Do acid rain and calcium supply limit eggshell formation for blue tits (Parus caeruleus) in the UK?
-
Published source details
Ramsay S.L. & Houston D.C. (1999) Do acid rain and calcium supply limit eggshell formation for blue tits (Parus caeruleus) in the UK?. Journal of Zoology, 247, 121-125.
Published source details Ramsay S.L. & Houston D.C. (1999) Do acid rain and calcium supply limit eggshell formation for blue tits (Parus caeruleus) in the UK?. Journal of Zoology, 247, 121-125.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
| Action | Category | |
|---|---|---|
|
Provide calcium supplements to increase survival or reproductive success Action Link |
 |
-
Provide calcium supplements to increase survival or reproductive success
A replicated, controlled study from April-June in 1994 in 12 experimental and 15 control plots in mixed oak woodland in Loch Lomond, Scotland (Ramsay & Houston 1999), found that calcium supplementation did not affect the reproductive success of blue tits (Parus caeruleus). Supplementary calcium did not significantly increase egg weight or size (1.12 and 1.14 g / egg; 1075 and 1082 mm3 / egg for experimental and control nests respectively). Similarly, there were no differences in shell weight or thickness (both treatments: 0.07 g and 0.038 mm / egg). Clutch size was also similar between pairs (9.3 and 9.5 eggs / nest for experimental and control nests respectively). Hatching success, expressed as the proportion of all eggs in a clutch that hatched, was not significantly different between experimental or control groups (both median = 1). A dry cuttlefish bone, 200 g of oyster grit and 200 g of crushed eggshell were provided in experimental plots.
)_2023.JPG)
