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Ecophysiology of an Avian Invader: Body Condition and Metabolic Rate Adjustments to Ambient Temperature
Marina Sentís1, Cesare Pacioni1, Emma Bossuyt2
1Centre for Research on Ecology, Cognition and Behaviour of Birds (ECoBird), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Abstract:
This study examines the ecophysiological responses of common waxbills to temperature variation in Portugal. We measured body condition and basal metabolic rate (BMR) during summer and winter across two regions in Portugal. Body condition was negatively correlated with temperature, while the relationship between BMR and temperature varied seasonally. In summer, BMR decreased with increasing temperature, but in winter, it remained low and stable, indicating physiological adjustments to seasonal changes.
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