Ecological drivers of eggshell wettability in birds.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Attard MRG
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8510701 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Ecological drivers of eggshell wettability in birds.
Attard Marie R G MRG Bowen James J Corado René R Hall Linnea S LS Dorey Robert A RA Portugal Steven J SJ
Journal of the Royal Society, Interface 20211013 183
Complex and at times extreme environments have pushed many bird species to develop unique eggshell surface properties to protect the embryo from external threats. Because microbes are usually transmitted into eggs by moisture, some species have evolved hydrophobic shell surfaces that resist water absorption, while also regulating heat loss and the exchange of gases. Here, we investigate the relationship between the wettability of eggshells from 441 bird species and their life-history traits. We ...[more]
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