1
|
Reid R, Capilla-Lasheras P, Haddou Y, Boonekamp J, Dominoni DM. The impact of urbanization on health depends on the health metric, life stage and level of urbanization: a global meta-analysis on avian species. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240617. [PMID: 39016598 PMCID: PMC11253839 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Stressors associated with urban habitats have been linked to poor wildlife health but whether a general negative relationship between urbanization and animal health can be affirmed is unclear. We conducted a meta-analysis of avian literature to test whether health biomarkers differed on average between urban and non-urban environments, and whether there are systematic differences across species, biomarkers, life stages and species traits. Our dataset included 644 effect sizes derived from 112 articles published between 1989 and 2022, on 51 bird species. First, we showed that there was no clear impact of urbanization on health when we categorized the sampling locations as urban or non-urban. However, we did find a small negative effect of urbanization on health when this dichotomous variable was replaced by a quantitative variable representing the degree of urbanization at each location. Second, we showed that the effect of urbanization on avian health was dependent on the type of health biomarker measured as well as the individual life stage, with young individuals being more negatively affected. Our comprehensive analysis calls for future studies to disentangle specific urban-related drivers of health that might be obscured in categorical urban versus non-urban comparisons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Reid
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Graham Kerr Building, 82 Hillhead Street, GlasgowG12 8QQ, UK
| | - Pablo Capilla-Lasheras
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Graham Kerr Building, 82 Hillhead Street, GlasgowG12 8QQ, UK
| | - Yacob Haddou
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Graham Kerr Building, 82 Hillhead Street, GlasgowG12 8QQ, UK
| | - Jelle Boonekamp
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Graham Kerr Building, 82 Hillhead Street, GlasgowG12 8QQ, UK
| | - Davide M. Dominoni
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Graham Kerr Building, 82 Hillhead Street, GlasgowG12 8QQ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Isaksson C, Ziegler AK, Powell D, Gudmundsson A, Andersson MN, Rissler J. Transcriptome analysis of avian livers reveals different molecular changes to three urban pollutants: Soot, artificial light at night and noise. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 358:124461. [PMID: 38964643 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Identifying key molecular pathways and genes involved in the response to urban pollutants is an important step in furthering our understanding of the impact of urbanisation on wildlife. The expansion of urban habitats and the associated human-introduced environmental changes are considered a global threat to the health and persistence of humans and wildlife. The present study experimentally investigates how short-term exposure to three urban-related pollutants -soot, artificial light at night (ALAN) and traffic noise-affects transcriptome-wide gene expression in livers from captive female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Compared to unexposed controls, 17, 52, and 28 genes were differentially expressed in soot, ALAN and noise-exposed birds, respectively. In soot-exposed birds, the enriched gene ontology (GO) terms were associated with a suppressed immune system such as interferon regulating genes (IRGs) and responses to external stimuli. For ALAN-exposed birds, enriched GO terms were instead based on downregulated genes associated with detoxification, redox, hormonal-, and metabolic processes. Noise exposure resulted in downregulation of genes associated with the GO terms: cellular responses to substances, catabolic and cytokine responses. Among the individually differentially expressed genes (DEGs), soot led to an increased expression of genes related to tumour progression. Likewise, ALAN revealed an upregulation of multiple genes linked to different cancer types. Both sensory pollutants (ALAN and noise) led to increased expression of genes linked to neuronal function. Interestingly, noise caused upregulation of genes associated with serotonin regulation and function (SLC6A4 and HTR7), which previous studies have shown to be under selection in urban birds. These outcomes indicate that short-term exposure to the three urban pollutants perturbate the liver transcriptome, but most often in different ways, which highlights future studies of multiple-stress exposure and their interactive effects, along with their long-term impacts for urban-dwelling wildlife.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C Isaksson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, SE-223 62, Lund, Sweden.
| | - A-K Ziegler
- Department of Biology, Lund University, SE-223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - D Powell
- Department of Biology, Lund University, SE-223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - A Gudmundsson
- Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology, Department of Design Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Lund University, SE-223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - M N Andersson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, SE-223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - J Rissler
- Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology, Department of Design Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Lund University, SE-223 62, Lund, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ziegler AK, Jensen JK, Jiménez-Gallardo L, Rissler J, Gudmundsson A, Nilsson JÅ, Isaksson C. Dietary fatty acids modulate oxidative stress response to air pollution but not to infection. Front Physiol 2024; 15:1391806. [PMID: 38784118 PMCID: PMC11112072 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1391806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic changes to the environment expose wildlife to many pollutants. Among these, tropospheric ozone is of global concern and a highly potent pro-oxidant. In addition, human activities include several other implications for wildlife, e.g., changed food availability and changed distribution of pathogens in cities. These co-occurring habitat changes may interact, thereby modulating the physiological responses and costs related to anthropogenic change. For instance, many food items associated with humans (e.g., food waste and feeders for wild birds) contain relatively more ω6-than ω3-polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Metabolites derived from ω6-PUFAs can enhance inflammation and oxidative stress towards a stimulus, whereas the opposite response is linked to ω3-derived metabolites. Hence, we hypothesized that differential intake of ω6-and ω3-PUFAs modulates the oxidative stress state of birds and thereby affects the responses towards pro-oxidants. To test this, we manipulated dietary ω6:ω3 ratios and ozone levels in a full-factorial experiment using captive zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Additionally, we simulated an infection, thereby also triggering the immune system's adaptive pro-oxidant release (i.e., oxidative burst), by injecting lipopolysaccharide. Under normal air conditions, the ω3-diet birds had a lower antioxidant ratio (GSH/GSSG ratio) compared to the ω6-diet birds. When exposed to ozone, however, the diet effect disappeared. Instead, ozone exposure overall reduced the total concentration of the key antioxidant glutathione (tGSH). Moreover, the birds on the ω6-rich diet had an overall higher antioxidant capacity (OXY) compared to birds fed a ω3-rich diet. Interestingly, only the immune challenge increased oxidative damage, suggesting the oxidative burst of the immune system overrides the other pro-oxidative processes, including diet. Taken together, our results show that ozone, dietary PUFAs, and infection all affect the redox-system, but in different ways, suggesting that the underlying responses are decoupled despite that they all increase pro-oxidant exposure or generation. Despite lack of apparent cumulative effect in the independent biomarkers, the combined single effects could together reduce overall cellular functioning and efficiency over time in wild birds exposed to pathogens, ozone, and anthropogenic food sources.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Johan Kjellberg Jensen
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC), Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Lucía Jiménez-Gallardo
- Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jenny Rissler
- Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology, Department of Design Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Bioeconomy and Health, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Lund, Sweden
| | - Anders Gudmundsson
- Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology, Department of Design Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Jiménez T, Peña-Villalobos I, Arcila J, Del Basto F, Palma V, Sabat P. The effects of urban thermal heterogeneity and feather coloration on oxidative stress and metabolism of pigeons (Columba livia). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169564. [PMID: 38142996 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Urbanization stands out as a significant anthropogenic factor, exerting selective pressures on ecosystems and biotic components. A notable outcome of urbanization is thermal heterogeneity where the emergence of Urban Heat Islands is characterized by elevated air and surface temperatures compared to adjacent rural areas. Investigating the influence of thermal heterogeneity on urban animals could offer insights into how temperature variations can lead to phenotypic shifts. Urban pigeons (Columba livia) serve as an excellent model for studying urban thermal effects, given the melanism variations, which are associated with the pleiotropy of the melanocortin system. To examine the development of physiological plasticity in response to urban thermal variations, we conducted a study on pigeons in Santiago, Chile, during the rainy season. We assessed the influence of habitat on physiological traits related to metabolism and antioxidant capacities, which are theoretically affected by feather coloration. Our findings reveal that variations in melanism significantly impact pigeon physiology, affecting both antioxidant capacities and the mitochondrial activity of red blood cells. It was found that higher urban temperatures, from both the current sampling month and the prior sampling month (from CRU TS dataset), were negatively and strongly associated with lower antioxidant and metabolic activities. This suggests that elevated urban temperatures likely benefit the energetic budgets of pigeon populations and mitigate the negative effects of oxidative metabolism, with differential effects depending on feather colorations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tomás Jiménez
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Isaac Peña-Villalobos
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Laboratorio de Células troncales y Biología del Desarrollo, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Javiera Arcila
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Francisco Del Basto
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Verónica Palma
- Laboratorio de Células troncales y Biología del Desarrollo, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo Sabat
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Santiago, Chile; Millennium Nucleus of Patagonian Limit of Life (LiLi)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Salmón P, López-Idiáquez D, Capilla-Lasheras P, Pérez-Tris J, Isaksson C, Watson H. Urbanisation impacts plumage colouration in a songbird across Europe: Evidence from a correlational, experimental and meta-analytical approach. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:1924-1936. [PMID: 37574652 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Urbanisation is accelerating across the globe, transforming landscapes, presenting organisms with novel challenges, shaping phenotypes and impacting fitness. Urban individuals are claimed to have duller carotenoid-based colouration, compared to their non-urban counterparts, the so-called 'urban dullness' phenomenon. However, at the intraspecific level, this generalisation is surprisingly inconsistent and often based on comparisons of single urban/non-urban populations or studies from a limited geographical area. Here, we combine correlational, experimental and meta-analytical data on a common songbird, the great tit Parus major, to investigate carotenoid-based plumage colouration in urban and forest populations across Europe. We find that, as predicted, urban individuals are paler than forest individuals, although there are large population-specific differences in the magnitude of the urban-forest contrast in colouration. Using one focal region (Malmö, Sweden), we reveal population-specific processes behind plumage colouration differences, which are unlikely to be the result of genetic or early-life conditions, but instead a consequence of environmental factors acting after fledging. Finally, our meta-analysis indicates that the urban dullness phenomenon is well established in the literature, for great tits, with consistent changes in carotenoid-based plumage traits, particularly carotenoid chroma, in response to anthropogenic disturbances. Overall, our results provide evidence for uniformity in the 'urban dullness' phenomenon but also highlight that the magnitude of the effect on colouration depends on local urban characteristics. Future long-term replicated studies, covering a wider range of species and feeding guilds, will be essential to further our understanding of the eco-evolutionary implications of this phenomenon.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Salmón
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - David López-Idiáquez
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Pablo Capilla-Lasheras
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Javier Pérez-Tris
- Evolution and Conservation Biology Research Group, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Hannah Watson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Saulnier A, Bleu J, Boos A, Millet M, Zahn S, Ronot P, El Masoudi I, Rojas ER, Uhlrich P, Del Nero M, Massemin S. Inter-annual variation of physiological traits between urban and forest great tits. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2023; 279:111385. [PMID: 36740170 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.111385] [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: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Urbanization is characterized by rapid environmental changes such as an increase in building surface, in pollution, or a decrease in invertebrate abundance. For many bird species, morphological and physiological differences have been observed between urban and rural individuals that seem to reflect a negative impact of urban life on the health and fitness of individuals. Studies on passerine birds also showed important differences between populations and species in their responses to the urban environment. We propose to test physiological differences between urban and forest individuals over 3 years to understand whether the observed patterns are constant or subject to variations across years. For this purpose, we assessed the health parameters of adults and fledgling of great tits, Parus major, living in an urban and in a forest site in the Eurometropole of Strasbourg, for three years. Bird health was estimated with morphological parameters (body condition and size) and also with physiological parameters (oxidative status and telomere length). Our results showed lower body condition of urban fledglings regardless of the year, but no site effects on telomere length. On the contrary, for adult breeders, urban individuals had longer telomeres than forest ones except for one year which coincide with bad weather conditions during reproduction where no difference was detected. Urban birds also had higher antioxidant capacity whatever the years. These results suggest that cities act as a filter in which only good quality individuals survive and achieve successful reproduction regardless of year, whereas in the forest the selection occurs only during harsh weather years.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Agnès Saulnier
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 23 rue du Loess, F-67000 Strasbourg, France.
| | - Josefa Bleu
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 23 rue du Loess, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; ZAEU, Maison Interuniversitaire des Sciences de l'Homme - Alsace (MISHA), 5, allée du Général Rouvillois, CS 50008, 67083 Strasbourg cedex, France
| | - Anne Boos
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 23 rue du Loess, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; ZAEU, Maison Interuniversitaire des Sciences de l'Homme - Alsace (MISHA), 5, allée du Général Rouvillois, CS 50008, 67083 Strasbourg cedex, France
| | - Maurice Millet
- ZAEU, Maison Interuniversitaire des Sciences de l'Homme - Alsace (MISHA), 5, allée du Général Rouvillois, CS 50008, 67083 Strasbourg cedex, France; Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, ICPEES 7515, F-67087 Strasbourg Cedex 3, France
| | - Sandrine Zahn
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 23 rue du Loess, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; ZAEU, Maison Interuniversitaire des Sciences de l'Homme - Alsace (MISHA), 5, allée du Général Rouvillois, CS 50008, 67083 Strasbourg cedex, France
| | - Pascale Ronot
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 23 rue du Loess, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; ZAEU, Maison Interuniversitaire des Sciences de l'Homme - Alsace (MISHA), 5, allée du Général Rouvillois, CS 50008, 67083 Strasbourg cedex, France
| | - Islah El Masoudi
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 23 rue du Loess, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Emilio R Rojas
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 23 rue du Loess, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; Wildstat, 43 rue de la Hoube, 67280 Urmatt, France
| | - Pierre Uhlrich
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 23 rue du Loess, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Mirella Del Nero
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 23 rue du Loess, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; ZAEU, Maison Interuniversitaire des Sciences de l'Homme - Alsace (MISHA), 5, allée du Général Rouvillois, CS 50008, 67083 Strasbourg cedex, France
| | - Sylvie Massemin
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 23 rue du Loess, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; ZAEU, Maison Interuniversitaire des Sciences de l'Homme - Alsace (MISHA), 5, allée du Général Rouvillois, CS 50008, 67083 Strasbourg cedex, France
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Sumasgutner P, Cunningham SJ, Hegemann A, Amar A, Watson H, Nilsson JF, Andersson MN, Isaksson C. Interactive effects of rising temperatures and urbanisation on birds across different climate zones: A mechanistic perspective. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:2399-2420. [PMID: 36911976 PMCID: PMC10947105 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Climate change and urbanisation are among the most pervasive and rapidly growing threats to biodiversity worldwide. However, their impacts are usually considered in isolation, and interactions are rarely examined. Predicting species' responses to the combined effects of climate change and urbanisation, therefore, represents a pressing challenge in global change biology. Birds are important model taxa for exploring the impacts of both climate change and urbanisation, and their behaviour and physiology have been well studied in urban and non-urban systems. This understanding should allow interactive effects of rising temperatures and urbanisation to be inferred, yet considerations of these interactions are almost entirely lacking from empirical research. Here, we synthesise our current understanding of the potential mechanisms that could affect how species respond to the combined effects of rising temperatures and urbanisation, with a focus on avian taxa. We discuss potential interactive effects to motivate future in-depth research on this critically important, yet overlooked, aspect of global change biology. Increased temperatures are a pronounced consequence of both urbanisation (through the urban heat island effect) and climate change. The biological impact of this warming in urban and non-urban systems will likely differ in magnitude and direction when interacting with other factors that typically vary between these habitats, such as resource availability (e.g. water, food and microsites) and pollution levels. Furthermore, the nature of such interactions may differ for cities situated in different climate types, for example, tropical, arid, temperate, continental and polar. Within this article, we highlight the potential for interactive effects of climate and urban drivers on the mechanistic responses of birds, identify knowledge gaps and propose promising future research avenues. A deeper understanding of the behavioural and physiological mechanisms mediating species' responses to urbanisation and rising temperatures will provide novel insights into ecology and evolution under global change and may help better predict future population responses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Petra Sumasgutner
- Konrad Lorenz Research Centre, Core Facility for Behavior and Cognition, Department of Behavioral & Cognitive BiologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI‐NRF Centre of ExcellenceUniversity of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
| | - Susan J. Cunningham
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI‐NRF Centre of ExcellenceUniversity of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
| | | | - Arjun Amar
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI‐NRF Centre of ExcellenceUniversity of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
von Holdt BM, Kartzinel RY, van Oers K, Verhoeven KJF, Ouyang JQ. Changes in the rearing environment cause reorganization of molecular networks associated with DNA methylation. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:648-664. [PMID: 36567635 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13878] [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: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Disentangling the interaction between the genetic basis and environmental context underlying phenotypic variation is critical for understanding organismal evolution. Environmental change, such as increased rates of urbanization, can induce shifts in phenotypic plasticity with some individuals adapting to city life while others are displaced. A key trait that can facilitate adaptation is the degree at which animals respond to stressors. This stress response, which includes elevation of baseline circulating concentrations of glucocorticoids, has a heritable component and exhibits intra- and inter-individual variation. However, the mechanisms behind this variability and whether they might be responsible for adaptation to different environments are not known. Variation in DNA methylation can be a potential mechanism that mediates environmental effects on the stress response, as early-life stressors increase glucocorticoid concentrations and change adult phenotype. We used an inter- and intra-environmental cross-foster experiment to analyse the contribution of DNA methylation to early-life phenotypic variation. We found that at hatching, urban house wren (Troglodytes aedon) offspring had higher methylation frequencies compared with their rural counterparts. We also observed age-related patterns in offspring methylation, indicating the developmental effects of the rearing environment on methylation. At fledgling, differential methylation analyses showed that cellular respiration genes were differentially methylated in broods of different origins and behavioural and metabolism genes were differentially methylated in broods of different rearing environments. Lastly, hyper-methylation of a single gene (CNTNAP2) is associated with decreased glucocorticoid levels and the rearing environment. These differential methylation patterns linked to a specific physiological phenotype suggest that DNA methylation may be a mechanism by which individuals adjust to novel environments during their lifespan. Characterizing genetic and environmental influences on methylation is critical for understanding the role of epigenetic mechanisms in evolutionary adaptation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bridgett M von Holdt
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Rebecca Y Kartzinel
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Kees van Oers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Koen J F Verhoeven
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jenny Q Ouyang
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Salaberria C, Chávez-Zichinelli CA, López-Rull I, Romano MC, Schondube JE. Physiological status of House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) along an ozone pollution gradient. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023; 32:261-272. [PMID: 36810751 PMCID: PMC10008774 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-023-02632-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Mexico City is one of the most polluted cities in the world, and one in which air contamination is considered a public health threat. Numerous studies have related high concentrations of particulate matter and ozone to several respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and a higher human mortality risk. However, almost all of those studies have focused on human health outcomes, and the effects of anthropogenic air pollution on wildlife species is still poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the impacts of air pollution in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) on house sparrows (Passer domesticus). We assessed two physiological responses commonly used as biomarkers: stress response (the corticosterone concentration in feathers), and constitutive innate immune response (the concentration of both natural antibodies and lytic complement proteins), which are non-invasive techniques. We found a negative relationship between the ozone concentration and the natural antibodies response (p = 0.003). However, no relationship was found between the ozone concentration and the stress response or the complement system activity (p > 0.05). These results suggest that ozone concentrations in air pollution within MCMA may constrain the natural antibody response in the immune system of house sparrows. Our study shows, for the first time, the potential impact of ozone pollution on a wild species in the MCMA presenting the Nabs activity and the house sparrow as suitable indicators to assess the effect of air contamination on the songbirds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Concepción Salaberria
- Área de Biodiversidad, Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Calle Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, España
| | | | - Isabel López-Rull
- Área de Biodiversidad, Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Calle Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, España
| | - Marta C Romano
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, 07360, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Jorge E Schondube
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Morelia, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro 8701, Colonia Ex Hacienda de San José de la Huerta, 58190, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Jensen JK, Ziegler AK, Isaxon C, Jiménez-Gallardo L, Garcia Domínguez S, Nilsson JÅ, Rissler J, Isaksson C. Quantifying the influence of urban biotic and abiotic environmental factors on great tit nestling physiology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:160225. [PMID: 36400300 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
There is a long history of avian studies investigating the impacts of urbanization. While differences in several life-history traits have been documented, either between urban and rural populations or across generalized urbanization gradients, a detailed understanding of which specific environmental variables cause these phenotypic differences is still lacking. Here, we quantified several local environmental variables coupled to urbanization (air pollution, tree composition, ambient temperature, and artificial light at night [ALAN]) within territories of breeding great tits (Parus major). We linked the environmental variables to physiological measures of the nestlings (circulating fatty acid composition [FA], antioxidant capacity and an oxidative damage marker [malondialdehyde; MDA]), to garner a mechanistic understanding of the impact of urbanization. We found that the antioxidant capacity of nestlings decreased with higher numbers of oak trees and levels of PM2.5 (airborne particulate matter with a diameter < 2.5 μm). Furthermore, the ratio of ω6:ω3 polyunsaturated FAs, important for immune function, was positively correlated with PM2.5 concentration, while being negatively associated with ambient temperature and number of non-native trees in the territory. Body mass and wing length both increased with the number of local oak trees. We also show, through a principal component analysis, that while the environmental variables fall into an urbanization gradient, this gradient is insufficient to explain the observed physiological responses. Therefore, accounting for individual environmental variables in parallel, and thus allowing for interactions between these, is crucial to fully understand the urban ecosystem.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Johan Kjellberg Jensen
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC), Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | | | - Christina Isaxon
- NanoLund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Lucía Jiménez-Gallardo
- Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Jenny Rissler
- NanoLund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Bioeconomy and Health, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Lund, Sweden
| | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Jiménez-Peñuela J, Ferraguti M, Martínez-De La Puente J, Soriguer RC, Figuerola J. Oxidative status in relation to blood parasite infections in house sparrows living along an urbanization gradient. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 316:120712. [PMID: 36423890 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Living organisms are exposed to a wide range of substances - internal and external - which act like reactive oxygen species (ROS). Oxidative damage accurs when the balance between ROS and antioxidant defenses is altered. Urbanization and parasite infection are both important sources of ROS with different harmful effects on wildlife health, but the potential synergies between both factors are poorly known. Here, we analyse the oxidative stress of wild juvenile male house sparrows (Passer domesticus) along an urbanization gradient in relation to the infection status by three common blood parasites (Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon) and bird body condition. We analysed samples from 688 birds captured at 45 localities from southern Spain grouped into triplets including an urban, a rural and a natural habitat, with 15 localities per habitat type. We measured i) thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels as indicator of the oxidative damage to lipids, and the activity of three antioxidant enzymes ii) glutathione peroxidase (GPx), iii) superoxide dismutase (SOD) and iv) glutathione reductase (GR) as indicators of bird's antioxidant capacity. Birds infected with Haemoproteus and urban birds showed significantly and marginally higher levels of TBARS than uninfected and rural birds, respectively. The relationship between TBARS and body condition is different regarding the infection status (significative) and habitat (marginally significant) being negative for Haemoproteus infected and urban birds but positive for uninfected and non-urban birds. The antioxidant activity was significantly lower in Plasmodium infected birds but marginally higher in Leucocytozoon infected birds than in uninfected ones. Individuals with higher body condition had higher GPx and SOD activity in relation to a lower GR activity. Overall, these results suggest that blood parasites infections and urbanization affect the oxidative status of wild birds and highlight the role of bird's body condition on the regulation of the oxidative stress status.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jéssica Jiménez-Peñuela
- Department of Wetland Ecology, Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC), C\Américo Vespucio, 26, Seville, E-41092, Spain.
| | - Martina Ferraguti
- Department of Theoretical and Computational Ecology (TCE), Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098XH, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
| | - Josué Martínez-De La Puente
- Department of Parasitology, University of Granada, Granada, E-18071, Spain; CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain.
| | - Ramón C Soriguer
- Department of Wetland Ecology, Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC), C\Américo Vespucio, 26, Seville, E-41092, Spain; CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain.
| | - Jordi Figuerola
- Department of Wetland Ecology, Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC), C\Américo Vespucio, 26, Seville, E-41092, Spain; CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Nwaogu CJ, Amar A, Nebel C, Isaksson C, Hegemann A, Sumasgutner P. Innate immune function and antioxidant capacity of nestlings of an African raptor covary with the level of urbanisation around breeding territories. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:124-141. [PMID: 36353782 PMCID: PMC10107107 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Urban areas provide breeding habitats for many species. However, animals raised in urban environments face challenges such as altered food availability and quality, pollution and pathogen assemblages. These challenges can affect physiological processes such as immune function and antioxidant defences which are important for fitness. Here, we explore how levels of urbanisation influence innate immune function, immune response to a mimicked bacterial infection and antioxidant capacity of nestling Black Sparrowhawks Accipiter melanoleucus in South Africa. We also explore the effect of timing of breeding and rainfall on physiology since both can influence the environmental condition under which nestlings are raised. Finally, because urbanisation can influence immune function indirectly, we use path analyses to explore direct and indirect associations between urbanisation, immune function and oxidative stress. We obtained measures of innate immunity (haptoglobin, lysis, agglutination, bactericidal capacity), indices of antioxidant capacity (total non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity (tAOX) and total glutathione from nestlings from 2015 to 2019. In addition, in 2018 and 2019, we mimicked a bacterial infection by injecting nestlings with lipopolysaccharide and quantified their immune response. Increased urban cover was associated with an increase in lysis and a decrease in tAOX, but not with any of the other physiological parameters. Furthermore, except for agglutination, no physiological parameters were associated with the timing of breeding. Lysis and bactericidal capacity, however, varied consistently with the annual rainfall pattern. Immune response to a mimicked a bacterial infection decreased with urban cover but not with the timing of breeding nor rainfall. Our path analyses suggested indirect associations between urban cover and some immune indices via tAOX but not via the timing of breeding. Our results show that early-life development in an urban environment is associated with variation in immune and antioxidant functions. The direct association between urbanisation and antioxidant capacity and their impact on immune function is likely an important factor mediating the impact of urbanisation on urban-dwelling animals. Future studies should explore how these results are linked to fitness and whether the responses are adaptive for urban-dwelling species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chima Josiah Nwaogu
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Arjun Amar
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Carina Nebel
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | | | - Arne Hegemann
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Petra Sumasgutner
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Konrad Lorenz Research Centre, Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Grünau/Almtal, Austria.,Department of Behavioural & Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Jiménez-Peñuela J, Ferraguti M, la Puente JMD, Soriguer RC, Figuerola J, Isaksson C. Differences in fatty acids composition between Plasmodium infected and uninfected house sparrows along an urbanization gradient. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 815:152664. [PMID: 34998746 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities such as intensification of agriculture, animal husbandry and expansion of cities can negatively impact wildlife through its influence on the availability of high-quality food resources and pathogen transmission. The house sparrow (Passer domesticus), an urban exploiter, is undergoing a population decline. Nutritional constrains and infectious diseases has been highlighted as potential causes. Fatty acids (FAs) play an important role in modulating certain immune responses needed to combat parasite infections. FAs are highly influenced by dietary availability and have been shown to vary between urban and rural birds. Habitat anthropization also affects avian malaria epidemiology but little attention has been given to the relationship between blood parasite infection, host FAs composition and anthropization. Here, we analysed 165 juvenile birds either infected by Plasmodium or uninfected, captured at 15 localities grouped in triplets containing urban, rural and natural habitats. The total level of FAs was higher in birds from urban than from rural habitats, suggesting a greater availability of fat-rich foods sources. Furthermore, Plasmodium infected birds had higher relative levels of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) but lower of ω-6 PUFAs than uninfected birds. In concordance, the ω-6/ω-3 ratio was also lower in infected than in uninfected birds, but only from natural habitats, likely driven by the slightly higher ω-3 PUFAs in infected birds from natural habitats. Birds from anthropized environments may metabolize the ω-3 PUFAs to promote anti-inflammatory responses against stressors, which would result in lower ω-3 affecting their response against Plasmodium. Alternatively, lower ω-6 PUFAs may influence birds susceptibility to infection due to a weaker pro-inflammatory response. These descriptive results do not allow us to identify the causality of these associations but highlight the need to further investigate the relevance of FAs for birds to fight infectious diseases in habitats with different degree of urbanization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Martina Ferraguti
- Department of Theoretical and Computational Ecology (TCE), Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, Amsterdam 1098XH, the Netherlands.
| | - Josué Martínez-de la Puente
- Department of Parasitology, University of Granada, Granada E-18071, Spain; CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain.
| | - Ramón C Soriguer
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville E-41092, Spain; CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain.
| | - Jordi Figuerola
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville E-41092, Spain; CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain.
| | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Goodchild CG, VanDiest I, Lane SJ, Beck M, Ewbank H, Sewall KB. Variation in Hematological Indices, Oxidative Stress, and Immune Function Among Male Song Sparrows From Rural and Low-Density Urban Habitats. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.817864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A central theme in the field of ecology is understanding how environmental variables influence a species’ distribution. In the last 20 years, there has been particular attention given to understanding adaptive physiological traits that allow some species to persist in urban environments. However, there is no clear consensus on how urbanization influences physiology, and it is unclear whether physiological differences in urban birds are directly linked to adverse outcomes or are representative of urban birds adaptively responding to novel environmental variables. Moreover, though low-density suburban development is the fastest advancing form of urbanization, most studies have focused on animals inhabiting high intensity urban habitats. In this study, we measured a suite of physiological variables that reflect condition and immune function in male song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) from rural and suburban habitats. Specifically, we measured hematological indices [packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)], circulating glutathione (total, reduced, and oxidized), oxidative damage (d-ROM concentration), antioxidant capacity, and components of the innate immune system [bacteria killing ability (BKA), white blood cell counts]. We also measured whole-animal indices of health, including body condition (scaled mass index length) and furcular fat. Song sparrows inhabiting suburban environments exhibited lower hemoglobin and MCHC, but higher body condition and furcular fat scores. Additionally, suburban birds had higher heterophil counts and lower lymphocyte counts, but there were no differences in heterophil:lymphocyte ratio or BKA between suburban and rural birds. PCV, glutathione concentrations, and oxidative damage did not differ between suburban and rural sparrows. Overall, suburban birds did not exhibit physiological responses suggestive of adverse outcomes. Rather, there is some evidence that sparrows from rural and suburban habitats exhibit phenotypic differences in energy storage and metabolic demand, which may be related to behavioral differences previously observed in sparrows from these populations. Furthermore, this study highlights the need for measuring multiple markers of physiology across different types of urban development to accurately assess the effects of urbanization on wildlife.
Collapse
|
15
|
Richard FJ, Southern I, Gigauri M, Bellini G, Rojas O, Runde A. Warning on nine pollutants and their effects on avian communities. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
|
16
|
Contrasting effects of the COVID-19 lockdown on urban birds' reproductive success in two cities. Sci Rep 2021; 11:17649. [PMID: 34480051 PMCID: PMC8417259 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96858-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The ubiquitous activity of humans is a fundamental feature of urban environments affecting local wildlife in several ways. Testing the influence of human disturbance would ideally need experimental approach, however, in cities, this is challenging at relevant spatial and temporal scales. Thus, to better understand the ecological effects of human activity, we exploited the opportunity that the city-wide lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic provided during the spring of 2020. We assessed changes in reproductive success of great tits (Parus major) at two urban habitats affected strikingly differently by the ‘anthropause’, and at an unaffected forest site. Our results do not support that urban great tits benefited from reduced human mobility during the lockdown. First, at one of our urban sites, the strongly (− 44%) reduced human disturbance in 2020 (compared to a long-term reference period) did not increase birds’ reproductive output relative to the forest habitat where human disturbance was low in all years. Second, in the other urban habitat, recreational human activity considerably increased (+ 40%) during the lockdown and this was associated with strongly reduced nestling body size compared to the pre-COVID reference year. Analyses of other environmental factors (meteorological conditions, lockdown-induced changes in air pollution) suggest that these are not likely to explain our results. Our study supports that intensified human disturbance can have adverse fitness consequences in urban populations. It also highlights that a few months of ‘anthropause’ is not enough to counterweight the detrimental impacts of urbanization on local wildlife populations.
Collapse
|
17
|
Iemmi T, Menozzi A, Basini G, Grasselli F, Grolli S, Ramoni R, Serventi P, Quintavalla F, Bertini S. Evaluation of Oxidative Stress in Blood of Domestic Chickens and Eurasian Magpies ( Pica pica). J Avian Med Surg 2021; 35:28-36. [PMID: 33892586 DOI: 10.1647/1082-6742-35.1.28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
A physiological equilibrium exists between pro- and antioxidant factors. When the oxidant factors exceed the capacity of their removal or inactivation, oxidative stress (OS) occurs. The OS levels were assayed in plasma obtained from 2 bird species. Blood samples were collected from 20 healthy domestic chicken hens, 10 living in an intensive farming environment and 10 free-range, and from 18 healthy Eurasian magpies (Pica pica; 7 females and 11 males, with an estimated age of >1 year of age). For OS biomarker assessment, the determinable reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs) were measured, and the plasmatic antioxidant test (PAT) was performed; the OS index (OSI) was then calculated (d-ROMs/PAT × 1000) as a parameter of overall oxidative stress. Moreover, lipid peroxidation was assessed by measuring plasmatic malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. A hematological evaluation was also performed on each bird with a hemocytometer, on which a blood sample was placed to obtain both a total and differential white blood cell (WBC) count. In hens, OSI and MDA levels were significantly higher (P = .04, and P = .004) in subjects from intensive farming (14.7 ± 7.1 and 27.2 ± 10.4 nmol/mL) than in those bred in rural conditions (5.6 ± 10.3 and 8.2 ± 13.3 nmol/mL). In magpies, a positive correlation between the total WBC count and OS was found, and both d-ROMs and OSI were significantly higher (P = .03) in subjects with a total WBC count greater than the median value (20.4 × 103 cells/µL) with respect to those with a total WBC count less than the median value. The results generated from this study indicate that higher OS levels occurred in hens bred in an intensive indoor farm environment compared with outdoor free-range conditions. Possibly the higher OS levels could be related to the higher stocking density and dust levels found in the indoor facility. Additionally, the correlation between OS biomarker levels in magpies and total WBC count suggests that OS level is influenced by immune response, in agreement with previous studies. Collectively, present data seem to be promising for the application of OS measurement in avian medicine for health and animal welfare monitoring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiziano Iemmi
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy,
| | - Alessandro Menozzi
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Basini
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | | | - Stefano Grolli
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Roberto Ramoni
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Paolo Serventi
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Fausto Quintavalla
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Simone Bertini
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Charutha K, Roshnath R, Sinu PA. Urban heronry birds tolerate human presence more than its conspecific rural birds. J NAT HIST 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2021.1912844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K. Charutha
- Department of Zoology, Central University of Kerala, Periya, India
| | - R. Roshnath
- Department of Zoology, Central University of Kerala, Periya, India
- Malabar Awareness and Rescue Centre for Wildlife, Kannur, India
| | - P. A. Sinu
- Department of Zoology, Central University of Kerala, Periya, India
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Berto BP, Lopes CWG. Coccidia of Wild Birds as Ecological Biomarkers: Some Approaches on Parasite-Host-Environment Interaction. J Parasitol 2021; 106:707-713. [PMID: 33120407 DOI: 10.1645/19-148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Pereira Berto
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carlos Wilson Gomes Lopes
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Instituto de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Chaousis S, Leusch FDL, Nouwens A, Melvin SD, van de Merwe JP. Changes in global protein expression in sea turtle cells exposed to common contaminants indicates new biomarkers of chemical exposure. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 751:141680. [PMID: 32890801 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Non-targeted protein expression at the cellular level can provide insights into mechanistic effects of contaminants in wildlife, and hence new and potentially more accurate biomarkers of exposure and effect. However, this technique has been relatively unexplored in the realm of in vitro biomarker discovery in threatened wildlife, despite the vulnerability of this group of animals to adverse sublethal effects of contaminant exposure. Here we examined the usefulness of non-targeted protein expression for biomarker discovery in green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) by investigating differences in the response of primary cells from five different tissue types that were exposed to three contaminants known to accumulate in this species. Cells derived from C. mydas skin, liver, kidney, ovary and small intestine were exposed to 100 μg/L of either polychlorinated biphenyl 153 (PCB153), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) or phenanthrene for 24 h. The global protein expression was then quantitatively evaluated using sequential window acquisition of all theoretical mass spectra (SWATH-MS). Comparison of the global protein profiles revealed that, while a majority of proteins were mutually expressed in controls of all tissue types (~90%), the response to exposure in terms of protein expression strength was significantly different between tissue types. Furthermore, a comparison to known markers of chemical exposure in sea turtles from the literature indicated that in vitro response can reflect known in vivo responses. In particular, markers such as heat shock protein (HSP) 60, glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) and superoxide dismutases (SODs), cytochrome P450 and catalase were dysregulated in response to exposure. Furthermore, potential new markers of exposure were discovered such as annexin, an important protein in cell signalling processes. While this methodology proved promising further studies are required to confirm the accuracy of in vitro protein expression as a tool for biomarker discovery in wildlife.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Chaousis
- Griffith School of Science and Environment, Building 51, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD 4222, Australia; The Australian Rivers Institute, Building 51, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD 4222, Australia.
| | - Frederic D L Leusch
- Griffith School of Science and Environment, Building 51, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD 4222, Australia; The Australian Rivers Institute, Building 51, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Amanda Nouwens
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Building 76, The University of Queensland, QLD 4067, Australia
| | - Steven D Melvin
- Griffith School of Science and Environment, Building 51, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD 4222, Australia; The Australian Rivers Institute, Building 51, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Jason P van de Merwe
- Griffith School of Science and Environment, Building 51, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD 4222, Australia; The Australian Rivers Institute, Building 51, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD 4222, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Zhao Y, Liu Y, Scordato ESC, Lee M, Xing X, Pan X, Liu Y, Safran RJ, Pagani‐Núñez E. The impact of urbanization on body size of Barn Swallows Hirundo rustica gutturalis. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:612-625. [PMID: 33437455 PMCID: PMC7790637 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Urbanization implies a dramatic impact on ecosystems, which may lead to drastic phenotypic differences between urban and nonurban individuals. For instance, urbanization is associated with increased metabolic costs, which may constrain body size, but urbanization also leads to habitat fragmentation, which may favor increases in body mass when for instance it correlates with dispersal capacity. However, this apparent contradiction has rarely been studied. This is particularly evident in China where the urbanization process is currently occurring at an unprecedented scale. Moreover, no study has addressed this issue across large geographical areas encompassing locations in different climates. In this regard, Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) are a suitable model to study the impact of urbanization on wild animals because they are a widely distributed species tightly associated with humans. Here, we collected body mass and wing length data for 359 breeding individuals of Barn Swallow (H. r. gutturalis) from 128 sites showing different levels of urbanization around the whole China. Using a set of linear mixed-effects models, we assessed how urbanization and geography influenced body size measured using body mass, wing length, and their regression residuals. Interestingly, we found that the impact of urbanization was sex-dependent, negatively affecting males' body mass, its regression residuals, and females' wing length. We also found that northern and western individuals were larger, regarding both body mass and wing length, than southern and eastern individuals. Females were heavier than males, yet males had slightly longer wings than females. Overall, our results showed that body mass of males was particularly sensitive trait to urbanization, latitude, and longitude, while it only showed a weak response to latitude in females. Conversely, while wing length showed a similar geographical pattern, it was only affected by urbanization in the case of females. Further research is needed to determine whether these phenotypic differences are associated with negative effects of urbanization or potential selective advantages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of BiocontrolSchool of Life Sciences/School of EcologySun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yu Liu
- College of Life SciencesBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Elizabeth S. C. Scordato
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of ColoradoBoulderCPUSA
- Biological Sciences DepartmentCalifornia State Polytechnic UniversityPomonaCAUSA
| | - Myung‐Bok Lee
- Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological ResourcesGuangzhouChina
| | - Xiaoying Xing
- College of Wildlife and Protected AreaNortheast Forestry UniversityHarbin, HeilongjiangChina
| | - Xinyuan Pan
- State Key Laboratory of BiocontrolSchool of Life Sciences/School of EcologySun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of BiocontrolSchool of Life Sciences/School of EcologySun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Rebecca J. Safran
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of ColoradoBoulderCPUSA
| | - Emilio Pagani‐Núñez
- Department of Health and Environmental SciencesXi’an Jiaotong‐Liverpool UniversitySuzhouChina
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Watson H, Powell D, Salmón P, Jacobs A, Isaksson C. Urbanization is associated with modifications in DNA methylation in a small passerine bird. Evol Appl 2021; 14:85-98. [PMID: 33519958 PMCID: PMC7819559 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Urbanization represents a fierce driver of phenotypic change, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying observed phenotypic patterns are poorly understood. Epigenetic changes are expected to facilitate more rapid adaption to changing or novel environments, such as our towns and cities, compared with slow changes in gene sequence. A comparison of liver and blood tissue from great tits Parus major originating from an urban and a forest site demonstrated that urbanization is associated with variation in genome-wide patterns of DNA methylation. Combining reduced representation bisulphite sequencing with transcriptome data, we revealed habitat differences in DNA methylation patterns that suggest a regulated and coordinated response to the urban environment. In the liver, genomic sites that were differentially methylated between urban- and forest-dwelling birds were over-represented in regulatory regions of the genome and more likely to occur in expressed genes. DNA methylation levels were also inversely correlated with gene expression at transcription start sites. Furthermore, differentially methylated CpG sites, in liver, were over-represented in pathways involved in (i) steroid biosynthesis, (ii) superoxide metabolism, (iii) secondary alcohol metabolism, (iv) chylomicron remodelling, (v) cholesterol transport, (vi) reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolic process and (vii) epithelial cell proliferation. This corresponds with earlier studies identifying diet and exposure to ROS as two of the main drivers of divergence between organisms in urban and nonurban environments. Conversely, in blood, sites that were differentially methylated between urban- and forest-dwelling birds were under-represented in regulatory regions, more likely to occur in nonexpressed genes and not over-represented in specific biological pathways. It remains to be determined whether diverging patterns of DNA methylation represent adaptive evolutionary responses and whether the conclusions can be more widely attributed to urbanization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Watson
- Evolutionary Ecology, Biology DepartmentLund UniversityLundSweden
| | - Daniel Powell
- Evolutionary Ecology, Biology DepartmentLund UniversityLundSweden
- Global Change Ecology, School of Science, Technology and EngineeringUniversity of the Sunshine CoastSippy DownsQLDAustralia
| | - Pablo Salmón
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative MedicineUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
| | - Arne Jacobs
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative MedicineUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
- Department of Natural ResourcesCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
| | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Conservation cobenefits from air pollution regulation: Evidence from birds. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:30900-30906. [PMID: 33234568 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2013568117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Massive wildlife losses over the past 50 y have brought new urgency to identifying both the drivers of population decline and potential solutions. We provide large-scale evidence that air pollution, specifically ozone, is associated with declines in bird abundance in the United States. We show that an air pollution regulation limiting ozone precursors emissions has delivered substantial benefits to bird conservation. Our estimates imply that air quality improvements over the past 4 decades have stemmed the decline in bird populations, averting the loss of 1.5 billion birds, ∼20% of current totals. Our results highlight that in addition to protecting human health, air pollution regulations have previously unrecognized and unquantified conservation cobenefits.
Collapse
|
24
|
Abstract
Natural habitats are rapidly declining due to urbanisation, with a concomitant decline in biodiversity in highly urbanised areas. Yet thousands of different species have colonised urban environments. These organisms are exposed to novel urban conditions, which are sometimes beneficial, but most often challenging, such as increased ambient temperature, chemicals, noise and light pollution, dietary alterations and disturbance by humans. Given the fundamental role of physiological responses in coping with such conditions, certain physiological systems such as the redox system, metabolism and hormones are thought to specifically influence organisms' ability to persist and cope with urbanisation. However, these physiological systems often show mixed responses to urbanisation. Does this mean that some individuals, populations or species are resilient to the urban environmental challenges? Or is something missing from our analyses, leading us to erroneous conclusions regarding the impact of urbanisation? To understand the impact of urbanisation, I argue that a more integrated mechanistic and ecological approach is needed, along with experiments, in order to fully understand the physiological responses; without knowledge of their ecological and evolutionary context, physiological measures alone can be misinterpreted. Furthermore, we need to further investigate the causes of and capacity for individual plasticity in order to understand not only the impact of urbanisation, but also species resilience. I argue that abiotic and biotic urban factors can interact (e.g. pollution with micro- and macronutrients) to either constrain or relax individual physiological responses - and, thereby, plasticity - on a temporal and/or spatial scale, which can lead to erroneous conclusions regarding the impact of urbanisation.
Collapse
|
25
|
Giraudeau M, Watson H, Powell D, Vincze O, Thomas F, Sepp T, Ujvari B, Le Loc'h G, Isaksson C. Will urbanisation affect the expression level of genes related to cancer of wild great tits? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 714:135793. [PMID: 32018940 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that oncogenic processes (from precancerous lesions to metastatic cancers) are widespread in wild animal species, but their importance for ecosystem functioning is still underestimated by evolutionary biologists and animal ecologists. Similar to what has been observed in humans, environmental modifications that often place wild organisms into an evolutionary trap and/or exposes them to a cocktail of mutagenic and carcinogenic pollutants might favor cancer emergence and progression, if animals do not up-regulate their defenses against these pathologies. Here, we compared, for the first time, the expression of 59 tumor-suppressor genes in blood and liver tissues of urban and rural great tits (Parus major); urban conditions being known to favor cancer progression due to, among other things, exposure to chemical or light pollution. Contrary to earlier indications, once we aligned the transcriptome to the great tit genome, we found negligible differences in the expression of anti-cancer defenses between urban and rural birds in blood and liver. Our results indicate the higher expression of a single caretaker gene (i.e. BRCA1) in livers of rural compared to urban birds. We conclude that, while urban birds might be exposed to an environment favoring the development of oncogenic processes, they seem to not upregulate their cancer defenses accordingly and future studies should confirm this result by assessing more markers of cancer defenses. This may result in a mismatch that might predispose urban birds to higher cancer risk and future studies in urban ecology should take into account this, so far completely ignored, hazard.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Giraudeau
- Centre de Recherche en Écologie et Évolution de la Santé (CREES), Montpellier, France; CREEC/MIVEGEC (CNRS - IRD - Université de Montpellier), France.
| | - Hannah Watson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Daniel Powell
- Department of Biology, Lund University, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Orsolya Vincze
- Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Evolutionary Ecology Group, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Department of Tisza Research, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Frederic Thomas
- Centre de Recherche en Écologie et Évolution de la Santé (CREES), Montpellier, France; CREEC/MIVEGEC (CNRS - IRD - Université de Montpellier), France
| | - Tuul Sepp
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Beata Ujvari
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Australia
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
26
|
Dominoni D, Smit JAH, Visser ME, Halfwerk W. Multisensory pollution: Artificial light at night and anthropogenic noise have interactive effects on activity patterns of great tits (Parus major). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 256:113314. [PMID: 31761596 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Urbanisation is increasing globally at a rapid pace. Consequently, wild species face novel environmental stressors associated with urban sprawl, such as artificial light at night and noise. These stressors have pervasive effects on the behaviour and physiology of many species. Most studies have singled out the impact of just one of these stressors, while in the real world they are likely to co-occur both temporally and spatially, and we thus lack a clear understanding of the combined effect of anthropogenic stressors on wild species. Here, we experimentally exposed captive male great tits (Parus major) to artificial light at night and 24 h noise in a fully factorial experiment. We then measured the effect of both these stressors on their own and their combination on the amount and timing of activity patterns. We found that both light and noise affected activity patterns when presented alone, but in opposite ways: light increased activity, particularly at night, while noise reduced it, particularly during the day. When the two stressors were combined, we found a synergistic effect on the total activity and the nighttime activity, but an antagonistic effect on daytime activity. The significant interaction between noise and light treatment also differed among forest and city birds. Indeed, we detected a significant interactive effect on light and noise on daytime, nighttime, dusktime and offset of activity of urban birds, but not of forest birds. These results suggest that both artificial light at night and anthropogenic noise can drive changes in activity patterns, but that the specific impacts depend on the habitat of origin. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that co-occurring exposure to noise and light can lead to a stronger impact at night than predicted from the additive effects and thus that multisensory pollution may be a considerable threat for wildlife.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Davide Dominoni
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands; Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| | - Judith A H Smit
- Department of Ecological Science, VU University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marcel E Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Wouter Halfwerk
- Department of Ecological Science, VU University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
M. Almalki A, Ajarem J, A. Allam A, A. El-Serehy H, N. Maodaa S, M. Mahmoud A. Use of Spilopelia senegalensis as a Biomonitor of Heavy Metal Contamination from Mining Activities in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia). Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9121046. [PMID: 31795364 PMCID: PMC6941054 DOI: 10.3390/ani9121046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Bioindicators and biomonitors are living organisms utilized to appraise the health of the environment or natural ecosystem. Mining, which refers to extraction of valuable materials from the earth, represents a source of heavy metals that can impact the environment, biodiversity, and human health. We investigated the value of the laughing dove (Spilopelia senegalensis) as a biomonitor of environmental contamination with heavy metals from mining practices. Our results revealed the accumulation of heavy metals in the liver, kidneys, and lungs of the laughing dove collected from the mining site. The doves exhibited tissue dysfunction and injury, and decreased antioxidants. These results show the value of the laughing dove as a biomonitor of environmental pollution with heavy metals. Abstract Environmental pollution with heavy metals (HMs) is of serious ecological and public health concern worldwide. Mining is one of the main sources of HMs and can impact the environment, species diversity, and human health. This study assessed the value of Spilopelia senegalensis as a biomonitor of environmental contamination with metal(loid)s caused by mining activities. S. senegalensis was collected from a gold mining site and a reference site, and metal(loid)s and biochemical parameters were determined. Lead, cadmium, mercury, vanadium, arsenic, copper, zinc, and iron were significantly increased in the liver, kidney, and lung of S. senegalensis from the mining site. Serum transaminases, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine, and urea were significantly elevated in S. senegalensis from the mining site. Lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide were increased, whereas glutathione and antioxidant enzymes were diminished in the liver and kidney of S. senegalensis from the mining site. In addition, multiple histological alterations were observed in the liver, kidney, and lung of S. senegalensis. In conclusion, mining activities provoke the accumulation of metal(loid)s, oxidative stress, and tissue injury in S. senegalensis. Therefore, S. senegalensis is a valuable biomonitor of environmental pollution caused by mining activities and could be utilized in epidemiological avian studies of human health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed M. Almalki
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (A.M.A.); (H.A.E.-S.); (S.N.M.)
| | - Jamaan Ajarem
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (A.M.A.); (H.A.E.-S.); (S.N.M.)
- Correspondence: (J.A.); (A.M.M.)
| | - Ahmed A. Allam
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62514, Egypt;
| | - Hamed A. El-Serehy
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (A.M.A.); (H.A.E.-S.); (S.N.M.)
- Oceanography Department, College of Science, Port Said University, Port Said 42522, Egypt
| | - Saleh N. Maodaa
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (A.M.A.); (H.A.E.-S.); (S.N.M.)
| | - Ayman M. Mahmoud
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62514, Egypt;
- Correspondence: (J.A.); (A.M.M.)
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Salmón P, Watson H, Nord A, Isaksson C. Effects of the Urban Environment on Oxidative Stress in Early Life: Insights from a Cross-fostering Experiment. Integr Comp Biol 2019; 58:986-994. [PMID: 30052952 PMCID: PMC6204991 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icy099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
As urban areas expand rapidly worldwide, wildlife is exposed to a wide range of novel environmental stressors, such as increased air pollution and artificial light at night. Birds in highly polluted and/or urbanized habitats have been found to have increased antioxidant protection, which is likely important to avoid accumulation of oxidative damage, which can have negative fitness consequences. Yet, the current knowledge about the ontogeny of antioxidant protection in urban areas is limited; i.e., is the capacity to up-regulate the antioxidant defences already established during pre-natal development, or does it manifest itself during post-natal development? We cross-fostered great tit (Parus major) nestlings within and between urban and rural habitats, to determine if oxidative stress (measured as non-enzymatic total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and plasma lipid peroxidation) is affected by habitat of origin and/or by habitat of rearing. The results demonstrate that being reared in the urban environment triggers an increase in SOD (an intracellular, enzymatic antioxidant) independent of natal habitat. Oxidative damage increased with hatching date in urban-reared nestlings, but there was little seasonal change in rural-reared nestlings. Total antioxidant capacity was neither affected by habitat of rearing or habitat of origin, but we observed a decline with hatching date in both rearing habitats. Taken together, our results support the growing evidence that the urban environment induces a direct plastic adjustment in antioxidant protection, but that up-regulation is not sufficient to avoid increased oxidative damage in late-hatched broods. Future studies should explore the underlying causes for this effect in late-hatched broods and whether it has any negative long-term implications, both at the individual- and the population level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Salmón
- Section for Evolutionary Ecology, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, SE-223 62, Sweden.,Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Hannah Watson
- Section for Evolutionary Ecology, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, SE-223 62, Sweden
| | - Andreas Nord
- Section for Evolutionary Ecology, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, SE-223 62, Sweden
| | - Caroline Isaksson
- Section for Evolutionary Ecology, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, SE-223 62, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Ouyang JQ, Isaksson C, Schmidt C, Hutton P, Bonier F, Dominoni D. A New Framework for Urban Ecology: An Integration of Proximate and Ultimate Responses to Anthropogenic Change. Integr Comp Biol 2019; 58:915-928. [PMID: 30376106 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icy110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
As urban areas continue to grow, understanding how species respond and adapt to urban habitats is becoming increasingly important. Knowledge of the mechanisms behind observed phenotypic changes of urban-dwelling animals will enable us to better evaluate the impact of urbanization on current and future generations of wildlife and predict how animals respond to novel environments. Recently, urban ecology has emerged not only as a means of understanding organismal adaptation but also as a framework for exploring mechanisms mediating evolutionary phenomena. Here, we have identified four important research topics that will advance the field of urban ecology and shed light on the proximate and ultimate causes of the phenotypic differences commonly seen among species and populations that vary in their responses to urbanization. First, we address the ecological and socio-economic factors that characterize cities, how they might interact with each other, and how they affect urban species. Second, we ask which are the proximate mechanisms underlying the emergence over time of novel traits in urban organisms, focusing on developmental effects. Third, we emphasize the importance of understanding the ultimate causations that link phenotypic shifts to function. This question highlights the need to quantify the strength and direction of selection that urban individuals are exposed to, and whether the phenotypic shifts associated with life in the city are adaptive. Lastly, we stress the need to translate how individual-level responses scale up to population dynamics. Understanding the mechanistic underpinnings of variation among populations and species in their responses to urbanization will unravel species resilience to environmental perturbation, which will facilitate predictive models for sustainability and development of green cities that maintain or even increase urban biodiversity and wildlife health and wellbeing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Q Ouyang
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | | | - Chloé Schmidt
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Pierce Hutton
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Frances Bonier
- Biology Department, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Davide Dominoni
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Jiménez-Peñuela J, Ferraguti M, Martínez-de la Puente J, Soriguer R, Figuerola J. Urbanization and blood parasite infections affect the body condition of wild birds. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 651:3015-3022. [PMID: 30463151 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2018] [Revised: 10/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Human landscape transformation, especially urbanization, strongly affects ecosystems worldwide. Both urban stressors and parasites have negative effects on organism health, however the potential synergy between those factors has been poorly investigated. We analysed the body condition (i.e. body mass after controlling for wing chord) of 2043 house sparrows (adults and yearlings) captured in 45 localities along an urbanization gradient in relation to Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon infection status. Body condition was negatively related to urbanization level and to urbanized land coverage but only in yearling birds from urban habitats. In addition, bird body condition tended to increase in rural habitats, significantly in the case of yearlings. Infected individuals by Plasmodium or Haemoproteus had higher body condition than un-infected birds, but this pattern could be due to a selective disappearance of infected individuals with lower body condition as suggested by the reduced variance in body condition in infected birds in urban habitats. These results provide support for a negative impact of urbanization on bird body condition, while Plasmodium and Haemoproteus may exert selection against individuals with lower body condition living in urban habitats, especially during earlier life stages, underlining the synergistic effects that urbanization and parasites may have on wild birds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jéssica Jiménez-Peñuela
- Departamento de Ecología de Humedales, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), C/Américo Vespucio, 26, 41092 Seville, Spain.
| | - Martina Ferraguti
- Departamento de Ecología de Humedales, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), C/Américo Vespucio, 26, 41092 Seville, Spain.
| | - Josué Martínez-de la Puente
- Departamento de Ecología de Humedales, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), C/Américo Vespucio, 26, 41092 Seville, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain.
| | - Ramón Soriguer
- Departamento de Etología y Conservación de la Biodiversidad, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), C/Américo Vespucio, 26, 41092 Seville, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain.
| | - Jordi Figuerola
- Departamento de Ecología de Humedales, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), C/Américo Vespucio, 26, 41092 Seville, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Hood WR, Zhang Y, Taylor HA, Park NR, Beatty AE, Weaver RJ, Yap KN, Kavazis AN. Prior reproduction alters how mitochondria respond to an oxidative event. J Exp Biol 2019; 222:jeb.195545. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.195545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
An animal's pace of life is mediated by the physiological demands and stressors it experiences (e.g., reproduction) and one likely mechanism that underlies these effects is oxidative stress. Reproduction has been shown to increase or reduce oxidative stress under different conditions and modify mitochondrial performance. We hypothesized that the changes associated with reproduction can alter how animals respond to future oxidative stressors. We tested this theory by comparing the organ-specific mitochondrial response in female wild-derived house mice. Specifically, we compared mice that reproduced or were virgins to mice that were exposed to an oxidant (i.e., radiation) or not-exposed to radiation. We measured liver and skeletal muscle mitochondrial density, respiratory performance, enzyme activity, and oxidant production, as well as markers of oxidative damage to tissues. In the liver, prior reproduction prevented a radiation-induced reduction in mitochondrial density and increased mitochondrial respiratory performance. In skeletal muscle, prior reproduction resulted in a radiation-induced decline in mitochondrial density which could reduce the bioenergetic capacity of skeletal muscle mitochondria. Yet, electron transport chain complex I activity in skeletal muscle, which dropped with reproduction, returned to control levels following oxidant exposure. The results of this investigation indicate that prior reproduction alters the response of mitochondria to an oxidative challenge in an organ-specific manner. Such changes could have differential effects on future reproductive performance and risk of death.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wendy R. Hood
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, USA
| | - Yufeng Zhang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, USA
- Current address: School of Health Sciences, University of Memphis, USA
| | | | - Noel R. Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, USA
- Current address: Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, USA
| | - Abby E. Beatty
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, USA
| | - Ryan J. Weaver
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, USA
| | - Kang Nian Yap
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Langille E, Lemieux V, Garant D, Bergeron P. Development of small blood volume assays for the measurement of oxidative stress markers in mammals. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0209802. [PMID: 30589904 PMCID: PMC6307736 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Measuring oxidative stress has become increasingly valuable in ecological studies, especially when different markers are measured on the same individual. However, many of the current methods lack sensitivity for analysis of low blood volume samples, which represent a challenge for longitudinal field studies of small organisms. Small blood volumes can usually only be analysed by using a single assay, therefore providing limited information on individual's oxidative profile. In this study, we used blood collected from a population of wild eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus) and modified methods presented in the literature to improve analytical selectivity and sensitivity required for small blood volumes. Specifically, we proposed a modified malondialdehyde (MDA) analysis protocol by HPLC and also optimized both the uric acid independent ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and hypochlorous acid shock capacity (HASC) assays. Development of the three modified methods was achieved with a sensitivity and repeatability that meets standards of field ecology while allowing measurement of all three assays in duplicate using less than 60 μL of plasma. Availability of these tests using small blood volumes will provide ecologists with a more comprehensive portrait of an individual's oxidative profile and a better understanding of its determinants and interactions with the environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evan Langille
- Bishop’s University, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
- Chemistry Department, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada
| | - Vincent Lemieux
- Bishop’s University, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Dany Garant
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | | |
Collapse
|
33
|
Andersson MN, Nilsson J, Nilsson JÅ, Isaksson C. Diet and ambient temperature interact to shape plasma fatty acid composition, basal metabolic rate and oxidative stress in great tits. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 221:jeb.186759. [PMID: 30361459 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.186759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Diet and ambient temperature affect animal physiology, survival and reproductive success. However, knowledge of how these environmental factors interact to shape physiological processes and life-history traits of birds and other animals is largely lacking. By exposing adult great tits (Parus major) to two contrasting diets (saturated or unsaturated fatty acids; SFAs and UFAs, respectively) and ambient temperatures (3°C versus 20°C) that the birds encounter in nature, we investigated the effects of these two factors on several physiological parameters. Our results show that diet and ambient temperature interact to affect the composition of plasma fatty acids, basal metabolic rate (BMR) and oxidative stress, which are thought to affect the life-history and survival of individuals. Specifically, birds provided the SFA-rich diet had higher mass-specific BMR and oxidative stress (levels of lipid peroxidation) after exposure to low compared with high ambient temperature, whereas the opposite pattern was evident for birds with a UFA-rich diet. Surprisingly, birds on the SFA diet had higher relative levels of monounsaturated fatty acids compared with the UFA-fed birds at low ambient temperature, whereas the opposite, and expected, pattern was found at the high temperature. Although the present study focuses on the physiological implications of the diet×temperature interaction, our results might also be important for the leading theories of ageing, which currently do not take interactions between environmental factors into account. In addition, the present results are important for wildlife management, especially with regards to anthropogenic feeding of wild animals across variable and changing climatic conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Johan Nilsson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Jan-Åke Nilsson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | | |
Collapse
|
34
|
Isaksson C, Rodewald AD, Gil D. Editorial: Behavioural and Ecological Consequences of Urban Life in Birds. Front Ecol Evol 2018. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2018.00050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
|
35
|
|