The avian ecophysiology lab

Cornelius Ruhs, E., Vézina F., Walker M., Karasov W.H. Who pays the bill? The effects of increased parental workload on parental and nestling condition. Submitted. J. Ornithol.

Le Net, R., Provost, C., Lalonde, C., Régimbald, L., Vézina, F., Gagnon, C.A. Lair, L. Whole genome sequencing of an avipoxvirus associated with infections in a group of aviary-housed Snow Buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis). Submitted. J. Wild. Diseases.

Laplante M-P., McKinnon E.A., Love O.P., Vézina, F. 2019. Flexible response to short-term weather in a cold-adapted songbird. J. Avian. Biol. In press.

Cornelius Ruhs E., Vézina F.  Karasov W.H. 2018. Physiological and immune responses of free-living temperate birds provided a gradient of food supplementation. Physiol. Biochem. Zool. 92: 106-114

Milbergue M.S., Blier, P.U., Vézina F. 2018. Large muscles are beneficial but not required for improving thermogenic capacity in small birds. Scientific Reports 8: 14009 DOI:10.1038/s41598-018-32041-w

Swanson D.L., McKechnie A.E., Vézina F. 2017. How low can you go? An adaptive energetic framework for interpreting basal metabolic rate variation in endotherms. J. Comp. Physiol. B 187:1039-1056

Vézina F., Gerson A.R., Guglielmo C.G., Piersma T. 2017. The performing animal: causes and consequences of body remodelling and metabolic adjustments in red knots in contrasting thermal environments. Am. J. Physiol. 313: R120–R131

Lewden A., Nord A., Petit M. and Vézina F. 2017. Body temperature responses to handling stress in wintering black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus L.). Physiol.  Behav. 179: 49-54

Barceló, G., Love, O.P., Vézina, F. 2017. Uncoupling Basal and Summit Metabolic Rates in White-Throated Sparrows: Digestive Demand Drives Maintenance Costs, but Changes in Muscle Mass Are Not Needed to Improve Thermogenic Capacity. Physiol. Biochem.Zool. 90: 153-165

Cornelius, E.A., Vézina, F., Régimbald, L., Hallot, F., Petit, M., Love, O.P., Karasov, W.H. 2017. Chickadees Faced with Unpredictable Food Increase Fat Reserves but Certain Components of Their Immune Function Decline. Physiol. Biochem.Zool. 90: 190-200

Petit, M., Clavijo-Baquet, S., Vézina, F. 2017. Increasing Winter Maximal Metabolic Rate Improves Intrawinter Survival in Small Birds. Physiol. Biochem. Zool. 90: 166-177

Dubois, K., Hallot, F., Vézina, F. 2016. Basal and maximal metabolic rates differ in their response to rapid temperature change among avian species. J. Comp. Physiol. B 186: 191-935

Swanson, D.L., Vézina, F. 2015. Environmental, ecological and mechanistic drivers of avian seasonal metabolic flexibility in response to cold winters. J. Ornithol 156: S377-S388

Franci, C.D., Vézina, F., Grégoire, F., Rail, J-F., Verreault, J. 2015. Nutritional stress in Northern gannets during an unprecedented low reproductive success year: Can extreme sea surface temperature event and dietary change be the cause? Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 181:1-8

Cortés, P.A., Petit, M., Lewden, A., Milbergue, M., Vézina, F. 2015. Individual inconsistencies in basal and summit metabolic rate highlight flexibility of metabolic performance in a wintering passerine. J. Exp. Zool. 999:1-12

Royer-Boutin, P., Cortés, P.A., Milbergue, M., Petit, M., Vézina, F. 2015. Estimation of muscle mass by ultrasonography differs between observers and life states of models in small birds. Physiol. Biochem. Zool. 88:336-344

Devost, I., Hallot, F., Milbergue,M., Petit, M., Vézina. 2014. Lipid metabolites as markers of fattening rate in a non-migratory passerine: effects of ambient temperature and individual variation. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 177: 18-26

Petit, M., Vézina, F. 2014. Reaction norms in natural conditions: how does metabolic performance respond to weather variations in a small endotherm facing cold wintering environments? PLOS ONE. e113617

Petit, M., Vézina, F. 2014. Phenotype manipulations confirm the role of pectoral muscles in avian maximal thermogenic capacity. J. Exp. Biol. 217:824-830.

Petit, M., Lewden, A, Vézina, F. 2014. How does flexibility in body composition relate to seasonal changes in metabolic performance in a small passerine wintering at northern latitude? Physiol. Biochem. Zool. 87:539-549.

Milot, E., Cohen, A.A., Vézina, F., Buehler, D.M., Matson, K.D., Piersma, T. 2014. Measuring body condition in ecological studies: a novel method based on physiological dysregulation predicts health-related variables in a migratory shorebird. Meth. Ecol. Evol. 5: 146-155.

Lewden, A., Petit, M., Milbergue, M., Orio, S., Vézina, F. 2014. Evidence for use of facultative hypothermia during the day in a small passerine wintering at northern latitudes. Ibis 156:321-329.

Petit, M., Lewden, A., Vézina, F. 2013. Intra-seasonal flexibility in avian metabolic performance highlights the uncoupling of basal metabolic rate and thermogenic capacity. PLOS ONE 8: e68292

Mandin, C., Vézina, F. 2012. Daily variations in markers of nutritional condition in wintering black-capped chickadeePoecile atricapillus. Ibis: 154: 791-802.

Buehler, D.M., Vézina, F., Goymann, W., Schwabl, I., Versteegh, M.A., Tieleman, B.I., Piersma, T. 2012. Independence among four physiological traits suggests flexibility and may allow evolvability in the face of competing ecological demands on the phénotype. J. Evol. Biol. 25: 1600-1613.

Vézina, F., Williams, T.D., Piersma, T., Morrison, R.I.G. 2012. Phenotypic compromises in long-distance migrating shorebirds: consequences of coping with cold during the life-stage transition from migration to reproduction in the High Arctic. Funct. Ecol.26: 500-512.

Lewden, A, Petit, M., Vézina, F. 2012. Dominant black-capped chickadees pay no maintenance energy costs for their wintering status and are not better at enduring cold than subordinate individuals. J. Com. Physiol. B. 182:381-392.

Vézina, F., Dekinga, A., Piersma, T. 2011. Shorebirds’ seasonal adjustments in thermogenic capacity are reflected by changes in body mass: How preprogrammed and instantaneous acclimation work together. Intgr. Comp. Biol. 51:394-408.

Vézina, F., Salvante, K.G. 2010. Behavioral and physiological flexibility are used by birds to manage energy and support investment in the early stages of reproduction. Curr. Zool. 56: 767-792.

Salvante, K.G., Vézina, F., Williams, T.D. 2010. Evidence for within-individual energy reallocation in cold-challenged, egg-producing birds. J. Exp. Biol. 213: 1991-2000.

Petit, M., Vézina, F., Piersma, T. 2010. Ambient temperature does not affect fuelling rate in absence of digestive constraints in long-distance migrant shorebird fuelling up in captivity. J. Comp. Physiol. B 180:847–856.

Vézina, F., Dekinga, A., Piersma, T. 2010. Phenotypic compromise in the face of conflicting ecological demands. J. Avian. Biol. 41:88-93.

Williams, T.D., Vézina, F., Speakman, J.R. 2009. Individually-variable energy management during egg production is repeatable across breeding attempts. J. Exp. Biol 212: 1101-1105.

Vézina, F., Petit, M., Buehler, D.M., Dekinga, A., Piersma, T. 2009. Limited access to food and physiological trade-offs in a long distance migrant shorebird. Part I: energy metabolism, behavior and body mass regulation. Physiol. Biochem. Zool.82:549-560

Buehler, D.M., Encinas-Viso F., Petit, M., Vézina, F., Tieleman, I., Piersma, T. 2009. Limited access to food and physiological trade-offs in a long distance migrant shorebird. Part II: Optimizing immune function in different environmental contexts. Physiol. Biochem. Zool. 82:561-571

Vézina. F., Gustowska, A., Jalvingh, K.M., Chastel, O., Piersma T. 2009. Hormonal correlates and thermoregulatory consequences of molting on metabolic rate in a northerly wintering shorebird. Physiol. Biochem. Zool. 82: 129-142.

Vézina, F., Lessard, M., Love, O.P., Williams, T.D. 2009. Shifts in metabolic demands in growing altricial nestlings illustrate context-specific relationships between BMR and body composition. Physiol. Biochem. Zool. 82: 248-257.

Vézina, F., Jalvingh, K.M., Dekinga, A., Piersma, T. 2007. Thermogenic side effects to migratory predisposition in shorebirds. Am. J. Physiol. 292: R1287-R1297.

Vézina, F., Speakman, J.R., Williams, T.D. 2006. Individually-variable energy management strategies in relation to the energetic costs of egg production. Ecology 87: 2447-2458.

Vézina, F., Jalvingh, K.M., Dekinga, A., Piersma, T. 2006. Acclimation to different thermal conditions in a northerly wintering shorebird is driven by body mass-related changes in organ size. J. Exp. Biol. 209: 3141-3154.

Vézina, F., Williams, T.D. 2005. The metabolic cost of egg production is repeatable. J. Exp. Biol. 208: 2533-2538.

Vézina, F., Williams, T.D. 2005. Interaction between organ mass and citrate synthase activity as an indicator of tissue maximal oxidative capacity in breeding European starlings: implications for metabolic rate and organ mass relationships. Funct. Ecol. 19: 119-128.

Love, O.P., Breuner, C.W., Vézina, F., Williams, T.D. 2004. Mediation of a corticosterone-induced reproductive conflict. Horm. Behav. 46: 59-65.

Williams, T.D., Challenger, W.O., Christians, J.K., Evanson, M., Love, O.P., Vézina, F. 2004 What causes the decrease in hematocrit during egg production? Funct. Ecol. 18: 330-336.

Williams, T.D., Kitaysky, A.S., Vézina F. 2004. Individual variation in plasma estradiol-17b and androgen levels during egg formation in the European starlings Sturnus vulgaris: implication for regulation of yolk steroids. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 136: 346-352.

Vézina, F., Salvante, K.G., Williams, T.D. 2003 The metabolic cost of avian egg formation: possible impact of yolk precursor production? J. Exp. Biol. 206: 4443-4451.

Vézina, F., Williams, T.D. 2003 Plasticity in body composition in breeding birds: what drives the metabolic costs of egg production? Physiol. Biochem. Zool. 76: 716-730.

Vézina, F., Williams, T.D. 2002. Metabolic costs of egg production in the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris). Physiol. Biochem. Zool. 75: 377-385.

Williams, T.D., Vézina, F. 2001. Reproductive energy expenditure, intraspecific variation and fitness. Curr. Ornithol. 16: 355-405.

Challenger, W.O., Williams, T.D., Christians, J.K., Vézina, F. 2001. Follicular development and plasma yolk precursor dynamics through the laying cycle in the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris). Physiol. Biochem. Zool. 74: 356-365.

Vézina, F., Charlebois, D. Thomas, D.W. 2001. An automated system for the measurement of mass and identification of birds at perches. J. Field Ornithol. 72: 211–220.

Vézina, F., Thomas, D.W. 2000. Social status does not affect resting metabolic rate in wintering dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis). Physiol. Biochem. Zool. 73: 231-236.