51
|
Costanzo A, Parolini M, Bazzi G, Khoriauli L, Santagostino M, Possenti CD, Romano A, Nergadze SG, Rubolini D, Giulotto E, Saino N. Brood size, telomere length, and parent-offspring color signaling in barn swallows. Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
|
52
|
Cram DL, Blount JD, Young AJ. The oxidative costs of reproduction are group-size dependent in a wild cooperative breeder. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 282:rspb.2015.2031. [PMID: 26582023 PMCID: PMC4685817 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.2031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Life-history theory assumes that reproduction entails a cost, and research on cooperatively breeding societies suggests that the cooperative sharing of workloads can reduce this cost. However, the physiological mechanisms that underpin both the costs of reproduction and the benefits of cooperation remain poorly understood. It has been hypothesized that reproductive costs may arise in part from oxidative stress, as reproductive investment may elevate exposure to reactive oxygen species, compromising survival and future reproduction and accelerating senescence. However, experimental evidence of oxidative costs of reproduction in the wild remains scarce. Here, we use a clutch-removal experiment to investigate the oxidative costs of reproduction in a wild cooperatively breeding bird, the white-browed sparrow weaver, Plocepasser mahali. Our results reveal costs of reproduction that are dependent on group size: relative to individuals in groups whose eggs were experimentally removed, individuals in groups that raised offspring experienced an associated cost (elevated oxidative damage and reduced body mass), but only if they were in small groups containing fewer or no helpers. Furthermore, during nestling provisioning, individuals that provisioned at higher rates showed greater within-individual declines in body mass and antioxidant protection. Our results provide rare experimental evidence that reproduction can negatively impact both oxidative status and body mass in the wild, and suggest that these costs can be mitigated in cooperative societies by the presence of additional helpers. These findings have implications for our understanding of the energetic and oxidative costs of reproduction, and the benefits of cooperation in animal societies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominic L Cram
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Jonathan D Blount
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Andrew J Young
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
| |
Collapse
|
53
|
Récapet C, Zahariev A, Blanc S, Arrivé M, Criscuolo F, Bize P, Doligez B. Differences in the oxidative balance of dispersing and non-dispersing individuals: an experimental approach in a passerine bird. BMC Evol Biol 2016; 16:125. [PMID: 27296460 PMCID: PMC4907255 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-016-0697-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2015] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dispersal is often associated with a suite of phenotypic traits that might reduce dispersal costs, but can be energetically costly themselves outside dispersal. Hence, dispersing and philopatric individuals might differ throughout their life cycle in their management of energy production. Because higher energy expenditure can lead to the production of highly reactive oxidative molecules that are deleterious to the organism if left uncontrolled, dispersing and philopatric individuals might differ in their management of oxidative balance. Here, we experimentally increased flight costs during reproduction via a wing load manipulation in female collared flycatchers (Ficedula albicollis) breeding in a patchy population. We measured the effects of the manipulation on plasmatic markers of oxidative balance and reproductive success in dispersing and philopatric females. RESULTS The impact of the wing load manipulation on the oxidative balance differed according to dispersal status. The concentration of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), a marker of pro-oxidant status, was higher in philopatric than dispersing females in the manipulated group only. Differences between dispersing and philopatric individuals also depended on habitat quality, as measured by local breeding density. In low quality habitats, ROMs as well as nestling body mass were higher in philopatric females compared to dispersing ones. Independently of the manipulation or of habitat quality, plasma antioxidant capacity differed according to dispersal status: philopatric females showed higher antioxidant capacity than dispersing ones. Nestlings raised by philopatric females also had a higher fledging success. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that dispersing individuals maintain a stable oxidative balance when facing challenging environmental conditions, at the cost of lower reproductive success. Conversely, philopatric individuals increase their effort, and thus oxidative costs, in challenging conditions thereby maintaining their reproductive success. Our study sheds light on energetics and oxidative balance as possible processes underlying phenotypic differences between dispersing and philopatric individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Récapet
- Université de Lyon, F-69000, Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Villeurbanne, France. .,Département d'Ecologie et d'Evolution (DEE), Université de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Alexandre Zahariev
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), Départment d'Ecologie, Physiologie, Ethologie (DEPE), UMR 7178 CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Stéphane Blanc
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), Départment d'Ecologie, Physiologie, Ethologie (DEPE), UMR 7178 CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Mathilde Arrivé
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes, UPR 2357 CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - François Criscuolo
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), Départment d'Ecologie, Physiologie, Ethologie (DEPE), UMR 7178 CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Pierre Bize
- Département d'Ecologie et d'Evolution (DEE), Université de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,School of Biological Sciences, Zoology Building, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Blandine Doligez
- Université de Lyon, F-69000, Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Villeurbanne, France.,Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
54
|
Ouyang JQ, Lendvai ÁZ, Moore IT, Bonier F, Haussmann MF. Do Hormones, Telomere Lengths, and Oxidative Stress form an Integrated Phenotype? A Case Study in Free-Living Tree Swallows. Integr Comp Biol 2016; 56:138-45. [PMID: 27252220 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icw044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Synopsis All organisms must anticipate and balance energetic demands and available resources in order to maximize fitness. As hormones coordinate many interactions between an organism's internal condition and the external environment, they may be key in mediating the allocation of resources to meet these demands. However, given that individuals differ considerably in how they react to changes in energetic demand, we asked whether variations in endocrine traits also correspond with life history variation. We tested whether natural variation in glucocorticoid hormone levels, oxidative stress measurements, and condition related to reproductive effort in a free-living songbird, the tree swallow, Tachycineta bicolor We then tested whether any of these traits predicted the probability of a particular individual's return to the local population in the following two years, an indicator of survival in this philopatric species. We found that males and females with longer telomeres had lighter nestlings. Moreover, individuals with lower plasma antioxidant capacity and higher reactive oxygen metabolites (i.e., greater oxidative stress) were less likely to return to the population. However, none of these traits were related to glucocorticoid levels. Our findings suggest a trade-off between reproduction and survival, with individuals with shorter telomeres having heavier nestlings but potentially paying a cost in terms of higher oxidative stress and lower survival. Interestingly, the evidence of this trade-off was unrelated to natural variation in glucocorticoids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J Q Ouyang
- *Department of Biology, University of Nevada Reno, 1664 N Virginia St, Reno, NV 89557, USA Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 1405 Perry Street, Derring Hall, VA 24061, USA
| | - Á Z Lendvai
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 1405 Perry Street, Derring Hall, VA 24061, USA Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary
| | - I T Moore
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 1405 Perry Street, Derring Hall, VA 24061, USA
| | - F Bonier
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 1405 Perry Street, Derring Hall, VA 24061, USA Department of Biology, Queen's University, Biosciences Complex, Kingston, Ontario K7L3N6, Canada
| | - M F Haussmann
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, 209 B, Lewisburg, PA 570-577-1310, USA
| |
Collapse
|
55
|
Montoya B, Valverde M, Rojas E, Torres R. Oxidative stress during courtship affects male and female reproductive effort differentially in a wild bird with biparental care. J Exp Biol 2016; 219:3915-3926. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.141325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Oxidative stress has been suggested as one of the physiological mechanisms modulating reproductive effort, including investment in mate choice. Here, we evaluated whether oxidative stress influences breeding decisions by acting as a cost of or constraint on reproduction in the brown booby (Sula leucogaster), a long-lived seabird with prolonged biparental care. We found that during courtship, levels of lipid peroxidation (LP) of males and females were positively associated with gular skin color, a trait presumably used in mate choice, while levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were higher as laying approached and in early breeding pairs. Evidence of a constraining effect of oxidative stress for females was suggested by the fact that females with higher ROS during courtship laid smaller first eggs and had chicks with lower rates of body mass gain, and higher female LP was associated with lower offspring attendance time. No evidence of an oxidative cost of parental effort was found; from courtship to parental care male and female' ROS decreased, and changes in LP levels were non-significant. Finally, using a cross-fostering experiment we found that offspring ROS was unrelated to rearing and genetic parents' ROS. Interestingly, offspring LP was positively associated with the LP during courtship of both the rearing parents and the genetic father, suggesting that offspring LP might have both a genetic and an environmental component. Hence, in the brown booby oxidative stress may be a cost of investment in reproductive traits before egg laying and constrain females' investment in eggs and parental care.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bibiana Montoya
- Laboratorio de Conducta Animal, Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
| | - Mahara Valverde
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
| | - Emilio Rojas
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
| | - Roxana Torres
- Laboratorio de Conducta Animal, Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
| |
Collapse
|
56
|
Early-Life Telomere Dynamics Differ between the Sexes and Predict Growth in the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica). PLoS One 2015; 10:e0142530. [PMID: 26565632 PMCID: PMC4643985 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2015] [Accepted: 10/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are conserved DNA-protein structures at the termini of eukaryotic chromosomes which contribute to maintenance of genome integrity, and their shortening leads to cell senescence, with negative consequences for organismal functions. Because telomere erosion is influenced by extrinsic and endogenous factors, telomere dynamics may provide a mechanistic basis for evolutionary and physiological trade-offs. Yet, knowledge of fundamental aspects of telomere biology under natural selection regimes, including sex- and context-dependent variation in early-life, and the covariation between telomere dynamics and growth, is scant. In this study of barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) we investigated the sex-dependent telomere erosion during nestling period, and the covariation between relative telomere length and body and plumage growth. Finally, we tested whether any covariation between growth traits and relative telomere length depends on the social environment, as influenced by sibling sex ratio. Relative telomere length declined on average over the period of nestling maximal growth rate (between 7 and 16 days of age) and differently covaried with initial relative telomere length in either sex. The frequency distribution of changes in relative telomere length was bimodal, with most nestlings decreasing and some increasing relative telomere length, but none of the offspring traits predicted the a posteriori identified group to which individual nestlings belonged. Tail and wing length increased with relative telomere length, but more steeply in males than females, and this relationship held both at the within- and among-broods levels. Moreover, the increase in plumage phenotypic values was steeper when the sex ratio of an individual’s siblings was female-biased. Our study provides evidence for telomere shortening during early life according to subtly different dynamics in either sex. Furthermore, it shows that the positive covariation between growth and relative telomere length depends on sex as well as social environment, in terms of sibling sex ratio.
Collapse
|
57
|
Dantzer B, Fletcher QE. Telomeres shorten more slowly in slow-aging wild animals than in fast-aging ones. Exp Gerontol 2015; 71:38-47. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2015.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2015] [Revised: 08/21/2015] [Accepted: 08/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
|
58
|
Costantini D, Goutte A, Barbraud C, Faivre B, Sorci G, Weimerskirch H, Delord K, Chastel O. Demographic Responses to Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in the Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans). PLoS One 2015; 10:e0133967. [PMID: 26275171 PMCID: PMC4537254 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2015] [Accepted: 07/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the major challenges in ecological research is the elucidation of physiological mechanisms that underlie the demographic traits of wild animals. We have assessed whether a marker of plasma oxidative stress (TBARS) and plasma haptoglobin (protein of the acute inflammatory phase response) measured at time t predict five demographic parameters (survival rate, return rate to the breeding colony, breeding probability, hatching and fledging success) in sexually mature wandering albatrosses over the next four years (Diomedea exulans) using a five-year individual-based dataset. Non-breeder males, but not females, having higher TBARS at time t had reduced future breeding probabilities; haptoglobin was not related to breeding probability. Neither TBARS nor haptoglobin predicted future hatching or fledging success. Haptoglobin had a marginally positive effect on female survival rate, while TBARS had a marginally negative effect on return rate. Our findings do not support the role for oxidative stress as a constraint of future reproductive success in the albatross. However, our data point to a potential mechanism underlying some aspects of reproductive senescence and survival. Our results also highlight that the study of the consequences of oxidative stress should consider the life-cycle stage of an individual and its reproductive history.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Costantini
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
- IBAHCM, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Aurelie Goutte
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR7372- CNRS/Univ. La Rochelle, F-79360, France
- École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), UPMC Univ. Paris 06, UMR 7619-CNRS, 4 pl. Jussieu, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Christophe Barbraud
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR7372- CNRS/Univ. La Rochelle, F-79360, France
| | - Bruno Faivre
- Université de Bourgogne, UMR–CNRS 6282 Biogéosciences, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, 21000, Dijon, France
| | - Gabriele Sorci
- Université de Bourgogne, UMR–CNRS 6282 Biogéosciences, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, 21000, Dijon, France
| | - Henri Weimerskirch
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR7372- CNRS/Univ. La Rochelle, F-79360, France
| | - Karine Delord
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR7372- CNRS/Univ. La Rochelle, F-79360, France
| | - Olivier Chastel
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR7372- CNRS/Univ. La Rochelle, F-79360, France
| |
Collapse
|
59
|
Costantini D, Dell'Omo G. Oxidative stress predicts long-term resight probability and reproductive success in Scopoli's shearwater (Calonectris diomedea). CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 3:cov024. [PMID: 27293709 PMCID: PMC4778470 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cov024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2015] [Revised: 04/24/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
A major challenge in conservation physiology is to find out biomarkers that reliably reflect individual variation in wear and tear. Recent work has suggested that biomarkers of oxidative stress may provide an additional tool to assess the health state of individuals and to predict fitness perspectives. In this study, we assessed whether three biomarkers of plasma oxidative status predicted the following factors: (i) the resight probability as breeder in the next seasons; and (ii) the cumulative reproductive output over multiple years in Scopoli's shearwaters (Calonectris diomedea) using a 7 year individual-based data set. Our results show that shearwaters having higher levels of a marker of oxidative damage (reactive oxygen metabolites) in 2008 had a lower resight probability in the next years and a lower number of chicks raised from 2008 to 2014. In contrast, two biomarkers of antioxidant defences (non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity of plasma and thiols) did not have any predictive value. Increased concentrations of plasma reactive oxygen metabolites, together with the significant individual repeatability over time in this metric of oxidative stress found in numerous studies, suggest that this metric might serve as a blood-derived biomarker for health and fitness perspectives in birds and, possibly, also in other taxa.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Costantini
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerpen (Wilrijk), Belgium; Institute for Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
60
|
Blount JD, Vitikainen EIK, Stott I, Cant MA. Oxidative shielding and the cost of reproduction. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2015; 91:483-97. [PMID: 25765468 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2014] [Revised: 01/30/2015] [Accepted: 02/12/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Life-history theory assumes that reproduction and lifespan are constrained by trade-offs which prevent their simultaneous increase. Recently, there has been considerable interest in the possibility that this cost of reproduction is mediated by oxidative stress. However, empirical tests of this theory have yielded equivocal support. We carried out a meta-analysis to examine associations between reproduction and oxidative damage across markers and tissues. We show that oxidative damage is positively associated with reproductive effort across females of various species. Yet paradoxically, categorical comparisons of breeders versus non-breeders reveal that transition to the reproductive state is associated with a step-change reduction in oxidative damage in certain tissues and markers. Developing offspring may be particularly sensitive to harm caused by oxidative damage in mothers. Therefore, such reductions could potentially function to shield reproducing mothers, gametes and developing offspring from oxidative insults that inevitably increase as a consequence of reproductive effort. According to this perspective, we hypothesise that the cost of reproduction is mediated by dual impacts of maternally-derived oxidative damage on mothers and offspring, and that mothers may be selected to diminish such damage. Such oxidative shielding may explain why many existing studies have concluded that reproduction has little or no oxidative cost. Future advance in life-history theory therefore needs to take account of potential transgenerational impacts of the mechanisms underlying life-history trade-offs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D Blount
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, U.K
| | - Emma I K Vitikainen
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, U.K
| | - Iain Stott
- Environment & Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, U.K
| | - Michael A Cant
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, U.K
| |
Collapse
|
61
|
Wegmann M, Voegeli B, Richner H. Oxidative status and reproductive effort of great tits in a handicapping experiment. Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
|
62
|
Relationships between isotopic values and oxidative status: insights from populations of gentoo penguins. Oecologia 2015; 177:1211-20. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-015-3267-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2014] [Accepted: 02/06/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
|
63
|
Watson H, Bolton M, Monaghan P. Variation in early-life telomere dynamics in a long-lived bird: links to environmental conditions and survival. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 218:668-74. [PMID: 25617465 PMCID: PMC4376192 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.104265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Conditions experienced during early life can have profound consequences for both short- and long-term fitness. Variation in the natal environment has been shown to influence survival and reproductive performance of entire cohorts in wild vertebrate populations. Telomere dynamics potentially provide a link between the early environment and long-term fitness outcomes, yet we know little about how the environment can influence telomere dynamics in early life. We found that environmental conditions during growth have an important influence on early-life telomere length (TL) and attrition in nestlings of a long-lived bird, the European storm petrel Hydrobates pelagicus. Nestlings reared under unfavourable environmental conditions experienced significantly greater telomere loss during postnatal development compared with nestlings reared under more favourable natal conditions, which displayed a negligible change in TL. There was, however, no significant difference in pre-fledging TL between cohorts. The results suggest that early-life telomere dynamics could contribute to the marked differences in life-history traits that can arise among cohorts reared under different environmental conditions. Early-life TL was also found to be a significant predictor of survival during the nestling phase, providing further evidence for a link between variation in TL and individual fitness. To what extent the relationship between early-life TL and mortality during the nestling phase is a consequence of genetic, parental and environmental factors is currently unknown, but it is an interesting area for future research. Accelerated telomere attrition under unfavourable conditions, as observed in this study, might play a role in mediating the effects of the early-life environment on later-life performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Watson
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Mark Bolton
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, UK Headquarters, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL, UK
| | - Pat Monaghan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
64
|
Sudyka J, Arct A, Drobniak S, Dubiec A, Gustafsson L, Cichoń M. Experimentally increased reproductive effort alters telomere length in the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus
). J Evol Biol 2014; 27:2258-64. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2014] [Revised: 08/11/2014] [Accepted: 08/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- J. Sudyka
- Institute of Environmental Sciences; Jagiellonian University; Kraków Poland
| | - A. Arct
- Institute of Environmental Sciences; Jagiellonian University; Kraków Poland
| | - S. Drobniak
- Institute of Environmental Sciences; Jagiellonian University; Kraków Poland
| | - A. Dubiec
- Museum and Institute of Zoology; Polish Academy of Sciences; Warszawa Poland
| | - L. Gustafsson
- Department of Animal Ecology/Ecology and Genetics; Uppsala University; Uppsala Sweden
| | - M. Cichoń
- Institute of Environmental Sciences; Jagiellonian University; Kraków Poland
| |
Collapse
|
65
|
Cram DL, Blount JD, Young AJ. Oxidative status and social dominance in a wild cooperative breeder. Funct Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dominic L. Cram
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation College of Life & Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Penryn Campus Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
- Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge CB2 3EJ UK
| | - Jonathan D. Blount
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation College of Life & Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Penryn Campus Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| | - Andrew J. Young
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation College of Life & Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Penryn Campus Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| |
Collapse
|
66
|
Elliott KH, Hare JF, Le Vaillant M, Gaston AJ, Ropert‐Coudert Y, Anderson WG. Ageing gracefully: physiology but not behaviour declines with age in a diving seabird. Funct Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kyle H. Elliott
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Manitoba Winnipeg Manitoba R3T 2N2 Canada
| | - James F. Hare
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Manitoba Winnipeg Manitoba R3T 2N2 Canada
| | - Maryline Le Vaillant
- IPHC Université de Strasbourg 23 rue Becquerel 67087 Strasbourg France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifiques UMR7178 67037 Strasbourg France
| | - Anthony J. Gaston
- National Wildlife Research Centre Environment Canada Carleton University Ottawa OntarioK1A 0H3 Canada
| | - Yan Ropert‐Coudert
- IPHC Université de Strasbourg 23 rue Becquerel 67087 Strasbourg France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifiques UMR7178 67037 Strasbourg France
| | - W. Gary Anderson
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Manitoba Winnipeg Manitoba R3T 2N2 Canada
| |
Collapse
|
67
|
Costantini D, Bonisoli-Alquati A, Rubolini D, Caprioli M, Ambrosini R, Romano M, Saino N. Nestling rearing is antioxidant demanding in female barn swallows (Hirundo rustica). Naturwissenschaften 2014; 101:541-8. [DOI: 10.1007/s00114-014-1190-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2014] [Revised: 04/24/2014] [Accepted: 05/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
|
68
|
Reichert S, Stier A, Zahn S, Arrivé M, Bize P, Massemin S, Criscuolo F. Increased brood size leads to persistent eroded telomeres. Front Ecol Evol 2014. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2014.00009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
|
69
|
Stier A, Viblanc VA, Massemin‐Challet S, Handrich Y, Zahn S, Rojas ER, Saraux C, Le Vaillant M, Prud'homme O, Grosbellet E, Robin J, Bize P, Criscuolo F. Starting with a handicap: phenotypic differences between early‐ and late‐born king penguin chicks and their survival correlates. Funct Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Stier
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie CNRS‐UDS UMR 7178 23 rue Becquerel 67087 Strasbourg Cedex 2 France
| | - Vincent A. Viblanc
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive CNRS‐UM2 UMR 5175 1919 route de Mende 34293 Montpellier cedex 5 France
| | - Sylvie Massemin‐Challet
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie CNRS‐UDS UMR 7178 23 rue Becquerel 67087 Strasbourg Cedex 2 France
| | - Yves Handrich
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie CNRS‐UDS UMR 7178 23 rue Becquerel 67087 Strasbourg Cedex 2 France
| | - Sandrine Zahn
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie CNRS‐UDS UMR 7178 23 rue Becquerel 67087 Strasbourg Cedex 2 France
| | - Emilio R. Rojas
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie CNRS‐UDS UMR 7178 23 rue Becquerel 67087 Strasbourg Cedex 2 France
| | - Claire Saraux
- Laboratoire des Ressources Halieutiques IFREMER Av. Jean Monnet BP 171 34203 Sète Cedex France
| | - Maryline Le Vaillant
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie CNRS‐UDS UMR 7178 23 rue Becquerel 67087 Strasbourg Cedex 2 France
| | - Onésime Prud'homme
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie CNRS‐UDS UMR 7178 23 rue Becquerel 67087 Strasbourg Cedex 2 France
| | - Edith Grosbellet
- Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives CNRS UPR 3212 5 rue Blaise Pascal 67084 Strasbourg France
| | - Jean‐Patrice Robin
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie CNRS‐UDS UMR 7178 23 rue Becquerel 67087 Strasbourg Cedex 2 France
| | - Pierre Bize
- Department of Ecology and Evolution Biophore University of Lausanne CH‐1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Francois Criscuolo
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie CNRS‐UDS UMR 7178 23 rue Becquerel 67087 Strasbourg Cedex 2 France
| |
Collapse
|
70
|
Beaulieu M, Costantini D. Biomarkers of oxidative status: missing tools in conservation physiology. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2014; 2:cou014. [PMID: 27293635 PMCID: PMC4806730 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cou014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2014] [Revised: 03/19/2014] [Accepted: 03/27/2014] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Recent ecological studies have shown that oxidative status could have a significant impact on fitness components in wild animals. Not only can oxidative status reflect the environmental conditions that animals experience, but it can also predict their chances of reproduction and survival in the future in their natural habitat. Such important characteristics make markers of oxidative status informative tools to evaluate a priori individual perspectives of reproduction and survival as well as to assess a posteriori the effect of human activities on the fitness of species of conservation concern and wildlife in general. Markers of oxidative status may therefore help conservation practitioners to identify conservation threats to animal populations and to maximize the success of wildlife management. Despite these potential benefits for animal conservation programmes, up to now markers of oxidative status have only been reported anecdotally in conservation studies. The aim of this review is therefore to raise awareness by conservation practitioners of the use of markers of oxidative status. Towards this end, we first describe how environmental disruptions due to human activities can translate into variation in oxidative status. Second, we show how individual and population variation in oxidative status may contribute to the success or the failure of reintroduction or translocation programmes. Finally, we emphasize the technical features specific to the measurement of markers of oxidative status in conservation programmes, which may help investigators with the interpretation of their results. Such prior knowledge about markers of oxidative status may encourage conservation physiologists to use them in order to enhance the success of conservation programmes and wildlife management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michaël Beaulieu
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Johann-Sebastian Bach Straße 11/12, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
- Corresponding authors: Tel: +49 3834 86 4268. ,
| | - David Costantini
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken, DC 135, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
- Institute for Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
- Corresponding authors: Tel: +49 3834 86 4268. ,
| |
Collapse
|
71
|
Reichert S, Criscuolo F, Zahn S, Arrivé M, Bize P, Massemin S. Immediate and delayed effects of growth conditions on ageing parameters in nestling zebra finches. J Exp Biol 2014; 218:491-9. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.109942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Conditions experienced during development and growth are of crucial importance as they can have significant influence on the optimisation of life histories. Indeed, the ability of an organism to grow fast and achieve a large body size often confers short and long term fitness benefits. However, there is good evidence that organisms do not grow at their maximal rates as growth rates seem to have potential costs on subsequent lifespan. Several proximate causes of such a reduced lifespan might be involved. Among them, one emerging hypothesis is that growth impacts adult survival and/or longevity through a shared, endpoint, ageing mechanism: telomere erosion. In this study, we manipulated brood size in order to investigate if rapid growth (chicks in reduced broods) is effectively done at the cost of a short (end of growth) and long term (at adulthood) increase of oxidative damage and telomere loss. Contrary to what we expected, chicks from the enlarged broods displayed more oxidative damage and had shorter telomeres at the end of the growth period and at adulthood. Our study extends the understanding of the proximate mechanisms involved in the trade-off between growth and ageing. It highlights that adverse environmental conditions during growth can come at a cost via transient increased oxidative stress and pervasive eroded telomeres. Indeed, it suggests that telomeres are not only controlled by intrinsic growth rates per se but may also be under the control of some extrinsic environmental factors that may get our understanding of the growth ageing interaction more complicated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sandrine Zahn
- DEPE-IPHC, Université de Strasbourg; CNRS UMR 7178, France
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
72
|
Costantini D, Casasole G, Eens M. Does reproduction protect against oxidative stress? J Exp Biol 2014; 217:4237-43. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.114116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
A central principle of life-history theory is that parents trade investment into reproduction against that in body maintenance. One physiological cost thought to be important as a modulator of such trade-off is oxidative stress. Experimental support for this hypothesis has, however, proved to be contradictory. In this study, we manipulated the nestling rearing effort of captive canaries (Serinus canaria) soon after the hatching of their nestlings using a brood-size manipulation to test whether an increase in nestling rearing effort translates into an increase in oxidative damage, an increase in ceruloplasmin (which is upregulated in response to oxidative damage) and a decrease in thiol antioxidants. We also compared the blood oxidative stress level of reproducing birds to that of non-reproducing birds, a crucial aspect that most studies have invariably failed to include in tests of the oxidative cost of reproduction. As compared to non-breeding canaries and pre-manipulation values, plasma oxidative damage (reactive oxygen metabolites and protein carbonyls) decreased in breeding canaries irrespective of sex and brood size. In contrast, oxidative damage did not change in non-breeding birds over the experiment. Ceruloplasmin activity in plasma and both non-protein and protein thiols in red blood cells did not change throughout the experiment in both treatment groups. Our results suggest that reproduction may result in decreased rather than increased blood oxidative stress. Our results may explain some of the inconsistencies that have been so far reported in experimental tests of the oxidative cost of reproduction hypothesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Costantini
- University of Antwerp, Belgium; University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
73
|
Speakman JR, Garratt M. Oxidative stress as a cost of reproduction: Beyond the simplistic trade-off model. Bioessays 2013; 36:93-106. [DOI: 10.1002/bies.201300108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John R. Speakman
- Key State Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing China
- Institute of Biological and Environmental sciences; University of Aberdeen; Aberdeen Scotland UK
| | - Michael Garratt
- Evolution and Ecology Research Group and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences; The University of New South Wales; Sydney NSW Australia
| |
Collapse
|
74
|
Guindre-Parker S, Baldo S, Gilchrist HG, Macdonald CA, Harris CM, Love OP. The oxidative costs of territory quality and offspring provisioning. J Evol Biol 2013; 26:2558-65. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2013] [Revised: 08/28/2013] [Accepted: 08/28/2013] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- S. Guindre-Parker
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Windsor; Windsor ON Canada
| | - S. Baldo
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Windsor; Windsor ON Canada
| | - H. G. Gilchrist
- Environment Canada; National Wildlife Research Centre; Carleton University; Ottawa ON Canada
| | - C. A. Macdonald
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Windsor; Windsor ON Canada
- Environment Canada; National Wildlife Research Centre; Carleton University; Ottawa ON Canada
| | - C. M. Harris
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Windsor; Windsor ON Canada
| | - O. P. Love
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Windsor; Windsor ON Canada
| |
Collapse
|
75
|
Simons MJP, Stulp G, Nakagawa S. A statistical approach to distinguish telomere elongation from error in longitudinal datasets. Biogerontology 2013; 15:99-103. [PMID: 24091643 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-013-9471-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2013] [Accepted: 09/20/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Telomere length and the rate of telomere attrition vary between individuals and have been interpreted as the rate at which individuals have aged. The biology of telomeres dictates shortening with age, although telomere elongation with age has repeatedly been observed within a minority of individuals in several populations. These findings have been attributed to error, rather than actual telomere elongation, restricting our understanding of its possible biological significance. Here we present a method to distinguish between error and telomere elongation in longitudinal datasets, which is easy to apply and has few assumptions. Using simulations, we show that the method has considerable statistical power (>80 %) to detect even a small proportion (6.7 %) of TL increases in the population, within a relatively small sample (N = 200), while maintaining the standard level of Type I error rate (α ≤ 0.05).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mirre J P Simons
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK,
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
76
|
Elliott KH, Le Vaillant M, Kato A, Gaston AJ, Ropert-Coudert Y, Hare JF, Speakman JR, Croll D. Age-related variation in energy expenditure in a long-lived bird within the envelope of an energy ceiling. J Anim Ecol 2013; 83:136-46. [PMID: 23991724 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2012] [Accepted: 07/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Energy expenditure in wild animals can be limited (i) intrinsically by physiological processes that constrain an animal's capacity to use energy, (ii) extrinsically by energy availability in the environment and/or (iii) strategically based on trade-offs between elevated metabolism and survival. Although these factors apply to all individuals within a population, some individuals expend more or less energy than other individuals. To examine the role of an energy ceiling in a species with a high and individually repeatable metabolic rate, we compared energy expenditure of thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia) with and without handicaps during a period of peak energy demand (chick-rearing, N = 16). We also compared energy expenditure of unencumbered birds (N = 260) across 8 years exhibiting contrasting environmental conditions and correlated energy expenditure with fitness (reproductive success and survival). Murres experienced an energy ceiling mediated through behavioural adjustments. Handicapped birds decreased time spent flying/diving and chick-provisioning rates such that overall daily energy expenditure remained unchanged across the two treatments. The energy ceiling did not reflect energy availability or trade-offs with fitness, as energy expenditure was similar across contrasting foraging conditions and was not associated with reduced survival or increased reproductive success. We found partial support for the trade-off hypothesis as older murres, where prospects for future reproduction would be relatively limited, did overcome an energy ceiling to invest more in offspring following handicapping by reducing their own energy reserves. The ceiling therefore appeared to operate at the level of intake (i.e. digestion) rather than expenditure (i.e. thermal constraint, oxidative stress). A meta-analysis comparing responses of breeding animals to handicapping suggests that our results are typical: animals either reduced investment in themselves or in their offspring to remain below an energy ceiling. Across species, whether a handicapped individual invested in its own energy stores or its offspring's growth was not explained by life history (future vs. current reproductive potential). Many breeding animals apparently experience an intrinsic energy ceiling, and increased energy costs lead to a decline in self-maintenance and/or offspring provisioning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kyle H Elliott
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
77
|
Mizutani Y, Tomita N, Niizuma Y, Yoda K. Environmental perturbations influence telomere dynamics in long-lived birds in their natural habitat. Biol Lett 2013; 9:20130511. [PMID: 23945210 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2013.0511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are regarded as markers of biological or cellular ageing because they shorten with the degree of stress exposure. Accordingly, telomere lengths should show different rates of change when animals are faced with different intensities of environmental challenges. However, a relationship between telomere length and the environment has not yet been tested within a natural setting. Here, we report longitudinal telomere dynamics in free-living, black-tailed gulls (Larus crassirostris) through the recapture of birds of a known age over 2-5 consecutive years. The rate of change in telomere lengths differed with respect to year but not sex or age. The years when gulls showed stable telomere lengths or increases in telomere lengths (from 2009 to 2010) and decreases in telomere lengths (from 2010 to 2011) were characterized by El Niño and the Great Japan Earthquake, respectively. Both events are suspected to have had long-lasting effects on food availability and/or weather conditions. Thus, our findings that telomere dynamics in long-lived birds are influenced by dramatic changes in environmental conditions highlight the importance of environmental fluctuations in affecting stress and lifespan.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuichi Mizutani
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Japan.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
78
|
|
79
|
Stahlschmidt ZR, Lourdais O, Lorioux S, Butler MW, Davis JR, Salin K, Voituron Y, DeNardo DF. Morphological and Physiological Changes during Reproduction and Their Relationships to Reproductive Performance in a Capital Breeder. Physiol Biochem Zool 2013; 86:398-409. [DOI: 10.1086/670918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
|
80
|
Metcalfe NB, Monaghan P. Does reproduction cause oxidative stress? An open question. Trends Ecol Evol 2013; 28:347-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2013.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2012] [Revised: 01/22/2013] [Accepted: 01/23/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
|
81
|
Cohen A, Bowman R, Boughton R, Bridge E, Heiss R, Schoech S, McGraw K. Circulating carotenoid levels are negatively associated with previous reproductive success in Florida Scrub-Jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens). CAN J ZOOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2012-0243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The relationship between individual fitness and antioxidants and oxidative stress has come under increasing scrutiny of late. In particular, associations between oxidative balance indicators and reproductive success in the wild have been inconsistent in the limited prior work on this topic. Studies spanning multiple seasons and antioxidant types are particularly lacking. Here, we examined associations between reproductive success over two breeding seasons and several metrics of circulating antioxidants (antioxidant capacity, uric acid, carotenoids, and vitamin E, measured in the intervening nonbreeding season) in Florida Scrub-Jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens (Bosc, 1795)). We found that carotenoid levels in the nonbreeding season were negatively associated with reproductive success in the preceding breeding season but unassociated with that in the subsequent breeding season. This correlation may be driven by the cost of reproduction (i.e., carotenoid depletion while breeding) or some other unmeasured and intercorrelated variable such as diet. Antioxidant capacity, uric acid, and vitamin E were not associated with reproductive success. These data are consistent with an emerging theme in physiological ecology: that antioxidants and oxidative stress are but one part of a suite of integrative physiological systems that interact and trade-off in complex ways, making full understanding of their ecological roles challenging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A.A. Cohen
- Groupe de Recherche PRIMUS, Université de Sherbrooke, 3001, 12, avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - R. Bowman
- Avian Ecology Lab, Archbold Biological Station, 123 Main Drive, Venus, FL 33960, USA
| | - R.K. Boughton
- Avian Ecology Lab, Archbold Biological Station, 123 Main Drive, Venus, FL 33960, USA, and Department of Biology, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
| | - E. Bridge
- Department of Biology, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA, and Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - R.S. Heiss
- Department of Biology, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
| | - S.J. Schoech
- Department of Biology, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
| | - K.J. McGraw
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| |
Collapse
|
82
|
Angelier F, Vleck CM, Holberton RL, Marra PP. Telomere length, non‐breeding habitat and return rate in maleAmerican redstarts. Funct Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Angelier
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute Migratory Bird Center National Zoological Park 3001 Connecticut Avenue Washington District of Columbia 20008 USA
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé CNRS Villiers en Bois F‐79360 France
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Iowa State University Ames Iowa 50011 USA
| | - Carol M. Vleck
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Iowa State University Ames Iowa 50011 USA
| | - Rebecca L. Holberton
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Maine 221 Murray Hall Orono Maine 04469 USA
| | - Peter P. Marra
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute Migratory Bird Center National Zoological Park 3001 Connecticut Avenue Washington District of Columbia 20008 USA
| |
Collapse
|
83
|
Beaulieu M, Thierry AM, González-Acuña D, Polito MJ. Integrating oxidative ecology into conservation physiology. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2013; 1:cot004. [PMID: 27293588 PMCID: PMC4806615 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cot004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2013] [Accepted: 03/08/2013] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Ecologists have recently shown great interest in using physiological markers as indicators of the health of animal populations. In this context, the measurement of markers of oxidative balance, such as antioxidant defences and oxidative damage, may be a valuable tool. Indeed, at the individual level, antioxidant defences are positively associated with fertility and survival probability, while elevated oxidative damage during reproduction or growth may negatively affect recruitment and survival. Therefore, variation in oxidative balance is likely to influence demographic processes. This suggests that conservationists may be able to use oxidative markers to monitor population health. Yet, the connection between these markers and demographic parameters first needs to be established. We present here preliminary results obtained in colonies of breeding Gentoo (Pygoscelis papua) and Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae), showing that antioxidant defences strongly reflect population trends. However, population trend was not related to oxidative damage. This suggests that in the context of the emerging field of conservation physiology, antioxidant defences may represent a key parameter to monitor population health. We therefore exhort other research teams to assess the generality of this finding in other biological models, especially in species of conservation concern.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michaël Beaulieu
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Evolutionary Biology and Animal Ecology, University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
- Corresponding author: Faculty of Biology, Department of Evolutionary Biology and Animal Ecology, University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
| | | | - Daniel González-Acuña
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 537, Chillán, Chile
| | - Michael J. Polito
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road MS 50, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| |
Collapse
|
84
|
Meitern R, Sild E, Kilk K, Porosk R, Hõrak P. On the methodological limitations of detecting oxidative stress: effects of paraquat on measures of oxidative status in greenfinches. J Exp Biol 2013; 216:2713-21. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.087528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Summary
Oxidative stress (OS) is widely believed to be responsible for generation of trade-offs in evolutionary ecology by means of constraining investment into a number of components of fitness. Yet the progress in understanding the true role of OS in ecology and evolution has remained elusive. Interpretation of current findings is particularly hampered by the scarcity of experiments demonstrating which of the many available parameters of oxidative status respond most sensitively to and are relevant for measuring OS. We addressed these questions in wild-caught captive greenfinches (Carduelis chloris) by experimental induction of OS by administration of the pro-oxidant compound paraquat with drinking water. Treatment induced 50% of mortality and a significant drop in body mass and an increase in oxidative DNA damage and glutathione levels in erythrocytes among the survivors of the high paraquat (0.2 g/L during 7 days) group. Three days after the end of the treatment, paraquat had no effect on peroxidation of lipids (plasma malondialdehyde), carbonylation of proteins (in erythrocytes), parameters of plasma antioxidant protection (TAC and OXY), uric acid or carotenoids. Our findings of an increase in one marker of damage and one marker of protection from the multitude of measured variables indicate that detection of OS is difficult even under most stringent experimental induction of oxidative insult. We hope that this study highlights the need for reconsideration of over-simplistic models of OS and draws attention to the limitations of detection of OS due to time-lagged and hormetic up-regulation of protective mechanisms. This study also underpins the diagnostic value of measurement of oxidative damage to DNA bases and assessment of erythrocyte glutathione levels.
Collapse
|
85
|
Stier A, Reichert S, Massemin S, Bize P, Criscuolo F. Constraint and cost of oxidative stress on reproduction: correlative evidence in laboratory mice and review of the literature. Front Zool 2012; 9:37. [PMID: 23268929 PMCID: PMC3551645 DOI: 10.1186/1742-9994-9-37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2012] [Accepted: 12/17/2012] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background One central concept in evolutionary ecology is that current and residual reproductive values are negatively linked by the so-called cost of reproduction. Previous studies examining the nature of this cost suggested a possible involvement of oxidative stress resulting from the imbalance between pro- and anti-oxidant processes. Still, data remain conflictory probably because, although oxidative damage increases during reproduction, high systemic levels of oxidative stress might also constrain parental investment in reproduction. Here, we investigated variation in oxidative balance (i.e. oxidative damage and antioxidant defences) over the course of reproduction by comparing female laboratory mice rearing or not pups. Results A significant increase in oxidative damage over time was only observed in females caring for offspring, whereas antioxidant defences increased over time regardless of reproductive status. Interestingly, oxidative damage measured prior to reproduction was negatively associated with litter size at birth (constraint), whereas damage measured after reproduction was positively related to litter size at weaning (cost). Conclusions Globally, our correlative results and the review of literature describing the links between reproduction and oxidative stress underline the importance of timing/dynamics when studying and interpreting oxidative balance in relation to reproduction. Our study highlights the duality (constraint and cost) of oxidative stress in life-history trade-offs, thus supporting the theory that oxidative stress plays a key role in life-history evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Stier
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7178, Strasbourg, 67037, France.,Université de Strasbourg, IPHC, 23 rue Becquerel, Strasbourg, 67087, France
| | - Sophie Reichert
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7178, Strasbourg, 67037, France.,Université de Strasbourg, IPHC, 23 rue Becquerel, Strasbourg, 67087, France
| | - Sylvie Massemin
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7178, Strasbourg, 67037, France.,Université de Strasbourg, IPHC, 23 rue Becquerel, Strasbourg, 67087, France
| | - Pierre Bize
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Biophore, Lausanne-Dorigny, 1015, Switzerland
| | - François Criscuolo
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7178, Strasbourg, 67037, France.,Université de Strasbourg, IPHC, 23 rue Becquerel, Strasbourg, 67087, France
| |
Collapse
|
86
|
Bauch C, Becker PH, Verhulst S. Telomere length reflects phenotypic quality and costs of reproduction in a long-lived seabird. Proc Biol Sci 2012; 280:20122540. [PMID: 23222450 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.2540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomere length is associated with cellular senescence, lifestyle and ageing. Short telomeres indicate poor health in humans and reduced life expectancy in several bird species, but little is known about telomeres in relation to phenotypic quality in wild animals. We investigated telomere lengths in erythrocytes of known-age common terns (Sterna hirundo), a migratory seabird, in relation to arrival date and reproductive performance. Cross-sectional data revealed that, independent of age, individuals with short telomeres performed better: they arrived and reproduced earlier in the season and had more chicks in the nest. The latter effect was stronger the older the brood and stronger in males, which do most of the chick provisioning. Longitudinal data confirmed this pattern: compared with birds that lost their brood, birds that raised chicks beyond the 10th nestling day experienced higher telomere attrition from one year to the next. However, more detailed analysis revealed that the least and most successful individuals lost the fewest base pairs compared with birds with intermediate success. Our results suggest that reproductive success is achieved at the expense of telomeres, but that individual heterogeneity in susceptibility to such detrimental effects is important, as indicated by low telomere loss in the most successful birds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christina Bauch
- Institute of Avian Research Vogelwarte Helgoland, An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386 Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
87
|
Barrett ELB, Burke TA, Hammers M, Komdeur J, Richardson DS. Telomere length and dynamics predict mortality in a wild longitudinal study. Mol Ecol 2012; 22:249-59. [PMID: 23167566 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 170] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2012] [Revised: 09/26/2012] [Accepted: 10/02/2012] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emma L. B. Barrett
- School of Biological Sciences; University of East Anglia; Norwich Research Park; Norwich; Norfolk NR4 7TJ; UK
| | - Terry A. Burke
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences; University of Sheffield; Sheffield; S10 2TN; UK
| | - Martijn Hammers
- Behavioural Ecology and Self-organisation; Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies; University of Groningen; P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC; Groningen; The Netherlands
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Behavioural Ecology and Self-organisation; Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies; University of Groningen; P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC; Groningen; The Netherlands
| | | |
Collapse
|
88
|
Selman C, Blount JD, Nussey DH, Speakman JR. Oxidative damage, ageing, and life-history evolution: where now? Trends Ecol Evol 2012; 27:570-7. [PMID: 22789512 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2012.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 237] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2012] [Revised: 06/06/2012] [Accepted: 06/15/2012] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The idea that resources are limited and animals can maximise fitness by trading costly activities off against one another forms the basis of life-history theory. Although investment in reproduction or growth negatively affects survival, the mechanisms underlying such trade-offs remain obscure. One plausible mechanism is oxidative damage to proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here, we critically evaluate the premise that ROS-induced oxidative damage shapes life history, focussing on birds and mammals, and highlight the importance of ecological studies examining free-living animals within this experimental framework. We conclude by emphasising the value of using multiple assays to determine oxidative protection and damage. We also highlight the importance of using standardised and appropriate protocols, and discuss future research directions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Colin Selman
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
89
|
Abstract
A main focus within biomedical research is to understand how adverse environmental conditions experienced during early development affects lifelong health (Barker 1992). Within this context, extensive research in rodent models and humans has shown that intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) caused by nutrient restriction during early development is often followed by post-natal 'catch-up' growth when access to food resources improves. However, this accelerated growth rate seems to come at a cost, as metabolic and endocrine processes that are programmed during this time cause later-life onset of diseases such as obesity, insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease (reviewed in Crespi & Denver 2005). In this issue Molecular Ecology, Geiger et al. (2012) asked what are the costs of catch-up growth in nutrient-restricted king penguin chicks (Fig. 1) by measuring lengths of telomeres, the protective DNA sequences at the end of chromosomes, before and after catch-up growth, as the amount and rate of telomere sequence loss over time has been associated with reduced lifespan in both model and nonmodel organisms (see reviews of Costantini et al. 2010; Haussmann & Marchetto 2010). Geiger et al. (2011) found that chicks entering the post-winter growth season at a smaller size exhibited increased growth rates (i.e. catch-up growth) at the cost of increased oxidative stress and reduced telomere lengths compared with the chicks entering the growth period at a larger size. Furthermore, chicks that did not survive had drastically shorter telomere lengths and reduced antioxidant capacities at the beginning of the growth period than all other chicks, thereby directly associating telomere length to mortality. These results suggest that while catch-up growth allows smaller chicks to head off into the world on equal footing with chicks that hatched at a larger size, it likely comes at the cost of a shortened lifespan. Thus, this study provides a mechanism that supports the antagonistic pleiotropy theory of senescence (Promislow 2004).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erica J Crespi
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
90
|
Abstract
The attrition of telomeres, the ends of eukaryote chromosomes, is thought to play an important role in cell deterioration with advancing age. The observed variation in telomere length among individuals of the same age is therefore thought to be related to variation in potential longevity. Studies of this relationship are hampered by the time scale over which individuals need to be followed, particularly in long-lived species where lifespan variation is greatest. So far, data are based either on simple comparisons of telomere length among different age classes or on individuals whose telomere length is measured at most twice and whose subsequent survival is monitored for only a short proportion of the typical lifespan. Both approaches are subject to bias. Key studies, in which telomere length is tracked from early in life, and actual lifespan recorded, have been lacking. We measured telomere length in zebra finches (n = 99) from the nestling stage and at various points thereafter, and recorded their natural lifespan (which varied from less than 1 to almost 9 y). We found telomere length at 25 d to be a very strong predictor of realized lifespan (P < 0.001); those individuals living longest had relatively long telomeres at all points at which they were measured. Reproduction increased adult telomere loss, but this effect appeared transient and did not influence survival. Our results provide the strongest evidence available of the relationship between telomere length and lifespan and emphasize the importance of understanding factors that determine early life telomere length.
Collapse
|
91
|
Abstract
Males and females often age at different rates resulting in longevity 'gender gaps', where one sex outlives the other. Why the sexes have different lifespans is an age-old question, still fiercely debated today. One cellular process related to lifespan, which is known to differ according to sex, is the rate at which the protective telomere chromosome caps are lost. In humans, men have shorter lifespans and greater telomere shortening. This has led to speculation in the medical literature that sex-specific telomere shortening is one cause of sex-specific mortality. However, telomere shortening may be a cause for and/or a consequence of the processes that govern survival, and to infer general principles from single-taxon studies may be misleading. Here, we review recent work on telomeres in a variety of animal taxa, including those with reverse sexual lifespan dimorphism (i.e., where males live longer), to establish whether sex-specific survival is generally associated with sex differences in telomere dynamics. By doing this, we attempt to tease apart the potential underlying causes for sex differences in telomere lengths in humans and highlight targets for future research across all taxa.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emma L B Barrett
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norfolk, UK.
| | | |
Collapse
|