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Groom DJE, Black B, Deakin JE, DeSimone JG, Lauzau MC, Pedro BP, Straight CR, Unger KP, Miller MS, Gerson AR. Flight muscle size reductions and functional changes following long-distance flight under variable humidity conditions in a migratory warbler. Physiol Rep 2023; 11:e15842. [PMID: 37849053 PMCID: PMC10582281 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.15842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Bird flight muscle can lose as much as 20% of its mass during a migratory flight due to protein catabolism, and catabolism can be further exacerbated under dehydrating conditions. However, the functional consequences of exercise and environment induced protein catabolism on muscle has not been examined. We hypothesized that prolonged flight would cause a decline in muscle mass, aerobic capacity, and contractile performance. This decline would be heightened for birds placed under dehydrating environmental conditions, which typically increases lean mass losses. Yellow-rumped warblers (Setophaga coronata) were exposed to dry or humid (12 or 80% relative humidity at 18°C) conditions for up to 6 h while at rest or undergoing flight. The pectoralis muscle was sampled after flight/rest or after 24 h of recovery, and contractile properties and enzymatic capacity for aerobic metabolism was measured. There was no change in lipid catabolism or force generation of the muscle due to flight or humidity, despite reductions in pectoralis dry mass immediately post-flight. However, there was a slowing of myosin-actin crossbridge kinetics under dry compared to humid conditions. Aerobic and contractile function is largely preserved after 6 h of exercise, suggesting that migratory birds preserve energy pathways and function in the muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derrick J. E. Groom
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Massachusetts AmherstMassachusettsUSA
- Department of BiologySan Francisco State UniversityCaliforniaSan FranciscoUSA
| | - Betsy Black
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Massachusetts AmherstMassachusettsUSA
- Present address:
Center for Ecosystem Science and SocietyNorthern Arizona UniversityArizonaFlagstaffUSA
| | - Jessica E. Deakin
- Centre for Animals on the Move, Department of BiologyWestern UniversityOntarioLondonCanada
| | - Joely G. DeSimone
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Massachusetts AmherstMassachusettsUSA
- Present address:
Appalachian LaboratoryUniversity of Maryland Center for Environmental ScienceMarylandFrostburgUSA
| | - M. Collette Lauzau
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Massachusetts AmherstMassachusettsUSA
- Present address:
The Water SchoolFlorida Gulf Coast UniversityFloridaFort MyersUSA
| | - Bradley P. Pedro
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Massachusetts AmherstMassachusettsUSA
- Present address:
Department of BiologyTufts UniversityMassachusettsMedfordUSA
| | - Chad R. Straight
- Department of KinesiologyUniversity of MassachusettsMassachusettsAmherstUSA
| | - Kimberly P. Unger
- Department of KinesiologyUniversity of MassachusettsMassachusettsAmherstUSA
| | - Mark S. Miller
- Department of KinesiologyUniversity of MassachusettsMassachusettsAmherstUSA
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DeSimone JG, Cohen EB. Social, not spatial, fidelity underlies between-year winter site fidelity in a migratory bird. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2311577120. [PMID: 37590433 PMCID: PMC10466102 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311577120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Joely G. DeSimone
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD21532
| | - Emily B. Cohen
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD21532
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DeSimone JG, Domschot BS, Fylling MA, Blake WM, Breuner CW. Body mass and triglycerides predict departure of free‐living nomadic pine siskins. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Creagh W. Breuner
- Ecology and Evolution University of Montana Missoula MT USA
- Wildlife Biology University of Montana Missoula MT USA
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Gutierrez Ramirez M, Griego MS, DeSimone JG, Elowe CR, Gerson AR. Depleted lean body mass after crossing an ecological barrier differentially affects stopover duration and refueling rate among species of long‐distance migratory birds. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mariamar Gutierrez Ramirez
- Department of Biology University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst MA USA
- Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Program University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst MA USA
| | - Michael S. Griego
- Department of Biology University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst MA USA
- Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Program University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst MA USA
| | - Joely G. DeSimone
- Department of Biology University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst MA USA
| | - Cory R. Elowe
- Department of Biology University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst MA USA
- Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Program University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst MA USA
| | - Alexander R. Gerson
- Department of Biology University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst MA USA
- Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Program University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst MA USA
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DeSimone JG, Tobalske BW, Breuner CW. Physiology and behavior under food limitation support an escape, not preparative, response in the nomadic pine siskin ( Spinus pinus). J Exp Biol 2021; 224:jeb238774. [PMID: 33376142 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.238774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Migration allows animals to use resources that are variable in time and/or space, with different migratory strategies depending on the predictability of resource variation. When food varies seasonally, obligate migrants anticipate and prepare for migration. In contrast, facultative migrants, whose movements are unpredictable in timing and destination, may prepare for either migration or escape when resources are depleted. We propose and test two alternative hypotheses regarding the behavioral and physiological responses of facultative migrants to declining food availability. (1) The prepare hypothesis predicts that facultative migrants prepare for departure by increasing fuel stores in response to declining food availability, and elevations of baseline corticosterone (CORT) facilitate increased activity. (2) The escape hypothesis predicts that facultative migrants do not prepare for departure, body condition declines as food availability declines, and stress-induced levels of CORT induce escape behavior when both energetic condition and food resources are low. We conducted a 16-day experiment, measuring body composition (using quantitative magnetic resonance), activity (using force perches) and baseline CORT in pine siskins (Spinus pinus) given ad libitum food or a slow decline, fast decline or randomly changing amount of food. Our results support the escape hypothesis: body condition declined as food declined, decreases in body and fat mass were associated with increases in baseline CORT, and activity increased only when food availability was low. This work suggests that facultative migration in autumn allows birds to escape low-resource areas and that the underlying physiological mechanisms differ from those driving both seasonal, obligate migrations and spring nomadic movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joely G DeSimone
- Ecology and Evolution, Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Bret W Tobalske
- Ecology and Evolution, Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Creagh W Breuner
- Ecology and Evolution, Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
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6
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DeSimone JG, Tobalske BW, Breuner CW. Physiology and behavior under food limitation support an escape, not preparative, response in the nomadic pine siskin ( Spinus pinus). J Exp Biol 2021. [PMID: 33376142 DOI: 10.5061/dryad.qz612jmdm] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Migration allows animals to use resources that are variable in time and/or space, with different migratory strategies depending on the predictability of resource variation. When food varies seasonally, obligate migrants anticipate and prepare for migration. In contrast, facultative migrants, whose movements are unpredictable in timing and destination, may prepare for either migration or escape when resources are depleted. We propose and test two alternative hypotheses regarding the behavioral and physiological responses of facultative migrants to declining food availability. (1) The prepare hypothesis predicts that facultative migrants prepare for departure by increasing fuel stores in response to declining food availability, and elevations of baseline corticosterone (CORT) facilitate increased activity. (2) The escape hypothesis predicts that facultative migrants do not prepare for departure, body condition declines as food availability declines, and stress-induced levels of CORT induce escape behavior when both energetic condition and food resources are low. We conducted a 16-day experiment, measuring body composition (using quantitative magnetic resonance), activity (using force perches) and baseline CORT in pine siskins (Spinus pinus) given ad libitum food or a slow decline, fast decline or randomly changing amount of food. Our results support the escape hypothesis: body condition declined as food declined, decreases in body and fat mass were associated with increases in baseline CORT, and activity increased only when food availability was low. This work suggests that facultative migration in autumn allows birds to escape low-resource areas and that the underlying physiological mechanisms differ from those driving both seasonal, obligate migrations and spring nomadic movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joely G DeSimone
- Ecology and Evolution, Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Bret W Tobalske
- Ecology and Evolution, Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Creagh W Breuner
- Ecology and Evolution, Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
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Gerson AR, DeSimone JG, Black EC, Dick MF, Groom DJ. Metabolic reduction after long-duration flight is not related to fat-free mass loss or flight duration in a migratory passerine. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb215384. [PMID: 32778563 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.215384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Migratory birds catabolize large quantities of protein during long flights, resulting in dramatic reductions in organ and muscle mass. One of the many hypotheses to explain this phenomenon is that decrease in lean mass is associated with reduced resting metabolism, saving energy after flight during refueling. However, the relationship between lean body mass and resting metabolic rate remains unclear. Furthermore, the coupling of lean mass with resting metabolic rate and with peak metabolic rate before and after long-duration flight have not previously been explored. We flew migratory yellow-rumped warblers (Setophaga coronata) in a wind tunnel under one of two humidity regimes to manipulate the rate of lean mass loss in flight, decoupling flight duration from total lean mass loss. Before and after long-duration flights, we measured resting and peak metabolism, and also measured fat mass and lean body mass using quantitative magnetic resonance. Flight duration ranged from 28 min to 600 min, and birds flying under dehydrating conditions lost more fat-free mass than those flying under humid conditions. After flight, there was a 14% reduction in resting metabolism but no change in peak metabolism. Interestingly, the reduction in resting metabolism was unrelated to flight duration or to change in fat-free body mass, indicating that protein metabolism in flight is unlikely to have evolved as an energy-saving measure to aid stopover refueling, but metabolic reduction itself is likely to be beneficial to migratory birds arriving in novel habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander R Gerson
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Joely G DeSimone
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Elizabeth C Black
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Morag F Dick
- Advanced Facility for Avian Research, Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5B7
| | - Derrick J Groom
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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DeSimone JG, Ramirez MG, Elowe CR, Griego MS, Breuner CW, Gerson AR. Developing a Stopover-CORT hypothesis: Corticosterone predicts body composition and refueling rate in Gray Catbirds during migratory stopover. Horm Behav 2020; 124:104776. [PMID: 32439349 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Migratory flight is energetically challenging, requiring alternating phases of fuel catabolism and fuel accumulation, accompanied by dramatic changes in body composition and behavior. Baseline corticosterone (CORT; the primary glucocorticoid in birds) is thought to underlie transitions between fuel catabolism during flight, fuel deposition during stopover, and the initiation of migratory flight. However, studies of CORT on stopover physiology and behavior remain disparate efforts, lacking the cohesion of a general hypothesis. Here we develop a Stopover-CORT hypothesis formalizing the relationships among CORT, body condition, and refueling rate in migratory birds. First we expect body mass to increase with triglycerides (TRIG) as birds refuel. Second, based on a synthesis of previous literature, we predict a U-shaped CORT curve over the course of stopover, postulating that elevated CORT at arrival is reactive, responding to poor body condition, while CORT elevation before departure is preparative, driving changes in behavior and body condition. We tested these predictions in Gray Catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis) following a trans-Gulf flight during spring migration. We found baseline CORT was negatively correlated with body condition and TRIG, corresponding with our predictions for arriving and refueling-but not departing-birds. It is possible catbirds undergo regional habitat translocations rather than complete the entire stopover phase at our study site. We propose the Stopover-CORT hypothesis as a useful predictive framework for future studies of the mechanistic basis of stopover physiology. By studying the regulation of stopover refueling and departure, we may better understand physiological limitations to overall migration rate and improve assessments of habitat quality for refueling birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joely G DeSimone
- Organismal Biology, Ecology, and Evolution, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA.
| | | | - Cory R Elowe
- Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Michael S Griego
- Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Creagh W Breuner
- Organismal Biology, Ecology, and Evolution, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Alexander R Gerson
- Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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