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Di Giovanni AJ, Jones TM, Benson TJ, Ward MP. Embryonic heart rate is higher in species that experience greater nest predation risk during incubation. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11460. [PMID: 38826173 PMCID: PMC11139974 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11460] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Avian eggs develop outside of the female body, and therefore embryonic development is subject to multiple internal (physiological) and external (ecological) factors. Embryonic developmental rate has important consequences for survival. Within species, embryos that develop too quickly often experience deformities, disorders, or mortality, while embryos that develop slowly risk inviability and increase the time they are exposed to various sources of mortality in the nest. These contrasting forces may lead to interspecific variation in developmental rates. We investigated potential factors affecting embryonic heart rate (EHR), a proxy of development, across 14 passerine species in the field. More specifically, we investigated if nest predation risk, clutch size, seasonality, and egg volume influenced EHR. From previous research, we expected, and found, that EHR was positively associated with embryonic age and egg temperature. Species with greater nest predation risk had higher EHR, shorter incubation periods, and lower nest temperature variance. EHR increased as the season progressed and with egg volume, while EHR declined with clutch size. Bird species exhibit varying strategies to increase nestling and fledgling survival in response to predation risk, and these results suggest that variation in embryonic development may be related to species-specific differences in nest predation risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J. Di Giovanni
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignUrbanaIllinoisUSA
| | - Todd M. Jones
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignUrbanaIllinoisUSA
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research InstituteUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignChampaignIllinoisUSA
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Migratory Bird CenterNational Zoological ParkWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Thomas J. Benson
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignUrbanaIllinoisUSA
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research InstituteUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignChampaignIllinoisUSA
| | - Michael P. Ward
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignUrbanaIllinoisUSA
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research InstituteUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignChampaignIllinoisUSA
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Cones AG, Schneider ER, Westneat DF. The incubation environment does not explain significant variation in heart rate plasticity among avian embryos. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb247120. [PMID: 38456553 PMCID: PMC10949066 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.247120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
The conditions an organism experiences during development can modify how they plastically respond to short-term changes in their environment later in life. This can be adaptive because the optimal average trait value and the optimal plastic change in trait value in response to the environment may differ across different environments. For example, early developmental temperatures can adaptively modify how reptiles, fish and invertebrates metabolically respond to temperature. However, whether individuals within populations respond differently (a prerequisite to adaptive evolution), and whether this occurs in birds, which are only ectothermic for part of their life cycle, is not known. We experimentally tested these possibilities by artificially incubating the embryos of Pekin ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus) at constant or variable temperatures. We measured their consequent heart rate reaction norms to short-term changes in egg temperature and tracked their growth. Contrary to expectations, the early thermal environment did not modify heart rate reaction norms, but regardless, these reaction norms differed among individuals. Embryos with higher average heart rates were smaller upon hatching, but heart rate reaction norms did not predict subsequent growth. Our data also suggests that the thermal environment may affect both the variance in heart rate reaction norms and their covariance with growth. Thus, individual avian embryos can vary in their plasticity to temperature, and in contrast to fully ectothermic taxa, the early thermal environment does not explain this variance. Because among-individual variation is one precondition to adaptive evolution, the factors that do contribute to such variability may be important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra G. Cones
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, 101 Thomas Hunt Morgan Building, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
| | - Eve R. Schneider
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, 101 Thomas Hunt Morgan Building, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
| | - David F. Westneat
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, 101 Thomas Hunt Morgan Building, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
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Hoffman AJ, Dees L, Wada H. Heat-induced maternal effects shape avian eggshell traits and embryo development and phenotype at high incubation temperatures. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10546. [PMID: 37745787 PMCID: PMC10515880 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10546] [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: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity is an important avenue by which organisms may persist in the face of rapid environmental change. Environmental cues experienced by the mother can also influence the phenotype of offspring, a form of plasticity called maternal effects. Maternal effects can adaptively prepare offspring for the environmental conditions they will likely experience; however, their ability to buffer offspring against environmental stressors as embryos is understudied. Using captive zebra finches, we performed a maternal-offspring environmental match-mismatch experiment utilizing a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design. Mothers were exposed to a mild heat conditioning (38°C) or control (22°C) treatment as juveniles, an acute high heat (42°C) or control (22°C) treatment as adults, then paired for breeding. The eggs produced by those females were incubated at a hyperthermic (38.5°C) or optimal temperature (37.2°C). We found that when mothers were exposed to a mild heat conditioning as juveniles, their embryos exhibited reduced water loss, longer development times, and produced hatchlings with heavier pectoralis muscles when incubated at high incubation temperatures, compared to embryos from control mothers. Mothers exposed to both the mild heat conditioning as juveniles and a high heat stressor as adults produced eggs with a higher density of shell pores and embryos with lower heart rates during development. However, there was a cost when there was a mismatch between maternal and embryo environment. Embryos from these conditioned and heat-stressed mothers had reduced survival at control incubation temperatures, indicating the importance of offspring environment when interpreting potential adaptive effects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Haruka Wada
- Department of Biological SciencesAuburn UniversityAuburnAlabamaUSA
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Wang Y, Riedstra B, Groothuis T. Embryonic heart rate is affected by yolk androgens and egg laying sequence, and correlates with embryonic tissue growth: A study in rock pigeons. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2023; 333:114213. [PMID: 36642229 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2023.114213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Maternal androgen exposure can have crucial effects on offspring development. Bird eggs are frequently used for studying these effects and virtually all research in this field has focused on post-hatching offspring traits. Yet, much of the yolk, in which the maternal hormones are deposited, is consumed during the embryonic phase. Here, we studied the effects of yolk androgens during this prenatal period. As there is evidence that androgens stimulate post-hatching traits such as increased growth, we measured heart rate throughout incubation as a proxy for prenatal metabolism. Rock pigeons (Columba livia) typically lay 2-egg clutches with yolk androgen levels in second-laid eggs being consistently higher than in first-laid eggs. We investigated whether embryonic heart rate was higher in second- than first-laid eggs. Additionally, we increased yolk androgen levels (testosterone and androstenedione) with the mean difference between those in first- and second-laid eggs, to investigate whether the effects of androgens are egg sequence dependent. As expected, embryonic heart rate predicted body embryo organ- and body mass, and body dimensions, with body mass being significantly higher in second- than first-laid eggs. Androgen treated first-laid eggs increased heart rate to that of second-laid control eggs only temporally, yet it had an overall positive effect on embryo body dimensions but not on tissue mass. Our findings indicate that embryos from different egg laying sequence differed in heart rate and prenatal development outcomes but this can only partially be explained by their difference in maternal androgen levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqi Wang
- University of Groningen, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, the Netherlands.
| | - Bernd Riedstra
- University of Groningen, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, the Netherlands
| | - Ton Groothuis
- University of Groningen, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, the Netherlands
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Hope SF, Schmitt L, Lourdais O, Angelier F. Nature vs. Nurture: Disentangling the Influence of Inheritance, Incubation Temperature, and Post-Natal Care on Offspring Heart Rate and Metabolism in Zebra Finches. Front Physiol 2022; 13:892154. [PMID: 35620597 PMCID: PMC9127084 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.892154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A historic debate in biology is the question of nature vs. nurture. Although it is now known that most traits are a product of both heredity (“nature”) and the environment (“nurture”), these two driving forces of trait development are rarely examined together. In birds, one important aspect of the early developmental environment is egg incubation temperature. Small changes (<1°C) in incubation temperature can have large effects on a wide-array of offspring traits. One important trait is metabolism, because it is related to life-history traits and strategies, organismal performance, and energetic and behavioral strategies. Although it has been shown that embryonic and post-hatch metabolism are related to egg incubation temperature, little is known about how this may vary as a function of genetic differences or post-hatching environmental conditions. Here, we investigated this question in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). We experimentally incubated eggs at two different temperatures: 37.5°C (control), which is optimal for this species and 36.3°C (low), which is suboptimal. We first measured embryonic heart rate as a proxy of embryonic metabolic rate. Then, at hatch, we cross-fostered nestlings to differentiate genetic and pre-hatching factors from post-hatching environmental conditions. When offspring were 30 days-old, we measured their resting metabolic rate (RMR; within the thermoneutral zone) and thermoregulatory metabolic rate (TMR; 12°C; birds must actively thermoregulate). We also measured RMR and TMR of all genetic and foster parents. We found that embryonic heart rate was greater in eggs incubated at the control temperature than those at the low temperature. Further, embryonic heart rate was positively related to genetic father RMR, suggesting that it is both heritable and affected by the pre-natal environment. In addition, we found that post-hatch metabolic rates were positively related to genetic parent metabolic rate, and interactively related to incubation temperature and foster mother metabolic rate. Altogether, this suggests that metabolism and the energetic cost of thermoregulation can be influenced by genetics, the pre-natal environment, and the post-natal environment. Our study sheds light on how environmental changes and parental care may affect avian physiology, as well as which traits may be susceptible to natural selection.
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Goodchild CG, Grisham K, Belden JB, DuRant SE. Effects of sublethal application of Deepwater Horizon oil to bird eggs on embryonic heart and metabolic rate. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2020; 34:1262-1270. [PMID: 32424950 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 01/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Following large crude oil spills, oil from feathers of brooding birds and oiled nesting material can transfer to eggs, resulting in reduced embryonic viability for heavily oiled eggs. Eggs may also be subjected to trace or light oiling, but functional teratogenic effects from sublethal crude oil exposure have not been examined. We assessed whether sublethal application of weathered Deepwater Horizon crude oil to the eggshell surface alters heart rate and metabolic rate in Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) embryos. We first determined sublethal applications with a dosing experiment. Embryo viability for eggs exposed to 5 μL or more of crude oil decreased significantly. We conducted a second experiment to measure heart rate and metabolic rate (CO2 production) 5 and 9 d after 1 sublethal application of crude oil to eggshells on day 3 of incubation. One application of 1.0 or 2.5 µL of crude oil reduced embryonic heart rate and metabolic rate on day 12 of incubation. Using unfertilized eggs, we measured the transfer of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the eggshell surface to egg contents 9 d after a single application of sublethal crude oil. Our results suggest avian eggs externally exposed to small amounts of crude oil may exhibit protracted embryonic development and impaired postnatal cardiac performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher G Goodchild
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, 501 Life Sciences West, Stillwater, OK, 74078, U.S.A
| | - Kevin Grisham
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, 501 Life Sciences West, Stillwater, OK, 74078, U.S.A
| | - Jason B Belden
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, 501 Life Sciences West, Stillwater, OK, 74078, U.S.A
| | - Sarah E DuRant
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, 501 Life Sciences West, Stillwater, OK, 74078, U.S.A
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, 601 Science and Engineering, Fayetteville, AR, 72701, U.S.A
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Percie du Sert N, Ahluwalia A, Alam S, Avey MT, Baker M, Browne WJ, Clark A, Cuthill IC, Dirnagl U, Emerson M, Garner P, Holgate ST, Howells DW, Hurst V, Karp NA, Lazic SE, Lidster K, MacCallum CJ, Macleod M, Pearl EJ, Petersen OH, Rawle F, Reynolds P, Rooney K, Sena ES, Silberberg SD, Steckler T, Würbel H. Reporting animal research: Explanation and elaboration for the ARRIVE guidelines 2.0. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000411. [PMID: 32663221 PMCID: PMC7360025 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 958] [Impact Index Per Article: 239.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Improving the reproducibility of biomedical research is a major challenge. Transparent and accurate reporting is vital to this process; it allows readers to assess the reliability of the findings and repeat or build upon the work of other researchers. The ARRIVE guidelines (Animal Research: Reporting In Vivo Experiments) were developed in 2010 to help authors and journals identify the minimum information necessary to report in publications describing in vivo experiments. Despite widespread endorsement by the scientific community, the impact of ARRIVE on the transparency of reporting in animal research publications has been limited. We have revised the ARRIVE guidelines to update them and facilitate their use in practice. The revised guidelines are published alongside this paper. This explanation and elaboration document was developed as part of the revision. It provides further information about each of the 21 items in ARRIVE 2.0, including the rationale and supporting evidence for their inclusion in the guidelines, elaboration of details to report, and examples of good reporting from the published literature. This document also covers advice and best practice in the design and conduct of animal studies to support researchers in improving standards from the start of the experimental design process through to publication.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amrita Ahluwalia
- The William Harvey Research Institute, London, United Kingdom
- Barts Cardiovascular CTU, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sabina Alam
- Taylor & Francis Group, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marc T. Avey
- Health Science Practice, ICF, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Monya Baker
- Nature, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | | | | | - Innes C. Cuthill
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Ulrich Dirnagl
- QUEST Center for Transforming Biomedical Research, Berlin Institute of Health & Department of Experimental Neurology, Charite Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Emerson
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Garner
- Centre for Evidence Synthesis in Global Health, Clinical Sciences Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen T. Holgate
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - David W. Howells
- Tasmanian School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | | | - Natasha A. Karp
- Data Sciences & Quantitative Biology, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Malcolm Macleod
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ole H. Petersen
- Academia Europaea Knowledge Hub, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | | | - Penny Reynolds
- Statistics in Anesthesiology Research (STAR) Core, Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Kieron Rooney
- Discipline of Exercise and Sport Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Emily S. Sena
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Shai D. Silberberg
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | | | - Hanno Würbel
- Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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