Bergmann’s rule and Allen’s rule in two passerine birds in China
Abstract Background Animals that live at higher latitudes/elevations would have a larger body size (Bergmann’s rule) and a smaller appendage size (Allen’s rule) for thermoregulatory reasons. According to the heat conservation hypothesis, large body size and small appendage size help animals retain h...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2019-09-01
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| Series: | Avian Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40657-019-0172-7 |
| _version_ | 1828080202527277056 |
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| author | Liqing Fan Tianlong Cai Ying Xiong Gang Song Fumin Lei |
| author_facet | Liqing Fan Tianlong Cai Ying Xiong Gang Song Fumin Lei |
| author_sort | Liqing Fan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Animals that live at higher latitudes/elevations would have a larger body size (Bergmann’s rule) and a smaller appendage size (Allen’s rule) for thermoregulatory reasons. According to the heat conservation hypothesis, large body size and small appendage size help animals retain heat in the cold, while small body size and large appendage size help them dissipate heat in the warm. For animals living in seasonal climates, the need for conserving heat in the winter may tradeoff with the need for dissipating heat in the summer. In this study, we tested Bergmann’s rule and Allen’s rule in two widely-distributed passerine birds, the Oriental Magpie (Pica serica) and the Oriental Tit (Parus minor), across geographic and climatic gradients in China. Methods We measured body size (body mass and wing length) and appendage size (bill length and tarsus length) of 165 Oriental Magpie and 410 Oriental Tit individuals collected from Chinese mainland. We used linear mixed-effect models to assess variation patterns of body size and appendage size along geographic and climatic gradients. Results Oriental Magpies have a larger appendage size and Oriental Tits have a smaller body size in warmer environments. Appendage size in Oriental Magpies and body size in Oriental Tits of both sexes were more closely related to the climates in winter than in summer. Minimum temperature of coldest month is the most important factor related to bill length and tarsus length of male Oriental Magpies, and wing length of male and female Oriental Tits. Bill length and tarsus length in female Oriental Magpies were related to the annual mean temperature and mean temperature of coldest quarter, respectively. Conclusions In this study, Oriental Magpies and Oriental Tits followed Allen’s rule and Bergmann’ rule respectively. Temperatures in the winter, rather than temperatures in the summer, drove morphological measurements in Oriental Magpies and Oriental Tits in Chinese mainland, demonstrating that the morphological measurements reflect selection for heat conservation rather than for heat dissipation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:15:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-07f6c7a574dc4fb0825e9217918e222f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2053-7166 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:15:36Z |
| publishDate | 2019-09-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Avian Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-07f6c7a574dc4fb0825e9217918e222f2023-01-02T10:26:54ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Avian Research2053-71662019-09-0110111110.1186/s40657-019-0172-7Bergmann’s rule and Allen’s rule in two passerine birds in ChinaLiqing Fan0Tianlong Cai1Ying Xiong2Gang Song3Fumin Lei4Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKey Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKey Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKey Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKey Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesAbstract Background Animals that live at higher latitudes/elevations would have a larger body size (Bergmann’s rule) and a smaller appendage size (Allen’s rule) for thermoregulatory reasons. According to the heat conservation hypothesis, large body size and small appendage size help animals retain heat in the cold, while small body size and large appendage size help them dissipate heat in the warm. For animals living in seasonal climates, the need for conserving heat in the winter may tradeoff with the need for dissipating heat in the summer. In this study, we tested Bergmann’s rule and Allen’s rule in two widely-distributed passerine birds, the Oriental Magpie (Pica serica) and the Oriental Tit (Parus minor), across geographic and climatic gradients in China. Methods We measured body size (body mass and wing length) and appendage size (bill length and tarsus length) of 165 Oriental Magpie and 410 Oriental Tit individuals collected from Chinese mainland. We used linear mixed-effect models to assess variation patterns of body size and appendage size along geographic and climatic gradients. Results Oriental Magpies have a larger appendage size and Oriental Tits have a smaller body size in warmer environments. Appendage size in Oriental Magpies and body size in Oriental Tits of both sexes were more closely related to the climates in winter than in summer. Minimum temperature of coldest month is the most important factor related to bill length and tarsus length of male Oriental Magpies, and wing length of male and female Oriental Tits. Bill length and tarsus length in female Oriental Magpies were related to the annual mean temperature and mean temperature of coldest quarter, respectively. Conclusions In this study, Oriental Magpies and Oriental Tits followed Allen’s rule and Bergmann’ rule respectively. Temperatures in the winter, rather than temperatures in the summer, drove morphological measurements in Oriental Magpies and Oriental Tits in Chinese mainland, demonstrating that the morphological measurements reflect selection for heat conservation rather than for heat dissipation.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40657-019-0172-7Appendage sizeBody sizeGeographic variationThermoregulation |
| spellingShingle | Liqing Fan Tianlong Cai Ying Xiong Gang Song Fumin Lei Bergmann’s rule and Allen’s rule in two passerine birds in China Avian Research Appendage size Body size Geographic variation Thermoregulation |
| title | Bergmann’s rule and Allen’s rule in two passerine birds in China |
| title_full | Bergmann’s rule and Allen’s rule in two passerine birds in China |
| title_fullStr | Bergmann’s rule and Allen’s rule in two passerine birds in China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bergmann’s rule and Allen’s rule in two passerine birds in China |
| title_short | Bergmann’s rule and Allen’s rule in two passerine birds in China |
| title_sort | bergmann s rule and allen s rule in two passerine birds in china |
| topic | Appendage size Body size Geographic variation Thermoregulation |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40657-019-0172-7 |
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