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Female Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata) Are Chronically but Not Cumulatively “Anemic” during Repeated Egg Laying in Response to Experimental Nest Predation

Posted from MedWorm: Zoology 125 days ago
Zoology : Zoology News

In this study, we investigated the effect of repeated cycles of egg production in response to experimental nest predation (egg removal) on hematological traits in female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). We predicted that if the negative effect of egg production on hematocrit and hemoglobin concentration was cumulative, with anemia being proportional to reproductive effort, then females laying more clutches, or laying successive clutches without recovery during incubation, would show greater reproductive anemia. In contrast, if females maintain hematocrit and hemoglobin concentration at som... (original story)