Sex-specific effects of albumen removal and nest environment manipulation on Barn Swallow nestlings

Ecology
Andrea Bonisoli-AlquatiNicola Saino

Abstract

In avian species, maternal provisioning to the eggs is predicted to be more valuable for the offspring under adverse environmental conditions and intense sibling competition. However, studies manipulating both the amount of maternal pre-hatching resources and the harshness of post-hatching environment have seldom been performed to date. In this experimental study of Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) nestlings, we tested the consequences of a reduction in the albumen content of the eggs for fitness-related offspring traits, while performing an unbalanced partial cross-fostering soon after hatching, either increasing or decreasing brood size by one nestling. By molecular sexing of the chicks, we additionally tested for sex-specific sensitivity of individual nestlings to experimental treatments and to sex ratio variation in nestmates. We predicted that chicks hatching from albumen-deprived eggs should suffer more than control chicks from the harsher rearing conditions of enlarged broods. However, although albumen removal depressed chick body mass, chicks hatching from control eggs did not fare better than those hatching from eggs with reduced albumen content in enlarged vs. reduced broods. Albumen removal had sex-specific effects on ...Continue Reading

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Citations

Oct 15, 2010·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Andrea Bonisoli-AlquatiNicola Saino
Nov 13, 2010·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Miloš Krist
May 25, 2011·Journal of Evolutionary Biology·D CanestrariV Baglione
Oct 1, 2014·The Journal of Animal Ecology·E Keith BowersScott K Sakaluk
Mar 26, 2010·Journal of Experimental Zoology. Part A, Ecological Genetics and Physiology·Vivian C GoerlichTon G G Groothuis
Jul 25, 2015·Journal of Experimental Zoology. Part A, Ecological Genetics and Physiology·Veronika JavůrkováLudmila Hyánková
Mar 19, 2016·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Andrea RomanoNicola Saino
Feb 17, 2017·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Marco ParoliniNicola Saino
Jan 26, 2017·Frontiers in Physiology·Isaac Peña-VillalobosPablo Sabat
Feb 12, 2019·Communications Biology·Cristina-Maria ValcuBart Kempenaers
Jan 12, 2020·Communications Biology·Cristina-Maria ValcuBart Kempenaers

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