Meeting Abstract

74.3  Wednesday, Jan. 6  Effects of nutritional stress during early development on sexual maturation and life expectancy in long-lived seabirds YOUNG, R.C.*; HAUSSMANN, M.F.; BARGER, C.P.; KITAYSKY, A.S.; University of Alaska Fairbanks, AK; Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA; University of Alaska Fairbanks, AK; University of Alaska Fairbanks, AK rebecca.young@alumni.iu.edu

Nutritional stress during juvenile development is known to have long-term detrimental effects in many species. In long-lived seabirds it can have large effects on lifetime fitness by potentially delaying sexual maturation and decreasing life expectancy. By definition, it is expected that a long-lived species will be adapted to resist reductions in life expectancy even at the expense of rapid sexual development. We compared the effects of nutritional stress during early development on sexual maturation, as measured by development of reproductive systems, and life expectancy, as reflected in telomere dynamics. Our subjects were two closely related puffins, the rhinoceros auklet (Cerorhinca monocerata) and the tufted puffin (Fratercula cirrhata), whose chicks exhibit drastically different physiological responses to food shortages. For each species one group of chicks were fed ad libitum and another were food restricted. We expect that if nutritional stress affected the fitness measures of sexual maturation and life expectancy, that sexual maturation would be delayed before lifespan was shortened. Initial results suggest that both species may delay sexual maturation in response to food shortages. We will also present results comparing life expectancies, as reflected in telomere loss rates, between control and nutritionally stressed groups of rhinoceros auklet and tufted puffin chicks.