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Bauch C, Riechert J, Verhulst S, Becker PH. Telomere length reflects reproductive effort indicated by corticosterone levels in a long-lived seabird. Mol Ecol 2016; 25:5785-5794. [PMID: 27696588 DOI: 10.1111/mec.13874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2015] [Revised: 09/13/2016] [Accepted: 09/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Telomere length (TL) is a candidate biomarker of ageing and phenotypic quality, but little is known of the (physiological) causes of TL variation. We previously showed that individual common terns Sterna hirundo with high reproductive success had short telomeres independent of age, and this pattern was particularly strong in the longer telomeres of the within-individual TL distribution. To test whether this relation can be attributed to effects of reproductive effort, we investigated baseline corticosterone in relation to reproductive success (number of fledglings) and TL. In this context, we assume that variation in baseline corticosterone can be interpreted as index of energy expenditure and allostatic load. Males with higher corticosterone levels during incubation, compared between and within individuals, achieved higher reproductive success and had shorter telomeres. The effect on telomeres was more pronounced in corticosterone measured later in incubation and in the longer telomeres of the within-individual TL distribution. Female corticosterone level during incubation was neither related to reproductive success nor to TL. That we observed these effects only in males mirrors different parental roles during reproduction in the common tern, where males do most of the chick provisioning. The negative association between reproductive success and TL suggests individual differences in reproductive effort as reflected in, or mediated by, baseline corticosterone. We see this result as a promising step towards unravelling the physiological causes of variation in TL and the costs of reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Bauch
- Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747AG, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Juliane Riechert
- Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Simon Verhulst
- Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Peter H Becker
- Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
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Sudyka J, Casasole G, Rutkowska J, Cichoń M. Elevated reproduction does not affect telomere dynamics and oxidative stress. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016; 70:2223-2233. [PMID: 27881897 PMCID: PMC5102961 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2226-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2016] [Revised: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Oxidative stress and telomere dynamics are considered to be powerful biomarkers quantifying a potential trade-off between current reproduction and self-maintenance. Recent studies confirmed the negative impact of elevated reproduction on telomeres, but the evidence for the cost of reproduction in terms of oxidative stress remains equivocal. In order to induce reproductive costs, we experimentally manipulated reproductive effort by increasing brood size in captive zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) and additionally challenged all birds by a low ambient temperature to facilitate detection of these costs. We were not able to show any negative effects of elevated reproductive effort on telomere dynamics and oxidative stress among parents, although brood enlargement was effective in terms of total mass and number of fledged young. Interestingly, irrespective of brood size treatment, we found a significant increase in antioxidant capacity at peak breeding while oxidative damage did not change with time. Our results may suggest that reproduction, instead of generating costs, may stimulate physiological functions promoting self-maintenance in terms of higher protection against free radicals. Possibly, opportunistic breeders such as zebra finches may not impede their future performance for the sake of current reproduction. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This study interrogates a molecular background behind one of the most intriguing trade-offs that potentially occurs between self-maintenance and reproduction. We manipulated breeding effort in zebra finches to understand if the cost of reproduction can be mediated by telomere dynamics and oxidative stress. In our study system, we did not detect the direct reproductive costs in terms of parental oxidative damage and telomere loss; instead, these costs were paid by the offspring in terms of their inhibited growth rate. Moreover, we found that entering into the reproductive state strongly stimulated self-maintenance by increasing antioxidant capacity in parents. Our results emphasize that current reproductive success is not always prioritized over investment in body maintenance preventing the oxidative cost of reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Sudyka
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, ul. Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Giulia Casasole
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, ul. Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
- Behavioral Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Joanna Rutkowska
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, ul. Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Mariusz Cichoń
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, ul. Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
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Romero-Haro AA, Sorci G, Alonso-Alvarez C. The oxidative cost of reproduction depends on early development oxidative stress and sex in a bird species. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 283:20160842. [PMID: 27358368 PMCID: PMC4936042 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.0842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In the early 2000s, a new component of the cost of reproduction was proposed: oxidative stress. Since then the oxidative cost of reproduction hypothesis has, however, received mixed support. Different arguments have been provided to explain this. Among them, the lack of a life-history perspective on most experimental tests was suggested. We manipulated the levels of a key intracellular antioxidant (glutathione) in captive zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) during a short period of early life and subsequently tested the oxidative cost of reproduction. Birds were allowed to mate freely in an outdoor aviary for several months. We repeatedly enlarged or reduced their broods to increase or reduce, respectively, breeding effort. Birds whose glutathione levels were reduced during growth showed higher erythrocyte resistance to free radical-induced haemolysis when forced to rear enlarged broods. This supports the hypothesis predicting the occurrence of developing programmes matching early and adult environmental conditions to improve fitness. Moreover, adult males rearing enlarged broods endured higher plasma levels of lipid oxidative damage than control males, whereas adult females showed the opposite trend. As most previous studies reporting non-significant or opposite results used females only, we also discuss some sex-related particularities that may contribute to explain unexpected results.
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Affiliation(s)
- A A Romero-Haro
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC, UCLM, CSIC), Ronda de Toledo sn, 13007 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - G Sorci
- Biogéosciences, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 6, Boulevard Gabriel, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - C Alonso-Alvarez
- Dpto. Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, C/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
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Emaresi G, Henry I, Gonzalez E, Roulin A, Bize P. Sex- and melanism-specific variations in the oxidative status of adult tawny owls in response to manipulated reproductive effort. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 219:73-9. [PMID: 26567343 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.128959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2015] [Accepted: 10/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Oxidative stress, determined by the balance between the production of damaging reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant defences, is hypothesized to play an important role in shaping the cost of reproduction and life history trade-offs. To test this hypothesis, we manipulated reproductive effort in 94 breeding pairs of tawny owls (Strix aluco) to investigate the sex- and melanism-specific effects on markers of oxidative stress in red blood cells (RBCs). This colour polymorphic bird species shows sex-specific division of labour and melanism-specific history strategies. Brood sizes at hatching were experimentally enlarged or reduced to increase or decrease reproductive effort, respectively. We obtained an integrative measure of the oxidative balance by measuring ROS production by RBCs, intracellular antioxidant glutathione levels and membrane resistance to ROS. We found that light melanic males (the sex undertaking offspring food provisioning) produced more ROS than darker conspecifics, but only when rearing an enlarged brood. In both sexes, light melanic individuals had also a larger pool of intracellular antioxidant glutathione than darker owls under relaxed reproductive conditions (i.e. reduced brood), but not when investing substantial effort in current reproduction (enlarged brood). Finally, resistance to oxidative stress was differently affected by the brood size manipulation experiment in males and females independently of their plumage coloration. Altogether, our results support the hypothesis that reproductive effort can alter the oxidative balance in a sex- and colour-specific way. This further emphasizes the close link between melanin-based coloration and life history strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Emaresi
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Isabelle Henry
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Esther Gonzalez
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alexandre Roulin
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pierre Bize
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK
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Soler JJ, Ruiz Castellano C, Martínez-de la Puente J, Tomás G, Ruiz-Rodríguez M, Figuerola J. Telomere dynamics in parasitic great spotted cuckoos and their magpie hosts. J Evol Biol 2015; 28:1610-7. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2015] [Revised: 06/14/2015] [Accepted: 06/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. J. Soler
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva; Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC); Almería Spain
| | - C. Ruiz Castellano
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva; Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC); Almería Spain
| | | | - G. Tomás
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva; Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC); Almería Spain
| | - M. Ruiz-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva; Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC); Almería Spain
| | - J. Figuerola
- Departamento de Ecología de Humedales; Estación Biológica Doñana (CSIC); Sevilla Spain
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Maceda-Veiga A, Figuerola J, Martínez-Silvestre A, Viscor G, Ferrari N, Pacheco M. Inside the Redbox: applications of haematology in wildlife monitoring and ecosystem health assessment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 514:322-332. [PMID: 25668285 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2014] [Revised: 01/31/2015] [Accepted: 02/01/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Blood analyses have great potential in studies of ecology, ecotoxicology and veterinary science in wild vertebrates based on advances in human and domestic animal medicine. The major caveat for field researchers, however, is that the 'rules' for human or domestic animal haematology do not always apply to wildlife. The present overview shows the strengths and limitations of blood analyses in wild vertebrates, and proposes a standardisation of pre-analytical procedures plus some suggestions for a more systematic examination of blood smears to increase the diagnostic value of blood data. By discussing the common problems that field researchers face with blood variables, we also aim to highlight common ground enabling new researchers in the field to accurately collect blood samples and interpret and place their haematological findings into the overall picture of an ecological or eco-toxicological study. Besides showing the practicality and ecological relevance of simple blood variables, this study illustrates the suitability of blood samples for the application of cutting-edge analytical procedures for expanding the current repertoire of diagnostic tools in wildlife monitoring and ecosystem health assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Maceda-Veiga
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK; Institute of Research in Biodiversity (IRBio), Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, ES-08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Jordi Figuerola
- Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana-CSIC, ES-41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | | | - Ginés Viscor
- Department of Animal Physiology (Biology), Universitat de Barcelona, ES-08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nicola Ferrari
- Department of Veterinary Sciences and Public Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, IT-16 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Mário Pacheco
- Department of Biology, Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies-CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
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Badás EP, Martínez J, Rivero de Aguilar Cachafeiro J, Miranda F, Figuerola J, Merino S. Ageing and reproduction: antioxidant supplementation alleviates telomere loss in wild birds. J Evol Biol 2015; 28:896-905. [PMID: 25758014 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2014] [Revised: 02/26/2015] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Reproduction is inherently costly. Environmental stressors, such as infection and limited food resources, can compromise investment at each breeding attempt. For example, recent data on captive birds showed that increased reproductive effort accelerates ageing. However, the effects of nutritional status and infection on ageing remain unknown. Telomeres function as protective caps at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes, and changes in telomere length is a commonly used proxy for ageing. To partially address the mechanisms of ageing following reproduction, we supplemented, medicated or administered a combined treatment to wild blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) breeding in central Spain during 2012. The nutritional supplement consisted of two different antioxidants, whereas the medication was an antimalarial treatment against blood parasites. We evaluated the effect of these manipulations on reproductive success and parasite loads in the first breeding season, and on changes in telomere length between two consecutive breeding seasons. Supplemented birds showed no reduction in blood parasite infections in 2012, although they exhibited higher body mass and fledging success. The antimalarial drugs reduced infections by several parasite species, but this had no effect on fitness parameters. In the following season, telomeres from supplemented birds had shortened less. Altogether, we found that supplementation with antioxidants provided fitness benefits in the short term and reduced telomere loss a year following treatment. Our results provide indirect empirical support for accelerated telomere loss as a cost of reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- E P Badás
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Madrid, Spain
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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
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