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Plasma metabolites correlate with weekly body mass changes in migrating black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa feeding on different diets

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Abstract

The study of variations in plasma metabolite profiles has emerged as a useful physiological tool to assess fuel deposition rates from a single blood sample. Diet may be a key factor in the study of refueling patterns in long-distance migratory birds, but the potential confounding effect of diet on the conclusions drawn from plasma metabolites has rarely been considered. Here, we assessed whether plasma metabolite levels correlate with the weekly increase in body mass of migrating Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa, a medium–large shorebird, feeding on two natural diets (insectivorous vs. granivorous) during the refueling period. We found that glycerol and triglycerides successfully explained the weekly natural change in body mass of Black-tailed Godwits. Although the diet type contributed to the change in body mass, all interactions between plasma metabolites and diet treatment were non-significant. Our results support the use of plasma metabolite profiling to predict body mass changes on a long-term (weekly) scale in medium–large birds.

Zusammenfassung

Plasma-Metaboliten korrelieren mit wöchentlichen Körpermasse-Änderungen bei ziehenden Uferschnepfen ( Limosa limosa ) mit unterschiedlicher Ernährung

Die Untersuchung von Unterschieden in den Profilen von Plasma-Metaboliten ist inzwischen ein nützliches physiologisches Werkzeug, um die Füllung der Energiespeicher aus einer einzigen Blutprobe abzuschätzen. Ernährung könnte ein Schlüsselfaktor sein in der Untersuchung von Mustern der Zwischenstopps für die Nahrungsaufnahme bei Langstreckenziehern, aber die möglichen Effekte der Ernährung auf die Schlussfolgerungen, die aus der Messung der Plasma-Metaboliten gezogen werden, wurde selten in Erwägung gezogen. Hier untersuchen wir, ob Plasma-Metabolitlevel mit der wöchentlichen Gewichtszunahme ziehender Uferschnepfen korrelieren, einer mittelgroßen Limikolenart, die sich auf Zwischenstopps entweder von Insekten oder von Körnern und Samen ernähren. Wir fanden, dass Plasma-Glycerin und Plasma-Triglyceride die natürliche wöchentliche Änderung im Körpergewicht von Uferschnepfen erfolgreich erklärten. Die Ernährungsweise hatte einen Einfluss auf die Änderung der Körpermasse bei Uferschnepfen, aber alle Interaktionen zwischen Plasma-Metaboliten und Ernährung waren nicht signifikant. Unsere Ergebnisse unterstützen den Einsatz des Plasma-Metabolit Profiling, um Änderungen des Körpergewichts bei mittelgroßen Vögeln in einem längeren Zeitraum (Woche) vorauszusagen.

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Acknowledgments

We thank J. Schröeder for her help and collaboration with captive godwits, and three anonymous reviewers for their useful comments on the manuscript. Projects PRI A060000209 and GR10174 (Government of Extremadura and FEDER funds) and the grants AP2005-1664 (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation) and RE12002 (Government of Extremadura and FSE funds) provided financial support. Experimental and field work was carried out with permission, and complied with legal requirements of the regional government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Conservation Biology Research Group, Zoology, University of Extremadura, Avenida de Elvas s/n, 06071, Badajoz, Spain

    Noelia Albano, Francisco Santiago-Quesada, Auxiliadora Villegas, Juan M. Sánchez-Guzmán & José A. Masero

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  1. Noelia Albano
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  2. Francisco Santiago-Quesada
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  3. Auxiliadora Villegas
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  4. Juan M. Sánchez-Guzmán
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  5. José A. Masero
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Correspondence to Francisco Santiago-Quesada.

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Communicated by L. Fusani.

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Albano, N., Santiago-Quesada, F., Villegas, A. et al. Plasma metabolites correlate with weekly body mass changes in migrating black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa feeding on different diets. J Ornithol 157, 201–207 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-015-1268-4

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