Transient and permanent effects of suboptimal incubation temperatures on growth, metabolic rate, immune function and adrenocortical responses in zebra finches

• Published in: Journal of experimental biology Vol. 218; no. Pt 18; pp. 2847 - 2855
• Main Authors: Wada, Haruka, Kriengwatana, Buddhamas, Allen, Natalie, Schmidt, Kimberly L, Soma, Kiran K, MacDougall-Shackleton, Scott A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.09.2015
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Body Weight - physiology; Embryo, Nonmammalian; Energy Metabolism - physiology; Female; Finches - embryology; Finches - growth & development; Finches - immunology; Finches - metabolism; Immunity, Innate; Male; Ovum; Sex Factors; Temperature; Development; Altricial; Birds; Pre-hatch; Corticosterone; Stress

In birds, incubation temperature can vary by several degrees Celsius among nests of a given species. Parents may alter incubation temperature to cope with environmental conditions and/or to manipulate embryonic development, and such changes in incubation behavior could have long-lasting effects on o...