Testing the structural-function hypothesis of eggshell maculation in the Great Tit: An experimental approach

Journal of Ornithology

Volumn 153, Issue 3, 2012, Pages 645-652

  Magi M ^a   Mand R ^a   Konovalov, A ^a   Tilgar, V ^a   Reynolds, S J ^b  

^a UNIVERSITY OF TARTU   (Estonia)

^b UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

Ca provisioning; Eggshell colouration; Pigmentation; Protoporphyrin; Structural reinforcement

Indexed keywords

CALCIUM; DECIDUOUS FOREST; EGGSHELL; EXPERIMENTAL STUDY; FOREST ECOSYSTEM; HYPOTHESIS TESTING; ORNITHOLOGY; PASSERINE; PIGMENT;

ESTONIA;

AVES; PARUS MAJOR;

EID: 84864020488     PISSN: 21937192     EISSN: 21937206     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1007/s10336-011-0782-2     Document Type: Article

References (39)

1. Anderson GB, Carter DC, Morley JR (1970) Some factors affecting the incidence of cracks in hens' egg shells. Br Poult Sci 11:103-116
2. Baird T, Solomon SE, Tedstone DR (1975) Localisation and characterisation of egg shell porphyrins in several avian species. Br Poult Sci 16:201-208
3. Berg EC, McCormack JE, Smith TB (2009) Test of an adaptive hypothesis for egg speckling along an elevational gradient in a population of Mexican jays Aphelocoma ultramarina. J Avian Biol 40:448-452
4. Briggs DM, Williams CM (1975) Shell strength, hatchability, egg production and egg shell pigmentation in the Japanese quail. Poult Sci 53:1738
5. Campo JL, Escudero J (1984) Relationship between egg-shell colour and two measurements of shell strength in the Vasca breed. Br Poult Sci 25:467-476
6. Cherry MI, Gosler AG (2010) Avian eggshell coloration: new perspectives on adaptive explanations. Biol J Linn Soc 100:753-762
7. Garcia-Navas V, Sanz JJ, Merino S, Martínez-de la Puente J, Lobato E, Del Cerro S, Rivero J, Ruiz de Castaneda R, Moreno J (2011) Experimental evidence for the role of calcium in eggshell pigmentation pattern and breeding performance in blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus. J Ornithol 152:71-82
8. Gosler AG, Clement P (2007) Family paridae (tits and chickadees). In: del Hoyo J, Elliott A, Christie DA (eds) Handbook of the birds of the world, vol 12: Picathartes to tits and chickadees. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, pp 662-750
9. Gosler AG, Barnett PR, Reynolds SJ (2000) Inheritance and variation in eggshell patterning in the great tit Parus major. Proc R Soc Lond Ser B Biol Sci 267:2469-2473
10. Gosler AG, Higham JP, Reynolds SJ (2005) Why are birds' eggs speckled? Ecol Lett 8:1105-1113
11. Graveland J, Drent RH (1997) Calcium availability limits breeding success of passerines on poor soils. J Anim Ecol 66:279-288
12. Graveland J, van der Wal R, van Baien JH, van Noordwijk AJ (1994) Poor reproduction in forest passerines from decline of snail abundance on acidified soils. Nature 368:446-448
13. Grover RM, Anderson DL, Damon RA Jr (1980) The correlation between egg shell color and specific gravity as a measure of shell strength. Poult Sci 59:1335-1336
14. Higham JP, Gosler AG (2006) Speckled eggs: water-loss and incubation behaviour in the great tit Parus major. Oecologia 149:561-570
15. Jagannath A, Shore RF, Walker LA, Ferns PN, Gosler AG (2007) Eggshell pigmentation indicates pesticide contamination. J Appl Ecol 45:133-140
16. Jubb MR, Wilkin TA, Gosler AG (2006) Eggshell pigmentation, soil calcium and the local abundance, distribution and diversity of woodland snails (Mollusca). Ardea 94:59-70
17. Kilner R (2006) The evolution of egg colour and patterning in birds. Biol Rev 81:383-406
18. Mänd R, Tilgar V (2003) Does supplementary calcium reduce the cost of reproduction in the Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleucal Ibis 145:67-77
19. Mänd R, Nigul A, Sein E (1986) Oomorphology: a new method. Auk 103:613-617
20. Mänd R, Tilgar V, Leivits A (2000a) Reproductive response of great tits, Parus major, in a naturally base-poor forest habitat to calcium supplementation. Can J Zool 78:689-695
21. Mänd R, Tilgar V, Leivits A (2000b) Calcium, snails, and birds: a case study. Web Ecol 1:63-69
22. Mänd R, Tilgar V, Lõhmus A, Leivits A (2005) Providing nest boxes for hole-nesting birds-Does habitat matter? Biodivers Conserv 14:1823-1840
23. Martínez-de la Puente J, Merino S, Moreno J, Tomás G, Morales J, Lobato E, García-Fraile S, Martínez J (2007) Are eggshell spottiness and colour indicators of health and condition in blue tits? J Avian Biol 38:377-384
24. Maurer G, Portugal SJ, Cassey P (2011) Review: an embryo's eye view of avian eggshell pigmentation. J Avian Biol, doi: 10.1111/J.1600-048X.2011.05368.x
25. Mertens K, Vaesen I, Löffel J, Kemps B, Kamers B, Perianu C, Zoons J, Darius P, Decuypere E, De Baerdemaeker J, De Ketelaere B (2010) The transmission color value: a novel egg quality measure for recording shell color used for monitoring the stress and health status of a brown layer flock. Poult Sci 86:609-617
26. Reynolds SJ, Perrins CM (2010) Dietary calcium availability and reproduction in birds. Curr Ornithol 17:31-74
27. Reynolds SJ, Mänd R, Tilgar V (2004) Calcium supplementation of breeding birds: directions for future research. Ibis 146:601-614
28. Reynolds SJ, Martin GR, Cassey P (2009) Is sexual selection blurring the functional significance of eggshell coloration hypotheses? Anim Behav 78:209-215
29. Richards P D G, Deeming DC (2001) Correlation between shell colour and ultrastructure in pheasant eggs. Br Poult Sci 42:338-342
30. Sanz JJ, García-Navas V (2009) Eggshell pigmentation pattern in relation to breeding performance of blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus. J Anim Ecol 78:31-41
31. Soler JJ, Moreno J, Avilés JM, Møller AP (2005) Blue and green eggcolor intensity is associated with parental effort and mating system in passerines: support for the sexual selection hypothesis. Evolution 59:636-644
32. Solomon SE (1987) Egg shell pigmentation. In: Wells RG, Belyarin CG (eds) Egg quality-current problems and recent advances. Butterworths, London
33. Solomon SE (1997) Egg and eggshell quality. Iowa State University Press, Ames
34. StatSoft Inc (2010) STATISTICA (data analysis software system), version 9.1. Available at: http://www.statsoft.com
35. Tilgar V, Mänd R, Leivits A (1999) Effect of calcium availability and habitat quality on reproduction in Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca and great tit Parus major. J Avian Biol 30:383-391
36. Tilgar V, Mänd R, Mägi M (2002) Calcium shortage as a constraint on reproduction in great tits Parus major, a field experiment. J Avian Biol 33:407-413
37. Tilgar V, Mänd R, Kilgas P, Reynolds SJ (2005) Chick development in free-living great tits Parus major in relation to calcium availability and egg composition. Physiol Biochem Zool 78:590-598
38. Tilgar V, Mänd R, Kilgas P, Mägi M (2010) Long-term consequences of early ontogeny in free-living great tits Parus major. J Ornithol 151:61-68
39. Wilkin TA, Gosler AG, Garant D, Reynolds SJ, Sheldon BC (2009) Calcium effects on life-history traits in a wild population of the great tit (Parus major): analysis of long-term data at several spatial scales. Oecologia 159:463-472