ORCID Profile
0000-0002-4637-6711
Current Organisation
La Trobe University
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Publisher: PeerJ
Date: 09-2016
DOI: 10.7287/PEERJ.PREPRINTS.2411V1
Abstract: Song is a sexually selected trait that is thought to be an honest signal of the health condition of an in idual in many bird species. For species that breed opportunistically, the quantity of food may be a determinant of singing activity. However, it is not yet known whether the quality of food plays an important role in this respect. The aim of the present study was to experimentally investigate the role of two calorie-free nutrients (lutein and cholesterol) in determining the expression of a sexually selected behavior (song rate) and other behaviors (locomotor activity, self-maintenance activity, eating and resting) in male zebra finches ( Taeniopygia guttata ). We predicted that males supplemented with lutein and cholesterol would sing at higher rates than controls because both lutein and cholesterol have important health-related physiological functions in birds and birdsong mirrors in idual condition. To control for testosterone secretion that may upregulate birdsong, birds were exposed to a decreasing photoperiod. Our results showed that control males down-regulated testosterone in response to a decreasing photoperiod, while birds treated with lutein or cholesterol maintained a constant singing activity. Both lutein- and cholesterol-supplemented groups sang more than control groups by the end of the experiment, indicating that the quality of food can affect undirected song irrespective of circulating testosterone concentrations. None of the other measured behaviors were affected by the treatment, suggesting that, when in iduals have full availability of food, sexually selected song traits are more sensitive to the effect of food quality than other behavioral traits. Overall the results support our prediction that undirected song produced by male zebra finches signals access to high-quality food.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 08-04-2015
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 14-05-2022
Abstract: In this study, we (1) describe sleep behavior and architecture, and (2) explore how sleep is regulated in dusky antechinus (Antechinus swainsonii), a small insectivorous marsupial. Our aim is to provide the first investigation into sleep homeostasis in a marsupial. Wild-caught male dusky antechinus (n = 4) were in idually housed in large indoor cages under a natural photoperiod of 10.5 h light/13.5 h dark. Continuous recordings of EEG, EMG, and tri-axial accelerometry were performed under baseline conditions and following 4-h of extended wakefulness. Antechinus engage in SWS and REM sleep. Some aspects of these states are mammal-like, including a high amount (23%) of REM sleep, but other features are reminiscent of birds, notably, hundreds of short sleep episodes (SWS mean: 34 s REM sleep: 10 s). Antechinus are cathemeral and sleep equally during the night and day. Immediately after the sleep deprivation ended, the animals engaged in more SWS, longer SWS episodes, and greater SWS SWA. The animals did not recover lost REM sleep. Sleep architecture in dusky antechinus was broadly similar to that observed in eutherian and marsupial mammals, but with interesting peculiarities. We also provided the first evidence of SWS homeostasis in a marsupial mammal.
Publisher: PeerJ
Date: 06-10-2016
DOI: 10.7717/PEERJ.2512
Abstract: Song is a sexually selected trait that is thought to be an honest signal of the health condition of an in idual in many bird species. For species that breed opportunistically, the quantity of food may be a determinant of singing activity. However, it is not yet known whether the quality of food plays an important role in this respect. The aim of the present study was to experimentally investigate the role of two calorie-free nutrients (lutein and cholesterol) in determining the expression of a sexually selected behavior (song rate) and other behaviors (locomotor activity, self-maintenance activity, eating and resting) in male zebra finches ( Taeniopygia guttata ). We predicted that males supplemented with lutein and cholesterol would sing at higher rates than controls because both lutein and cholesterol have important health-related physiological functions in birds and birdsong mirrors in idual condition. To control for testosterone secretion that may upregulate birdsong, birds were exposed to a decreasing photoperiod. Our results showed that control males down-regulated testosterone in response to a decreasing photoperiod, while birds treated with lutein or cholesterol maintained a constant singing activity. Both lutein- and cholesterol-supplemented groups sang more than control groups by the end of the experiment, indicating that the quality of food can affect undirected song irrespective of circulating testosterone concentrations. None of the other measured behaviors were affected by the treatment, suggesting that, when in iduals have full availability of food, sexually selected song traits are more sensitive to the effect of food quality than other behavioral traits. Overall the results support our prediction that undirected song produced by male zebra finches signals access to high-quality food.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 04-02-2016
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 30-12-2014
No related grants have been discovered for Erika Zaid.