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Ruiz-Raya F. Ecophysiology of egg rejection in hosts of avian brood parasites: new insights and perspectives. Curr Zool 2021; 67:631-638. [PMID: 34805540 PMCID: PMC8599070 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoab042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Egg rejection is the most effective and widespread defense used by host species to counteract the extreme fitness costs frequently imposed by obligate avian brood parasites. Yet, the proximate mechanisms underlying between- and within-individual variation in host responses remain poorly explored. Emerging evidence suggests that egg rejection is dependent on individual physiological states, and draws attention to the role of hormones as mediators of flexible antiparasitic responses. In this perspective article, I outline recent advances in our understanding of the proximate factors that mediate egg rejection. I also point out some areas where knowledge remains still lacking, especially those related to the development and maintenance of effective cognitive functions, the potential role of oxidative stress, immunological state, and developmental stressors. I propose new hypotheses that stimulate future research on behavioral host responses toward brood parasitism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Ruiz-Raya
- Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, GEA, Vigo 36310, Spain
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2
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Driessen MMG, Versteegh MA, Gerritsma YH, Tieleman BI, Pen I, Verhulst S. Effects of early-life conditions on innate immune function in adult zebra finches. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:269007. [PMID: 34087935 PMCID: PMC8214827 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242158] [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: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Early life conditions can affect individuals for life, with harsh developmental conditions resulting in lower fitness, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. We hypothesized that immune function may be part of the underlying mechanism, when harsh developmental conditions result in less effective immune function. We tested this hypothesis by comparing innate immune function between zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) in adulthood (n=230; age 108–749 days) that were reared in either small or large broods. We used this experimental background to follow up our earlier finding that finches reared in large broods have a shorter lifespan. To render a broad overview of innate immune function, we used an array of six measures: bacterial killing capacity, hemagglutination, hemolysis, haptoglobin, nitric oxide and ovotransferrin. We found no convincing evidence for effects of natal brood size on any of the six measures of innate immune function. This raised the question whether the origin of variation in immune function was genetic, and we therefore estimated heritabilities using animal models. However, we found heritability estimates to be low (range 0.04–0.11) for all measured immune variables, suggesting variation in innate immune function can largely be attributed to environmental effects independent of early-life conditions as modified by natal brood size. Summary: Developmental hardship has many long-term implications, but its effects on adult immune function are unknown. We found no effects of a developmental manipulation on innate immune function during adulthood in zebra finches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merijn M G Driessen
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Maaike A Versteegh
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Yoran H Gerritsma
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - B Irene Tieleman
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ido Pen
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Simon Verhulst
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
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3
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Ducouret P, Romano A, Dreiss AN, Marmaroli P, Falourd X, Roulin A. The Art of Diplomacy in Vocally Negotiating Barn Owl Siblings. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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4
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Zamora-Camacho FJ. Integrating time progression in ecoimmunology studies: beyond immune response intensity. Curr Zool 2019; 65:205-212. [PMID: 30936910 PMCID: PMC6430971 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoy045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Habitat alterations in agroecosystems may damage amphibian immune capacity. As agroecosystem extension is increasing worldwide, broader-context knowledge on the effects of agroecosystem stressful conditions on amphibian immune capacity is crucial for understanding and management of amphibian global declines. However, most studies on ecoimmunology assume synchronal among-group immune-response peaks, and focus on immune response after standardized time lapses, neglecting its progression. Herein, I compared inflamatory response short-term progression of agroecosystem and natural-habitat female and male natterjack toads Epidalea calamita, by measuring swelling response, once per hour, 6 h following an artificial immune challenge with innocuous antigen phytohemagglutinin. I also compared maximum magnitude of swelling response, irrespective of the moment when it was reached. Habitat differences arose only 3 h after challenge, when natural-habitat toads showed greater swelling response. Maximum magnitude of swelling response was similar in toads from both habitats. However, agroecosystem toads showed a delayed swelling response as compared with natural-habitat conspecifics, probably as a consequence of agroecosystem stressful conditions. Such a delay suggests a weaker immune capacity, and consequently impaired anti-pathogen performance. Regarding sex, swelling response magnitude did not differ between males and females. Female swelling response peaked earlier, but that of males was more sustained in time, which contradicts general across-taxa findings that males show impaired immune response. Interestingly, results suggest that measuring swelling response only after some standardized period following stimulation may be a simplistic approach and produce unrealistic results. Consequently, studies on ecoimmunology should implement swelling response progression in order to produce unbiased science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Javier Zamora-Camacho
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
- Department of Biogeography and Global Change, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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5
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One problem, too many solutions: How costly is honest signalling of need? PLoS One 2019; 14:e0208443. [PMID: 30633748 PMCID: PMC6329501 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The “cost of begging” is a prominent prediction of costly signalling theory, suggesting that offspring begging has to be costly in order to be honest. Seminal signalling models predict that there is a unique equilibrium cost function for the offspring that results in honest signalling and this cost function must be proportional to parent’s fitness loss. This prediction is only valid if signal cost and offspring condition is assumed to be independent. Here we generalize these models by allowing signal cost to depend on offspring condition. We demonstrate in the generalized model that any signal cost proportional to the fitness gain of the offspring also results in honest signalling. Moreover, we show that any linear combination of the two cost functions (one proportional to parent’s fitness loss, as in previous models, the other to offspring’s fitness gain) also leads to honest signalling in equilibrium, yielding infinitely many solutions. Furthermore, we demonstrate that there exist linear combinations such that the equilibrium cost of signals is negative and the signal is honest. Our results show that costly signalling theory cannot predict a unique equilibrium cost in signalling games of parent-offspring conflicts if signal cost depends on offspring condition. It follows, contrary to previous claims, that the existence of parent-offspring conflict does not imply costly equilibrium signals. As an important consequence, it is meaningless to measure the “cost of begging” as long as the dependence of signal cost on offspring condition is unknown. Any measured equilibrium cost in case of condition-dependent signal cost has to be compared both to the parent’s fitness loss and to the offspring’s fitness gain in order to provide meaningful interpretation.
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6
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Fresneau N, Müller W. Flexible communication within bird families-The consequences of behavioral plasticity for parent-offspring coadaptation. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:693-702. [PMID: 30680149 PMCID: PMC6342095 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Revised: 11/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Offspring are selected to demand more resources than what is optimal for their parents to provide, which results in a complex and dynamic interplay during parental care. Parent-offspring communication often involves conspicuous begging by the offspring which triggers a parental response, typically the transfer of food. So begging and parental provisioning reciprocally influence each other and are therefore expected to coevolve. There is indeed empirical evidence for covariation of offspring begging and parental provisioning at the phenotypic level. However, whether this reflects genetic correlations of mean levels of behaviors or a covariation of the slopes of offspring demand and parental supply functions (= behavioral plasticity) is not known. The latter has gone rather unnoticed-despite the obvious dynamics of parent-offspring communication. In this study, we measured parental provisioning and begging behavior at two different hunger levels using canaries (Serinus canaria) as a model species. This enabled us to simultaneously study the plastic responses of the parents and the offspring to changes in offspring need. We first tested whether parent and offspring behaviors covary phenotypically. Then, using a covariance partitioning approach, we estimated whether the covariance predominantly occurred at a between-nest level (i.e., indicating a fixed strategy) or at a within-nest level (i.e., reflecting a flexible strategy). We found positive phenotypic covariation of offspring begging and parental provisioning, confirming previous evidence. Yet, this phenotypic covariation was mainly driven by a covariance at the within-nest level. That is parental and offspring behaviors covary because of a plastic behavioral coadjustment, indicating that behavioral plasticity could be a main driver of parent-offspring coadaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nolwenn Fresneau
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Research GroupUniversity of AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
| | - Wendt Müller
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Research GroupUniversity of AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
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7
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Zamora-Camacho FJ, Comas M. Early swelling response to phytohemagglutinin is lower in older toads. PeerJ 2018; 6:e6104. [PMID: 30595980 PMCID: PMC6304268 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The effects of age on performance of life-history traits are diverse, but a common outcome is senescence, an irreversible deterioration of physical and physiological capabilities of older individuals. Immune response is potentially bound to senescence. However, little is known about immune response ageing in amphibians. In this work, we test the hypothesis that amphibian early immune response is reduced in older individuals. To this end, we captured adult natterjack toads (Epidalea calamita) and inoculated them with phytohemagglutinin, an innocuous protein that triggers a skin-swelling immune response whose magnitude is directly proportional to the ability of the individual to mount an immune response. We measured early swelling immune response (corresponding to an innate-response stage) hourly, for six hours, and we calculated the area under the curve (AUC) for each individual's time series, as a measure of immune response magnitude incorporating time. We estimated toad age by means of phalanx skeletochronology. Swelling and AUC decreased with age. Therefore, in accordance with our predictions, early immune response seems subject to senescence in these toads. Reduced ability to get over infections due to senescence of immune respose might be-together with a worse functioning of other organs and systems-among the causes of lower survival of older specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Javier Zamora-Camacho
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States of America
- Department of Biogeography and Global Change, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mar Comas
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
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8
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Fresneau N, Iserbyt A, Lucass C, Müller W. Size matters but hunger prevails-begging and provisioning rules in blue tit families. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5301. [PMID: 30038874 PMCID: PMC6054862 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
It is commonly observed in many bird species that dependent offspring vigorously solicit for food transfers provided by their parents. However, the likelihood of receiving food does not only depend on the parental response, but also on the degree of sibling competition, at least in species where parents raise several offspring simultaneously. To date, little is known about whether and how individual offspring adjusts its begging strategy according to the entwined effects of need, state and competitive ability of itself and its siblings. We here manipulated the hunger levels of either the two heaviest or the two lightest blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) nestlings in a short-term food deprivation experiment. Our results showed that the lightest nestlings consistently begged more than the heaviest nestlings, an effect that was overruled by the tremendous increase in begging behaviour after food deprivation. Meanwhile, the amplified begging signals after food deprivation were the only cue for providing parents in their decision process. Furthermore, we observed flexible but state-independent begging behaviour in response to changes in sibling need. As opposed to our expectations, nestlings consistently increased their begging behaviour when confronted with food deprived siblings. Overall, our study highlights that individual begging primarily aims at increasing direct benefits, but nevertheless reflects the complexity of a young birds’ family life, in addition to aspects of intrinsic need and state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nolwenn Fresneau
- Department of Biology/Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, Universiteit Antwerpen, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Arne Iserbyt
- Department of Biology/Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, Universiteit Antwerpen, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Carsten Lucass
- Department of Biology/Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, Universiteit Antwerpen, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Wendt Müller
- Department of Biology/Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, Universiteit Antwerpen, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
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9
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Morales J, Velando A. Coloration of chicks modulates costly interactions among family members. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Judith Morales
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales – Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Velando
- Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Campus As Lagoas – Marcosende, Vigo, Spain
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10
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Maronde L, Losdat S, Richner H. Do parasites and antioxidant availability affect begging behaviour, growth rate and resistance to oxidative stress? J Evol Biol 2018; 31:904-913. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2017] [Revised: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lea Maronde
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution; University of Bern; Bern Switzerland
| | - Sylvain Losdat
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution; University of Bern; Bern Switzerland
- Institute of Biology; University of Neuchâtel; Neuchâtel Switzerland
| | - Heinz Richner
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution; University of Bern; Bern Switzerland
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11
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Elderbrock EK, Small TW, Schoech SJ. Influence of corticosterone treatment on nestling begging in Florida scrub-jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 259:213-222. [PMID: 29217466 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2016] [Revised: 11/26/2017] [Accepted: 12/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Altricial young are dependent on adults for protection and food, and they display nutritional need by begging to elicit feeding from parents. Begging at high levels can be energetically expensive and attract predators; thus, an individual must balance its nutritional needs with these potential costs. Further, because a parent is limited in the amount of food it can provide, begging can contribute to both parent-offspring conflict and sibling-sibling competition. Many extrinsic and intrinsic factors may contribute to begging behavior. One intrinsic factor of interest is corticosterone (CORT), a metabolic hormone hypothesized to play a role in regulating a nestling's begging behavior. We investigated the hypothesis that increased exposure to CORT influences nestling begging behavior in an altricial species, the Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens). We treated one nestling per treatment nest with a twice-daily dose of exogenous hormone via a CORT-injected waxworm, whereas a second individual received a vehicle-injected waxworm. We monitored individual nestling and adult behavior at all nests with the use of high-definition video cameras on several days during treatment. We found no difference in begging rate between CORT fed and vehicle fed nestlings within a treatment nest. Further, to determine whether CORT treatment had indirect effects on the entire brood, we monitored additional nests, in which nestlings were not manipulated. When treatment and controls were compared, overall begging rates of nestlings in treatment nests were greater than those in control nests. This result suggests that CORT treatment of an individual altered its behavior, as well as that of its siblings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily K Elderbrock
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, United States.
| | - Thomas W Small
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, United States
| | - Stephan J Schoech
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, United States
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12
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Stynoski JL, Stynoski PB, Noble VR. Empirical evidence for multiple costs of begging in poison frog tadpoles. ZOOL ANZ 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2018.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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13
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Hwang J, Kim Y, Lee S, Kim N, Chun M, Lee H, Gottdenker N. Anthropogenic food provisioning and immune phenotype: Association among supplemental food, body condition, and immunological parameters in urban environments. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:3037-3046. [PMID: 29531715 PMCID: PMC5838038 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Revised: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Direct or indirect supplemental feeding of free-ranging animals occurs worldwide, resulting in significant impacts on population density or altered demographic processes. Another potential impact of increased energy intake from supplemental feeding is altered immunocompetence. As immune system maintenance is energetically costly, there may be trade-offs between immune responses and other energy-demanding physiological processes in individual animals. Although increased availability of food sources through supplemental feeding is expected to increase the overall immunocompetence of animals, empirical data verifying the association between supplemental feeding and different immune parameters are lacking. Understanding the potential influence of supplemental feeding on immune phenotypes is critical, as it may also impact host-pathogen dynamics in free-ranging animals. Using urban stray cats as a study model, we tested for associations between the intensity of supplemental feeding due to cat caretaker activity (CCA); body condition; and immune phenotype (bacterial killing assay (BKA), immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration, and leukocyte counts). Significantly higher bacterial killing ability was observed in cats from high CCA districts, whereas higher IgG concentration and eosinophil counts were observed in cats from low CCA districts. Other leukocyte counts and body condition indices showed no significant association with CCA. We observed varying patterns of different immune components in relation to supplemental feeding. Out data suggest that supplemental feeding influences immune phenotype, not only by means of energy provisioning, but also by potentially reducing exposure rates to parasite infections through stray cat behavioral changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jusun Hwang
- Department of Veterinary PathologyCollege of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGAUSA
- College of Veterinary MedicineSeoul National UniversitySeoulKorea
| | - Yongbaek Kim
- College of Veterinary MedicineSeoul National UniversitySeoulKorea
| | - Sang‐Won Lee
- College of Veterinary MedicineKon‐Kuk UniversitySeoulKorea
| | - Na‐Yon Kim
- College of Veterinary MedicineSeoul National UniversitySeoulKorea
| | - Myung‐Sun Chun
- College of Veterinary MedicineSeoul National UniversitySeoulKorea
| | - Hang Lee
- College of Veterinary MedicineSeoul National UniversitySeoulKorea
| | - Nicole Gottdenker
- Department of Veterinary PathologyCollege of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGAUSA
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14
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Wetzel DP. Problem‐solving skills are linked to parental care and offspring survival in wild house sparrows. Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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15
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Grzędzicka E. Immune challenge of female great tits at nests affects provisioning and body conditions of their offspring. Acta Ethol 2017; 20:223-233. [PMID: 28955122 PMCID: PMC5591367 DOI: 10.1007/s10211-017-0265-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2016] [Revised: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The trade-off between animal’s parental reproductive effort and survival is still poorly understood. Parental allocation between the workload during breeding attempts and the parents’ own body conditions can be assessed through the offspring quality. Here, I questioned whether the immune responsiveness of female great tits may be considered as a mediator of this trade-off. Specifically, I tested whether (1) the parental reproductive effort decreases, (2) the food composition provided to chicks changes, and (3) whether the nestling immunocompetence and body mass decrease after experimental immunisation. Two populations of great tit Parus major occupying nest boxes were studied in Niepołomice Forest and Krzyszkowice Forest (Southern Poland) in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Three days after hatching, half of the females were challenged with sheep red blood cells (SRBC), while other females were injected with phosphate-buffered saline PBS (control). Six days later, food provided by the parents was collected from nestlings. After another 2 days, the offspring’s body mass was measured and wing web swelling in response to an additional phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) injection. In both years, immunocompetence and in 2012 also body mass in the offspring of SRBC-immunised mothers were lower than in control nestlings, indicating a cost of mounting the immune response in the female. Six days after the start of the female treatment, the number of caterpillars and the volume of food items provided by parents to chicks were higher, whereas the number of spiders was lower in nests with SRBC treatment than in control ones. This might be explained by compensational parental feeding after recovery from the inflammation of a female. Thus, the trade-off between parental effort and survival of parents is mediated by the costs incurred for their immunity and can be assessed by the amount and quality of food provided to the nestlings and the offspring condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Grzędzicka
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa Street 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland.,Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Mickiewicza 33, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
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16
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Costanzo A, Parolini M, Bazzi G, Khoriauli L, Santagostino M, Possenti CD, Romano A, Nergadze SG, Rubolini D, Giulotto E, Saino N. Brood size, telomere length, and parent-offspring color signaling in barn swallows. Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
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17
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Context-dependent effects of an experimental increase of hunger level in house sparrow nestlings. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2115-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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18
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Information warfare in avian families: sex-specific begging responses to need and social environment in canary nestlings. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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19
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Redondo T, Ochoa D, Moreno-Rueda G, Potti J. Pied flycatcher nestlings incur immunological but not growth begging costs. Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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20
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Maronde L, Richner H. Effects of increased begging and vitamin E supplements on oxidative stress and fledging probability. Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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21
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Soler M, Ruiz-Raya F, Carra LG, Medina-Molina E, Ibáñez-Álamo JD, Martín-Gálvez D. A long-term experimental study demonstrates the costs of begging that were not found over the short term. PLoS One 2014; 9:e111929. [PMID: 25372280 PMCID: PMC4221185 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0111929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2014] [Accepted: 10/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Parent-offspring conflict theory predicts that begging behaviour could escalate continuously over evolutionary time if it is not prevented by costliness of begging displays. Three main potential physiological costs have been proposed: growth, immunological and metabolic costs. However, empirical evidence on this subject remains elusive because published results are often contradictory. In this study, we test for the existence of these three potential physiological costs of begging in house sparrow (Passer domesticus) nestlings by stimulating a group of nestlings to beg for longer and another group for shorter periods than in natural conditions. All nestlings were fed with the same quantity of food. Our study involves a long-term experimental treatment for begging studies (five consecutive days). Long-term studies frequently provide clearer results than short-term studies and, sometimes, relevant information not reported by the latter ones. Our long-term experiment shows (i) a clear effect on the immune response even since the first measurement (6 hours), but it was higher during the second (long-term) than during the first (short-term) test; (ii) evidence of a growth cost of begging in house sparrow nestlings not previously found by other studies; (iii) body condition was affected by our experimental manipulation only after 48 hour; (iv) a metabolic cost of begging never previously shown in any species, and (v) for the first time, it has shown a simultaneous effect of the three potential physiological costs of begging: immunocompetence, growth, and metabolism. This implies first, that a multilevel trade-off can occur between begging and all physiological costs and, second, that a lack of support in a short-term experiment for the existence of a tested cost of begging does not mean absence of that cost, because it can be found in a long-term experiment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Soler
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
- Grupo Coevolución, Unidad Asociada al CSIC, Universidad de Granada, Spain
- * E-mail:
| | - Francisco Ruiz-Raya
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Laura G. Carra
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Eloy Medina-Molina
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Juan Diego Ibáñez-Álamo
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - David Martín-Gálvez
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Almería, Spain
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22
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Brock PM, Murdock CC, Martin LB. The history of ecoimmunology and its integration with disease ecology. Integr Comp Biol 2014; 54:353-62. [PMID: 24838746 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icu046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecoimmunology is an example of how fruitful integrative approaches to biology can be. Since its emergence, ecoimmunology has sparked constructive debate on a wide range of topics, from the molecular mechanics of immune responses to the role of immunity in shaping the evolution of life histories. To complement the symposium Methods and Mechanisms in Ecoimmunology and commemorate the inception of the Division of Ecoimmunology and Disease Ecology within the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, we appraise the origins of ecoimmunology, with a focus on its continuing and valuable integration with disease ecology. Arguably, the greatest contribution of ecoimmunology to wider biology has been the establishment of immunity as an integral part of organismal biology, one that may be regulated to maximize fitness in the context of costs, constraints, and complex interactions. We discuss historical impediments and ongoing progress in ecoimmunology, in particular the thorny issue of what ecoimmunologists should, should not, or cannot measure, and what novel contributions ecoimmunologists have made to the understanding of host-parasite interactions. Finally, we highlight some areas to which ecoimmunology is likely to contribute in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick M Brock
- *Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, UK; Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Penn State University, PA, USA; Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Courtney C Murdock
- *Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, UK; Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Penn State University, PA, USA; Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Lynn B Martin
- *Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, UK; Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Penn State University, PA, USA; Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
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23
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Polnaszek TJ, Stephens DW. Why not lie? Costs enforce honesty in an experimental signalling game. Proc Biol Sci 2013; 281:20132457. [PMID: 24225460 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.2457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Communication depends on reliability. Yet, the existence of stable honest signalling presents an evolutionary puzzle. Why should animals signal honestly in the face of a conflict of interest? While students of animal signalling have offered several theoretical answers to this puzzle, the most widely studied model, commonly called the 'handicap principle', postulates that the costs of signals stabilize honesty. This model is the motivating force behind an enormous research enterprise that explores signal costs--whether they are physiological, immunological, neural, developmental or caloric. While there can be no question that many signals are costly, we lack definitive experimental evidence demonstrating that costs stabilize honesty. This study presents a laboratory signalling game using blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata) that provides, to our knowledge, the first experimental evidence showing honesty persists when costs are high and disappears when costs are low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Polnaszek
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, , Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
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24
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Brock PM, Hall AJ, Goodman SJ, Cruz M, Acevedo-Whitehouse K. Immune activity, body condition and human-associated environmental impacts in a wild marine mammal. PLoS One 2013; 8:e67132. [PMID: 23840603 PMCID: PMC3695956 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0067132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2012] [Accepted: 05/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Within individuals, immunity may compete with other life history traits for resources, such as energy and protein, and the damage caused by immunopathology can sometimes outweigh the protective benefits that immune responses confer. However, our understanding of the costs of immunity in the wild and how they relate to the myriad energetic demands on free-ranging organisms is limited. The endangered Galapagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki) is threatened simultaneously by disease from domestic animals and rapid changes in food availability driven by unpredictable environmental variation. We made use of this unique ecology to investigate the relationship between changes in immune activity and changes in body condition. We found that during the first three months of life, changes in antibody concentration were negatively correlated with changes in mass per unit length, skinfold thickness and serum albumin concentration, but only in a sea lion colony exposed to anthropogenic environmental impacts. It has previously been shown that changes in antibody concentration during early Galapagos sea lion development were higher in a colony exposed to anthropogenic environmental impacts than in a control colony. This study allows for the possibility that these relatively large changes in antibody concentration are associated with negative impacts on fitness through an effect on body condition. Our findings suggest that energy availability and the degree of plasticity in immune investment may influence disease risk in natural populations synergistically, through a trade-off between investment in immunity and resistance to starvation. The relative benefits of such investments may change quickly and unpredictably, which allows for the possibility that individuals fine-tune their investment strategies in response to changes in environmental conditions. In addition, our results suggest that anthropogenic environmental impacts may impose subtle energetic costs on individuals, which could contribute to population declines, especially in times of energy shortage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick M. Brock
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London, United Kingdom
- Institute of Integrative and Comparative Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (PMB); (KAW)
| | - Ailsa J. Hall
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St. Andrews, Fife, United Kingdom
| | - Simon J. Goodman
- Institute of Integrative and Comparative Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Marilyn Cruz
- Galapagos Genetics, Epidemiology and Pathology Laboratory, Galapagos National Park, Puerto Ayora, Ecuador
| | - Karina Acevedo-Whitehouse
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London, United Kingdom
- Unit for Basic and Applied Microbiology, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Queretaro, Mexico
- * E-mail: (PMB); (KAW)
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25
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Moreno-Rueda G, Redondo T. Benefits of extra begging fail to compensate for immunological costs in southern shrike (Lanius meridionalis) nestlings. PLoS One 2012; 7:e44647. [PMID: 22957095 PMCID: PMC3434154 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0044647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2012] [Accepted: 08/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Theoretical models aimed at explaining the evolution of honest, informative begging signals employed by nestling birds to solicit food from their parents, require that dishonest signalers incur a net viability cost in order to prevent runaway escalation of signal intensity over evolutionary time. Previous attempts to determine such a cost empirically have identified two candidate physiological costs associated with exaggerated begging: a growth and an immunological cost. However, they failed to take into account the fact that those costs are potentially offset by the fact that nestlings that invest more in begging are also likely to obtain more food. In this study, we test experimentally whether a 25% increase in ingested food compensates for growth and immunological costs of extra begging in southern shrike (Lanius meridionalis) nestlings. Three nestmates matched by size were given three treatments: low begging, high begging-same food intake, and high begging-extra food intake. We found that, while a higher food intake did effectively compensate for the growth cost, it failed to compensate for the immunological cost, measured as T-cell mediated immune response against an innocuous mitogen. Thus, we show for the first time that escalated begging has an associated physiological net cost likely to affect nestling survival negatively.
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26
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Moreno-Rueda G, Redondo T, Trenzado CE, Sanz A, Zúñiga JM. Oxidative stress mediates physiological costs of begging in magpie (Pica pica) nestlings. PLoS One 2012; 7:e40367. [PMID: 22808144 PMCID: PMC3393730 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0040367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2011] [Accepted: 06/07/2012] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Theoretical models predict that a cost is necessary to guarantee honesty in begging displays given by offspring to solicit food from their parents. There is evidence for begging costs in the form of a reduced growth rate and immunocompetence. Moreover, begging implies vigorous physical activity and attentiveness, which should increase metabolism and thus the releasing of pro-oxidant substances. Consequently, we predict that soliciting offspring incur a cost in terms of oxidative stress, and growth rate and immune response (processes that generate pro-oxidants substances) are reduced in order to maintain oxidative balance. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We test whether magpie (Pica pica) nestlings incur a cost in terms of oxidative stress when experimentally forced to beg intensively, and whether oxidative balance is maintained by reducing growth rate and immune response. Our results show that begging provokes oxidative stress, and that nestlings begging for longer bouts reduce growth and immune response, thereby maintaining their oxidative status. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE These findings help explaining the physiological link between begging and its associated growth and immunocompetence costs, which seems to be mediated by oxidative stress. Our study is a unique example of the complex relationships between the intensity of a communicative display (begging), oxidative stress, and life-history traits directly linked to viability.
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27
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Ruppli CA, Almasi B, Dreiss AN, Battesti M, Jenni L, Roulin A. Corticosterone Promotes Scramble Competition Over Sibling Negotiation in Barn Owl Nestlings (Tyto alba). Evol Biol 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s11692-011-9152-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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28
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Akçay E. Incentives in the family II: behavioral dynamics and the evolution of non-costly signaling. J Theor Biol 2011; 294:9-18. [PMID: 22067366 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2011.10.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2011] [Revised: 10/14/2011] [Accepted: 10/27/2011] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In many biological and social interactions, individuals with private information have incentives to misrepresent their information. A prominent example is when offspring know their need or condition but the parents do not. Theory showed that signal costs can ensure truthful communication in such situations, but further studies have cast in doubt whether empirically measured costs are high enough to sustain honesty, and whether the costly signaling equilibrium represents a fitness advantage over non-signaling. Here, I tackle these issues with a model of signaling that takes place at the behavioral time-scale through dynamic responses of individuals to each other. I then embed this behavioral model in an evolutionary one that asks how the decision rules of the parent and offspring evolve in response to the trade-off between signal costs and the costs of provisioning. I find that a non-costly honest signaling equilibrium can evolve when relatedness between siblings is above a certain threshold. This threshold is lower when (i) offspring get satiated more quickly, (ii) the cost of provisioning to the parent escalates less rapidly, or (iii) the variation in offspring need is higher. These results provide a potential resolution to the apparent paradox of costly begging. I also discuss the relation between costly signaling and mechanism design theories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erol Akçay
- National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1534 White Avenue Suite 400, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States.
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29
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Gilby AJ, Mainwaring MC, Griffith SC. The adaptive benefit of hatching asynchrony in wild zebra finches. Anim Behav 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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30
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Kight CR, Swaddle JP. How and why environmental noise impacts animals: an integrative, mechanistic review. Ecol Lett 2011; 14:1052-61. [PMID: 21806743 DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01664.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 283] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The scope and magnitude of anthropogenic noise pollution are often much greater than those of natural noise and are predicted to have an array of deleterious effects on wildlife. Recent work on this topic has focused mainly on behavioural responses of animals exposed to noise. Here, by outlining the effects of acoustic stimuli on animal physiology, development, neural function and genetic effects, we advocate the use of a more mechanistic approach in anthropogenic environments. Specifically, we summarise evidence and hypotheses from research on laboratory, domestic and free-living animals exposed to biotic and abiotic stimuli, studied both observationally and experimentally. We hope that this molecular- and cellular-focused literature, which examines the effects of noise on the neuroendocrine system, reproduction and development, metabolism, cardiovascular health, cognition and sleep, audition, the immune system, and DNA integrity and gene expression, will help researchers better understand results of previous work, as well as identify new avenues of future research in anthropogenic environments. Furthermore, given the interconnectedness of these physiological, cellular and genetic processes, and their effects on behaviour and fitness, we suggest that much can be learned from a more integrative framework of how and why animals are affected by environmental noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin R Kight
- Institute for Integrated Bird Behavior Studies, Biology Department, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, USA.
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31
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Jacob S, Rieucau G, Heeb P. Multimodal begging signals reflect independent indices of nestling condition in European starlings. Behav Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arr121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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32
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Moreno-Rueda G, Redondo T. Begging at high level simultaneously impairs growth and immune response in southern shrike (Lanius meridionalis) nestlings. J Evol Biol 2011; 24:1091-8. [PMID: 21338437 DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2011.02242.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Theoretical models suggest that begging should be costly in order to be evolutionarily stable. However, evidence for such a cost is contradictory (e.g. for growth costs) or scant (e.g. for immunological costs). Here, we experimentally test the existence of both costs in southern shrike (Lanius meridionalis) nestlings. Nestlings were paired by nest of origin and similar body mass. In each pair, a nestling was forced to beg for about 30 s h(-1) , whereas the other begged for only 2 s, both nestlings receiving the same quantity of food. At the same time, the nestling response to an antigen (phytohaemagglutinin) was measured. Nestlings forced to beg for longer showed a reduction in growth rate and in immunocompetence when compared to control chicks. The two costs occurred independently of each other and were negatively correlated to time begging. These results strongly support models of honest signalling as well as scramble competition, which predict that begging should be costly in order to be evolutionarily stable.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Moreno-Rueda
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, La Cañada de San Urbano, Carretera Sacramento s ⁄ n, Almería, Spain.
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