Costly steroids: egg testosterone modulates nestling metabolic rate in the zebra finch
Författare
Summary, in English
The transfer of non-genetic resources from mother to the offspring often has considerable consequences for offspring performance. In birds, maternally derived hormones are known to influence a variety of morphological, physiological and behavioural traits in the chick. So far, the range of these hormonal effects involves benefits in terms of enhanced growth and competitive ability as well as costs in terms of immunosuppression. However, since yolk hormones can enhance growth and begging activity, high levels of these hormones may also involve energetic costs. Here, we show experimentally that elevated levels of prenatal testosterone increase resting metabolic rate in nestling zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Surprisingly, however, elevation of prenatal testosterone did not result in higher growth rates and, thus, differences in resting metabolism do not seem to be linked to nestling growth. We conclude that apart from immunosuppressive effects, high levels of egg steroids may also entail costs in terms of increased energy expenditure.
Avdelning/ar
Publiceringsår
2007
Språk
Engelska
Sidor
408-410
Publikation/Tidskrift/Serie
Biology letters
Volym
3
Issue
4
Dokumenttyp
Artikel i tidskrift
Förlag
Royal Society Publishing
Ämne
- Biological Sciences
Nyckelord
- maternal hormones
- testosterone
- Taeniopygia guttata
- metabolism
- maternal effects
Status
Published
Forskningsgrupp
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab
- Life History and Functional Ecology
ISBN/ISSN/Övrigt
- ISSN: 1744-9561