiego 101, 90-011 Łódź, Poland
| | - Michał Glądalski
- 2Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
| | - Adam Kaliński
- 2Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
| | - Marcin Markowski
- 2Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
| | - Joanna Skwarska
- 2Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
| | - Jarosław Wawrzyniak
- 2Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
| | - Piotr Zieliński
- 3Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
| | - Jerzy Bańbura
- 2Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
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Hargitai R, Nagy G, Nyiri Z, Bervoets L, Eke Z, Eens M, Török J. Effects of breeding habitat (woodland versus urban) and metal pollution on the egg characteristics of great tits (Parus major). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 544:31-38. [PMID: 26657247 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.11.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Revised: 11/11/2015] [Accepted: 11/23/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
In an urban environment, birds are exposed to metals, which may accumulate in their tissues and cause oxidative stress. Female birds may eliminate these pollutants through depositing them into eggs, thus eggs become suitable bioindicators of pollution. In this study, we aimed to analyse whether eggshell spotting pattern, egg volume, eggshell thickness and egg yolk antioxidant (lutein, tocopherol, retinol and selenium) levels were related to the breeding area (woodland versus urban) and the metal levels in the eggshell of a small passerine species, the great tit (Parus major). In the urban habitat, soil and eggshells contained higher concentrations of metals, and soil calcium level was also higher than that in the woodland. Eggshell spotting intensity and egg volume did not differ between eggs laid in the woodland and the urban park, and these traits were not related to the metal levels of the eggshell, suggesting that these egg characteristics are not sensitive indicators of metal pollution. A more aggregated eggshell spotting distribution indicated a higher Cu concentration of the eggshell. We found that eggshells were thinner in the less polluted woodland habitat, which is likely due to the limited Ca availability of the woodland area. Great tit eggs laid in the urban environment had lower yolk lutein, retinol and selenium concentrations, however, as a possible compensation for these lower antioxidant levels, urban females deposited more tocopherol into the egg yolk. It appears that females from different breeding habitats may provide similar antioxidant protection for their offspring against oxidative damage by depositing different specific dietary antioxidants. Egg yolk lutein and retinol levels showed a negative relationship with lead concentration of the eggshell, which may suggest that lead had a negative impact on the amount of antioxidants available for embryos during development in great tits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Hargitai
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. st. 1/C, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Gergely Nagy
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. st. 1/C, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Nyiri
- Joint Research and Training Laboratory on Separation Techniques, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. st. 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Lieven Bervoets
- Systemic Physiological and Ecotoxicological Research Laboratory, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171/U7, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Zsuzsanna Eke
- Joint Research and Training Laboratory on Separation Techniques, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. st. 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Marcel Eens
- Ethology Research Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - János Török
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. st. 1/C, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
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11
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Marrot P, Garant D, Charmantier A. Spatial autocorrelation in fitness affects the estimation of natural selection in the wild. Methods Ecol Evol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Marrot
- Département de Biologie Faculté des Sciences Université de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke QC J1K 2R1 Canada
- CEFE–UMR 5175 1919 route de Mende F‐34293 Montpellier CEDEX 5 France
| | - Dany Garant
- Département de Biologie Faculté des Sciences Université de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke QC J1K 2R1 Canada
| | - Anne Charmantier
- CEFE–UMR 5175 1919 route de Mende F‐34293 Montpellier CEDEX 5 France
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12
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Snell-Rood E, Cothran R, Espeset A, Jeyasingh P, Hobbie S, Morehouse NI. Life-history evolution in the anthropocene: effects of increasing nutrients on traits and trade-offs. Evol Appl 2015; 8:635-49. [PMID: 26240602 PMCID: PMC4516417 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2015] [Accepted: 04/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Variation in life-history traits can have major impacts on the ecological and evolutionary responses of populations to environmental change. Life-history variation often results from trade-offs that arise because individuals have a limited pool of resources to allocate among traits. However, human activities are increasing the availability of many once-limited resources, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, with potentially major implications for the expression and evolution of life-history trade-offs. In this review, we synthesize contemporary life history and sexual selection literature with current research on ecosystem nutrient cycling to highlight novel opportunities presented by anthropogenic environmental change for investigating life-history trait development and evolution. Specifically, we review four areas where nutrition plays a pivotal role in life-history evolution and explore possible implications in the face of rapid, human-induced change in nutrient availability. For example, increases in the availability of nutrients may relax historical life-history trade-offs and reduce the honesty of signaling systems. We argue that ecosystems experiencing anthropogenic nutrient inputs present a powerful yet underexplored arena for testing novel and longstanding questions in organismal life-history evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Snell-Rood
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of MinnesotaTwin Cities, MN, USA
| | - Rickey Cothran
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southwestern Oklahoma State UniversityWeatherford, OK, USA
| | - Anne Espeset
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of MinnesotaTwin Cities, MN, USA
- Department of Biology, University of NevadaReno, NV, USA
| | | | - Sarah Hobbie
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of MinnesotaTwin Cities, MN, USA
| | - Nathan I Morehouse
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA, USA
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Isaksson C, While GM, Olsson M, Komdeur J, Wapstra E. Oxidative stress physiology in relation to life history traits of a free-living vertebrate: the spotted snow skink, Niveoscincus ocellatus. Integr Zool 2015; 6:140-149. [PMID: 21645278 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-4877.2011.00237.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Recent research suggests that oxidative stress, via its links to metabolism and senescence, is a key mechanism linking life history traits such as fecundity and growth with survival; however, this has rarely been put under empirical scrutiny within free-living populations. Using a wild population of live-bearing skinks, we explored how plasma antioxidant activity (OXY), reactive oxidative metabolites (ROM), and the estimated oxidative stress index are associated with female and male life history. We found that male skinks have a significantly higher ROM and estimated oxidative stress index than female skinks, but this was not accompanied by a sex difference in mortality. Both sexes showed a non-linear association between OXY and age, indicating that the oldest and youngest individuals had the lowest OXY. Interestingly, female skinks with high OXY showed a decreased probability of survival to the following season. However, we found no significant associations between female reproductive investment (litter size or litter mass) or parturition date (i.e. metabolism) and oxidative status. Combined, our results offer mixed support for a role of oxidative stress in mediating life history traits and suggest that future studies need to explore oxidative stress during vitellogenesis in addition to using an intra-individual approach to understand the cost of reproduction and patterns of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Isaksson
- University of Groningen, Animal Ecology Group, Haren, The NetherlandsUniversity of Wollongong, School of Biological Sciences, Wollongong, New South WalesUniversity of Tasmania, School of Zoology, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Geoffrey M While
- University of Groningen, Animal Ecology Group, Haren, The NetherlandsUniversity of Wollongong, School of Biological Sciences, Wollongong, New South WalesUniversity of Tasmania, School of Zoology, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Mats Olsson
- University of Groningen, Animal Ecology Group, Haren, The NetherlandsUniversity of Wollongong, School of Biological Sciences, Wollongong, New South WalesUniversity of Tasmania, School of Zoology, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Jan Komdeur
- University of Groningen, Animal Ecology Group, Haren, The NetherlandsUniversity of Wollongong, School of Biological Sciences, Wollongong, New South WalesUniversity of Tasmania, School of Zoology, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Erik Wapstra
- University of Groningen, Animal Ecology Group, Haren, The NetherlandsUniversity of Wollongong, School of Biological Sciences, Wollongong, New South WalesUniversity of Tasmania, School of Zoology, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
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14
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Berglund ÅMM, Rainio MJ, Eeva T. Temporal trends in metal pollution: using bird excrement as indicator. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0117071. [PMID: 25680108 PMCID: PMC4332472 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2014] [Accepted: 12/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Past mining and smelting activities have resulted in metal polluted environments all over the world, but long-term monitoring data is often scarce, especially in higher trophic levels. In this study we used bird (Parus major and Ficedula hypoleuca) excrement to monitor metal pollution in the terrestrial environment following 16 years of continuously reduced emissions from a copper/nickel smelter in Finland. In the early 1990s, lead and cadmium concentrations dropped significantly in excrement, but the reduction did not directly reflect the changes in atmospheric emission from the smelter. This is likely due to a continuous contribution of metals also from the soil pool. We conclude that bird excrement can be used to assess changes in the environment as a whole but not specifically changes in atmospheric emission. Inter-annual variation in excrement concentration of especially copper and nickel demonstrates the importance of long-term monitoring to discern significant trends.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tapio Eeva
- Section of Ecology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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15
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Stahlschmidt ZR, Adamo SA. Food‐limited mothers favour offspring quality over offspring number: a principal components approach. Funct Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zachary R. Stahlschmidt
- Georgia Southern University Statesboro Georgia30460 USA
- Dalhousie University Halifax Nova ScotiaB3H 4R2 Canada
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16
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Anthropogenic changes in sodium affect neural and muscle development in butterflies. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:10221-6. [PMID: 24927579 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1323607111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of organisms is changing drastically because of anthropogenic changes in once-limited nutrients. Although the importance of changing macronutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, is well-established, it is less clear how anthropogenic changes in micronutrients will affect organismal development, potentially changing dynamics of selection. We use butterflies as a study system to test whether changes in sodium availability due to road salt runoff have significant effects on the development of sodium-limited traits, such as neural and muscle tissue. We first document how road salt runoff can elevate sodium concentrations in the tissue of some plant groups by 1.5-30 times. Using monarch butterflies reared on roadside- and prairie-collected milkweed, we then show that road salt runoff can result in increased muscle mass (in males) and neural investment (in females). Finally, we use an artificial diet manipulation in cabbage white butterflies to show that variation in sodium chloride per se positively affects male flight muscle and female brain size. Variation in sodium not only has different effects depending on sex, but also can have opposing effects on the same tissue: across both species, males increase investment in flight muscle with increasing sodium, whereas females show the opposite pattern. Taken together, our results show that anthropogenic changes in sodium availability can affect the development of traits in roadside-feeding herbivores. This research suggests that changing micronutrient availability could alter selection on foraging behavior for some roadside-developing invertebrates.
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17
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Ramirez F, Garcia-Tarrasón M, Rami L, Genovart M, Jover L, Sanpera C. The role of calcium in constraining egg synthesis in the Audouin’s Gull (Ichthyaetus audouinii). CAN J ZOOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2013-0016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how resources are allocated to form eggs is crucial to our better understanding of avian reproductive strategies. However, little is currently known about how egg synthesis in wild birds might be constrained by the availability of specific micronutrients. Here, we investigated the potential role of calcium (Ca) in constraining egg synthesis in the Audouin’s Gull (Ichthyaetus audouinii (Payraudeau, 1826)). In particular, we evaluated the relationship between plasma Ca levels (mg/dL) in incubating females (as an indicator of the physiological response of females to increased Ca demand associated with clutch production) and several fitness-related egg traits such as egg size (i.e., egg volume), egg shape, and eggshell thickness from three-egg clutches. Egg size was positively related with incubating female plasma Ca levels, with the slope of this relationship being significantly higher for later-laid eggs. The observational nature of this study and reversed timing precludes causal inferences, but observed relationships supported the constraining role of Ca in egg synthesis and suggested that Ca may also have a role in modulating the intraclutch pattern of egg-size variation typical of this gull species.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. Ramirez
- Universitat de Barcelona, Departament de Biologia Animal, Avinguda Diagonal 645, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - M. Garcia-Tarrasón
- Universitat de Barcelona, Departament de Biologia Animal, Avinguda Diagonal 645, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - L. Rami
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Unitat de Bioquímica de Medicina, Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Bellaterra 08193, Spain
| | - M. Genovart
- IMEDEA (CSIC–UIB), Grup d’Ecologia de Poblacions, Miquel Marquès 21, 07190 Esporles, Spain
| | - L. Jover
- Universitat de Barcelona, Departament de Salut Pública, Casanovas 143, Barcelona 08036, Spain
| | - C. Sanpera
- Universitat de Barcelona, Departament de Biologia Animal, Avinguda Diagonal 645, Barcelona 08028, Spain
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18
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Berglund ÅMM, Koivula MJ, Eeva T. Species- and age-related variation in metal exposure and accumulation of two passerine bird species. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2011; 159:2368-74. [PMID: 21783288 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2011.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2011] [Revised: 07/01/2011] [Accepted: 07/03/2011] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
We measured the concentration of several elements (arsenic [As], calcium [Ca], cadmium [Cd], copper [Cu], nickel [Ni], lead [Pb], selenium [Se] and zinc [Zn]) in adult and nestling pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) and great tits (Parus major) at different distances to a Cu-Ni smelter in 2009. Feces of nestlings generally failed to correspond with internal element concentrations but reflected the pollution exposure, indicating an increased stress by removal of excess metals. The uptake of Cu and Ni were regulated, but As, Cd, Pb and Se accumulated in liver tissue. Pied flycatchers had generally higher element concentrations than great tits. The higher accumulation of As and Pb in pied flycatcher livers was explained by a more efficient absorption, whereas the higher Cd concentration was primarily due to different intake of food items. Age-related differences occurred between the two species, though both Cd and Se accumulated with age.
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19
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Isaksson C, Sheldon BC, Uller T. The Challenges of Integrating Oxidative Stress into Life-history Biology. Bioscience 2011. [DOI: 10.1525/bio.2011.61.3.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
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20
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Use of grit supplements by waterbirds: an experimental assessment of strategies to reduce lead poisoning. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-010-0456-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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21
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Harrison TJE, Smith JA, Martin GR, Chamberlain DE, Bearhop S, Robb GN, Reynolds SJ. Does food supplementation really enhance productivity of breeding birds? Oecologia 2010; 164:311-20. [PMID: 20473622 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-010-1645-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2009] [Accepted: 04/15/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Food availability influences multiple stages of the breeding cycle of birds, and supplementary feeding has helped in its understanding. Most supplementation studies have reported advancements of laying, whilst others, albeit less numerous, have also demonstrated fitness benefits such as larger clutches, shorter incubation periods, and greater hatching success. Relatively few studies, however, have investigated the effects of supplementary feeding for protracted periods across multiple stages of the breeding cycle. These effects are important to understand since long-term food supplementation of birds is recommended in urban habitats and is used as a tool to increase reproductive output in endangered species. Here, we compare the breeding phenology and productivity of blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus and great tits Parus major breeding in food-supplemented and non-supplemented blocks in a broadleaf woodland in central England over three seasons (2006-2008). Supplementation was provided continuously from several weeks pre-laying until hatching, and had multiple significant effects. Most notably, supplementation reduced brood size significantly in both species, by half a chick or more at hatching (after controlling for year and hatching date). Reduced brood sizes in supplemented pairs were driven by significantly smaller clutches in both species and, in blue tits, significantly lower hatching success. These are novel and concerning findings of food supplementation. As expected, supplementary feeding advanced laying and shortened incubation periods significantly in both species. We discuss the striking parallels between our findings and patterns in blue and great tit reproduction in urban habitats, and conclude that supplementary feeding may not always enhance the breeding productivity of birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J E Harrison
- Centre for Ornithology, School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
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22
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Castilla AM, Herrel A, Robles H, Malone J, Negro JJ. The effect of developmental stage on eggshell thickness variation in endangered falcons. ZOOLOGY 2010; 113:184-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2009.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2009] [Revised: 09/24/2009] [Accepted: 10/05/2009] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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23
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Increase in membrane thickness during development compensates for eggshell thinning due to calcium uptake by the embryo in falcons. Naturwissenschaften 2009; 97:143-51. [DOI: 10.1007/s00114-009-0620-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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24
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Polluted environment and cold weather induce laying gaps in great tit and pied flycatcher. Oecologia 2009; 162:533-9. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-009-1468-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2009] [Accepted: 08/27/2009] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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