Egg Development question:

[lomine]

That's true too! It's a lot to consider and I guess we won't truly understand until we hatch out of eggs, huh? Haha

 

[JaeG]

I know they have studied Zebra finches and found that, during late stages of incubation the parents sing a particular song to their eggs if the weather is very hot. The finch chicks then hatch out smaller and develop slower than they would if hatched in colder weather as a way of coping with extreme heat.

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/08/video-zebra-finch-call-prepares-their-eggs-climate-change

 

[lomine]

I know they have studied Zebra finches and found that, during late stages of incubation the parents sing a particular song to their eggs if the weather is very hot. The finch chicks then hatch out smaller and develop slower than they would if hatched in colder weather as a way of coping with extreme heat.

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/08/video-zebra-finch-call-prepares-their-eggs-climate-change

That's amazing!

 

[JaeG]

That's amazing!

I know! Makes you wonder what other wonders are right under our noses and we just don't have the ability to see or understand it.

 

[CarleeAnn]

I know they have studied Zebra finches and found that, during late stages of incubation the parents sing a particular song to their eggs if the weather is very hot. The finch chicks then hatch out smaller and develop slower than they would if hatched in colder weather as a way of coping with extreme heat.

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/08/video-zebra-finch-call-prepares-their-eggs-climate-change

This was a very interesting study to read over! I wonder what functions are initiated by the sounds and why. Vibrations are the only thing I can think of that may alter something physical, because it's hard to believe that the hatchlings just "understand" the signal and can choose to stop/slow development.

 

[CarleeAnn]

And I wonder if eventually the Zebra finches will encounter divergent evolution and develop into two different (maybe sub)species. One that lives in a hot environment that is smaller and one in a cooler environment that is bigger. I hope someone is doing a long term study on these generations of birds and the populations to see if any other attributes are selected for. It didn't seem like Darwins finches which experience oscillating selection... But again, I may just be missing the knowledge to fully understand! I didn't think auditory sounds could be so impacting.

EDIT: I know that auditory sounds are important in the womb, that's why you talk, read, play music, etc. for babies (any species!). But I don't know if that is for development after birth or if it affects growth before.