On the intraspecific variability in basal metabolism and the food habits hypothesis in birds
The food habits hypothesis (FHH) stands as one of the most striking and often-cited interspecific patterns to emerge from comparative studies of endothermic energetics. The FHH identifies three components of diet that potentially produce variability in mass-independent BMR, i.e. food quality, food a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Oxford University Press
2010-12-01
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| Series: | Current Zoology |
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| Online Access: | http://www.currentzoology.org/paperdetail.asp?id=11700 |
| _version_ | 1819114174562697216 |
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| author | F. BOZINOVIC, P. SABAT |
| author_facet | F. BOZINOVIC, P. SABAT |
| author_sort | F. BOZINOVIC, P. SABAT |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The food habits hypothesis (FHH) stands as one of the most striking and often-cited interspecific patterns to emerge from comparative studies of endothermic energetics. The FHH identifies three components of diet that potentially produce variability in mass-independent BMR, i.e. food quality, food availability, and food predictability or environmental productivity. The hypothesis predicts that species with diets of low energy content and/or low digestibility should evolve low mass-independent BMRs. The effects of food habits on BMR have been widely investigated at the interspecific level, but the variation between individuals and populations has been largely ignored. Our focus is to compare predictions derived from interspecific studies with data collected from within-species studies to explore the mechanisms and functional significance of adaptive responses predicted by the food-habits hypothesis among birds. We conclude that if BMR is correlated with daily energy expenditure, then organisms that can lower BMR will reduce daily energy expenditure and hence, food requirements. Birds that lower BMR in stressful environments may increase survival. Nevertheless, the mechanism (s) by which birds eating a low quality diet reduce BMR and whether lower BMR affects fitness remain to be determined [Current Zoology 56 (6): 759–766, 2010]. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T04:41:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-27ad1e41e8334b14b743ed95f6ed1d94 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1674-5507 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T04:41:06Z |
| publishDate | 2010-12-01 |
| publisher | Oxford University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Zoology |
| spelling | doaj.art-27ad1e41e8334b14b743ed95f6ed1d942022-12-21T18:38:45ZengOxford University PressCurrent Zoology1674-55072010-12-01566759766On the intraspecific variability in basal metabolism and the food habits hypothesis in birdsF. BOZINOVIC, P. SABATThe food habits hypothesis (FHH) stands as one of the most striking and often-cited interspecific patterns to emerge from comparative studies of endothermic energetics. The FHH identifies three components of diet that potentially produce variability in mass-independent BMR, i.e. food quality, food availability, and food predictability or environmental productivity. The hypothesis predicts that species with diets of low energy content and/or low digestibility should evolve low mass-independent BMRs. The effects of food habits on BMR have been widely investigated at the interspecific level, but the variation between individuals and populations has been largely ignored. Our focus is to compare predictions derived from interspecific studies with data collected from within-species studies to explore the mechanisms and functional significance of adaptive responses predicted by the food-habits hypothesis among birds. We conclude that if BMR is correlated with daily energy expenditure, then organisms that can lower BMR will reduce daily energy expenditure and hence, food requirements. Birds that lower BMR in stressful environments may increase survival. Nevertheless, the mechanism (s) by which birds eating a low quality diet reduce BMR and whether lower BMR affects fitness remain to be determined [Current Zoology 56 (6): 759–766, 2010].http://www.currentzoology.org/paperdetail.asp?id=11700Intraspecific comparisonsAvian energeticsFood habits hypothesisDietBasal metabolic rate |
| spellingShingle | F. BOZINOVIC, P. SABAT On the intraspecific variability in basal metabolism and the food habits hypothesis in birds Current Zoology Intraspecific comparisons Avian energetics Food habits hypothesis Diet Basal metabolic rate |
| title | On the intraspecific variability in basal metabolism and the food habits hypothesis in birds |
| title_full | On the intraspecific variability in basal metabolism and the food habits hypothesis in birds |
| title_fullStr | On the intraspecific variability in basal metabolism and the food habits hypothesis in birds |
| title_full_unstemmed | On the intraspecific variability in basal metabolism and the food habits hypothesis in birds |
| title_short | On the intraspecific variability in basal metabolism and the food habits hypothesis in birds |
| title_sort | on the intraspecific variability in basal metabolism and the food habits hypothesis in birds |
| topic | Intraspecific comparisons Avian energetics Food habits hypothesis Diet Basal metabolic rate |
| url | http://www.currentzoology.org/paperdetail.asp?id=11700 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT fbozinovicpsabat ontheintraspecificvariabilityinbasalmetabolismandthefoodhabitshypothesisinbirds |