Early life disadvantage strengthens flight performance trade-offs in European starlings, Sturnus vulgaris

Daniel O'Hagan,Clare P Andrews,Thomas Bedford,Melissa Bateson,Daniel Nettle

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.01.016

Daniel O'Hagan, Clare P Andrews + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.01.016

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Abstract

Developmental stress has been shown to affect adult flight performance in birds, with both negative and positive effects reported in the literature. Previous studies have used developmental manipulations that had substantial effects on patterns of growth. They have also examined mean levels of flight performance per individual, rather than investigating how developmental stress might alter trade-offs between different components of flight performance. We recorded multiple components of escape flight performance in 20 adult European starlings previously subjected to a manipulation likely to have altered levels of developmental stress. Siblings had been cross-fostered to nests where they were either slightly larger (advantaged treatment) or slightly smaller (disadvantaged treatment) than their competitors. The manipulation had no detectable effect on growth. However, developmental treatment affected performance in escape flights a year later by strengthening the trade-offs between different flight parameters. Disadvantaged birds faced a steeper trade-off between take-off speed and take-off angle, and a steeper trade-off between take-off angle and total time in flight, than advantaged birds. The results suggest that even subtle early life adversity that has no obvious effect on growth or size can leave a lasting legacy in the form of constraints on locomotor performance later in life.

Highlights

O'Hagan D, Andrews CP, Bedford T, Bateson M, Nettle D
It has been shown that developmental stress can produce alterations in morphological and physiological parameters that persist into adulthood (e.g. Criscuolo, Monaghan, Nasir, & Metcalfe, 2008; Tschirren, Rutstein, Postma, Mariette, & Griffith, 2009; Verhulst, Holveck, & Riebel, 2006), and adult locomotor performance can be affected by conditions experienced early in life (Alvarez & Metcalfe, 2005; Alvarez & Metcalfe, 2007)
Two studies have shown that maternal stress or increased exposure to maternal stress hormones can lead to increased wing size and improved flight performance at maturity

Summary

Introduction

O'Hagan D, Andrews CP, Bedford T, Bateson M, Nettle D. Several studies have detected negative consequences of developmental stress for flight performance, generally finding these to become more marked with age (European starlings: Verspoor et al, 2007; zebra finches, Taeniopygia guttata: Criscuolo et al, 2011; mourning doves, Zenaida macroura: Miller, 2011) This is an example of a ‘silver spoon’ effect (Monaghan, 2008), whereby benign early conditions carry over into improved phenotypic status later in life. Two studies have shown that maternal stress or increased exposure to maternal stress hormones can lead to increased wing size and improved flight performance at maturity (great tits, Parus major: Coslovsky & Richner, 2011; European starlings: Chin et al, 2009) This would be an example of adaptive developmental plasticity, where an early stressor triggers an evolved anticipatory response to adverse situations later in life, and improved performance in some capacities. If there were any consequences of developmental treatment for adult flight performance in our birds, this would suggest that the impact of developmental stress on flight performance is not wholly due to variation in the pattern of overall growth

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