Laying-Sequence Variation in Yolk Carotenoids of Eastern Bluebirds

<p>Carotenoids are naturally occurring, fat-soluble pigments that play an important role in the embryonic development of songbirds. Female songbirds use different strategies to allocate these important maternal resources to their eggs. Little research has been done on whether North American songbirds exhibit laying sequence patterns in their allocation of carotenoids. We studied the laying-sequence variation in yolk carotenoids and egg metrics of nine full clutches of Eastern Bluebirds (<em>Sialia sialis</em>) in Columbus, Georgia. I predicted that Eastern Bluebirds would exhibit a brood reduction strategy, with the first-laid eggs containing a higher concentration of carotenoids than the last-laid eggs. I also predicted that the egg mass and size would remain consistent across the clutch due to an increase in secondary resources across the clutch. My results indicated that Eastern Bluebirds did not follow a brood reduction strategy but rather had unpredictable varying carotenoid concentrations across the clutch. I found five carotenoids in the egg yolks of Eastern Bluebirds: lutein, β-carotene, zeaxanthin, astaxanthin, and β-cryptoxanthin. As predicted, the egg mass, egg length, and egg width did not vary significantly across the clutch.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Biology

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Year dc:date.available

2020

Author dc:creator

• Barkhouse, Jessica

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Jennifer Newbrey
• Dr. Michael Newbrey
• Dr. Cindy S. Ticknor

• Laying-Sequence
• Yolk Carotenoids
• Eastern Bluebirds
• Sialia Sialis
• Columbus Georgia
• Songbirds
• Biology
• Ornithology

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/381

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:csuepress.columbusstate.edu:theses_dissertations-1384