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Differential effects of early growth conditions on colour-producing nanostructures revealed through small angle X-ray scattering and electron microscopy
Differential effects of early growth conditions on colour-producing nanostructures revealed through small angle X-ray scattering and electron microscopy
- Source :
- JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
- Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- The costs associated with the production and maintenance of colour patches is thought to maintain their honesty. Although considerable research on sexual selection has focused on structurally coloured plumage ornaments, the proximate mechanisms of their potential condition dependence, and thus their honesty, is rarely addressed, particularly in an experimental context. Blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) nestlings have ultraviolet (UV)-blue structurally coloured tail feathers, providing a unique opportunity for investigation of the causes of variation in their colour. Here, we examined the influence of early growing conditions on the reflectance and structural properties of UV-blue-coloured tail feathers of blue tit nestlings. We applied a two-stage brood size manipulation to determine which stage of development more strongly impacts the quality of tail feather colouration and microstructure. We used small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and electron microscopy to characterise the nanoscale and microscale structure of tail feather barbs. Nestlings from the broods enlarged at a later stage of growth showed a sex-specific rectrix development delay, with males being more sensitive to this manipulation. Contrary to predictions, treatment affected neither the quality of the barbs' nanostructures nor the brightness and UV chroma of feathers. However. at the microscale. barbs' keratin characteristics were impaired in late-enlarged broods. Our results suggest that nanostructure quality, which determines the UV-blue colour in tail feathers, is not sensitive to early rearing conditions. Furthermore, availability of resources during feather growth seems to impact the quality of feather microstructure more than body condition, which is likely to be determined at an earlier stage of nestling growth.
- Subjects :
- PLUMAGE COLOR
030110 physiology
0106 biological sciences
0301 basic medicine
Male
Physiology
early-rearing conditions
01 natural sciences
X-Ray Diffraction
SEXUAL DICHROMATISM
rectrices
Ecology
biology
Chemistry
Small-angle X-ray scattering
Pigmentation
CELL-MEDIATED-IMMUNITY
Cyanistes
blue tit
CONDITION DEPENDENCE
Sexual selection
Feather
visual_art
visual_art.visual_art_medium
Female
BLUE STRUCTURAL COLORATION
EXPRESSION
Evolution
IRIDESCENT
microstructure
small angle X-ray scattering
COHERENT-LIGHT SCATTERING
Zoology
Color
Context (language use)
Aquatic Science
010603 evolutionary biology
03 medical and health sciences
Behavior and Systematics
ORNAMENTS
Scattering, Small Angle
Animals
Molecular Biology
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
X-Rays
structural colouration
Biology and Life Sciences
Feathers
biology.organism_classification
Flight feather
Brood
Nanostructures
Microscopy, Electron
Plumage
Insect Science
Animal Science and Zoology
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 14779145 and 00220949
- Volume :
- 223
- Issue :
- Pt 18
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- The Journal of experimental biology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....fec055d7b39f9081f4672397452ee6e3