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Kwieciński Z, Tryjanowski P, Zduniak P. Intersexual patterns of the digestive tract and body size are opposed in a large bird. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15039. [PMID: 38951150 PMCID: PMC11217296 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66022-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The appropriate structure of the digestive tract is crucial for individual adaptation to ecological conditions. In birds, the length of the small intestine, responsible for food absorption, is generally believed to be positively correlated with body size. In this study, we investigated the variation in small intestine length in the White Stork (Ciconia ciconia), a monomorphic species without visible sexual dimorphism, but characterized by differing parental efforts, which can be reflected by the small intestine lengths between the sexes. We examined the relationship between small intestine length and body size within the sexes. Our findings show that male White Storks have significantly shorter small intestines than females, despite having larger body sizes than the latter. Furthermore, we found a significant relationship between body size and small intestine length, but it was of a different nature in the two sexes. Males exhibited a previously unreported phenomenon, whereby increasing body size was associated with shortening small intestines, whereas females exhibited the opposite pattern. These novel findings shed light on the anatomical adaptations of the digestive tract in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zbigniew Kwieciński
- Department of Avian Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznan, Poland
| | - Piotr Tryjanowski
- Department of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625, Poznan, Poland
| | - Piotr Zduniak
- Department of Avian Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznan, Poland.
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Sentís M, Pacioni C, De Cuyper A, Janssens GP, Lens L, Strubbe D. Biophysical models accurately characterize the thermal energetics of a small invasive passerine bird. iScience 2023; 26:107743. [PMID: 37720095 PMCID: PMC10504485 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Effective management of invasive species requires accurate predictions of their invasion potential in different environments. By considering species' physiological tolerances and requirements, biophysical mechanistic models can potentially deliver accurate predictions of where introduced species are likely to establish. Here, we evaluate biophysical model predictions of energy use by comparing them to experimentally obtained energy expenditure (EE) and thermoneutral zones (TNZs) for the common waxbill Estrilda astrild, a small-bodied avian invader. We show that biophysical models accurately predict TNZ and EE and that they perform better than traditional time-energy budget methods. Sensitivity analyses indicate that body temperature, metabolic rate, and feather characteristics were the most influential traits affecting model accuracy. This evaluation of common waxbill energetics represents a crucial step toward improved parameterization of biophysical models, eventually enabling accurate predictions of invasion risk for small (sub)tropical passerines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Sentís
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Cesare Pacioni
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Annelies De Cuyper
- Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Geert P.J. Janssens
- Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Luc Lens
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Diederik Strubbe
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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Stenhouse EH, Bellamy P, Kirby W, Vaughan IP, Symondson WOC, Orozco-terWengel P. Herbivorous dietary selection shown by hawfinch ( Coccothraustes coccothraustes) within mixed woodland habitats. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230156. [PMID: 37181798 PMCID: PMC10170347 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge of diet and dietary selectivity is vital, especially for the conservation of declining species. Accurately obtaining this information, however, is difficult, especially if the study species feeds on a wide range of food items within heterogeneous and inaccessible environments, such as the tree canopy. Hawfinches (Coccothraustes coccothraustes), like many woodland birds, are declining for reasons that are unclear. We investigated the possible role that dietary selection may have in these declines in the UK. Here, we used a combination of high-throughput sequencing of 261 hawfinch faecal samples assessed against tree occurrence data from quadrats sampled in three hawfinch population strongholds in the UK to test for evidence of selective foraging. This revealed that hawfinches show selective feeding and consume certain tree genera disproportionally to availability. Positive selection was shown for beech (Fagus), cherry (Prunus), hornbeam (Carpinus), maples (Acer) and oak (Quercus), while Hawfinch avoided ash (Fraxinus), birch (Betula), chestnut (Castanea), fir (Abies), hazel (Corylus), rowan (Sorbus) and lime (Tilia). This approach provided detailed information on hawfinch dietary choice and may be used to predict the effects of changing food resources on other declining passerines populations in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewan H. Stenhouse
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, Wales, UK
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, The Lodge, Sandy SG19 2DL, UK
| | - Paul Bellamy
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, The Lodge, Sandy SG19 2DL, UK
| | - Will Kirby
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, The Lodge, Sandy SG19 2DL, UK
| | - Ian P. Vaughan
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, Wales, UK
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Stenhouse EH, Bellamy P, Kirby W, Vaughan IP, Drake LE, Marchbank A, Workman T, Symondson WOC, Orozco‐terWengel P. Multi-marker DNA metabarcoding reveals spatial and sexual variation in the diet of a scarce woodland bird. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10089. [PMID: 37206688 PMCID: PMC10191781 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Avian diet can be affected by site-specific variables, such as habitat, as well as intrinsic factors such as sex. This can lead to dietary niche separation, which reduces competition between individuals, as well as impacting how well avian species can adapt to environmental variation. Estimating dietary niche separation is challenging, due largely to difficulties in accurately identifying food taxa consumed. Consequently, there is limited knowledge of the diets of woodland bird species, many of which are undergoing serious population declines. Here, we show the effectiveness of multi-marker fecal metabarcoding to provide in-depth dietary analysis of a declining passerine in the UK, the Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes). We collected fecal samples from (n = 262) UK Hawfinches prior to, and during, the breeding seasons in 2016-2019. We detected 49 and 90 plant and invertebrate taxa, respectively. We found Hawfinch diet varied spatially, as well as between sexes, indicating broad dietary plasticity and the ability of Hawfinches to utilize multiple resources within their foraging environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewan H. Stenhouse
- School of BiosciencesCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, The LodgeSandyUK
| | - Paul Bellamy
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, The LodgeSandyUK
| | - Will Kirby
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, The LodgeSandyUK
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Ahmad H, Ong SQ, Tan EH. The Diet for Edible-Nest Swiftlets: Nutritional Composition and Cost of Life Stages of Megaselia scalaris Loew (Diptera: Phoridae) Bred on 3 Commercial Breeding Materials. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 11:1179543318823533. [PMID: 30675104 PMCID: PMC6330733 DOI: 10.1177/1179543318823533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Megaselia scalaris (Loew) is one of the best-known diets for the swiftlet. Previous studies have addressed the problem of some mass rearing conditions for this insect; unfortunately, the details of the nutritional composition of the life stages and cost of the breeding materials were insufficiently reported, even though this information is crucial for farming the edible-nest swiftlet. We aimed to investigate the nutritional composition of the life stages of M scalaris on a cost basis using 3 common commercial breeding materials: chicken pellets (CPs), fish pellets (FPs), and mouse pellets (MPs). Modified Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) proximate and mineral analyses were carried out on the insect's third instar larvae, pupal, and adult stages to determine the nutritional composition. Regardless of the breeding materials, the adult stage of M scalaris had significantly higher crude protein than the other stages; the pupae were rich in calcium, which is required for egg production; and the third instar larvae had the highest amount of crude fat compared with the other stages. Regarding the energy content, there were no significant differences among the stages according to the breeding materials. In terms of nutritional cost, CP was the most economic breeding material and generated the highest amount of nutrients per US dollar (US $). Different life stages of M scalaris were used by the swiftlets by supplying the required nutrients, and future studies should focus on effective diet feeding methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamdan Ahmad
- Vector Control Research Unit, School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Song-Quan Ong
- Vector Control Research Unit, School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
- KDU Penang University College, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Eng Hua Tan
- Vector Control Research Unit, School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
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Gommer R, Bom RA, Fijen TPM, van Gils JA. Stomach fullness shapes prey choice decisions in crab plovers (Dromas ardeola). PLoS One 2018; 13:e0194824. [PMID: 29641542 PMCID: PMC5895019 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Foragers whose energy intake rate is constrained by search and handling time should, according to the contingency model (CM), select prey items whose profitability exceeds or equals the forager’s long-term average energy intake rate. This rule does not apply when prey items are found and ingested at a higher rate than the digestive system can process them. According to the digestive rate model (DRM), foragers in such situations should prefer prey with the highest digestive quality, instead of the highest profitability. As the digestive system fills up, the limiting constraint switches from ingestion rate to digestion rate, and prey choice is expected to change accordingly for foragers making decisions over a relative short time window. We use these models to understand prey choice in crab plovers (Dromas ardeola), preying on either small burrowing crabs that are swallowed whole (high profitability, but potentially inducing a digestive constraint) or on larger swimming crabs that are opened to consume only the flesh (low profitability, but easier to digest). To parameterize the CM and DRM, we measured energy content, ballast mass and handling times for different sized prey, and the birds’ digestive capacity in three captive individuals. Subsequently, these birds were used in ad libitum experiments to test if they obeyed the rules of the CM or DRM. We found that crab plovers with an empty stomach mainly chose the most profitable prey, matching the CM. When stomach fullness increased, the birds switched their preference from the most profitable prey to the highest-quality prey, matching the predictions of the DRM. This shows that prey choice is context dependent, affected by the stomach fullness of an animal. Our results suggest that prey choice experiments should be carefully interpreted, especially under captive conditions as foragers often ‘fill up’ in the course of feeding trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roy Gommer
- Department of Coastal Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and Utrecht University, Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | - Roeland A. Bom
- Department of Coastal Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and Utrecht University, Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
- Remote Sensing and GIS Center, Sultan Qaboos University, Al Khod, Oman
| | - Thijs P. M. Fijen
- Department of Coastal Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and Utrecht University, Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan A. van Gils
- Department of Coastal Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and Utrecht University, Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
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Titulaer M, Melgoza-Castillo A, Panjabi AO, Sanchez-Flores A, Martínez-Guerrero JH, Macías-Duarte A, Fernandez JA. Molecular analysis of stomach contents reveals important grass seeds in the winter diet of Baird's and Grasshopper sparrows, two declining grassland bird species. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0189695. [PMID: 29261732 PMCID: PMC5738127 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 11/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
We analyzed the diet of Baird's Sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii) and Grasshopper Sparrow (A. savannarum) in three different sites and sampling periods across the Chihuahuan Desert in northern Mexico. DNA from seeds in regurgitated stomach contents was sequenced using NGS technology and identified with a barcoding approach using the P6 loop of the trnL intron as genetic marker. During each sampling period, we collected random soil samples to estimate seed availability in the soil seed bank. Due to the variability and size of the genetic marker, the resolution was limited to a family level resolution for taxonomic classification of seeds, but in several cases a genus level was achieved. Diets contained a high diversity of seeds but were dominated by a limited number of genera/families. Seeds from Panicoideae (from the genera Panicum, Setaria, Eriochloa, Botriochloa, and Hackelochloa) contributed for the largest part to the diets (53 ± 19%), followed by Bouteloua (10 ± 12%). Depending on the site and sampling period, other important seeds in the diets were Eragrostideae, Pleuraphis, Asteraceae, Verbena, and Amaranthus. The most abundant seeds were not always preferred. Aristida and Chloris were common in the soil seed bank but these seeds were avoided by both bird species. Baird's and Grasshopper sparrows did not differ in seed preferences. This work highlights the importance of range management practices that favor seed production of Panicoideae and Bouteloua grasses to enhance winter habitat use and survival of Baird's and Grasshopper sparrows in the Chihuahuan Desert.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mieke Titulaer
- Facultad de Zootecnia y Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico
| | | | - Arvind O. Panjabi
- Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Alejandro Sanchez-Flores
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | | | | | - Jesús A. Fernandez
- Facultad de Zootecnia y Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico
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Orr TJ, Newsome SD, Wolf BO. Cacti supply limited nutrients to a desert rodent community. Oecologia 2015; 178:1045-62. [PMID: 25842296 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-015-3304-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2014] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In the Sonoran Desert, cacti represent a potentially important source of nutrients and water for consumers. Columnar cacti, in particular, produce a large pulse of flowers and succulent fruit during hot summer months. The importance of cactus stems, flowers and fruit to the small mammal community has not been quantified. We exploited natural variation in the carbon isotope (δ(13)C) values of cacti (CAM) versus C3 plants to quantify the relative use of these resources by a diverse desert small mammal community. We also estimated trophic level by measuring nitrogen isotope (δ(15)N) values. We hypothesized that (H1) granivorous heteromyids (kangaroo rats, pocket mice) would exploit the summer pulse of seeds and pulp; (H2) folivorous and omnivorous cactus mice, wood rats, and ground squirrels would exploit cacti stems year-round and seeds when available; and (H3) kangaroo rats and pocket mice would shift from seeds to insects during hot dry months. We found that heteromyids made minimal use of seeds during the period of heavy seed rain. Of the cricetids, only the folivore Neotoma albigula made continuous but highly variable use of cacti resources (annual mean = 32%, range 0-81%), whereas the omnivore Peromyscus eremicus ignored cacti except during the summer, when it exploited seeds and/or fruit pulp (June-July mean = 39%, range 20-64%). We also found little evidence for a shift to greater consumption of insects by heteromyids during the hot dry months. Overall, use of cactus resources by the small mammal community is very limited and highly variable among species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teri J Orr
- Departments of Biology and Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA,
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Gaba S, Collas C, Powolny T, Bretagnolle F, Bretagnolle V. Skylarks trade size and energy content in weed seeds to maximize total ingested lipid biomass. Behav Processes 2014; 108:142-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2014.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2014] [Revised: 09/08/2014] [Accepted: 10/17/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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