Many aspects of biological function are affected by hormones, from physiology to behavior, and the synthesis and release of hormones in vertebrates are regulated by the endocrine axes of control. A growing body of research shows that the mechanisms underlying the endocrine axes of control are complex and interconnected, with many hormones having multiple effects, and with many interactions between axes. In this study, I examined the effects of decreased thyroid function on the glucocorticoid stress response in Japanese quail, a potential interaction between the hypothalamic-pituitary thyroid (HPT) and hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axes of control. I used the thyroid inhibitor ammonium perchlorate (AP) for 2 weeks and 5 weeks to induce two states of decreased thyroid function: a thyroid challenged state, in which birds have depleted thyroidal T4 content, but still maintain euthyroid (normal) concentrations of plasma T4, and a hypothyroid state, in which birds have depleted thyroidal T4 content and decreased concentrations of plasma T4. Thyroid function was assessed by measuring plasma T4 concentrations, thyroidal T4 content, and thyroid gland mass. I took blood samples from birds both immediately prior to and immediately following a 30 minute confinement and agitation stressor to evaluate the effects of decreases in thyroid function on basal and stress-induced plasma corticosterone and plasma T4 concentrations. I found two key results: First, although baseline levels of plasma corticosterone were unchanged, the corticosterone stress response was significantly blunted in both the thyroid challenged and hypothyroid birds as compared to controls. This finding suggests that the HPT and HPA axes are functionally connected in birds, and other evidence suggests this connection is likely at the pituitary or hypothalamic level. Second, in hypothyroid birds, plasma T4 concentrations were elevated (into the euthyroid range) in response to the experimental stressor, although no change in plasma T4 was observed in thyroid challenged or control birds. This finding suggests that plasma T4 may have a permissive role in mounting a stress response. / Master of Science in Life Sciences

Four experiments were conducted on hens of turkey and Japanese quail. In Experiment I, turkey hens were fed diets containing either 0% added fat, 3.5% animal-vegetable fat blend (AV) or 3.5% dry fat product (DF). In Experiment II with turkey hens, 2 holding diets and 4 breeder diets were investigated. The holding diets contained either 0% added fat or 5% of AV. The breeder diets contained 0% added fat of 5% of one of the following: AV, corn oil (CO) or olive oil (OO). In Experiment III with Japanese quail, 3 pre-breeder (PB) and 3 breeder diets (BD) were studied. They contained either 0, 3.5 or 7% added AV. In Experiment IV with Japanese quail, all diets contained 97% of a semi-purified basal diet and 3% of one of the following: corn starch (CS), corn oil (CO), palmitic acid (PA), oleic acid (OA), linoleic acid (LA) or linolenic acid (LN). The fatty acid composition of plasma and yolk lipids of both turkeys and quail was influenced by the fatty acid composition of the diets. Quail fed a CO diet deposited more linoleic acid in the egg than did those on a LA diet. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Bibliography: p.222-233. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Zoology, 1995?

No description available.

In this study, we evaluated the development of stress response in (1) two different species of quail, one species that is relatively fast-growing (Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica) and one that is relatively slow-growing (Gambel’s quail, Callipepla gambelii) and (2) two strains of a single species, the Japanese quail (wild-type and domesticated), that differ considerably in final size. Our data indicate that wild-type Japanese quail and Gambel’s quail have experienced trade-offs between growth and the stress response (e.g. Gambel’s quail have slower growth rates, but greater levels of CORT). However, the domesticated strain of Japanese quail used in this study seem to violate some predictions based on the life history theory (e.g. the domestic strain has faster growth rates and greater levels of CORT). The data in this study contribute to the understanding of differences in the stress response between species that exhibit different life history strategies.

Soybean oil (SBO), menhaden fish oil (FO), chicken fat (CF) or hydrogenated soybean oil (HSBO) were incorporated at 5% of the total diet to study changes in the immunological status of both Japanese quail (JAP) and Bobwhite quail (BOB). The SBO diet, in which 66% of the total fatty acids were polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), was rich in linoleic acid (LA 18:2 n-6), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA 18:3 n-3) and low in saturated fatty acid (SFA). The FO diet which contained about 50% PUFA, had only 40% n-6 fatty acids and 8% n-3 PUFA. The trans fatty acid isomers and other monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) were high in the HSBO diet. The diet containing CF provided a relatively balanced fatty acid composition with 18% SFA, 31% MUFA and 50% PUFA. Plasma fatty acid and hepatic fatty acid profiles consistently reflected their respective dietary lipid treatments. There were no differences in the fatty acid profile between blood and liver within respective dietary treatments in the two species. Dietary fatty acids had no effect on antibody titers against sheep red blood cells (SRBC) at 1, 2 and 8 months following the start of dietary lipid treatment in JAP. However, female JAP fed FO had a significantly (p< 0.05) higher antibody production compared to the other dietary lipid treatments at 4 months following the start of fatty acids supplementation. BOB fed either FO or SBO diets had a higher immunoglobulin G production compared to birds fed the CF diet. The total antibody titer was significantly higher in BOB fed SBO compared to CF. Dietary fatty acids had a significant effect on cell-mediated immunity (CMI) as accessed by toe web thickness 24 hours post intradermal injection of phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA) in both JAP and BOB. In general, birds fed a FO diet had a significantly higher CMI response than those fed HSBO. A diet high in n-3 PUFA increased the index of cutaneous basophil hypersensitivity (CBH), while the high trans fatty acid isomers suppressed the CBH response. By observing a CBH response over a 72-hour period in JAP, it was concluded that quail fed CF or SBO had a different peak response time (12 hours post PHA challenge) and amplitude compared with those fed FO or HSBO (24 hours post PHA challenge). Phagocytic ability was not affected by dietary lipid treatments in BOB while the quail fed FO diet had a faster carbon clearance rate. The FO fed JAP had a significantly higher response (p< 0.05) to concanavalin A ensiformis (CONA) compared to HSBO fed birds. There was no difference in B lymphocyte proliferation stimulated by lipopolysacchride (LPS) in female JAP, whereas it was significantly higher in male JAP fed SBO compared to those fed FO and HSBO. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate/ionomycin calcium salt (PMA/ION) was used to nonspecifically stimulate cell proliferation by increasing chromosome mitosis. Dietary FO or HSBO suppressed cell proliferation stimulated by PMA/ION. However, JAP fed SBO or CF had a significantly higher PMA/ION stimulated lymphocyte proliferation compared those fed FO or HSBO. In male BOB, the FO fed birds had the highest response to all mitogens. In contrast, female BOB did not show any dietary effects by lymphocyte proliferation. Consistent with JAP, BOB fed HSBO had depressed lymphocytes proliferation in response to various mitogens stimulation. In general, female birds had a higher plasma total protein (PTP) and lower pack cell volume (PCV) compared to their males counterparts in both BOB and JAP. In summary, in in vivo experiments, feeding a diet high in menhaden fish oil that is rich in n-3 PUFA enhanced the CMI. There was a minimal effect on antibody production caused by feeding n-3 PUFA in JAP since a significant treatment effect was only found at one sampling period, while BOB were more sensitive to dietary lipid manipulation and had a higher antibody production with SBO or FO treatments. Dietary lipids exerted different effects in the two species in in vitro experiments. While both BOB and JAP fed FO had higher lymphocyte proliferation to CON A mitogen compared to those fed HSBO, only male BOB showed a higher proliferation to LPS. Feeding HSBO that contained a higher content of trans fatty acid isomers, MUFA, but lower PUFA content resulted in the lowest lymphocyte proliferation to various mitogens in both BOB and JAP. / Ph. D.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1979 O26 / Master of Science

This study was intended to provide information on certain aspects of the population ecology of H. pacificus. A population on Quail Island in Lyttelton Harbour was chosen for intensive study over a period of one year. Some information on the population was already available. derived from a preliminary study in 1970 (McIvor, 1970a). The following aspects were investigated; population density, natality and mortality, age structures and sex ratios, annual and seasonal growth, daily and seasonal activity, reproduction (detailed investigation of testicular activity), home range and movements and diet. Much of the population information was obtained from recapture of marked individuals. This study helps to fill some of the major gaps in our knowledge of the biology of the nocturnal gecko. Hoplodactylus pacificus.

Este trabalho teve como objetivos principais: avaliar o comportamento alimentar em rações contendo zearalenona e aflatoxina; verificar a capacidade das aves em distinguir uma ração contendo micotoxina de uma ração isenta de contaminação; observar se as aves eram capazes de selecionar uma determinada ração. Foram utilizadas, 80 codornas japonesas (Coturnix coturnix japonica) em pico de postura, num delineamento experimental de quadrado latino (4x4). Os 4 tratamentos utilizados foram: controle (T1); controle + 0,1% adsorvente (T2); 2 mg/kg aflatoxinas + 4 mg/kg zearalenona (T3) e 2mg/kg aflatoxinas + 4 mg/kg zearalenona + 0,1% adsorvente (T4), em 4 posições pré-estabelecidas. Com a finalidade de observar o comportamento das aves os comedouros foram trocados de posição a cada 7 dias. Foi observada redução no consumo de ração (p<0,05) nos tratamentos que continham 2 mg/kg de aflatoxina e zearalenona com e sem adsorvente . As aves mostraram reconhecer a ração contaminada, tendo um maior consumo da ração livre de toxinas / The aim of this experiment was: analise alimentary behavior in diets with zearalenon and aflatoxin; observe poultry abilitys to discern from diets with or with out micotoxins; to understand if quail were able to select a diet. 80 quail layers (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were used in a latin square design (4x4). The treatments were: control (T1); control + 0.1% adsorvent (T2); 2 mg/kg aflatoxin + 4 mg/kg zearalenon (T3) e 2mg/kg aflatoxin + 4 mg/kg zearalenon + 0.1% adsorvent (T4), in 4 different places. To observe animal behavior diets were changed of position every 7 seven days. There were differences (p<0,05) among treatments, with lower intake for diets with 2 mg/kg aflatoxin and zearalenon with or with out adsorvent. This study indicates that layers could recognize the contamined treatments, animal intake for free contamination diets were highest

The efficacy of providing water sources in desert ecosystems to enhance wildlife populations and their distribution continues to be debated among wildlife managers. Some argue wildlife water developments provide a direct benefit to numerous species, while others point to the potential that wildlife water developments alter competition or predation dynamics and disrupt native communities. Additionally, some have argued that the availability of water may become more important to wildlife in the face of vegetative changes associated with expansive fire and conversion of shrub or forest lands to grasslands which alters the thermal landscape available to animals. I evaluated the influence of free water and expansive fire on aspects of the ecology (habitat selection, space use and survival) of Gambel's quail (Callipepla gambelii) in the Mojave Desert of southwestern Washington County, Utah, USA. I attached radio-transmitters to a total of 206 quail (74 adult males, 67 adult females, and 65 juvenile males and females) and monitored them from 2010 – 2013. For chapter one of my thesis, I evaluated the response of marked quail to removal of access to water in a before-after controlled impact (BACI) design. I found little influence of water removal on survival as models with this effect received little to no support and overlap in confidence intervals occurred between treatment and reference groups. Likewise, the distance from the center of the summer home range to the nearest water source did not differ by year (F = 1.63; P = 0.19) or treatment (removal of water) (F = 0.89; P = 0.35) and pairwise comparisons of distances for the treatment by year interaction were not significant (P > 0.05 in all cases). For size of home range area, however, I found strong effects for year (F = 3.07; P = 0.03), treatment (F = 4.67; P = 0.03), and their interaction (F = 7.61; P = 0.01). Mean home range size for quail was 6.10 and 1.63 km2 for animals in the reference area during treatment years (2012 and 2013) compared to 5.07 and 8.99 km2 for quail in the treatment area during 2012 and 2013, respectively. Removal of water influenced size of summer home ranges, but not the location of the summer home range or survival rates. I hypothesize that removal of access to free water required quail in the treatment area to expand their space use patterns in 2013 in order to satisfy water demands via pre-formed water. For chapter two of my thesis, I evaluated habitat selection of Gambel's quail in relation to vegetation type, topographic features, water, and recent (4-7 years) expansive fire. Gambel's quail selected areas of decreased roughness which were closer to water and fire boundaries than random locations. I found that quail preferred moderate (< 10 degrees) hillsides and ravine bottoms. I found no evidence that quail avoided the burned areas within their home ranges and 80% of their telemetry points were <500 meters from a burn edge. The Beaver Dam slope topography strongly influenced habitat selection for Gambel's quail and they showed strong selection for water sources during summer months. These data also suggest that wildfires have had limited impact on habitat selection by this species, four to seven years later.