scholarly journals Habitat shapes diversity of gut microbiomes in a wild population of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Szymon Marian Drobniak ◽  
Magdalena Zagalska-Neubauer ◽  
Mariusz Cichoń
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Individual Variation ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Wild Population ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽  
Hay Meadows ◽  
Open Forest ◽  
Ecological Feedbacks ◽  
Blue Tits

Microbiome constitutes and important axis of individual variation, affecting physiology and body condition via a number of pathways. Consequently, microbiome may be involved in ecological feedbacks, manifesting themselves as associations between microbiome characteristics and ecological factors experienced by individuals. In this study we report on the diversity and habitat dependence of microbiomes in a wild population of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus). Our results indicate, that birds nesting in different habitats (full-grown deciduous forest vs. open forest hay meadows) have microbiomes of different composition and microbial diversity, with birds nesting in dens forests having higher diversity of microbial species.

Relationship between Blood Haemoglobin and Glucose Concentrations in Adult Great Tits (Parus Major) and Blue Tits (Cyanistes Caeruleus)

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 152-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Kaliñski ◽  
Mirostawa Bańbura ◽  
Michat Glądalski ◽  
Marcin Markowski ◽  
Joanna Skwarska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Glucose ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Parus Major ◽  
Blood Chemistry ◽  
Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽  
Bird Populations ◽  
Common Value ◽  
Blood Haemoglobin ◽  
The Common ◽  
Blue Tits

Haematological and blood chemistry variables are widely used in ecophysiological research as physiological indices of body condition in various vertebrate taxa. In this study, we analysed relationships between blood glucose and blood haemoglobin concentrations of adult birds in wild populations of Blue Tits ( Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tits ( Parus major) during the breeding season in central Poland. We found that blood glucose and blood haemoglobin concentrations are negatively correlated. We also show that individual Blue Tits have higher mean haemoglobin levels adjusted for the common value of glucose concentration than individual Great Tits and that females of both species have higher mean haemoglobin concentrations than males. Our results suggest that haematological as well as biochemical variables may be used in tune as complementary indices of body condition in wild bird populations.

scholarly journals Covariance of paternity and sex with laying order explains male bias in extra-pair offspring in a wild bird population

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 20130616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oscar Vedder ◽  
Michael J. L. Magrath ◽  
Marco van der Velde ◽  
Jan Komdeur
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Wild Population ◽  
Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽  
Offspring Sex Ratio ◽  
Bird Population ◽  
Male Bias ◽  
Laying Order ◽  
Offspring Sex ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Blue Tits

It has been hypothesized that parents increase their fitness by biasing the sex ratio of extra-pair offspring (EPO) towards males. Here, we report a male bias among EPO in a wild population of blue tits ( Cyanistes caeruleus ). This resulted from a decline in both the proportion of males and EPO over the laying order of eggs in the clutch. However, previous studies suggest that, unlike the decline in EPO with laying order, the relationship between offspring sex ratio and laying order is not consistent between years and populations in this species. Hence, we caution against treating the decline in proportion of males with laying order, and the resulting male bias among EPO, as support for the above hypothesis. Variable patterns of offspring sex and paternity over the laying order may explain inconsistent associations between offspring sex and paternity, between and within species.

scholarly journals Analysis of within-individual variation in extrapair paternity in blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) shows low repeatability and little effect of changes in neighborhood

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 1303-1315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina B Beck ◽  
Mihai Valcu ◽  
Bart Kempenaers
Keyword(s):  
Individual Variation ◽  
Social Partner ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽  
Extrapair Paternity ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Alternative Hypotheses ◽  
Breeding Seasons ◽  
Blue Tits

Abstract Many studies investigated variation in the frequency of extrapair paternity (EPP) among individuals. However, our understanding of within-individual variation in EPP remains limited. Here, we comprehensively investigate variation in EPP at the within-individual level in a population of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus). Our study is based on parentage data comprising >10 000 genotyped offspring across 11 breeding seasons. First, we examined the repeatability of the occurrence of EPP, the number of extrapair offspring, the number of extrapair partners, and the occurrence of paternity loss using data from males and females that bred in multiple years. Second, we tested whether within-individual changes in EPP between breeding seasons relate to between-year changes in the local social environment. Repeatabilities were generally low but significant for the occurrence and number of extrapair young in females and for whether a male sired extrapair young or not. We found no evidence that the presence of the former social partner or changes in the proportion of familiar individuals or in phenotypic traits of the neighbors influenced changes in levels of EPP in females. However, in adult males, a decrease in the average body size of male neighbors was associated with higher extrapair siring success. If confirmed, this result suggests that the competitive ability of a male relative to its neighbors influences his extrapair mating success. We suggest that alternative hypotheses, including the idea that within-individual changes in EPP are due to “chance events” rather than changes in an individual’s social breeding environment, deserve more consideration.

scholarly journals Selection on reproductive plasticity in a wild population of blue tits, Cyanistes caeruleus

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heung Ying Janet Chik ◽  
Catalina Estrada ◽  
Yiqing Wang ◽  
Priyesha Vijendra ◽  
Alex Lord ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clutch Size ◽  
Wild Population ◽  
Reaction Norm ◽  
Reaction Norms ◽  
Random Regression ◽  
Laying Date ◽  
Stabilizing Selection ◽  
Chick Survival ◽  
Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽  
Blue Tits

In the plant-insect-insectivorous-bird system, changing climates can result in mis-timing in bird reproduction, potentially impacting chick survival. To adapt to earlier prey emergence, birds can make use of phenotypic plasticity, which can be characterized by reaction norms. Despite gaining focus in research, studies on avian reproductive reaction norms as traits are scarce, particularly on laying-date-budburst-date and clutch-size-laying-date reaction norms. Here we examined the possibility of evolution of these two reaction norms from a quantitative genetics viewpoint, and tested whether 1) there is among-individual variance in reaction norms properties (intercept and slope); 2) there is selection on these reaction norm properties; and 3) variances and selection pressures differ between the two reaction norms. Data of oak (genus Quercus) budburst and blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) reproduction were collected from a wild population for 18 years. We used bivariate random regression models with a Bayesian approach to test for among-individual variance in reaction norm properties and their covariance with fitness. Individuals significantly differed in intercepts and slopes of both laying-date-budburst-date and clutch-size-laying-date reaction norms, and directional selection was present for an earlier laying date and a larger clutch size, but not on either plasticity. Results suggested that variation in reaction norm properties can be attributed to genetic and environmental effects, and that stabilizing selection on plasticity could be tested as a next step. This study compliments previous research on the evolution of reaction norms and helps shed light on their genetic structure, the context of their selection, and their mediation in birds.

scholarly journals Habitat shapes diversity of gut microbiomes in a wild population of blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Szymon M. Drobniak ◽  
Mariusz Cichoń ◽  
Katarzyna Janas ◽  
Julia Barczyk ◽  
Lars Gustafsson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wild Population ◽  
Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽  
Blue Tits

scholarly journals Personality in Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) and its Effect on Their Breeding Success

Ethology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 122 (8) ◽  
pp. 695-701 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Colchester ◽  
Nancy M. Harrison
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Success ◽  
Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽  
Blue Tits

scholarly journals Effect of tree logging on reproductive performance in Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus)

2016 ◽  
Vol 158 (1) ◽  
pp. 339-344
Author(s):  
Seyed Mehdi Amininasab ◽  
Charles C. Y. Xu ◽  
Sjouke A. Kingma ◽  
Jan Komdeur
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽  
Blue Tits

scholarly journals Integrated behavioural and stable isotope data reveal altered diet linked to low breeding success in urban-dwelling blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus)

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Pollock ◽  
Pablo Capilla-Lasheras ◽  
Rona A. R. McGill ◽  
Barbara Helm ◽  
Davide M. Dominoni
Keyword(s):  
Stable Isotope ◽  
Breeding Success ◽  
Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽  
Isotope Data ◽  
Blue Tits ◽  
Stable Isotope Data

Does the Threat of European Pine Marten (Martes Martes) Predation Influence the Height of Nests Built by Blue Tits(Cyanistes Caeruleus)and Great Tits (Parus Major)?

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Kaliński ◽  
Jarosław Wawrzyniak ◽  
Mirosława Bańbura ◽  
Joanna Skwarska ◽  
Piotr Zieliński ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parus Major ◽  
Martes Martes ◽  
Pine Marten ◽  
Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽  
Blue Tits ◽  
European Pine Marten

scholarly journals Chromaticity in the UV/blue range facilitates the search for achromatically background-matching prey in birds

2008 ◽  
Vol 364 (1516) ◽  
pp. 511-517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Stobbe ◽  
Marina Dimitrova ◽  
Sami Merilaita ◽  
H. Martin Schaefer
Keyword(s):  
Search Task ◽  
Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽  
Chromatic Contrast ◽  
Background Matching ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Chromatic Cues ◽  
Blue Range ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Chromatic Properties ◽  
Blue Tits

A large variety of predatory species rely on their visual abilities to locate their prey. However, the search for prey may be hampered by prey camouflage. The most prominent example of concealing coloration is background-matching prey coloration characterized by a strong visual resemblance of prey to the background. Even though this principle of camouflage was recognized to efficiently work in predator avoidance a long time ago, the underlying mechanisms are not very well known. In this study, we assessed whether blue tits ( Cyanistes caeruleus ) use chromatic cues in the search for prey. We used two prey types that were achromatically identical but differed in chromatic properties in the UV/blue range and presented them on two achromatically identical backgrounds. The backgrounds had either the same chromatic properties as the prey items (matching combination) or differed in their chromatic properties (mismatching combination). Our results show that birds use chromatic cues in the search for mismatching prey, whereupon chromatic contrast leads to a ‘pop-out’ of the prey item from the background. When prey was presented on a matching background, search times were significantly higher. Interestingly, search for more chromatic prey on the matching background was easier than search for less chromatic prey on the matching background. Our results indicate that birds use both achromatic and chromatic cues when searching for prey, and that the combination of both cues might be helpful in the search task.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document