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Aleuy OA, Anholt M, Orsel K, Mavrot F, Gagnon CA, Beckmen K, Côté SD, Cuyler C, Dobson A, Elkin B, Leclerc LM, Taillon J, Kutz S. Association of Environmental Factors with Seasonal Intensity of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae Seropositivity among Arctic Caribou. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:1650-1658. [PMID: 35876625 PMCID: PMC9328914 DOI: 10.3201/eid2808.212144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Several caribou (Rangifer tarandus) populations have been declining concurrently with increases in infectious diseases in the Arctic. Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, a zoonotic bacterium, was first described in 2015 as a notable cause of illness and death among several Arctic wildlife species. We investigated epidemiologic and environmental factors associated with the seroprevalence of E. rhusiopathiae in the Arctic and found that seropositivity was highest during warmer months, peaking in September, and was highest among adult males. Summer seroprevalence increases tracked with the oestrid index from the previous year, icing and snowing events, and precipitation from the same year but decreased with growing degree days in the same year. Seroprevalence of E. rhusiopathiae varied more during the later years of the study. Our findings provide key insights into the influence of environmental factors on disease prevalence that can be instrumental for anticipating and mitigating diseases associated with climate change among Arctic wildlife and human populations.
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Honey bees and climate explain viral prevalence in wild bee communities on a continental scale. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1904. [PMID: 35115568 PMCID: PMC8814194 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05603-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses are omnipresent, yet the knowledge on drivers of viral prevalence in wild host populations is often limited. Biotic factors, such as sympatric managed host species, as well as abiotic factors, such as climatic variables, are likely to impact viral prevalence. Managed and wild bees, which harbor several multi-host viruses with a mostly fecal-oral between-species transmission route, provide an excellent system with which to test for the impact of biotic and abiotic factors on viral prevalence in wild host populations. Here we show on a continental scale that the prevalence of three broad host viruses: the AKI-complex (Acute bee paralysis virus, Kashmir bee virus and Israeli acute paralysis virus), Deformed wing virus, and Slow bee paralysis virus in wild bee populations (bumble bees and solitary bees) is positively related to viral prevalence of sympatric honey bees as well as being impacted by climatic variables. The former highlights the need for good beekeeping practices, including Varroa destructor management to reduce honey bee viral infection and hive placement. Furthermore, we found that viral prevalence in wild bees is at its lowest at the extreme ends of both temperature and precipitation ranges. Under predicted climate change, the frequency of extremes in precipitation and temperature will continue to increase and may hence impact viral prevalence in wild bee communities.
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Tomaszewski E, Jennings M, Munk B, Botta R, Lewison R. Landscape Seroprevalence of Three Hemorrhagic Disease-Causing Viruses in a Wild Cervid. ECOHEALTH 2021; 18:182-193. [PMID: 34515899 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-021-01546-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Disease plays a major role in shaping wildlife populations worldwide, and changes in landscape conditions can significantly influence risk of pathogen exposure, a threat to vulnerable wild species. Three viruses that cause hemorrhagic disease affect cervid populations in the USA (Odocoileus hemionus adenovirus, bluetongue virus, and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus), but little is known of their distribution and prevalence in wild populations. We explored the distribution and co-occurrence of seroprevalence of these three pathogens in southern mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus fuliginatus), a subspecies of conservation concern and a harvested species native to southern California, to evaluate the distribution of exposure to these pathogens relative to landscape attributes. We found that habitat type, level of development, and proximity to livestock may affect hemorrhagic disease seroprevalence in southern mule deer. Continued monitoring of hemorrhagic disease-causing viruses in areas where deer are in proximity to cattle and human development is needed to better understand the implications of future outbreaks in wild populations and to identify opportunities to mitigate disease impacts in southern mule deer and other cervid species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Tomaszewski
- San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA, 92182, USA.
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1416 9th St., 12th Floor, Sacramento, CA, 95814, USA.
| | - Megan Jennings
- San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | - Brandon Munk
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1416 9th St., 12th Floor, Sacramento, CA, 95814, USA
| | - Randy Botta
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1416 9th St., 12th Floor, Sacramento, CA, 95814, USA
| | - Rebecca Lewison
- San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
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4
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Keatts LO, Robards M, Olson SH, Hueffer K, Insley SJ, Joly DO, Kutz S, Lee DS, Chetkiewicz CLB, Lair S, Preston ND, Pruvot M, Ray JC, Reid D, Sleeman JM, Stimmelmayr R, Stephen C, Walzer C. Implications of Zoonoses From Hunting and Use of Wildlife in North American Arctic and Boreal Biomes: Pandemic Potential, Monitoring, and Mitigation. Front Public Health 2021; 9:627654. [PMID: 34026707 PMCID: PMC8131663 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.627654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has re-focused attention on mechanisms that lead to zoonotic disease spillover and spread. Commercial wildlife trade, and associated markets, are recognized mechanisms for zoonotic disease emergence, resulting in a growing global conversation around reducing human disease risks from spillover associated with hunting, trade, and consumption of wild animals. These discussions are especially relevant to people who rely on harvesting wildlife to meet nutritional, and cultural needs, including those in Arctic and boreal regions. Global policies around wildlife use and trade can impact food sovereignty and security, especially of Indigenous Peoples. We reviewed known zoonotic pathogens and current risks of transmission from wildlife (including fish) to humans in North American Arctic and boreal biomes, and evaluated the epidemic and pandemic potential of these zoonoses. We discuss future concerns, and consider monitoring and mitigation measures in these changing socio-ecological systems. While multiple zoonotic pathogens circulate in these systems, risks to humans are mostly limited to individual illness or local community outbreaks. These regions are relatively remote, subject to very cold temperatures, have relatively low wildlife, domestic animal, and pathogen diversity, and in many cases low density, including of humans. Hence, favorable conditions for emergence of novel diseases or major amplification of a spillover event are currently not present. The greatest risk to northern communities from pathogens of pandemic potential is via introduction with humans visiting from other areas. However, Arctic and boreal ecosystems are undergoing rapid changes through climate warming, habitat encroachment, and development; all of which can change host and pathogen relationships, thereby affecting the probability of the emergence of new (and re-emergence of old) zoonoses. Indigenous leadership and engagement in disease monitoring, prevention and response, is vital from the outset, and would increase the success of such efforts, as well as ensure the protection of Indigenous rights as outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Partnering with northern communities and including Indigenous Knowledge Systems would improve the timeliness, and likelihood, of detecting emerging zoonotic risks, and contextualize risk assessments to the unique human-wildlife relationships present in northern biomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy O. Keatts
- Wildlife Conservation Society Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Martin Robards
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Arctic Beringia Program, Fairbanks, AK, United States
| | - Sarah H. Olson
- Wildlife Conservation Society Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Karsten Hueffer
- Department of Veterinary Medicine & Arctic and Northern Studies Program, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, United States
| | - Stephen J. Insley
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | | | - Susan Kutz
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - David S. Lee
- Department of Wildlife and Environment, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Stéphane Lair
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Mathieu Pruvot
- Wildlife Conservation Society Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Justina C. Ray
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Donald Reid
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jonathan M. Sleeman
- United States Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Raphaela Stimmelmayr
- North Slope Department of Wildlife Management, Utqiagvik, AK, United States
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, United States
| | - Craig Stephen
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis
| | - Chris Walzer
- Wildlife Conservation Society Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States
- Conservation Medicine Unit, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
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5
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Will A, Thiebot JB, Ip HS, Shoogukwruk P, Annogiyuk M, Takahashi A, Shearn-Bochsler V, Killian ML, Torchetti M, Kitaysky A. Investigation of the 2018 thick-billed murre ( Uria lomvia) die-off on St. Lawrence Island rules out food shortage as the cause. DEEP-SEA RESEARCH. PART II, TOPICAL STUDIES IN OCEANOGRAPHY 2020; 181-182:104879. [PMID: 33716412 PMCID: PMC7949294 DOI: 10.1016/j.dsr2.2020.104879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Die-offs of seabirds in Alaska have occurred with increased frequency since 2015. In 2018, on St. Lawrence Island, seabirds were reported washing up dead on beaches starting in late May, peaking in June, and continuing until early August. The cause of death was documented to be starvation, leading to the conclusion that a severe food shortage was to blame. We use physiology and colony-based observations to examine whether food shortage is a sufficient explanation for the die-off, or if evidence indicates an alternative cause of starvation such as disease. Specifically, we address what species were most affected, the timing of possible food shortages, and food shortage severity in a historical context. We found that thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia) were most affected by the die-off, making up 61% of all bird carcasses encountered during beach surveys. Thick-billed murre carcasses were proportionately more numerous (26:1) than would be expected based on ratios of thick-billed murres to co-occurring common murres (U. aalge) observed on breeding study plots (7:1). Concentrations of the stress hormone corticosterone, a reliable physiological indicator of nutritional stress, in thick-billed murre feathers grown in the fall indicate that foraging conditions in the northern Bering Sea were poor in the fall of 2017 and comparable in severity to those experienced by murres during the 1976-1977 Bering Sea regime shift. Concentrations of corticosterone in feathers grown during the pre-breeding molt indicate that foraging conditions in late winter 2018 were similar to previous years. The 2018 murre egg harvest in the village of Savoonga (on St. Lawrence Is.) was one-fifth the 1993-2012 average, and residents observed that fewer birds laid eggs in 2018. Exposure of thick-billed murres to nutritional stress in August, however, was no different in 2018 compared to 2016, 2017, and 2019, and was comparable to levels observed on St. George Island in 2003-2017. Prey abundance, measured by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in bottom-trawl surveys, was also similar in 2018 to 2017 and 2019, supporting the evidence that food was not scarce in the summer of 2018 in the vicinity of St. Lawrence Island. Of two moribund thick-billed murres collected at the end of the mortality event, one tested positive for a novel re-assortment H10 strain of avian influenza with Eurasian components, likely contracted during the non-breeding season. It is not currently known how widely spread infection of murres with the novel virus was, thus insufficient evidence exists to attribute the die-off to an outbreak of avian influenza. We conclude that food shortage alone is not an adequate explanation for the mortality of thick-billed murres in 2018, and highlight the importance of rapid response to mortality events in order to document alternative or confounding causes of mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Will
- National Institute of Polar Research, Tokyo, Japan
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska
- Corresponding author: (A. Will)
| | | | - Hon S. Ip
- U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center., Madison, Wisconsin
| | | | | | | | | | - Mary Lea Killian
- National Veterinary Services Laboratories, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa
| | - Mia Torchetti
- National Veterinary Services Laboratories, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa
| | - Alexander Kitaysky
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska
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Bourque J, Desforges JP, Levin M, Atwood TC, Sonne C, Dietz R, Jensen TH, Curry E, McKinney MA. Climate-associated drivers of plasma cytokines and contaminant concentrations in Beaufort Sea polar bears (Ursus maritimus). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 745:140978. [PMID: 32738684 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Assessing polar bear (Ursus maritimus) immune function in relation to environmental stressors, including habitat change, nutritional stress, pathogen prevalence, and pollution, has been identified as critical for improved understanding of the species' health. The objectives of this study were two-fold: 1) to assess the role of climate-associated factors (habitat use, body condition) in explaining the plasma concentrations of contaminants in southern Beaufort Sea (SB) polar bears, and 2) to investigate how climate-associated factors, contaminant concentrations, and pathogen sero-prevalence influence the plasma concentrations of immune-signaling proteins called cytokines. A commercially available multiplex canine cytokine panel was validated for the quantification of five pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in polar bear plasma: tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-8, IL-10, and interferon gamma-induced protein 10 (IP-10). This panel was then used to measure cytokine concentrations in 49 SB polar bears sampled in the springs of 2013 and 2014. Mean ∑PCBs (plasma), ∑OCs (plasma), and THg (hair) were 13.01 ± 1.52 ng g-1 w.w. (range: 0.17-52.63), 19.46 ± 1.17 ng g-1 w.w. (range: 6.63-45.82), and 0.49 μg g-1 d.w. (range: 0.99-15.18), respectively. Top models explaining variation in concentrations of plasma PCBs, plasma OC pesticides, and hair THg in SB polar bears included body mass index and/or habitat use (onshore versus offshore), with higher contaminant concentrations in leaner and/or offshore bears. Plasma cytokine concentrations were influenced most strongly by plasma PCBs and age, with little to no influence found for plasma OCs or hair THg concentrations, habitat use, or pathogen sero-prevalence. The lack of association between cytokines and these latter variables is likely due to a temporal disconnect between measured endpoints. The change of polar bear habitat use, feeding ecology, and body condition with ongoing climate warming is affecting exposure to contaminants and pathogens, with potential adverse consequences on a well-balanced immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Bourque
- Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation Center, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Jean-Pierre Desforges
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada
| | - Milton Levin
- Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Todd C Atwood
- US Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Christian Sonne
- Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Roskilde 4000, Denmark
| | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Roskilde 4000, Denmark
| | - Trine H Jensen
- Aalborg Zoo/Aalborg University, Mølleparkvej 63, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Erin Curry
- Center for Conservation & Research of Endangered Wildlife, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Melissa A McKinney
- Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation Center, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA; Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada.
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7
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A fatal case of a captive snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) with Haemoproteus infection in Japan. Parasitol Res 2020; 120:277-288. [PMID: 33191448 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06972-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Parasites of the genus Haemoproteus are vector-borne avian haemosporidia commonly found in bird species of the world. Haemoproteus infections are typically considered relatively benign in birds. However, some Haemoproteus species cause severe disease and mortality, especially for captive birds removed from their original habitat. In September 2018, a captive 15-year-old snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus), kept in a zoological garden of Japan, died subacutely after presenting leg dysfunction. This case showed significantly low PCV and elevated AST, ALT, CK, and LDH values. Many megalomeronts with prominent morphological characteristics of Haemoproteus were observed in the left leg muscles. Those megalomeronts exhibited multilocular structures and were internally filled with merozoites. A new lineage of Haemoproteus was detected by subsequent PCR for the cytochrome b (cytb) gene of avian haemosporidia from DNA extracted from several organ tissues. The detected lineage was classified in the subgenus Parahaemoproteus and was similar to those from the wild birds inhabiting the region including the study area, suggesting that this snowy owl likely acquired its infection from wild birds. This is the first report of a fatal case of a captive bird with a locally transmitted Haemoproteus infection in Japan. We considered the pathogenicity of this infection in conjunction with the clinical course and hematology results. We surmise that snowy owls may be particularly susceptible to infection with Haemoproteus parasites, and warming northern temperatures may exacerbate the overall health of these and other high latitude birds. Further research into the prevalence of Haemoproteus in wild birds near zoological gardens and potential biting midge vectors is necessary for the ex situ conservation of introduced birds.
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8
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Bestley S, Ropert-Coudert Y, Bengtson Nash S, Brooks CM, Cotté C, Dewar M, Friedlaender AS, Jackson JA, Labrousse S, Lowther AD, McMahon CR, Phillips RA, Pistorius P, Puskic PS, Reis AODA, Reisinger RR, Santos M, Tarszisz E, Tixier P, Trathan PN, Wege M, Wienecke B. Marine Ecosystem Assessment for the Southern Ocean: Birds and Marine Mammals in a Changing Climate. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.566936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
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9
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Bourret V, Albert V, April J, Côté G, Morissette O. Past, present and future contributions of evolutionary biology to wildlife forensics, management and conservation. Evol Appl 2020; 13:1420-1434. [PMID: 32684967 PMCID: PMC7359848 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Successfully implementing fundamental concepts into concrete applications is challenging in any given field. It requires communication, collaboration and shared will between researchers and practitioners. We argue that evolutionary biology, through research work linked to conservation, management and forensics, had a significant impact on wildlife agencies and department practices, where new frameworks and applications have been implemented over the last decades. The Quebec government's Wildlife Department (MFFP: Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs) has been proactive in reducing the “research–implementation” gap, thanks to prolific collaborations with many academic researchers. Among these associations, our department's outstanding partnership with Dr. Louis Bernatchez yielded significant contributions to harvest management, stocking programmes, definition of conservation units, recovery of threatened species, management of invasive species and forensic applications. We discuss key evolutionary biology concepts and resulting concrete examples of their successful implementation that derives directly or indirectly from this successful partnership. While old and new threats to wildlife are bringing new challenges, we expect recent developments in eDNA and genomics to provide innovative solutions as long as the research–implementation bridge remains open.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Bourret
- Direction générale de la protection de la faune Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs Québec QC Canada
| | - Vicky Albert
- Direction générale de la protection de la faune Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs Québec QC Canada
| | - Julien April
- Direction générale de la gestion de la faune et des habitats Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs Québec QC Canada
| | - Guillaume Côté
- Direction générale de la gestion de la faune et des habitats Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs Québec QC Canada
| | - Olivier Morissette
- Direction générale de la gestion de la faune et des habitats Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs Québec QC Canada
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10
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Franke A, Falk K, Hawkshaw K, Ambrose S, Anderson DL, Bente PJ, Booms T, Burnham KK, Ekenstedt J, Fufachev I, Ganusevich S, Johansen K, Johnson JA, Kharitonov S, Koskimies P, Kulikova O, Lindberg P, Lindström BO, Mattox WG, McIntyre CL, Mechnikova S, Mossop D, Møller S, Nielsen ÓK, Ollila T, Østlyngen A, Pokrovsky I, Poole K, Restani M, Robinson BW, Rosenfield R, Sokolov A, Sokolov V, Swem T, Vorkamp K. Status and trends of circumpolar peregrine falcon and gyrfalcon populations. AMBIO 2020; 49:762-783. [PMID: 31858488 PMCID: PMC6989710 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-019-01300-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) and the gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) are top avian predators of Arctic ecosystems. Although existing monitoring efforts are well established for both species, collaboration of activities among Arctic scientists actively involved in research of large falcons in the Nearctic and Palearctic has been poorly coordinated. Here we provide the first overview of Arctic falcon monitoring sites, present trends for long-term occupancy and productivity, and summarize information describing abundance, distribution, phenology, and health of the two species. We summarize data for 24 falcon monitoring sites across the Arctic, and identify gaps in coverage for eastern Russia, the Arctic Archipelago of Canada, and East Greenland. Our results indicate that peregrine falcon and gyrfalcon populations are generally stable, and assuming that these patterns hold beyond the temporal and spatial extents of the monitoring sites, it is reasonable to suggest that breeding populations at broader scales are similarly stable. We have highlighted several challenges that preclude direct comparisons of Focal Ecosystem Components (FEC) attributes among monitoring sites, and we acknowledge that methodological problems cannot be corrected retrospectively, but could be accounted for in future monitoring. Despite these drawbacks, ample opportunity exists to establish a coordinated monitoring program for Arctic-nesting raptor species that supports CBMP goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alastair Franke
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, CW 405, Biological Sciences Bldg., Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9 Canada
- Arctic Raptor Project, P.O. Box 626, Rankin Inlet, NT X0C 0G0 Canada
| | | | - Kevin Hawkshaw
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ivan Fufachev
- Arctic Research Station of Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Zelenaya Gorka Str., 21, Labytnangi, Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District Russia 629400
| | - Sergey Ganusevich
- Center for Rescue of Wild Animals (Independent Non-profit Organization), Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Jeff A. Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Advanced Environmental Research Institute, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle, #310559, Denton, TX 76203 USA
| | | | | | - Olga Kulikova
- Institute of Biological Problems of the North, 18 Portovaya Street, Magadan, Russia 685000
| | - Peter Lindberg
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Box 463, 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden
| | | | - William G. Mattox
- Conservation Research Foundation, 702 S. Spelman Ln, Meridian, ID USA
| | | | - Svetlana Mechnikova
- I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 119991 Trubetskaya 8, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Søren Møller
- Roskilde University, P.O. Box 260, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | | | - Tuomo Ollila
- Metsähallitus, Parks and Wildlife Finland, Rovaniemi, Finland
| | | | - Ivan Pokrovsky
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- Laboratory of Ornithology, Institute of Biological Problems of the North FEB RAS, 18 Portovaya Str., Magadan, Russia 685000
- Arctic Research Station, Institute of Plant & Animal Ecology, UD RAS, 21 Zelyonaya Gorka, Labytnangi, Russia 629400
| | - Kim Poole
- Aurora Wildlife Research, Nelson, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Aleksandr Sokolov
- Arctic Research Station of Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Zelenaya Gorka Str., 21, Labytnangi, Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District Russia 629400
| | - Vasiliy Sokolov
- Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinburg, Russia
| | - Ted Swem
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska, USA
| | - Katrin Vorkamp
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
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11
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Murray MJ, Young MA, Santymire RM. Use of the ACTH challenge test to identify the predominant glucocorticoid in the southern sea otter ( Enhydra lutris nereis). CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coz116. [PMID: 32038847 PMCID: PMC6996579 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
After nearly being hunted to extinction during the fur trade of the late 20th Century, sea otter (Enhydra lutris) populations have recovered to varying degrees of their historical range. While overall population numbers and range have increased, there are regions in which expansion has occurred at a slower rate and/or animal numbers have decreased, which may be a result of chronic stress from a variety of sources. Some have employed glucocorticoid analysis in their attempts to validate these explanations. Our goal was to conduct a controlled study using sea otters managed under human care to validate the use of serum glucocorticoid analysis to monitor stress physiology in the sea otter. We used a standard ACTH challenge test to compare cortisol and corticosterone responses, thereby identifying the primary glucocorticoid in the sea otter. Fourteen sea otters of both sexes (five males, nine females), including juveniles, sub-adults and adults, participated in the study. The results of the testing supported cortisol as the primary glucocorticoid in the sea otter. Sex and age did not affect how the individual responded to the ACTH or saline injection. Interestingly, the saline injection not only confirmed the effects of the ACTH on glucocorticoid release from the adrenal glands but also provided information on how long it takes the sea otter's glucocorticoid levels to return to baseline after capture and sedation. The insight gained from this study will aid in future efforts to better understand the role of stress in free-ranging sea otter populations. Recognition of the primary glucocorticoid will facilitate evaluation of more stable biological material, such as fur or whiskers, which tend to be less affected by the diurnal cycling of glucocorticoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Murray
- Monterey Bay Aquarium, 886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA 93940, USA
| | - M A Young
- Monterey Bay Aquarium, 886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA 93940, USA
| | - R M Santymire
- Conservation & Science Department, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60614, USA
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12
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Menning DM, Ward DH, Wyllie‐Echeverria S, Sage GK, Gravley MC, Gravley HA, Talbot SL. Are migratory waterfowl vectors of seagrass pathogens? Ecol Evol 2020; 10:2062-2073. [PMID: 32128138 PMCID: PMC7042754 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Migratory waterfowl vector plant seeds and other tissues, but little attention has focused on the potential of avian vectoring of plant pathogens. Extensive meadows of eelgrass (Zostera marina) in southwest Alaska support hundreds of thousands of waterfowl during fall migration and may be susceptible to plant pathogens. We recovered DNA of organisms pathogenic to eelgrass from environmental samples and in the cloacal contents of eight of nine waterfowl species that annually migrate along the Pacific coast of North America and Asia. Coupled with a signal of asymmetrical gene flow of eelgrass running counter to that expected from oceanic and coastal currents between Large Marine Ecosystems, this evidence suggests waterfowl are vectors of eelgrass pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sandy Wyllie‐Echeverria
- Friday Harbor LaboratoriesCollege of the EnvironmentUniversity of WashingtonFriday HarborWAUSA
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13
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Galosi L, Heneberg P, Rossi G, Sitko J, Magi GE, Perrucci S. Air sac trematodes: Morishitium polonicum as a newly identified cause of death in the common blackbird ( Turdus merula). Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2019; 9:74-79. [PMID: 31011529 PMCID: PMC6463545 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2019.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Necropsy of two free-ranging common blackbirds (Turdus merula) found dead in central Italy revealed the presence of a high number of cyclocoelid flukes in the coelomatic cavity. Cyclocoelid flukes primarily infect avian respiratory system. Histologically, air sac walls were covered with a fibrinous exudate containing degenerate heterophils, many trematodes and some colonies of Gram-positive cocci. The superficial bronchi and parabronchi were markedly distended, and the adjacent pulmonary parenchyma was congested and collapsed. Trematodes, surrounded by a mild suppurative to pyogranulomatous inflammatory reaction, were also observed on the pericardial, intestinal, kidney and hepatic serosal surfaces. The death of the two examined birds was likely due to the high parasite load and associated severe lesions. At parasitological examination, flukes showed a tongue-shaped elongate body, tapered anteriorly and rounded posteriorly, of 2,088-2,314 μm in width and 8,268-11,830 μm in length. The mouth was slightly oval and sub-terminal, with a small oral sucker. The oval pharynx measured 250-309 μm, and the two caeca joined posteriorly. Two large (550-702 μm × 450-520 μm) globular testes were situated obliquely to each other, whereas an oval (250 × 300 μm in mean) or round (about 334 μm in diameter) intertesticular ovary was placed in a longitudinal straight line with the testes. The ootype was about 110 μm in diameter, while the brown-yellow eggs measured 131.5 × 73.9 μm in mean. The genital pore was post-pharyngeal, while the symmetrically arranged vitelline glands were not confluent posteriorly. Morphoflogical diagnosis led to the identification of Morishitium polonicum, a cyclocoelid fluke species that typically inhabits the air sacs of blackbirds. The morphological diagnosis was corroborated by molecular phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial (CO1, ND1) DNA loci. The present study provides the first report of pathological lesions and death caused by M. polonicum in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livio Galosi
- School of Biosciences & Veterinary Medicine, Matelica (MC), University of Camerino, Italy
| | - Petr Heneberg
- Charles University, Third Faculty of Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Giacomo Rossi
- School of Biosciences & Veterinary Medicine, Matelica (MC), University of Camerino, Italy
| | - Jilji Sitko
- Comenius Museum, Moravian Ornithological Station, Přerov, Czech Republic
| | - Gian Enrico Magi
- School of Biosciences & Veterinary Medicine, Matelica (MC), University of Camerino, Italy
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14
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Castaño-Ortiz JM, Jaspers VLB, Waugh CA. PFOS mediates immunomodulation in an avian cell line that can be mitigated via a virus infection. BMC Vet Res 2019; 15:214. [PMID: 31238913 PMCID: PMC6593586 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-019-1953-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are environmentally persistent and bioaccumulative chemicals. Immunomodulation is among the most concerning of toxic effects linked with PFAS exposure in mammalian models. However, no studies had yet shown this to be true in birds. Thus, we designed and conducted the first study to determine if PFASs could cause immunomodulation in birds. Secondly, we wanted to determine the effects on an avian host when exposed not only to immunomodulating chemicals, but also to a viral challenge. The aim, to determine if PFAS mediated immunmodulation functionally affects a pathogen challenge for a host. As innate immune system signalling pathways initiate crucial responses against a pathogen challenge, and are lesser studied than their adaptive counterparts, we focused on these pathways. To provide the first information on this, an in vitro experiment was designed and performed using chicken embryo fibroblasts exposed to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) (22 ppm) and immune markers characterised before and after being infected with gallid herpesvirus-2 (GaHV-2). RESULTS The expression of two pro-inflammatory cytokines, namely interleukin 8 (IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), the nuclear factor 'kappa-light-chain-enhancer' of activated B-cells (NF-κB), and the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 4 (IL-4) were investigated in various scenarios. These results showed that exposure to PFOS decreased immune gene expression in chicken fibroblasts from 36 h post-exposure. Next, it was shown that this decrease could be mitigated by infection with gallid herpesvirus-2, which increased gene expression back to the baseline/control levels. CONCLUSIONS Not only is this the first study to provide the expected evidence that PFOS has immunomodulatory potential in birds, it also provides unexpected data that virus infections can mitigate this negative effect. Thereby, further research, including in vivo and in situ studies, on the impact of PFOS on host-virus interactions is now warranted, as it has been overlooked and might contribute to our understanding of recent disease outbreaks in wildlife. The mechanisms by which gallid herpesvirus mitigates immunomodulation were beyond the scope of this study, but are now of interest for future study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose M. Castaño-Ortiz
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Høgskoleringen 5, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Present address: Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), C/Emili Grahit 101, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Veerle L. B. Jaspers
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Høgskoleringen 5, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Courtney A. Waugh
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Høgskoleringen 5, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
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15
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Van Hemert C, Meixell BW, Smith MM, Handel CM. Prevalence and diversity of avian blood parasites in a resident northern passerine. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:292. [PMID: 31182151 PMCID: PMC6558893 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3545-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Climate-related changes are expected to influence the prevalence and distribution of vector-borne haemosporidian parasites at northern latitudes, although baseline information about resident birds is still lacking. In this study, we investigated prevalence and genetic diversity of Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon parasites infecting the northwestern crow (Corvus caurinus), a non-migratory passerine with unique life-history characteristics. This species occupies both intertidal and forested habitats and is subject to high prevalence of avian keratin disorder (AKD), a disease that causes gross beak deformities. Investigation of avian blood parasites in northwestern crows at sites broadly distributed across coastal Alaska provided an opportunity to evaluate specific host factors related to parasite infection status and assess geographical patterns of prevalence. RESULTS We used molecular methods to screen for haemosporidian parasites in northwestern crows and estimated genus-specific parasite prevalence with occupancy modeling that accounts for imperfect detection of parasite infection. We observed considerable geographical and annual variation in prevalence of Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon, but these patterns were not correlated with indices of local climatic conditions. Our models also did not provide support for relationships between the probability of parasite infection and body condition or the occurrence of co-infections with other parasite genera or clinical signs of AKD. In our phylogenetic analyses, we identified multiple lineages of each parasite genus, with Leucocytozoon showing greater diversity than Plasmodium or Haemoproteus. CONCLUSIONS Results from this study expand our knowledge about the prevalence and diversity of avian blood parasites in northern resident birds as well as corvids worldwide. We detected all three genera of avian haemosporidians in northwestern crows in Alaska, although only Leucocytozoon occurred at all sites in both years. Given the strong geographical and annual variation in parasite prevalence and apparent lack of correlation with climatic variables, it appears that there are other key factors responsible for driving transmission dynamics in this region. Thus, caution is warranted when using standard climatic or geographical attributes in a predictive framework. Our phylogenetic results demonstrate lower host specificity for some lineages of Leucocytozoon than is typically reported and provide insights about genetic diversity of local haemosporidian parasites in Alaska.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Van Hemert
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508 USA
| | - Brandt W. Meixell
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508 USA
| | - Matthew M. Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508 USA
| | - Colleen M. Handel
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508 USA
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16
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Smith MM, Van Hemert C, Handel CM. Evidence of Culiseta mosquitoes as vectors for Plasmodium parasites in Alaska. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2019; 44:68-75. [PMID: 31124235 DOI: 10.1111/jvec.12330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Mosquito vectors play a crucial role in the distribution of avian Plasmodium parasites worldwide. At northern latitudes, where climate warming is most pronounced, there are questions about possible changes in the abundance and distribution of Plasmodium parasites, their vectors, and their impacts to avian hosts. To better understand the transmission of Plasmodium among local birds and to gather baseline data on potential vectors, we sampled a total of 3,909 mosquitoes from three locations in south-central Alaska during the summer of 2016. We screened mosquitoes for the presence of Plasmodium parasites using molecular techniques and estimated Plasmodium infection rates per 1,000 mosquitoes using maximum likelihood methods. We found low estimated infection rates across all mosquitoes (1.28 per 1,000), with significantly higher rates in Culiseta mosquitoes (7.91 per 1,000) than in Aedes mosquitoes (0.57 per 1,000). We detected Plasmodium in a single head/thorax sample of Culiseta, indicating potential for transmission of these parasites by mosquitoes of this genus. Plasmodium parasite DNA isolated from mosquitoes showed a 100% identity match to the BT7 Plasmodium lineage that has been detected in numerous avian species worldwide. Additionally, microscopic analysis of blood smears collected from black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) at the same locations revealed infection by parasites preliminarily identified as Plasmodium circumflexum. Results from our study provide the first information on Plasmodium infection rates in Alaskan mosquitoes and evidence that Culiseta species may play a role in the transmission and maintenance of Plasmodium parasites in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew M Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, U.S.A
| | - Caroline Van Hemert
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, U.S.A
| | - Colleen M Handel
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, U.S.A
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17
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Mosites E, Lujan E, Brook M, Brubaker M, Roehl D, Tcheripanoff M, Hennessy T. Environmental observation, social media, and One Health action: A description of the Local Environmental Observer (LEO) Network. One Health 2018; 6:29-33. [PMID: 30386813 PMCID: PMC6205347 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2018.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Revised: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
As a result of the close relationships between Arctic residents and the environment, climate change has a disproportionate impact on Arctic communities. Despite the need for One Health responses to climate change, environmental monitoring is difficult to conduct in Arctic regions. The Local Environmental Observer (LEO) Network is a global social media network that recruits citizen scientists to collect environmental observations on social media. We examined the processes of the LEO Network, numbers of members and observations, and three case studies that depict One Health action enabled by the system. From February 2012 to July 2017, the LEO Network gained 1870 members in 35 countries. In this time period, 670 environmental observations were posted. Examples that resulted in One Health action include those involving food sources, wild fire smoke, and thawing permafrost. The LEO network is an example of a One Health resource that stimulates action to protect the health of communities around the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Mosites
- Arctic Investigations Program, Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Anchorage, AK, United States
| | - Erica Lujan
- Center for Climate and Health, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage, AK, United States
| | - Michael Brook
- Center for Climate and Health, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage, AK, United States
| | - Michael Brubaker
- Center for Climate and Health, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage, AK, United States
| | - Desirae Roehl
- Center for Climate and Health, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage, AK, United States
| | - Moses Tcheripanoff
- Center for Climate and Health, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage, AK, United States
| | - Thomas Hennessy
- Arctic Investigations Program, Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Anchorage, AK, United States
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18
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Morin CW, Stoner-Duncan B, Winker K, Scotch M, Hess JJ, Meschke JS, Ebi KL, Rabinowitz PM. Avian influenza virus ecology and evolution through a climatic lens. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2018; 119:241-249. [PMID: 29980049 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2018] [Revised: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Avian influenza virus (AIV) is a major health threat to both avian and human populations. The ecology of the virus is driven by numerous factors, including climate and avian migration patterns, yet relatively little is known about these drivers. Long-distance transport of the virus is tied to inter- and intra-continental bird migration, while enhanced viral reassortment is linked to breeding habitats in Beringia shared by migrant species from North America and Asia. Furthermore, water temperature, pH, salinity, and co-existing biota all impact the viability and persistence of the virus in the environment. Changes in climate can potentially alter the ecology of AIV through multiple pathways. Warming temperatures can change the timing and patterns of bird migration, creating novel assemblages of species and new opportunities for viral transport and reassortment. Water temperature and chemistry may also be altered, resulting in changes in virus survival. In this review, we explain how these shifts have the potential to increase viral persistence, pathogenicity, and transmissibility and amplify the threat of pandemic disease in animal and human hosts. Better understanding of climatic influences on viral ecology is essential to developing strategies to limit adverse health effects in humans and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cory W Morin
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.
| | | | - Kevin Winker
- Department of Biology & Wildlife and University of Alaska Museum, Fairbanks, AK, United States
| | - Matthew Scotch
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Arizona State University, Scottsdale, AZ, United States; Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Jeremy J Hess
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States; Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - John S Meschke
- Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Kristie L Ebi
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States; Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Peter M Rabinowitz
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States; Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
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19
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Lamarre V, Legagneux P, Franke A, Casajus N, Currie DC, Berteaux D, Bêty J. Precipitation and ectoparasitism reduce reproductive success in an arctic-nesting top-predator. Sci Rep 2018; 8:8530. [PMID: 29867211 PMCID: PMC5986809 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26131-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Indirect impacts of climate change, mediated by new species interactions (including pathogens or parasites) will likely be key drivers of biodiversity reorganization. In addition, direct effects of extreme weather events remain understudied. Simultaneous investigation of the significance of ectoparasites on host populations and extreme weather events is lacking, especially in the Arctic. Here we document the consequences of recent black fly outbreaks and extreme precipitation events on the reproductive output of an arctic top predator, the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus tundrius) nesting at the northern range limit of ornithophilic black flies in Nunavut, Canada. Overall, black fly outbreaks and heavy rain reduced annual nestling survival by up to 30% and 50% respectively. High mortality caused by ectoparasites followed record-breaking spring snow precipitation, which likely increased stream discharge and nutrient runoff, two key parameters involved in growth and survival of black fly larvae. Using the RCP4.5 intermediate climate scenario run under the Canadian Global Climate Model, we anticipate a northward expansion of black fly distribution in Arctic regions. Our case study demonstrates that, in the context of climate change, extreme weather events can have substantial direct and indirect effects on reproductive output of an arctic top-predator population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Lamarre
- Département de biologie, chimie et géographie and Centre d'études nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, 300 allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, QC, G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - Pierre Legagneux
- Département de biologie, chimie et géographie and Centre d'études nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, 300 allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, QC, G5L 3A1, Canada.
- CNRS-CEBC UMR 7372, Villiers en Bois, 79360, France.
| | - Alastair Franke
- Arctic Raptor Project, Box 626, Rankin Inlet, NU, X0C 0G0, Canada
| | - Nicolas Casajus
- Département de biologie, chimie et géographie and Centre d'études nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, 300 allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, QC, G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - Douglas C Currie
- Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen's Park, Toronto, ON, M5S 2C6, Canada
| | - Dominique Berteaux
- Département de biologie, chimie et géographie and Centre d'études nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, 300 allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, QC, G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - Joël Bêty
- Département de biologie, chimie et géographie and Centre d'études nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, 300 allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, QC, G5L 3A1, Canada
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20
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Bourret V, Gamble A, Tornos J, Jaeger A, Delord K, Barbraud C, Tortosa P, Kada S, Thiebot JB, Thibault E, Gantelet H, Weimerskirch H, Garnier R, Boulinier T. Vaccination protects endangered albatross chicks against avian cholera. Conserv Lett 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Bourret
- UMR 5175 CEFE; CNRS-Université de Montpellier; Montpellier France
| | - Amandine Gamble
- UMR 5175 CEFE; CNRS-Université de Montpellier; Montpellier France
| | - Jérémy Tornos
- UMR 5175 CEFE; CNRS-Université de Montpellier; Montpellier France
| | - Audrey Jaeger
- Université de La Réunion, UMR ENTROPIE; UR-IRD-CNRS; Saint Denis La Réunion France
| | - Karine Delord
- UMR 7372 CEBC; CNRS-Université de La Rochelle; Villiers-en-Bois France
| | | | - Pablo Tortosa
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PIMIT CNRS 9192-INSERM 1187-IRD 249; GIP CYROI; Saint Denis La Réunion France
| | - Sarah Kada
- UMR 5175 CEFE; CNRS-Université de Montpellier; Montpellier France
| | - Jean-Baptiste Thiebot
- Réserve Naturelle Nationale des Terres Australes Françaises; TAAF; Saint Pierre La Réunion France
- National Institute of Polar Research; 10-3 Midori-cho Tachikawa Tokyo Japan
| | | | | | | | - Romain Garnier
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Disease Dynamics Unit; University of Cambridge; Cambridge United Kingdom
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21
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Waugh CA, Arukwe A, Jaspers VLB. Deregulation of microRNA-155 and its transcription factor NF-kB by polychlorinated biphenyls during viral infections. APMIS 2018; 126:234-240. [PMID: 29380441 DOI: 10.1111/apm.12811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 11/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and similar environmental contaminants, have been linked to virus outbreaks and increased viral induced mortality since the 1970s. Yet the mechanisms behind this increased susceptibility remain elusive. It has recently been illustrated that the innate immune viral detection system is tightly regulated by small non-coding RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs). For virus infections miRNA-155 expression is an important host response against infection, and deregulation of this miRNA is closely associated with adverse outcomes. Thus, we designed a targeted in vitro study using primary chicken fibroblasts, first exposed to a mixture of PCBs (Arochlor-1250) before being stimulated with a synthetic RNA virus (poly I:C), to determine if PCBs have the potential to deregulate miRNA-155. In this paper, we provide the first data for the deregulation of miRNA-155 when a host is exposed to a mixture of PCBs before a virus infection. Thus, we provide important evidence that PCBs can be involved in the deregulation of important miRNA pathways involved in the immune system; thereby demonstrating novel insights into the mechanism of PCB toxicity on the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney A Waugh
- Environmental Toxicology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Augustine Arukwe
- Environmental Toxicology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Veerle L B Jaspers
- Environmental Toxicology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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22
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Kada S, McCoy KD, Boulinier T. Impact of life stage-dependent dispersal on the colonization dynamics of host patches by ticks and tick-borne infectious agents. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:375. [PMID: 28778181 PMCID: PMC5544987 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2261-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Accepted: 06/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND When colonization and gene flow depend on host-mediated dispersal, a key factor affecting vector dispersal potential is the time spent on the host for the blood meal, a characteristic that can vary strongly among life history stages. Using a 2-patch vector-pathogen population model and seabird ticks as biological examples, we explore how vector colonization rates and the spread of infectious agents may be shaped by life stage-dependent dispersal. We contrast hard (Ixodidae) and soft (Argasidae) tick systems, which differ strongly in blood- feeding traits. RESULTS We find that vector life history characteristics (i.e. length of blood meal) and demographic constraints (Allee effects) condition the colonization potential of ticks; hard ticks, which take a single, long blood meal per life stage, should have much higher colonization rates than soft ticks, which take repeated short meals. Moreover, this dispersal potential has direct consequences for the spread of vector-borne infectious agents, in particular when transmission is transovarial. CONCLUSIONS These results have clear implications for predicting the dynamics of vector and disease spread in the context of large-scale environmental change. The findings highlight the need to include life-stage dispersal in models that aim to predict species and disease distributions, and provide testable predictions related to the population genetic structure of vectors and pathogens along expansion fronts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Kada
- Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE) - CNRS Université Montpellier UMR 5175, 1919 route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Karen D. McCoy
- Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle, UMR CNRS 5290 - UR IRD 224 - Université Montpellier, Centre IRD, 34394 Montpellier, France
| | - Thierry Boulinier
- Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE) - CNRS Université Montpellier UMR 5175, 1919 route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier, France
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Smith MM, Van Hemert C, Merizon R. Haemosporidian parasite infections in grouse and ptarmigan: Prevalence and genetic diversity of blood parasites in resident Alaskan birds. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2016; 5:229-39. [PMID: 27508118 PMCID: PMC4971158 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2016.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2016] [Revised: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 07/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Projections related to future climate warming indicate the potential for an increase in the distribution and prevalence of blood parasites in northern regions. However, baseline data are lacking for resident avian host species in Alaska. Grouse and ptarmigan occupy a diverse range of habitat types throughout the northern hemisphere and are among the most well-known and important native game birds in North America. Information regarding the prevalence and diversity of haemosporidian parasites in tetraonid species is limited, with few recent studies and an almost complete lack of genetic data. To better understand the genetic diversity of haemosporidian parasites in Alaskan tetraonids and to determine current patterns of geographic range and host specificity, we used molecular methods to screen 459 tissue samples collected from grouse and ptarmigan species across multiple regions of Alaska for infection by Leucocytozoon, Haemoproteus, and Plasmodium blood parasites. Infections were detected in 342 individuals, with overall apparent prevalence of 53% for Leucocytozoon, 21% for Haemoproteus, and 9% for Plasmodium. Parasite prevalence varied by region, with different patterns observed between species groups (grouse versus ptarmigan). Leucocytozoon was more common in ptarmigan, whereas Haemoproteus was more common in grouse. We detected Plasmodium infections in grouse only. Analysis of haemosporidian mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b sequences revealed 23 unique parasite haplotypes, several of which were identical to lineages previously detected in other avian hosts. Phylogenetic analysis showed close relationships between haplotypes from our study and those identified in Alaskan waterfowl for Haemoproteus and Plasmodium parasites. In contrast, Leucocytozoon lineages were structured strongly by host family. Our results provide some of the first genetic data for haemosporidians in grouse and ptarmigan species, and provide an initial baseline on the prevalence and diversity of blood parasites in a group of northern host species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew M. Smith
- US Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, AK, 99508, USA
| | - Caroline Van Hemert
- US Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, AK, 99508, USA
| | - Richard Merizon
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation, 1800 Glenn Hwy #4, Palmer, AK, 99645, USA
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Forde TL, Orsel K, Zadoks RN, Biek R, Adams LG, Checkley SL, Davison T, De Buck J, Dumond M, Elkin BT, Finnegan L, Macbeth BJ, Nelson C, Niptanatiak A, Sather S, Schwantje HM, van der Meer F, Kutz SJ. Bacterial Genomics Reveal the Complex Epidemiology of an Emerging Pathogen in Arctic and Boreal Ungulates. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1759. [PMID: 27872617 PMCID: PMC5097903 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Northern ecosystems are currently experiencing unprecedented ecological change, largely driven by a rapidly changing climate. Pathogen range expansion, and emergence and altered patterns of infectious disease, are increasingly reported in wildlife at high latitudes. Understanding the causes and consequences of shifting pathogen diversity and host-pathogen interactions in these ecosystems is important for wildlife conservation, and for indigenous populations that depend on wildlife. Among the key questions are whether disease events are associated with endemic or recently introduced pathogens, and whether emerging strains are spreading throughout the region. In this study, we used a phylogenomic approach to address these questions of pathogen endemicity and spread for Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, an opportunistic multi-host bacterial pathogen associated with recent mortalities in arctic and boreal ungulate populations in North America. We isolated E. rhusiopathiae from carcasses associated with large-scale die-offs of muskoxen in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, and from contemporaneous mortality events and/or population declines among muskoxen in northwestern Alaska and caribou and moose in western Canada. Bacterial genomic diversity differed markedly among these locations; minimal divergence was present among isolates from muskoxen in the Canadian Arctic, while in caribou and moose populations, strains from highly divergent clades were isolated from the same location, or even from within a single carcass. These results indicate that mortalities among northern ungulates are not associated with a single emerging strain of E. rhusiopathiae, and that alternate hypotheses need to be explored. Our study illustrates the value and limitations of bacterial genomic data for discriminating between ecological hypotheses of disease emergence, and highlights the importance of studying emerging pathogens within the broader context of environmental and host factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taya L. Forde
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of CalgaryCalgary, AB, Canada
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of GlasgowGlasgow, UK
| | - Karin Orsel
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of CalgaryCalgary, AB, Canada
| | - Ruth N. Zadoks
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of GlasgowGlasgow, UK
| | - Roman Biek
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of GlasgowGlasgow, UK
| | - Layne G. Adams
- Alaska Science Center, U.S. Geological SurveyAnchorage, AK, USA
| | - Sylvia L. Checkley
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of CalgaryCalgary, AB, Canada
| | - Tracy Davison
- Environment and Natural Resources, Government of Northwest TerritoriesInuvik, NT, Canada
| | - Jeroen De Buck
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of CalgaryCalgary, AB, Canada
| | - Mathieu Dumond
- Department of Environment, Government of NunavutKugluktuk, NU, Canada
| | - Brett T. Elkin
- Environment and Natural Resources, Government of Northwest TerritoriesYellowknife, NT, Canada
| | | | - Bryan J. Macbeth
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of CalgaryCalgary, AB, Canada
| | - Cait Nelson
- Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Government of British ColumbiaNanaimo, BC, Canada
| | | | - Shane Sather
- Department of Environment, Government of NunavutCambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada
| | - Helen M. Schwantje
- Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Government of British ColumbiaNanaimo, BC, Canada
| | - Frank van der Meer
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of CalgaryCalgary, AB, Canada
| | - Susan J. Kutz
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of CalgaryCalgary, AB, Canada
- Canadian Wildlife Health CooperativeCalgary, AB, Canada
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Amélineau F, Grémillet D, Bonnet D, Le Bot T, Fort J. Where to Forage in the Absence of Sea Ice? Bathymetry As a Key Factor for an Arctic Seabird. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0157764. [PMID: 27438790 PMCID: PMC4954664 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2015] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The earth is warming at an alarming rate, especially in the Arctic, where a marked decline in sea ice cover may have far-ranging consequences for endemic species. Little auks, endemic Arctic seabirds, are key bioindicators as they forage in the marginal ice zone and feed preferentially on lipid-rich Arctic copepods and ice-associated amphipods sensitive to the consequences of global warming. We tested how little auks cope with an ice-free foraging environment during the breeding season. To this end, we took advantage of natural variation in sea ice concentration along the east coast of Greenland. We compared foraging and diving behaviour, chick diet and growth and adult body condition between two years, in the presence versus nearby absence of sea ice in the vicinity of their breeding site. Moreover, we sampled zooplankton at sea when sea ice was absent to evaluate prey location and little auk dietary preferences. Little auks foraged in the same areas both years, irrespective of sea ice presence/concentration, and targeted the shelf break and the continental shelf. We confirmed that breeding little auks showed a clear preference for larger copepod species to feed their chick, but caught smaller copepods and nearly no ice-associated amphipod when sea ice was absent. Nevertheless, these dietary changes had no impact on chick growth and adult body condition. Our findings demonstrate the importance of bathymetry for profitable little auk foraging, whatever the sea-ice conditions. Our investigations, along with recent studies, also confirm more flexibility than previously predicted for this key species in a warming Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Françoise Amélineau
- CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS – Université de Montpellier – Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier – EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - David Grémillet
- CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS – Université de Montpellier – Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier – EPHE, Montpellier, France
- Percy FitzPatrick Institute, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Delphine Bonnet
- Laboratoire MARBEC, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Tangi Le Bot
- CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS – Université de Montpellier – Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier – EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Jérôme Fort
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, La Rochelle, France
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26
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Meixell BW, Arnold TW, Lindberg MS, Smith MM, Runstadler JA, Ramey AM. Detection, prevalence, and transmission of avian hematozoa in waterfowl at the Arctic/sub-Arctic interface: co-infections, viral interactions, and sources of variation. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:390. [PMID: 27387437 PMCID: PMC4936110 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1666-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The epidemiology of avian hematozoa at high latitudes is still not well understood, particularly in sub-Arctic and Arctic habitats, where information is limited regarding seasonality and range of transmission, co-infection dynamics with parasitic and viral agents, and possible fitness consequences of infection. Such information is important as climate warming may lead to northward expansion of hematozoa with unknown consequences to northern-breeding avian taxa, particularly populations that may be previously unexposed to blood parasites. METHODS We used molecular methods to screen blood samples and cloacal/oropharyngeal swabs collected from 1347 ducks of five species during May-August 2010, in interior Alaska, for the presence of hematozoa, Influenza A Virus (IAV), and IAV antibodies. Using models to account for imperfect detection of parasites, we estimated seasonal variation in prevalence of three parasite genera (Haemoproteus, Plasmodium, Leucocytozoon) and investigated how co-infection with parasites and viruses were related to the probability of infection. RESULTS We detected parasites from each hematozoan genus in adult and juvenile ducks of all species sampled. Seasonal patterns in detection and prevalence varied by parasite genus and species, age, and sex of duck hosts. The probabilities of infection for Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon parasites were strongly positively correlated, but hematozoa infection was not correlated with IAV infection or serostatus. The probability of Haemoproteus infection was negatively related to body condition in juvenile ducks; relationships between Leucocytozoon infection and body condition varied among host species. CONCLUSIONS We present prevalence estimates for Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon, and Plasmodium infections in waterfowl at the interface of the sub-Arctic and Arctic and provide evidence for local transmission of all three parasite genera. Variation in prevalence and molecular detection of hematozoa parasites in wild ducks is influenced by seasonal timing and a number of host traits. A positive correlation in co-infection of Leucocytozoon and Haemoproteus suggests that infection probability by parasites in one or both genera is enhanced by infection with the other, or that encounter rates of hosts and genus-specific vectors are correlated. Using size-adjusted mass as an index of host condition, we did not find evidence for strong deleterious consequences of hematozoa infection in wild ducks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandt W. Meixell
- />Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108 USA
- />U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, AK 99508 USA
| | - Todd W. Arnold
- />Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108 USA
| | - Mark S. Lindberg
- />Institute of Arctic Biology and Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775 USA
| | - Matthew M. Smith
- />U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, AK 99508 USA
| | - Jonathan A. Runstadler
- />Department of Biological Engineering and Division of Comparative Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Andrew M. Ramey
- />U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, AK 99508 USA
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27
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Kutzer MAM, Armitage SAO. Maximising fitness in the face of parasites: a review of host tolerance. ZOOLOGY 2016; 119:281-9. [PMID: 27373338 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2016.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Revised: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Tolerance, the ability of a host to limit the negative fitness effects of a given parasite load, is now recognised as an important host defence strategy in animals. Together with resistance, the ability of a host to limit parasite load, these two host strategies represent two disparate host responses to parasites, each with different predicted evolutionary consequences: resistance is predicted to reduce parasite prevalence, whereas tolerance could be neutral towards, or increase, parasite prevalence in a population. The distinction between these two strategies might have far-reaching epidemiological consequences. Classically, a reaction norm defines host tolerance because it depicts the change in host fitness as a function of parasite load, where a shallow negative slope indicates that host fitness slowly deteriorates as parasite load increases (i.e., high tolerance). Despite the fact that tolerance was only recently acknowledged to be an important component in an animal's immune repertoire, it is frequently referenced, so our aim is to emphasise the current advances on the topic. We begin by summarising the ways in which biologists measure the two components of tolerance, parasite load and fitness, as well as the ways in which the concept has been defined (i.e., point and range tolerance). It is common to test for variation in host tolerance according to intrinsic, innate factors, where variation exists among populations, genders or genotypes. Such variation in tolerance is pervasive across animal taxa, and we briefly review some of the mechanistic bases of variation that have recently begun to be explored. Three further novel advancements in the tolerance field are the appreciation of the role of extrinsic, environmental factors on tolerance, host tolerance in multi-host-parasite systems and individual-based approaches to tolerance measures. We explore these topics using recent examples and suggest some future perspectives. It is becoming increasingly clear that an appreciation of tolerance as a defence strategy can provide significant insights into how hosts coexist with parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan A M Kutzer
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstrasse 1, D-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Sophie A O Armitage
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstrasse 1, D-48149 Münster, Germany.
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Park JS. A race against time: habitat alteration by snow geese prunes the seasonal sequence of mosquito emergence in a subarctic brackish landscape. Polar Biol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-016-1978-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Avioserpens in the Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis): A new Host and Geographic Record for a Dracunculoid Nematode and Implications of Migration and Climate Change. J Wildl Dis 2016; 52:189-92. [DOI: 10.7589/2015-06-169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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30
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Van Hemert C, Flint PL, Udevitz MS, Koch JC, Atwood TC, Oakley KL, Pearce JM. Forecasting Wildlife Response to Rapid Warming in the Alaskan Arctic. Bioscience 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biv069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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