scholarly journals Dietary carotenoid supplementation facilitates egg laying in a wild passerine

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 4968-4978
Author(s):  
Jorge García‐Campa ◽  
Wendt Müller ◽  
Sonia González‐Braojos ◽  
Emilio García‐Juárez ◽  
Judith Morales
Keyword(s):  
Egg Laying ◽  
Dietary Carotenoid ◽  
Carotenoid Supplementation

scholarly journals Dietary carotenoid supplementation facilitates egg laying in a wild passerine

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge García-Campa ◽  
Wendt Müller ◽  
Sonia González-Braojos ◽  
Emilio García-Juárez ◽  
Judith Morales
Keyword(s):  
Embryonic Development ◽  
Clutch Size ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Egg Quality ◽  
Antioxidant Properties ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Egg Mass ◽  
Blue Tit ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Dietary Carotenoid

During egg laying, female birds face a trade-off between self-maintenance and investment into current reproduction. Providing eggs with resources is energetically demanding, since in most species females lay one egg per day. However, the costs of egg laying not only relate to energetic requirements, but also depend on the availability of specific resources that are vital for egg production and embryonic development. One of these compounds are carotenoids, pigments with antioxidant properties and immuno-stimulatory functions, which are crucial during embryonic development. In this study, we explore how carotenoid availability alleviates this trade-off and facilitates egg laying in the blue tit. Blue tit females lay one egg per day and have the largest clutch size of all European passerines. We performed a lutein supplementation experiment, and measured potential consequences for egg laying capacity and egg quality. We found that lutein-supplemented females had less laying interruptions and thus completed their clutch faster than control females. No effects of treatment were found on the onset of egg laying or clutch size. Experimentally enhanced carotenoid availability did not elevate yolk carotenoid levels or egg mass, but negatively affected eggshell thickness. Our results provide hence evidence on the limiting role of carotenoids during egg laying, However, the benefits of laying faster following lutein supplementation were counterbalanced by a lower accumulation of calcium in the eggshell. Thus, even though single components may constrain egg laying, it is the combined availability of a range of different resources which ultimately determines egg quality and thus embryonic development.

Effect of Dietary Carotenoid Supplementation on Food Intake and Immune Function in a Songbird with no Carotenoid Coloration

Ethology ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 112 (12) ◽  
pp. 1209-1216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin J. McGraw ◽  
Ondi L. Crino ◽  
William Medina-Jerez ◽  
Paul M. Nolan
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Immune Function ◽  
Carotenoid Coloration ◽  
Dietary Carotenoid ◽  
Carotenoid Supplementation

Dietary Carotenoid Supplementation Affects Orange Beak but not Foot Coloration in Gentoo Penguins Pygoscelis papua

Waterbirds ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 573-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Jouventin ◽  
Kevin J. McGraw ◽  
Maxime Morel ◽  
Aurélie Célerier
Keyword(s):  
Pygoscelis Papua ◽  
Dietary Carotenoid ◽  
Carotenoid Supplementation

scholarly journals Varied Effects of Dietary Carotenoid Supplementation on Oxidative Damage in Tissues of Two Waterfowl Species

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex E Mohr ◽  
Marc Girard ◽  
Melissah Rowe ◽  
Kevin J McGraw ◽  
Karen L Sweazea
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Damage ◽  
Dietary Carotenoid ◽  
Carotenoid Supplementation
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