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Zabłotni A, Kaliński A, Glądalski M, Markowski M, Skwarska J, Wawrzyniak J, Bańbura J. Nest Box Bacterial Loads Are Affected by Cavity Use by Secondary Hole Nesters. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2989. [PMID: 37760389 PMCID: PMC10526079 DOI: 10.3390/ani13182989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Among the environmental factors that affect bird nesting in nest boxes, the influence of microbial communities is relatively poorly understood. In this study, nest boxes used for breeding by secondary cavity nesters were sampled before the start of the breeding season to assess the bacterial loads of the nest box in relation to their previous year status. Different parts of the wooden nest box offer variable conditions for the development of bacteria. During the breeding season, the nest box entrance hole is wiped out by birds, delivering bacteria to their bodies, but during winter, it is exposed to unfavourable external conditions. The interior of the nest box, in turn, is also wiped by birds, but the conditions during winter are more stable there. Therefore, samples from the entrance hole and the interior of the nest box were taken at two different study sites: an urban parkland and a natural forest. We predicted that both the occupancy of the nest boxes during the previous breeding season by birds and the nesting sites would influence the bacterial load of the nest box. To verify this prediction, two categories of nest boxes were sampled at both study sites: nest boxes occupied by any of the two tit species (Great Tit or Blue Tit) in the previous season for breeding and nest boxes that had remained empty that year. The interior bacterial load of the nest box was higher in the nest boxes occupied in the previous breeding season, but only in the forest area. Furthermore, the bacterial load of both the entrance hole of the nest box and the interior was significantly higher in the forest study area in both occupied and unoccupied nest boxes. Our results show that the bacterial load of the nest box is positively related to the presence of nests in the previous breeding season and can vary between different sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Zabłotni
- Laboratory of General Microbiology, Department of Biology of Bacteria, 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; (M.G.); (M.M.); (J.S.); (J.W.); (J.B.)
| | - 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; (M.G.); (M.M.); (J.S.); (J.W.); (J.B.)
| | - 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; (M.G.); (M.M.); (J.S.); (J.W.); (J.B.)
| | - 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; (M.G.); (M.M.); (J.S.); (J.W.); (J.B.)
| | - 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; (M.G.); (M.M.); (J.S.); (J.W.); (J.B.)
| | - 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; (M.G.); (M.M.); (J.S.); (J.W.); (J.B.)
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2
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Cardenas Gomez K, Rose A, Gibb KS, Christian KA. Microbial communities associated with mounds of the Orange-footed scrubfowl Megapodius reinwardt. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13600. [PMID: 35910771 PMCID: PMC9332330 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Megapodius reinwardt, the orange-footed scrubfowl, belongs to a small family of birds that inhabits the Indo-Australian region. Megapodes are unique in incubating their eggs in mounds using heat from microbial decomposition of organic materials and solar radiation. Little is known about the microorganisms involved in the decomposition of organic matter in mounds. To determine the source of microbes in the mounds, we used 16S and 18S rRNA gene sequencing to characterize the microbial communities of mound soil, adjacent soil and scrubfowl faeces. We found that the microbial communities of scrubfowl faeces were substantially different from those of the mounds and surrounding soils, suggesting that scrubfowls probably do not use their faeces to inoculate their mounds although a few microbial sequence variants were present in both faeces and mound samples. Further, the mound microbial community structure was significantly different to the adjacent soils. For example, mounds had a high relative abundance of sequence variants belonging to Thermomonosporaceae, a thermophilic soil bacteria family able to degrade cellulose from plant residues. It is not clear whether members of Thermomonosporaceae disproportionately contribute to the generation of heat in the mound, or whether they simply thrive in the warm mound environment created by the metabolic activity of the mound microbial community. The lack of clarity in the literature between designations of heat-producing (thermogenic) and heat-thriving (thermophilic) microbes poses a challenge to understanding the role of specific bacteria and fungi in incubation.
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3
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Corregidor‐Castro A, Jones OR. The effect of nest temperature on growth and survival in juvenile Great Tits Parus major. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:7346-7353. [PMID: 34188817 PMCID: PMC8216922 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
For birds, maintaining an optimal nest temperature is critical for early-life growth and development. Temperatures deviating from this optimum can affect nestling growth and fledging success with potential consequences on survival and lifetime reproductive success. It is therefore particularly important to understand these effects in relation to projected temperature changes associated with climate change.Targets set by the 2015 Paris Agreement aim to limit temperature increases to 2°C, and, with this in mind, we carried out an experiment in 2017 and 2018 where we applied a treatment that increased Great Tit Parus major nest temperature by approximately this magnitude (achieving an increase of 1.6°C, relative to the control) during the period from hatching to fledging to estimate how small temperature differences might affect nestling body size and weight at fledging and fledging success.We recorded hatching and fledging success and measured skeletal size (tarsus length) and body mass at days 5, 7, 10, and 15 posthatch in nestlings from two groups of nest boxes: control and heated (+1.6°C).Our results show that nestlings in heated nest boxes were 1.6% smaller in skeletal size at fledging than those in the cooler control nests, indicating lower growth rates in heated boxes, and that their weight was, in addition, 3.3% lower.These results suggest that even fairly small changes in temperature can influence phenotype and postfledging survival in cavity-nesting birds. This has the potential to affect the population dynamics of these birds in the face of ongoing climatic change, as individuals of reduced size in colder winters may suffer from decreased fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Owen R. Jones
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdense MDenmark
- Interdisciplinary Center on Population Dynamics (CPop)University of Southern DenmarkOdense MDenmark
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4
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Darolová A, Poláček M, Krištofík J, Lukasch B, Hoi H. First Evidence of a Relationship Between Female Major Histocompatibility Complex Diversity and Eggshell Bacteria in House Sparrows (Passer domesticus). Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.615667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria are known to exert positive and negative influences on animals’ health and fitness. Bacteria, in particular those inhabiting the skin and inner organs of vertebrates, are horizontally or vertically transmitted. Specifically, mothers of bird species can transfer bacterial strains to their offspring when the egg is passing the reproductive tract, as the eggshell rubs against the wall of the uterus. In this context, the female immune system might play an important role in influencing the vertical transmission of bacteria. Here, we investigate the relationship between the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and cultivable eggshell bacteria originating putatively from the female urogenital tract in a captive population of house sparrows (Passer domesticus). We predict that females with a more variable MHC will transfer fewer bacteria onto the eggshells. Our results show a negative relationship between the number of functional MHC class I alleles and bacteria originating in the urinary tract and growing on a selective medium. This is the first study to find a correlation between female MHC diversity and eggshell bacteria.
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5
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Peralta-Sánchez JM, Martín-Platero AM, Wegener-Parfrey L, Martínez-Bueno M, Rodríguez-Ruano S, Navas-Molina JA, Vázquez-Baeza Y, Martín-Gálvez D, Martín-Vivaldi M, Ibáñez-Álamo JD, Knight R, Soler JJ. Bacterial density rather than diversity correlates with hatching success across different avian species. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2019; 94:4847879. [PMID: 29438507 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiy022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial communities within avian nests are considered an important determinant of egg viability, potentially selecting for traits that confer embryos with protection against trans-shell infection. A high bacterial density on the eggshell increases hatching failure, whether this effect could be due to changes in bacterial community or just a general increase in bacterial density. We explored this idea using intra- and interspecific comparisons of the relationship between hatching success and eggshell bacteria characterized by culture and molecular techniques (fingerprinting and high-throughput sequencing). We collected information for 152 nests belonging to 17 bird species. Hatching failures occurred more frequently in nests with higher density of aerobic mesophilic bacteria on their eggshells. Bacterial community was also related to hatching success, but only when minority bacterial operational taxonomic units were considered. These findings support the hypothesis that bacterial density is a selective agent of embryo viability, and hence a proxy of hatching failure only within species. Although different avian species hold different bacterial densities or assemblages on their eggs, the association between bacteria and hatching success was similar for different species. This result suggests that interspecific differences in antibacterial defenses are responsible for keeping the hatching success at similar levels in different species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Manuel Peralta-Sánchez
- Departamento de Microbiología, Universidad de Granada, Calle Fuentenueva, s/n, E-18071 Granada, Spain.,Department of Integrative Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, C.S.I.C. Avda. Américo Vespucio s/n, E-41092 Seville, Spain
| | | | | | - Manuel Martínez-Bueno
- Departamento de Microbiología, Universidad de Granada, Calle Fuentenueva, s/n, E-18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Sonia Rodríguez-Ruano
- Departamento de Microbiología, Universidad de Granada, Calle Fuentenueva, s/n, E-18071 Granada, Spain.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branisovska 1760, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - José Antonio Navas-Molina
- Department of Computer Science & Engineering University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Yoshiki Vázquez-Baeza
- Department of Computer Science & Engineering University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - David Martín-Gálvez
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Manuel Martín-Vivaldi
- Departamento de Zoología, Universidad de Granada, Campus de Fuentenueva, s/n, E-18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Juan Diego Ibáñez-Álamo
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen. 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rob Knight
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.,Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Juan José Soler
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva. Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, C.S.I.C., E-04120 Almería, Spain
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6
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Devaynes A, Antunes A, Bedford A, Ashton P. Bacterial species richness at three stages of the breeding season in Cyanistes caeruleus (blue tit). ACTA OECOLOGICA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2018.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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7
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Teyssier A, Lens L, Matthysen E, White J. Dynamics of Gut Microbiota Diversity During the Early Development of an Avian Host: Evidence From a Cross-Foster Experiment. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1524. [PMID: 30038608 PMCID: PMC6046450 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the increasing knowledge on the processes involved in the acquisition and development of the gut microbiota in model organisms, the factors influencing early microbiota successions in natural populations remain poorly understood. In particular, little is known on the role of the rearing environment in the establishment of the gut microbiota in wild birds. Here, we examined the influence of the nesting environment on the gut microbiota of Great tits (Parus major) by performing a partial cross-fostering experiment during the intermediate stage of nestling development. We found that the cloacal microbiota of great tit nestlings underwent substantial changes between 8 and 15 days of age, with a strong decrease in diversity, an increase in the relative abundance of Firmicutes and a shift in the functional features of the community. Second, the nesting environment significantly influenced community composition, with a divergence among separated true siblings and a convergence among foster siblings. Third, larger shifts in both microbiota diversity and composition correlated with lower nestling body condition. Our results shed new light on the dynamics of microbial diversity during the ontogeny of avian hosts, indicating that the nest environment continues to shape the gut microbiota during the later stages of nestling development and that the increase in gut diversity between hatching and adulthood may not be as linear as previously suspected. Lastly, the microbiota changes incurred during this period may have implications for nestling body condition which can lead to long-term consequences for host fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimeric Teyssier
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, UMR 5174 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique–Université Paul Sabatier–Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Toulouse, France
| | - Luc Lens
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Erik Matthysen
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Joël White
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, UMR 5174 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique–Université Paul Sabatier–Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Toulouse, France
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8
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Geltsch N, Elek Z, Manczinger L, Vágvölgyi C, Moskát C. Common cuckoos (Cuculus canorus) affect the bacterial diversity of the eggshells of their great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) hosts. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0191364. [PMID: 29351548 PMCID: PMC5774785 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) is an avian brood parasite, laying its eggs in the nests of other bird species, where these hosts incubate the parasitic eggs, feed and rear the nestlings. The appearance of a cuckoo egg in a host nest may change the bacterial community in the nest. This may have consequences on the hatchability of host eggs, even when hosts reject the parasitic egg, typically within six days after parasitism. The present study revealed the bacterial community of cuckoo eggshells and those of the great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus), one of the main hosts of cuckoos. We compared host eggs from non-parasitized clutches, as well as host and cuckoo eggs from parasitized clutches. As incubation may change bacterial assemblages on eggshells, we compared these egg types in two stages: the egg-laying stage, when incubation has not been started, and the mid-incubation stage (ca. on days 5–7 in incubation), where heat from the incubating female dries eggshells. Our results obtained by the 16S rRNA gene sequencing technique showed that fresh host and cuckoo eggs had partially different bacterial communities, but they became more similar during incubation in parasitized nests. Cluster analysis revealed that fresh cuckoo eggs and incubated host eggs in unparasitized nests (where no cuckoo effect could have happened) were the most dissimilar from the other groups of eggs. Cuckoo eggs did not reduce the hatchability of great reed warbler eggs. Our results on the cuckoo-great reed warbler relationship supported the idea that brood parasites may change bacterial microbiota in the host nest. Further studies should reveal how bacterial communities of cuckoo eggshells may vary by host-specific races (gentes) of cuckoos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikoletta Geltsch
- MTA-ELTE-MTM Ecology Research Group, a joint research group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Biological Institute of the Eötvös Loránd University and the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Elek
- MTA-ELTE-MTM Ecology Research Group, a joint research group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Biological Institute of the Eötvös Loránd University and the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary
| | - László Manczinger
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Csaba Vágvölgyi
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Csaba Moskát
- MTA-ELTE-MTM Ecology Research Group, a joint research group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Biological Institute of the Eötvös Loránd University and the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary
- * E-mail:
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9
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Nettle D, Andrews C, Reichert S, Bedford T, Gott A, Parker C, Kolenda C, Martin-Ruiz C, Monaghan P, Bateson M. Brood size moderates associations between relative size, telomere length, and immune development in European starling nestlings. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:8138-8148. [PMID: 27891221 PMCID: PMC5108265 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Revised: 09/17/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
For young birds in a nest, body size may have implications for other aspects of development such as telomere length and immune function. However, it is possible to predict associations in either direction. On the one hand, there may be trade-offs between growth and telomere maintenance, and growth and investment in immune function, suggesting there will be negative correlations. On the other hand, relatively larger individuals might be advantaged in competition with their nest-mates, allowing them to garner more resources overall, leading to positive correlations. We studied development over the nestling period in 34 nests of wild European starlings, Sturnus vulgaris. Intrabrood competition is typically more intense in larger broods. Hence, we predicted that body size should become an increasingly positive predictor of telomere length and immune functioning as brood size increases. In partial support of our prediction, there were significant interactions between brood size and body size in predicting both erythrocyte telomere length change and plasma levels of the cytokine interleukin-6. The associations between body size and these outcomes went from negative in the smallest broods to positive in the largest. A further immune marker, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, showed no systematic patterning with body size or brood size. Our results confirm that the size to which a nestling grows is important for telomere dynamics and the development of the immune system, but the phenotypic associations are moderated by the competitive context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Nettle
- Institute of Neuroscience and Centre for Behaviour & Evolution Newcastle University Henry Wellcome Building Newcastle UK
| | - Clare Andrews
- Institute of Neuroscience and Centre for Behaviour & Evolution Newcastle University Henry Wellcome Building Newcastle UK
| | - Sophie Reichert
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine University of Glasgow Glasgow UK
| | - Tom Bedford
- Institute of Neuroscience and Centre for Behaviour & Evolution Newcastle University Henry Wellcome Building Newcastle UK
| | - Annie Gott
- Institute of Neuroscience and Centre for Behaviour & Evolution Newcastle University Henry Wellcome Building Newcastle UK
| | - Craig Parker
- Institute of Neuroscience and Centre for Behaviour & Evolution Newcastle University Henry Wellcome Building Newcastle UK
| | - Claire Kolenda
- Institute of Neuroscience and Centre for Behaviour & Evolution Newcastle University Henry Wellcome Building Newcastle UK
| | - Carmen Martin-Ruiz
- Institute of Neuroscience and Centre for Behaviour & Evolution Newcastle University Henry Wellcome Building Newcastle UK
| | - Pat Monaghan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine University of Glasgow Glasgow UK
| | - Melissa Bateson
- Institute of Neuroscience and Centre for Behaviour & Evolution Newcastle University Henry Wellcome Building Newcastle UK
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10
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Grizard S, Versteegh MA, Ndithia HK, Salles JF, Tieleman BI. Shifts in bacterial communities of eggshells and antimicrobial activities in eggs during incubation in a ground-nesting passerine. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0121716. [PMID: 25880684 PMCID: PMC4400097 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0121716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2014] [Accepted: 02/14/2015] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial invasion of egg contents is a cause of embryonic death. To counter infection risks, the embryo is protected physically by the eggshell and chemically by antimicrobial proteins. If microbial pressure drives embryo mortality, then females may have evolved, through natural selection, to adapt their immune investment into eggs. Although frequently hypothesized, this match between immune allocation and microorganisms has not been explored yet. To examine if correlations between microbes on eggs and immunity in eggs exist, we collected eggs from red-capped larks (Calandrella cinerea) and simultaneously examined their bacterial communities and antimicrobial components—pH, lysozyme and ovotransferrin—during natural incubation. Using molecular techniques, we find that bacterial communities are highly dynamic: bacterial abundance increases from the onset to late incubation, Shannon’s α-diversity index increases during early incubation stages, and β-diversity analysis shows that communities from 1 day-old clutches are phylogenetically more similar to each other than the older ones. Regarding the antimicrobials, we notice a decrease of pH and lysozyme concentration, while ovotransferrin concentration increases during incubation. Interestingly, we show that two eggs of the same clutch share equivalent immune protection, independent of clutch age. Lastly, our results provide limited evidence of significant correlation between antimicrobial compounds and bacterial communities. Our study examined simultaneously, for the first time in a wild bird, the dynamics of bacterial communities present on eggshells and of albumen-associated antimicrobial components during incubation and investigated their relationship. However, the link between microorganisms and immunity of eggs remains to be elucidated further. Identifying invading microbes and their roles in embryo mortality, as well as understanding the role of the eggshell microbiome, might be key to better understand avian strategies of immune maternal investment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie Grizard
- Animal Ecology Group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Microbial Ecology, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | - Maaike A. Versteegh
- Animal Ecology Group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Henry K. Ndithia
- Animal Ecology Group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Zoology, Ornithology section, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Joana F. Salles
- Department of Microbial Ecology, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - B. Irene Tieleman
- Animal Ecology Group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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11
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A review of the nest protection hypothesis: does inclusion of fresh green plant material in birds' nests reduce parasite infestation? Parasitology 2015; 142:1016-23. [PMID: 25804728 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182015000189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The use of aromatic plants and their essential oils for ectoparasite treatment is a field of growing interest. Several species of birds regularly introduce aromatic herbs into their nests putatively to reduce parasites. The behaviour is most often seen in cavity nesting birds and after nest building has finished. The plants are included in a non-structural manner and are often strongly aromatic. Various different hypotheses have been proposed regarding the function of this behaviour; from the plants altering some non-living factor in the nest (crypsis, water loss and insulation hypotheses) to them being involved in mate selection (mate hypothesis) or even having a beneficial effect, direct or indirect, on chicks (drug or nest protection hypothesis, NPH). Many studies have been carried out over the years observing and experimentally testing these hypotheses. This review focuses on studies involving the most popular of these hypotheses, the NPH: that plants decrease nest parasites or pathogens, thereby conveying positive effects to the chicks, allowing the behaviour to evolve. Studies providing observational evidence towards this hypothesis and those experimentally testing it are discussed.
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12
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Brandl HB, van Dongen WFD, Darolová A, Krištofík J, Majtan J, Hoi H. Composition of Bacterial Assemblages in Different Components of Reed Warbler Nests and a Possible Role of Egg Incubation in Pathogen Regulation. PLoS One 2014; 9:e114861. [PMID: 25493434 PMCID: PMC4262450 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2014] [Accepted: 11/13/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria play a central role in animal health. Yet, little is known about the acquisition of bacteria and the extent to which bacteria are acquired from different environmental sources. For example, bird nests host diverse bacteria associated with the eggs, nestlings and nesting material, but previous research has typically focussed on only a limited number of nest components at a time. It therefore remains unknown to what extent bacteria are transmitted between these components. Using both molecular and culture techniques, we characterised nest-associated bacterial assemblages throughout the entire nesting cycle of reed warblers by sampling bacteria on eggs before and during incubation, within nestling faeces, and on the nesting material of post-breeding nests. We found that bacterial assemblages clustered by nest component. Yet some overlap existed between nest components, suggesting that bacterial transmission across components is likely to occur. Eggs and nestlings from the same nest harboured more similar bacteria than expected by chance, suggesting an influence of environment or genetics on bacterial assemblages. Bacterial loads were not lower on incubated eggs. Instead, incubation was associated with a change in the structure of assemblages, including a decrease in potentially-harmful Gram-negative bacteria. In addition we show for the first time, that incubation is associated with the complete extinction of harmful haemolytic bacteria. Overall, our study appears to be the first to demonstrate differences in bacterial assemblages between bird nest components. In addition, we highlight the complexity of nest bacterial assemblages and provide new insights into the benefits of incubation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanja B Brandl
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Savoyenstrasse 1a, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Wouter F D van Dongen
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Savoyenstrasse 1a, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Alžbeta Darolová
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 06 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ján Krištofík
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 06 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Juraj Majtan
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 06 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Herbert Hoi
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Savoyenstrasse 1a, 1160 Vienna, Austria
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Giordano M, Groothuis TGG, Tschirren B. Interactions between prenatal maternal effects and posthatching conditions in a wild bird population. Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
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Grizard S, Dini-Andreote F, Tieleman BI, Salles JF. Dynamics of bacterial and fungal communities associated with eggshells during incubation. Ecol Evol 2014; 4:1140-57. [PMID: 24772289 PMCID: PMC3997328 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2014] [Accepted: 01/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms are closely associated with eggs and may play a determinant role in embryo survival. Yet, the majority of studies focusing on this association relied on culture-based methodology, eventually leading to a skewed assessment of microbial communities. By targeting the 16S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, we, respectively, described bacterial and fungal communities on eggshells of the homing pigeon Columba livia. We explored their structure, abundance, and composition. Firstly, we showed that sampling technique affected the outcome of the results. While broadly used, the egg swabbing procedure led to a lower DNA extraction efficiency and provided different profiles of bacterial communities than those based on crushed eggshell pieces. Secondly, we observed shifts in bacterial and fungal communities during incubation. At late incubation, bacterial communities showed a reduction in diversity, while their abundance increased, possibly due to the competitive advantage of some species. When compared to their bacterial counterparts, fungal communities also decreased in diversity at late incubation. In that case, however, the decline was associated with a diminution of their overall abundance. Conclusively, our results showed that although incubation might inhibit microbial growth when compared to unincubated eggs, we observed the selective growth of specific bacterial species during incubation. Moreover, we showed that fungi are a substantial component of the microbial communities associated with eggshells and require further investigations in avian ecology. Identifying the functional roles of these microorganisms is likely to provide news insights into the evolutionary strategies that control embryo survival. We aimed to describe the dynamics of bacterial and fungal communities on homing pigeon eggshell surfaces. We investigated these communities at early and late incubation stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie Grizard
- Department of Animal Ecology, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen Nijenborgh 7, Groningen, NL-9747 AG, The Netherlands ; Department of Microbial Ecology, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen Nijenborgh 7, Groningen, NL-9747 AG, The Netherlands
| | - Francisco Dini-Andreote
- Department of Microbial Ecology, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen Nijenborgh 7, Groningen, NL-9747 AG, The Netherlands
| | - B Irene Tieleman
- Department of Animal Ecology, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen Nijenborgh 7, Groningen, NL-9747 AG, The Netherlands
| | - Joana F Salles
- Department of Microbial Ecology, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen Nijenborgh 7, Groningen, NL-9747 AG, The Netherlands
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