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Gary R. Hepp - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Sample sizes of Wood Duck nests and eggs and mean (± SE) Incubation Temperature and Incubation period by Temperature treatment.
2018Co-Authors: Gary R. Hepp, Robert A KennamerAbstract:Sample sizes of Wood Duck nests and eggs and mean (± SE) Incubation Temperature and Incubation period by Temperature treatment.
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Laying sequence interacts with Incubation Temperature to influence rate of embryonic development and hatching synchrony in a precocial bird
2018Co-Authors: Gary R. Hepp, Robert A KennamerAbstract:Incubation starts during egg laying for many bird species and causes developmental asynchrony within clutches. Faster development of late-laid eggs can help reduce developmental differences and synchronize hatching, which is important for precocial species whose young must leave the nest soon after hatching. In this study, we examined the effect of egg laying sequence on length of the Incubation period in Wood Ducks (Aix sponsa). Because Incubation Temperature strongly influences embryonic development rates, we tested the interactive effects of laying sequence and Incubation Temperature on the ability of late-laid eggs to accelerate development and synchronize hatching. We also examined the potential cost of faster development on duckling body condition. Fresh eggs were collected and incubated at three biologically relevant Temperatures (Low: 34.9°C, Medium: 35.8°C, and High: 37.6°C), and egg laying sequences from 1 to 12 were used. Length of the Incubation period declined linearly as laying sequence advanced, but the relationship was strongest at medium Temperatures followed by low Temperatures and high Temperatures. There was little support for including fresh egg mass in models of Incubation period. Estimated differences in length of the Incubation period between eggs 1 and 12 were 2.7 d, 1.2 d, and 0.7 d at medium, low and high Temperatures, respectively. Only at intermediate Incubation Temperatures did development rates of late-laid eggs increase sufficiently to completely compensate for natural levels of developmental asynchrony that have been reported in Wood Duck clutches at the start of full Incubation. Body condition of ducklings was strongly affected by fresh egg mass and Incubation Temperature but declined only slightly as laying sequence progressed. Our findings show that laying sequence and Incubation Temperature play important roles in helping to shape embryo development and hatching synchrony in a precocial bird.
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ecological evolutionary and conservation implications of Incubation Temperature dependent phenotypes in birds
Biological Reviews, 2013Co-Authors: Gary R. Hepp, Sarah E Durant, William A Hopkins, Jeffrey R WaltersAbstract:Incubation is a vital component of reproduction and parental care in birds. Maintaining Temperatures within a narrow range is necessary for embryonic development and hatching of young, and exposure to both high and low Temperatures can be lethal to embryos. Although it is widely recognized that Temperature is important for hatching success, little is known about how variation in Incubation Temperature influences the post-hatching phenotypes of avian offspring. However, among reptiles it is well known that Incubation Temperature affects many phenotypic traits of offspring with implications for their future survival and reproduction. Although most birds, unlike reptiles, physically incubate their eggs, and thus behaviourally control nest Temperatures, variation in Temperature that influences embryonic development still occurs among nests within a population. Recent research in birds has primarily been limited to populations of megapodes and waterfowl; in each group, Incubation Temperature has substantial effects on hatchling phenotypic traits important for future development, survival, and reproduction. Such observations suggest that Incubation Temperature (and Incubation behaviours of parents) is an important but underappreciated parental effect in birds and may represent a selective force instrumental in shaping avian reproductive ecology and life-history traits. However, much more research is needed to understand how pervasive phenotypic effects of Incubation Temperature are among birds, the sources of variation in Incubation Temperature, and how effects on phenotype arise. Such insights will not only provide foundational information regarding avian evolution and ecology, but also contribute to avian conservation.
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warm is better Incubation Temperature influences apparent survival and recruitment of wood ducks aix sponsa
PLOS ONE, 2012Co-Authors: Gary R. Hepp, Robert A KennamerAbstract:Avian parents that physically incubate their eggs must balance demands of self-maintenance with providing the proper thermal environment for egg development. Low Incubation Temperatures can lengthen the Incubation period and produce changes in neonate phenotype that may influence subsequent survival and reproduction. We artificially incubated wood duck (Aix sponsa) eggs at three Temperature regimes (low, 35.0; mid, 35.9; and high, 37.3°C) that are within the range of Temperatures of naturally-incubated nests. We tested the effect of Incubation Temperature on duckling body composition, fledging success, the probability that females were recruited to the breeding population, and their subsequent reproductive success. Incubation period was inversely related to Incubation Temperature, and body mass and lipid mass for newly-hatched ducklings incubated at the lowest Temperature were lower than for ducklings produced at higher Temperatures. In 2008, ducklings (n = 412) were individually marked and broods (n = 38) containing ducklings from each Temperature treatment were placed with wild foster mothers within 24 hrs of hatching. Ducklings incubated at the lowest Temperature were less likely to fledge from nest sites than ducklings incubated at the higher Temperatures. We recaptured female ducklings as adults when they were either prospecting for nest sites (n = 171; 2009–2011) or nesting (n = 527; 2009–2012). Female ducklings incubated at the lowest Temperature were less likely to survive and be recruited to the breeding population than females incubated at higher Temperatures. Reproductive success of surviving females also was greater for females that had been incubated at warmer Temperatures. To our knowledge, this is the first avian study to link developmental conditions experienced by neonates during Incubation with their survival and recruitment to the breeding population, and subsequent reproductive success. These results advance our understanding of Incubation as an important reproductive cost in birds and support the potential significance of Incubation in influencing the evolution of avian life histories.
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Incubation Temperature affects multiple measures of immunocompetence in young wood ducks aix sponsa
Biology Letters, 2012Co-Authors: Sarah E Durant, William A Hopkins, Dana M Hawley, Gary R. HeppAbstract: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.
Wen Zhang - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Incubation Temperature affects the immune function of hatchling soft shelled turtles pelodiscus sinensis
Scientific Reports, 2015Co-Authors: Wei Dang, Wen ZhangAbstract:Incubation Temperature affects the immune function of hatchling soft-shelled turtles, Pelodiscus sinensis
Sarah E Durant - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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ecological evolutionary and conservation implications of Incubation Temperature dependent phenotypes in birds
Biological Reviews, 2013Co-Authors: Gary R. Hepp, Sarah E Durant, William A Hopkins, Jeffrey R WaltersAbstract:Incubation is a vital component of reproduction and parental care in birds. Maintaining Temperatures within a narrow range is necessary for embryonic development and hatching of young, and exposure to both high and low Temperatures can be lethal to embryos. Although it is widely recognized that Temperature is important for hatching success, little is known about how variation in Incubation Temperature influences the post-hatching phenotypes of avian offspring. However, among reptiles it is well known that Incubation Temperature affects many phenotypic traits of offspring with implications for their future survival and reproduction. Although most birds, unlike reptiles, physically incubate their eggs, and thus behaviourally control nest Temperatures, variation in Temperature that influences embryonic development still occurs among nests within a population. Recent research in birds has primarily been limited to populations of megapodes and waterfowl; in each group, Incubation Temperature has substantial effects on hatchling phenotypic traits important for future development, survival, and reproduction. Such observations suggest that Incubation Temperature (and Incubation behaviours of parents) is an important but underappreciated parental effect in birds and may represent a selective force instrumental in shaping avian reproductive ecology and life-history traits. However, much more research is needed to understand how pervasive phenotypic effects of Incubation Temperature are among birds, the sources of variation in Incubation Temperature, and how effects on phenotype arise. Such insights will not only provide foundational information regarding avian evolution and ecology, but also contribute to avian conservation.
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Incubation Temperature affects multiple measures of immunocompetence in young wood ducks aix sponsa
Biology Letters, 2012Co-Authors: Sarah E Durant, William A Hopkins, Dana M Hawley, Gary R. HeppAbstract: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.
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embryonic developmental patterns and energy expenditure are affected by Incubation Temperature in wood ducks aix sponsa
Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 2011Co-Authors: Sarah E Durant, William A Hopkins, Gary R. HeppAbstract:AbstractRecent research in birds has demonstrated that Incubation Temperature influences a suite of traits important for hatchling development and survival. We explored a possible mechanism for the effects on hatchling quality by determining whether Incubation Temperature influences embryonic energy expenditure of wood ducks (Aix sponsa). Because avian embryos are ectothermic, we hypothesized that eggs incubated at higher Temperatures would have greater energy expenditure at any given day of Incubation. However, because eggs incubated at lower Temperatures take longer to hatch than embryos incubated at higher Temperatures, we hypothesized that the former would expend more energy during Incubation. We incubated eggs at three Temperatures (35.0°, 35.9°, and 37.0°C) that fall within the range of Temperatures of naturally incubated wood duck nests. We then measured the respiration of embryos every 3 d during Incubation, immediately after ducks externally pipped, and immediately after hatching. As predicted, e...
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Incubation Temperature influences locomotor performance in young wood ducks aix sponsa
Journal of Experimental Zoology, 2011Co-Authors: Brittney Cole Hopkins, Gary R. Hepp, Sarah E Durant, William A HopkinsAbstract:Incubation Temperature is an important maternal effect in birds that can influence numerous offspring traits. For example, ducklings from eggs incubated at lower Temperatures have lower growth rates, protein content, and are in poorer body condition than ducklings from eggs incubated at higher Temperatures. Based on these observations, we predicted that Incubation Temperature would indirectly influence performance through its direct effects on body size. Wood duck (Aix sponsa) eggs were incubated at three ecologically relevant Temperatures (35, 35.9, 37°C). After hatching, all ducklings were housed under identical conditions and were subjected to aquatic and terrestrial racing trials at 15 and 20 days posthatch (dph). Contrary to our prediction, Incubation Temperature did not influence most duckling body size parameters at 15 or 20 dph. However, Incubation Temperature did have a strong influence on locomotor performance independent of body size and body condition. Ducklings hatched from eggs incubated at the lowest Temperature had significantly reduced maximum aquatic swim velocity than ducklings from higher Temperatures. Maximum terrestrial sprint velocity followed a similar pattern, but did not differ statistically among Incubation treatments. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that slight changes in Incubation Temperature can directly affect locomotor performance in avian offspring and thus provide a significant source of phenotypic variation in natural wood duck populations.
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slight differences in Incubation Temperature affect early growth and stress endocrinology of wood duck aix sponsa ducklings
The Journal of Experimental Biology, 2010Co-Authors: Sarah E Durant, Gary R. Hepp, Ignacio T Moore, Brittney Cole Hopkins, William A HopkinsAbstract:Early developmental experiences, such as Incubation conditions, can have important consequences for post-hatching fitness in birds. Although the effects of Incubation Temperature on phenotype of avian hatchlings are poorly understood, recent research suggests that subtle changes in Incubation conditions can influence hatchling characteristics, including body size and condition. We designed an experiment to explore the effects of Incubation Temperature on hatching success, survival to 9 days post hatch, growth and the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in wood ducks (Aix sponsa). Wood duck eggs were collected from nest boxes and experimentally incubated at three Temperatures (35.0, 35.9 and 37.0 degrees C), each falling within the range of Temperatures of naturally incubated wood duck nests. Survival and growth were monitored in ducklings fed ad libitum for 9 days post hatch. In addition, baseline and stress-induced plasma corticosterone concentrations were measured in 2 and 9 day old ducklings. Hatching success and survival to 9 days was greatest in ducks incubated at the intermediate Temperature. Ducklings incubated at 35.9 degrees C and 37.0 degrees C had 43% higher growth rates than ducklings incubated at 35.0 degrees C. In addition, ducklings incubated at 35.0 degrees C had higher baseline (17-50%) and stress-induced (32-84%) corticosterone concentrations than ducklings incubated at 35.9 degrees C and 37.0 degrees C at 2 and 9 days post hatch. We also found a significant negative correlation between body size and plasma corticosterone concentrations (baseline and stress-induced) in 9 day old ducklings. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that thermal conditions experienced during embryonic development can influence the HPA axis of young birds. Our results illustrate that subtle changes (<1.0 degrees C) in the Incubation environment can have important consequences for physiological traits important to fitness.
William A Hopkins - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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ecological evolutionary and conservation implications of Incubation Temperature dependent phenotypes in birds
Biological Reviews, 2013Co-Authors: Gary R. Hepp, Sarah E Durant, William A Hopkins, Jeffrey R WaltersAbstract:Incubation is a vital component of reproduction and parental care in birds. Maintaining Temperatures within a narrow range is necessary for embryonic development and hatching of young, and exposure to both high and low Temperatures can be lethal to embryos. Although it is widely recognized that Temperature is important for hatching success, little is known about how variation in Incubation Temperature influences the post-hatching phenotypes of avian offspring. However, among reptiles it is well known that Incubation Temperature affects many phenotypic traits of offspring with implications for their future survival and reproduction. Although most birds, unlike reptiles, physically incubate their eggs, and thus behaviourally control nest Temperatures, variation in Temperature that influences embryonic development still occurs among nests within a population. Recent research in birds has primarily been limited to populations of megapodes and waterfowl; in each group, Incubation Temperature has substantial effects on hatchling phenotypic traits important for future development, survival, and reproduction. Such observations suggest that Incubation Temperature (and Incubation behaviours of parents) is an important but underappreciated parental effect in birds and may represent a selective force instrumental in shaping avian reproductive ecology and life-history traits. However, much more research is needed to understand how pervasive phenotypic effects of Incubation Temperature are among birds, the sources of variation in Incubation Temperature, and how effects on phenotype arise. Such insights will not only provide foundational information regarding avian evolution and ecology, but also contribute to avian conservation.
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Incubation Temperature affects multiple measures of immunocompetence in young wood ducks aix sponsa
Biology Letters, 2012Co-Authors: Sarah E Durant, William A Hopkins, Dana M Hawley, Gary R. HeppAbstract: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.
-
embryonic developmental patterns and energy expenditure are affected by Incubation Temperature in wood ducks aix sponsa
Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 2011Co-Authors: Sarah E Durant, William A Hopkins, Gary R. HeppAbstract:AbstractRecent research in birds has demonstrated that Incubation Temperature influences a suite of traits important for hatchling development and survival. We explored a possible mechanism for the effects on hatchling quality by determining whether Incubation Temperature influences embryonic energy expenditure of wood ducks (Aix sponsa). Because avian embryos are ectothermic, we hypothesized that eggs incubated at higher Temperatures would have greater energy expenditure at any given day of Incubation. However, because eggs incubated at lower Temperatures take longer to hatch than embryos incubated at higher Temperatures, we hypothesized that the former would expend more energy during Incubation. We incubated eggs at three Temperatures (35.0°, 35.9°, and 37.0°C) that fall within the range of Temperatures of naturally incubated wood duck nests. We then measured the respiration of embryos every 3 d during Incubation, immediately after ducks externally pipped, and immediately after hatching. As predicted, e...
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Incubation Temperature influences locomotor performance in young wood ducks aix sponsa
Journal of Experimental Zoology, 2011Co-Authors: Brittney Cole Hopkins, Gary R. Hepp, Sarah E Durant, William A HopkinsAbstract:Incubation Temperature is an important maternal effect in birds that can influence numerous offspring traits. For example, ducklings from eggs incubated at lower Temperatures have lower growth rates, protein content, and are in poorer body condition than ducklings from eggs incubated at higher Temperatures. Based on these observations, we predicted that Incubation Temperature would indirectly influence performance through its direct effects on body size. Wood duck (Aix sponsa) eggs were incubated at three ecologically relevant Temperatures (35, 35.9, 37°C). After hatching, all ducklings were housed under identical conditions and were subjected to aquatic and terrestrial racing trials at 15 and 20 days posthatch (dph). Contrary to our prediction, Incubation Temperature did not influence most duckling body size parameters at 15 or 20 dph. However, Incubation Temperature did have a strong influence on locomotor performance independent of body size and body condition. Ducklings hatched from eggs incubated at the lowest Temperature had significantly reduced maximum aquatic swim velocity than ducklings from higher Temperatures. Maximum terrestrial sprint velocity followed a similar pattern, but did not differ statistically among Incubation treatments. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that slight changes in Incubation Temperature can directly affect locomotor performance in avian offspring and thus provide a significant source of phenotypic variation in natural wood duck populations.
-
slight differences in Incubation Temperature affect early growth and stress endocrinology of wood duck aix sponsa ducklings
The Journal of Experimental Biology, 2010Co-Authors: Sarah E Durant, Gary R. Hepp, Ignacio T Moore, Brittney Cole Hopkins, William A HopkinsAbstract:Early developmental experiences, such as Incubation conditions, can have important consequences for post-hatching fitness in birds. Although the effects of Incubation Temperature on phenotype of avian hatchlings are poorly understood, recent research suggests that subtle changes in Incubation conditions can influence hatchling characteristics, including body size and condition. We designed an experiment to explore the effects of Incubation Temperature on hatching success, survival to 9 days post hatch, growth and the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in wood ducks (Aix sponsa). Wood duck eggs were collected from nest boxes and experimentally incubated at three Temperatures (35.0, 35.9 and 37.0 degrees C), each falling within the range of Temperatures of naturally incubated wood duck nests. Survival and growth were monitored in ducklings fed ad libitum for 9 days post hatch. In addition, baseline and stress-induced plasma corticosterone concentrations were measured in 2 and 9 day old ducklings. Hatching success and survival to 9 days was greatest in ducks incubated at the intermediate Temperature. Ducklings incubated at 35.9 degrees C and 37.0 degrees C had 43% higher growth rates than ducklings incubated at 35.0 degrees C. In addition, ducklings incubated at 35.0 degrees C had higher baseline (17-50%) and stress-induced (32-84%) corticosterone concentrations than ducklings incubated at 35.9 degrees C and 37.0 degrees C at 2 and 9 days post hatch. We also found a significant negative correlation between body size and plasma corticosterone concentrations (baseline and stress-induced) in 9 day old ducklings. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that thermal conditions experienced during embryonic development can influence the HPA axis of young birds. Our results illustrate that subtle changes (<1.0 degrees C) in the Incubation environment can have important consequences for physiological traits important to fitness.
Wei Dang - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Incubation Temperature affects the immune function of hatchling soft shelled turtles pelodiscus sinensis
Scientific Reports, 2015Co-Authors: Wei Dang, Wen ZhangAbstract:Incubation Temperature affects the immune function of hatchling soft-shelled turtles, Pelodiscus sinensis
