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Effects of environmental conditions on the egg mass, yolk antioxidant level, eggshell thickness and eggshell spotting patterns of Great Tits (Parus major)

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Abstract

Avian mothers can influence the fitness of their offspring by resource investment into the egg. Allocation of macro- and micronutrients into the eggs may be costly for the female, therefore, we expect that resource investment may be affected by the environmental and social conditions the mother experiences during egg formation. Here, we investigated whether environmental circumstances experienced by the reproducing female exert an influence on egg mass, yolk antioxidant (lutein and tocopherol) concentration, eggshell thickness, and the eggshell spotting patterns of Great Tits (Parus major). Our study showed that when caterpillars were less abundant, in colder weather and when breeding in an area of higher local breeding density, female Great Tits laid eggs of lower mass, suggesting that adverse environmental circumstances constrain the macronutrient investment into the eggs. However, we found no evidence that yolk antioxidant concentration and eggshell thickness were affected by environmental factors. Female Great Tits may use their endogenous stores or spend more time and energy in finding sufficient amounts of dietary antioxidants and calcium under unfavourable environmental conditions, which may have a cost effect on their own conditions. We found that birds that bred in the beginning of the season laid eggs with darker eggshell spots. Moreover, females laid more spotted eggs in colder weather and when breeding in higher density areas. Our results suggest that Great Tits deposit more of the potentially harmful pro-oxidant protoporphyrin pigment into the eggshell under unfavourable environmental conditions.

Zusammenfassung

Auswirkungen von Umweltbedingungen auf Eimasse, Antioxidantiengehalt des Dotters, Schalendicke und Fleckung der Eischale bei Kohlmeisen (Parus major)

Vogelmütter können die Fitness ihrer Nachkommenschaft durch die Ressourcen beeinflussen, die sie in ein Ei investieren. Die Abgabe von Makro- und Mikronährstoffen an die Eier kann für das Weibchen kostspielig sein, daher ist zu erwarten, dass die Investition von Ressourcen durch Umweltbedingungen und soziale Faktoren beeinflusst wird, denen die Mutter während der Eibildung ausgesetzt ist. Hier untersuchten wir, inwieweit die Umweltbedingungen, denen das Weibchen während der Fortpflanzung ausgesetzt war, einen Einfluss auf die Eimasse, die Konzentration von Antioxidantien (Lutein und Tocopherol) im Dotter, die Schalendicke und die Fleckung der Eischalen von Kohlmeisen (Parus major) ausübten. Unsere Studie zeigte, dass Kohlmeisen-Weibchen in Zeiten geringeren Raupenangebots, bei kälterem Wetter und in Brutgebieten mit höherer lokaler Brutdichte Eier von geringerer Masse legten, was darauf hindeutet, dass ungünstige Umweltbedingungen die Investition von Makronährstoffen in die Eier beschränken können. Allerdings fanden wir keine Hinweise darauf, dass die Konzentration von Antioxidantien im Dotter und die Schalendicke durch Umweltfaktoren beeinflusst wurden. Unter ungünstigen Umweltbedingungen können Kohlmeisen-Weibchen körpereigene Reserven angreifen oder mehr Zeit und Energie auf die Suche nach ausreichenden Mengen nahrungsgebundener Antioxidantien und Kalzium aufwenden, was zu Lasten ihrer eigenen Kondition gehen kann. Wir stellten fest, dass früh in der Saison brütende Vögel Eier mit dunklerer Schalenfleckung legten. Außerdem legten die Weibchen bei kälterem Wetter und in dichter besetzten Brutgebieten mehr gefleckte Eier. Unsere Ergebnisse deuten an, dass Kohlmeisen unter ungünstigen Umweltbedingungen mehr des potenziell schädlichen prooxidativen Pigments Protoporphyrin in der Eischale ablagern.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Gy. Blázi, N. Boross, L.Z. Garamszegi, G. Hegyi, D. Kiss, M. Laczi, G. Markó, B. Rosivall, and E. Szász for help with the fieldwork. We thank the Pilis Park Forestry for giving permission to erect nestboxes in the woodland area. We are very thankful for the helpful comments and suggestions of two anonymous reviewers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. st. 1/C, 1117, Budapest, Hungary

    Rita Hargitai, Márton Herényi, Gergely Nagy & János Török

  2. Department of Zoology and Animal Ecology, Szent István University, Páter K. u. 1., 2100, Gödöllő, Hungary

    Márton Herényi

  3. Joint Research and Training Laboratory on Separation Techniques, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. st. 1/A, 1117, Budapest, Hungary

    Zoltán Nyiri & Zsuzsanna Eke

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  1. Rita Hargitai
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Correspondence to Rita Hargitai.

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Funding statement

This study was supported by the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund (OTKA, grants no. K75618 and PD100304), the Bolyai János Research Fellowship to R.H., and the Erdők a Közjóért Alapítvány.

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The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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The Middle-Danube-Valley Inspectorate for Environmental Protection, Nature Conservation and Water Management provided permission for this study (KTVF 12677-4/2012).

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Communicated by L. Fusani.

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Hargitai, R., Herényi, M., Nagy, G. et al. Effects of environmental conditions on the egg mass, yolk antioxidant level, eggshell thickness and eggshell spotting patterns of Great Tits (Parus major). J Ornithol 157, 995–1006 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-016-1348-0

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