Reduction of Provisioning Effort in Response to Experimental Manipulation of Chick Nutritional Status in the Horned Puffin
Abstract Using a supplemental feeding experiment, we investigated the ability of adult Horned Puffins to decrease provisioning effort in response to reduced nutritional requirements of chicks. We found no difference between experimental and control groups in parental provisioning before supplementar...
| Published in: | The Condor |
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Oxford University Press (OUP)
2002
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/condor/104.4.842 http://academic.oup.com/condor/article-pdf/104/4/842/29713354/condor0842.pdf |
| Summary: | Abstract Using a supplemental feeding experiment, we investigated the ability of adult Horned Puffins to decrease provisioning effort in response to reduced nutritional requirements of chicks. We found no difference between experimental and control groups in parental provisioning before supplementary feeding was initiated. After receiving supplemental food for seven days, experimental chicks grew faster, gained more mass and received 87% less food from their parents than did control chicks. These results demonstrate that Horned Puffin parents can decrease food provisioning in response to a decrease in their chick nutritional requirements. Reducción del Esfuerzo de Aprovisionamiento en Respuesta a la Manipulación Experimental del Estatus Nutricional de Pichones en Fratercula corniculata Resumen. Usando un experimento de suplementación alimenticia, investigamos la habilidad de adultos de Fratercula corniculata de disminuir el esfuerzo de aprovisionamiento en respuesta a una reducción en la demanda nutricional de los pichones. No encontramos diferencias entre grupos experimentales y control en el aprovisionamiento parental antes que la suplementación de alimento fuera iniciada. Luego de que los pichones recibieron comida adicional durante siete días, los pichones experimentales crecieron más rápido, ganaron más peso y recibieron 87% menos alimento de sus padres que los pichones control. Estos resultados demuestran que los padres de F. corniculata pueden disminuir el aprovisionamiento en respuesta a una reducción en los requerimientos nutricionales de sus pichones. |
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