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Knutie SA, Webster CN, Vaziri GJ, Albert L, Harvey JA, LaRue M, Verrett TB, Soldo A, Koop JAH, Chaves JA, Wegrzyn JL. Urban living can rescue Darwin's finches from the lethal effects of invasive vampire flies. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17145. [PMID: 38273516 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Human activity changes multiple factors in the environment, which can have positive or negative synergistic effects on organisms. However, few studies have explored the causal effects of multiple anthropogenic factors, such as urbanization and invasive species, on animals and the mechanisms that mediate these interactions. This study examines the influence of urbanization on the detrimental effect of invasive avian vampire flies (Philornis downsi) on endemic Darwin's finches in the Galápagos Islands. We experimentally manipulated nest fly abundance in urban and non-urban locations and then characterized nestling health, fledging success, diet, and gene expression patterns related to host defense. Fledging success of non-parasitized nestlings from urban (79%) and non-urban (75%) nests did not differ significantly. However, parasitized, non-urban nestlings lost more blood, and fewer nestlings survived (8%) compared to urban nestlings (50%). Stable isotopic values (δ15 N) from urban nestling feces were higher than those from non-urban nestlings, suggesting that urban nestlings are consuming more protein. δ15 N values correlated negatively with parasite abundance, which suggests that diet might influence host defenses (e.g., tolerance and resistance). Parasitized, urban nestlings differentially expressed genes within pathways associated with red blood cell production (tolerance) and pro-inflammatory response (innate immunological resistance), compared to parasitized, non-urban nestlings. In contrast, parasitized non-urban nestlings differentially expressed genes within pathways associated with immunoglobulin production (adaptive immunological resistance). Our results suggest that urban nestlings are investing more in pro-inflammatory responses to resist parasites but also recovering more blood cells to tolerate blood loss. Although non-urban nestlings are mounting an adaptive immune response, it is likely a last effort by the immune system rather than an effective defense against avian vampire flies since few nestlings survived.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Knutie
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Cynthia N Webster
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Grace J Vaziri
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Lauren Albert
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Johanna A Harvey
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Michelle LaRue
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Taylor B Verrett
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Alexandria Soldo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jennifer A H Koop
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, USA
| | - Jaime A Chaves
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, USA
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Jill L Wegrzyn
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
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2
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Solomon G, Love AC, Vaziri GJ, Harvey J, Verrett T, Chernicky K, Simons S, Albert L, Chaves JA, Knutie SA. Effect of urbanization and parasitism on the gut microbiota of Darwin's finch nestlings. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:6059-6069. [PMID: 37837269 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Host-associated microbiota can be affected by factors related to environmental change, such as urbanization and invasive species. For example, urban areas often affect food availability for animals, which can change their gut microbiota. Invasive parasites can also influence microbiota through competition or indirectly through a change in the host immune response. These interacting factors can have complex effects on host fitness, but few studies have disentangled the relationship between urbanization and parasitism on an organism's gut microbiota. To address this gap in knowledge, we investigated the effects of urbanization and parasitism by the invasive avian vampire fly (Philornis downsi) on the gut microbiota of nestling small ground finches (Geospiza fuliginosa) on San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos. We conducted a factorial study in which we experimentally manipulated parasite presence in an urban and nonurban area. Faeces were then collected from nestlings to characterize the gut microbiota (i.e. bacterial diversity and community composition). Although we did not find an interactive effect of urbanization and parasitism on the microbiota, we did find main effects of each variable. We found that urban nestlings had lower bacterial diversity and different relative abundances of taxa compared to nonurban nestlings, which could be mediated by introduction of the microbiota of the food items or changes in host physiology. Additionally, parasitized nestlings had lower bacterial richness than nonparasitized nestlings, which could be mediated by a change in the immune system. Overall, this study advances our understanding of the complex effects of anthropogenic stressors on the gut microbiota of birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle Solomon
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Connecticut, Storrs, USA
| | - Ashley C Love
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Connecticut, Storrs, USA
| | - Grace J Vaziri
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Connecticut, Storrs, USA
| | - Johanna Harvey
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Connecticut, Storrs, USA
| | - Taylor Verrett
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Connecticut, Storrs, USA
| | - Kiley Chernicky
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Connecticut, Storrs, USA
| | - Shelby Simons
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Connecticut, Storrs, USA
| | - Lauren Albert
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Connecticut, Storrs, USA
| | - Jaime A Chaves
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
- Galapagos Science Center, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Galapagos, Ecuador
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Sarah A Knutie
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Connecticut, Storrs, USA
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Connecticut, Storrs, USA
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3
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Pike CL, Kofler B, Richner H, Tebbich S. Parental food provisioning and nestling growth under Philornis downsi parasitism in the Galapagos Green Warbler-Finch, classified as 'vulnerable' by the IUCN. JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY 2023; 164:669-676. [PMID: 37205902 PMCID: PMC10188583 DOI: 10.1007/s10336-023-02049-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
In the Galapagos Islands, many endemic landbird populations are declining due to habitat degradation, food availability, introduced species and other factors. Given nestlings typically lack efficient defense mechanisms against parasites, hematophagous ectoparasites such as the larvae of the introduced Avian Vampire Fly, Philornis downsi, can impose high brood mortality and cause threatening population declines in Darwin finches and other landbirds. Here, we assess whether the food compensation hypothesis (i.e., the parents' potential to compensate for deleterious parasite effects via increased food provisioning) applies to the Green Warbler-Finch. We differentiated nests with low or high infestation levels by P. downsi and quantified food provisioning rates of male and female parents, time females spent brooding nestlings, and nestling growth. Male provisioning rates, total provisioning rates and female brooding time did not significantly vary in relation to infestation levels, nor by the number of nestlings. Opposed to the predictions of the food compensation hypothesis, females showed significantly reduced provisioning rates at high infestation levels. Nestling body mass was significantly lower and there was a reduction of skeletal growth, although not significantly, in highly infested nests. The females' response to high infestation may be due to parasites directly attacking and weakening brooding females, or else that females actively reduce current reproductive effort in favor of future reproduction. This life-history trade-off may be typical for Darwin finches and many tropical birds with long lifespans and therefore high residual reproductive value. Conservation strategies may not build on the potential for parental food compensation by this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney L. Pike
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Vienna Austria
| | - Barbara Kofler
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Vienna Austria
| | - Heinz Richner
- Department of Biology, University of Bern, Bern, Bern Switzerland
| | - Sabine Tebbich
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Vienna Austria
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4
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McNew SM, Loyola DC, Yepez J, Andreadis C, Gotanda K, Saulsberry A, Fessl B. Transcriptomic responses of Galápagos finches to avian poxvirus infection. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:5552-5567. [PMID: 36086992 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Emerging pathogens can have devastating effects on naïve hosts, but disease outcomes often vary among host species. Comparing the cellular response of different hosts to infection can provide insight into mechanisms of host defence. Here, we used RNA-seq to characterize the transcriptomic response of Darwin's finches to avian poxvirus, a disease of concern in the Galápagos Islands. We tested whether gene expression differs between infected and uninfected birds, and whether transcriptomic differences were related either to known antiviral mechanisms and/or the co-option of the host cellular environment by the virus. We compared two species, the medium ground finch (Geospiza fortis) and the vegetarian finch (Platyspiza crassirostris), to determine whether endemic Galápagos species differ in their response to pox. We found that medium ground finches had a strong transcriptomic response to infection, upregulating genes involved in the innate immune response including interferon production, inflammation, and other immune signalling pathways. In contrast, vegetarian finches had a more limited response, and some changes in this species were consistent with viral manipulation of the host's cellular function and metabolism. Many of the transcriptomic changes mirrored responses documented in model and in vitro studies of poxviruses. Our results thus indicate that many pathways of host defence against poxviruses are conserved among vertebrates and present even in hosts without a long evolutionary history with the virus. At the same time, the differences we observed between closely related species suggests that some endemic species of Galápagos finch could be more susceptible to avian pox than others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina M McNew
- Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | | | - Janaí Yepez
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Santa Cruz, Galápagos, Ecuador
| | - Catherine Andreadis
- Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Kiyoko Gotanda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Birgit Fessl
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Santa Cruz, Galápagos, Ecuador
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5
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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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Ali JR, Fritz U. Origins of Galápagos’ land-locked vertebrates: what, whence, when, how? Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blab085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Based on a synthesis of new molecular phylogenetic data, a detailed review is presented for the origins of the Galápagos’ native land-locked vertebrates [42 species; 11 clades: geckos (3), lava lizards (2), giant tortoises (1), iguanas (1), racer snakes (1) and oryzomyine rodents (3)]. Nine groups have roots in coastal Ecuador and Peru and would have been transported to the archipelago on rafts, many on the Humboldt Current. Inferring the sources of the giant tortoises, which probably floated over unaided, and the iguanas is more challenging because their closest living relatives occupy ground remote from the Pacific. Acknowledging uncertainties with the age-dating of both the phylogenetic tree nodes and the landmass emergences, seven, probably eight, of the colonizations likely involved beachings on the modern-day islands within the last 4 Myr. Three, possibly four, of the earlier arrivals may have been on now-submerged landmasses that were created by the Galápagos volcanic hotspot. Alternatively, the true sister taxa of the Galápagos species could be extinct and these colonizations, too, are more recent. This is likely for the giant tortoises. The assembled data set hints at the oldest/youngest clades showing the highest/lowest levels of diversification, although other factors also exert an influence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason R Ali
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Uwe Fritz
- Museum of Zoology, Senckenberg Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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7
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McNew SM, Boquete MT, Espinoza‐Ulloa S, Andres JA, Wagemaker NCAM, Knutie SA, Richards CL, Clayton DH. Epigenetic effects of parasites and pesticides on captive and wild nestling birds. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:7713-7729. [PMID: 34188846 PMCID: PMC8216931 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic changes to the environment challenge animal populations to adapt to new conditions and unique threats. While the study of adaptation has focused on genetic variation, epigenetic mechanisms may also be important. DNA methylation is sensitive to environmental stressors, such as parasites and pesticides, which may affect gene expression and phenotype. We studied the effects of an invasive ectoparasite, Philornis downsi, on DNA methylation of Galápagos mockingbirds (Mimus parvulus). We used the insecticide permethrin to manipulate P. downsi presence in nests of free-living mockingbirds and tested for effects of parasitism on nestling mockingbirds using epiGBS, a reduced-representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) approach. To distinguish the confounding effects of insecticide exposure, we conducted a matching experiment exposing captive nestling zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) to permethrin. We used zebra finches because they were the closest model organism to mockingbirds that we could breed in controlled conditions. We identified a limited number of differentially methylated cytosines (DMCs) in parasitized versus nonparasitized mockingbirds, but the number was not more than expected by chance. In contrast, we saw clear effects of permethrin on methylation in captive zebra finches. DMCs in zebra finches paralleled documented effects of permethrin exposure on vertebrate cellular signaling and endocrine function. Our results from captive birds indicate a role for epigenetic processes in mediating sublethal nontarget effects of pyrethroid exposure in vertebrates. Environmental conditions in the field were more variable than the laboratory, which may have made effects of both parasitism and permethrin harder to detect in mockingbirds. RRBS approaches such as epiGBS may be a cost-effective way to characterize genome-wide methylation profiles. However, our results indicate that ecological epigenetic studies in natural populations should consider the number of cytosines interrogated and the depth of sequencing in order to have adequate power to detect small and variable effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina M. McNew
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of UtahSalt Lake CityUTUSA
- Cornell Lab of OrnithologyCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
| | - M. Teresa Boquete
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of South FloridaTampaFLUSA
- Department of Evolutionary EcologyEstación Biológica de DoñanaCSICSevillaSpain
| | - Sebastian Espinoza‐Ulloa
- Department of BiologyUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSKCanada
- Facultad de MedicinaPontifica Universidad Católica del EcuadorQuitoEcuador
| | - Jose A. Andres
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
- Department of BiologyUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSKCanada
| | | | - Sarah A. Knutie
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of UtahSalt Lake CityUTUSA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of ConnecticutStorrsCTUSA
- Institute for Systems GenomicsUniversity of ConnecticutStorrsCTUSA
| | | | - Dale H. Clayton
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of UtahSalt Lake CityUTUSA
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Timing of infestation influences virulence and parasite success in a dynamic multi-host-parasite interaction between the invasive parasite, Philornis downsi, and Darwin's finches. Oecologia 2020; 195:249-259. [PMID: 33258992 PMCID: PMC7882474 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04807-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Recently commenced host–parasite interactions provide an excellent opportunity to study co-evolutionary processes. Multi-host systems are especially informative because variation in virulence between hosts and temporal changes provides insight into evolutionary dynamics. However, empirical data under natural conditions are scarce. In the present study, we investigated the interaction between Darwin’s finches and the invasive fly Philornis downsi whose larvae feed on the blood of nestlings. Recently, however, the fly has changed its behavior and now also attacks incubating females. Two sympatric hosts are affected differently by the parasite and parasite load has changed over time. Our study observed a reversal of trends described two decades ago: while, currently, small tree finches (Camarhynchus parvulus) experience significantly higher parasite load than warbler finches (Certhidea olivacea), this was the opposite two decades ago. Currently, fledging success is higher in warbler finches compared to small tree finches. Our data indicate that not only intensity but also timing of infestation influences hosts’ reproductive success and parasite fitness. During incubation, prevalence was higher in warbler finches, but once chicks had hatched, prevalence was 100% in both species and parasite load was higher in small tree finches. Furthermore, our results suggest faster development and higher reproductive success of P. downsi in small tree finch nests. A change in host preference driven by larvae competition could have led to the reversal in parasite load.
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9
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Trypanosomatids Detected in the Invasive Avian Parasite Philornis downsi (Diptera: Muscidae) in the Galapagos Islands. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11070422. [PMID: 32659927 PMCID: PMC7411904 DOI: 10.3390/insects11070422] [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: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Alien insect species may present a multifaceted threat to ecosystems into which they are introduced. In addition to the direct damage they may cause, they may also bring novel diseases and parasites and/or have the capacity to vector microorganisms that are already established in the ecosystem and are causing harm. Damage caused by ectoparasitic larvae of the invasive fly, Philornisdownsi (Dodge and Aitken) to nestlings of endemic birds in the Galapagos Islands is well documented, but nothing is known about whether this fly is itself associated with parasites or pathogens. In this study, diagnostic molecular methods indicated the presence of insect trypanosomatids in P. downsi; to our knowledge, this is the first record of insect trypanosomatids associated with Philornis species. Phylogenetic estimates and evolutionary distances indicate these species are most closely related to the Crithidia and Blastocrithidia genera, which are not currently reported in the Galapagos Islands. The prevalence of trypanosomatids indicates either P. downsi arrived with its own parasites or that it is a highly suitable host for trypanosomatids already found in the Galapagos Islands, or both. We recommend further studies to determine the origin of the trypanosomatid infections to better evaluate threats to endemic fauna of the Galapagos Islands.
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Quiroga MA, Hayes TI, Hayes CD, Garrod H, Soares L, Knutie SA, Latta SC, Anderson DL. More than just nestlings: incidence of subcutaneous Philornis (Diptera: Muscidae) nest flies in adult birds. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:2337-2342. [PMID: 32500371 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06696-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Philornis flies Meinert (Diptera: Muscidae) have been documented parasitizing over 250 bird species, some of which are endemic species threatened with extinction. Philornis parasitism is hypothesized to affect nestlings disproportionately more than adult birds because limited mobility and exposed skin of nestlings increase their vulnerability to parasitism. We used a comprehensive literature review and our recent fieldwork in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Grenada to challenge the idea that parasitism by subcutaneous Philornis species is a phenomenon primarily found in nestlings, a fact that has not been quantified to date. Of the 265 reviewed publications, 125 (49%) reported incidences of parasitism by subcutaneous Philornis, but only 12 included the sampling of adult breeding birds. Nine of these publications (75%) reported Philornis parasitism in adults of ten bird species. During fieldwork in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Grenada, we documented 14 instances of parasitism of adult birds of seven avian species. From literature review and fieldwork, adults of at least fifteen bird species across 12 families and four orders of birds were parasitized by at least five Philornis species. In both the published literature and fieldwork, incidences of parasitism of adult birds occurred predominantly in females and was frequently associated with incubation. Although our findings indicate that Philornis parasitism of adult birds is more common than widely presumed, parasite prevalence is still greater in nestlings. In the future, we recommend surveys of adult birds to better understand host-Philornis relationships across life stages. This information may be essential for the development of effective control measures of Philornis to ensure the long-term protection of bird species of conservation concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martín A Quiroga
- The Peregrine Fund, 5668 W Flying Hawk Lane, Boise, ID, 83709, USA. .,Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades (ICiVet Litoral - UNL - CONICET), R.P. Kreder 2805, S3080HOF, Santa Fe, Argentina. .,Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos, Ruta Provincial N 11 Km. 10.5, Oro Verde, E3100XAD, Entre Ríos, Argentina. .,Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo, Avenida de Los Próceres #49, Santo Domingo, 10602, República Dominicana.
| | - Thomas I Hayes
- The Peregrine Fund, 5668 W Flying Hawk Lane, Boise, ID, 83709, USA
| | - Christine D Hayes
- The Peregrine Fund, 5668 W Flying Hawk Lane, Boise, ID, 83709, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, 1910 W University Drive, Boise, ID, 83725, USA
| | - Holly Garrod
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA, 19085, USA
| | - Leticia Soares
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, Ontario, N6A5B7, Canada
| | - Sarah A Knutie
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, 75 N. Eagleville Rd., Unit 3043, Storrs, CT, 06269-3043, USA
| | - Steven C Latta
- National Aviary, 700 Arch Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15212, USA
| | - David L Anderson
- The Peregrine Fund, 5668 W Flying Hawk Lane, Boise, ID, 83709, USA
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11
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Knutie SA. Food supplementation affects gut microbiota and immunological resistance to parasites in a wild bird species. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A. Knutie
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Connecticut Storrs CT USA
- Institute for Systems Genomics University of Connecticut Storrs CT USA
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12
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Behavioral Responses of the Invasive Fly Philornis downsi to Stimuli from Bacteria and Yeast in the Laboratory and the Field in the Galapagos Islands. INSECTS 2019; 10:insects10120431. [PMID: 31795249 PMCID: PMC6956314 DOI: 10.3390/insects10120431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 11/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Philornis downsi Dodge and Aitken (Diptera: Muscidae) is an avian parasitic fly that has invaded the Galapagos archipelago and exerts an onerous burden on populations of endemic land birds. As part of an ongoing effort to develop tools for the integrated management of this fly, our objective was to determine its long- and short-range responses to bacterial and fungal cues associated with adult P. downsi. We hypothesized that the bacterial and fungal communities would elicit attraction at distance through volatiles, and appetitive responses upon contact. Accordingly, we amplified bacteria from guts of adult field-caught flies and from bird feces, and yeasts from fermenting papaya juice (a known attractant of P. downsi), on selective growth media, and assayed the response of flies to these microbes or their exudates. In the field, we baited traps with bacteria or yeast and monitored adult fly attraction. In the laboratory, we used the proboscis extension response (PER) to determine the sensitivity of males and females to tarsal contact with bacteria or yeast. Long range trapping efforts yielded two female flies over 112 trap-nights (attracted by bacteria from bird feces and from the gut of adult flies). In the laboratory, tarsal contact with stimuli from gut bacteria elicited significantly more responses than did yeast stimuli. We discuss the significance of these findings in context with other studies in the field and identify targets for future work.
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13
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Causton CE, Moon RD, Cimadom A, Boulton RA, Cedeño D, Lincango MP, Tebbich S, Ulloa A. Population dynamics of an invasive bird parasite, Philornis downsi (Diptera: Muscidae), in the Galapagos Islands. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0224125. [PMID: 31626686 PMCID: PMC6874344 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The invasive parasitic fly, Philornis downsi (Muscidae), is one of the greatest threats to the avifauna of the Galapagos Islands. The larvae of this fly feed on the blood and tissues of developing nestlings of at least 18 endemic and native birds. The aim of the current study was to investigate biotic and abiotic factors that may influence the population dynamics of this invasive parasite. To study the influence of vegetation zone and related climatic factors on fly numbers, a bi-weekly monitoring program using papaya-baited traps was carried out at a dry, lowland site and at a humid, highland site on Santa Cruz Island between 2012-2014. Female flies, a large proportion of which were inseminated and gravid, were collected throughout the year at both sites, indicating females were active during and between the bird breeding seasons. This is the first evidence that female flies are able to persist even when hosts are scarce. On the other hand, catch rates of male flies declined between bird breeding seasons. Overall, catch rates of P. downsi were higher in the drier, lowland habitat, which may be a consequence of host or resource availability. Time was a stronger predictor of adult fly numbers than climate, further suggesting that P. downsi does not appear to be limited by its environment, but rather by host availability. Seasonal catch rates suggested that populations in both habitats were continuous and multivoltine. Numbers of adult female flies appeared to be regulated chiefly by simple direct density dependence, and may be governed by availability of bird nests with nestlings. Nevertheless, confounding factors such as the existence of reservoir hosts that perpetuate fly populations and changes in behavior of P. downsi may increase the vulnerability of bird hosts that are already IUCN red-listed or in decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte E. Causton
- Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora,
Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
| | - Roger D. Moon
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United
States of America
| | - Arno Cimadom
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna,
Austria
| | - Rebecca A. Boulton
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter,
Cornwall, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Cedeño
- Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora,
Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
| | - María Piedad Lincango
- Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora,
Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
- Facultad De Ciencias Agrícolas, Universidad Central Del Ecuador, Quito,
Pichincha, Ecuador
| | - Sabine Tebbich
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna,
Austria
| | - Angel Ulloa
- Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora,
Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
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14
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De León LF, Sharpe DMT, Gotanda KM, Raeymaekers JAM, Chaves JA, Hendry AP, Podos J. Urbanization erodes niche segregation in Darwin's finches. Evol Appl 2019; 12:1329-1343. [PMID: 31417618 PMCID: PMC6691225 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Urbanization is influencing patterns of biological evolution in ways that are only beginning to be explored. One potential effect of urbanization is in modifying ecological resource distributions that underlie niche differences and that thus promote and maintain species diversification. Few studies have assessed such modifications, or their potential evolutionary consequences, in the context of ongoing adaptive radiation. We study this effect in Darwin's finches on the Galápagos Islands, by quantifying feeding preferences and diet niche partitioning across sites with different degrees of urbanization. We found higher finch density in urban sites and that feeding preferences and diets at urban sites skew heavily toward human food items. Furthermore, we show that finches at urban sites appear to be accustomed to the presence of people, compared with birds at sites with few people. In addition, we found that human behavior via the tendency to feed birds at non-urban but tourist sites is likely an important driver of finch preferences for human foods. Site differences in diet and feeding behavior have resulted in larger niche breadth within finch species and wider niche overlap between species at the urban sites. Both factors effectively minimize niche differences that would otherwise facilitate interspecies coexistence. These findings suggest that both human behavior and ongoing urbanization in Galápagos are starting to erode ecological differences that promote and maintain adaptive radiation in Darwin's finches. Smoothing of adaptive landscapes underlying diversification represents a potentially important yet underappreciated consequence of urbanization. Overall, our findings accentuate the fragility of the initial stages of adaptive radiation in Darwin's finches and raise concerns about the fate of the Galápagos ecosystems in the face of increasing urbanization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis F. De León
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Massachusetts BostonBostonMassachusetts
- Centro de Biodiversidad y Descubrimiento de DrogasInstituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT‐AIP)Panamá CityPanamá
| | - Diana M. T. Sharpe
- Redpath Museum, Department of BiologyMcGill UniversityMontréalQuebecCanada
| | - Kiyoko M. Gotanda
- Redpath Museum, Department of BiologyMcGill UniversityMontréalQuebecCanada
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Joost A. M. Raeymaekers
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and TechnologyTrondheimNorway
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary GenomicsUniversity of LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Jaime A. Chaves
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y AmbientalesUniversidad San Francisco de Quito, Diego de Robles y PampiteQuitoEcuador
- Galápagos Science CenterPuerto Baquerizo MorenoGalápagosEcuador
| | - Andrew P. Hendry
- Redpath Museum, Department of BiologyMcGill UniversityMontréalQuebecCanada
| | - Jeffrey Podos
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Massachusetts AmherstAmherstMassachusetts
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15
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Knutie SA, Chaves JA, Gotanda KM. Human activity can influence the gut microbiota of Darwin's finches in the Galapagos Islands. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:2441-2450. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.15088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Revised: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A. Knutie
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Connecticut Storrs Connecticut
| | - Jaime A. Chaves
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales Universidad San Francisco de Quito Cumbayá Quito Ecuador
- Galápagos Science Center Puerto Baquerizo Moreno Ecuador
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16
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Peters KJ, Evans C, Aguirre JD, Kleindorfer S. Genetic admixture predicts parasite intensity: evidence for increased hybrid performance in Darwin's tree finches. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:181616. [PMID: 31183118 PMCID: PMC6502384 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.181616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Hybridization can increase adaptive potential when enhanced genetic diversity or novel genetic combinations confer a fitness advantage, such as in the evolution of anti-parasitic mechanisms. Island systems are especially susceptible to invasive parasites due to the lack of defence mechanisms that usually coevolve in long-standing host-parasite relationships. We test if host genetic admixture affects parasite numbers in a novel host-parasite association on the Galápagos Islands. Specifically, we compare the number of Philornis downsi in nests with offspring sired by Darwin's small tree finch (Camarhynchus parvulus), Darwin's medium tree finch (C. pauper) and hybrids of these two species. The number of P. downsi decreased with an increasing genetic admixture of the attending male, and nests of hybrid males had approximately 50% fewer parasites than C. parvulus nests, and approximately 60% fewer parasites than C. pauper nests. This finding indicates that hybridization in this system could be favoured by selection and reveal a mechanism to combat an invasive parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina J. Peters
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
- School of Natural and Computational Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Christine Evans
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
- School of Natural and Computational Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - J. David Aguirre
- School of Natural and Computational Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Sonia Kleindorfer
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
- Konrad Lorenz Research Station and Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Austria
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17
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Moity N, Delgado B, Salinas-de-León P. Mangroves in the Galapagos islands: Distribution and dynamics. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0209313. [PMID: 30625180 PMCID: PMC6326481 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mangrove forests provide valuable coastal protection from erosion, habitat for terrestrial and marine species, nursery grounds for commercial fisheries and are economically important for tourism. Galapagos’ mangroves usually grow directly on solid lava and fragmented rocky shores, thereby stabilizing the sediment and facilitating colonisation by other plants and many animals. However, until very recently, only inaccurate data described mangrove coverage and its distribution. We mapped mangroves using freely available Google Earth Very High Resolution images based on on-screen classification and compared this method to three semi-automatic classification algorithms. We also analysed mangrove change for the period 2004–2014. We obtained an area of 3657.1 ha of fringing mangrove that covers 35% of the coastline. Eighty percent of mangrove cover is found in Isabela island, and 90% in the western and central south-eastern bioregions. The overall accuracy of mangrove classification was 99.1% with a Kappa coefficient of 0.97 when validated with field data. On-screen digitization was significantly more accurate than other tested methods. From the semi-automated methods, Maximum Likelihood Classification with prior land-sea segmentation yielded the best results. During the 2004–2014 period, mangrove coverage increased 24% mainly by expansion of existing mangroves patches as opposed to generation of new patches. We estimate that mangrove cover and growth are inversely proportional to the geological age of the islands. However, many other factors like nutrients, currents or wave exposure protection might explain this pattern. The precise localization of mangrove cover across the Galapagos islands now enables documenting whether it is changing over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Moity
- Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
- * E-mail: ,
| | - Byron Delgado
- Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
| | - Pelayo Salinas-de-León
- Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
- Pristine Seas, National Geographic Society, Washington D.C., United States of America
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18
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Hayes CD, Hayes TI, McClure CJW, Quiroga M, Thorstrom RK, Anderson DL. Native parasitic nest fly impacts reproductive success of an island‐endemic host. Anim Conserv 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C. D. Hayes
- Department of Biological Sciences Boise State University Boise ID USA
- The Peregrine Fund Boise ID USA
| | | | | | - M. Quiroga
- The Peregrine Fund Boise ID USA
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET‐Litoral) Universidad Nacional del Litoral – Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (UNL‐CONICET) R.P. Kreder 2805 Esperanza Santa Fe Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos (UAdER) Oro Verde Argentina
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19
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Knutie SA, Owen JP, McNew SM, Bartlow AW, Arriero E, Herman JM, DiBlasi E, Thompson M, Koop JAH, Clayton DH. Galápagos mockingbirds tolerate introduced parasites that affect Darwin's finches. Ecology 2018; 97:940-950. [PMID: 28792593 DOI: 10.1890/15-0119.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2015] [Revised: 09/28/2015] [Accepted: 11/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Introduced parasites threaten native host species that lack effective defenses. Such parasites increase the risk of extinction, particularly in small host populations like those on islands. If some host species are tolerant to introduced parasites, this could amplify the risk of the parasite to vulnerable host species. Recently, the introduced parasitic nest fly Philornis downsi has been implicated in the decline of Darwin's finch populations in the Galápagos Islands. In some years, 100% of finch nests fail due to P. downsi; however, other common host species nesting near Darwin's finches, such as the endemic Galápagos mockingbird (Mimus parvulus), appear to be less affected by P. downsi. We compared effects of P. downsi on mockingbirds and medium ground finches (Geospiza fortis) on Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos. We experimentally manipulated the abundance of P. downsi in nests of mockingbirds and finches to measure the direct effect of the parasite on the reproductive success of each species of host. We also compared immunological and behavioral responses by each species of host to the fly. Although nests of the two host species had similar parasite densities, flies decreased the fitness of finches but not mockingbirds. Neither host species had a significant antibody-mediated immune response to P. downsi. Moreover, finches showed no significant increase in begging, parental provisioning, or plasma glucose levels in response to the flies. In contrast, parasitized mockingbird nestlings begged more than nonparasitized mockingbird nestlings. Greater begging was correlated with increased parental provisioning behavior, which appeared to compensate for parasite damage. The results of our study suggest that finches are negatively affected by P. downsi because they do not have such behavioral mechanisms for energy compensation. In contrast, mockingbirds are capable of compensation, making them tolerant hosts, and a possible indirect threat to Darwin's finches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Knutie
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, USA
| | - Jeb P Owen
- Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, 99164, USA
| | - Sabrina M McNew
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, USA
| | - Andrew W Bartlow
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, USA
| | - Elena Arriero
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Complutense University of Madrid, E-28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jordan M Herman
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, USA
| | - Emily DiBlasi
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, USA
| | - Michael Thompson
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, USA
| | - Jennifer A H Koop
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, USA
| | - Dale H Clayton
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, USA
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20
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Knutie SA. Relationships among introduced parasites, host defenses, and gut microbiota of Galapagos birds. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A. Knutie
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Connecticut Storrs Connecticut 06269 USA
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21
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McNew SM, Clayton DH. Alien Invasion: Biology of Philornis Flies Highlighting Philornis downsi, an Introduced Parasite of Galápagos Birds. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2018; 63:369-387. [PMID: 29058976 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-020117-043103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The muscid genus Philornis comprises approximately 50 described species of flies, nearly all of which are obligate parasites of nestling birds. Philornis species are native to the Neotropics and widely distributed from Florida to Argentina. Most research on this group has focused on P. downsi, which was introduced to the Galápagos Islands in the late twentieth century. Although Philornis parasitism kills nestlings in several native host species, nowhere do the effects seem more severe than in P. downsi in the Galápagos. Here, we review studies of native and introduced Philornis in an attempt to identify factors that may influence virulence and consider implications for the conservation of hosts in the Galápagos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina M McNew
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-0840, USA;
| | - Dale H Clayton
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-0840, USA;
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22
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The Hitchhiker Wave: Non-native Small Terrestrial Vertebrates in the Galapagos. UNDERSTANDING INVASIVE SPECIES IN THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-67177-2_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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23
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Filek N, Cimadom A, Schulze CH, Jäger H, Tebbich S. The impact of invasive plant management on the foraging ecology of the Warbler Finch ( Certhidea olivacea) and the Small Tree Finch ( Camarhynchus parvulus) on Galápagos. JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY 2018; 159:129-140. [PMID: 31998596 PMCID: PMC6956869 DOI: 10.1007/s10336-017-1481-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Revised: 07/16/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, arboreal Darwin's Finches have suffered from a dramatic population decline, which has been attributed to parasitism by the invasive botfly Philornis downsi. However, changes to their primary habitat caused by invasive plant species may have additionally contributed to the observed population decline. The humid cloud forest on Santa Cruz Island is a stronghold of arboreal Darwin's Finches but has been invaded by blackberry (Rubus niveus). In some areas, manual control and herbicide application are used to combat this invasion, both causing a temporary removal of the entire understory. We hypothesized that the removal of the understory reduces the availability of arthropods, which are a main food source during chick rearing. We compared the foraging behaviour of Warbler Finches (Certhidea olivacea) and Small Tree Finches (Camarhynchus parvulus) at three study sites that varied in the degree of R. niveus invasion and the length of time since the last herbicide application. We used prey attack rate and foraging success as an index for food availability and predicted a lower attack rate and foraging success in areas that had recently been sprayed with herbicides. We found that both the invasion and the management of R. niveus influenced microhabitat use, foraging substrate and prey choice in both species. Contrary to our hypothesis, we did not find a lower attack rate or foraging success in the area with recent herbicide application. This may be explained by the finding that both species mainly foraged in the canopy but also used dead plant structures of the understory of the recently controlled area that resulted from the invasive plant management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaus Filek
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Arno Cimadom
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian H. Schulze
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Heinke Jäger
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, Galápagos Ecuador
| | - Sabine Tebbich
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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24
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Fessl B, Heimpel GE, Causton CE. Invasion of an Avian Nest Parasite, Philornis downsi, to the Galapagos Islands: Colonization History, Adaptations to Novel Ecosystems, and Conservation Challenges. DISEASE ECOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-65909-1_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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25
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Peters KJ, Myers SA, Dudaniec RY, O'Connor JA, Kleindorfer S. Females drive asymmetrical introgression from rare to common species in Darwin's tree finches. J Evol Biol 2017; 30:1940-1952. [PMID: 28833876 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The consequences of hybridization for biodiversity depend on the specific ecological and evolutionary context in which it occurs. Understanding patterns of gene flow among hybridizing species is crucial for determining the evolutionary trajectories of species assemblages. The recently discovered hybridization between two species of Darwin's tree finches (Camarhynchus parvulus and C. pauper) on Floreana Island, Galápagos, presents an exciting opportunity to investigate the mechanisms causing hybridization and its potential evolutionary consequences under conditions of recent habitat disturbance and the introduction of invasive pathogens. In this study, we combine morphological and genetic analysis with pairing observations to explore the extent, direction and drivers of hybridization and to test whether hybridization patterns are a result of asymmetrical pairing preference driven by females of the rarer species (C. pauper). We found asymmetrical introgression from the critically endangered, larger-bodied C. pauper to the common, smaller-bodied C. parvulus, which was associated with a lack of selection against heterospecific males by C. pauper females. Examination of pairing data showed that C. parvulus females paired assortatively, whereas C. pauper females showed no such pattern. This study shows how sex-specific drivers can determine the direction of gene flow in hybridizing species. Furthermore, our results suggest the existence of a hybrid swarm comprised of C. parvulus and hybrid birds. We discuss the influence of interspecific abundance differences and susceptibility to the invasive parasite Philornis downsi on the observed hybridization and recommend that the conservation of this iconic species group should be managed jointly rather than species-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- K J Peters
- School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - S A Myers
- Southern Seas Ecology Laboratory, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - R Y Dudaniec
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - J A O'Connor
- Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - S Kleindorfer
- School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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26
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Ben-Yosef M, Zaada DSY, Dudaniec RY, Pasternak Z, Jurkevitch E, Smith RJ, Causton CE, Lincango MP, Tobe SS, Mitchell JG, Kleindorfer S, Yuval B. Host-specific associations affect the microbiome ofPhilornis downsi, an introduced parasite to the Galápagos Islands. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:4644-4656. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.14219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Revised: 05/25/2017] [Accepted: 06/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Ben-Yosef
- Department of Entomology; Faculty of Agriculture Food and Environment; The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Rehovot Israel
| | - Doron S. Y. Zaada
- Department of Entomology; Faculty of Agriculture Food and Environment; The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Rehovot Israel
| | - Rachael Y. Dudaniec
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Zohar Pasternak
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology; Faculty of Agriculture Food and Environment; The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Rehovot Israel
| | - Edouard Jurkevitch
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology; Faculty of Agriculture Food and Environment; The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Rehovot Israel
| | - Renee J. Smith
- School of Biological Sciences; Flinders University; Adelaide SA Australia
| | - Charlotte E. Causton
- Charles Darwin Foundation; Puerto Ayora Santa Cruz Island Galápagos Islands Ecuador
| | - Maria Piedad Lincango
- Charles Darwin Foundation; Puerto Ayora Santa Cruz Island Galápagos Islands Ecuador
- Facultad De Ciencias Agrícolas; Universidad Central Del Ecuador; Quito Pichincha Ecuador
| | - Shanan S. Tobe
- School of Biological Sciences; Flinders University; Adelaide SA Australia
- Department of Chemistry and Physics; Arcadia University; Glenside PA USA
| | - James G. Mitchell
- School of Biological Sciences; Flinders University; Adelaide SA Australia
| | - Sonia Kleindorfer
- School of Biological Sciences; Flinders University; Adelaide SA Australia
| | - Boaz Yuval
- Department of Entomology; Faculty of Agriculture Food and Environment; The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Rehovot Israel
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27
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Knutie SA, Herman JM, Owen JP, Clayton DH. Tri‐trophic ecology of native parasitic nest flies of birds in
T
obago. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A. Knutie
- Department of Biology University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah 84112 USA
| | - Jordan M. Herman
- Department of Biology University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah 84112 USA
| | - Jeb P. Owen
- Department of Entomology Washington State University Pullman Washington 99164 USA
| | - Dale H. Clayton
- Department of Biology University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah 84112 USA
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28
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Slow motion extinction: inbreeding, introgression, and loss in the critically endangered mangrove finch (Camarhynchus heliobates). CONSERV GENET 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-016-0890-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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29
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Kleindorfer S, Dudaniec RY. Host-parasite ecology, behavior and genetics: a review of the introduced fly parasite Philornis downsi and its Darwin’s finch hosts. BMC ZOOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1186/s40850-016-0003-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
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30
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Kleindorfer S, Sulloway FJ. Naris deformation in Darwin’s finches: Experimental and historical evidence for a post-1960s arrival of the parasite Philornis downsi. Glob Ecol Conserv 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2016.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
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Koop JAH, Kim PS, Knutie SA, Adler F, Clayton DH. An introduced parasitic fly may lead to local extinction of Darwin's finch populations. J Appl Ecol 2016; 53:511-518. [PMID: 26980922 PMCID: PMC4788638 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Introduced pathogens and other parasites are often implicated in host population level declines and extinctions. However, such claims are rarely supported by rigorous real-time data. Indeed, the threat of introduced parasites often goes unnoticed until after host populations have declined severely. The recent introduction of the parasitic nest fly, Philornis downsi, to the Galápagos Islands provides an opportunity to monitor the current impact of an invasive parasite on endemic land bird populations, including Darwin's finches.In this paper we present a population viability model to explore the potential long-term effect of P. downsi on Darwin's finch populations. The goal of our study was to determine whether P. downsi has the potential to drive host populations to extinction and whether management efforts are likely to be effective.Our model is based on data from five years of experimental field work documenting the effect of P. downsi on the reproductive success of medium ground finch Geospiza fortis populations on Santa Cruz Island. Under two of the three scenarios tested, the model predicted medium ground finches are at risk of extinction within the next century.However, sensitivity analyses reveal that even a modest reduction in the prevalence of the parasite could improve the stability of finch populations. We discuss the practicality of several management options aimed at achieving this goal.Synthesis and applications. Our study demonstrates the predicted high risk of local extinction of an abundant host species, the medium ground finch Geospiza fortis due to an introduced parasite, Philornis downsi. However, our study further suggests that careful management practices aimed at reducing parasite prevalence have the potential to significantly lower the risk of host species extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter S. Kim
- Mathematics Department, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Sarah A. Knutie
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Fred Adler
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Mathematics Department, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Dale H. Clayton
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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Harper GA, Bunbury N. Invasive rats on tropical islands: Their population biology and impacts on native species. Glob Ecol Conserv 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2015.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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Cimadom A, Ulloa A, Meidl P, Zöttl M, Zöttl E, Fessl B, Nemeth E, Dvorak M, Cunninghame F, Tebbich S. Invasive parasites, habitat change and heavy rainfall reduce breeding success in Darwin's finches. PLoS One 2014; 9:e107518. [PMID: 25248092 PMCID: PMC4172424 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2013] [Accepted: 08/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive alien parasites and pathogens are a growing threat to biodiversity worldwide, which can contribute to the extinction of endemic species. On the Galápagos Islands, the invasive parasitic fly Philornis downsi poses a major threat to the endemic avifauna. Here, we investigated the influence of this parasite on the breeding success of two Darwin's finch species, the warbler finch (Certhidea olivacea) and the sympatric small tree finch (Camarhynchus parvulus), on Santa Cruz Island in 2010 and 2012. While the population of the small tree finch appeared to be stable, the warbler finch has experienced a dramatic decline in population size on Santa Cruz Island since 1997. We aimed to identify whether warbler finches are particularly vulnerable during different stages of the breeding cycle. Contrary to our prediction, breeding success was lower in the small tree finch than in the warbler finch. In both species P. downsi had a strong negative impact on breeding success and our data suggest that heavy rain events also lowered the fledging success. On the one hand parents might be less efficient in compensating their chicks' energy loss due to parasitism as they might be less efficient in foraging on days of heavy rain. On the other hand, intense rainfalls might lead to increased humidity and more rapid cooling of the nests. In the case of the warbler finch we found that the control of invasive plant species with herbicides had a significant additive negative impact on the breeding success. It is very likely that the availability of insects (i.e. food abundance)is lower in such controlled areas, as herbicide usage led to the removal of the entire understory. Predation seems to be a minor factor in brood loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arno Cimadom
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Angel Ulloa
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos, Ecuador
| | - Patrick Meidl
- Institute for Science and Technology, Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Markus Zöttl
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Elisabet Zöttl
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Birgit Fessl
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos, Ecuador
| | | | | | | | - Sabine Tebbich
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- * E-mail:
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Sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) from Philornis seguyi (García, 1952) and Philornis torquans (Nielsen, 1913) (Diptera: Muscidae). Syst Parasitol 2013; 86:43-51. [DOI: 10.1007/s11230-013-9428-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2013] [Accepted: 06/05/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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References. Parasitology 2012. [DOI: 10.1002/9781119968986.refs] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Deem SL, Cruz MB, Higashiguchi JM, Parker PG. Diseases of poultry and endemic birds in Galapagos: implications for the reintroduction of native species. Anim Conserv 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-1795.2011.00489.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - M. B. Cruz
- Epidemiology and Pathology Laboratory; Puerto Ayora; Santa Cruz, Galapagos; Ecuador
| | - J. M. Higashiguchi
- Department of Biology; University of Missouri - St. Louis; 8001 Natural Bridge Road; St. Louis; MO; 63121; USA
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Distribution and abundance of Darwin’s finches and other land birds on Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos: evidence for declining populations. ORYX 2011. [DOI: 10.1017/s0030605311000597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractPopulation monitoring is a vital tool for conservation management and for testing hypotheses about population trends in changing environments. Darwin’s finches on Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos archipelago have experienced habitat alteration because of human activity, introduced predators, parasites and disease. We used point counts to conduct systematic quantitative surveys of Darwin’s finches and other land birds between 1997 and 2010. The temporal analysis revealed that six of the nine species investigated declined significantly and that this decline was most pronounced at higher elevations in humid native forest and agricultural areas; the highland areas have been most affected by introduced species or direct human impact. Five of the six declining species are insectivorous, which suggests that changes in insect abundance or insect availability are a critical factor in the declines. Further study is required to test this idea. Other factors including habitat alteration and introduced parasites or pathogens may be contributing to the observed declines.
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Koop JAH, Huber SK, Laverty SM, Clayton DH. Experimental demonstration of the fitness consequences of an introduced parasite of Darwin's finches. PLoS One 2011; 6:e19706. [PMID: 21589659 PMCID: PMC3092749 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0019706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2010] [Accepted: 04/14/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Introduced parasites are a particular threat to small populations of hosts living on islands because extinction can occur before hosts have a chance to evolve effective defenses. An experimental approach in which parasite abundance is manipulated in the field can be the most informative means of assessing a parasite's impact on the host. The parasitic fly Philornis downsi, recently introduced to the Galápagos Islands, feeds on nestling Darwin's finches and other land birds. Several correlational studies, and one experimental study of mixed species over several years, reported that the flies reduce host fitness. Here we report the results of a larger scale experimental study of a single species at a single site over a single breeding season. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We manipulated the abundance of flies in the nests of medium ground finches (Geospiza fortis) and quantified the impact of the parasites on nestling growth and fledging success. We used nylon nest liners to reduce the number of parasites in 24 nests, leaving another 24 nests as controls. A significant reduction in mean parasite abundance led to a significant increase in the number of nests that successfully fledged young. Nestlings in parasite-reduced nests also tended to be larger prior to fledging. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Our results confirm that P. downsi has significant negative effects on the fitness of medium ground finches, and they may pose a serious threat to other species of Darwin's finches. These data can help in the design of management plans for controlling P. downsi in Darwin's finch breeding populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A H Koop
- Biology Department, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America.
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Brumm H, Farrington H, Petren K, Fessl B. Evolutionary dead end in the Galápagos: divergence of sexual signals in the rarest of Darwin's finches. PLoS One 2010; 5:e11191. [PMID: 20585648 PMCID: PMC2890412 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0011191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2010] [Accepted: 05/20/2010] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms underlying speciation remains a challenge in evolutionary biology. The adaptive radiation of Darwin's finches is a prime example of species formation, and their study has revealed many important insights into evolutionary processes. Here, we report striking differences in mating signals (songs), morphology and genetics between the two remnant populations of Darwin's mangrove finch Camarhynchus heliobates, one of the rarest species in the world. We also show that territorial males exhibited strong discrimination of sexual signals by locality: in response to foreign songs, males responded weaker than to songs from their own population. Female responses were infrequent and weak but gave approximately similar results. Our findings not only suggest speciation in the mangrove finch, thereby providing strong support for the central role of sexual signals during speciation, but they have also implications for the conservation of this iconic bird. If speciation is complete, the eastern species will face imminent extinction, because it has a population size of only 5-10 individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Brumm
- Communication and Social Behaviour Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany.
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Abzhanov A. Darwin's Galapagos finches in modern biology. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2010; 365:1001-7. [PMID: 20194163 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2009.0321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the classic examples of adaptive radiation under natural selection is the evolution of 15 closely related species of Darwin's finches (Passeriformes), whose primary diversity lies in the size and shape of their beaks. Since Charles Darwin and other members of the Beagle expedition collected these birds on the Galápagos Islands in 1835 and introduced them to science, they have been the subjects of intense research. Many biology textbooks use Darwin's finches to illustrate a variety of topics of evolutionary theory, such as speciation, natural selection and niche partitioning. Today, as this Theme Issue illustrates, Darwin's finches continue to be a very valuable source of biological discovery. Certain advantages of studying this group allow further breakthroughs in our understanding of changes in recent island biodiversity, mechanisms of speciation and hybridization, evolution of cognitive behaviours, principles of beak/jaw biomechanics as well as the underlying developmental genetic mechanisms in generating morphological diversity. Our objective was to bring together some of the key workers in the field of ecology and evolutionary biology who study Darwin's finches or whose studies were inspired by research on Darwin's finches. Insights provided by papers collected in this Theme Issue will be of interest to a wide audience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arhat Abzhanov
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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