Heat-induced maternal effects shape avian eggshell traits and embryo development and phenotype at high incubation temperatures.

ABSTRACT: Phenotypic plasticity is an important avenue by which organisms may persist in the face of rapid environmental change. Environmental cues experienced by the mother can also influence the phenotype of offspring, a form of plasticity called maternal effects. Maternal effects can adaptively prepare offspring for the environmental conditions they will likely experience; however, their ability to buffer offspring against environmental stressors as embryos is understudied. Using captive zebra finches, we performed a maternal-offspring environmental match-mismatch experiment utilizing a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design. Mothers were exposed to a mild heat conditioning (38°C) or control (22°C) treatment as juveniles, an acute high heat (42°C) or control (22°C) treatment as adults, then paired for breedi

SUBMITTER: Hoffman AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10515880 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature