Effects of season, location, species, and sex on body weight and blood chemistry in free-ranging grebes

An article published in the Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery in 2021 describes the results of study comparing the effects of season, location, species, and sex on body weight and blood chemistry for free-ranging western and Clark's grebes.

Western grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis). Photo: Ingrid Taylar (CC BY-NC 2.0) https://flic.kr/p/7jmJHZ
Western grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis). Photo: Ingrid Taylar (CC BY-NC 2.0) https://flic.kr/p/7jmJHZ

Abstract

The effects of season, location, species, and sex on body weight and a comprehensive array of blood chemistry and hematology analytes were compared for free-ranging western (Aechmophorus occidentalis) and Clark's (Aechmophorus clarkii) grebes. Birds (n = 56) were collected from Puget Sound, WA, and Monterey Bay and San Francisco Bay, CA, from February 2007 to March 2011. The data supported generalization of observed ranges for most analytes across Aechmophorus grebe metapopulations wintering on the Pacific coast. Notable seasonal and location effects were observed for packed cell volume (winter 6% greater than fall; winter California [CA] 5% greater than Washington [WA]), total white blood cell count (CA 3.57 × 103 cells/µL greater than WA), heterophils (WA 10% greater than CA), lymphocytes (winter 19% greater than fall), heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (fall 5.7 greater than winter), basophils (CA greater than WA), plasma protein (WA about 10 g/L [1.0 g/dL] greater than CA), plasma protein to fibrinogen ratio (winter about 15 greater than fall), potassium (CA 2 mmol/L greater than WA), and liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase: WA greater than CA). Within California, season had a greater effect on body mass than sex (mean winter weights about 200 g greater than fall), whereas within a season, males weighed only about 80 g more than females, on average. These data give biologists and veterinarians quantitative reference values to better assess health at the individual and metapopulation level.

Citation

Nancy L. Anderson, Susan E. W. De La Cruz, Joseph K. Gaydos, Michael H. Ziccardi, and Danielle J. Harvey "Effects of Season, Location, Species, and Sex on Hematologic and Plasma Biochemical Values and Body Mass in Free-ranging Grebes (Aechmophorus species)," Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery 35(2), 135-154, (7 July 2021). https://doi.org/10.1647/2019-473

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About the Author: 
Nancy L. Anderson, University of California, School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA; Susan E. W. De La Cruz, US Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Mountain View, CA; Joseph K. Gaydos, The SeaDoc Society, University of California Davis, Orcas, WA; Michael H. Ziccardi, University of California, School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA; and Danielle J. Harvey, University of California, Public Health Sciences, Davis, CA