Reversible size-changes in stomachs of shorebirds: when, to what extent and why?

Piersma, Theunis; Dietz, Maurine W.; Dekinga, Anne; Nebel, Silke; Gils, Jan van; Battley, Phil F.; Spaans, Bernard

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Title: Reversible size-changes in stomachs of shorebirds: when, to what extent and why?

Abstract:

Shorebirds show large interspecific variation in the relative size of the stomach, and especially of the muscular part, the gizzard. Much of this variation can be explained by their diet. Species feeding mainly on hard-shelled prey such as bivalves and gastropods have large stomachs; those feeding on soft-bodied prey such as worms have small stomachs. Within a species, diet- and migration-induced changes in stomach size can occur. Our studies on this intraspecific variation have focused on two mollusc-specialists, the Red Knot Calidris canutus and the Great Knot C. tenuirostris. Both are renowned for long-range flights between their arctic or sub-arctic alpine breeding grounds and a variety of coastal wetlands. Feeding mainly on shellfish ingested whole, both knot species have large stomachs, but changing diets easily lead to apparently adaptive modifications. In addition, the demands imposed by flights of many thousand kilometres may induce reductions in stomach size. Using ultrasonography we have begun to experimentally disentangle the causal relationships between diet, season and stomach size in Red Knots. A soft diet can induce stomach reductions of 50% within a week, and such changes are reversible. Studies on radiomarked birds in the Wadden Sea emphasize that variations in stomach size are correlated with prey and patch choice in the field.

Relation:

Acta Ornithologica

Volume:

Issue:

Start page:

175

End page:

181

Detailed Resource Type:

Artykuł ; Materiały konferencyjne

Format:

application/pdf

Resource Identifier:

oai:rcin.org.pl:45217

Source:

MiIZ PAN, patrz sygn. czas. P.257, Vol. 34, No 2 ; MiIZ PAN, patrz sygn. czas. P.4568, Vol. 34, No 2 ; click here to follow the link

Language:

eng ; pol

Rights:

Prawa zastrzeżone - dostęp ograniczony

Terms of use:

Zasób chroniony prawem autorskim. Korzystanie dozwolone wyłącznie na terminalach Muzeum i Instytutu Zoologii PAN w zakresie określonym przez przepisy o dozwolonym użytku.

Digitizing institution:

Muzeum i Instytut Zoologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk

Original in:

Biblioteka Muzeum i Instytutu Zoologii PAN

Projects co-financed by:

Program Operacyjny Innowacyjna Gospodarka, lata 2010-2014, Priorytet 2. Infrastruktura strefy B + R ; Unia Europejska. Europejski Fundusz Rozwoju Regionalnego

Access:

Zamknięty

Subject and keywords:

Biegus rdzawy -- konferencje [KABA] Biegus wielki -- konferencje [KABA] Żołądek -- konferencje [KABA] zmiany wielkości odwracalność zmian bekasowate ptaki Calidris canutus Calidris tenuirostris Scolopacidae Aves

Object collections:

Last modified:

Oct 2, 2020

In our library since:

May 20, 2014

Number of object content downloads / hits:

All available object's versions:

https://rcin.org.pl./publication/61248

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Acta Ornithologica
- Acta Ornithologica Musei Zoologici Polonici
- Acta Ornithologica

Edition name	Date
Reversible size-changes in stomachs of shorebirds: when, to what extent and why? / Piersma, Theunis	Oct 2, 2020

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