Predator-specific effects on incubation behaviour and offspring growth in great tits.
In birds, different types of predators may target adults or offspring differentially and at different times of the reproductive cycle. Hence they may also differentially influence incubation behaviour and thus embryonic development and offspring phenotype. This is poorly understood, and we therefore...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2015-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4382303?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1818034151932035072 |
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| author | Alessandra Basso Heinz Richner |
| author_facet | Alessandra Basso Heinz Richner |
| author_sort | Alessandra Basso |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In birds, different types of predators may target adults or offspring differentially and at different times of the reproductive cycle. Hence they may also differentially influence incubation behaviour and thus embryonic development and offspring phenotype. This is poorly understood, and we therefore performed a study to assess the effects of the presence of either a nest predator or a predator targeting adults and offspring after fledging on female incubation behaviour in great tits (Parus major), and the subsequent effects on offspring morphological traits. We manipulated perceived predation risk during incubation using taxidermic models of two predators: the short-tailed weasel posing a risk to incubating females and nestlings, and the sparrowhawk posing a risk to adults and offspring after fledging. To disentangle treatment effects induced during incubation from potential carry-over effects of parental behaviour after hatching, we cross-fostered whole broods from manipulated nests with broods from unmanipulated nests. Both predator treatments lead to a reduced on- and off-bout frequency, to a slower decline in on-bout temperature as incubation advanced and showed a negative effect on nestling body mass gain. At the current state of knowledge on predator-induced variation in incubation patterns alternative hypotheses are feasible, and the findings of this study will be useful for guiding future research. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T06:34:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e1c7f66d993b4b209bfaf1b9bff4583e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T06:34:37Z |
| publishDate | 2015-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-e1c7f66d993b4b209bfaf1b9bff4583e2022-12-22T01:58:59ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032015-01-01104e012108810.1371/journal.pone.0121088Predator-specific effects on incubation behaviour and offspring growth in great tits.Alessandra BassoHeinz RichnerIn birds, different types of predators may target adults or offspring differentially and at different times of the reproductive cycle. Hence they may also differentially influence incubation behaviour and thus embryonic development and offspring phenotype. This is poorly understood, and we therefore performed a study to assess the effects of the presence of either a nest predator or a predator targeting adults and offspring after fledging on female incubation behaviour in great tits (Parus major), and the subsequent effects on offspring morphological traits. We manipulated perceived predation risk during incubation using taxidermic models of two predators: the short-tailed weasel posing a risk to incubating females and nestlings, and the sparrowhawk posing a risk to adults and offspring after fledging. To disentangle treatment effects induced during incubation from potential carry-over effects of parental behaviour after hatching, we cross-fostered whole broods from manipulated nests with broods from unmanipulated nests. Both predator treatments lead to a reduced on- and off-bout frequency, to a slower decline in on-bout temperature as incubation advanced and showed a negative effect on nestling body mass gain. At the current state of knowledge on predator-induced variation in incubation patterns alternative hypotheses are feasible, and the findings of this study will be useful for guiding future research.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4382303?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Alessandra Basso Heinz Richner Predator-specific effects on incubation behaviour and offspring growth in great tits. PLoS ONE |
| title | Predator-specific effects on incubation behaviour and offspring growth in great tits. |
| title_full | Predator-specific effects on incubation behaviour and offspring growth in great tits. |
| title_fullStr | Predator-specific effects on incubation behaviour and offspring growth in great tits. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Predator-specific effects on incubation behaviour and offspring growth in great tits. |
| title_short | Predator-specific effects on incubation behaviour and offspring growth in great tits. |
| title_sort | predator specific effects on incubation behaviour and offspring growth in great tits |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4382303?pdf=render |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alessandrabasso predatorspecificeffectsonincubationbehaviourandoffspringgrowthingreattits AT heinzrichner predatorspecificeffectsonincubationbehaviourandoffspringgrowthingreattits |