Trade-off between offspring size and number belongs to the most discussed concepts in the life history theory. The aim of this study was to elucidate the relationship between egg size, clutch size and female body mass at the family level in bird's and to examine whether there is the relationship between offspring size and number and life history traits specific for particular bird families. From published sources, I collected data about 5.073 species belong in 146 families. Most species of birds lay smaller clutches, on average three eggs. In 112 families from 130 tested eggs size was positively correlated with female body mass. There is evidence that egg size and clutch size are inversely related in 83 families from 130 tested but only for 34 families was significant. The relationship exists independently of female body mass across bird families and this suggests a trade-off between these traits. The relationship between the strength and shape of egg size-number correlations and life history characteristics of bird families was not frequent. According to results, the strength of correlation seems to be related to development mode and diet type. The negative egg size-number correlation is stronger when incubation period and fledging time is longer and in birds with longer lifespan. The...
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:nusl.cz/oai:invenio.nusl.cz:296284 |
| Date | January 2010 |
| Creators | Špaldoňová, Alexandra |
| Contributors | Hořák, David, Reif, Jiří |
| Source Sets | Czech ETDs |
| Language | Czech |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | info:eu-repo/semantics/masterThesis |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
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