Using metabolic data to investigate the role of brood size in the development of endothermy
Engert, Elana Rae LU
; Andreasson, Fredrik
LU
; Nord, Andreas
LU
and Nilsson, Jan Åke
LU
(2024)
In Journal of Avian Biology
- Abstract
Altricial songbirds transform themselves from naked poikilotherms to fully feathered endothermic homeotherms over a matter of days from hatching to fledging. The ontogeny of endothermy is a developmental milestone for birds that not only face warmer average temperatures, but also increasingly frequent cold snaps and extreme weather. The timing of development of endothermy has been studied in altricial birds for over half a century. However, the determinants and constraints of the onset of endothermy are not yet fully understood. We experimentally investigated whether brood size influences the ontogeny of endothermic heat production in 4–8 day-old nestling blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus in southern Sweden. The thermogenic response to a... (More)
Altricial songbirds transform themselves from naked poikilotherms to fully feathered endothermic homeotherms over a matter of days from hatching to fledging. The ontogeny of endothermy is a developmental milestone for birds that not only face warmer average temperatures, but also increasingly frequent cold snaps and extreme weather. The timing of development of endothermy has been studied in altricial birds for over half a century. However, the determinants and constraints of the onset of endothermy are not yet fully understood. We experimentally investigated whether brood size influences the ontogeny of endothermic heat production in 4–8 day-old nestling blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus in southern Sweden. The thermogenic response to a cooling challenge (15°C) increased with age overall. We found that 8-day-old nestlings from reduced broods had a slightly increased capacity for endothermic heat production compared to enlarged broods. This difference cannot be explained by body mass because this trait did not differ between brood size categories. Although a metabolic response was present in most nestlings by day 6, it was brief, not lasting more than a few minutes, and not sufficient to maintain a stable body temperature in any age group. Our study shows that incipient endothermy is present at an early age in nestling blue tits and may advance faster in reduced broods, but that individual nestlings lack sufficient insulation and thermogenic performance to maintain homeothermy independently during the first week of life.
(Less)
- author
- Engert, Elana Rae
LU
; Andreasson, Fredrik
LU
; Nord, Andreas
LU
and Nilsson, Jan Åke
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- epub
- subject
- keywords
- altricial birds, development, ecophysiology, endothermy, life history, metabolic rate
- in
- Journal of Avian Biology
- article number
- e03301
- publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85208648339
- ISSN
- 0908-8857
- DOI
- 10.1111/jav.03301
- project
- Energy management strategies and tradeoffs throughout the annual and life cycle
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 296ade9d-5850-46c8-9961-1ee1e5a8224a
- date added to LUP
- 2025-02-18 10:44:53
- date last changed
- 2025-05-27 18:56:27
@article{296ade9d-5850-46c8-9961-1ee1e5a8224a,
abstract = {{<p>Altricial songbirds transform themselves from naked poikilotherms to fully feathered endothermic homeotherms over a matter of days from hatching to fledging. The ontogeny of endothermy is a developmental milestone for birds that not only face warmer average temperatures, but also increasingly frequent cold snaps and extreme weather. The timing of development of endothermy has been studied in altricial birds for over half a century. However, the determinants and constraints of the onset of endothermy are not yet fully understood. We experimentally investigated whether brood size influences the ontogeny of endothermic heat production in 4–8 day-old nestling blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus in southern Sweden. The thermogenic response to a cooling challenge (15°C) increased with age overall. We found that 8-day-old nestlings from reduced broods had a slightly increased capacity for endothermic heat production compared to enlarged broods. This difference cannot be explained by body mass because this trait did not differ between brood size categories. Although a metabolic response was present in most nestlings by day 6, it was brief, not lasting more than a few minutes, and not sufficient to maintain a stable body temperature in any age group. Our study shows that incipient endothermy is present at an early age in nestling blue tits and may advance faster in reduced broods, but that individual nestlings lack sufficient insulation and thermogenic performance to maintain homeothermy independently during the first week of life.</p>}},
author = {{Engert, Elana Rae and Andreasson, Fredrik and Nord, Andreas and Nilsson, Jan Åke}},
issn = {{0908-8857}},
keywords = {{altricial birds; development; ecophysiology; endothermy; life history; metabolic rate}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
series = {{Journal of Avian Biology}},
title = {{Using metabolic data to investigate the role of brood size in the development of endothermy}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jav.03301}},
doi = {{10.1111/jav.03301}},
year = {{2024}},
}