Ecological importance of the thermal emissivity of avian eggshells

• Breeding birds have to divide their time between egg incubation and foraging. Particularly in cases when only one parent incubates the eggs, and especially in cold climates, the cooling of the eggs during absence from the nest may be problematic. In the present study we find that the thermal emissivity of eggshells may be ecologically important, and that an evolutionary pressure towards lower emissivity for exposed eggs in cold climates exists. We plan to experimentally compare emissivities among species in a future study. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Bird

Egg temperature

Heat radiation

Incubation

Thermal heat

dissipation

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)