Factors, which influence on resting metabolic rate of Pied
Flycatcher fledglings (Ficedula hypoleuca Pallas)
-0,6
-1,0
2
3
4
5-7
±1.96*Std. Err.
±1.00*Std. Err.
Mean
color type of father
Fig. 2. The relation between father’s
colour type and resting metabolic rate (RMR)
in Pied Flycatcher fledglings
Fig. 1. Colour types of breeding plumage in Pied Flycatcher males (Drost's scale)
We aimed to study what was the main source of variation of resting metabolic rate
(RMR) in offspring of differently coloured Pied Flycatchers males. RMR could be
performed in the form of equation: RMR = BMR + PE, where BMR is basal metabolic
rate and PE is productive energy. So, RMR variation can reflect the changes of basal
metabolic rate or variation of productive energy (or variations of both these components).
It is not possible to measure fledgling’s BMR directly, but it’s possible to estimate it by
RMR and PE measurements.
The rates of oxygen consumption by 13-15-days old fledglings at nighttime were
used as estimates of their RMR. Fledgling’s growth rates of body mass, tarsus and wing
were used to estimate productive energy costs. Other factors (such as parent’s age, brood
size, death rate in brood, habitat, date of reproduction) were taken into account.
The results conformed the existence of relation between fledgling’s RMR and father’s
coloration (fig. 2). This relation was very similar to the effect of coloration on BMR of
adult males (fig. 3).
Relation between fledgling’s growth rate and RMR found to be linear and positive
(RS = 0,4-0,6; p < 0,001; n = 120). Offspring of bright and pale males differed in growth
rate patterns (fig. 5-6), but this difference didn’t explain colour type dependence of RMR.
We revealed, that male coloration and fledgling’s growth rate influenced on RMR
independently (MANOVA: F = 11,3; p = 0,001 for factor “mass growth”, F = 5,5;
p = 0,001 for factor “colour type of male” and p = 0,33 for interactions of these factors
(n = 100)). Besides colour type mediated relation between energetics of parents and theirs
offspring, we found positive straight correlation (r = 0,49; p < 0,005; n = 80) between
BMR of males and RMR of their offspring (fig. 4). The result suggests that revealed
colour type dependence of fledgling’s RMRs result from variation in their BMRs.
0,0
-0,5
-1,0
-1,5
-2,0
-2,5
±1.96*Std. Err.
±1.00*Std. Err.
2
3
4
5-7
Mean
6
4
2
0
-2
-4
-6
-3
Fig. 3. The relation between basal
metabolic rate (BMR) and colour type in Pied
Flycatcher males (Kerimov, Ivankina, 1999)
References
1.Drost R. Über das Brutkleid männlicher Trauerfliegenfänger, Muscicapa hypoleuca // Der
Vogelzung. – 1936. – Bd. 6. – S. 179-186.
2.Gavrilov V. M. Energetics and avian behavior // Physiology and General Biology Reviews.
Harwood Acad. Publ. CmbH. – 1997. – Vol. 11, Part 1. – P. 1-225.
3.Kerimov A. B., Ivankina E. V. 1999. The relations between resting metabolic rate of fledglings
and father’s colour type in the pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca). P. 203 in: Abstracts of the
2nd Meeting of European Ornithologists Union and 3rd International Shrike Symposium, 15-18
Sept. 1999, Gdansk, Poland, in “The Ring”.
4.Lundberg A., Alatalo R. V. The pied flycatcher. London: T. & A.D. Poyser Ltd., 1992. – P. 1267.
5.Slagsvold T., Lifjeld J. T. Plumage colour is a condition-dependent sexual trait in male Pied
Flycatcher // Evolution. – 1992. – N 46(3). – P. 825-828.
Addresses
Department of Vertebrates Zoology, Biological Faculty of Moscow State University, Leninskiye
Gori, GSP-2 Moscow 119992, Russia. E-mail: A.V. Bushuev ([email protected]),
A.B. Kerimov ([email protected])
2
Zvenigorod Biological Station of Moscow State University, post box Shihovo, Odintsovo District, 143036, Moscow Region, Russia
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
Regression
95% confid.
father's BMR, kJ/day
color type of male
Basal metabolic rate of an individual bird reflects its long-term capacity and, therefore, it’s
competitive potential (Gavrilov, 1997). High BMR gives advantage to offspring of bright males
in realization of prolonged and intensive activities or productive processes (like growth and
molt). Such advantage may be very useful for birds, especially during first weeks after leaving
nest.
Conclusions
1.Father’s colour type and fledgling’s growth rate influenced on fledgling’s resting metabolic
rate independently.
2.Basal metabolic rate of adult birds and resting metabolic rate of fledglings varied in the same
way, depending on colour type.
3.Positive correlation between basal metabolic rates of parents and resting metabolic rates
of their offspring based on similarity of their basal metabolic rates, and could not be
explained by variation of fledgling's growth rate.
4.The effects of parent's age and brood size on fledgling's resting metabolic rate were mediated
by growth rate.
1
Correlation: r = 0,49
(residuals on body mass)
-0,2
0,5
(residuals on body mass)
Fig. 4. Correlation between father’s
basal metabolic rate (BMR) and fledgling’s
resting metabolic rate (RMR) in Pied Flycatcher
Growth rate of body mass, 2*g/day
0,2
1,0
3,5
4
3
5-7
3
2,5
2
2
1,5
1
0,5
0
-0,5
-1
3-5
5-7
7-9
9-11
11-13
Days (after hatching)
Fig. 5. Growth rate curves of Pied Flycatcher
fledglings of differently colored fathers
4
Growth rate of tarsus length, 2*mm/day
0,6
1,5
(residuals on body mass)
1,0
male's BMR, kJ/day
2,0
fledgling's RMR, kJ/day
1,4
(residuals on body mass)
Coloration of Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca Pallas) males varies from
conspicuous black-and-white to cryptic brown, changing from 1 to 7 of Drost’s (1936)
scale (fig. 1). On average, males become blacker with age by one step of the scale.
Plumage coloration appears to be condition-dependent and heritable trait (Slagsvold,
Lifjeld, 1992; Lundberg, Alatalo, 1992). In general, polymorphism in coloration of Pied
Flycatcher males represents unique case among birds (Lundberg, Alatalo, 1992).
fledgling's RMR, kJ/day
A.V. Bushuev1, E.V. Ivankina2, A.B. Kerimov1
3,5
3
2
4
5-7
2,5
2
1,5
3
1
0,5
0
-0,5
5-7
7-9
9-11
11-13
13-15
Days (after hatching)
Fig. 6. Growth rate curves of Pied
Flycatcher fledglings of differently colored
fathers