Branta Issues > Issue №15 (2012)

Changes in fatty acid composition of lipids in tissues of different organs of waders in the pre-migration period.

I. A. Lykova

The paper presents results of studies of fatty acid composition of lipids in tissues of different organs of two wader species Calidris alpina (L.) and С. minuta (Leisl.). It was established that fatty acid composition in tissues of the studied bird species changes depending on their degree of fatness and does not depend on direction of their migration. Quantity of fatty acids (FA) in common lipids of the studied tissues increases at the expense of unsaturated FA. The more degree of fatness results in the higher unsaturation coefficient of FA. In the premigration period the content of polyene FA increases in fatty acid composition of common lipids of the studied tissues. With growth of bird body mass in fatty acid composition of pectoral muscles substantially increases the content of ω-3 unsaturated FA which serve as molecular signals for muscles during extreme loads in long-distance flights.