Dataset Information

Nesting behaviour influences species-specific gas exchange across avian eggshells.

ABSTRACT: Carefully controlled gas exchange across the eggshell is essential for the development of the avian embryo. Water vapour conductance (G(H2O)) across the shell, typically measured as mass loss during incubation, has been demonstrated to optimally ensure the healthy development of the embryo while avoiding desiccation. Accordingly, eggs exposed to sub-optimal gas exchange have reduced hatching success. We tested the association between eggshell G(H2O) and putative life-history correlates of adult birds, ecological nest parameters and physical characteristics of the egg itself to investigate how variation in G(H2O) has evolved to maintain optimal water loss across a diverse set of nest environments. We measured gas exchange through eggshell fragments in 151 British breeding bird species and fitted phylogenetically controlled, general linear models to test the relationship between G(H2O) and potential predictor parameters of each species. Of our 17 life-history traits, only two were retained in the final model: wet-incubating parent and nest type. Eggs of species where the parent habitually returned to the nest with wet plumage had significantly higher G(H2O) than those of parents that returned to the nest with dry plumage. Eggs of species nesting in ground burrows, cliffs and arboreal cups had significantly higher G(H2O) than those of species nesting on the ground in open nests or cups, in tree cavities and in shallow arboreal nests. Phylogenetic signal (measured as Pagel's ?) was intermediate in magnitude, suggesting that differences observed in the G(H2O) are dependent upon a combination of shared ancestry and species-specific life history and ecological traits. Although these data are correlational by nature, they are consistent with the hypothesis that parents constrained to return to the nest with wet plumage will increase the humidity of the nest environment, and the eggs of these species have evolved a higher G(H2O) to overcome this constraint and still achieve optimal water loss during incubation. We also suggest that eggs laid in cup nests and burrows may require a higher G(H2O) to overcome the increased humidity as a result from the confined nest microclimate lacking air movements through the nest. Taken together, these comparative data imply that species-specific levels of gas exchange across avian eggshells are variable and evolve in response to ecological and physical variation resulting from parental and nesting behaviours.

SUBMITTER: Portugal SJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4179895 | biostudies-other | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Nesting behaviour influences species-specific gas exchange across avian eggshells.

Portugal Steven J SJ Maurer Golo G Thomas Gavin H GH Hauber Mark E ME Grim Tomáš T Cassey Phillip P

The Journal of experimental biology 20140901 Pt 18

Carefully controlled gas exchange across the eggshell is essential for the development of the avian embryo. Water vapour conductance (G(H2O)) across the shell, typically measured as mass loss during incubation, has been demonstrated to optimally ensure the healthy development of the embryo while avoiding desiccation. Accordingly, eggs exposed to sub-optimal gas exchange have reduced hatching success. We tested the association between eggshell G(H2O) and putative life-history correlates of adult ...[more]

PMID: 25232199

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Project description:BackgroundHabitat selection and its adaptive outcomes are crucial features for animal life-history strategies. Nevertheless, congruence between habitat preferences and breeding success has been rarely demonstrated, which may result from the single-scale evaluation of animal choices. As habitat selection is a complex multi-scale process in many groups of animal species, investigating adaptiveness of habitat selection in a multi-scale framework is crucial. In this study, we explore whether habitat preferences acting at different spatial scales enhance the fitness of bird species, and check the appropriateness of single vs. multi-scale models. We expected that variables found to be more important for habitat selection at individual scale(s), would coherently play a major role in affecting nest survival at the same scale(s).MethodsWe considered habitat preferences of two Rallidae species, little crake (Zapornia parva) and water rail (Rallus aquaticus), at three spatial scales (landscape, territory, and nest-site) and related them to nest survival. Single-scale versus multi-scale models (GLS and glmmPQL) were compared to check which model better described adaptiveness of habitat preferences. Consistency between the effect of variables on habitat selection and on nest survival was checked to investigate their adaptive value.ResultsIn both species, multi-scale models for nest survival were more supported than single-scale ones. In little crake, the multi-scale model indicated vegetation density and water depth at the territory scale, as well as vegetation height at nest-site scale, as the most important variables. The first two variables were among the most important for nest survival and habitat selection, and the coherent effects suggested the adaptive value of habitat preferences. In water rail, the multi-scale model of nest survival showed vegetation density at territory scale and extent of emergent vegetation within landscape scale as the most important ones, although we found a consistent effect with the habitat selection model (and hence evidence for adaptiveness) only for the former.DiscussionOur work suggests caution when interpreting adaptiveness of habitat preferences at a single spatial scale because such an approach may under- or over-estimate the importance of habitat factors. As an example, we found evidence only for a weak effect of water depth at territory scale on little crake nest survival; however, according to the multi-scale analysis, such effect turned out to be important and appeared highly adaptive. Therefore, multi-scale approaches to the study of adaptive explanations for habitat selection mechanisms should be promoted.

Project description:Background: HIV infection is associated with impaired gas transfer in the lung as indicated by a low diffusing capacity (DLCO). Mechanisms for reduced DLCO in the setting of HIV infection are not well understood. We hypothesized that HIV-associated gas exchange impairment is indicative of system-wide perturbations that could be reflected by alterations in peripheral blood gene expression. Methods: A total of 40 HIV-infected (HIV+) and uninfected (HIV-) men with preserved versus reduced DLCO were selected from a larger cohort study of lung function. All subjects were current smokers and those with acute illness, lung diseases other than COPD or asthma were excluded. Total RNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) and hybridized to whole-genome microarrays. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed between HIV+ vs. HIV- subjects with preserved DLCO and those with impaired DLCO to identify differentially activated pathways. Results: Using pathway-based analyses we found that in subjects with preserved DLCO, HIV infection is associated with activation of processes involved in immunity, cell cycle, and apoptosis. When we applied a similar analysis to subjects with low DLCO, we identified a much broader repertoire of inflammatory and immune-related pathways in HIV+ patients relative to HIV- subjects, with up-regulation of multiple interleukin pathways, interferon signaling, Toll-like receptor signaling, and T cell/B cell receptor signaling. We confirmed elevated circulating levels of IL-6 in HIV+ patients with reduced DLCO relative to the other groups. Conclusions: Our findings reveal that PBLs of subjects with HIV infection and low DLCO are distinguished by widespread enrichment of immuno-inflammatory programs. Activation of these pathways may alter the biology of circulating leukocytes and play a role in the pathogenesis of HIV-associated pulmonary gas exchange impairment. Total RNA was isolated from peripheral blood leukocytes in four subject groups: 1. HIV-, low DLCO (N = 11); 2. HIV+, low DLCO (N = 10); 3. HIV-, preserved DLCO (N = 9); 4. HIV+, preserved DLCO (N = 9). Each sample was hybridized to an Affymetrix PrimeView Human Gene Expression microarray for a total of 39 experiments.

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Dataset Information

Nesting behaviour influences species-specific gas exchange across avian eggshells.

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Nesting behaviour influences species-specific gas exchange across avian eggshells.

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