BMC Ecology

Table 1 Sex and age-related differences in carotenoid-based coloration (chroma) and detectability (visual contrast in jnd).

From: The carotenoid-continuum: carotenoid-based plumage ranges from conspicuous to cryptic and back again

			males			females			fledglings
			mean	SE	N	mean	SE	N	mean	SE	N
blue tit	yellow breast	chroma	0.287^a	0.005	20	0.288^a	0.004	17	0.263^b	0.002	71
		Contrast_U_G	7.42^a	0.17	20	6.57^b	0.15	17	8.02^c	0.06	71
		Contrast _V_G	5.53^ab	0.20	20	5.26^b	0.17	17	5.81^a	0.07	71
		Contrast _U_B	6.72^a	0.23	20	5.34^b	0.22	17	7.27^c	0.07	71
		Contrast _V_B	4.26^a	0.31	20	3.39^b	0.27	17	4.42^a	0.09	71
	green back	chroma	0.218^a	0.002	20	0.232^b	0.002	17	0.228^b	0.001	54
		Contrast _U_G	9.58^a	0.22	20	8.27^b	0.22	17	8.99^c	0.10	54
		Contrast _V_G	7.75^a	0.27	20	6.91^b	0.29	17	7.23^b	0.11	54
		Contrast _U_B	9.47^a	0.23	20	7.66^b	0.21	17	8.08^b	0.11	54
		Contrast _V_B	7.34^a	0.29	20	5.90^b	0.30	17	5.79^b	0.13	54
great tit	yellow breast	chroma	0.287^a	0.003	27	0.289^a	0.004	23	0.262^b	0.003	43
		Contrast _U_G	7.40^a	0.11	27	7.00^b	0.17	23	7.98^c	0.11	43
		Contrast _V_G	6.44^ab	0.11	27	6.18^a	0.19	23	6.61^b	0.12	43
		Contrast _U_B	6.28^a	0.15	27	5.57^b	0.24	23	6.84^c	0.13	43
		Contrast _V_B	4.99^ab	0.16	27	4.35^a	0.28	23	4.97^b	0.15	43
	green back	chroma	0.261^a	0.003	27	0.264^a	0.002	23	0.248^b	0.001	43
		Contrast _U_G	7.09^a	0.11	27	6.76^b	0.08	23	7.78^c	0.09	43
		Contrast _V_G	4.99^a	0.19	27	5.34^a	0.10	23	6.13^b	0.13	43
		Contrast _U_B	6.47^a	0.09	27	5.55^b	0.11	23	6.59^a	0.11	43
		Contrast _V_B	3.75^a	0.18	27	3.42^a	0.13	23	4.26^c	0.14	43
greenfinch	yellow tail patch	chroma	0.344^a	0.003	41	0.312^b	0.007	20
		Contrast _U_G	11.42^a	0.33	41	8.94^b	0.44	20
		Contrast _V_G	10.21^a	0.40	41	7.45^b	0.55	20
		Contrast _U_B	11.20^a	0.36	41	8.24^b	0.53	20
		Contrast _V_B	9.88^a	0.45	41	6.31^b	0.72	20
	green back	chroma	0.316^a	0.002	41	0.302^b	0.002	20
		Contrast _U_G	6.79^a	0.13	41	6.90^a	0.14	20
		Contrast _V_G	6.69^a	0.13	41	6.77^a	0.13	20
		Contrast _U_B	4.56^a	0.22	41	3.19^b	0.22	20
		Contrast _V_B	4.53^a	0.23	41	3.19^b	0.21	20

Values of contrast are modelled for U- and V-type eyes (represented by U and V respectively) and for average green and brown backgrounds (G and B respectively). Presented are means, standard errors (SE) and sample sizes (N). Means with the same superscript letter are not statistically different (based on t-tests, p > 0.05).

Back to article page

ISSN: 1472-6785

Contact us

General enquiries: ORSupport@springernature.com