Early nutrition causes persistent effects on pheasant morphology
(2001) In Physiological and Biochemical Zoology 74(2). p.212-218- Abstract
- Differences in growth conditions during early ontogeny have been suggested to cause permanent effects on the morphology and quality of birds. Yearly variation in growth conditions could thus result in morphological and quality differences between cohorts. In this study, we investigated the effect of small differences in the dietary protein content of captive ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) during their first 8 wk posthatching. An experimental increase of the proportion of dietary protein during the first 3 wk of life accelerated growth, whereas a similar manipulation during the following 5 wk had only a limited effect. Compensatory growth during the postexperimental period equalized the size of chicks from different... (More)
- Differences in growth conditions during early ontogeny have been suggested to cause permanent effects on the morphology and quality of birds. Yearly variation in growth conditions could thus result in morphological and quality differences between cohorts. In this study, we investigated the effect of small differences in the dietary protein content of captive ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) during their first 8 wk posthatching. An experimental increase of the proportion of dietary protein during the first 3 wk of life accelerated growth, whereas a similar manipulation during the following 5 wk had only a limited effect. Compensatory growth during the postexperimental period equalized the size of chicks from different experimental treatments. However, a difference in tarsus length resulting from experimental treatment during the first 3 wk remained into adulthood. Furthermore, the protein content of the diet during the first 3 wk had an effect on the degree of fluctuating asymmetry in tarsus length, suggesting persistent effects on the quality of birds. The results of this study may explain size differences between cohorts that exist in pheasants and may also provide a link between the use of pesticides in agriculture and population effects on pheasants. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/145843
- author
- Ohlsson, Thomas LU and Smith, Henrik LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2001
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Physiological and Biochemical Zoology
- volume
- 74
- issue
- 2
- pages
- 212 - 218
- publisher
- University of Chicago Press
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:0035075684
- ISSN
- 1522-2152
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- dce5b8c2-a571-4689-a0b1-94aa12b7194b (old id 145843)
- alternative location
- http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/319657
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 11:37:31
- date last changed
- 2022-04-28 17:38:44
@article{dce5b8c2-a571-4689-a0b1-94aa12b7194b,
abstract = {{Differences in growth conditions during early ontogeny have been suggested to cause permanent effects on the morphology and quality of birds. Yearly variation in growth conditions could thus result in morphological and quality differences between cohorts. In this study, we investigated the effect of small differences in the dietary protein content of captive ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) during their first 8 wk posthatching. An experimental increase of the proportion of dietary protein during the first 3 wk of life accelerated growth, whereas a similar manipulation during the following 5 wk had only a limited effect. Compensatory growth during the postexperimental period equalized the size of chicks from different experimental treatments. However, a difference in tarsus length resulting from experimental treatment during the first 3 wk remained into adulthood. Furthermore, the protein content of the diet during the first 3 wk had an effect on the degree of fluctuating asymmetry in tarsus length, suggesting persistent effects on the quality of birds. The results of this study may explain size differences between cohorts that exist in pheasants and may also provide a link between the use of pesticides in agriculture and population effects on pheasants.}},
author = {{Ohlsson, Thomas and Smith, Henrik}},
issn = {{1522-2152}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{2}},
pages = {{212--218}},
publisher = {{University of Chicago Press}},
series = {{Physiological and Biochemical Zoology}},
title = {{Early nutrition causes persistent effects on pheasant morphology}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/2566227/625068.pdf}},
volume = {{74}},
year = {{2001}},
}