Incubation temperature influences locomotor performance in young wood ducks (Aix sponsa)

2011 ◽  
Vol 315A (5) ◽  
pp. 274-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brittney Cole Hopkins ◽  
Sarah Elizabeth DuRant ◽  
Gary Richard Hepp ◽  
William Alexander Hopkins
Keyword(s):  
Incubation Temperature ◽  
Locomotor Performance ◽  
Aix Sponsa ◽  
Wood Ducks

scholarly journals Are thyroid hormones mediators of incubation temperature-induced phenotypes in birds?

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 20130950 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. E. DuRant ◽  
A. W. Carter ◽  
R. J. Denver ◽  
G. R. Hepp ◽  
W. A. Hopkins
Keyword(s):  
Thyroid Hormones ◽  
Incubation Period ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Incubation Temperature ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Tarsus Length ◽  
Aix Sponsa ◽  
Wood Ducks ◽  
Effects Of Temperature ◽  
Incubation Temperatures

Incubation temperature influences a suite of traits in avian offspring. However, the mechanisms underlying expression of these phenotypes are unknown. Given the importance of thyroid hormones in orchestrating developmental processes, we hypothesized that they may act as an upstream mechanism mediating the effects of temperature on hatchling phenotypic traits such as growth and thermoregulation. We found that plasma T 3 , but not T 4 concentrations, differed among newly hatched wood ducks ( Aix sponsa ) from different embryonic incubation temperatures. T 4 at hatching correlated with time spent hatching, and T 3 correlated with hatchling body condition, tarsus length, time spent hatching and incubation period. In addition, the T 3 : T 4 ratio differed among incubation temperatures at hatch. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that incubation temperature modulates plasma thyroid hormones which in turn influences multiple aspects of duckling phenotype.

scholarly journals Incubation temperature affects multiple measures of immunocompetence in young wood ducks ( Aix Sponsa )

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah E. DuRant ◽  
William A. Hopkins ◽  
Dana M. Hawley ◽  
Gary R. Hepp
Keyword(s):  
Immune Responses ◽  
Incubation Temperature ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Aix Sponsa ◽  
Biologically Relevant ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
Wood Ducks ◽  
Immune Challenges ◽  
Acquired Immune Responses ◽  
Incubation Temperatures

Parental effects play a vital role in shaping offspring phenotype. In birds, incubation behaviour is a critical parental effect because it influences the early developmental environment and can therefore have lifelong consequences for offspring phenotype. Recent studies that manipulated incubation temperature found effects on hatchling body composition, condition and growth, suggesting that incubation temperature could also affect energetically costly physiological processes of young birds that are important to survival (e.g. immune responses). We artificially incubated wood duck ( Aix sponsa ) eggs at three biologically relevant temperatures. Following incubation, we used two immunoassays to measure acquired immune responses of ducklings. Ducklings incubated at the lowest temperature had reduced growth, body condition and responses to both of our immune challenges, compared with those from the higher temperatures. Our results show that incubation temperatures can be an important driver of phenotypic variation in avian populations.

EXPERIMENTAL SUSCEPTIBILITY OF WOOD DUCKS (AIX SPONSA) FOR WEST NILE VIRUS

2015 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 411-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik Hofmeister ◽  
Robert E. Porter ◽  
J. Christian Franson
Keyword(s):  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Aix Sponsa ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Wood Ducks
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