Comparison of breeding strategies of two sympatric thrush species in an alpine environment

Closely related birds that occur sympatrically will inevitably differ in the acquisition of food resources, nest site selection, and breeding times. The successful coexistence of birds that breed in the same area can be determined by investigating how they divide limited resources and reduce intersp...

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Main Authors: Yulin Gao, Hongqiang Xiao, Han Han, Wei Wei, Hong Zhou, Zejun Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-11-01
Series:Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2022.1049983/full
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author Yulin Gao
Yulin Gao
Hongqiang Xiao
Hongqiang Xiao
Han Han
Han Han
Wei Wei
Wei Wei
Hong Zhou
Hong Zhou
Zejun Zhang
Zejun Zhang
author_facet Yulin Gao
Yulin Gao
Hongqiang Xiao
Hongqiang Xiao
Han Han
Han Han
Wei Wei
Wei Wei
Hong Zhou
Hong Zhou
Zejun Zhang
Zejun Zhang
author_sort Yulin Gao
collection DOAJ
description Closely related birds that occur sympatrically will inevitably differ in the acquisition of food resources, nest site selection, and breeding times. The successful coexistence of birds that breed in the same area can be determined by investigating how they divide limited resources and reduce interspecific competition. Our study area is located at the eastern foot of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with a high altitude and low annual average temperature. In this study, the life history characteristics and reproductive ecological parameters of two closely related species, the Chestnut Thrush (Turdus rubrocanus) and the Kessler’s Thrush (Turdus kessleri), were compared in detail in April–July of 2020, 2021, and 2022 in the scrub along the Liqiu River in Xinduqiao Town, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Garzê, Sichuan. The results showed no differences in nesting material, nest cup size, clutch size, feeding strategy of nestlings, brood food type, and reproductive effectiveness between the Chestnut Thrush and the Kessler’s Thrush. However, the Kessler’s Thrush had a higher nesting height, thicker nest wall, earlier breeding time, smaller eggs, fewer brooding frequent and a longer brooding time compared to the Chestnut Thrush. In addition, they invested more time in parental care, resulting in a faster growth and development rate. The results indicate that birds with different ranges and breeding in the same range show convergent and divergent life history characteristics in terms of reproductive biology. Chestnut Thrush with low reproductive altitude shows the characteristics of low-altitude bird reproduction in part of reproductive biology, while Kessler’s Thrush with high reproductive altitude shows the characteristics of high-altitude bird reproduction in part of reproductive biology.
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spelling doaj.art-1f7527ec33084c3a99f88ed2bfb39d3b2022-12-22T04:34:20ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2022-11-011010.3389/fevo.2022.10499831049983Comparison of breeding strategies of two sympatric thrush species in an alpine environmentYulin Gao0Yulin Gao1Hongqiang Xiao2Hongqiang Xiao3Han Han4Han Han5Wei Wei6Wei Wei7Hong Zhou8Hong Zhou9Zejun Zhang10Zejun Zhang11College of Life Sciences, China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan, ChinaLiziping Giant Panda’s Ecology and Conservation Observation and Research Station of Sichuan Province, Nanchong, Sichuan, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan, ChinaLiziping Giant Panda’s Ecology and Conservation Observation and Research Station of Sichuan Province, Nanchong, Sichuan, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan, ChinaLiziping Giant Panda’s Ecology and Conservation Observation and Research Station of Sichuan Province, Nanchong, Sichuan, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan, ChinaLiziping Giant Panda’s Ecology and Conservation Observation and Research Station of Sichuan Province, Nanchong, Sichuan, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan, ChinaLiziping Giant Panda’s Ecology and Conservation Observation and Research Station of Sichuan Province, Nanchong, Sichuan, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan, ChinaLiziping Giant Panda’s Ecology and Conservation Observation and Research Station of Sichuan Province, Nanchong, Sichuan, ChinaClosely related birds that occur sympatrically will inevitably differ in the acquisition of food resources, nest site selection, and breeding times. The successful coexistence of birds that breed in the same area can be determined by investigating how they divide limited resources and reduce interspecific competition. Our study area is located at the eastern foot of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with a high altitude and low annual average temperature. In this study, the life history characteristics and reproductive ecological parameters of two closely related species, the Chestnut Thrush (Turdus rubrocanus) and the Kessler’s Thrush (Turdus kessleri), were compared in detail in April–July of 2020, 2021, and 2022 in the scrub along the Liqiu River in Xinduqiao Town, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Garzê, Sichuan. The results showed no differences in nesting material, nest cup size, clutch size, feeding strategy of nestlings, brood food type, and reproductive effectiveness between the Chestnut Thrush and the Kessler’s Thrush. However, the Kessler’s Thrush had a higher nesting height, thicker nest wall, earlier breeding time, smaller eggs, fewer brooding frequent and a longer brooding time compared to the Chestnut Thrush. In addition, they invested more time in parental care, resulting in a faster growth and development rate. The results indicate that birds with different ranges and breeding in the same range show convergent and divergent life history characteristics in terms of reproductive biology. Chestnut Thrush with low reproductive altitude shows the characteristics of low-altitude bird reproduction in part of reproductive biology, while Kessler’s Thrush with high reproductive altitude shows the characteristics of high-altitude bird reproduction in part of reproductive biology.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2022.1049983/fullsympatric breedingalpine environmentnest site selectionbrooding behaviornestling growth
spellingShingle Yulin Gao
Yulin Gao
Hongqiang Xiao
Hongqiang Xiao
Han Han
Han Han
Wei Wei
Wei Wei
Hong Zhou
Hong Zhou
Zejun Zhang
Zejun Zhang
Comparison of breeding strategies of two sympatric thrush species in an alpine environment
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
sympatric breeding
alpine environment
nest site selection
brooding behavior
nestling growth
title Comparison of breeding strategies of two sympatric thrush species in an alpine environment
title_full Comparison of breeding strategies of two sympatric thrush species in an alpine environment
title_fullStr Comparison of breeding strategies of two sympatric thrush species in an alpine environment
title_full_unstemmed Comparison of breeding strategies of two sympatric thrush species in an alpine environment
title_short Comparison of breeding strategies of two sympatric thrush species in an alpine environment
title_sort comparison of breeding strategies of two sympatric thrush species in an alpine environment
topic sympatric breeding
alpine environment
nest site selection
brooding behavior
nestling growth
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2022.1049983/full
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