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Mora-Rubio C, Garcia-Longoria L, Ferraguti M, Magallanes S, Cruz JT, de Lope F, Marzal A. The Impact of Avian Haemosporidian Infection on Feather Quality and Feather Growth Rate of Migratory Passerines. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1772. [PMID: 38929391 PMCID: PMC11200494 DOI: 10.3390/ani14121772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Bird feathers have several functions, including flight, insulation, communication, and camouflage. Since feathers degrade over time, birds need to moult regularly to maintain these functions. However, environmental factors like food scarcity, stress, and parasite infections can affect feather quality and moult speed. This study examined the impact of avian haemosporidian infection and uropygial gland volume, as well as feather quality and feather growth rate in two migratory hirundine species captured in southwestern Spain-the house martin (Delichon urbicum) and sand martin (Riparia riparia). Our findings showed that the prevalence of infection varied among species, with house martins having the highest rates, possibly due to their larger colony size. Moreover, haemosporidian infection had a different impact on each species; infected house martins exhibited lower feather quality than healthy individuals, although this outcome was not observed in sand martins. Furthermore, no effect of infection on feather growth rate was observed in both hirundinids. Additionally, feather growth rate only correlated positively with feather quality in house martins. Finally, no link was observed between uropygial gland volume and feather quality or feather growth rate in any of the species in this study. These findings highlight the effect of haemosporidian infections on the plumage of migratory birds, marking, for the first time, how avian haemosporidian infection is shown to adversely impact feather quality. Even so, further research is needed to explore these relationships more deeply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Mora-Rubio
- Department of Anatomy, Cellular Biology and Zoology, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain; (L.G.-L.); (F.d.L.); (A.M.)
| | - Luz Garcia-Longoria
- Department of Anatomy, Cellular Biology and Zoology, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain; (L.G.-L.); (F.d.L.); (A.M.)
| | - Martina Ferraguti
- Department of Conservation Biology and Global Change, Doñana Biological Station (EBD), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 41092 Sevilla, Spain; (M.F.); (S.M.)
- Centre for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health Network (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sergio Magallanes
- Department of Conservation Biology and Global Change, Doñana Biological Station (EBD), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 41092 Sevilla, Spain; (M.F.); (S.M.)
- Centre for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health Network (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - João T. Cruz
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health (CIISA), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FMV-ULisboa), University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal;
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Florentino de Lope
- Department of Anatomy, Cellular Biology and Zoology, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain; (L.G.-L.); (F.d.L.); (A.M.)
| | - Alfonso Marzal
- Department of Anatomy, Cellular Biology and Zoology, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain; (L.G.-L.); (F.d.L.); (A.M.)
- Wildlife Research Group, San Martin National University, 22021 Tarapoto, Peru
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Dimas Martins A, Roberts M, Ten Bosch Q, Heesterbeek H. Indirect interaction between an endemic and an invading pathogen: A case study of Plasmodium and Usutu virus dynamics in a shared bird host population. Theor Popul Biol 2024; 157:118-128. [PMID: 38626854 DOI: 10.1016/j.tpb.2024.04.002] [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: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Infectious disease agents can influence each other's dynamics in shared host populations. We consider such influence for two mosquito-borne infections where one pathogen is endemic at the time that a second pathogen invades. We regard a setting where the vector has a bias towards biting host individuals infected with the endemic pathogen and where there is a cost to co-infected hosts. As a motivating case study, we regard Plasmodium spp., that cause avian malaria, as the endemic pathogen, and Usutu virus (USUV) as the invading pathogen. Hosts with malaria attract more mosquitoes compared to susceptible hosts, a phenomenon named vector bias. The possible trade-off between the vector-bias effect and the co-infection mortality is studied using a compartmental epidemic model. We focus first on the basic reproduction number R0 for Usutu virus invading into a malaria-endemic population, and then explore the long-term dynamics of both pathogens once Usutu virus has become established. We find that the vector bias facilitates the introduction of malaria into a susceptible population, as well as the introduction of Usutu in a malaria-endemic population. In the long term, however, both a vector bias and co-infection mortality lead to a decrease in the number of individuals infected with either pathogen, suggesting that avian malaria is unlikely to be a promoter of Usutu invasion. This proposed approach is general and allows for new insights into other negative associations between endemic and invading vector-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afonso Dimas Martins
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Mick Roberts
- New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study and the Infectious Disease Research Centre, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Quirine Ten Bosch
- Quantitative Veterinary Epidemiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Hans Heesterbeek
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Seidl CM, Ferreira FC, Parise KL, Paxton KL, Paxton EH, Atkinson CT, Fleischer RC, Foster JT, Marm Kilpatrick A. Linking avian malaria parasitemia estimates from quantitative PCR and microscopy reveals new infection patterns in Hawai'i. Int J Parasitol 2024; 54:123-130. [PMID: 37922977 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2023.10.001] [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: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Plasmodium parasites infect thousands of species and provide an exceptional system for studying host-pathogen dynamics, especially for multi-host pathogens. However, understanding these interactions requires an accurate assay of infection. Assessing Plasmodium infections using microscopy on blood smears often misses infections with low parasitemias (the fractions of cells infected), and biases in malaria prevalence estimates will differ among hosts that differ in mean parasitemias. We examined Plasmodium relictum infection and parasitemia using both microscopy of blood smears and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) on 299 samples from multiple bird species in Hawai'i and fit models to predict parasitemias from qPCR cycle threshold (Ct) values. We used these models to quantify the extent to which microscopy underestimated infection prevalence and to more accurately estimate infection patterns for each species for a large historical study done by microscopy. We found that most qPCR-positive wild-caught birds in Hawaii had low parasitemias (Ct scores ≥35), which were rarely detected by microscopy. The fraction of infections missed by microscopy differed substantially among eight species due to differences in species' parasitemia levels. Infection prevalence was likely 4-5-fold higher than previous microscopy estimates for three introduced species, including Zosterops japonicus, Hawaii's most abundant forest bird, which had low average parasitemias. In contrast, prevalence was likely only 1.5-2.3-fold higher than previous estimates for Himatione sanguinea and Chlorodrepanis virens, two native species with high average parasitemias. Our results indicate that relative patterns of infection among species differ substantially from those observed in previous microscopy studies, and that differences depend on variation in parasitemias among species. Although microscopy of blood smears is useful for estimating the frequency of different Plasmodium stages and host attributes, more sensitive quantitative methods, including qPCR, are needed to accurately estimate and compare infection prevalence among host species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christa M Seidl
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA; Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA.
| | - Francisco C Ferreira
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA; Center for Vector Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Katy L Parise
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Kristina L Paxton
- Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, Resource Management, Hawai'i National Park, HI, USA
| | - Eben H Paxton
- U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Hawai'i National Park, HI. USA
| | - Carter T Atkinson
- U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Hawai'i National Park, HI. USA
| | - Robert C Fleischer
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jeffrey T Foster
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - A Marm Kilpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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Farhan M, Zhao C, Akhtar S, Ahmad I, Jilong P, Zhang S. Assessment of Nano-Formulated Conventional Insecticide-Treated Sugar Baits on Mosquito Control and the Effect on Non-Target Aphidophagous Coccinella septempunctata. INSECTS 2024; 15:70. [PMID: 38249076 PMCID: PMC10816155 DOI: 10.3390/insects15010070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Mosquitoes, as disease vectors causing global morbidity and mortality through diseases like malaria, dengue, and Zika, necessitate mosquito population control methods. This study investigated the efficacy of nano-formulated insecticide-based sugar baits in controlling Anopheles gambiae populations and assessed their potential non-target impact on Coccinella septempunctata. This laboratory-based study employed thiolated polymer-coated attractive toxic sugar bait (ATSB) nano-formulations, delivering pesticides via nano-carriers. Adult and larvae populations of insects were collected from rice and cotton fields subjected to bioassays with 0.5% and 1% concentrations of each nano-formulated and conventional insecticide within ATSB solution, alongside a control 100% attractive sugar bait (ASB). Mosquitoes interacted overnight with insecticide-treated baits, and mortality was assessed. Further observations up to 72 h were conducted for potential delayed toxic effects. Results highlighted nano-ATSB carbosulfan's effectiveness, particularly among organophosphates and pyrethroids. Among pyrethroids, nano-ATSB cypermethrin exhibited high efficacy, while Deltamethrin displayed lower mortality. Among organophosphates, nano-ATSB chlorpyrifos induced substantial mortality. The nano-formulations of insecticide were harmless against C. septempunctata compared to their conventional form. Nano-formulations demonstrated enhanced mortality rates and prolonged efficacy against mosquitoes, having a benign impact on non-target beetles. We expect these results to aid in developing effective plant protection products suitable for IPM practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Farhan
- College of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (M.F.); (P.J.)
| | - Chenchen Zhao
- College of Plant Protection, Henan International Laboratory for Green Pest Control, College of Plant Protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Sohail Akhtar
- Department of Entomology, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan;
| | - Ishtiaq Ahmad
- Department of Horticultural Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan;
| | - Pan Jilong
- College of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (M.F.); (P.J.)
| | - Shuai Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (M.F.); (P.J.)
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Navine AK, Paxton KL, Paxton EH, Hart PJ, Foster JT, McInerney N, Fleischer RC, Videvall E. Microbiomes associated with avian malaria survival differ between susceptible Hawaiian honeycreepers and sympatric malaria-resistant introduced birds. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:6659-6670. [PMID: 36281504 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Of the estimated 55 Hawaiian honeycreepers (subfamily Carduelinae) only 17 species remain, nine of which the International Union for Conservation of Nature considers endangered. Among the most pressing threats to honeycreeper survival is avian malaria, caused by the introduced blood parasite Plasmodium relictum, which is increasing in distribution in Hawai'i as a result of climate change. Preventing further honeycreeper decline will require innovative conservation strategies that confront malaria from multiple angles. Research on mammals has revealed strong connections between gut microbiome composition and malaria susceptibility, illuminating a potential novel approach to malaria control through the manipulation of gut microbiota. One honeycreeper species, Hawai'i 'amakihi (Chlorodrepanis virens), persists in areas of high malaria prevalence, indicating they have acquired some level of immunity. To investigate if avian host-specific microbes may be associated with malaria survival, we characterized cloacal microbiomes and malaria infection for 174 'amakihi and 172 malaria-resistant warbling white-eyes (Zosterops japonicus) from Hawai'i Island using 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Neither microbial alpha nor beta diversity covaried with infection, but 149 microbes showed positive associations with malaria survivors. Among these were Escherichia and Lactobacillus spp., which appear to mitigate malaria severity in mammalian hosts, revealing promising candidates for future probiotic research for augmenting malaria immunity in sensitive endangered species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda K Navine
- Biology Department, University of Hawai'i at Hilo, Hilo, Hawaii, USA
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Kristina L Paxton
- Hawai'i Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai'i at Hilo, Hawai'i National Park, Hawaii, USA
| | - Eben H Paxton
- U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Hawai'i National Park, Hawaii, USA
| | - Patrick J Hart
- Biology Department, University of Hawai'i at Hilo, Hilo, Hawaii, USA
| | - Jeffrey T Foster
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Nancy McInerney
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Robert C Fleischer
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Elin Videvall
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Prompiram P, Mongkolphan C, Poltep K, Chunchob S, Sontigun N, Chareonviriyaphap T. Baseline study of the morphological and genetic characteristics of Haemoproteus parasites in wild pigeons ( Columba livia) from paddy fields in Thailand. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2023; 21:153-159. [PMID: 37228837 PMCID: PMC10205435 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Haemoproteus columbae is a common haemosporidian parasite of wild pigeons (Columba livia) reported worldwide. In Thailand, the wild pigeon population is increasing due to paddy field monoculture. However, there are limited reports on the presence of H. columbae in these pigeon populations. The aim of the study was to characterize H. columbae in wild pigeons. A total of 87 wild pigeons were examined using microscopic and molecular methods. Haemoproteus columbae was detected in approximately 27.6% of pigeons and their morphological characteristics were described. The partial cytochrome b (cyt b) gene sequence of H. columbae was then characterized into three common lineages (HAECOL1, COLIV03, and COQUI05). By highlighting the morphologic and genetic characteristics of H. columbae commonly found in this population of pigeons, this study provides essential regional knowledge about haemosporidian parasites that could benefit future taxonomic and phylogeographic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phirom Prompiram
- The Monitoring and Surveillance Center for Zoonotic Diseases in Wildlife and Exotic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Salaya, Nakhon Pathom, 73170, Thailand
| | - Chalisa Mongkolphan
- The Monitoring and Surveillance Center for Zoonotic Diseases in Wildlife and Exotic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Salaya, Nakhon Pathom, 73170, Thailand
| | - Kanaporn Poltep
- The Monitoring and Surveillance Center for Zoonotic Diseases in Wildlife and Exotic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Salaya, Nakhon Pathom, 73170, Thailand
| | - Supatra Chunchob
- Mahidol University, Division of Conservation Biology, School of Interdisciplinary Studies, Sai Yok, Kanchanaburi, 71150, Thailand
| | - Narin Sontigun
- Akkhraratchakumari Veterinary College, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, 80161, Thailand
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Paxton KL, Cassin-Sackett L, Atkinson CT, Videvall E, Campana MG, Fleischer RC. Gene expression reveals immune response strategies of naïve Hawaiian honeycreepers experimentally infected with introduced avian malaria. J Hered 2023; 114:326-340. [PMID: 36869776 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esad017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The unprecedented rise in the number of new and emerging infectious diseases in the last quarter century poses direct threats to human and wildlife health. The introduction to the Hawaiian archipelago of Plasmodium relictum and the mosquito vector that transmits the parasite has led to dramatic losses in endemic Hawaiian forest bird species. Understanding how mechanisms of disease immunity to avian malaria may evolve is critical as climate change facilitates increased disease transmission to high elevation habitats where malaria transmission has historically been low and the majority of the remaining extant Hawaiian forest bird species now reside. Here, we compare the transcriptomic profiles of highly susceptible Hawai'i 'amakihi (Chlorodrepanis virens) experimentally infected with P. relictum to those of uninfected control birds from a naïve high elevation population. We examined changes in gene expression profiles at different stages of infection to provide an in-depth characterization of the molecular pathways contributing to survival or mortality in these birds. We show that the timing and magnitude of the innate and adaptive immune response differed substantially between individuals that survived and those that succumbed to infection, and likely contributed to the observed variation in survival. These results lay the foundation for developing gene-based conservation strategies for Hawaiian honeycreepers by identifying candidate genes and cellular pathways involved in the pathogen response that correlate with a bird's ability to recover from malaria infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina L Paxton
- Center for Conservation Genomics, National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20008, USA
- Hawai'i Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai'i Hilo, PO Box 44, Hawai'i National Park, HI 96718, USA
| | - Loren Cassin-Sackett
- Center for Conservation Genomics, National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20008, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Louisiana, Lafayette, LA 70503, USA
| | - Carter T Atkinson
- U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, PO Box 44, Hawai'i National Park, HI 96718, USA
| | - Elin Videvall
- Center for Conservation Genomics, National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20008, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Michael G Campana
- Center for Conservation Genomics, National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20008, USA
| | - Robert C Fleischer
- Center for Conservation Genomics, National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20008, USA
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Names GR, Hahn TP, Wingfield JC, Hunt KE. Territoriality varies across elevation in a Hawaiian songbird. Behav Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arac113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Reproductive territoriality can be influenced by external and internal variables. Trade-offs between reproductive behaviors and other costly biological processes, such as immunity, exist across taxa, but the effects of novel diseases on these trade-offs remain poorly understood. Since the introduction of avian malaria to Hawaii in the early 1900s, low elevation Hawaii Amakihi (Chlorodrepanis virens) populations, which have undergone strong selection by the disease, have evolved increased malaria resilience. However, the effects of malaria selection on trade-offs between immunity and reproduction in Amakihi remain largely unknown. To begin exploring this relationship, we conducted simulated territorial intrusions on Amakihi at low elevation (where malaria selection has been stronger) and high elevation (where selection has been weaker) on Hawaii Island during the breeding season. We hypothesized that selection by avian malaria has favored greater investment in avian malaria resilience at the cost of reproductive behaviors. We predicted that low elevation Amakihi would be less territorial compared with high elevation Amakihi, while recognizing that variables other than disease pressures that may differ across elevation (e.g., competition, predation) could explain behavioral variation. Territoriality was reduced in low compared with high elevation Amakihi as measured by proximity and chases in response to the intrusion. Low elevation Amakihi generally flew less than high elevation individuals, although this relationship varied across the breeding season. Our correlational results demonstrate that territoriality is greater in high compared with low elevation Amakihi. Further investigations would help determine which factors differing across elevation underlie this variation in territoriality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle R Names
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis , One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 , USA
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California Davis , One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 , USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University , 1340 Bolley Drive, Fargo, ND 58102 , USA
| | - Thomas P Hahn
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University , 1340 Bolley Drive, Fargo, ND 58102 , USA
| | - John C Wingfield
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University , 1340 Bolley Drive, Fargo, ND 58102 , USA
| | - Kathleen E Hunt
- Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation & Department of Biology, George Mason University , 1500 Remount Rd, Front Royal, VA 22630 , USA
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Huang X, Chen Z, Yang G, Xia C, Luo Q, Gao X, Dong L. Assemblages of Plasmodium and Related Parasites in Birds with Different Migration Statuses. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810277. [PMID: 36142189 PMCID: PMC9499606 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Migratory birds spend several months in their breeding grounds in sympatry with local resident birds and relatively shorter periods of time at stopover sites. During migration, parasites may be transmitted between migratory and resident birds. However, to what extent they share these parasites remains unclear. In this study, we compared the assemblages of haemosporidian parasites in migratory, resident, and passing birds, as well as the correlations between parasite assemblages and host phylogeny. Compared with passing birds, migratory birds were more likely to share parasites with resident birds. Shared lineages showed significantly higher prevalence rates than other lineages, indicating that common parasites are more likely to spill over from the current host to other birds. For shared lineages, the prevalence was significantly higher in resident birds than in migratory birds, suggesting that migratory birds pick up parasites at their breeding ground. Among the shared lineages, almost two-thirds presented no phylogenetic signal in their prevalence, indicating that parasite transmission among host species is weakly or not correlated with host phylogeny. Moreover, similarities between parasite assemblages are not correlated with either migration status or the phylogeny of hosts. Our results show that the prevalence, rather than host phylogeny, plays a central role in parasite transmission between migratory and resident birds in breeding grounds.
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Ferreira FC, Videvall E, Seidl CM, Wagner NE, Kilpatrick AM, Fleischer RC, Fonseca DM. Transcriptional response of individual Hawaiian Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes to the avian malaria parasite Plasmodium relictum. Malar J 2022; 21:249. [PMID: 36038897 PMCID: PMC9422152 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-022-04271-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Plasmodium parasites that cause bird malaria occur in all continents except Antarctica and are primarily transmitted by mosquitoes in the genus Culex. Culex quinquefasciatus, the mosquito vector of avian malaria in Hawaiʻi, became established in the islands in the 1820s. While the deadly effects of malaria on endemic bird species have been documented for many decades, vector-parasite interactions in avian malaria systems are relatively understudied. Methods To evaluate the gene expression response of mosquitoes exposed to a Plasmodium infection intensity known to occur naturally in Hawaiʻi, offspring of wild-collected Hawaiian Cx. quinquefasciatus were fed on a domestic canary infected with a fresh isolate of Plasmodium relictum GRW4 from a wild-caught Hawaiian honeycreeper. Control mosquitoes were fed on an uninfected canary. Transcriptomes of five infected and three uninfected individual mosquitoes were sequenced at each of three stages of the parasite life cycle: 24 h post feeding (hpf) during ookinete invasion; 5 days post feeding (dpf) when oocysts are developing; 10 dpf when sporozoites are released and invade the salivary glands. Results Differential gene expression analyses showed that during ookinete invasion (24 hpf), genes related to oxidoreductase activity and galactose catabolism had lower expression levels in infected mosquitoes compared to controls. Oocyst development (5 dpf) was associated with reduced expression of a gene with a predicted innate immune function. At 10 dpf, infected mosquitoes had reduced expression levels of a serine protease inhibitor, and further studies should assess its role as a Plasmodium agonist in C. quinquefasciatus. Overall, the differential gene expression response of Hawaiian Culex exposed to a Plasmodium infection intensity known to occur naturally in Hawaiʻi was low, but more pronounced during ookinete invasion. Conclusions This is the first analysis of the transcriptional responses of vectors to malaria parasites in non-mammalian systems. Interestingly, few similarities were found between the response of Culex infected with a bird Plasmodium and those reported in Anopheles infected with human Plasmodium. The relatively small transcriptional changes observed in mosquito genes related to immune response and nutrient metabolism support conclusions of low fitness costs often documented in experimental challenges of Culex with avian Plasmodium. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12936-022-04271-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco C Ferreira
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA. .,Center for Vector Biology, Entomology Department, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
| | - Elin Videvall
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA.,Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Christa M Seidl
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Nicole E Wagner
- Center for Vector Biology, Entomology Department, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - A Marm Kilpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Robert C Fleischer
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Dina M Fonseca
- Center for Vector Biology, Entomology Department, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
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Grimaudo AT, Hoyt JR, Yamada SA, Herzog CJ, Bennett AB, Langwig KE. Host traits and environment interact to determine persistence of bat populations impacted by white-nose syndrome. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:483-497. [PMID: 34935272 PMCID: PMC9299823 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases have resulted in severe population declines across diverse taxa. In some instances, despite attributes associated with high extinction risk, disease emergence and host declines are followed by host stabilisation for unknown reasons. While host, pathogen, and the environment are recognised as important factors that interact to determine host-pathogen coexistence, they are often considered independently. Here, we use a translocation experiment to disentangle the role of host traits and environmental conditions in driving the persistence of remnant bat populations a decade after they declined 70-99% due to white-nose syndrome and subsequently stabilised. While survival was significantly higher than during the initial epidemic within all sites, protection from severe disease only existed within a narrow environmental space, suggesting host traits conducive to surviving disease are highly environmentally dependent. Ultimately, population persistence following pathogen invasion is the product of host-pathogen interactions that vary across a patchwork of environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joseph R. Hoyt
- Department of Biological SciencesVirginia TechBlacksburgVirginiaUSA
| | | | - Carl J. Herzog
- New York State Department of Environmental ConservationAlbanyNew YorkUSA
| | | | - Kate E. Langwig
- Department of Biological SciencesVirginia TechBlacksburgVirginiaUSA
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12
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Temporal and spatial variation in sex-specific abundance of the avian vampire fly (Philornis downsi). Parasitol Res 2021; 121:63-74. [PMID: 34799771 PMCID: PMC8748338 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07350-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the range and behaviour of an invasive species is critical to identify key habitat areas to focus control efforts. Patterns of range use in parasites can differ temporally, across life stages and between sexes. The invasive avian vampire fly, Philornis downsi, spends the larval stage of its life within bird nests, feeding on developing nestlings and causing high levels of mortality and deformation. However, little is known of the ecology and behaviour of the non-parasitic adult fly life stage. Here, we document sex-specific temporal and spatial patterns of abundance of adult avian vampire flies during a single Darwin's finch breeding season. We analyse fly trapping data collected across 7 weeks in the highlands (N = 405 flies) and lowlands (N = 12 flies) of Floreana Island (Galápagos). Lowland catches occurred later in the season, which supports the hypothesis that flies may migrate from the food-rich highlands to the food-poor lowlands once host breeding has commenced. Fly abundance was not correlated with host nesting density (oviposition site) but was correlated with distance to the agricultural zone (feeding site). We consistently caught more males closer to the agricultural zone and more females further away from the agricultural zone. These sex differences suggest that males may be defending or lekking at feeding sites in the agricultural zone for mating. This temporal and sex-specific habitat use of the avian vampire fly is relevant for developing targeted control methods and provides insight into the behavioural ecology of this introduced parasite on the Galápagos Archipelago.
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13
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Names GR, Schultz EM, Krause JS, Hahn TP, Wingfield JC, Heal M, Cornelius JM, Klasing KC, Hunt KE. Stress in paradise: effects of elevated corticosterone on immunity and avian malaria resilience in a Hawaiian passerine. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:272529. [PMID: 34553762 PMCID: PMC8546672 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Vertebrates confronted with challenging environments often experience an increase in circulating glucocorticoids, which result in morphological, physiological and behavioral changes that promote survival. However, chronically elevated glucocorticoids can suppress immunity, which may increase susceptibility to disease. Since the introduction of avian malaria to Hawaii a century ago, low-elevation populations of Hawaii Amakihi (Chlorodrepanis virens) have undergone strong selection by avian malaria and evolved increased resilience (the ability to recover from infection), while populations at high elevation with few vectors have not undergone selection and remain susceptible. We investigated how experimentally elevated corticosterone affects the ability of high- and low-elevation male Amakihi to cope with avian malaria by measuring innate immunity, hematocrit and malaria parasitemia. Corticosterone implants resulted in a decrease in hematocrit in high- and low-elevation birds but no changes to circulating natural antibodies or leukocytes. Overall, leukocyte count was higher in low- than in high-elevation birds. Malaria infections were detected in a subset of low-elevation birds. Infected individuals with corticosterone implants experienced a significant increase in circulating malaria parasites while untreated infected birds did not. Our results suggest that Amakihi innate immunity measured by natural antibodies and leukocytes is not sensitive to changes in corticosterone, and that high circulating corticosterone may reduce the ability of Amakihi to cope with infection via its effects on hematocrit and malaria parasite load. Understanding how glucocorticoids influence a host's ability to cope with introduced diseases provides new insight into the conservation of animals threatened by novel pathogens. Summary: Amakihi innate immunity, as measured by natural antibodies and leukocytes, is not sensitive to changes in corticosterone, but high circulating corticosterone may reduce the ability of Amakihi to cope with avian malaria infection via its effects on hematocrit and malaria parasite load.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle R Names
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.,Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Schultz
- Department of Biology, Wittenberg University, 200 W Ward Street, Springfield, OH 45504, USA
| | - Jesse S Krause
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada Reno, 1664 North Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Thomas P Hahn
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - John C Wingfield
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Molly Heal
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Jamie M Cornelius
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, 2701 SW Campus Way, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Kirk C Klasing
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Kathleen E Hunt
- Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation & Department of Biology, George Mason University, 1500 Remount Rd, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
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14
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Names GR, Schultz EM, Hahn TP, Hunt KE, Angelier F, Ribout C, Klasing KC. Variation in immunity and health in response to introduced avian malaria in an endemic Hawaiian songbird. Anim Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- G. R. Names
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group University of California Davis Davis CA USA
- Department of Neurobiology Physiology and Behavior University of California Davis Davis CA USA
| | - E. M. Schultz
- Department of Biology Wittenberg University Springfield OH USA
| | - T. P. Hahn
- Department of Neurobiology Physiology and Behavior University of California Davis Davis CA USA
| | - K. E. Hunt
- Smithsonian‐Mason School of Conservation & Department of Biology George Mason University Front Royal VA USA
| | - F. Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS‐La Rochelle Université, UMR7372 Villiers en Bois France
| | - C. Ribout
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS‐La Rochelle Université, UMR7372 Villiers en Bois France
| | - K. C. Klasing
- Department of Animal Science University of California Davis Davis CA USA
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15
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Assessment of Associations between Malaria Parasites and Avian Hosts-A Combination of Classic System and Modern Molecular Approach. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10070636. [PMID: 34356491 PMCID: PMC8301060 DOI: 10.3390/biology10070636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 06/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Throughout history, frequent outbreaks of diseases in humans have occurred following transmission from animals. While some diseases can jump between birds and mammals, others are stuck to closely related species. Understanding the mechanisms of host–parasite associations will enable us to predict the outbreaks of diseases and will therefore be important to society and ecological health. For decades, scientists have attempted to reveal how host–parasite associations are formed and persist. The key is to assess the ability of the parasite to infect and reproduce within the host without killing the host. Related studies have faced numerous challenges, but technical advances are providing solutions and are gradually broadening our understanding. In this review, I use bird malaria and related blood parasites as a model system and summarize the important advances in techniques and perspectives and how they provide new approaches for understanding the evolution of host–parasite associations to further predict disease outbreaks. Abstract Avian malaria and related haemosporidian parasites are responsible for fitness loss and mortality in susceptible bird species. This group of globally distributed parasites has long been used as a classical system for investigating host–parasite associations. The association between a parasite and its hosts can be assessed by the prevalence in the host population and infection intensity in a host individual, which, respectively, reflect the ability of the parasite to infect the host and reproduce within the host. However, the latter has long been poorly investigated due to numerous challenges, such as lack of general molecular markers and limited sensitivity of traditional methods, especially when analysing naturally infected birds. The recent development of genetic databases, together with novel molecular methodologies, has shed light on this long-standing problem. Real-time quantitative PCR has enabled more accurate quantification of avian haemosporidian parasites, and digital droplet PCR further improved experimental sensitivity and repeatability of quantification. In recent decades, parallel studies have been carried out all over the world, providing great opportunities for exploring the adaptation of haemosporidian parasites to different hosts and the variations across time and space, and further investigating the coevolutionary history between parasites and their hosts. I hereby review the most important milestones in diagnosis techniques of avian haemosporidian parasites and illustrate how they provide new insights for understanding host–parasite associations.
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16
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Towards a more healthy conservation paradigm: integrating disease and molecular ecology to aid biological conservation †. J Genet 2021. [PMID: 33622992 PMCID: PMC7371965 DOI: 10.1007/s12041-020-01225-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Parasites, and the diseases they cause, are important from an ecological and evolutionary perspective because they can negatively affect host fitness and can regulate host populations. Consequently, conservation biology has long recognized the vital role that parasites can play in the process of species endangerment and recovery. However, we are only beginning to understand how deeply parasites are embedded in ecological systems, and there is a growing recognition of the important ways in which parasites affect ecosystem structure and function. Thus, there is an urgent need to revisit how parasites are viewed from a conservation perspective and broaden the role that disease ecology plays in conservation-related research and outcomes. This review broadly focusses on the role that disease ecology can play in biological conservation. Our review specifically emphasizes on how the integration of tools and analytical approaches associated with both disease and molecular ecology can be leveraged to aid conservation biology. Our review first concentrates on disease-mediated extinctions and wildlife epidemics. We then focus on elucidating how host–parasite interactions has improved our understanding of the eco-evolutionary dynamics affecting hosts at the individual, population, community and ecosystem scales. We believe that the role of parasites as drivers and indicators of ecosystem health is especially an exciting area of research that has the potential to fundamentally alter our view of parasites and their role in biological conservation. The review concludes with a broad overview of the current and potential applications of modern genomic tools in disease ecology to aid biological conservation.
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17
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Names GR, Krause JS, Schultz EM, Angelier F, Parenteau C, Ribout C, Hahn TP, Wingfield JC. Relationships between avian malaria resilience and corticosterone, testosterone and prolactin in a Hawaiian songbird. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2021; 308:113784. [PMID: 33862049 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids, androgens, and prolactin regulate metabolism and reproduction, but they also play critical roles in immunomodulation. Since the introduction of avian malaria to Hawaii a century ago, low elevation populations of the Hawaii Amakihi (Chlorodrepanis virens) that have experienced strong selection by avian malaria have evolved increased resilience (the ability to recover from infection), while high elevation populations that have undergone weak selection remain less resilient. We investigated how variation in malaria selection has affected corticosterone, testosterone, and prolactin hormone levels in Amakihi during the breeding season. We predicted that baseline corticosterone and testosterone (which have immunosuppressive functions) would be reduced in low elevation and malaria-infected birds, while stress-induced corticosterone and prolactin (which have immunostimulatory functions) would be greater in low elevation and malaria-infected birds. As predicted, prolactin was significantly higher in malaria-infected than uninfected females (although more robust sample sizes would help to confirm this relationship), while testosterone trended higher in malaria-infected than uninfected males and, surprisingly, neither baseline nor stress-induced CORT varied with malaria infection. Contrary to our predictions, stress-induced corticosterone was significantly lower in low than high elevation birds while testosterone in males and prolactin in females did not vary by elevation, suggesting that Amakihi hormone modulation across elevation is determined by variables other than disease selection (e.g., timing of breeding, energetic challenges). Our results shed new light on relationships between introduced disease and hormone modulation, and they raise new questions that could be explored in experimental settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle R Names
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Jesse S Krause
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada Reno, 1664 North Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Schultz
- Department of Biology, Wittenberg University, 200 W Ward Street, Springfield, OH 45504, USA
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS, La Rochelle Université, UMR 7372, 405 Route de Prissé la Charrière, Villiers-en-Bois, 79360 France
| | - Charline Parenteau
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS, La Rochelle Université, UMR 7372, 405 Route de Prissé la Charrière, Villiers-en-Bois, 79360 France
| | - Cécile Ribout
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS, La Rochelle Université, UMR 7372, 405 Route de Prissé la Charrière, Villiers-en-Bois, 79360 France
| | - Thomas P Hahn
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - John C Wingfield
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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18
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Ishtiaq F. Ecology and Evolution of Avian Malaria: Implications of Land Use Changes and Climate Change on Disease Dynamics. J Indian Inst Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s41745-021-00235-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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19
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Videvall E, Paxton KL, Campana MG, Cassin‐Sackett L, Atkinson CT, Fleischer RC. Transcriptome assembly and differential gene expression of the invasive avian malaria parasite Plasmodium relictum in Hawai'i. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:4935-4944. [PMID: 33976860 PMCID: PMC8093664 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The malaria parasite Plasmodium relictum (lineage GRW4) was introduced less than a century ago to the native avifauna of Hawai'i, where it has since caused major declines of endemic bird populations. One of the native bird species that is frequently infected with GRW4 is the Hawai'i 'amakihi (Chlorodrepanis virens). To achieve a better understanding of the transcriptional activities of this virulent parasite, we performed a controlled challenge experiment of 15 'amakihi that were infected with GRW4. Blood samples containing malaria parasites were collected at two time points (intermediate and peak infection stages) from host individuals that were either experimentally infected by mosquitoes or inoculated with infected blood. We then used RNA sequencing to assemble a high-quality blood transcriptome of P. relictum GRW4, allowing us to quantify parasite expression levels inside individual birds. We found few significant differences (one to two transcripts) in GRW4 expression levels between host infection stages and between inoculation methods. However, 36 transcripts showed differential expression levels among all host individuals, indicating a potential presence of host-specific gene regulation across hosts. To reduce the extinction risk of the remaining native bird species in Hawai'i, genetic resources of the local Plasmodium lineage are needed to enable further molecular characterization of this parasite. Our newly built Hawaiian GRW4 transcriptome assembly, together with analyses of the parasite's transcriptional activities inside the blood of Hawai'i 'amakihi, can provide us with important knowledge on how to combat this deadly avian disease in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elin Videvall
- Center for Conservation GenomicsSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteNational Zoological ParkWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Kristina L. Paxton
- Center for Conservation GenomicsSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteNational Zoological ParkWashingtonDCUSA
- Present address:
Hawai‘i Cooperative Studies UnitUniversity of Hawai'i at HiloHawai‘i National ParkHIUSA
| | - Michael G. Campana
- Center for Conservation GenomicsSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteNational Zoological ParkWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Loren Cassin‐Sackett
- Center for Conservation GenomicsSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteNational Zoological ParkWashingtonDCUSA
- Department of BiologyUniversity of LouisianaLafayetteLAUSA
| | - Carter T. Atkinson
- U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Island Ecosystems Research CenterKilauea Field StationHawai‘i National ParkHIUSA
| | - Robert C. Fleischer
- Center for Conservation GenomicsSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteNational Zoological ParkWashingtonDCUSA
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20
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Brannelly LA, McCallum HI, Grogan LF, Briggs CJ, Ribas MP, Hollanders M, Sasso T, Familiar López M, Newell DA, Kilpatrick AM. Mechanisms underlying host persistence following amphibian disease emergence determine appropriate management strategies. Ecol Lett 2020; 24:130-148. [PMID: 33067922 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases have caused many species declines, changes in communities and even extinctions. There are also many species that persist following devastating declines due to disease. The broad mechanisms that enable host persistence following declines include evolution of resistance or tolerance, changes in immunity and behaviour, compensatory recruitment, pathogen attenuation, environmental refugia, density-dependent transmission and changes in community composition. Here we examine the case of chytridiomycosis, the most important wildlife disease of the past century. We review the full breadth of mechanisms allowing host persistence, and synthesise research on host, pathogen, environmental and community factors driving persistence following chytridiomycosis-related declines and overview the current evidence and the information required to support each mechanism. We found that for most species the mechanisms facilitating persistence have not been identified. We illustrate how the mechanisms that drive long-term host population dynamics determine the most effective conservation management strategies. Therefore, understanding mechanisms of host persistence is important because many species continue to be threatened by disease, some of which will require intervention. The conceptual framework we describe is broadly applicable to other novel disease systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A Brannelly
- Veterinary BioSciences, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, Vic, 3030, Australia
| | - Hamish I McCallum
- Environmental Futures Research Institute and School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, Qld., 4111, Australia
| | - Laura F Grogan
- Environmental Futures Research Institute and School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, Qld., 4111, Australia.,Forest Research Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, 2480, Australia
| | - Cheryl J Briggs
- Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Maria P Ribas
- Forest Research Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, 2480, Australia.,Wildlife Conservation Medicine Research Group, Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Spain
| | - Matthijs Hollanders
- Forest Research Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, 2480, Australia
| | - Thais Sasso
- Environmental Futures Research Institute and School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, Qld., 4111, Australia
| | - Mariel Familiar López
- School of Environment and Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Qld., 4215, Australia
| | - David A Newell
- Forest Research Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, 2480, Australia
| | - Auston M Kilpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
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21
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Infection dynamics, dispersal, and adaptation: understanding the lack of recovery in a remnant frog population following a disease outbreak. Heredity (Edinb) 2020; 125:110-123. [PMID: 32483317 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-020-0324-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases can cause dramatic declines in wildlife populations. Sometimes, these declines are followed by recovery, but many populations do not recover. Studying differential recovery patterns may yield important information for managing disease-afflicted populations and facilitating population recoveries. In the late 1980s, a chytridiomycosis outbreak caused multiple frog species in Australia's Wet Tropics to decline. Populations of some species (e.g., Litoria nannotis) subsequently recovered, while others (e.g., Litoria dayi) did not. We examined the population genetics and current infection status of L. dayi, to test several hypotheses regarding the failure of its populations to recover: (1) a lack of individual dispersal abilities has prevented recolonization of previously occupied locations, (2) a loss of genetic variation has resulted in limited adaptive potential, and (3) L. dayi is currently adapting to chytridiomycosis. We found moderate-to-high levels of gene flow and diversity (Fst range: <0.01-0.15; minor allele frequency (MAF): 0.192-0.245), which were similar to previously published levels for recovered L. nannotis populations. This suggests that dispersal ability and genetic diversity do not limit the ability of L. dayi to recolonize upland sites. Further, infection intensity and prevalence increased with elevation, suggesting that chytridiomycosis is still limiting the elevational range of L. dayi. Outlier tests comparing infected and uninfected individuals consistently identified 18 markers as putatively under selection, and several of those markers matched genes that were previously implicated in infection. This suggests that L. dayi has genetic variation for genes that affect infection dynamics and may be undergoing adaptation.
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22
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McClure KM, Fleischer RC, Kilpatrick AM. The role of native and introduced birds in transmission of avian malaria in Hawaii. Ecology 2020; 101:e03038. [PMID: 32129884 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The introduction of nonnative species and reductions in native biodiversity have resulted in substantial changes in vector and host communities globally, but the consequences for pathogen transmission are poorly understood. In lowland Hawaii, bird communities are composed of primarily introduced species, with scattered populations of abundant native species. We examined the influence of avian host community composition, specifically the role of native and introduced species, as well as host diversity, on the prevalence of avian malaria (Plasmodium relictum) in the southern house mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus). We also explored the reciprocal effect of malaria transmission on native host populations and demography. Avian malaria infection prevalence in mosquitoes increased with the density and relative abundance of native birds, as well as host community competence, but was uncorrelated with host diversity. Avian malaria transmission was estimated to reduce population growth rates of Hawai'i 'amakihi (Chlorodrepanis virens) by 7-14%, but mortality from malaria could not explain gaps in this species' distribution at our sites. Our results suggest that, in Hawaii, native host species increase pathogen transmission to mosquitoes, but introduced species can also support malaria transmission alone. The increase in pathogen transmission with native bird abundance leads to additional disease mortality in native birds, further increasing disease impacts in an ecological feedback cycle. In addition, vector abundance was higher at sites without native birds and this overwhelmed the effects of host community composition on transmission such that infected mosquito abundance was highest at sites without native birds. Higher disease risk at these sites due to higher vector abundance could inhibit recolonization and recovery of native species to these areas. More broadly, this work shows how differences in host competence for a pathogen among native and introduced taxa can influence transmission and highlights the need to examine this question in other systems to determine the generality of this result.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M McClure
- Department Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, California, 95060, USA.,Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, USA
| | - Robert C Fleischer
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, USA
| | - A Marm Kilpatrick
- Department Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, California, 95060, USA
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23
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Caldwell JM, Aeby G, Heron SF, Donahue MJ. Case-control design identifies ecological drivers of endemic coral diseases. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2831. [PMID: 32071347 PMCID: PMC7028714 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59688-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Endemic disease transmission is an important ecological process that is challenging to study because of low occurrence rates. Here, we investigate the ecological drivers of two coral diseases-growth anomalies and tissue loss-affecting five coral species. We first show that a statistical framework called the case-control study design, commonly used in epidemiology but rarely applied to ecology, provided high predictive accuracy (67-82%) and disease detection rates (60-83%) compared with a traditional statistical approach that yielded high accuracy (98-100%) but low disease detection rates (0-17%). Using this framework, we found evidence that 1) larger corals have higher disease risk; 2) shallow reefs with low herbivorous fish abundance, limited water motion, and located adjacent to watersheds with high fertilizer and pesticide runoff promote low levels of growth anomalies, a chronic coral disease; and 3) wave exposure, stream exposure, depth, and low thermal stress are associated with tissue loss disease risk during interepidemic periods. Variation in risk factors across host-disease pairs suggests that either different pathogens cause the same gross lesions in different species or that the same disease may arise in different species under different ecological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie M Caldwell
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Hawaii, USA. .,ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
| | - Greta Aeby
- Department of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Scott F Heron
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.,Marine Geophysical Laboratory, Physics, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.,NOAA Coral Reef Watch, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Megan J Donahue
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Hawaii, USA
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24
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Pejchar L, Lepczyk CA, Fantle-Lepczyk JE, Hess SC, Johnson MT, Leopold CR, Marchetti M, McClure KM, Shiels AB. Hawaii as a Microcosm: Advancing the Science and Practice of Managing Introduced and Invasive Species. Bioscience 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biz154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Invasive species are a leading driver of global change, with consequences for biodiversity and society. Because of extraordinary rates of endemism, introduction, and extinction, Hawaii offers a rich platform for exploring the cross-disciplinary challenges of managing invasive species in a dynamic world. We highlight key successes and shortcomings to share lessons learned and inspire innovation and action in and beyond the archipelago. We then discuss thematic challenges and opportunities of broad relevance to invaded ecosystems and human communities. Important research needs and possible actions include eradicating mammals from mainland island sanctuaries, assessing hidden threats from poorly known introduced species, harnessing genomic tools to eradicate disease vectors, structured decision-making to achieve common objectives among diverse stakeholders, and enhancing capacity through nontraditional funding streams and progressive legislation. By shining a spotlight on invasive species at the front lines in Hawaii, we hope to catalyze strategic research and practice to help inform scientists and policymakers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Steven C Hess
- US Geological Survey Pacific Islands Ecosystems Research Station, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii
| | - M Tracy Johnson
- US Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii
| | | | | | - Katherine M McClure
- University of California Santa Cruz when this project began and is now a postdoctoral fellow at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York
| | - Aaron B Shiels
- USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado
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25
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Multifaceted implications of the competition between native and invasive crayfish: a glimmer of hope for the native’s long-term survival. Biol Invasions 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-019-02136-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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26
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Dhole S, Lloyd AL, Gould F. Tethered homing gene drives: A new design for spatially restricted population replacement and suppression. Evol Appl 2019; 12:1688-1702. [PMID: 31462923 PMCID: PMC6708424 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Optimism regarding potential epidemiological and conservation applications of modern gene drives is tempered by concern about the possibility of unintended spread of engineered organisms beyond the target population. In response, several novel gene drive approaches have been proposed that can, under certain conditions, locally alter characteristics of a population. One challenge for these gene drives is the difficulty of achieving high levels of localized population suppression without very large releases in the face of gene flow. We present a new gene drive system, tethered homing (TH), with improved capacity for both localization and population suppression. The TH drive is based on driving a payload gene using a homing construct that is anchored to a spatially restricted gene drive. We use a proof-of-concept mathematical model to show the dynamics of a TH drive that uses engineered underdominance as an anchor. This system is composed of a split homing drive and a two-locus engineered underdominance drive linked to one part of the split drive (the Cas endonuclease). We use simple population genetic simulations to show that the tethered homing technique can offer improved localized spread of costly transgenic payload genes. Additionally, the TH system offers the ability to gradually adjust the genetic load in a population after the initial alteration, with minimal additional release effort. We discuss potential solutions for improving localization and the feasibility of creating TH drive systems. Further research with models that include additional biological details will be needed to better understand how TH drives would behave in natural populations, but the preliminary results shown here suggest that tethered homing drives can be a useful addition to the repertoire of localized gene drives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Dhole
- Department of Entomology and Plant PathologyNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth Carolina
| | - Alun L. Lloyd
- Biomathematics Graduate Program and Department of MathematicsNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth Carolina
- Genetic Engineering and Society CenterNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth Carolina
| | - Fred Gould
- Department of Entomology and Plant PathologyNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth Carolina
- Genetic Engineering and Society CenterNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth Carolina
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27
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Huang X, Rapševičius P, Chapa-Vargas L, Hellgren O, Bensch S. Within-Lineage Divergence of Avian Haemosporidians: A Case Study to Reveal the Origin of a Widespread Haemoproteus Parasite. J Parasitol 2019. [DOI: 10.1645/18-112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Xi Huang
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, SE-22362, Sweden
| | - Paulius Rapševičius
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, SE-22362, Sweden
| | - Leonardo Chapa-Vargas
- Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica A.C. Camino a la Presa San José 2055, Lomas 4a Sección, San Luis Potosí, SLP. C.P. 78216, Mexico
| | - Olof Hellgren
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, SE-22362, Sweden
| | - Staffan Bensch
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, SE-22362, Sweden
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28
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Barrow LN, McNew SM, Mitchell N, Galen SC, Lutz HL, Skeen H, Valqui T, Weckstein JD, Witt CC. Deeply conserved susceptibility in a multi-host, multi-parasite system. Ecol Lett 2019; 22:987-998. [PMID: 30912262 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Revised: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Variation in susceptibility is ubiquitous in multi-host, multi-parasite assemblages, and can have profound implications for ecology and evolution in these systems. The extent to which susceptibility to parasites is phylogenetically conserved among hosts can be revealed by analysing diverse regional communities. We screened for haemosporidian parasites in 3983 birds representing 40 families and 523 species, spanning ~ 4500 m elevation in the tropical Andes. To quantify the influence of host phylogeny on infection status, we applied Bayesian phylogenetic multilevel models that included a suite of environmental, spatial, temporal, life history and ecological predictors. We found evidence of deeply conserved susceptibility across the avian tree; host phylogeny explained substantial variation in infection status, and results were robust to phylogenetic uncertainty. Our study suggests that susceptibility is governed, in part, by conserved, latent aspects of anti-parasite defence. This demonstrates the importance of deep phylogeny for understanding present-day ecological interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa N Barrow
- Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.,Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Sabrina M McNew
- Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.,Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.,Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Nora Mitchell
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Spencer C Galen
- Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.,Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics & Richard Gilder Graduate School, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, 10024, USA.,Department of Ornithology, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19103, USA.,Department of Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19103, USA
| | - Holly L Lutz
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.,Integrative Research Center, The Field Museum, Chicago, IL, 60605, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Heather Skeen
- Integrative Research Center, The Field Museum, Chicago, IL, 60605, USA.,Committee on Evolutionary Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Thomas Valqui
- Centro de Ornitología y Biodiversidad (CORBIDI), Lima, Perú
| | - Jason D Weckstein
- Department of Ornithology, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19103, USA.,Department of Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19103, USA.,Integrative Research Center, The Field Museum, Chicago, IL, 60605, USA
| | - Christopher C Witt
- Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.,Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
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29
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Jones W, Kulma K, Bensch S, Cichoń M, Kerimov A, Krist M, Laaksonen T, Moreno J, Munclinger P, Slater FM, Szöllősi E, Visser ME, Qvarnström A. Interspecific transfer of parasites following a range-shift in Ficedula flycatchers. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:12183-12192. [PMID: 30598810 PMCID: PMC6303764 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Revised: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-induced climate change is expected to cause major biotic changes in species distributions and thereby including escalation of novel host-parasite associations. Closely related host species that come into secondary contact are especially likely to exchange parasites and pathogens. Both the Enemy Release Hypothesis (where invading hosts escape their original parasites) and the Novel Weapon Hypothesis (where invading hosts bring new parasites that have detrimental effects on native hosts) predict that the local host will be most likely to experience a disadvantage. However, few studies evaluate the occurrence of interspecific parasite transfer by performing wide-scale geographic sampling of pathogen lineages, both within and far from host contact zones. In this study, we investigate how haemosporidian (avian malaria) prevalence and lineage diversity vary in two, closely related species of passerine birds; the pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca and the collared flycatcher F. albicollis in both allopatry and sympatry. We find that host species is generally a better predictor of parasite diversity than location, but both prevalence and diversity of parasites vary widely among populations of the same bird species. We also find a limited and unidirectional transfer of parasites from pied flycatchers to collared flycatchers in a recent contact zone. This study therefore rejects both the Enemy Release Hypothesis and the Novel Weapon Hypothesis and highlights the complexity and importance of studying host-parasite relationships in an era of global climate change and species range shifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Jones
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology CentreUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - Katarzyna Kulma
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology CentreUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - Staffan Bensch
- MEMEG, Molecular Ecology and Evolution Group, Department of BiologyLund UniversityLundSweden
| | - Mariusz Cichoń
- Institute of Environmental SciencesJagiellonian UniversityKrakówPoland
| | - Anvar Kerimov
- Faculty of BiologyM.V. Lomonosov Moscow State UniversityMoscowRussia
| | - Miloš Krist
- Department of Zoology and Laboratory of Ornithology, Faculty of SciencePalacky UniversityOlomoucCzech Republic
| | - Toni Laaksonen
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)TurkuFinland
- Section of Ecology, Department of BiologyUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | - Juan Moreno
- Departamento de Ecologia EvolutivaMuseo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC)MadridSpain
| | - Pavel Munclinger
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of ScienceCharles UniversityPragueCzech Republic
| | | | - Eszter Szöllősi
- Department of Systematic Zoology and EcologyEötvös Loránd UniversityBudapestHungary
| | - Marcel E. Visser
- Department of Animal EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)WageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Anna Qvarnström
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology CentreUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
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Cassin-Sackett L, Callicrate TE, Fleischer RC. Parallel evolution of gene classes, but not genes: Evidence from Hawai'ian honeycreeper populations exposed to avian malaria. Mol Ecol 2018; 28:568-583. [PMID: 30298567 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2017] [Revised: 10/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Adaptation in nature is ubiquitous, yet characterizing its genomic basis is difficult because population demographics cause correlations with nonadaptive loci. Introduction events provide opportunities to observe adaptation over known spatial and temporal scales, facilitating the identification of genes involved in adaptation. The pathogen causing avian malaria, Plasmodium relictum, was introduced to Hawai'i in the 1930s and elicited extinctions and precipitous population declines in native honeycreepers. After a sharp initial population decline, the Hawai'i 'amakihi (Chlorodrepanis virens) has evolved tolerance to the parasite at low elevations where P. relictum exists, and can sustain infection without major fitness consequences. High-elevation, unexposed populations of 'amakihi display little to no tolerance. To explore the genomic basis of adaptation to P. relictum in low-elevation 'amakihi, we genotyped 125 'amakihi from the island of Hawai'i via hybridization capture to 40,000 oligonucleotide baits containing SNPs and used the reference 'amakihi genome to identify genes potentially under selection from malaria. We tested for outlier loci between low- and high-elevation population pairs and identified loci with signatures of selection within low-elevation populations. In some cases, genes commonly involved in the immune response (e.g., major histocompatibility complex) were associated with malaria presence in the population. We also detected several novel candidate loci that may be implicated in surviving malaria infection (e.g., beta-defensin, glycoproteins and interleukin-related genes). Our results suggest that rapid adaptation to pathogens may occur through changes in different immune genes, but in the same classes of genes, across populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loren Cassin-Sackett
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, District of Columbia.,Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Taylor E Callicrate
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, District of Columbia.,Species Conservation Toolkit Initiative, Department of Conservation Science, Chicago Zoological Society, Brookfield, Illinois
| | - Robert C Fleischer
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, District of Columbia
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31
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McClure KM, Lawrence C, Kilpatrick AM. Land Use and Larval Habitat Increase Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) and Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) Abundance in Lowland Hawaii. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2018; 55:1509-1516. [PMID: 30085189 PMCID: PMC6201829 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjy117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Vector abundance plays a key role in transmission of mosquito-borne disease. In Hawaii, Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae), the Asian tiger mosquito, has been implicated in locally-transmitted dengue outbreaks, while Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae), the southern house mosquito, is the primary vector of avian malaria, a wildlife disease that has contributed to declines and extinctions of native Hawaiian birds. Despite the importance of these introduced species to human and wildlife health, little is known about the local-scale drivers that shape mosquito abundance across lowland Hawaii, where forest, agricultural, and residential land uses are prevalent. We examined landscape, larval habitat, and climate drivers of Ae. albopictus and Cx. quinquefasciatus abundance in eight lowland wet forest fragments on the Big Island of Hawaii. We found that the abundance of both species increased with the proportion of surrounding developed land and the availability of larval habitat, which were themselves correlated. Our findings suggest that conversion of natural habitats to residential and agricultural land increases mosquito larval habitats, increasing the abundance of Ae. albopictus and Cx. quinquefasciatus and increasing disease risk to humans and wildlife in Hawaii. Our results further indicate that while source reduction of artificial larval habitats-particularly moderately-sized human-made habitats including abandoned cars and tires-could reduce mosquito abundance, eliminating larval habitat will be challenging because both species utilize both natural and human-made larval habitats in lowland Hawaii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M McClure
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
| | | | - A Marm Kilpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
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32
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Huang X, Ellis VA, Jönsson J, Bensch S. Generalist haemosporidian parasites are better adapted to a subset of host species in a multiple host community. Mol Ecol 2018; 27:4336-4346. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.14856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Revised: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xi Huang
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab; Department of Biology; Lund University; Lund Sweden
| | - Vincenzo A. Ellis
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab; Department of Biology; Lund University; Lund Sweden
| | - Jane Jönsson
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab; Department of Biology; Lund University; Lund Sweden
| | - Staffan Bensch
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab; Department of Biology; Lund University; Lund Sweden
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33
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Malaria parasites and related haemosporidians cause mortality in cranes: a study on the parasites diversity, prevalence and distribution in Beijing Zoo. Malar J 2018; 17:234. [PMID: 29914492 PMCID: PMC6006844 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-018-2385-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Malaria parasites and related haemosporidian parasites are widespread and may cause severe diseases in birds. These pathogens should be considered in projects aiming breeding of birds for purposes of sustained ex situ conservation. Cranes are the ‘flagship species’ for health assessment of wetland ecosystems, and the majority of species are endangered. Malaria parasites and other haemosporidians have been reported in cranes, but the host-parasite relationships remain insufficiently understood. Morbidity of cranes due to malaria has been reported in Beijing Zoo. This study report prevalence, diversity and distribution of malaria parasites and related haemosporidians in cranes in Beijing Zoo and suggest simple measures to protect vulnerable individuals. Methods In all, 123 cranes (62 adults and 61 juveniles) belonging to 10 species were examined using PCR-based testing and microscopic examination of blood samples collected in 2007–2014. All birds were maintained in open-air aviaries, except for 19 chicks that were raised in a greenhouse with the aim to protect them from bites of blood-sucking insects. Bayesian phylogenetic analysis was used to identify the closely related avian haemosporidian parasites. Results Species of Plasmodium (5 lineages), Haemoproteus (1) and Leucocytozoon (2) were reported. Malaria parasites predominated (83% of all reported infections). The overall prevalence of haemosporidians in juveniles was approximately seven-fold higher than in adults, indicating high susceptibility of chicks and local transmission. Juvenile and adult birds hosted different lineages of Plasmodium, indicating that chicks got infection from non-parent birds. Plasmodium relictum (pSGS1) was the most prevalent malaria parasite. Mortality was not reported in adults, but 53% of infected chicks died, with reports of co-infection with Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon species. All chicks maintained in the greenhouse were non-infected and survived. Species of Leucocytozoon were undetectable by commonly used PCR protocol, but readily visible in blood films. Conclusion Crane chicks often die due to malaria and Leucocytozoon infections, which they likely gain from wild free-living birds in Beijing Zoo. Molecular diagnostics of crane Leucocytozoon parasites needs improvement. Because the reported infections are mainly chick diseases, the authors recommend maintaining of juvenile birds in vector-free facilities until the age of approximately 6 months before they are placed in open-air aviaries. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12936-018-2385-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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34
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Samuel MD, Woodworth BL, Atkinson CT, Hart PJ, LaPointe DA. The epidemiology of avian pox and interaction with avian malaria in Hawaiian forest birds. ECOL MONOGR 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael D. Samuel
- U.S. Geological Survey; Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit; University of Wisconsin; Madison Wisconsin 53706 USA
| | - Bethany L. Woodworth
- U.S. Geological Survey; Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center; Hawaiʻi National Park; Hawaiʻi 96718 USA
- University of New England; Biddeford Maine 04005 USA
| | - Carter T. Atkinson
- U.S. Geological Survey; Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center; Hawaiʻi National Park; Hawaiʻi 96718 USA
| | | | - Dennis A. LaPointe
- U.S. Geological Survey; Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center; Hawaiʻi National Park; Hawaiʻi 96718 USA
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35
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Mosher BA, Huyvaert KP, Bailey LL. Beyond the swab: ecosystem sampling to understand the persistence of an amphibian pathogen. Oecologia 2018; 188:319-330. [PMID: 29860635 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4167-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/12/2018] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the ecosystem-level persistence of pathogens is essential for predicting and measuring host-pathogen dynamics. However, this process is often masked, in part due to a reliance on host-based pathogen detection methods. The amphibian pathogens Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and B. salamandrivorans (Bsal) are pathogens of global conservation concern. Despite having free-living life stages, little is known about the distribution and persistence of these pathogens outside of their amphibian hosts. We combine historic amphibian monitoring data with contemporary host- and environment-based pathogen detection data to obtain estimates of Bd occurrence independent of amphibian host distributions. We also evaluate differences in filter- and swab-based detection probability and assess inferential differences arising from using different decision criteria used to classify samples as positive or negative. Water filtration-based detection probabilities were lower than those from swabs but were > 10%, and swab-based detection probabilities varied seasonally, declining in the early fall. The decision criterion used to classify samples as positive or negative was important; using a more liberal criterion yielded higher estimates of Bd occurrence than when a conservative criterion was used. Different covariates were important when using the liberal or conservative criterion in modeling Bd detection. We found evidence of long-term Bd persistence for several years after an amphibian host species of conservation concern, the boreal toad (Anaxyrus boreas boreas), was last detected. Our work provides evidence of long-term Bd persistence in the ecosystem, and underscores the importance of environmental samples for understanding and mitigating disease-related threats to amphibian biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany A Mosher
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.
| | - Kathryn P Huyvaert
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Larissa L Bailey
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
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36
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McMahon DP, Wilfert L, Paxton RJ, Brown MJF. Emerging Viruses in Bees: From Molecules to Ecology. Adv Virus Res 2018; 101:251-291. [PMID: 29908591 DOI: 10.1016/bs.aivir.2018.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases arise as a result of novel interactions between populations of hosts and pathogens, and can threaten the health and wellbeing of the entire spectrum of biodiversity. Bees and their viruses are a case in point. However, detailed knowledge of the ecological factors and evolutionary forces that drive disease emergence in bees and other host-pathogen communities is surprisingly lacking. In this review, we build on the fundamental insight that viruses evolve and adapt over timescales that overlap with host ecology. At the same time, we integrate the role of host community ecology, including community structure and composition, biodiversity loss, and human-driven disturbance, all of which represent significant factors in bee virus ecology. Both of these evolutionary and ecological perspectives represent major advances but, in most cases, it remains unclear how evolutionary forces actually operate across different biological scales (e.g., from cell to ecosystem). We present a molecule-to-ecology framework to help address these issues, emphasizing the role of molecular mechanisms as key bottom-up drivers of change at higher ecological scales. We consider the bee-virus system to be an ideal one in which to apply this framework. Unlike many other animal models, bees constitute a well characterized and accessible multispecies assemblage, whose populations and interspecific interactions can be experimentally manipulated and monitored in high resolution across space and time to provide robust tests of prevailing theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dino P McMahon
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Department for Materials and Environment, BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Lena Wilfert
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, United Kingdom
| | - Robert J Paxton
- Institute for Biology, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany; German Centre for integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mark J F Brown
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, United Kingdom
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37
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Pang‐Ching JM, Paxton KL, Paxton EH, Pack AA, Hart PJ. The effect of isolation, fragmentation, and population bottlenecks on song structure of a Hawaiian honeycreeper. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:2076-2087. [PMID: 29468026 PMCID: PMC5817154 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Revised: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Little is known about how important social behaviors such as song vary within and among populations for any of the endemic Hawaiian honeycreepers. Habitat loss and non-native diseases (e.g., avian malaria) have resulted in isolation and fragmentation of Hawaiian honeycreepers within primarily high elevation forests. In this study, we examined how isolation of Hawai'i 'amakihi (Chlorodrepanis virens) populations within a fragmented landscape influences acoustic variability in song. In the last decade, small, isolated populations of disease tolerant 'amakihi have been found within low elevation forests, allowing us to record 'amakihi songs across a large elevational gradient (10-1800 m) that parallels disease susceptibility on Hawai'i island. To understand underlying differences among populations, we examined the role of geographic distance, elevation, and habitat structure on acoustic characteristics of 'amakihi songs. We found that the acoustic characteristics of 'amakihi songs and song-type repertoires varied most strongly across an elevational gradient. Differences in 'amakihi song types were primarily driven by less complex songs (e.g., fewer frequency changes, shorter songs) of individuals recorded at low elevation sites compared to mid and high elevation populations. The reduced complexity of 'amakihi songs at low elevation sites is most likely shaped by the effects of habitat fragmentation and a disease-driven population bottleneck associated with avian malaria, and maintained through isolation, localized song learning and sharing, and cultural drift. These results highlight how a non-native disease through its influence on population demographics may have also indirectly played a role in shaping the acoustic characteristics of a species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M. Pang‐Ching
- Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental ScienceUniversity of Hawaii at HiloHiloHIUSA
| | | | - Eben H. Paxton
- U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Island Ecosystems Research CenterHiloHIUSA
| | - Adam A. Pack
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Hawaii at HiloHiloHIUSA
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of Hawaii at HiloHiloHIUSA
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38
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Maslo B, Stringham OC, Bevan AJ, Brumbaugh A, Sanders C, Hall M, Fefferman NH. High annual survival in infected wildlife populations may veil a persistent extinction risk from disease. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Brooke Maslo
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers; The State University of New Jersey; 14 College Farm Road New Brunswick New Jersey 08901 USA
- Rutgers Cooperative Extension; New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Rutgers; The State University of New Jersey; 88 Lipman Drive New Brunswick New Jersey 08901 USA
| | - Oliver C. Stringham
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers; The State University of New Jersey; 14 College Farm Road New Brunswick New Jersey 08901 USA
| | - Amanda J. Bevan
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers; The State University of New Jersey; 14 College Farm Road New Brunswick New Jersey 08901 USA
| | - Amanda Brumbaugh
- Sanders Environmental, Inc.; 322 Borealis Way Bellefonte Pennsylvania 16823 USA
| | - Chris Sanders
- Sanders Environmental, Inc.; 322 Borealis Way Bellefonte Pennsylvania 16823 USA
| | - MacKenzie Hall
- Endangered and Nongame Species Program; NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife; 1 Van Syckels Road Clinton New Jersey 08809 USA
| | - Nina H. Fefferman
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology; The University of Tennessee; 1416 Circle Drive Knoxville Tennessee 37996 USA
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Soares L, Marra P, Gray L, Ricklefs RE. The malaria parasite Plasmodium relictum in the endemic avifauna of eastern Cuba. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2017; 31:1477-1482. [PMID: 28766818 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Island populations are vulnerable to introduced pathogens, as evidenced by extinction or population decline of several endemic Hawaiian birds caused by the malaria parasite, Plasmodium relictum (order Haemosporida). We analyzed blood samples from 363 birds caught near Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, for the presence of haemosporidian infections. We characterized parasite lineages by determining nucleotide variation of the parasite's mitochondrial cyt b gene. Fifty-nine individuals were infected, and we identified 7 lineages of haemosporidian parasites. Fifty individuals were infected by 6 Haemoproteus sp. lineages, including a newly characterized lineage of Haem. (Parahaemoproteus) sp. CUH01. Nine individuals carried the P. relictum lineage GRW4, including 5 endemic Cuban Grassquits (Tiaris canorus) and 1 migratory Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina). A sequence of the merozoite surface protein gene from one Cuban Grassquit infected with GRW4 matched that of the Hawaiian haplotype Pr9. Our results indicate that resident and migratory Cuban birds are infected with a malaria lineage that has severely affected populations of several endemic Hawaiian birds. We suggest GRW4 may be associated with the lack of several bird species on Cuba that are ubiquitous elsewhere in the West Indies. From the standpoint of avian conservation in the Caribbean Basin, it will be important to determine the distribution of haemosporidian parasites, especially P. relictum GRW4, in Cuba as well as the pathogenicity of this lineage in species that occur and are absent from Cuba.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letícia Soares
- Department of Biology, University of Missouri-St. Louis, One University Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63121, U.S.A
- Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, 3507 Laclede Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63103, U.S.A
| | - Peter Marra
- Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 5516, Washington, D.C. 20013, U.S.A
| | - Lindsey Gray
- Department of Biology, University of Missouri-St. Louis, One University Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63121, U.S.A
| | - Robert E Ricklefs
- Department of Biology, University of Missouri-St. Louis, One University Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63121, U.S.A
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Asigau S, Hartman DA, Higashiguchi JM, Parker PG. The distribution of mosquitoes across an altitudinal gradient in the Galapagos Islands. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2017; 42:243-253. [PMID: 29125252 DOI: 10.1111/jvec.12264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
An avian malaria parasite (genus Plasmodium) has been detected consistently in the Galapagos Penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) and less frequently in some passerines. We sampled three resident mosquito species (Aedes taeniorhynchus, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Aedes aegypti) using CDC light and gravid traps on three islands in 2012, 2013, and 2014. We sampled along altitudinal gradients to ask whether there are mosquito-free refugia at higher elevations as there are in Hawaii. We captured both Ae. taeniorhynchus and Cx. quinquefasciatus at all sites. However, abundances differed across islands and years and declined significantly with elevation. Aedes aegypti were scarce and limited to areas of human inhabitation. These results were corroborated by two negative binomial regression models which found altitude, year, trap type, and island as categorized by human inhabitation to be significant factors influencing the distributions of both Ae. taeniorhynchus and Cx. quinquefasciatus. Annual differences at the highest altitudes in Isabela and Santa Cruz indicate the lack of a stable highland refuge if either species is found to be a major vector of a parasite, such as avian malaria in Galapagos. Further work is needed to confirm the vector potential of both species to understand the disease dynamics of avian malaria in Galapagos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samoa Asigau
- University of Missouri - St. Louis, Department of Biology, St. Louis, MO 63121, U.S.A
- Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center, University of Missouri - St Louis, St. Louis, MO 63121, U.S.A
| | - Daniel A Hartman
- University of Missouri - St. Louis, Department of Biology, St. Louis, MO 63121, U.S.A
- Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center, University of Missouri - St Louis, St. Louis, MO 63121, U.S.A
| | - Jenni M Higashiguchi
- University of Missouri - St. Louis, Department of Biology, St. Louis, MO 63121, U.S.A
- Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center, University of Missouri - St Louis, St. Louis, MO 63121, U.S.A
| | - Patricia G Parker
- University of Missouri - St. Louis, Department of Biology, St. Louis, MO 63121, U.S.A
- WildCare Institute, St. Louis Zoo, St. Louis, MO 63110, U.S.A
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, Galapagos, Ecuador
- Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center, University of Missouri - St Louis, St. Louis, MO 63121, U.S.A
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41
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Yan J, Martínez-de la Puente J, Gangoso L, Gutiérrez-López R, Soriguer R, Figuerola J. Avian malaria infection intensity influences mosquito feeding patterns. Int J Parasitol 2017; 48:257-264. [PMID: 29170087 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2017.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2017] [Revised: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Pathogen-induced host phenotypic changes are widespread phenomena that can dramatically influence host-vector interactions. Enhanced vector attraction to infected hosts has been reported in a variety of host-pathogen systems, and has given rise to the parasite manipulation hypothesis whereby pathogens may adaptively modify host phenotypes to increase transmission from host to host. However, host phenotypic changes do not always favour the transmission of pathogens, as random host choice, reduced host attractiveness and even host avoidance after infection have also been reported. Thus, the effects of hosts' parasitic infections on vector feeding behaviour and on the likelihood of parasite transmission remain unclear. Here, we experimentally tested how host infection status and infection intensity with avian Plasmodium affect mosquito feeding patterns in house sparrows (Passer domesticus). In separate experiments, mosquitoes were allowed to bite pairs containing (i) one infected and one uninfected bird and (ii) two infected birds, one of which treated with the antimalarial drug, primaquine. We found that mosquitoes fed randomly when exposed to both infected and uninfected birds. However, when mosquitoes were exposed only to infected individuals, they preferred to bite the non-treated birds. These results suggest that the malarial parasite load rather than the infection itself plays a key role in mosquito attraction. Our findings partially support the parasite manipulation hypothesis, which probably operates via a reduction in defensive behaviour, and highlights the importance of considering parasite load in studies on host-vector-pathogen interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayue Yan
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, Spain.
| | - Josué Martínez-de la Puente
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBER ESP), Spain
| | - Laura Gangoso
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | | | - Ramón Soriguer
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBER ESP), Spain
| | - Jordi Figuerola
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBER ESP), Spain
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Abstract
Hawaiian honeycreepers, comprising an endemic radiation of passerine birds in the Hawaiian archipelago, have suffered losses of individual island populations and the extinction of many species as a result of colonization of the islands by Polynesians and, more recently, introduced avian pox virus and avian malaria. Here, I test the idea that populations have an intrinsic tendency toward extinction regardless of the cause. The distribution of each species before the arrival of humans in the archipelago was inferred from present distribution, historical records, and fossil remains. On the basis of these records, each species was placed in one of four stages of the taxon cycle: (1) expanding or recently expanded, (2) differentiating, (3) fragmenting, or (4) single-island endemic. Subsequent extinction of individual island populations was most frequent in stage 3 species, which had already suffered loss of individual island populations, suggesting commonality in vulnerability to extinction from anthropogenic and nonanthropogenic causes.
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43
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Wallach AD, Lundgren E, Yanco E, Ramp D. Is the prickly pear a ‘Tzabar’? Diversity and conservation of Israel’s migrant species. Isr J Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.1163/22244662-06303003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Arian D. Wallach
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, New South Wales, 2007, Australia
| | - Erick Lundgren
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, New South Wales, 2007, Australia
| | - Esty Yanco
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, New South Wales, 2007, Australia
| | - Daniel Ramp
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, New South Wales, 2007, Australia
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Marinov M, Marchetti C, Dimitrov D, Ilieva M, Zehtindjiev P. Mixed haemosporidian infections are associated with higher fearfulness in Yellow Wagtail ( Motacilla flava). CAN J ZOOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2016-0121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Blood parasite infections have been shown to influence behavioural traits of their avian hosts, in particular activity level and boldness. Following the hypothesis that a mixed infection by different parasite species should have higher effects than single-species infections, we analysed activity and boldness in wild-caught Yellow Wagtails (Motacilla flava L., 1758), a trans-Saharan migrant, during the energetically demanding spring migration. Eighty-five percent of the birds were naturally infected with Haemoproteus Kruse, 1890 or Plasmodium Marchiafava and Celli, 1885 (Sporozoa, Haemosporida) and 27% of individuals had parasites from both genera. No differences in activity were found among uninfected, single infection, and mixed infection groups. Birds with infections from both genera appeared to be more fearful when first introduced to a cage. These birds also tended to be less likely to approach a novel object compared with uninfected birds and birds infected by a single genus only.
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Affiliation(s)
- M.P. Marinov
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2 Gagarin Street, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - C. Marchetti
- Vogeltrekstation – Dutch Centre for Avian Migration and Demography, NIOO–KNAW, Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - D. Dimitrov
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2 Gagarin Street, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - M. Ilieva
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2 Gagarin Street, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - P. Zehtindjiev
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2 Gagarin Street, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
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Scheele BC, Foster CN, Banks SC, Lindenmayer DB. Niche Contractions in Declining Species: Mechanisms and Consequences. Trends Ecol Evol 2017; 32:346-355. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2017.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Revised: 02/12/2017] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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McKnight DT, Schwarzkopf L, Alford RA, Bower DS, Zenger KR. Effects of emerging infectious diseases on host population genetics: a review. CONSERV GENET 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-017-0974-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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47
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Rideout BA, Sainsbury AW, Hudson PJ. Which Parasites Should We be Most Concerned About in Wildlife Translocations? ECOHEALTH 2017; 14:42-46. [PMID: 27234456 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-016-1132-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Revised: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Bruce A Rideout
- Wildlife Disease Laboratories, Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, PO Box 120551, San Diego, CA, 92112, USA.
| | - Anthony W Sainsbury
- The Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Peter J Hudson
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
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Liao W, Atkinson CT, LaPointe DA, Samuel MD. Mitigating Future Avian Malaria Threats to Hawaiian Forest Birds from Climate Change. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0168880. [PMID: 28060848 PMCID: PMC5218566 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 12/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Avian malaria, transmitted by Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes in the Hawaiian Islands, has been a primary contributor to population range limitations, declines, and extinctions for many endemic Hawaiian honeycreepers. Avian malaria is strongly influenced by climate; therefore, predicted future changes are expected to expand transmission into higher elevations and intensify and lengthen existing transmission periods at lower elevations, leading to further population declines and potential extinction of highly susceptible honeycreepers in mid- and high-elevation forests. Based on future climate changes and resulting malaria risk, we evaluated the viability of alternative conservation strategies to preserve endemic Hawaiian birds at mid and high elevations through the 21st century. We linked an epidemiological model with three alternative climatic projections from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project to predict future malaria risk and bird population dynamics for the coming century. Based on climate change predictions, proposed strategies included mosquito population suppression using modified males, release of genetically modified refractory mosquitoes, competition from other introduced mosquitoes that are not competent vectors, evolved malaria-tolerance in native honeycreepers, feral pig control to reduce mosquito larval habitats, and predator control to improve bird demographics. Transmission rates of malaria are predicted to be higher than currently observed and are likely to have larger impacts in high-elevation forests where current low rates of transmission create a refuge for highly-susceptible birds. As a result, several current and proposed conservation strategies will be insufficient to maintain existing forest bird populations. We concluded that mitigating malaria transmission at high elevations should be a primary conservation goal. Conservation strategies that maintain highly susceptible species like Iiwi (Drepanis coccinea) will likely benefit other threatened and endangered Hawai’i species, especially in high-elevation forests. Our results showed that mosquito control strategies offer potential long-term benefits to high elevation Hawaiian honeycreepers. However, combined strategies will likely be needed to preserve endemic birds at mid elevations. Given the delay required to research, develop, evaluate, and improve several of these currently untested conservation strategies we suggest that planning should begin expeditiously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liao
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Carter T. Atkinson
- U. S. Geological Survey, Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Hawai’i National Park, Hawai’i, United States of America
| | - Dennis A. LaPointe
- U. S. Geological Survey, Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Hawai’i National Park, Hawai’i, United States of America
| | - Michael D. Samuel
- U. S. Geological Survey, Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Gettová L, Gilles A, Šimková A. Metazoan parasite communities: support for the biological invasion of Barbus barbus and its hybridization with the endemic Barbus meridionalis. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:588. [PMID: 27855708 PMCID: PMC5114731 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1867-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Recently, human intervention enabled the introduction of Barbus barbus from the Rhône River basin into the Barbus meridionalis habitats of the Argens River. After an introduction event, parasite loss and lower infection can be expected in non-native hosts in contrast to native species. Still, native species might be endangered by hybridization with the incomer and the introduction of novel parasite species. In our study, we aimed to examine metazoan parasite communities in Barbus spp. populations in France, with a special emphasis on the potential threat posed by the introduction of novel parasite species by invasive B. barbus to local B. meridionalis. Methods Metazoan parasite communities were examined in B. barbus, B. meridionalis and their hybrids in three river basins in France. Microsatellites were used for the species identification of individual fish. Parasite abundance, prevalence, and species richness were compared. Effects of different factors on parasite infection levels and species richness were tested using GLM. Results Metazoan parasites followed the expansion range of B. barbus and confirmed its introduction into the Argens River. Here, the significantly lower parasite number and lower levels of infection found in B. barbus in contrast to B. barbus from the Rhône River supports the enemy release hypothesis. Barbus barbus × B. meridionalis hybridization in the Argens River basin was confirmed using both microsatellites and metazoan parasites, as hybrids were infected by parasites of both parental taxa. Trend towards higher parasite diversity in hybrids when compared to parental taxa, and similarity between parasite communities from the Barbus hybrid zone suggest that hybrids might represent “bridges” for parasite infection between B. barbus and B. meridionalis. Risk of parasite transmission from less parasitized B. barbus to more parasitized B. meridionalis indicated from our study in the Argens River might be enhanced in time as higher infection levels in B. barbus from the Rhône River were revealed. Hybrid susceptibility to metazoan parasites varied among the populations and is probably driven by host-parasite interactions and environmental forces. Conclusions Scientific attention should be paid to the threatened status of the endemic B. meridionalis, which is endangered by hybridization with the invasive B. barbus, i.e. by genetic introgression and parasite transmission. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1867-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Gettová
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 61137, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - A Gilles
- Aix-Marseille Université, IMBE, UMR CNRS 7263, Evolution Génome Environnement, Case 36, 3 Place Victor Hugo, 13331, Marseille Cedex 3, France
| | - A Šimková
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 61137, Brno, Czech Republic
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50
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Loss SR, Noden BH, Hamer GL, Hamer SA. A quantitative synthesis of the role of birds in carrying ticks and tick-borne pathogens in North America. Oecologia 2016; 182:947-959. [PMID: 27670413 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3731-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Birds play a central role in the ecology of tick-borne pathogens. They expand tick populations and pathogens across vast distances and serve as reservoirs that maintain and amplify transmission locally. Research into the role of birds for supporting ticks and tick-borne pathogens has largely been descriptive and focused in small areas. To expand inference beyond these studies, we conducted a quantitative review at the scale of North America to identify avian life history correlates of tick infestation and pathogen prevalence, calculate species-level indices of importance for carrying ticks, and identify research gaps limiting understanding of tick-borne pathogen transmission. Across studies, 78 of 162 bird species harbored ticks, yielding an infestation prevalence of 1981 of 38,929 birds (5.1 %). Avian foraging and migratory strategies interacted to influence infestation. Ground-foraging species, especially non-migratory ground foragers, were disproportionately likely to have high prevalence and intensity of tick infestation. Studies largely focused on Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease, and non-migratory ground foragers were especially likely to carry B. burgdorferi-infected ticks, a finding that highlights the potential importance of resident birds in local pathogen transmission. Based on infestation indices, all "super-carrier" bird species were passerines. Vast interior areas of North America, many bird and tick species, and most tick-borne pathogens, remain understudied, and research is needed to address these gaps. More studies are needed that quantify tick host preferences, host competence, and spatiotemporal variation in pathogen prevalence and vector and host abundance. This information is crucial for predicting pathogen transmission dynamics under future global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott R Loss
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, 008C Ag Hall, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
| | - Bruce H Noden
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Gabriel L Hamer
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Sarah A Hamer
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
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