Varying aerobic capacity in relation to breeding stage and reproductive success in giant petrels (Macronectes spp.)

T. Lownie; I. Jubinville; T. D. Williams; R. A. Phillips; G. T. Crossin

doi:10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.111155

Varying aerobic capacity in relation to breeding stage and reproductive success in giant petrels (Macronectes spp.)

T. Lownie, I. Jubinville, T. D. Williams, R. A. Phillips, G. T. Crossin

Medicine

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Reproduction, and parental care in particular, are among the most energy-demanding activities within the annual cycle of adult birds. Parents that cannot meet the metabolic demands and other physiological costs of raising offspring may opt to abandon chicks in favour of self-maintenance and future reproduction. Recent work examining reproductive trade-offs in birds revealed an important role of oxygen carrying capacity in mediating variation in parental effort. This study explores the aerobic factors underlying the success or failure of parental care in two closely-related petrel species during their breeding season on Bird Island, South Georgia: northern giant petrels (Macronectes halli) and southern giant petrels (M. giganteus). Failed breeders of both sexes and species had significantly lower hematocrit levels (by 5.48 ± 0.64%) than successful breeders, and reticulocyte counts also tended to be lower in failed males, consistent with the hypothesis that parental care and workload depend on aerobic capacity. We discuss these results in relation to differences in the foraging ecology of both species and sexes.

Original language	English
Article number	111155
Journal	Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology -Part A : Molecular and Integrative Physiology
Volume	266
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.111155
Publication status	Published - Apr 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was funded through a National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Post-Doctoral Fellowship and NSERC E-BIRD funding to Glenn Crossin. Additional financial support was provided by the British Antarctic Survey through an Antarctic Funding Initiative Collaborative Gearing Scheme awarded to Alistair Dawson, Phil N. Trathan, and Richard A. Phillips. This work represents a contribution to the Ecosystems component of the British Antarctic Survey Polar Science for Planet Earth Programme, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council .

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Inc.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Biochemistry
Physiology
Aquatic Science
Animal Science and Zoology
Molecular Biology

PubMed: MeSH publication types

Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.111155

Cite this

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title = "Varying aerobic capacity in relation to breeding stage and reproductive success in giant petrels (Macronectes spp.)",

abstract = "Reproduction, and parental care in particular, are among the most energy-demanding activities within the annual cycle of adult birds. Parents that cannot meet the metabolic demands and other physiological costs of raising offspring may opt to abandon chicks in favour of self-maintenance and future reproduction. Recent work examining reproductive trade-offs in birds revealed an important role of oxygen carrying capacity in mediating variation in parental effort. This study explores the aerobic factors underlying the success or failure of parental care in two closely-related petrel species during their breeding season on Bird Island, South Georgia: northern giant petrels (Macronectes halli) and southern giant petrels (M. giganteus). Failed breeders of both sexes and species had significantly lower hematocrit levels (by 5.48 ± 0.64%) than successful breeders, and reticulocyte counts also tended to be lower in failed males, consistent with the hypothesis that parental care and workload depend on aerobic capacity. We discuss these results in relation to differences in the foraging ecology of both species and sexes.",

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AU - Crossin, G. T.

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Varying aerobic capacity in relation to breeding stage and reproductive success in giant petrels (Macronectes spp.)

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

PubMed: MeSH publication types

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