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Seasonal variation in body composition in an Afrotropical passerine bird: increases in pectoral muscle mass are, unexpectedly, associated with lower thermogenic capacity

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Abstract

Phenotypic flexibility in avian metabolic rates and body composition have been well-studied in high-latitude species, which typically increase basal metabolic rate (BMR) and summit metabolism (Msum) when acclimatized to winter conditions. Patterns of seasonal metabolic acclimatization are more variable in lower-latitude birds that experience milder winters, with fewer studies investigating adjustments in avian organ and muscle masses in the context of metabolic flexibility in these regions. We quantified seasonal variation (summer vs winter) in the masses of organs and muscles frequently associated with changes in BMR (gizzard, intestines and liver) and Msum (heart and pectoral muscles), in white-browed sparrow-weavers (Plocepasser mahali). We also measured pectoral muscle thickness using a portable ultrasound system to determine whether we could non-lethally estimate muscle size. A concurrent study measured seasonal changes in BMR and Msum in the same population of sparrow-weavers, but different individuals. There was no seasonal variation in the dry masses of the gizzard, intestines or liver of sparrow-weavers, and during the same period, BMR did not vary seasonally. We found significantly higher heart (~ 18% higher) and pectoral muscle (~ 9% higher) dry mass during winter, although ultrasound measurements did not detect seasonal changes in pectoral muscle size. Despite winter increases in pectoral muscle mass, Msum was ~ 26% lower in winter compared to summer. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report an increase in avian pectoral muscle mass but a concomitant decrease in thermogenic capacity.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Rossouw family for allowing us to conduct research work on their property. We are grateful to Michelle Thompson, Sekgwari Malematja and Mervyn Uys for assistance in the field, and Janca Nortjé and Chuma Mateza for helping with laboratory work. We also thank Blair Wolf for the use of his portable ultrasound system. We obtained permission to conduct this research from the Animal Ethics Committee of the University of Pretoria (EC088-15) and the Department of Environment and Nature Conservation of the Northern Cape Province of South Africa (FAUNA 929/2/2015).

Funding

This work was supported by funding from the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence at the FitzPatrick Institute and the National Research Foundation of South Africa (Grant no. 110506 to AEM). Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Research Foundation. WHK was supported by a Visiting Professorship from the University of Pretoria.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. DST-NRF Centre of Excellence at the FitzPatrick Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa

    Matthew J. Noakes & Andrew E. McKechnie

  2. Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, USA

    William H. Karasov

  3. South African Research Chair in Conservation Physiology, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, South Africa

    Andrew E. McKechnie

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  1. Matthew J. Noakes
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  2. William H. Karasov
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Correspondence to Andrew E. McKechnie.

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Communicated by G. Heldmaier.

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Noakes, M.J., Karasov, W.H. & McKechnie, A.E. Seasonal variation in body composition in an Afrotropical passerine bird: increases in pectoral muscle mass are, unexpectedly, associated with lower thermogenic capacity. J Comp Physiol B 190, 371–380 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-020-01273-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-020-01273-6

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