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Lamar SK, Frank HK, La Flamme A, Gartrell B, Ormsby D, Nelson N. The effects of annual cycle, source population, and body condition on leukocyte profile and immune challenge in a basal reptile, the tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus). JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 341:60-72. [PMID: 37921244 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Leukocyte profiles are broadly used to assess the health status of many species. Reference intervals, and an understanding of the factors that may influence these intervals, are necessary for adequate interpretation of leukograms. Using a data set that spans over three decades, we investigated variation in leukocyte profile in several populations of the evolutionarily unique reptile, the tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus). To do this, we first established reference intervals for each leukocyte type according to best practices. Next, we determined that source population and sampling date were the two most important predictors of leukocyte makeup. We found significant differences in the ratio of heterophils: lymphocytes (H:L) between populations, with tuatara on the more resource-stressed sampling island having a significantly higher ratio of H:L. Finally, we found that sampling location, sex, and life stage did not explain variation in the responses of tuatara to stimulation with Concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide in both 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-di-phenyltetrazolium bromide and Griess assay experiments. Our results offer important insight into the function of leukocytes in reptiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K Lamar
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Hannah K Frank
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
- School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Anne La Flamme
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Brett Gartrell
- Wildbase, Tāwharau Ora, School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Diane Ormsby
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Nicola Nelson
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
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2
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Wait LF, Johnson SR, Nelson KM, Chipman RB, Pogmore FE, Dobson AP, Graham AL. Demographic, environmental and physiological predictors of gastrointestinal parasites in urban raccoons. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2023; 21:116-128. [PMID: 37575663 PMCID: PMC10422125 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Raccoons are host to diverse gastrointestinal parasites, but little is known about the ecology of these parasites in terms of their interactions with each other during coinfections, their interactions with host physiology and environmental factors, and their impact on raccoon health and survival. As a first step, we investigated the patterns of parasite infection and their demographic distribution in an urban-suburban population of raccoons trapped in the summers and autumns of 2018 and 2019. We collected faecal samples, demographic data, morphometric measurements, and blood smears, and used GPS data to classify trapping location by land cover type. Faecal floats were performed to detect and quantify gastrointestinal nematode eggs and coccidia oocysts, and white blood cell differentials were performed on blood smears to characterise white blood cell distributions. Data were analysed cross-sectionally and, where possible, longitudinally, using generalised linear models. Overall, 62.6% of sampled raccoons were infected with gastrointestinal nematodes, and 82.2% were infected with gastrointestinal coccidia. We analysed predictors of infection status and faecal egg count for three different morphotypes of nematode-Baylisascaris, strongyle, and capillariid nematodes-and found that infection status and egg count varied with Year, Month, Age class, Land cover, and coinfection status, though the significance of these predictors varied between nematode types. Gastrointestinal coccidia prevalence varied with Year, Month, Age class, strongyle infection status, and capillariid infection status. Coccidia oocyst counts were lower in adults and in October, but higher in females and in raccoons trapped in areas with natural land cover; furthermore, coccidia oocysts were positively associated with capillariid faecal egg counts. We found no evidence that gastrointestinal parasites influenced raccoon body condition or overwinter mortality, and so conclude that raccoons, though harbouring diverse and abundant gastrointestinal parasites, may be relatively tolerant of these parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liana F. Wait
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Shylo R. Johnson
- US Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA
| | - Kathleen M. Nelson
- US Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, Wildlife Services, National Rabies Management Program, Concord, NH, 03301, USA
| | - Richard B. Chipman
- US Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, Wildlife Services, National Rabies Management Program, Concord, NH, 03301, USA
| | - Frederick E. Pogmore
- US Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, Wildlife Services, Berlin, VT, 05602, USA
| | - Andrew P. Dobson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Andrea L. Graham
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
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3
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Falconer S, McAdie M, Mastromonaco G, Schulte-Hostedde AI. Assessing stress physiology within a conservation breeding program for an endangered species. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 11:coad041. [PMID: 38026799 PMCID: PMC10660376 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Conservation breeding programs typically involve the management of individuals both in and ex situ, so it is vital to understand how the physiology of managed species changes in these environments to maximize program outcomes. The Vancouver Island marmot (VIM; Marmota vancouverensis) is one species that has been managed in a conservation breeding program to recover the critically low wild population. Previous research has shown there are differences in hair glucocorticoid concentrations for VIMs in different managed groups in the program. Therefore, we used >1000 blood samples collected since the program's inception to assess the neutrophil to lymphocyte (N:L) ratio among captive, pre-release, post-release and wild populations as another metric of stress. In situ VIM populations were found to have a significantly higher N:L ratio than ex situ populations, suggesting that the wild is a more physiologically challenging environment than managed care. Moreover, the effect of age, sex and the month of sampling on the N:L ratio were found to be different for each population. Age had the greatest magnitude of effect in the wild population, and sex was only significant in ex situ populations. This study provided previously unknown insights into the physiology of VIMs and increased post-release monitoring will be useful in the future to fully understand how physiology may be contributing to differences in survival of VIMs in the program.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Falconer
- Department of Biology/School of Natural Sciences, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Rd, Sudbury, Canada, ON P3E 2C6
| | - M McAdie
- Marmot Recovery Foundation, PO Box 2332 Stn A, Nanaimo, BC, Canada, V9R 6X6
| | - G Mastromonaco
- Reproductive Sciences Unit, Toronto Zoo, 361A Old Finch Avenue, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, M1B 5K7
| | - A I Schulte-Hostedde
- Department of Biology/School of Natural Sciences, Laurentian University, S-614, Science Building, 935, Ramsey Lake Rd, Sudbury, Canada, ON P3E 2C6
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4
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Ukonaho S, Berger V, Franco dos Santos DJ, Htut W, Aung HH, Nyeing UK, Reichert S, Lummaa V. Seasonal variation in molecular and physiological stress markers in Asian elephants. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 11:coad029. [PMID: 38026806 PMCID: PMC10660384 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Free-living species exhibit seasonal variation in various life history traits, including vital rates such as birth and death patterns. Different physiological mechanisms are thought to underlie the expression of life history traits that contribute to lifetime fitness. However, although the broad impacts of seasonality on life history traits and trade-offs is well established in many systems, the exact physiological mechanisms responsible for driving differences within and between individuals are poorly understood. Among them, molecular and physiological stress pathways, such as stress hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and oxidative stress, have potential to mediate relationships between individual survival, reproduction and environmental seasonality. Here, we determine how different physiological markers of stress including faecal cortisol metabolites (FCMs), heterophils/lymphocytes (H/L) ratio, two markers indicating oxidative balance including a marker of oxidative damage (reactive oxygen metabolites, ROM) and a marker of antioxidant defences (superoxide dismutase, SOD) and body weight vary in a large semi-captive population of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) exposed to extreme seasonality (e.g. elevated temperatures). Individuals showed higher FCM levels and H/L ratios during cold season, indicating increased stress, and the lowest FCM levels during monsoon season and H/L ratios during hot and dry season, but we found no pattern in oxidative stress (ROM and SOD) levels. Hot season also associated with a decline in body weight. The present study shows how different physiological parameters (FCM levels and H/L ratio), molecular (oxidative stress) and body condition vary with seasonal changes, and how these parameters might allow individuals to adapt to such variations. Our results on an endangered long-lived species are crucial in indicating the most productive timing for conservation efforts, predicting how individuals cope with environmental changes, and allow for a more accurate representation of how animal physiology operates in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna Ukonaho
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie, 5, Turku 20014, Finland
| | - Vérane Berger
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie, 5, Turku 20014, Finland
| | | | - Win Htut
- Myanma Timber Enterprise, MONREC, Myanmar
| | | | | | - Sophie Reichert
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie, 5, Turku 20014, Finland
| | - Virpi Lummaa
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie, 5, Turku 20014, Finland
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Squair C, Proudfoot K, Montelpare W, Overall KL. Effects of Changing Veterinary Handling Techniques on Canine Behaviour and Physiology Part 1: Physiological Measurements. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13071253. [PMID: 37048509 PMCID: PMC10093362 DOI: 10.3390/ani13071253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Signs of distress in dogs are often normalized during routine veterinary care, creating an animal welfare concern. We sought to test whether targeted interventions during veterinary visits affect physiological indicators of stress in dogs. Some 28 dogs were examined within four visits across 8 weeks. All dogs received the same care during the first visit and were then randomized into control and intervention groups for visits 2-4. In the intervention group, 14 dogs underwent procedures designed to reduce stress and to enlist their collaboration during examination. The 14 dogs in the control group received routine care. At each visit, heart rate (HR), serum cortisol (CORT), neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and creatine kinase (CK) were measured. A composite stress index based on the summed standardized scores for these markers was constructed. No differences in HR, NLR, and CK parameters between groups were found, and both groups had a decrease in CORT by visit four. However, the intervention group showed a greater overall decrease in CORT between the first and fourth visit than the control group (p < 0.04). The composite stress index differed between the first and fourth visits for the intervention group, but not for the control group (Intervention p = 0.03; Control p= 0.288). There was a tendency for the composite stress index to worsen at visit four vs. visit one for the control group. The findings suggest that dogs that participated in adaptive, collaborative exams and procedures designed to minimize fear had a greater reduction in stress over time compared to those receiving standard care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Squair
- Department of Health Management, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3, Canada
| | - Kathryn Proudfoot
- Department of Health Management, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3, Canada
| | - William Montelpare
- Department of Applied Human Sciences, Faculty of Nursing, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3, Canada
| | - Karen L Overall
- Department of Health Management, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3, Canada
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Refsnider JM, Torres N, Otten JG. No Evidence of Long-Term Effects on Physiological Stress or Innate Immune Functioning in Northern Map Turtles a Decade After a Freshwater Oil Spill. HERPETOLOGICA 2023. [DOI: 10.1655/herpetologica-d-22-00019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jeanine M. Refsnider
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, USA
| | - Nicholas Torres
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, USA
| | - Joshua G. Otten
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, USA
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7
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Carbillet J, Hollain M, Rey B, Palme R, Pellerin M, Regis C, Geffré A, Duhayer J, Pardonnet S, Debias F, Merlet J, Lemaître JF, Verheyden H, Gilot-Fromont E. Age and spatio-temporal variations in food resources modulate stress-immunity relationships in three populations of wild roe deer. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2023; 330:114141. [PMID: 36272446 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2022.114141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Living in variable and unpredictable environments, organisms face recurrent stressful situations. The endocrine stress response, which includes the secretion of glucocorticoids, helps organisms to cope with these perturbations. Although short-term elevations of glucocorticoid levels are often associated with immediate beneficial consequences for individuals, long-term glucocorticoid elevation can compromise key physiological functions such as immunity. While laboratory works highlighted the immunosuppressive effect of long-term elevated glucocorticoids, it remains largely unknown, especially in wild animals, whether this relationship is modulated by individual and environmental characteristics. In this study, we explored the co-variation between integrated cortisol levels, assessed non-invasively using faecal cortisol metabolites (FCMs), and 12 constitutive indices of innate, inflammatory, and adaptive immune functions, in wild roe deer living in three populations with previously known contrasting environmental conditions. Using longitudinal data on 564 individuals, we further investigated whether age and spatio-temporal variations in the quantity and quality of food resources modulate the relationship between FCMs and immunity. Negative covariation with glucocorticoids was evident only for innate and inflammatory markers of immunity, while adaptive immunity appeared to be positively or not linked to glucocorticoids. In addition, the negative covariations were generally stronger in individuals facing harsh environmental constraints and in old individuals. Therefore, our results highlight the importance of measuring multiple immune markers of immunity in individuals from contrasted environments to unravel the complex relationships between glucocorticoids and immunity in wild animals. Our results also help explain conflicting results found in the literature and could improve our understanding of the link between elevated glucocorticoid levels and disease spread, and its consequences on population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Carbillet
- Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CEFS, Castanet Tolosan, 31326, France; LTSER ZA PYRénées GARonne, Auzeville-Tolosane, 31320, France; Université de Lyon, VetAgro Sup, Marcy-l'Etoile, 69280, France; Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu 51014, Estonia.
| | - Marine Hollain
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, UMR CNRS 5558, Villeurbanne Cedex 69100, France; Office Français de la biodiversité, Direction de la Recherche et de l'Appui Scientifique, Service Conservation et Gestion Durable des Espèces Exploitées, Chateauvillain 52210, France
| | - Benjamin Rey
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, UMR CNRS 5558, Villeurbanne Cedex 69100, France
| | - Rupert Palme
- Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna 1210, Austria
| | - Maryline Pellerin
- Office Français de la biodiversité, Direction de la Recherche et de l'Appui Scientifique, Service Conservation et Gestion Durable des Espèces Exploitées, Chateauvillain 52210, France
| | - Corinne Regis
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, UMR CNRS 5558, Villeurbanne Cedex 69100, France
| | - Anne Geffré
- Equipe de Biologie médicale-Histologie, CREFRE, Inserm-UPS-ENVT, Toulouse 31000, France
| | - Jeanne Duhayer
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, UMR CNRS 5558, Villeurbanne Cedex 69100, France
| | - Sylvia Pardonnet
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, UMR CNRS 5558, Villeurbanne Cedex 69100, France
| | - François Debias
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, UMR CNRS 5558, Villeurbanne Cedex 69100, France
| | - Joël Merlet
- Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CEFS, Castanet Tolosan, 31326, France; LTSER ZA PYRénées GARonne, Auzeville-Tolosane, 31320, France
| | | | - Hélène Verheyden
- Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CEFS, Castanet Tolosan, 31326, France; LTSER ZA PYRénées GARonne, Auzeville-Tolosane, 31320, France
| | - Emmanuelle Gilot-Fromont
- Université de Lyon, VetAgro Sup, Marcy-l'Etoile, 69280, France; Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, UMR CNRS 5558, Villeurbanne Cedex 69100, France
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Carbillet J, Rey B, Palme R, Monestier C, Börger L, Lavabre T, Maublanc ML, Cebe N, Rames JL, Le Loc'h G, Wasniewski M, Rannou B, Gilot-Fromont E, Verheyden H. Covariation between glucocorticoids, behaviour and immunity supports the pace-of-life syndrome hypothesis: an experimental approach. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20220464. [PMID: 35611533 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The biomedical literature has consistently highlighted that long-term elevation of glucocorticoids might impair immune functions. However, patterns are less clear in wild animals. Here, we re-explored the stress-immunity relationship considering the potential effects of behavioural profiles. Thirteen captive roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) were monitored over an eight-week period encompassing two capture events. We assessed how changes in baseline faecal cortisol metabolite (FCM) concentrations following a standardized capture protocol and an immune challenge using anti-rabies vaccination affected changes in 13 immune parameters of innate and adaptive immunity, and whether these changes in baseline FCM levels and immune parameters related to behavioural profiles. We found that individuals with increased baseline FCM levels also exhibited increased immunity and were characterized by more reactive behavioural profiles (low activity levels, docility to manipulation and neophilia). Our results suggest that the immunity of large mammals may be influenced by glucocorticoids, but also behavioural profiles, as it is predicted by the pace-of-life syndrome hypothesis. Our results highlight the need to consider covariations between behaviour, immunity and glucocorticoids in order to improve our understanding of the among-individual variability in the stress-immunity relationships observed in wildlife, as they may be underpinned by different life-history strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Carbillet
- Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CEFS, Castanet Tolosan 31326, France.,Université de Lyon, VetAgro Sup, Marcy-l'Etoile, France
| | - Benjamin Rey
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, UMR CNRS 5558, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna 1210, Austria
| | | | - Luca Börger
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, UK
| | - Typhaine Lavabre
- Equipe de Biologie médicale-Histologie, CREFRE, Inserm-UPS-ENVT, Toulouse, France.,Inovie Vet, Laboratoire d'Analyses et Biologie Vétérinaires, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Nicolas Cebe
- Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CEFS, Castanet Tolosan 31326, France
| | - Jean-Luc Rames
- Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CEFS, Castanet Tolosan 31326, France
| | | | | | - Benoit Rannou
- Université de Lyon, VetAgro Sup, Marcy-l'Etoile, France
| | - Emmanuelle Gilot-Fromont
- Université de Lyon, VetAgro Sup, Marcy-l'Etoile, France.,Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, UMR CNRS 5558, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - Hélène Verheyden
- Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CEFS, Castanet Tolosan 31326, France
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Uchida K, Ng R, Vydro SA, Smith JE, Blumstein DT. The benefits of being dominant: health correlates of male social rank and age in a marmot. Curr Zool 2021; 68:19-26. [PMID: 35169626 PMCID: PMC8836331 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoab034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The benefits of dominance may not come without costs, particularly for males. For example, the “immunocompetence handicap hypothesis” states that males with enhanced mating success allocate resources to enhance reproductive output at a cost to their current health, whereas the “resource quality hypothesis” predicts that high-ranking males may benefit from increased reproduction and good health. Whereas the predictions from each have been well tested in captive animals and in a variety of highly social primates, fewer studies have been carried out in free-living, facultatively social animals. Using adult male yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer), we evaluated predictions of these hypotheses by examining the relationship between social rank and 2 health indicators—fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FCM) levels, and neutrophil/lymphocyte (N/L) ratios—after accounting for variation explained by age, body mass, and seasonality. We found that higher-ranking males tended to have a lower N/L ratio (reflecting good health) than lower-ranking individuals, whereas FCM levels were not significantly related to rank. In addition, heavier male marmots had lower N/L ratios, whereas body mass was not associated with FCM levels. We also found that older adult males had lower FCM levels (reflecting less physiological stress) but higher N/L ratios than younger adults. Finally, we found that FCM levels decreased as the active season progressed and FCM levels were associated with the time of the day. Overall, our results suggest that socially-dominant male marmots enjoyed better, not worse health in terms of lower N/L ratios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenta Uchida
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
| | - Rachel Ng
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
| | - Samuel A Vydro
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
| | - Jennifer E Smith
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
- Department of Biology, Mills College, Oakland, CA 94613, USA
| | - Daniel T Blumstein
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA
- The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Crested Butte, CO 81224, USA
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10
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Lemaître JF, Carbillet J, Rey B, Palme R, Froy H, Wilbourn RV, Underwood SL, Cheynel L, Gaillard JM, Hewison AJM, Verheyden H, Débias F, Duhayer J, Régis C, Pardonnet S, Pellerin M, Nussey DH, Gilot-Fromont E. Short-term telomere dynamics is associated with glucocorticoid levels in wild populations of roe deer. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2020; 252:110836. [PMID: 33144154 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2020.110836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
While evidence that telomere length is associated with health and mortality in humans and birds is accumulating, a large body of research is currently seeking to identify factors that modulate telomere dynamics. We tested the hypothesis that high levels of glucocorticoids in individuals under environmental stress should accelerate telomere shortening in two wild populations of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) living in different ecological contexts. From two consecutive annual sampling sessions, we found that individuals with faster rates of telomere shortening had higher concentrations of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites, suggesting a functional link between glucocorticoid levels and telomere attrition rate. This relationship was consistent for both sexes and populations. This finding paves the way for further studies of the fitness consequences of exposure to environmental stressors in wild vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-François Lemaître
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR5558, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France.
| | - Jeffrey Carbillet
- Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CEFS, F-31326 Castanet Tolosan, France; Université de Lyon, VetAgro Sup, Marcy-l'Etoile, France
| | - Benjamin Rey
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR5558, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Rupert Palme
- Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Hannah Froy
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK; Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Rachael V Wilbourn
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Sarah L Underwood
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Louise Cheynel
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary, and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, UK
| | - Jean-Michel Gaillard
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR5558, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - A J Mark Hewison
- Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CEFS, F-31326 Castanet Tolosan, France
| | - Hélène Verheyden
- Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CEFS, F-31326 Castanet Tolosan, France
| | - François Débias
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR5558, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Jeanne Duhayer
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR5558, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Corinne Régis
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR5558, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Sylvia Pardonnet
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR5558, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | | | - Daniel H Nussey
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Emmanuelle Gilot-Fromont
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR5558, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France; Université de Lyon, VetAgro Sup, Marcy-l'Etoile, France
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11
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Satyaningtijas AS, Suprayogi A, Darusman HS, Nurdin A, Hanadhita D. Relative white blood cell counts, heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and discovery of blood parasites in wild dugong ( Dugong dugon) at Lingayan Island, Toli-toli, Indonesia. Vet World 2020; 13:1849-1853. [PMID: 33132595 PMCID: PMC7566243 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2020.1849-1853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: This study was conducted to investigate the relative white blood cell (WBC) counts and the heterophil-to-lymphocyte (H/L) ratio and to analyze the presence of blood parasites in wild dugongs at Lingayan Island. It is expected that the results of this study could provide additional knowledge about the physiological conditions of wild dugongs in their natural habitats, which can serve as basic data in dugong conservation efforts, especially in Indonesia. Materials and Methods: A wild dugong was captured around Lingayan Island. Blood samples were collected from the saphenous vein, and blood smears were prepared immediately. The blood smears were examined for leukocyte identification, calculation of relative WBC counts, and presence of blood parasites. The H/L ratio was calculated based on the obtained relative WBC counts. Results: The relative WBC counts included heterophils 19.4%, lymphocytes 76.4%, and monocytes 3.6%, and the H/L ratio was 0.25. Intraerythrocytic parasites were identified and suspected to be Anaplasma and Babesia. Conclusion: This study reports leukocyte values from free-ranging dugongs captured in Lingayan Island, Indonesia. Based on the H/L ratio, the dugong examined, in this study, did not experience chronic stress. However, the discovery of blood parasites could be one of the threatening factors for the dugong population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aryani Sismin Satyaningtijas
- Department of Anatomy Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Agik Suprayogi
- Department of Anatomy Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Huda Shalahudin Darusman
- Department of Anatomy Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Ardiansyah Nurdin
- Study Program of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia
| | - Desrayni Hanadhita
- Department of Anatomy Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
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12
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Gervais L, Hewison AJM, Morellet N, Bernard M, Merlet J, Cargnelutti B, Chaval Y, Pujol B, Quéméré E. Pedigree-free quantitative genetic approach provides evidence for heritability of movement tactics in wild roe deer. J Evol Biol 2020; 33:595-607. [PMID: 31985133 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Assessing the evolutionary potential of animal populations in the wild is crucial to understanding how they may respond to selection mediated by rapid environmental change (e.g. habitat loss and fragmentation). A growing number of studies have investigated the adaptive role of behaviour, but assessments of its genetic basis in a natural setting remain scarce. We combined intensive biologging technology with genome-wide data and a pedigree-free quantitative genetic approach to quantify repeatability, heritability and evolvability for a suite of behaviours related to the risk avoidance-resource acquisition trade-off in a wild roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) population inhabiting a heterogeneous, human-dominated landscape. These traits, linked to the stress response, movement and space-use behaviour, were all moderately to highly repeatable. Furthermore, the repeatable among-individual component of variation in these traits was partly due to additive genetic variance, with heritability estimates ranging from 0.21 ± 0.08 to 0.70 ± 0.11 and evolvability ranging from 1.1% to 4.3%. Changes in the trait mean can therefore occur under hypothetical directional selection over just a few generations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first empirical demonstration of additive genetic variation in space-use behaviour in a free-ranging population based on genomic relatedness data. We conclude that wild animal populations may have the potential to adjust their spatial behaviour to human-driven environmental modifications through microevolutionary change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Gervais
- CEFS, INRAE, Université de Toulouse, Castanet-Tolosan, France.,LTSER ZA PYRénées GARonne, Auzeville-Tolosane, France.,Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174), CNRS, IRD, UPS, Université Fédérale de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, Toulouse, France
| | - Aidan J M Hewison
- CEFS, INRAE, Université de Toulouse, Castanet-Tolosan, France.,LTSER ZA PYRénées GARonne, Auzeville-Tolosane, France
| | - Nicolas Morellet
- CEFS, INRAE, Université de Toulouse, Castanet-Tolosan, France.,LTSER ZA PYRénées GARonne, Auzeville-Tolosane, France
| | - Maria Bernard
- INRAE, GABI, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France.,INRAE, SIGENAE, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Joël Merlet
- CEFS, INRAE, Université de Toulouse, Castanet-Tolosan, France.,LTSER ZA PYRénées GARonne, Auzeville-Tolosane, France
| | - Bruno Cargnelutti
- CEFS, INRAE, Université de Toulouse, Castanet-Tolosan, France.,LTSER ZA PYRénées GARonne, Auzeville-Tolosane, France
| | - Yannick Chaval
- CEFS, INRAE, Université de Toulouse, Castanet-Tolosan, France.,LTSER ZA PYRénées GARonne, Auzeville-Tolosane, France
| | - Benoit Pujol
- Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174), CNRS, IRD, UPS, Université Fédérale de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, Toulouse, France.,USR 3278 CRIOBE, PSL Université Paris: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, Université de Perpignan, Perpignan Cedex, France
| | - Erwan Quéméré
- CEFS, INRAE, Université de Toulouse, Castanet-Tolosan, France.,LTSER ZA PYRénées GARonne, Auzeville-Tolosane, France.,ESE, Ecology and Ecosystems Health, Ouest, INRAE, Rennes, France
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