Effects of testosterone on growth, plumage pigmentation, and mortality in Black-headed Gull chicks
In the Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus, sibling chicks defend small territories against conspecifics with testosterone-dependent aggressive behaviour. The energetic requirements for the performance of this behaviour may trade off against the energetic requirements for growth. There are indication...
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ftunigroningenpu:oai:pure.rug.nl:publications/7b6a3384-8b6d-4c24-a7f4-c76f226afabb 2024-06-23T07:57:29+00:00 Effects of testosterone on growth, plumage pigmentation, and mortality in Black-headed Gull chicks Ros, A.F.H. 1999-07 https://hdl.handle.net/11370/7b6a3384-8b6d-4c24-a7f4-c76f226afabb https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/7b6a3384-8b6d-4c24-a7f4-c76f226afabb eng eng https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/7b6a3384-8b6d-4c24-a7f4-c76f226afabb info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess Ros , A F H 1999 , ' Effects of testosterone on growth, plumage pigmentation, and mortality in Black-headed Gull chicks ' , Ibis , vol. 141 , no. 3 , pp. 451-459 . AGGRESSION SIZE 5-ALPHA-DIHYDROTESTOSTERONE 19-NORTESTOSTERONE EXPERIENCE DIMORPHISM HYPOTHESIS DOMINANCE BEHAVIOR FIXATION article 1999 ftunigroningenpu 2024-05-27T15:53:35Z In the Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus, sibling chicks defend small territories against conspecifics with testosterone-dependent aggressive behaviour. The energetic requirements for the performance of this behaviour may trade off against the energetic requirements for growth. There are indications that testosterone suppresses growth in birds and, therefore, regulate this trade-off. In this study, the effect of testosterone on growth and plumage pigmentation of Black-headed Gull chicks was analysed. Young chicks in small groups were treated for ten days with testosterone or sham treated. Testosterone-treated birds showed decreased growth rate (daily increase in body mass, head-bill length and tarsus-length) and a marked decrease in juvenile pigmentation of the plumage (tail-bar, back, and secondary coverts). Field measurements revealed a negative correlation between nest density, which correlates positively with aggressive behaviour of adults, and plumage coloration. Furthermore, these measurements showed an increase in mortality of chicks that had low levels of pigmentation early in life. The data suggest that chicks face a testosterone-regulated trade-off between growth and territory defence. Article in Journal/Newspaper Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus University of Groningen research database |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Groningen research database |
op_collection_id |
ftunigroningenpu |
language |
English |
topic |
AGGRESSION SIZE 5-ALPHA-DIHYDROTESTOSTERONE 19-NORTESTOSTERONE EXPERIENCE DIMORPHISM HYPOTHESIS DOMINANCE BEHAVIOR FIXATION |
spellingShingle |
AGGRESSION SIZE 5-ALPHA-DIHYDROTESTOSTERONE 19-NORTESTOSTERONE EXPERIENCE DIMORPHISM HYPOTHESIS DOMINANCE BEHAVIOR FIXATION Ros, A.F.H. Effects of testosterone on growth, plumage pigmentation, and mortality in Black-headed Gull chicks |
topic_facet |
AGGRESSION SIZE 5-ALPHA-DIHYDROTESTOSTERONE 19-NORTESTOSTERONE EXPERIENCE DIMORPHISM HYPOTHESIS DOMINANCE BEHAVIOR FIXATION |
description |
In the Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus, sibling chicks defend small territories against conspecifics with testosterone-dependent aggressive behaviour. The energetic requirements for the performance of this behaviour may trade off against the energetic requirements for growth. There are indications that testosterone suppresses growth in birds and, therefore, regulate this trade-off. In this study, the effect of testosterone on growth and plumage pigmentation of Black-headed Gull chicks was analysed. Young chicks in small groups were treated for ten days with testosterone or sham treated. Testosterone-treated birds showed decreased growth rate (daily increase in body mass, head-bill length and tarsus-length) and a marked decrease in juvenile pigmentation of the plumage (tail-bar, back, and secondary coverts). Field measurements revealed a negative correlation between nest density, which correlates positively with aggressive behaviour of adults, and plumage coloration. Furthermore, these measurements showed an increase in mortality of chicks that had low levels of pigmentation early in life. The data suggest that chicks face a testosterone-regulated trade-off between growth and territory defence. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Ros, A.F.H. |
author_facet |
Ros, A.F.H. |
author_sort |
Ros, A.F.H. |
title |
Effects of testosterone on growth, plumage pigmentation, and mortality in Black-headed Gull chicks |
title_short |
Effects of testosterone on growth, plumage pigmentation, and mortality in Black-headed Gull chicks |
title_full |
Effects of testosterone on growth, plumage pigmentation, and mortality in Black-headed Gull chicks |
title_fullStr |
Effects of testosterone on growth, plumage pigmentation, and mortality in Black-headed Gull chicks |
title_full_unstemmed |
Effects of testosterone on growth, plumage pigmentation, and mortality in Black-headed Gull chicks |
title_sort |
effects of testosterone on growth, plumage pigmentation, and mortality in black-headed gull chicks |
publishDate |
1999 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/11370/7b6a3384-8b6d-4c24-a7f4-c76f226afabb https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/7b6a3384-8b6d-4c24-a7f4-c76f226afabb |
genre |
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus |
genre_facet |
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus |
op_source |
Ros , A F H 1999 , ' Effects of testosterone on growth, plumage pigmentation, and mortality in Black-headed Gull chicks ' , Ibis , vol. 141 , no. 3 , pp. 451-459 . |
op_relation |
https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/7b6a3384-8b6d-4c24-a7f4-c76f226afabb |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
_version_ |
1802651159431741440 |