The delayed effect of climatic conditions on pre‐fledging nestling haematocrit in a suboscine species in Patagonia
Haematocrit, the proportion of blood comprising erythrocytes, is often used as a proxy of individual condition. Nestling haematocrit is influenced by several factors but ambient temperature is generally agreed as a key driver. It is unclear which day(s) in embryonic or nestling development are most...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Journal of Avian Biology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/jav.03056 |
| _version_ | 1797680728807309312 |
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| author | Joseph E. Churchill Martje L. M. Birker Maaike Versteegh Tomás A. Altamirano Rodrigo A. Vásquez Jan Komdeur |
| author_facet | Joseph E. Churchill Martje L. M. Birker Maaike Versteegh Tomás A. Altamirano Rodrigo A. Vásquez Jan Komdeur |
| author_sort | Joseph E. Churchill |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Haematocrit, the proportion of blood comprising erythrocytes, is often used as a proxy of individual condition. Nestling haematocrit is influenced by several factors but ambient temperature is generally agreed as a key driver. It is unclear which day(s) in embryonic or nestling development are most influential in determining pre‐fledgling haematocrit. This is important, because if we are able to identify what day(s) nestlings are physiologically most vulnerable to climatic conditions, this may inform future conservation management and help mitigate the effects. We investigated the effect of ambient temperature, precipitation, body size, brood size, age, food abundance and habitat on nestling haematocrit in Aphrastura spinicauda (thorn‐tailed rayaditos). We collected this data from two climatically different locations in Chile: northern Patagonia (Pucón) and Sub‐Antarctic Patagonia (Navarino Island), located ~ 1800 km further south. We aimed to identify the key drivers of nestling haematocrit and find when nestlings are physiologically most vulnerable to climatic conditions. We confirm that ambient temperature is the key driver of nestling haematocrit, with increasing ambient temperatures nestling haematocrit decreased. However, precipitation also affected haematocrit in the late incubation stage. At low and high precipitation, nestling haematocrit was low and is optimum in light rainfall. Our results show a delayed effect of ambient temperature and precipitation in late incubation and on the day of hatching which can determine pre‐fledgling haematocrit, which may cause lower post‐fledgling fitness. We found that climatic conditions on the day haematocrit was collected was not important in determining haematocrit. We found that haematocrit was higher in the sub‐Antarctic area and that higher temperatures and precipitation on the day of hatching will result in lower nestling haematocrit and poorer pre‐fledgling condition. As atmospheric temperatures rise, nestling fitness is at risk. This is a threat to many bird species, especially those in locations vulnerable to climate breakdown. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:34:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e26ba29ab7f7496895b3e87edca015ea |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0908-8857 1600-048X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:34:19Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Avian Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-e26ba29ab7f7496895b3e87edca015ea2023-09-20T06:52:48ZengWileyJournal of Avian Biology0908-88571600-048X2023-09-0120239-10n/an/a10.1111/jav.03056The delayed effect of climatic conditions on pre‐fledging nestling haematocrit in a suboscine species in PatagoniaJoseph E. Churchill0Martje L. M. Birker1Maaike Versteegh2Tomás A. Altamirano3Rodrigo A. Vásquez4Jan Komdeur5Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen Groningen the NetherlandsBehavioural and Physiological Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen Groningen the NetherlandsBehavioural and Physiological Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen Groningen the NetherlandsDepartment of Forest and Conservation Science, University of British Colombia Vancouver BC CanadaInstituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad (IEB), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile Santiago ChileBehavioural and Physiological Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen Groningen the NetherlandsHaematocrit, the proportion of blood comprising erythrocytes, is often used as a proxy of individual condition. Nestling haematocrit is influenced by several factors but ambient temperature is generally agreed as a key driver. It is unclear which day(s) in embryonic or nestling development are most influential in determining pre‐fledgling haematocrit. This is important, because if we are able to identify what day(s) nestlings are physiologically most vulnerable to climatic conditions, this may inform future conservation management and help mitigate the effects. We investigated the effect of ambient temperature, precipitation, body size, brood size, age, food abundance and habitat on nestling haematocrit in Aphrastura spinicauda (thorn‐tailed rayaditos). We collected this data from two climatically different locations in Chile: northern Patagonia (Pucón) and Sub‐Antarctic Patagonia (Navarino Island), located ~ 1800 km further south. We aimed to identify the key drivers of nestling haematocrit and find when nestlings are physiologically most vulnerable to climatic conditions. We confirm that ambient temperature is the key driver of nestling haematocrit, with increasing ambient temperatures nestling haematocrit decreased. However, precipitation also affected haematocrit in the late incubation stage. At low and high precipitation, nestling haematocrit was low and is optimum in light rainfall. Our results show a delayed effect of ambient temperature and precipitation in late incubation and on the day of hatching which can determine pre‐fledgling haematocrit, which may cause lower post‐fledgling fitness. We found that climatic conditions on the day haematocrit was collected was not important in determining haematocrit. We found that haematocrit was higher in the sub‐Antarctic area and that higher temperatures and precipitation on the day of hatching will result in lower nestling haematocrit and poorer pre‐fledgling condition. As atmospheric temperatures rise, nestling fitness is at risk. This is a threat to many bird species, especially those in locations vulnerable to climate breakdown.https://doi.org/10.1111/jav.03056climate breakdownenvironmental changehaematocritnestlingsprecipitationtemperature |
| spellingShingle | Joseph E. Churchill Martje L. M. Birker Maaike Versteegh Tomás A. Altamirano Rodrigo A. Vásquez Jan Komdeur The delayed effect of climatic conditions on pre‐fledging nestling haematocrit in a suboscine species in Patagonia Journal of Avian Biology climate breakdown environmental change haematocrit nestlings precipitation temperature |
| title | The delayed effect of climatic conditions on pre‐fledging nestling haematocrit in a suboscine species in Patagonia |
| title_full | The delayed effect of climatic conditions on pre‐fledging nestling haematocrit in a suboscine species in Patagonia |
| title_fullStr | The delayed effect of climatic conditions on pre‐fledging nestling haematocrit in a suboscine species in Patagonia |
| title_full_unstemmed | The delayed effect of climatic conditions on pre‐fledging nestling haematocrit in a suboscine species in Patagonia |
| title_short | The delayed effect of climatic conditions on pre‐fledging nestling haematocrit in a suboscine species in Patagonia |
| title_sort | delayed effect of climatic conditions on pre fledging nestling haematocrit in a suboscine species in patagonia |
| topic | climate breakdown environmental change haematocrit nestlings precipitation temperature |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/jav.03056 |
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