Effects of Nest Type, Nest Predation and Clutch Size on Growth Period for Passerine Birds in Alpine Meadow

Based on the experiments from 1998 to 2001 in the Haibei Research Station Alpine Meadow Ecosystem, the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Logistic Equations were used to describe the growth process of nestling of ten species Passerine birds for different varieties and several parameters of nestling process were derived from those equations. Basing on growth rule of nestling, we divided the growth process into three growth periods: slight growth period, fast growth period, and slow growth period. The ten species passerine were divided into two groups［ground or shrub, open or semi-open and semi-closing nesting birds (GOB) and hole nesting birds (HCB)］according to the type of nesting. The percentages growth period should vary in the order in GOB: fast growth period>slight growth period>slow growth period; this percentage in the order in HCB: slow growth period>fast growth period>slight growth period. We investigated the effects of nest type, nest predation and clutch size on each growth period. The percentages of each growth period in nestling period varies with nest types. Percentage of growth period and percentage of weight were affected significantly by nest type and predation. The length of fast and slow growth period were affected by clutch size, but the length of slight growth period was not affected by clutch size. The growth rate of slight growth period was not correlated with the accumulated weight of fast growth period but the number of slight growth period was strongly correlated with the accumulated weight of fast growth period. We think that anaphase growth is not affected by prophase energy accumulated, but the length of anaphase is affected by prophase energy accumulated. Our results are consistent with current theory that compensatory growth does not appear to occur in altricial birds.