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Avian Research 2017, 8(1): 25 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40657-017-0083-4
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Seasonal phenotypic flexibility in body mass, basal thermogenesis, and tissue oxidative capacity in the male Silky Starling (Sturnus sericeus)

Show Author's Information Min Li1,  Yingqiao Sun1,  Hongzhen Mao1,  Jinhua Xu1,  Weihong Zheng1,2,  Jinsong Liu1,2( )
School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab for Subtropical Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou 325035, China
Keywords:
Seasonal variation, Basal metabolic rate (BMR), Cytochrome c oxidase (COX), Organ mass, Sturnus sericeus, State 4 respiration
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Li M, Sun Y, Mao H, et al. Seasonal phenotypic flexibility in body mass, basal thermogenesis, and tissue oxidative capacity in the male Silky Starling (Sturnus sericeus). Avian Research, 2017, 8(1): 25. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40657-017-0083-4
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Abstract Full text About this article
Background

Acclimatization to winter conditions is an essential prerequisite for the survival of small birds in the northern temperate zone. Changes in photoperiod, ambient temperature and food availability trigger seasonal physiological and behavioral acclimatization in many passerines. Seasonal trends in metabolic parameters are well known in avian populations from temperate environments; however, the physiological and biochemical mechanisms underlying these trends are incompletely understood. In this study, we used an integrative approach to measure variation in the thermogenic properties of the male Silky Starling (Sturnus sericeus) at different levels or organization, from the whole organism to the biochemical. We measured body mass (Mb), basal metabolic rate (BMR), energy budget, the mass of selected internal organs, state 4 respiration and cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity in the heart, liver and muscle.

Methods

Oxygen consumption was measured using an open-circuit respirometry system. The energy intake of the birds were then determined using an oxygen bomb calorimeter. Mitochondrial state 4 respiration and COX activity in heart, liver and pectoral muscle were measured with a Clark electrode.

Results

The results suggest that acclimatization to winter conditions caused significant change in each of the measured variables, specifically, increases in Mb, organ mass, BMR, energy intake and cellular enzyme activity. Furthermore, BMR was positively correlated with body mass, energy intake, the mass of selected internal organs, state 4 respiration in the heart, liver and muscle, and COX activity in the heart and muscle.

Conclusions

These results suggest that the male Silky Starlingos enhanced basal thermogenesis under winter conditions is achieved by making a suite of adjustments from the whole organism to the biochemical level, and provide further evidence to support the notion that small birds have high phenotypic plasticity with respect to seasonal changes.


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About this article

Seasonal phenotypic flexibility in body mass, basal thermogenesis, and tissue oxidative capacity in the male Silky Starling (Sturnus sericeus)

Show Author's information Min Li1, Yingqiao Sun1, Hongzhen Mao1, Jinhua Xu1, Weihong Zheng1,2, Jinsong Liu1,2( )
School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab for Subtropical Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou 325035, China

Abstract

Background

Acclimatization to winter conditions is an essential prerequisite for the survival of small birds in the northern temperate zone. Changes in photoperiod, ambient temperature and food availability trigger seasonal physiological and behavioral acclimatization in many passerines. Seasonal trends in metabolic parameters are well known in avian populations from temperate environments; however, the physiological and biochemical mechanisms underlying these trends are incompletely understood. In this study, we used an integrative approach to measure variation in the thermogenic properties of the male Silky Starling (Sturnus sericeus) at different levels or organization, from the whole organism to the biochemical. We measured body mass (Mb), basal metabolic rate (BMR), energy budget, the mass of selected internal organs, state 4 respiration and cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity in the heart, liver and muscle.

Methods

Oxygen consumption was measured using an open-circuit respirometry system. The energy intake of the birds were then determined using an oxygen bomb calorimeter. Mitochondrial state 4 respiration and COX activity in heart, liver and pectoral muscle were measured with a Clark electrode.

Results

The results suggest that acclimatization to winter conditions caused significant change in each of the measured variables, specifically, increases in Mb, organ mass, BMR, energy intake and cellular enzyme activity. Furthermore, BMR was positively correlated with body mass, energy intake, the mass of selected internal organs, state 4 respiration in the heart, liver and muscle, and COX activity in the heart and muscle.

Conclusions

These results suggest that the male Silky Starlingos enhanced basal thermogenesis under winter conditions is achieved by making a suite of adjustments from the whole organism to the biochemical level, and provide further evidence to support the notion that small birds have high phenotypic plasticity with respect to seasonal changes.

Keywords: Seasonal variation, Basal metabolic rate (BMR), Cytochrome c oxidase (COX), Organ mass, Sturnus sericeus, State 4 respiration

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Publication history

Received: 03 May 2017
Accepted: 17 September 2017
Published: 23 September 2017
Issue date: January 2017

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© The Author(s) 2017.

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Ron Moorhouse revising the English of this MS. Thanks are also given to all the members of Animal Physiological Ecology Group, Institute of applied ecology of Wenzhou University, for their helpful suggestions. This study was financially supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31470472), the National Undergraduate Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program and the Zhejiang Province "Xinmiao" Project.

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