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Female zebra finches compromise clutch temperature in energetically demanding incubation conditions

Nord, Andreas LU ; Sandell, Maria LU and Nilsson, Jan-Åke LU (2010) In Functional Ecology 24(5). p.1031-1036
Abstract
P>1. Avian embryos depend on the incubating parent to provide a thermal environment suitable for embryogenesis, but as the maintenance of optimal incubation temperatures is energetically costly, an incubating bird often must trade off embryonic investment against self-maintenance. 2. We manipulated the energetic cost of incubation in female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata Vieillot) by varying ambient temperature and clutch size during nocturnal incubation and recorded the corresponding effects on incubation metabolic rate and clutch temperature. 3. Females increased their night-time incubation metabolic rate more than twofold when incubating at 10 degrees C compared to when incubating close to thermoneutrality (28 degrees C).... (More)
P>1. Avian embryos depend on the incubating parent to provide a thermal environment suitable for embryogenesis, but as the maintenance of optimal incubation temperatures is energetically costly, an incubating bird often must trade off embryonic investment against self-maintenance. 2. We manipulated the energetic cost of incubation in female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata Vieillot) by varying ambient temperature and clutch size during nocturnal incubation and recorded the corresponding effects on incubation metabolic rate and clutch temperature. 3. Females increased their night-time incubation metabolic rate more than twofold when incubating at 10 degrees C compared to when incubating close to thermoneutrality (28 degrees C). Furthermore, clutch enlargement caused females to elevate their metabolic rate with 2 center dot 8% per additional egg added to the clutch. 4. However, despite spending more energy, females did not fully cover the increased costs of incubation, because clutch temperature decreased with decreasing ambient temperature and increasing clutch size. 5. These findings suggest that parental investment in incubation can be energetically constrained and sometimes result in clutch temperatures below the optimal level for embryonic development, at least during nocturnal incubation. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
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type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
trade-offs, reproductive, metabolic rate, embryonic development, energy expenditure, Taeniopygia guttata
in
Functional Ecology
volume
24
issue
5
pages
1031 - 1036
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000281895800010
  • scopus:78149355637
ISSN
1365-2435
DOI
10.1111/j.1365-2435.2010.01719.x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e830ea88-3c53-446f-93d4-58e6ceff9fb1 (old id 1697447)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:24:27
date last changed
2022-04-04 17:40:12
@article{e830ea88-3c53-446f-93d4-58e6ceff9fb1,
  abstract     = {{P>1. Avian embryos depend on the incubating parent to provide a thermal environment suitable for embryogenesis, but as the maintenance of optimal incubation temperatures is energetically costly, an incubating bird often must trade off embryonic investment against self-maintenance. 2. We manipulated the energetic cost of incubation in female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata Vieillot) by varying ambient temperature and clutch size during nocturnal incubation and recorded the corresponding effects on incubation metabolic rate and clutch temperature. 3. Females increased their night-time incubation metabolic rate more than twofold when incubating at 10 degrees C compared to when incubating close to thermoneutrality (28 degrees C). Furthermore, clutch enlargement caused females to elevate their metabolic rate with 2 center dot 8% per additional egg added to the clutch. 4. However, despite spending more energy, females did not fully cover the increased costs of incubation, because clutch temperature decreased with decreasing ambient temperature and increasing clutch size. 5. These findings suggest that parental investment in incubation can be energetically constrained and sometimes result in clutch temperatures below the optimal level for embryonic development, at least during nocturnal incubation.}},
  author       = {{Nord, Andreas and Sandell, Maria and Nilsson, Jan-Åke}},
  issn         = {{1365-2435}},
  keywords     = {{trade-offs; reproductive; metabolic rate; embryonic development; energy expenditure; Taeniopygia guttata}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5}},
  pages        = {{1031--1036}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Functional Ecology}},
  title        = {{Female zebra finches compromise clutch temperature in energetically demanding incubation conditions}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2435.2010.01719.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.1365-2435.2010.01719.x}},
  volume       = {{24}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}