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Ontogeny of the ultradian rhythm of activity in Japanese quail

S Lumineau1, C Guyomarc'h, J P Richard

  • 1UMR CNRS 6552 Ethologie Evolution Ecologie, Université de Rennes 1, France. sophie.lumineau@univ-rennes1.fr

Chronobiology International
|December 29, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Newly hatched chicks exhibit an ultradian rhythm of activity, a biological clock that lengthens significantly as they grow. This activity pattern, observed in Japanese quail, correlates with increasing body weight.

Area of Science:

  • Ethology
  • Chronobiology
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Gallinaceous chicks exhibit synchronized activity patterns with maternal figures post-hatch.
  • These social units display organized temporal activity, suggesting underlying biological rhythms.
  • Understanding the development of these rhythms is crucial for comprehending early life behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the ontogeny of ultradian activity rhythms in Japanese quail chicks.
  • To determine how the periodicity of these rhythms changes during the first three weeks of life.
  • To explore the relationship between activity rhythm and chick body weight.

Main Methods:

  • Observing 12 groups of Japanese quail chicks (4 per group) under controlled laboratory conditions.
  • Utilizing an activity monitoring system to record chick behavior between 2 and 17 days of age.
  • Analyzing the ultradian rhythmicity and its period length in relation to age and body weight.

Main Results:

  • Chicks displayed a consistent ultradian rhythm of activity.
  • The period of this rhythm significantly increased from 14.3 minutes at 2 days old to 26.0 minutes at 16 days old.
  • The increase in ultradian periodicity was most notable during the first and third weeks, and positively correlated with body weight.

Conclusions:

  • Japanese quail chicks develop and refine ultradian activity rhythms during early life.
  • The lengthening of the ultradian period reflects developmental maturation.
  • Activity rhythm periodicity is linked to physical growth, as indicated by the correlation with body weight.

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