Effects of sublethal methylmercury and food stress on songbird energetic performance: metabolic rates, molt and feather quality.

ABSTRACT: Organisms regularly adjust their physiology and energy balance in response to predictable seasonal environmental changes. Stressors and contaminants have the potential to disrupt these critical seasonal transitions. No studies have investigated how simultaneous exposure to the ubiquitous toxin methylmercury (MeHg) and food stress affects birds' physiological performance across seasons. We quantified several aspects of energetic performance in song sparrows, Melospiza melodia, exposed or not to unpredictable food stress and MeHg in a 2×2 experimental design, over 3 months during the breeding season, followed by 3 months post-exposure. Birds exposed to food stress had reduced basal metabolic rate and non-significant higher factorial metabolic scope during the exposure period, and had a great

SUBMITTER: Bottini CLJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11418191 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature