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Skwarska J, Podstawczyńska A, Bańbura M, Glądalski M, Kaliński A, Markowski M, Wawrzyniak J, Zieliński P, Bańbura J. Effects of ambient temperature during the nestling stage on a stress indicator in nestling pied flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca. Int J Biometeorol 2022; 66:139-148. [PMID: 34618217 PMCID: PMC8727405 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-021-02199-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Long-term and short-term changes in ambient temperature can cause stress in birds, leading to changes in the level of hematological parameters. The H:L ratio (heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio) is a hematological index that allows for the assessment of the stress induced by environmental changes, including weather conditions. In this paper, we examined the influence of temperatures and the sum of precipitation on the health of nestling pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) by using the H:L ratio reflecting the body's response to stress. All examined temperature indicators influenced the H:L ratio, yet the average value of daily minimum temperature during the first 12 days of nestling life had the strongest influence, maximum temperature had the weakest effect, while precipitation had no significant influence. Our research indicates that even a small increase in temperature caused a stress reaction in nestling pied flycatchers, which was reflected by an increase in the H:L ratio. The increase in the stress index (H:L ratio) was probably a result of poor weather conditions (precipitation, low temperature), which prevented the adult birds from actively foraging and properly feeding the nestlings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Skwarska
- Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Podstawczyńska
- Department of Meteorology and Climatology, Faculty of Geographical Sciences, University of Łódź, Narutowicza 88, 90-139 Łódź, Poland
| | - Mirosława Bańbura
- Museum of Natural History, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Kilińskiego 101, 90-011 Łódź, Poland
| | - Michał Glądalski
- Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
| | - Adam Kaliński
- Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
| | - Marcin Markowski
- Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
| | - Jarosław Wawrzyniak
- Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
| | - Piotr Zieliński
- Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
| | - Jerzy Bańbura
- Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
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Garrido-Bautista J, Soria A, Trenzado CE, Pérez-Jiménez A, Ros-Santaella JL, Pintus E, Bernardo N, Comas M, Moreno-Rueda G. Oxidative status of blue tit nestlings varies with habitat and nestling size. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2021; 258:110986. [PMID: 34023537 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.110986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Oxidative status has been proposed as an important ecological and evolutionary force given that pro-oxidant metabolites damage molecules, cells and tissues, with fitness consequences for organisms. Consequently, organisms usually face a trade-off between regulating their oxidative status and other physiological traits. However, environmental stressors and the availability of dietary-derived antioxidants vary according to local conditions and, thus, organisms inhabiting different habitats face different oxidative pressures. Still, there is little information on how different environmental conditions influence the oxidative status of animals inhabiting terrestrial environments. In this work, we examined the variation in oxidative status in the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), a bird species with hatching asynchrony. Specifically, we examined the oxidative status of the largest and the smallest nestlings in the brood, inhabiting four forests differing in food availability and ectoparasite prevalence. We measured lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde; MDA) as a marker of oxidative damage, total antioxidant capacity (Trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity; TEAC) and antioxidant enzymatic activity (catalase, glutathione S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase) in blood samples. The glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity differed among the forests, being the highest in the pine forest and the lowest in a mixed oak (Quercus) forest in the most humid area. Lipid peroxidation was higher in larger nestlings, suggesting higher oxidative damage with an increasing growth rate. Neither brood size, laying date, nor ectoparasites were related to the oxidative status of nestlings. These results suggest that nest rearing conditions might shape the oxidative status of birds, having consequences for habitat-dependent variation in regulation of oxidative status.
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Sun J, Letcher RJ, Eens M, Covaci A, Fernie KJ. Perfluoroalkyl acids and sulfonamides and dietary, biological and ecological associations in peregrine falcons from the Laurentian Great Lakes Basin, Canada. Environ Res 2020; 191:110151. [PMID: 32882236 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large, diverse group of chemicals and several perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are known environmental contaminants. Wildlife exposure to PFAAs and precursors has been shown, but less is known regarding replacements such as shorter-chain PFAS. In the present study, exposure to a suite of PFAAs and associations with dietary, biological and ecological factors were investigated in populations of a sentinel apex species - the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus). Nestling blood (n = 57) and sibling eggs (n = 9) were sampled in 2016 and 2018 from nests in rural and urban regions across the Laurentian Great Lakes Basin, Canada. PFSAs (perfluorinated sulfonic acids) including PFHxS, PFOS, and PFDS were detected in most egg and plasma samples, whereas 11 PFCAs (perfluorinated carboxylic acids; C5-C14, C16) compared to eight PFCAs (C8-C14, C16) were detected in most eggs and plasma, respectively. Shorter-chain C8-C10 PFCAs were more dominant in plasma and longer-chain C12-C14 PFCAs in eggs, but profiles were similar for PFOS, PFDS, PFUdA and PFHxDA. The exposure to PFAAs in peregrine falcons is likely mediated by dietary factors such as foraging location (δ13C and δ34S) and trophic position (δ15N) given the associations observed in eggs and nestling plasma, respectively. Moreover, significant relationships were observed for circulating ΣPFCAs and region (rural/urban), and nestling body condition after adjusting for sampling year and dietary tracers, suggesting that compared to rural nestlings, urban nestlings may be more exposed to ΣPFCAs and prone to their potential physiological impacts. Our findings highlight the importance of integrating dietary, biological and ecological factors when studying PFAS exposure in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiachen Sun
- School of Environment, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, CN-510632, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, BE-2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Robert J Letcher
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Wildlife and Landscape Science Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, K1A 0H3, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Marcel Eens
- Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, BE-2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, BE-2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Kim J Fernie
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Wildlife and Landscape Science Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, L7S 1A1, Burlington, Ontario, Canada.
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Koim-Puchowska B, Drozdz-Afelt JM, Lamparski R, Menka A, Kaminski P. Antioxidant defence barrier of great tit Parus major nestlings in response to trace elements. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2020; 27:20321-20334. [PMID: 32239412 PMCID: PMC7244610 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-08495-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
Metals can have direct and indirect effects on the generation of reactive oxygen species in wild birds. The aim of this work has been to examine the effect of exposure to trace metals (copper Cu, iron Fe, cobalt Co, manganese Mn) on oxidative stress biomarkers such as lipoperoxidation TBARS and level of superoxide dismutase SOD, catalase CAT, and reduced glutathione GSH in the livers and kidneys of great tit Parus major nestlings (n = 165, 63 broods) living in polluted environments associated with soda plants and agricultural activities (Kujawy region) and from a reference site (Tuchola Forest), both in the north of Poland. As we predicted, the level of TBARS in both organs of chicks from polluted areas was higher than in those from reference site. This could be connected with Fe concentrations, particularly in areas adjacent to soda plants (livers Rs = 0.49, p < 0.002; kidneys Rs = 0.69, p < 0.001). We also showed differences in the level of antioxidants depending on the environment. CAT activity was higher in nestlings from Kujawy than in those from Tuchola. Meanwhile SOD activity (both organs) and GSH levels (kidneys) were lower in the polluted area compared to the reference site. Concentrations of Cu, Fe, Co, and Mn may play a role in regulating the antioxidant system components' activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beata Koim-Puchowska
- Department of Biotechnology, Kazimierz Wielki University, K.J. Poniatowski St12, 85-671, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Joanna M. Drozdz-Afelt
- Department of Biotechnology, Kazimierz Wielki University, K.J. Poniatowski St12, 85-671, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Robert Lamparski
- Department of Biology and Plant Protection, UTP University of Science and Technology, Prof. S. Kaliski St. 7, 85-796 Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Menka
- Department of Biotechnology, Kazimierz Wielki University, K.J. Poniatowski St12, 85-671, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Piotr Kaminski
- Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Nicolaus Copernicus University, M. Skłodowska-Curie St. 9, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Institute of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Department of Biotechnology, University of Zielona Góra, Prof. Szafran St. 1, 65-516 Zielona Góra, Poland
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Zabala J, Rodriguez-Jorquera IA, Orzechowski SC, Frederick P. Non-lethal sampling of avian indicators reveals reliable geographic signals of mercury despite highly dynamic patterns of exposure in a large wetland. Environ Pollut 2019; 247:577-585. [PMID: 30708320 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.01.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Mercury is a global contaminant with special relevance for aquatic food webs, where biomagnification can result in strong effects on apex predators. Non-lethal sampling of tissues such as blood and feathers is often used to assess mercury risk and spatiotemporal variability of mercury exposure on avian populations. However, the assumption that samples from individuals within a population are representative of local mercury exposure underpins those approaches. While this assumption may be justified, it is rarely expressed quantitatively. Further, the stability of the tissue/exposure relationship over time or space may depend on the sampling medium used, since some tissues and age classes may be better at reflecting local or short-term changes in exposure. Here, we present analyses of mercury concentrations from three tissues (albumen, blood and feathers) of the same individual great egret (Ardea alba) nestlings from breeding colonies in the Florida Everglades collected over three consecutive years. The interaction of year and colony location explained at least 50% of the observed variation in mercury concentration in all the sampled tissues. Annual colony-wide average Hg concentrations in any of the sampled tissues correlated with average Hg concentrations in the other two tissues from the same colony (R2 > 0.53 in every case), while concentrations in albumen, blood and feathers from the same individual correlated poorly (R2 < 0.23 in every case). We suggest that despite high variation between and within individuals of the same colony, annual colony-averaged mercury concentrations in albumen, nestling blood or feathers can be representative indicators of annual geographic differences in mercury exposure. These results support the use of non-lethal sampling of nestling tissues to reflect local mercury exposure over large spatial scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jabi Zabala
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Ignacio A Rodriguez-Jorquera
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA; Centro de Humedales Río Cruces (CEHUM), Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Sophia C Orzechowski
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Peter Frederick
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
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Monclús L, Lopez-Bejar M, De la Puente J, Covaci A, Jaspers VLB. First evaluation of the use of down feathers for monitoring persistent organic pollutants and organophosphate ester flame retardants: A pilot study using nestlings of the endangered cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus). Environ Pollut 2018; 238:413-420. [PMID: 29587212 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.03.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Revised: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Raptor feathers have been increasingly used to assess pollutants in ecotoxicological monitoring studies. However, the suitability of down feathers to detect pollutants has not yet been investigated. In this study, concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and organophosphate ester flame retardants (OPEs) were assessed in down and juvenile contour feathers of Spanish cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus) nestlings (circa 73 days old) and contaminant concentrations were compared between both types of feathers from the same individuals. Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs: 1.30-6.16 ng g-1 dw feather), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs: 0.23-1.35 ng g-1 dw feather), p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (pp-DDE: 0.09-6.10 ng g-1 dw feather) and tris (1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCiPP: 0.86-48.96 ng g-1 dw feather) were significantly higher in down than in contour feathers. In contrast, contour feathers showed higher levels of the more volatile POP, lindane (0.25-3.12 ng g-1 dw feather). Concentrations of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and OPEs (except TCiPP) were similar between the two types of feathers. By showing high accumulation of the most persistent POPs investigated, down feathers presented a contamination profile similar to that previously described in raptor eggs. As these feathers grow during the first days of a vulture chicks life, they probably reflect the contaminant burden of the chick due to maternal transfer to the egg. Overall, the present study provides the first indication that down feathers may be useful for biomonitoring studies. Further research is needed to confirm whether nestling down feathers reflect the concentrations in the egg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Monclús
- Department of Animal Health and Anatomy, Veterinary Faculty, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - Manel Lopez-Bejar
- Department of Animal Health and Anatomy, Veterinary Faculty, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - Javier De la Puente
- SEO/BirdLife, Bird Monitoring Unit, Melquiades Biencinto 34, 28053, Madrid, Spain; Parque Nacional de la Sierra de Guadarrama, Centro de Investigación, Seguimiento y Evaluación, Cta. M-604, Km. 28, 28740, Rascafría, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Center, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - Veerle L B Jaspers
- Envitox Group, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491, Trondheim, Norway.
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Hipfner JM, Studholme KR, Galbraith M. Low incidence of plastics in food loads delivered to nestlings by a zooplanktivorous seabird over a 21-year period. Mar Pollut Bull 2017; 121:320-322. [PMID: 28625618 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.06.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Revised: 06/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/08/2017] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
We quantified the amount of plastic found in food loads delivered to nestlings in Cassin's Auklet (Ptychoramphus aleuticus), a small, zooplanktivorous seabird, on Triangle Island, British Columbia, in 1996-2016. The density of plastic in surrounding waters is moderately high, yet few food loads contained any plastic (3 of 850), and none more than two pieces. That result accords well with previous observations on the other four North Pacific auklets (Aethia spp.), leading us to conclude that true auklets rarely transfer plastic to nestlings. However, many hatch-year Cassin's Auklets found dead in coastal British Columbia, Washington and Oregon during the mass mortality event of fall and winter 2014-15 had plastic in their ventriculi. We suggest that these plastic particles would have been obtained at sea after fledging, perhaps while the birds transited south through a region of high plastic density off the west coast of Vancouver Island, Washington and Oregon.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Hipfner
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, RR#1 5421 Robertson Road, Delta, BC V4K 3N2, Canada.
| | - K R Studholme
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - M Galbraith
- Institute of Ocean Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 9860 West Saanich Road, Sidney, BC V8L 4B2, Canada
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Most birds exhibit bi-parental care with both sexes providing food for their young. Nestling signal food needs through begging. However, for some species, males rarely visit the nest, so have limited opportunity for gaining information directly from the chicks. Instead, females beg when males deliver food. We tested whether this calling signalled nutritional need and specifically the needs of the female (Breeder Need hypothesis) or that of their chicks (Offspring Need hypothesis). RESULTS We observed begging and provisioning rates at 42 nests of hen harrier (Circus cyaneus) in Scotland, explored the factors associated with variation in begging rate and the relationship between begging and provisioning. We also tested the impact of food on begging and provisioning through a feeding experiment. Female begging rate increased up to a chick age of 3 weeks and then tailed off. In addition, begging increased when broods were large. CONCLUSIONS Our data provided support for the Offspring Need hypothesis. At nests where adlib food was provided females reduced their begging rate. These patterns suggested that female begging was an honest signal of need. However, begging continued even with adlib food and was only weakly associated with greater provisioning by males, suggesting that these calls may also play an additional role, possibly reflecting sexual or parent-offspring conflict.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve Redpath
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Science, Aberdeen University, Zoology Building, Tillydrone Av, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK. .,FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa. .,Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Science, Grimso Wildlife Research Station, -730 91, Riddarhyttan, SE, Sweden.
| | - Alex Thompson
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
| | - Arjun Amar
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
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Grzędzicka E. Immune challenge of female great tits at nests affects provisioning and body conditions of their offspring. Acta Ethol 2017; 20:223-233. [PMID: 28955122 PMCID: PMC5591367 DOI: 10.1007/s10211-017-0265-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2016] [Revised: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The trade-off between animal’s parental reproductive effort and survival is still poorly understood. Parental allocation between the workload during breeding attempts and the parents’ own body conditions can be assessed through the offspring quality. Here, I questioned whether the immune responsiveness of female great tits may be considered as a mediator of this trade-off. Specifically, I tested whether (1) the parental reproductive effort decreases, (2) the food composition provided to chicks changes, and (3) whether the nestling immunocompetence and body mass decrease after experimental immunisation. Two populations of great tit Parus major occupying nest boxes were studied in Niepołomice Forest and Krzyszkowice Forest (Southern Poland) in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Three days after hatching, half of the females were challenged with sheep red blood cells (SRBC), while other females were injected with phosphate-buffered saline PBS (control). Six days later, food provided by the parents was collected from nestlings. After another 2 days, the offspring’s body mass was measured and wing web swelling in response to an additional phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) injection. In both years, immunocompetence and in 2012 also body mass in the offspring of SRBC-immunised mothers were lower than in control nestlings, indicating a cost of mounting the immune response in the female. Six days after the start of the female treatment, the number of caterpillars and the volume of food items provided by parents to chicks were higher, whereas the number of spiders was lower in nests with SRBC treatment than in control ones. This might be explained by compensational parental feeding after recovery from the inflammation of a female. Thus, the trade-off between parental effort and survival of parents is mediated by the costs incurred for their immunity and can be assessed by the amount and quality of food provided to the nestlings and the offspring condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Grzędzicka
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa Street 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland.,Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Mickiewicza 33, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
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Vermeulen A, Müller W, Matson KD, Tieleman BI, Bervoets L, Eens M. Sources of variation in innate immunity in great tit nestlings living along a metal pollution gradient: an individual-based approach. Sci Total Environ 2015; 508:297-306. [PMID: 25489975 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.11.095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2014] [Revised: 11/28/2014] [Accepted: 11/28/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Excessive deposition of metals in the environment is a well-known example of pollution worldwide. Chronic exposure of organisms to metals can have a detrimental effect on reproduction, behavior, health and survival, due to the negative effects on components of the immune system. However, little is known about the effects of chronic sublethal metal exposure on immunity, especially for wildlife. In our study, we examined the constitutive innate immunity of great tit (Parus major) nestlings (N=234) living in four populations along a metal pollution gradient. For each nestling, we determined the individual metal concentrations (lead, cadmium, arsenic) present in the red blood cells and measured four different innate immune parameters (agglutination, lysis, haptoglobin concentrations and nitric oxide concentrations) to investigate the relationship between metal exposure and immunological condition. While we found significant differences in endogenous metal concentrations among populations with the highest concentrations closest to the pollution source, we did not observe corresponding patterns in our immune measures. However, when evaluating relationships between metal concentrations and immune parameters at the individual level, we found negative effects of lead and, to a lesser extent, arsenic and cadmium on lysis. In addition, high arsenic concentrations appear to elicit inflammation, as reflected by elevated haptoglobin concentrations. Thus despite the lack of a geographic association between pollution and immunity, this type of association was present at the individual level at a very early life stage. The high variation in metal concentrations and immune measures observed within populations indicates a high level of heterogeneity along an existing pollution gradient. Interestingly, we also found substantial within nest variation, for which the sources remain unclear, and which highlights the need of an individual-based approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anke Vermeulen
- Department of Biology - Ethology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - Wendt Müller
- Department of Biology - Ethology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - Kevin D Matson
- Animal Ecology Group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands; The Resource Ecology Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708PB Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - B Irene Tieleman
- Animal Ecology Group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Lieven Bervoets
- Department of Biology - SPHERE, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium.
| | - Marcel Eens
- Department of Biology - Ethology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
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Davis JE, Guinan JA. Parental behavior correlates to baseline corticosterone of mates and offspring in nesting eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2014; 201:1-7. [PMID: 24681151 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2014.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2013] [Revised: 03/05/2014] [Accepted: 03/09/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Raising nestlings in a biparental species involves a complex and dynamic interaction of physiology and behavior among a group of organisms. Parents may be predicted to vary their behaviors based not only upon their own state, but also in relation to the states of both offspring and the other parent. In this study we explore the relationships between parental feeding behaviors and family member condition in eastern bluebirds, with a special emphasis on baseline corticosterone, a hormone associated with energy mediation and stress. We found that the overall number of feeding trips made by both male and female parents were positively correlated to the corticosterone levels of nestlings. Maternal, but not paternal, baseline corticosterone levels were positively correlated to nestling baseline corticosterone levels. Additionally, adult males' feeding behavior was positively correlated to adult females' baseline corticosterone levels. These findings suggest a complex interplay between parental behavior and physiological state not only within a given organism, but also across organisms operating within a family unit. In addition, these results provide evidence that paternal and maternal efforts are influenced by related but distinct pressures, and that male and female parenting may be governed differentially even in species with relatively equitable biparental care.
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Affiliation(s)
- J E Davis
- Radford University, Department of Biology, P O Box 6931, Radford, VA 24142, United States.
| | - J A Guinan
- Radford University, Department of Biology, P O Box 6931, Radford, VA 24142, United States.
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