Food supplementation by an invasive fleshy-fruited shrub sustains body condition of a native frugivorous bird during winter

ROJAS, TOBIAS NICOLAS; VERGARA-TABARES, DAVID LAUTARO; VALDEZ, DIEGO JAVIER; PONZIO, MARINA FLAVIA; PELUC, SUSANA INÉS

Integrative Zoology

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Año: 2019 vol. 14 p. 259 - 259

irds tend to adjust their behavior and physiology to changes in food availability in their environment. Seasonal fluctuation of food resources may act as an energetic challenge, augmenting hypothalamus?]pituitary?]adrenal axis (HPA axis) activity, leading to an increase in corticosterone concentrations and promoting the metabolism of energy stores. Plant invasions may alter seasonal food fluctuations by providing a food supply during scarce seasons. This could attenuate the energetic challenge, reducing HPA axis activity and the metabolism of reserves. Using a system with seasonal fluctuation in food availability, we tested if fruit supplementation by the invasive fleshy?]fruited Pyracantha angustifolia during the season of native fruit scarcity, decreases the consumption of energy stores via activity attenuation of the HPA axis. We measured changes in body condition and circulating corticosterone