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Body temperature is a repeatable trait in a free-ranging passerine bird
Simon Tapper1, Joseph J Nocera2, Gary Burness3
1Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Department, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON, Canada, K9L 0G2.
The Journal of Experimental Biology
|September 9, 2021
Summary
Body temperature (Tb) repeatability was assessed in tree swallows. While Tb was repeatable in a stable environment, female Tb varied more across temperatures, suggesting sex-specific thermoregulation strategies.
Area of Science:
- Physiological Ecology
- Animal Thermoregulation
- Behavioral Ecology
Background:
- Body temperature (Tb) is crucial for animal function, influencing biochemical reactions and organismal performance.
- Understanding Tb variation and repeatability within populations is vital for predicting responses to environmental change.
- Few studies have quantified Tb repeatability across varying ambient temperatures in free-living populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the repeatability of body temperature in free-living tree swallows across different ambient temperatures.
- To investigate whether heat dissipation capacity influences Tb repeatability in female tree swallows.
- To provide insights into the potential for natural selection on Tb and population responses to climate warming.
Main Methods:
- Utilized thermal radio-frequency identification implants to monitor Tb in 16 free-living tree swallows.
- Assessed Tb repeatability in a constant environment (∼21°C) and across a range of ambient temperatures (6-31°C).
- Experimentally trimmed ventral plumage of 8 female swallows to assess the impact on Tb and its repeatability.
Main Results:
- Body temperature was highly repeatable in both sexes at a constant 21°C (R=0.89-0.92).
- Female Tb repeatability was significantly lower than male Tb across ambient temperatures (Rfemale=0.10 vs. Rmale=0.58).
- Trimmed females exhibited lower average Tb (∼0.5°C) but showed no difference in Tb repeatability, indicating adaptive thermoregulation.
Conclusions:
- Individual body temperature exhibits repeatability, but this can vary with environmental conditions and sex.
- Differences in Tb repeatability between sexes may relate to parental investment and suggest differential physiological constraints.
- Tree swallows can adjust their thermoregulation in response to altered heat dissipation capacity, with implications for climate change adaptation.
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