Data from: Interactive effects of temperature acclimation and dietary fatty acids on metabolic rate and body composition of zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata)

Climate change is contributing to geographic range shifts in many bird
species, with possible exposure to novel diets. How individuals respond
physiologically across chronic time frames to the interacting effects of
diet and environmental temperature has been little explored. We acclimated
zebra finches to either cool (20-24°C) or thermoneutral (35°C)
temperatures over 6-months and provided them with diets enriched in either
unsaturated or saturated fatty acids. We measured body mass throughout the
study, and basal metabolic rate (BMR) and body composition at 3- and
6-months, respectively. Individuals held in cool conditions and fed a diet
enriched with unsaturated fatty acids lost mass relative to the other
groups, and after 6-months were of similar mass to individuals maintained
at thermoneutrality. Chronic exposure to cool conditions increased BMR and
the mass of the pectoral muscle and visceral organs. However, we could
detect no long-term effect of diet on any physiological parameter. Our
results contrast with those of birds studied over acute time frames, in
which diet and temperature interact to determine energy expenditure. Over
chronic time frames individuals appear to reach a new steady-state, with
long-term physiological responses driven primarily by thermoregulatory
responses to environmental temperature