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Minias P, Palomar G, Dudek K, Babik W. Salamanders reveal novel trajectories of amphibian MHC evolution. Evolution 2022; 76:2436-2449. [PMID: 36000494 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) code for immune proteins that are crucial for pathogen recognition in vertebrates. MHC research in nonmodel taxa has long been hampered by its genomic complexity that makes the locus-specific genotyping challenging. The recent progress in sequencing and genotyping methodologies allows an extensive phylogenetic coverage in studies of MHC evolution. Here, we analyzed the peptide-binding region of MHC class I (MHC-I) in 30 species of salamanders from six families representative of Urodela phylogeny. This extensive dataset revealed an extreme diversity of MHC-I in salamanders, both in terms of sequence diversity (about 3000 variants) and architecture (2-22 gene copies per species). The signal of positive selection was moderate and consistent between both peptide-binding domains, but varied greatly between genera. Positions of positively selected sites mostly coincided with human peptide-binding sites, suggesting similar structural properties of MHC-I molecules across distant vertebrate lineages. Finally, we provided evidence for the common intraexonic recombination at MHC-I and for the role of life history traits in the processes of MHC-I expansion/contraction. Our study revealed novel evolutionary trajectories of amphibian MHC and it contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms that generated extraordinary MHC diversity throughout vertebrate evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Minias
- Department of Biodiversity Studies and Bioeducation, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Łódź, 90-237, Poland
| | - Gemma Palomar
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, 30-387, Poland.,Parasitology Unit, Department of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad de Alcalá (UAH), Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, 28805, Spain
| | - Katarzyna Dudek
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, 30-387, Poland
| | - Wiesław Babik
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, 30-387, Poland
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2
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Bilinski T, Bylak A, Kukuła K, Zadrag-Tecza R. Senescence as a trade-off between successful land colonisation and longevity: critical review and analysis of a hypothesis. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12286. [PMID: 34760360 PMCID: PMC8570163 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12286] [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: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most common terrestrial animal clades exhibit senescence, suggesting strong adaptive value of this trait. However, there is little support for senescence correlated with specific adaptations. Nevertheless, insects, mammals, and birds, which are the most common terrestrial animal clades that show symptoms of senescence, evolved from clades that predominantly did not show symptoms of senescence. Thus, we aimed to examine senescence in the context of the ecology and life histories of the main clades of animals, including humans, and to formulate hypotheses to explain the causes and origin of senescence in the major clades of terrestrial animals. METHODOLOGY We reviewed literature from 1950 to 2020 concerning life expectancy, the existence of senescence, and the adaptive characteristics of the major groups of animals. We then proposed a relationship between senescence and environmental factors, considering the biology of these groups of animals. We constructed a model showing the phylogenetic relationships between animal clades in the context of the major stages of evolution, distinguishing between senescent and biologically 'immortal' clades of animals. Finally, we synthesised current data on senescence with the most important concepts and theories explaining the origin and mechanisms of senescence. Although this categorisation into different senescent phenotypes may be simplistic, we used this to propose a framework for understanding senescence. RESULTS We found that terrestrial mammals, insects, and birds show senescence, even though they likely evolved from non-senescent ancestors. Moreover, secondarily aquatic animals show lower rate of senescence than their terrestrial counterparts. Based on the possible life histories of these groups and the analysis of the most important factors affecting the transition from a non-senescent to senescent phenotype, we conclude that aging has evolved, not as a direct effect, but as a correlated response of selection on developmental strategies, and that this occurred separately within each clade. Adoption of specific life history strategies could thus have far-reaching effects in terms of senescence and lifespan. CONCLUSIONS Our analysis strongly suggests that senescence may have emerged as a side effect of the evolution of adaptive features that allowed the colonisation of land. Senescence in mammals may be a compromise between land colonisation and longevity. This hypothesis, is supported by palaeobiological and ecological evidence. We hope that the development of new research methodologies and the availability of more data could be used to test this hypothesis and shed greater light on the evolution of senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Bilinski
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology and Agriculture, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland
| | - Aneta Bylak
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection; Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Land Management and Environmental Protection, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Kukuła
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection; Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Land Management and Environmental Protection, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland
| | - Renata Zadrag-Tecza
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland
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3
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Abstract
Blood oxygen-carrying capacity is one of the important determinants of the amount of oxygen supplied to the tissue per unit time and plays a key role in oxidative metabolism. In wild vertebrates, blood oxygen-carrying capacity is most commonly measured with the total blood hemoglobin concentration (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct), which is the volume percentage of red blood cells in blood. Here, I used published estimates of avian Hb and Hct (nearly 1,000 estimates from 300 species) to examine macroevolutionary patterns in the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood in birds. Phylogenetically informed comparative analysis indicated that blood oxygen-carrying capacity was primarily determined by species distribution (latitude and elevation) and morphological constraints (body mass). I found little support for the effect of life-history components on blood oxygen-carrying capacity except for a positive association of Hct with clutch size. Hb was also positively associated with diving behavior, but I found no effect of migratoriness on either Hb or Hct. Fluctuating selection was identified as the major force shaping the evolution of blood oxygen-carrying capacity. The results offer novel insights into the evolution of Hb and Hct in birds, and they provide a general, phylogenetically robust support for some long-standing hypotheses in avian ecophysiology.
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4
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Boyce AJ, Mouton JC, Lloyd P, Wolf BO, Martin TE. Metabolic rate is negatively linked to adult survival but does not explain latitudinal differences in songbirds. Ecol Lett 2020; 23:642-652. [PMID: 31990148 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Survival rates vary dramatically among species and predictably across latitudes, but causes of this variation are unclear. The rate-of-living hypothesis posits that physiological damage from metabolism causes species with faster metabolic rates to exhibit lower survival rates. However, whether increased survival commonly observed in tropical and south temperate latitudes is associated with slower metabolic rate remains unclear. We compared metabolic rates and annual survival rates that we measured across 46 species, and from literature data across 147 species of birds in northern, southern and tropical latitudes. High metabolic rates were associated with lower survival but survival varied substantially among latitudinal regions independent of metabolism. The inability of metabolic rate to explain latitudinal variation in survival suggests (1) species may evolve physiological mechanisms that mitigate physiological damage from cellular metabolism and (2) extrinsic rather than intrinsic sources of mortality are the primary causes of latitudinal differences in survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy J Boyce
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - James C Mouton
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Penn Lloyd
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Department of Science and Technology/National Research Foundation Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
| | - Blair O Wolf
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Thomas E Martin
- U.S. Geological Survey, Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
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5
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean‐Michel Gaillard
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR5558 CNRS Université Lyon 1 University of Lyon Villeurbanne France
| | - Jean‐François Lemaître
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR5558 CNRS Université Lyon 1 University of Lyon Villeurbanne France
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6
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Frogs with denser group-spawning mature later and live longer. Sci Rep 2019; 9:13776. [PMID: 31551505 PMCID: PMC6760165 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50368-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The understanding of the intrinsic and extrinsic causes of longevity variation has deservedly received much attention in evolutionary ecologist. Here we tested the association between longevity and spawning-site groups across 38 species of Chinese anurans. As indicators of group-spawning we used spawning-site group size and spawning-site density, which we measured at 152 spawning sites in the field. We found that both spawning-site density and group size were positively associated with longevity. Male group-spawning (e.g., male spawning-site density and male spawning-site group size) was also positively correlated with longevity. A phylogenetic path analysis further revealed that longevity seems directly associated with spawning-site density and group size, and that the association in part depend on the 'groups-spawning-age at first reproduction' association. Our findings suggest that the increased group-spawning are likely to benefit in declining extrinsic mortality rates and living longer through improving total anti-predator behaviour under predation pressure.
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7
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Minias P. Evolution of heterophil/lymphocyte ratios in response to ecological and life‐history traits: A comparative analysis across the avian tree of life. J Anim Ecol 2019; 88:554-565. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Minias
- Department of Biodiversity Studies and BioeducationFaculty of Biology and Environmental ProtectionUniversity of Łódź Łódź Poland
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8
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Apfelbeck B, Haussmann MF, Boner W, Flinks H, Griffiths K, Illera JC, Mortega KG, Sisson Z, Smiddy P, Helm B. Divergent patterns of telomere shortening in tropical compared to temperate stonechats. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:511-521. [PMID: 30680132 PMCID: PMC6342124 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Revised: 11/04/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomeres have emerged as important biomarkers of health and senescence as they predict chances of survival in various species. Tropical birds live in more benign environments with lower extrinsic mortality and higher juvenile and adult survival than temperate birds. Therefore, telomere biology may play a more important role in tropical compared to temperate birds. We measured mean telomere length of male stonechats (Saxicola spp.) at four age classes from tropical African and temperate European breeding regions. Tropical and temperate stonechats had similarly long telomeres as nestlings. However, while in tropical stonechats pre-breeding first-years had longer telomeres than nestlings, in temperate stonechats pre-breeding first-years had shorter telomeres than nestlings. During their first breeding season, telomere length was again similar between tropical and temperate stonechats. These patterns may indicate differential survival of high-quality juveniles in tropical environments. Alternatively, more favorable environmental conditions, that is, extended parental care, may enable tropical juveniles to minimize telomere shortening. As suggested by previous studies, our results imply that variation in life history and life span may be reflected in different patterns of telomere shortening rather than telomere length. Our data provide first evidence that distinct selective pressures in tropical and temperate environments may be reflected in diverging patterns of telomere loss in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beate Apfelbeck
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative MedicineUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, School of Life Sciences WeihenstephanTechnische Universität MünchenFreisingGermany
| | | | - Winnie Boner
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative MedicineUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
| | | | - Kate Griffiths
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative MedicineUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
| | - Juan Carlos Illera
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO‐CSIC‐PA), Oviedo UniversityMieresSpain
| | - Kim G. Mortega
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative MedicineUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
- Department of Migration and Immunoecology, Max‐Planck‐Institut für OrnithologieRadolfzellGermany
- Museum für Naturkunde—Leibniz‐Institut für Evolutions‐und BiodiversitätsforschungBerlinGermany
| | - Zachary Sisson
- Department of BiologyBucknell UniversityLewisburgPennsylvania
| | - Patrick Smiddy
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
| | - Barbara Helm
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative MedicineUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES)University of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
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9
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Galván I, Møller AP. Dispersal capacity explains the evolution of lifespan variability. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:4949-4957. [PMID: 29876072 PMCID: PMC5980329 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2017] [Revised: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolutionary explanation for lifespan variation is still based on the antagonistic pleiotropy hypothesis, which has been challenged by several studies. Alternative models assume the existence of genes that favor aging and group benefits at the expense of reductions in individual lifespans. Here we propose a new model without making such assumptions. It considers that limited dispersal can generate, through reduced gene flow, spatial segregation of individual organisms according to lifespan. Individuals from subpopulations with shorter lifespan could thus resist collapse in a growing population better than individuals from subpopulations with longer lifespan, hence reducing lifespan variability within species. As species that disperse less may form more homogeneous subpopulations regarding lifespan, this may lead to a greater capacity to maximize lifespan that generates viable subpopulations, therefore creating negative associations between dispersal capacity and lifespan across species. We tested our model with individual-based simulations and a comparative study using empirical data of maximum lifespan and natal dispersal distance in 26 species of birds, controlling for the effects of genetic variability, body size, and phylogeny. Simulations resulted in maximum lifespans arising from lowest dispersal probabilities, and comparative analyses resulted in a negative association between lifespan and natal dispersal distance, thus consistent with our model. Our findings therefore suggest that the evolution of lifespan variability is the result of the ecological process of dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismael Galván
- Departamento de Ecología EvolutivaEstación Biológica de DoñanaCSICSevillaSpain
| | - Anders P. Møller
- Ecologie Systématique EvolutionUniversité Paris‐Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris‐SaclayOrsay CedexFrance
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10
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Yu X, Zhong MJ, Li DY, Jin L, Liao WB, Kotrschal A. Large-brained frogs mature later and live longer. Evolution 2018; 72:1174-1183. [PMID: 29611630 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Revised: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xin Yu
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education); China West Normal University; Nanchong Sichuan 637009 China
- Institute of Eco-Adaptation in Amphibians and Reptiles; China West Normal University; Nanchong Sichuan 637009 China
| | - Mao Jun Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education); China West Normal University; Nanchong Sichuan 637009 China
- Institute of Eco-Adaptation in Amphibians and Reptiles; China West Normal University; Nanchong Sichuan 637009 China
| | - Da Yong Li
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education); China West Normal University; Nanchong Sichuan 637009 China
- Institute of Eco-Adaptation in Amphibians and Reptiles; China West Normal University; Nanchong Sichuan 637009 China
| | - Long Jin
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education); China West Normal University; Nanchong Sichuan 637009 China
- Institute of Eco-Adaptation in Amphibians and Reptiles; China West Normal University; Nanchong Sichuan 637009 China
| | - Wen Bo Liao
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education); China West Normal University; Nanchong Sichuan 637009 China
- Institute of Eco-Adaptation in Amphibians and Reptiles; China West Normal University; Nanchong Sichuan 637009 China
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11
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Minias P, Włodarczyk R, Meissner W. Leukocyte profiles are associated with longevity and survival, but not migratory effort: A comparative analysis of shorebirds. Funct Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Minias
- Department of Biodiversity Studies and BioeducationFaculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź Łódź Poland
| | - Radosław Włodarczyk
- Department of Biodiversity Studies and BioeducationFaculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź Łódź Poland
| | - Włodzimierz Meissner
- Avian Ecophysiology UnitDepartment of Vertebrate Ecology and ZoologyUniversity of Gdańsk Gdańsk Poland
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12
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Landes J, Perret M, Hardy I, Camarda CG, Henry PY, Pavard S. State transitions: a major mortality risk for seasonal species. Ecol Lett 2017. [PMID: 28635125 DOI: 10.1111/ele.12785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Ageing results from the accumulation of multifactorial damage over time. However, the temporal distribution of this damage remains unknown. In seasonal species, transitions between seasons are critical periods of massive physiological remodelling. We hypothesised that these recurrent peaks of physiological remodelling are costly in terms of survival. We tested whether captive small primates exposed to an experimentally increased frequency of seasonal transitions die sooner than individuals living under natural seasonality. The results show that experiencing one additional season per year increases the mortality hazard by a factor of 3 to 4, whereas the expected number of seasons lived is only slightly impacted by the seasonal rhythm. These results demonstrate that physiological transitions between periods of high and low metabolic activity represent a major mortality risk for seasonal organisms, which has been ignored until now.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Landes
- Eco-Anthropologie et Ethnobiologie, UMR 7206 CNRS, MNHN, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Universités, Musée de l'Homme, 17 place du Trocadéro, 75016, Paris, France.,Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution, UMR 7179 CNRS, MNHN, Sorbonne Universités, 1 avenue du Petit Château, 91800, Brunoy, France
| | - Martine Perret
- Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution, UMR 7179 CNRS, MNHN, Sorbonne Universités, 1 avenue du Petit Château, 91800, Brunoy, France
| | - Isabelle Hardy
- Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution, UMR 7179 CNRS, MNHN, Sorbonne Universités, 1 avenue du Petit Château, 91800, Brunoy, France
| | | | - Pierre-Yves Henry
- Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution, UMR 7179 CNRS, MNHN, Sorbonne Universités, 1 avenue du Petit Château, 91800, Brunoy, France
| | - Samuel Pavard
- Eco-Anthropologie et Ethnobiologie, UMR 7206 CNRS, MNHN, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Universités, Musée de l'Homme, 17 place du Trocadéro, 75016, Paris, France
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13
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Apfelbeck B, Helm B, Illera JC, Mortega KG, Smiddy P, Evans NP. Baseline and stress-induced levels of corticosterone in male and female Afrotropical and European temperate stonechats during breeding. BMC Evol Biol 2017; 17:114. [PMID: 28532466 PMCID: PMC5441054 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-017-0960-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Latitudinal variation in avian life histories falls along a slow-fast pace of life continuum: tropical species produce small clutches, but have a high survival probability, while in temperate species the opposite pattern is found. This study investigated whether differential investment into reproduction and survival of tropical and temperate species is paralleled by differences in the secretion of the vertebrate hormone corticosterone (CORT). Depending on circulating concentrations, CORT can both act as a metabolic (low to medium levels) and a stress hormone (high levels) and, thereby, influence reproductive decisions. Baseline and stress-induced CORT was measured across sequential stages of the breeding season in males and females of closely related taxa of stonechats (Saxicola spp) from a wide distribution area. We compared stonechats from 13 sites, representing Canary Islands, European temperate and East African tropical areas. Stonechats are highly seasonal breeders at all these sites, but vary between tropical and temperate regions with regard to reproductive investment and presumably also survival. Results In accordance with life-history theory, during parental stages, post-capture (baseline) CORT was overall lower in tropical than in temperate stonechats. However, during mating stages, tropical males had elevated post-capture (baseline) CORT concentrations, which did not differ from those of temperate males. Female and male mates of a pair showed correlated levels of post-capture CORT when sampled after simulated territorial intrusions. In contrast to the hypothesis that species with low reproduction and high annual survival should be more risk-sensitive, tropical stonechats had lower stress-induced CORT concentrations than temperate stonechats. We also found relatively high post-capture (baseline) and stress-induced CORT concentrations, in slow-paced Canary Islands stonechats. Conclusions Our data support and refine the view that baseline CORT facilitates energetically demanding activities in males and females and reflects investment into reproduction. Low parental workload was associated with lower post-capture (baseline) CORT as expected for a slow pace of life in tropical species. On a finer resolution, however, this tropical-temperate contrast did not generally hold. Post-capture (baseline) CORT was higher during mating stages in particular in tropical males, possibly to support the energetic needs of mate-guarding. Counter to predictions based on life history theory, our data do not confirm the hypothesis that long-lived tropical populations have higher stress-induced CORT concentrations than short-lived temperate populations. Instead, in the predator-rich tropical environments of African stonechats, a dampened stress response during parental stages may increase survival probabilities of young. Overall our data further support an association between life history and baseline CORT, but challenge the role of stress-induced CORT as a mediator of tropical-temperate variation in life history. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-017-0960-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beate Apfelbeck
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, G12 8QQ, UK. .,Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Ecology and Ecosystemmanagement, Technische Universität München, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, D-85354, Freising, Germany.
| | - Barbara Helm
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Juan Carlos Illera
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO-CSIC-PA), Oviedo University, Campus of Mieres, 33600, Mieres, Spain
| | - Kim G Mortega
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, G12 8QQ, UK.,Department of Migration and Immunoecology, Max-Planck-Institut für Ornithologie, D-78315, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Patrick Smiddy
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, T12 YN60, Ireland
| | - Neil P Evans
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, G12 8QQ, UK
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14
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Minias P, Podlaszczuk P. Longevity is associated with relative brain size in birds. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:3558-3566. [PMID: 28515891 PMCID: PMC5433984 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2017] [Revised: 02/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain size of vertebrates has long been recognized to evolve in close association with basic life-history traits, including lifespan. According to the cognitive buffer hypothesis, large brains facilitate the construction of behavioral responses against novel socioecological challenges through general cognitive processes, which should reduce mortality and increase lifespan. While the occurrence of brain size-lifespan correlation has been well documented in mammals, much less evidence exists for a robust link between brain size and longevity in birds. The aim of this study was to use phylogenetically controlled comparative approach to test for the relationship between brain size and longevity among 384 avian species from 23 orders. We used maximum lifespan and maximum reproductive lifespan as the measures of longevity and accounted for a set of possible confounding effects, such as allometry, sampling effort, geographic patterns, and life-history components (clutch size, incubation length, and mode of development). We found that both measures of longevity positively correlated with relative (residual) brain size. We also showed that major diversification of brain size preceded diversification of longevity in avian evolution. In contrast to previous findings, the effect of brain size on longevity was consistent across lineages with different development patterns, although the relatively low strength of this correlation could likely be attributed to the ubiquity of allomaternal care associated with the altricial mode of development. Our study indicates that the positive relationship between brain size and longevity in birds may be more general than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Minias
- Department of Biodiversity Studies and BioeducationFaculty of Biology and Environmental ProtectionUniversity of ŁódźŁódźPoland
| | - Patrycja Podlaszczuk
- Department of Biodiversity Studies and BioeducationFaculty of Biology and Environmental ProtectionUniversity of ŁódźŁódźPoland
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15
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Apfelbeck B, Mortega KG, Flinks H, Illera JC, Helm B. Testosterone, territorial response, and song in seasonally breeding tropical and temperate stonechats. BMC Evol Biol 2017; 17:101. [PMID: 28412929 PMCID: PMC5392926 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-017-0944-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Testosterone facilitates physiological, morphological, and behavioral changes required for breeding in male vertebrates. However, testosterone concentrations and the link between its seasonal changes and those in reproductive behaviors vary greatly among species. To better understand the impact of tropical and temperate environments and life history factors on this variation, we have compared testosterone, territorial behavior and song performance across sequential stages of the breeding season in males of 16 closely related taxa of East African tropical and West European temperate stonechats (Saxicola spp), which all breed during a short breeding season, but differ in migratory behavior, seasonal territory-acquisition and pace of life. Results We found that generally, the profiles of testosterone and territorial behavior were similar across latitudes. African stonechats with a slow pace of life had equally high peak testosterone concentrations and responded as aggressively to an intruder as European stonechats with a fast pace of life. However, song performance at the beginning of the breeding season was lower in African than in European stonechats. The differences in song performance were not associated with variation in testosterone levels between tropical and temperate stonechats. Conclusions The results suggest a very similar role for testosterone as a mediator of high intensity territorial aggression during the fertile period of females in tropical and temperate stonechats, which all are highly seasonal, locally synchronous breeders. A potential explanation may be high risk of extra-pair copulations which has been associated with synchronous breeding. Interestingly, an association was not consistent for song performance. Our data suggest that song performance can be disassociated from peak testosterone levels depending on its role in breeding behavior. Despite similar testosterone levels, European males, which early in the breeding season acquire territories and mates, showed greater song performance than African stonechats, which maintain year-round territories and pair-bonds. Taken together, our study comparing related taxa of old world songbirds suggests that short breeding seasons may be a major selective force for high peak testosterone levels during breeding regardless of latitude and pace of life, but that particular behaviors, in our case song, can be uncoupled from peak testosterone levels. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-017-0944-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beate Apfelbeck
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, G12 8QQ, UK. .,Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Ecology and Ecosystemmanagement, Technische Universität München, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, D-85354, Freising, Germany.
| | - Kim G Mortega
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, G12 8QQ, UK.,Department of Migration and Immunoecology, Max-Planck-Institut für Ornithologie, D-78315 Radolfzell, Germany
| | | | - Juan Carlos Illera
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO-CSIC-PA), Oviedo University, Campus of Mieres, 33600, Mieres, Spain
| | - Barbara Helm
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, G12 8QQ, UK
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Downing PA, Cornwallis CK, Griffin AS. Sex, long life and the evolutionary transition to cooperative breeding in birds. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 282:20151663. [PMID: 26400743 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.1663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Long life is a typical feature of individuals living in cooperative societies. One explanation is that group living lowers mortality, which selects for longer life. Alternatively, long life may make the evolution of cooperation more likely by ensuring a long breeding tenure, making helping behaviour and queuing for breeding positions worthwhile. The benefit of queuing will, however, depend on whether individuals gain indirect fitness benefits while helping, which is determined by female promiscuity. Where promiscuity is high and therefore the indirect fitness benefits of helping are low, cooperation can still be favoured by an even longer life span. We present the results of comparative analyses designed to test the likelihood of a causal relationship between longevity and cooperative breeding by reconstructing ancestral states of cooperative breeding across birds, and by examining the effect of female promiscuity on the relationship between these two traits. We found that long life makes the evolution of cooperation more likely and that promiscuous cooperative species are exceptionally long lived. These results make sense of promiscuity in cooperative breeders and clarify the importance of life-history traits in the evolution of cooperative breeding, illustrating that cooperation can evolve via the combination of indirect and direct fitness benefits.
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17
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Bessell PR, Robinson RA, Golding N, Searle KR, Handel IG, Boden LA, Purse BV, Bronsvoort BMDC. Quantifying the Risk of Introduction of West Nile Virus into Great Britain by Migrating Passerine Birds. Transbound Emerg Dis 2014; 63:e347-59. [DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- P. R. Bessell
- The Roslin Institute; The University of Edinburgh; Easter Bush UK
| | | | | | | | - I. G. Handel
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies; The University of Edinburgh; Easter Bush UK
| | - L. A. Boden
- School of Veterinary Medicine; University of Glasgow; Glasgow UK
| | - B. V. Purse
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology; Wallingford UK
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18
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Hille SM, Cooper CB. Elevational trends in life histories: revising the pace-of-life framework. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2014; 90:204-13. [PMID: 24673806 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2013] [Revised: 02/17/2014] [Accepted: 03/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Life-history traits in birds, such as lifespan, age at maturity, and rate of reproduction, vary across environments and in combinations imposed by trade-offs and limitations of physiological mechanisms. A plethora of studies have described the diversity of traits and hypothesized selection pressures shaping components of the survival-reproduction trade-off. Life-history variation appears to fall along a slow-fast continuum, with slow pace characterized by higher investment in survival over reproduction and fast pace characterized by higher investment in reproduction over survival. The Pace-of-Life Syndrome (POLS) is a framework to describe the slow-fast axis of variation in life-history traits and physiological traits. The POLS corresponds to latitudinal gradients, with tropical birds exhibiting a slow pace of life. We examined four possible ways that the traits of high-elevation birds might correspond to the POLS continuum: (i) rapid pace, (ii) tropical slow pace, (iii) novel elevational pace, or (iv) constrained pace. Recent studies reveal that birds breeding at high elevations in temperate zones exhibit a combination of traits creating a unique elevational pace of life with a central trade-off similar to a slow pace but physiological trade-offs more similar to a fast pace. A paucity of studies prevents consideration of the possibility of a constrained pace of life. We propose extending the POLS framework to include trait variation of elevational clines to help to investigate complexity in global geographic patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine M Hille
- Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Science, Gregor Mendel-Strasse 33, A-1180, Vienna, Austria
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19
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La Sorte FA, Fink D, Hochachka WM, DeLong JP, Kelling S. Population-level scaling of avian migration speed with body size and migration distance for powered fliers. Ecology 2013; 94:1839-47. [DOI: 10.1890/12-1768.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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20
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Galván I, Møller AP. Pheomelanin-Based Plumage Coloration Predicts Survival Rates in Birds. Physiol Biochem Zool 2013; 86:184-92. [DOI: 10.1086/668871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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21
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Balbontín J, Møller AP, Hermosell IG, Marzal A, Reviriego M, de Lope F. Geographical variation in reproductive ageing patterns and life-history strategy of a short-lived passerine bird. J Evol Biol 2012; 25:2298-309. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2012.02606.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2011] [Revised: 08/01/2012] [Accepted: 08/02/2012] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. Balbontín
- Departamento de Zoología; Facultad de Biología, Avda. Reina Mercedes s/n, Edificio Verde; Sevilla; E-41012 Spain
| | - A. P. Møller
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution; CNRS UMR 8079; Université Paris-Sud; Orsay Cedex; France
| | - I. G. Hermosell
- Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología; Universidad de Extremadura; Avda. Elvas s/n, Badajoz; E-06071 Spain
| | - A. Marzal
- Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología; Universidad de Extremadura; Avda. Elvas s/n, Badajoz; E-06071 Spain
| | - M. Reviriego
- Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología; Universidad de Extremadura; Avda. Elvas s/n, Badajoz; E-06071 Spain
| | - F. de Lope
- Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología; Universidad de Extremadura; Avda. Elvas s/n, Badajoz; E-06071 Spain
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22
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Untested assumptions about within-species sample size and missing data in interspecific studies. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-012-1370-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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23
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Galván I, Erritzøe J, Karadaş F, Møller AP. High levels of liver antioxidants are associated with life-history strategies characteristic of slow growth and high survival rates in birds. J Comp Physiol B 2012; 182:947-59. [DOI: 10.1007/s00360-012-0671-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2011] [Revised: 04/14/2012] [Accepted: 04/21/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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24
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ZHANG LIXIA, LU XIN. Amphibians live longer at higher altitudes but not at higher latitudes. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2012.01876.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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25
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CARROLL JUSTIN, KORSHIKOV ELENA, SHERRATT THOMASN. Post-reproductive senescence in moths as a consequence of kin selection: Blest's theory revisited. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2011.01736.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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26
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Galván I, Sanz JJ. Mate-feeding has evolved as a compensatory energetic strategy that affects breeding success in birds. Behav Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arr094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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27
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Abstract
Migration can take place primarily during the day or at night, or during both depending on the species. Why the timing of migration varies among species has been the object of much research but the underlying ecological processes are still unclear. Proximally, migration timing may be influenced by the timing of other activities or may be more prevalent in species that migrate over long distances. Adaptive scenarios emphasize the reduction in flight costs at night especially in smaller species and the advantages of travelling in groups during the day to locate staging sites more efficiently. I used phylogenetic independent contrasts to examine these hypotheses in all North American nesting birds. I uncovered 24 evolutionary transitions in migration timing, most of which involved a switch from nocturnal to diurnal migration. Few of these transitions involved a concomitant change in the timing of foraging habits or migration distance. However, species in diurnal clades were larger, travelled in larger flocks and were generally more sociable than their nocturnal counterparts. The results support the hypotheses that a reduction in flight costs and the ability to pool information from companions are associated with migration timing in North American bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Beauchamp
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada.
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28
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Abstract
How individuals migrate over long distances is an enduring mystery of animal migration. Strong selection pressure for travelling in groups has been suggested in long-distance migrating species. Travelling in groups can reduce the energetic demands of long migration, increase navigational accuracy and favour group foraging at migratory halts. Nevertheless, this hypothesis has received scant attention. I examined evolutionary transitions in migration distance in all North American breeding species of birds. I documented 72 evolutionary shifts in migration distance in the pool of 409 species. In contrasting clades, long-distance migration, as opposed to short-distance migration, was associated with a larger travelling group size. No other transitions occurred alongside in other traits such as group size in the non-breeding season or body mass. The results suggest that larger group sizes have been beneficial in the evolution of long-distance migration in a large clade of birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy Beauchamp
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, PO Box 5000, St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada.
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29
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Rapid Evolution of Lifespan in a Novel Environment: Sex-Specific Responses and Underlying Genetic Architecture. Evol Biol 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s11692-011-9116-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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30
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Abstract
Eumelanin and pheomelanin are the most common vertebrate pigments. They generate different colours and are synthesized under different physiological conditions. While pheomelanogenesis requires high levels of a key intracellular antioxidant (glutathione, GSH), eumelanogenesis is inhibited by GSH. This implies that species that present the molecular basis to produce large amounts of pheomelanin might be more limited to perform other costly processes that generate oxidative stress than species that produce eumelanin. Brain development requires large amounts of energy and antioxidants during ontogeny, so that large-brained species may be constrained in their simultaneous synthesis of large amounts of pheomelanin, but not in their synthesis of eumelanin. Here, we tested this hypothesis in a large dataset of 323 bird species. After controlling for the effects of phylogeny, latitude and sexual dichromatism, the proportion of pheomelanic plumage colour was strongly negatively related to the relative brain mass of species, whereas no relationship was found for the proportion of eumelanic colour. This indicates that the production of pheomelanin is a costly process that cannot evolve together with complex neural structures and thus with large cognitive capacity. This is the first time that the expression of melanic traits is found to correlate with another phenotypic character across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Galván
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana/CSIC, Seville, Spain.
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31
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Galván I, Mousseau TA, Møller AP. Bird population declines due to radiation exposure at Chernobyl are stronger in species with pheomelanin-based coloration. Oecologia 2010; 165:827-35. [PMID: 21136083 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-010-1860-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2010] [Accepted: 11/15/2010] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Eumelanin and pheomelanin are the most common pigments providing color to the integument of vertebrates. While pheomelanogenesis requires high levels of a key intracellular antioxidant (glutathione, GSH), eumelanogenesis is inhibited by GSH. This implies that species that possess the molecular basis to produce large amounts of pheomelanin might be more limited in coping with environmental conditions that generate oxidative stress than species that produce eumelanin. Exposure to ionizing radiation produces free radicals and depletes antioxidant resources. GSH is particularly susceptible to radiation, so that species with large proportions of pheomelanic integument may be limited by the availability of GSH to combat oxidative stress and may thus suffer more from radiation effects. We tested this hypothesis in 97 species of birds censused in areas with varying levels of radioactive contamination around Chernobyl. After controlling for the effects of carotenoid-based color, body mass and similarity among taxa due to common phylogenetic descent, the proportion of pheomelanic plumage was strongly negatively related to the slope estimates of the relationship between abundance and radiation levels, while no effect of eumelanic color proportion was found. This represents the first report of an effect of the expression of melanin-based coloration on the capacity to resist the effects of ionizing radiation. Population declines were also stronger in species that exhibit carotenoid-based coloration and have large body mass. The magnitude of population declines had a relatively high phylogenetic signal, indicating that certain groups of birds, especially non-corvid passeriforms, are particularly susceptible to suffer from the effects of radioactive contamination due to phylogenetic inertia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismael Galván
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estación Biológica De Doñana, CSIC, 41092 Sevilla, Spain.
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32
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Tökölyi J, Barta Z. Breeding phenology determines evolutionary transitions in migratory behaviour in finches and allies. OIKOS 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2010.18592.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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33
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Duyck PF, Kouloussis NA, Papadopoulos NT, Quilici S, Wang JL, Jiang CR, Müller HG, Carey JR. Lifespan of a Ceratitis fruit fly increases with higher altitude. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2010; 101:345-350. [PMID: 21057666 DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2010.01497.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Variation in lifespan may be linked to geographic factors. While latitudinal variation in lifespan has been studied for a number of species, altitude variation has received much less attention, particularly in insects. We measured the lifespan of different populations of the Natal fruit fly Ceratitis rosa along an altitudinal cline. For the different populations we first measured the residual longevity of wild flies by captive cohort approach and compared F(1) generation from the same populations. We showed an increase in lifespan with higher altitude for a part of our data. For the field collected flies (F0) the average remaining lifespan increased monotonically with altitude for males but not for females. For the F(1) generation, longevity of both males and females of the highest-altitude population was longer than for the two other lower-altitude populations. This relationship between altitude and lifespan may be explained by the effects of temperature on reproduction. Reproductive schedules in insects are linked to temperature: lower temperature, characteristic of high-altitude sites, generally slows down reproduction. Because of a strong trade-off between reproduction and longevity, we therefore observed a longer lifespan for the high- altitude populations. Other hypotheses such as different predation rates in the different sites are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre-François Duyck
- CIRAD, UPR 26, PRAM - BP 214 - 97285 Lamentin Cedex 2 - Martinique, French West Indies, France
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Møller AP. Up, up, and away: relative importance of horizontal and vertical escape from predators for survival and senescence. J Evol Biol 2010; 23:1689-98. [PMID: 20561137 DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2010.02034.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Animals fleeing a potential predator can escape horizontally or vertically, although vertical flight is more expensive than horizontal flight. The ability to escape in three dimensions by flying animals has been hypothesized to result in greater survival and eventually slower senescence than in animals only fleeing in two dimensions. In a comparative study of flight initiation distance in 69 species of birds when approached by a human, I found that the amount of variance explained by flight initiation distance was more than four times as large for the horizontal than the vertical component of perch height when taking flight. The slope of the relationship between horizontal distance and flight initiation distance (horizontal slope) increased with increasing body mass across species, whereas the slope of the relationship between vertical distance and flight initiation distance (vertical slope) decreased with increasing body mass. Therefore, there was a negative relationship between horizontal and vertical slope, although this negative relationship was significantly less steep than expected for a perfect trade-off. The horizontal slope decreased with increasing density of the habitat from grassland over shrub to forest, whereas that was not the case for the vertical slope. Adult survival rate increased and rate of senescence (longevity adjusted for survival rate, body mass and sampling effort) decreased with increasing vertical, but not with horizontal slope, consistent with the prediction that vertical escape indeed provides a means of reducing the impact of predation.
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Affiliation(s)
- A P Møller
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution, CNRS UMR 8079, Université Paris-Sud, Orsay Cedex, France.
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35
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Abstract
Many mammals have brains substantially larger than expected for their body size, but the reasons for this remain ambiguous. Enlarged brains are metabolically expensive and require elongated developmental periods, and so natural selection should have favoured their evolution only if they provide counterbalancing advantages. One possible advantage is facilitating the construction of behavioural responses to unusual, novel or complex socio-ecological challenges. This buffer effect should increase survival rates and favour a longer reproductive life, thereby compensating for the costs of delayed reproduction. Here, using a global database of 493 species, we provide evidence showing that mammals with enlarged brains (relative to their body size) live longer and have a longer reproductive lifespan. Our analysis supports and extends previous findings, accounting for the possible confounding effects of other life history traits, ecological and dietary factors, and phylogenetic autocorrelation. Thus, these findings provide support for the hypothesis that mammals counterbalance the costs of affording large brains with a longer reproductive life.
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Affiliation(s)
- C González-Lagos
- CREAF (Centre for Ecological Research and Applied Forestries), Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain.
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36
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Wasser DE, Sherman PW. Avian longevities and their interpretation under evolutionary theories of senescence. J Zool (1987) 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2009.00671.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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37
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Durand B, Balança G, Baldet T, Chevalier V. A metapopulation model to simulate West Nile virus circulation in Western Africa, Southern Europe and the Mediterranean basin. Vet Res 2010; 41:32. [PMID: 20167194 PMCID: PMC2826092 DOI: 10.1051/vetres/2010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2009] [Accepted: 01/13/2010] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In Europe, virological and epidemiological data collected in wild birds and horses suggest that a recurrent circulation of West Nile virus (WNV) could exist in some areas. Whether this circulation is permanent (due to overwintering mechanisms) or not remains unknown. The current conception of WNV epidemiology suggests that it is not: this conception combines an enzootic WNV circulation in tropical Africa with seasonal introductions of the virus in Europe by migratory birds. The objectives of this work were to (i) model this conception of WNV global circulation; and (ii) evaluate whether the model could reproduce data and patterns observed in Europe and Africa in vectors, horses, and birds. The model was calibrated using published seroprevalence data obtained from African (Senegal) and European (Spain) wild birds, and validated using independent, published data: seroprevalence rates in migratory and resident wild birds, minimal infection rates in vectors, as well as seroprevalence and incidence rates in horses. According to this model, overwintering mechanisms are not needed to reproduce the observed data. However, the existence of such mechanisms cannot be ruled out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoit Durand
- Afssa LERPAZ, 23 Avenue du Général de Gaulle, 94706 Maisons-Alfort Cedex, France.
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38
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Munshi-South J, Wilkinson GS. Bats and birds: Exceptional longevity despite high metabolic rates. Ageing Res Rev 2010; 9:12-9. [PMID: 19643206 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2009.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2009] [Revised: 07/20/2009] [Accepted: 07/21/2009] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Bats and birds live substantially longer on average than non-flying mammals of similar body size. The combination of small body size, high metabolic rates, and long lifespan in bats and birds would not seem to support oxidative theories of ageing that view senescence as the gradual accumulation of damage from metabolic byproducts. However, large-scale comparative analyses and laboratory studies on a few emerging model species have identified multiple mechanisms for resisting oxidative damage to mitochondrial DNA and cellular structures in both bats and birds. Here we review these recent findings, and suggest areas in which additional progress on ageing mechanisms can be made using bats and birds as novel systems. New techniques for determining the age of free-living, wild individuals, and robustly supported molecular phylogenies, are under development and will improve the efforts of comparative biologists to identify ecological and evolutionary factors promoting long lifespan. In the laboratory, greater development of emerging laboratory models and comparative functional genomic approaches will be needed to identify the molecular pathways of longevity extension in birds and bats.
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Abstract
Group-foraging is common in many animal taxa and is thought to offer protection against predators and greater foraging efficiency. Such benefits may have driven evolutionary transitions from solitary to group-foraging. Greater protection against predators and greater access to resources should reduce extrinsic sources of mortality and thus select for higher longevity according to life-history theory. I assessed the association between group-foraging and longevity in a sample of 421 North American birds. Taking into account known correlates of longevity, such as age at first reproduction and body mass, foraging group size was not correlated with maximum longevity, with and without phylogenetic correction. However, longevity increased with body mass in non-passerine birds. The results suggest that the hypothesized changes in predation risk with group size may not correlate with mortality rate in foraging birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy Beauchamp
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, PO Box 5000, St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada , J2S 7C6.
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40
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41
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Galván I, Møller AP. Different roles of natural and sexual selection on senescence of plumage colour in the barn swallow. Funct Ecol 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2008.01504.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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42
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Boyle WA. Partial migration in birds: tests of three hypotheses in a tropical lekking frugivore. J Anim Ecol 2008; 77:1122-8. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2008.01451.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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43
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McNamara J, Barta Z, Wikelski M, Houston A. A Theoretical Investigation of the Effect of Latitude on Avian Life Histories. Am Nat 2008; 172:331-45. [DOI: 10.1086/589886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Blumstein DT, Møller AP. Is sociality associated with high longevity in North American birds? Biol Lett 2008; 4:146-8. [PMID: 18182364 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2007.0606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sociality, as a life-history trait, should be associated with high longevity because complex sociality is characterized by reproductive suppression, delayed breeding, increased care and survival, and some of these traits select for high longevity. We studied the relationship between cooperative parental care (a proxy of complex sociality) and relative maximum lifespan in 257 North American bird species. After controlling for variation in maximum lifespan explained by body mass, sampling effort, latitude, mortality rate, migration distance and age at first reproduction, we found no significant effect of cooperative care on longevity in analyses of species-specific data or phylogenetically independent standardized linear contrasts. Thus, sociality itself is not associated with high longevity. Rather, longevity is correlated with increased body size, survival rate and age of first reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- D T Blumstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 621 Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA.
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45
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Abstract
Metabolism is a defining feature of all living organisms, with the metabolic process resulting in the production of free radicals that can cause permanent damage to DNA and other molecules. Surprisingly, birds, bats and other organisms with high metabolic rates have some of the slowest rates of senescence begging the question whether species with high metabolic rates also have evolved mechanisms to cope with damage induced by metabolism. To test whether species with the highest metabolic rates also lived the longest I determined the relationship between relative longevity (maximum lifespan), after adjusting for annual adult survival rate, body mass and sampling effort, and mass-specific field metabolic rate (FMR) in 35 species of birds. There was a strongly positive relationship between relative longevity and FMR, consistent with the hypothesis. This conclusion was robust to statistical control for effects of potentially confounding variables such as age at first reproduction, latitude and migration distance, and similarity in phenotype among species because of common phylogenetic descent. Therefore, species of birds with high metabolic rates senesce more slowly than species with low metabolic rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- A P Møller
- CNRS, UMR 7103, Laboratoire de Parasitologie Evolutive, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France.
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Wiersma P, Muñoz-Garcia A, Walker A, Williams JB. Tropical birds have a slow pace of life. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2007; 104:9340-5. [PMID: 17517640 PMCID: PMC1890496 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0702212104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 283] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2007] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tropical birds are relatively long-lived and produce few offspring, which develop slowly and mature relatively late in life, the slow end of the life-history axis, whereas temperate birds lie at the opposite end of this continuum. We tested the hypothesis that tropical birds have evolved a reduced basal metabolic rate (BMR). We measured BMR of 69 species of tropical birds, the largest data set amassed on metabolic rates of tropical birds, and compared these measurements with 59 estimates of BMR for temperate birds. Our analyses included conventional least squares regression, regressions based on phylogenetic independent contrasts, and a comparison of BMR of 13 phylogenetically matched pairs, one species from the tropics and one from northerly temperate areas. Our triptych showed that tropical birds had a reduced BMR, compelling evidence for a connection between the life history of tropical birds and a slow pace of life. Further, tropical migrants breeding in temperate habitats had a lower BMR than did temperate residents, suggesting that these migrants have physiological traits consistent with a slow pace of life. In addition, we determined that tropical birds had a lower cold-induced peak metabolic rate and thermogenic metabolic scope than temperate species, a finding that is consistent with the hypothesis that their environment has not selected for high levels of thermogenesis, or alternatively, that a slow pace of life may be incompatible with high thermogenic capacity. We conclude that physiological function correlates with the suite of life-history traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Popko Wiersma
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, Ohio State University, 290 Aronoff Laboratory, 318 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Agustí Muñoz-Garcia
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, Ohio State University, 290 Aronoff Laboratory, 318 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Amy Walker
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, Ohio State University, 290 Aronoff Laboratory, 318 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Joseph B. Williams
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, Ohio State University, 290 Aronoff Laboratory, 318 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210
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