1
|
Scholz C, Jarquín-Díaz VH, Planillo A, Radchuk V, Scherer C, Schulze C, Ortmann S, Kramer-Schadt S, Heitlinger E. Host weight, seasonality and anthropogenic factors contribute to parasite community differences between urban and rural foxes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 936:173355. [PMID: 38796016 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
Pathogens often occur at different prevalence along environmental gradients. This is of particular importance for gradients of anthropogenic impact such as rural-urban transitions presenting a changing interface between humans and wildlife. The assembly of parasite communities is affected by both the external environmental conditions and individual host characteristics. Hosts with low body weight (smaller individuals or animals with poor body condition) might be more susceptible to infection. Furthermore, parasites' mode of transmission might affect their occurrence: rural environments with better availability of intermediate hosts might favour trophic transmission, while urban environments, typically with dense definitive host populations, might favour direct transmission. We here study helminth communities (141 intestinal samples) within the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), a synanthropic host, using DNA metabarcoding of multiple marker genes. We analysed the effect of urbanisation, seasonality and host-intrinsic (weight, sex) variables on helminth communities. Helminth species richness increased in foxes with lower body weight and in winter and spring. Season and urbanisation, however, had strong effects on the community composition, i.e., on the identity of the detected species. Surprisingly, transmission in two-host life cycles (trophic transmission) was more pronounced in urban Berlin than in rural Brandenburg. This disagrees with the prevailing hypothesis that trophically transmitted helminths are less prevalent in urban areas than in rural areas. Generally, co-infestations with multiple helminths and high infection intensity are associated with lighter (younger, smaller or low body condition) animals. Both host-intrinsic traits and environmental drivers together shape parasite community composition and turnover along urban-rural gradients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Scholz
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V., Berlin, Germany
| | - Víctor Hugo Jarquín-Díaz
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V., Berlin, Germany; Department of Molecular Parasitology, Institute for Biology, Humboldt University Berlin (HU), Berlin, Germany; Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany; Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Aimara Planillo
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V., Berlin, Germany; Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Viktoriia Radchuk
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V., Berlin, Germany
| | - Cédric Scherer
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V., Berlin, Germany
| | - Christoph Schulze
- Berlin-Brandenburg State Laboratory (LLBB), Frankfurt (Oder), Germany
| | - Sylvia Ortmann
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V., Berlin, Germany
| | - Stephanie Kramer-Schadt
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V., Berlin, Germany; Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany; Institute of Ecology, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany
| | - Emanuel Heitlinger
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V., Berlin, Germany; Department of Molecular Parasitology, Institute for Biology, Humboldt University Berlin (HU), Berlin, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Balčiauskas L, Balčiauskienė L. Insight into Body Condition Variability in Small Mammals. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1686. [PMID: 38891733 PMCID: PMC11171198 DOI: 10.3390/ani14111686] [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: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The body condition index (BCI) is an indicator of both reproductive success and health in small mammals and might help to understand ecological roles of species. We analyzed BCI data from 28,567 individuals trapped in Lithuania between 1980 and 2023. We compared BCIs between species and examined differences in age groups, gender, and reproductive statuses within each species. Seven out of eighteen species had sample sizes with N < 100. In terms of species, we found that seven of the eight species with the highest average BCIs are granivores or omnivores, which can consume animal-based food at least seasonally. The two contrasting (decreasing or increasing) BCI patterns observed during ontogeny can be related to diet differences among juveniles, subadults, and adult animals. Our results demonstrate that reproductive stress has a negative impact on the BCI of adult females in all analyzed species and nearly all adult males. Although the animals with extremely low BCI consisted mostly of shrews, for the first time we found 23 common and pygmy shrews exhibiting the Chitty effect, i.e., a very high body mass resulting in a BCI > 5.0. This is the first multi-species approach of body condition at middle latitudes. The results increase our understanding of how changing environmental conditions are affecting small mammals.
Collapse
|
3
|
Reda GK, Ndunguru SF, Csernus B, Lugata JK, Knop R, Szabó C, Czeglédi L, Lendvai ÁZ. Sex-specific effects of dietary restriction on physiological variables in Japanese quails. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11405. [PMID: 38799393 PMCID: PMC11116846 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Nutritional limitation is a common phenomenon in nature that leads to trade-offs among processes competing for limited resources. These trade-offs are mediated by changes in physiological traits such as growth factors and circulating lipids. However, studies addressing the sex-specific effect of nutritional deficiency on these physiological variables are limited in birds. We used dietary restriction to mimic the depletion of resources to various degrees and investigated sex-specific effects on circulating levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and triglycerides in Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) subjected to ad libitum, 20%, 30% or 40% restriction of their daily requirement, for 2 weeks. We also explored the association of both physiological variables with body mass and egg production. While dietary restriction showed no effects on circulating IGF-1, this hormone exhibited a marked sexual difference, with females having 64.7% higher IGF-1 levels than males. Dietary restriction significantly reduced plasma triglyceride levels in both sexes. Females showed more than six-fold higher triglyceride levels than males. Triglyceride levels were positively associated with body mass in females while showed not association in males. Overall, our findings revealed sex-specific expression of physiological variables under dietary restriction conditions, which coincide with body size.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gebrehaweria K. Reda
- Department of Animal Science, Institute of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental ManagementUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
- Doctoral School of Animal ScienceUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, Faculty of Life ScienceUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
| | - Sawadi F. Ndunguru
- Department of Animal Science, Institute of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental ManagementUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
- Doctoral School of Animal ScienceUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, Faculty of Life ScienceUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
| | - Brigitta Csernus
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, Faculty of Life ScienceUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
| | - James K. Lugata
- Doctoral School of Animal ScienceUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences and Environmental ManagementUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
| | - Renáta Knop
- Department of Animal Science, Institute of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental ManagementUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
| | - Csaba Szabó
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences and Environmental ManagementUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
| | - Levente Czeglédi
- Department of Animal Science, Institute of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental ManagementUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
| | - Ádám Z. Lendvai
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, Faculty of Life ScienceUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Crino OL, Head ML, Jennions MD, Noble DWA. Mitochondrial function and sexual selection: can physiology resolve the 'lek paradox'? J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb245569. [PMID: 38206324 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245569] [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] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Across many taxa, males use elaborate ornaments or complex displays to attract potential mates. Such sexually selected traits are thought to signal important aspects of male 'quality'. Female mating preferences based on sexual traits are thought to have evolved because choosy females gain direct benefits that enhance their lifetime reproductive success (e.g. greater access to food) and/or indirect benefits because high-quality males contribute genes that increase offspring fitness. However, it is difficult to explain the persistence of female preferences when males only provide genetic benefits, because female preferences should erode the heritable genetic variation in fitness that sexually selected traits signal. This 'paradox of the lek' has puzzled evolutionary biologists for decades, and inspired many hypotheses to explain how heritable variation in sexually selected traits is maintained. Here, we discuss how factors that affect mitochondrial function can maintain variation in sexually selected traits despite strong female preferences. We discuss how mitochondrial function can influence the expression of sexually selected traits, and we describe empirical studies that link the expression of sexually selected traits to mitochondrial function. We explain how mothers can affect mitochondrial function in their offspring by (a) influencing their developmental environment through maternal effects and (b) choosing a mate to increase the compatibility of mitochondrial and nuclear genes (i.e. the 'mitonuclear compatibility model of sexual selection'). Finally, we discuss how incorporating mitochondrial function into models of sexual selection might help to resolve the paradox of the lek, and we suggest avenues for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ondi L Crino
- School of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Megan L Head
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Michael D Jennions
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
- Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), Wallenberg Centre, 10 Marais Street, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
| | - Daniel W A Noble
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Mott R, Prowse TAA, Jackson MV, Rogers DJ, O'Connor JA, Brookes JD, Cassey P. Measuring habitat quality for waterbirds: A review. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9905. [PMID: 37038530 PMCID: PMC10082184 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Quantifying habitat quality is dependent on measuring a site's relative contribution to population growth rate. This is challenging for studies of waterbirds, whose high mobility can decouple demographic rates from local habitat conditions and make sustained monitoring of individuals near-impossible. To overcome these challenges, biologists have used many direct and indirect proxies of waterbird habitat quality. However, consensus on what methods are most appropriate for a given scenario is lacking. We undertook a structured literature review of the methods used to quantify waterbird habitat quality, and provide a synthesis of the context-dependent strengths and limitations of those methods. Our search of the Web of Science and Scopus databases returned a sample of 666 studies, upon which our review was based. The reviewed studies assessed habitat quality by either measuring habitat attributes (e.g., food abundance, water quality, vegetation structure), or measuring attributes of the waterbirds themselves (e.g., demographic parameters, body condition, behavior, distribution). Measuring habitat attributes, although they are only indirectly related to demographic rates, has the advantage of being unaffected by waterbird behavioral stochasticity. Conversely, waterbird-derived measures (e.g., body condition, peck rates) may be more directly related to demographic rates than habitat variables, but may be subject to greater stochastic variation (e.g., behavioral change due to presence of conspecifics). Therefore, caution is needed to ensure that the measured variable does influence waterbird demographic rates. This assumption was usually based on ecological theory rather than empirical evidence. Our review highlighted that there is no single best, universally applicable method to quantify waterbird habitat quality. Individual project specifics (e.g., time frame, spatial scale, funding) will influence the choice of variables measured. Where possible, practitioners should measure variables most directly related to demographic rates. Generally, measuring multiple variables yields a better chance of accurately capturing the relationship between habitat characteristics and demographic rates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rowan Mott
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of AdelaideAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Thomas A. A. Prowse
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of AdelaideAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Micha V. Jackson
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of AdelaideAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Daniel J. Rogers
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of AdelaideAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
- Department for Environment and WaterAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Jody A. O'Connor
- Department for Environment and WaterAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Justin D. Brookes
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of AdelaideAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Phillip Cassey
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of AdelaideAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Winkler L, Janicke T. Diet quality impairs male and female reproductive performance and affects the opportunity for selection in an insect model. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9533. [DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Tim Janicke
- Applied Zoology TU Dresden Dresden Germany
- Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive CNRS, Univ Montpellier, EPHE, IRD Montpellier Cedex 05 France
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Brown TJ, Dugdale HL, Hammers M, Komdeur J, Richardson DS. Seychelles warblers with silver spoons: Juvenile body mass is a lifelong predictor of annual survival, but not annual reproduction or senescence. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9049. [PMID: 35813920 PMCID: PMC9251861 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The environment experienced during development, and its impact on intrinsic condition, can have lasting outcomes for individual phenotypes and could contribute to variation in adult senescence trajectories. However, the nature of this relationship in wild populations remains uncertain, owing to the difficulties in summarizing natal conditions and in long‐term monitoring of individuals from free‐roaming long‐lived species. Utilizing a closely monitored, closed population of Seychelles warblers (Acrocephalus sechellensis), we determine whether juvenile body mass is associated with natal socioenvironmental factors, specific genetic traits linked to fitness in this system, survival to adulthood, and senescence‐related traits. Juveniles born in seasons with higher food availability and into smaller natal groups (i.e., fewer competitors) were heavier. In contrast, there were no associations between juvenile body mass and genetic traits. Furthermore, size‐corrected mass—but not separate measures of natal food availability, group size, or genetic traits—was positively associated with survival to adulthood, suggesting juvenile body mass is indicative of natal condition. Heavier juveniles had greater body mass and had higher rates of annual survival as adults, independent of age. In contrast, there was no association between juvenile mass and adult telomere length attrition (a measure of somatic stress) nor annual reproduction. These results indicate that juvenile body mass, while not associated with senescence trajectories, can influence the likelihood of surviving to old age, potentially due to silver‐spoon effects. This study shows that measures of intrinsic condition in juveniles can provide important insights into the long‐term fitness of individuals in wild populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J. Brown
- School of Biological Sciences University of East Anglia Norwich UK
| | - Hannah L. Dugdale
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Martijn Hammers
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - David S. Richardson
- School of Biological Sciences University of East Anglia Norwich UK
- Nature Seychelles Victoria, Mahé Seychelles
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
van de Crommenacker J, Hammers M, Dugdale HL, Burke TA, Komdeur J, Richardson DS. Early‐life conditions impact juvenile telomere length, but do not predict later life‐history strategies or fitness in a wild vertebrate. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8971. [PMID: 35784039 PMCID: PMC9207752 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Janske van de Crommenacker
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Martijn Hammers
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Hannah L. Dugdale
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
- Faculty of Biological Sciences School of Biology University of Leeds Leeds UK
| | - Terry A. Burke
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - David S. Richardson
- School of Biological Sciences University of East Anglia Norfolk UK
- Nature Seychelles Roche Caiman Mahé Seychelles
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Packer M, Lambert DM. What’s Gender Got to Do With It? Dismantling the Human Hierarchies in Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Toxicology for Scientific and Social Progress. Am Nat 2022; 200:114-128. [DOI: 10.1086/720131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
|
10
|
Thompson CF, Hodges KE, Mortimer NT, Vrailas-Mortimer AD, Sakaluk SK, Hauber ME. Avian eggshell coloration predicts shell-matrix protoporphyrin content. CAN J ZOOL 2022; 100:77-81. [PMID: 35185156 PMCID: PMC8855982 DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2021-0134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Avian eggshell pigmentation may provide information about a female's physiological condition, in particular her state of oxidative balance. Previously we found that female house wrens (Troglodytes aedon Vieillot, 1809) with lighter, less-maculated, and redder ground-colored shells were older and produced heavier offspring than females laying darker, browner eggs. The strong pro-oxidant protoporphyrin is responsible for this species' eggshell pigmentation, so differences in pigmentary coloration may be related to eggshell protoporphyrin content and reflect female oxidative balance and condition during egg-formation. Therefore, we tested the assumption that egg-surface coloration is related to the amount of protoporphyrin in the shell matrix. We analyzed digital photographs of eggs to determine maculation coverage as a measure of the overall ground coloration of the egg and its red-, green-, and blue-channel pixel values. Pigments were then extracted from these same eggs and analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. There was a strong, positive relationship between eggshell redness and protoporphyrin content of eggshells, but no relationship between percent maculation and protoporphyrin content. Thus, when older, larger females deposit more protoporphyrin in their eggshells, this may reflect a tolerance for high levels of circulating protoporphyrin or an effective mechanism for off-loading protoporphyrin into the eggshell matrix.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charles F Thompson
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA
| | - Kara E Hodges
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA
| | - Nathan T Mortimer
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Scott K Sakaluk
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA
| | - Mark E Hauber
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Leimberger KG, Dalsgaard B, Tobias JA, Wolf C, Betts MG. The evolution, ecology, and conservation of hummingbirds and their interactions with flowering plants. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:923-959. [PMID: 35029017 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The ecological co-dependency between plants and hummingbirds is a classic example of a mutualistic interaction: hummingbirds rely on floral nectar to fuel their rapid metabolisms, and more than 7000 plant species rely on hummingbirds for pollination. However, threats to hummingbirds are mounting, with 10% of 366 species considered globally threatened and 60% in decline. Despite the important ecological implications of these population declines, no recent review has examined plant-hummingbird interactions in the wider context of their evolution, ecology, and conservation. To provide this overview, we (i) assess the extent to which plants and hummingbirds have coevolved over millions of years, (ii) examine the mechanisms underlying plant-hummingbird interaction frequencies and hummingbird specialization, (iii) explore the factors driving the decline of hummingbird populations, and (iv) map out directions for future research and conservation. We find that, despite close associations between plants and hummingbirds, acquiring evidence for coevolution (versus one-sided adaptation) is difficult because data on fitness outcomes for both partners are required. Thus, linking plant-hummingbird interactions to plant reproduction is not only a major avenue for future coevolutionary work, but also for studies of interaction networks, which rarely incorporate pollinator effectiveness. Nevertheless, over the past decade, a growing body of literature on plant-hummingbird networks suggests that hummingbirds form relationships with plants primarily based on overlapping phenologies and trait-matching between bill length and flower length. On the other hand, species-level specialization appears to depend primarily on local community context, such as hummingbird abundance and nectar availability. Finally, although hummingbirds are commonly viewed as resilient opportunists that thrive in brushy habitats, we find that range size and forest dependency are key predictors of hummingbird extinction risk. A critical direction for future research is to examine how potential stressors - such as habitat loss and fragmentation, climate change, and introduction of non-native plants - may interact to affect hummingbirds and the plants they pollinate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kara G Leimberger
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, 3100 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, U.S.A
| | - Bo Dalsgaard
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, Copenhagen Ø, 2100, Denmark
| | - Joseph A Tobias
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, U.K
| | - Christopher Wolf
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, 3100 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, U.S.A
| | - Matthew G Betts
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, 3100 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, U.S.A
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Parental favoritism in a wild bird population. Anim Cogn 2021; 24:677-687. [PMID: 33398622 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01463-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
In most taxa with altricial young, offspring solicit food from their parents using a combination of visual and acoustic stimuli, but exactly what these young are communicating, and how selection shapes parental responses, remains unresolved. Theory posits that parents' interpretation and response to begging should vary with the likelihood of a return on their investment. We tested this in a wild population of prothonotary warblers (Protonotaria citrea), predicting that parents bias food non-randomly toward certain individuals within their broods depending on both the size and number of offspring. We observed parent-offspring interactions and detected strong dependence between brood size and nestling size in shaping parental responses to begging. Larger siblings were less likely to solicit food during feeding events than their smaller siblings, but they received a disproportionate share from parents in nests containing fewer-than-average young, whereas the smaller-than-average nestlings were disproportionately fed in broods containing a greater-than-average number of young. These findings suggest that parents respond to begging signals according to multiple social cues, favoring the stronger siblings with greater survival prospects when few copies of their genes are present, but overtly favoring runts to ensure whole-brood survival when capable of fledging more young. Future experimental studies may shed light on the contributions of parental decision-making and memory, how young nestlings learn in parent-offspring communication systems, and the adaptive significance of these behaviors.
Collapse
|
13
|
Protein metabolism and physical fitness are physiological determinants of body condition in Southern European carnivores. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15755. [PMID: 32978477 PMCID: PMC7519690 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72761-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The physiological significance of biometric body condition indices (bBCI) is poorly understood. We hypothesized that bBCI are composite metrics of nutritional physiology, physical fitness and health. To test this hypothesis, we first compared the performance of eight bBCI, using 434 Southern European carnivores from six species as a model system; and then identified, by non-destructive methods, the hematology and serum biochemistry correlates of three selected bBCI. Fulton’s K Index, Major Axis Regression Residuals and Scaled Mass Index were the only bBCI insensitive to the effect of sex and age. The most informative physiological parameters in explaining the variation of these bBCI were the albumin (Effect Size (ES) = − 1.66 to − 1.76), urea (ES = 1.61 to 1.85) and total bilirubin (ES = − 1.62 to − 1.79). Hemoglobin and globulins (positive) and cholesterol (negative) were moderately informative (0.9 <|ES|< 1.5). This study shows that most bBCI do not control for the effect of age and sex in Southern European carnivores. Our results support that bBCI are composite measures of physiologic processes, reflecting a positive gradient from protein-poor to protein-rich diets, accompanied by increased physical fitness. Biometric body condition indices allow the integration of ecologically relevant physiological aspects in an easily obtained metric.
Collapse
|
14
|
Rode KD, Atwood TC, Thiemann GW, St. Martin M, Wilson RR, Durner GM, Regehr EV, Talbot SL, Sage GK, Pagano AM, Simac KS. Identifying reliable indicators of fitness in polar bears. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0237444. [PMID: 32813753 PMCID: PMC7437918 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal structural body size and condition are often measured to evaluate individual health, identify responses to environmental change and food availability, and relate food availability to effects on reproduction and survival. A variety of condition metrics have been developed but relationships between these metrics and vital rates are rarely validated. Identifying an optimal approach to estimate the body condition of polar bears is needed to improve monitoring of their response to decline in sea ice habitat. Therefore, we examined relationships between several commonly used condition indices (CI), body mass, and size with female reproductive success and cub survival among polar bears (Ursus maritimus) measured in two subpopulations over three decades. To improve measurement and application of morphometrics and CIs, we also examined whether CIs are independent of age and structural size–an important assumption for monitoring temporal trends—and factors affecting measurement precision and accuracy. Maternal CIs and mass measured the fall prior to denning were related to cub production. Similarly, maternal CIs, mass, and length were related to the mass of cubs or yearlings that accompanied her. However, maternal body mass, but not CIs, measured in the spring was related to cub production and only maternal mass and length were related to the probability of cub survival. These results suggest that CIs may not be better indicators of fitness than body mass in part because CIs remove variation associated with body size that is important in affecting fitness. Further, CIs exhibited variable relationships with age for growing bears and were lower for longer bears despite body length being related to cub survival and female reproductive success. These results are consistent with findings from other species indicating that body mass is a useful metric to link environmental conditions and population dynamics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karyn D. Rode
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Todd C. Atwood
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | | | - Michelle St. Martin
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Ryan R. Wilson
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | - George M. Durner
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Eric V. Regehr
- University of Washington, Polar Science Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Sandra L. Talbot
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | - George K. Sage
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Anthony M. Pagano
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Kristin S. Simac
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Hodges KE, Mortimer NT, Vrailas-Mortimer AD, Sakaluk SK, Thompson CF. Connecting the dots: avian eggshell pigmentation, female condition and paternal provisioning effort. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020; 130:114-127. [PMID: 32394988 DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Differences in avian eggshell pigmentation could be an honest signal of female quality that males use to inform their nestling provisioning effort. We investigated whether among-individual variation in protoporphyrin-based eggshell pigmentation in house wrens (Troglodytes aedon) reflects female fitness-associated traits and whether males use that information. Females laying lighter clutches were older and larger than females laying darker clutches. Nestlings hatching from lighter clutches had greater size-corrected mass on post-hatch day 11, a measure that strongly predicts survival and recruitment to the breeding population. To test whether male provisioning effort responds to clutch pigmentation, we used a reciprocal clutch cross-fostering design, swapping dark with light clutches and light with dark; in controls, we swapped light with light clutches and dark with dark. Shortly before hatching, clutches were returned to their original nest to avoid confounding effects of nestling quality on male provisioning. Contrary to the sexual selection hypothesis, clutch pigmentation had no effect on male provisioning. Males were probably able to observe eggshell pigmentation and thus had information about female quality, but they did not use this information to modulate their nestling provisioning. This may be because of constraints on species-specific reproductive opportunities, or because variation in eggshell protoporphyrin serves other functions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kara E Hodges
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University,Normal,IL,USA
| | - Nathan T Mortimer
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University,Normal,IL,USA
| | | | - Scott K Sakaluk
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University,Normal,IL,USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Proactive common waxbills make fewer mistakes in a cognitive assay, the detour-reaching task. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-2809-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|
17
|
Gold S, Regan CE, McLoughlin PD, Gilleard JS, Wilson AJ, Poissant J. Quantitative genetics of gastrointestinal strongyle burden and associated body condition in feral horses. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2019; 9:104-111. [PMID: 31011533 PMCID: PMC6462499 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2019.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 02/16/2019] [Accepted: 03/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Variability in host resistance or tolerance to parasites is nearly ubiquitous, and is of key significance in understanding the evolutionary processes shaping host-parasite interactions. While ample research has been conducted on the genetics of parasite burden in livestock, relatively little has been done in free-living populations. Here, we investigate the sources of (co)variation in strongyle nematode faecal egg count (FEC) and body condition in Sable Island horses, a feral population in which parasite burden has previously been shown to negatively correlate with body condition. We used the quantitative genetic "animal model" to understand the sources of (co)variation in these traits, and tested for impacts of an important spatial gradient in habitat quality on the parameter estimates. Although FEC is significantly heritable (h 2 = 0.43 ± 0.11), there was no evidence for significant additive genetic variation in body condition (h 2 = 0.04 ± 0.07), and therefore there was also no significant genetic covariance between the two traits. The negative phenotypic covariance between these traits therefore does not derive principally from additive genetic effects. We also found that both FEC and body condition increase from east to west across the island, which indicates that the longitudinal environmental gradient is not responsible for the negative phenotypic association observed between these traits. There was also little evidence to suggest that quantitative genetic parameters were biased when an individual's location along the island's environmental gradient was not incorporated into the analysis. This research provides new and important insights into the genetic basis and adaptive potential of parasite resistance in free-living animals, and highlights the importance of environmental heterogeneity in modulating host-parasite interactions in wild vertebrate systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susannah Gold
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Charlotte E Regan
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - Philip D McLoughlin
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - John S Gilleard
- Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Alastair J Wilson
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Jocelyn Poissant
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Mueller AJ, Miller KD, Bowers EK. Nest microclimate during incubation affects posthatching development and parental care in wild birds. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5161. [PMID: 30914752 PMCID: PMC6435697 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41690-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
It is widely accepted that recent increases in environmental temperature have had a causal effect on changing life histories; however, much of the evidence for this is derived from long-term observations, whereas inferences of causation require experimentation. Here, we assess effects of increased environmental temperature during incubation on posthatching development, nestling begging and parental care, and reproductive success in two wild, cavity-nesting songbirds, the Carolina wren and prothonotary warbler. We heated experimental nests only during incubation, which increased nest-cavity temperature by ca. 1 °C. This reduced the length of the incubation and nestling periods, and reduced fledging success in prothonotary warblers, while nestling Carolina wrens had similar fledging success but reduced body condition in response to increased temperature. Increased nest-cavity temperature during incubation also reduced posthatching begging by nestlings generally and parental care within Carolina wrens specifically, suggesting potential mechanisms generating these carry-over effects. Offspring body mass and fledging age are often predictive of post-fledging survival and recruitment. Thus, our results suggest that increasing temperatures may affect fitness in wild populations in species-specific ways, and induce life-history changes including the classic trade-off parents face between the size and number of offspring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J Mueller
- Department of Biological Sciences and Edward J. Meeman Biological Station, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Kelly D Miller
- Department of Biological Sciences and Edward J. Meeman Biological Station, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - E Keith Bowers
- Department of Biological Sciences and Edward J. Meeman Biological Station, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Bowers EK, Jenkins JB, Mueller AJ, Miller KD, Thompson CF, Sakaluk SK. Condition-Dependent Begging Elicits Increased Parental Investment in a Wild Bird Population. Am Nat 2019; 193:725-737. [PMID: 31002567 DOI: 10.1086/702848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The coevolution of parental supply and offspring demand has long been thought to involve offspring need driving begging and parental care, leaving other hypotheses underexplored. In a population of wild birds, we experimentally tested whether begging serves as a negatively condition-dependent signal of need or a positively condition-dependent signal of quality. Across multiple years, we supplemented nestling house wrens with food shortly after hatching and simultaneously manipulated corticosterone levels to simulate the hunger-induced increase in glucocorticoids thought to mediate begging. This allowed us to also test whether begging is simply a proximate signal of hunger. Days after supplementation ended, food-supplemented nestlings were in better condition than nonsupplemented nestlings and begged for food at an increased rate; their parents, in turn, increased provisioning to a greater extent than parents of nonsupplemented young, as begging positively predicted provisioning. Food-supplemented nestlings therefore attained above-average condition, which predicted their recruitment as breeding adults in the local population. Glucocorticoids increased begging in the short term, but this transient effect depended on satiety. Thus, glucocorticoids promoted begging as a proximate response to hunger, whereas the longer-term changes in nestling condition, begging, and food provisioning suggest that begging ultimately signals offspring quality to elicit increased investment, thereby enhancing offspring survival.
Collapse
|
20
|
Muñoz-Saravia A, Callapa G, Janssens GPJ. Temperature exposure and possible thermoregulation strategies in the Titicaca water frog Telmatobius culeus, a fully aquatic frog of the High Andes. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2018. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
|
21
|
Weber BM, Bowers EK, Terrell KA, Falcone JF, Thompson CF, Sakaluk SK. Pre- and postnatal effects of experimentally manipulated maternal corticosterone on growth, stress reactivity and survival of nestling house wrens. Funct Ecol 2018; 32:1995-2007. [PMID: 30344358 PMCID: PMC6191837 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Corticosterone plays a central role in maintaining homeostasis, promoting energy acquisition, and regulating the stress response in birds. Exposure to elevated levels of corticosterone during development can profoundly alter offspring behaviour and physiology, but the effects of elevated maternal corticosterone on offspring development remain poorly understood.We tested two competing hypotheses concerning the effect of maternally derived corticosterone on growth and development of free-living house wrens: (i) elevated maternal corticosterone causes damaging effects on nestling phenotype and fitness (collateral damage hypothesis) and (ii) increased maternal corticosterone enhances offspring fitness by preparing nestlings for the environment experienced by their mother (environmental/maternal-matching hypothesis).We used a non-invasive means to increase maternal corticosterone by providing females with corticosterone-injected mealworms prior to and during egg production in the absence of any overt pre-natal maternal stress. To disentangle pre- and post-natal effects of this elevation in maternal corticosterone, we cross-fostered young in two experiments: (i) nestlings of control and experimental females were reared by unmanipulated, natural females in a uniform maternal environment; (ii) a split-brood design that enabled us to assess the interaction between the mother's corticosterone treatment and that of the nestlings.There were significant pre-natal effects of increased maternal corticosterone on nestling growth and survival. Offspring of females experiencing experimentally increased corticosterone were heavier and larger than offspring of control females. There also was a significant interaction between maternal corticosterone treatment and the corticosterone treatment to which young were exposed within the egg in their effect on nestling survival while in the nest; experimental young exhibited greater survival than control young, but only when reared by control mothers. There was also a significant effect of maternal corticosterone treatment on nestling stress reactivity and, in both experiments, on the eventual recruitment of offspring as breeding adults in the local population.These patterns are broadly consistent with the environmental/maternal-matching hypothesis, and highlight the importance of disentangling pre- and post-natal effects of manipulations of maternal hormone levels on offspring phenotype.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Beth M Weber
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution and Systematics Section, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, USA
| | - E Keith Bowers
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Kimberly A Terrell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
- Department of Research and Conservation, Memphis Zoo, Memphis, TN, USA
| | | | - Charles F Thompson
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution and Systematics Section, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, USA
| | - Scott K Sakaluk
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution and Systematics Section, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Wild KH, Gienger CM. Fire-disturbed landscapes induce phenotypic plasticity in lizard locomotor performance. J Zool (1987) 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K. H. Wild
- Department of Biology and Center of Excellence for Field Biology; Austin Peay State University; Clarksville TN USA
- Institute for Applied Ecology; University of Canberra; Canberra ACT Australia
| | - C. M. Gienger
- Department of Biology and Center of Excellence for Field Biology; Austin Peay State University; Clarksville TN USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Sisterson MS, Krugner R, Wallis CM, Stenger DC. Effects of Energy Reserves and Diet on Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter Egg Maturation. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2018; 111:159-169. [PMID: 29267936 DOI: 10.1093/jee/tox314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The glassy-winged sharpshooter is an invasive insect capable of transmitting the plant pathogen Xylella fastidiosa. As rates of pathogen spread are a function of vector abundance, identification of factors contributing to glassy-winged sharpshooter egg production will aid in predicting population growth. Here, effects of stored energy reserves and adult diet on glassy-winged sharpshooter egg maturation were evaluated. To estimate energy reserves available to adult females at the beginning of feeding assays, residuals from a regression of wet weight on size were used. Analysis of a subset of females sacrificed at the beginning of feeding assays, demonstrated that females with a positive residual wet weight had higher lipid content and carried more eggs than females with a negative residual wet weight. To evaluate effects of diet and energy reserves on egg maturation, energy reserves available to females entering feeding assays on cowpea and grapevine were estimated. For females held on cowpea, residual wet weight and quantity of excreta produced over a 6-d feeding period affected egg production. In contrast, for females held on grapevine, only residual wet weight affected egg production. Comparison of cowpea and grapevine xylem sap determined that eight amino acids were more concentrated in xylem sap from cowpea than from grapevine. Collectively, the results suggest that glassy-winged sharpshooter population growth within crop monocultures will not depend solely on the nutritional quality of the specific crop for producing mature eggs but also on the quantity of energy reserves accumulated by females prior to entering that crop habitat.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Rodrigo Krugner
- USDA, Agricultural Research Service, San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center, CA
| | - Christopher M Wallis
- USDA, Agricultural Research Service, San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center, CA
| | - Drake C Stenger
- USDA, Agricultural Research Service, San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center, CA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Ronget V, Garratt M, Lemaître JF, Gaillard JM. The 'Evo-Demo' Implications of Condition-Dependent Mortality. Trends Ecol Evol 2017; 32:909-921. [PMID: 29032843 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2017.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Revised: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Animals in the wild die from a variety of different mortality sources, including predation, disease, and starvation. Different mortality sources selectively remove individuals with different body condition in different ways, and this variation in the condition dependence of mortality has evolutionary and demographic implications. Subsequent population dynamics are influenced by the strength of condition-dependent mortality during specific periods, with population growth impacted in different ways in short- versus long-lived species. The evolution of lifespan is strongly influenced by condition-dependent mortality, with strikingly different outcomes expected in senescence rates when the relationship between condition and mortality is altered. A coupling of field and laboratory studies is now required to further reveal the evolutionary implications of condition-dependent mortality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Victor Ronget
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR-5558, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France.
| | - Michael Garratt
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Jean-François Lemaître
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR-5558, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Jean-Michel Gaillard
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR-5558, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Pagani-Núñez E, He C, Wu YW, Peabotuwage I, Goodale E. Foraging in the tropics: relationships among species’ abundances, niche asymmetries and body condition in an urban avian assemblage. Urban Ecosyst 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-017-0682-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
26
|
He R, Pagani-Núñez E, Chevallier C, Barnett CRA. To be so bold: boldness is repeatable and related to within individual behavioural variability in North Island robins. Behav Processes 2017; 140:144-149. [PMID: 28454917 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Revised: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Behavioural research traditionally focusses on the mean responses of a group of individuals rather than variation in behaviour around the mean or among individuals. However, examining the variation in behaviour among and within individuals may also yield important insights into the evolution and maintenance of behaviour. Repeatability is the most commonly used measure of variability among individuals in behavioural research. However, there are other forms of variation within populations that have received less attention. One such measure is intraindividual variation in behaviour (IIV), which is a short-term fluctuation of within-individual behaviour. Such variation in behaviour might be important during interactions because it could decrease the ability of conspecific and heterospecific individuals to predict the behaviour of the subject, thus increasing the cost of the interaction. In this experiment, we made repeated measures of the latency of North Island robins to attack a prey in a novel situation (a form of boldness) and examined (i) repeatability of boldness (the propensity to take a risk), (ii) IIV of boldness, and (iii) whether there was a significant relationship between these two traits (a behavioural syndrome). We found that boldness was highly repeatable, that there were high levels of IIV in boldness, and that there was a negative relationship between boldness and IIV in boldness. This suggests that despite high levels of repeatability for this behaviour, there were also still significant differences in IIV among different individuals within the population. Moreover, bolder individuals had significantly less IIV in their boldness, which suggests that they were forming routines (which reduces behavioural variability) compared to shyer individuals. Our results definitively demonstrate that IIV itself varies across individuals and is linked with key behavioural traits, and we argue for the importance of future studies aimed at understanding its causes and consequences for behavioural interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruchuan He
- College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, People's Republic of China
| | - Emilio Pagani-Núñez
- College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, People's Republic of China; State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, College of Ecology and Evolution/School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Clément Chevallier
- Centre d'Étude Nordique, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
| | - Craig R A Barnett
- College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, People's Republic of China; Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, University of Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Warner DA, Johnson MS, Nagy TR. Validation of Body Condition Indices and Quantitative Magnetic Resonance in Estimating Body Composition in a Small Lizard. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 325:588-597. [PMID: 28035770 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2016] [Revised: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Measurements of body condition are typically used to assess an individual's quality, health, or energetic state. Most indices of body condition are based on linear relationships between body length and mass. Although these indices are simple to obtain, nonlethal, and useful indications of energetic state, their accuracy at predicting constituents of body condition (e.g., fat and lean mass) are often unknown. The objectives of this research were to (1) validate the accuracy of another simple and noninvasive method, quantitative magnetic resonance (QMR), at estimating body composition in a small-bodied lizard, Anolis sagrei, and (2) evaluate the accuracy of two indices of body condition (based on length-mass relationships) at predicting body fat, lean, and water mass. Comparisons of results from QMR scans to those from chemical carcass analysis reveal that QMR measures body fat, lean, and water mass with excellent accuracy in male and female lizards. With minor calibration from regression equations, QMR will be a reliable method of estimating body composition of A. sagrei. Body condition indices were positively related to absolute estimates of each constituent of body composition, but these relationships showed considerable variation around regression lines. In addition, condition indices did not predict fat, lean, or water mass when adjusted for body mass. Thus, our results emphasize the need for caution when interpreting body condition based upon linear measurements of animals. Overall, QMR provides an alternative noninvasive method for accurately measuring fat, lean, and water mass in these small-bodied animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Warner
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.,Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama
| | - Maria S Johnson
- Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Tim R Nagy
- Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Houslay TM, Houslay KF, Rapkin J, Hunt J, Bussière LF. Mating opportunities and energetic constraints drive variation in age‐dependent sexual signalling. Funct Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M. Houslay
- Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Stirling Stirling FK9 4LA UK
- Centre of Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Penryn Campus Penryn, CornwallTR10 9FE UK
| | - Kirsty F. Houslay
- Department of Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity MedImmune Ltd. Abington CB21 6GH UK
| | - James Rapkin
- Centre of Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Penryn Campus Penryn, CornwallTR10 9FE UK
| | - John Hunt
- Centre of Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Penryn Campus Penryn, CornwallTR10 9FE UK
- School of Science and Health Western Sydney University Locked Bag 1797 Penrith New South Wales2751 Australia
| | - Luc F. Bussière
- Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Stirling Stirling FK9 4LA UK
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Graham CH, Supp SR, Powers DR, Beck P, Lim MCW, Shankar A, Cormier T, Goetz S, Wethington SM. Winter conditions influence biological responses of migrating hummingbirds. Ecosphere 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Catherine H. Graham
- Ecology and Evolution Department Stony Brook University Stony Brook New York 11794 USA
| | - Sarah R. Supp
- Ecology and Evolution Department Stony Brook University Stony Brook New York 11794 USA
| | - Donald R. Powers
- Biology Department George Fox University Newberg Oregon 97132 USA
| | - Pieter Beck
- Woods Hole Research Center Falmouth Massachusetts 02540 USA
| | - Marisa C. W. Lim
- Ecology and Evolution Department Stony Brook University Stony Brook New York 11794 USA
| | - Anusha Shankar
- Ecology and Evolution Department Stony Brook University Stony Brook New York 11794 USA
| | - Tina Cormier
- Woods Hole Research Center Falmouth Massachusetts 02540 USA
| | - Scott Goetz
- Woods Hole Research Center Falmouth Massachusetts 02540 USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Sciullo L, Thiemann GW, Lunn NJ. Comparative assessment of metrics for monitoring the body condition of polar bears in western Hudson Bay. J Zool (1987) 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- L. Sciullo
- Department of Biology; York University; Toronto Ontario M3J 1P3 Canada
| | - G. W. Thiemann
- Faculty of Environmental Studies; York University; Toronto Ontario M3J 1P3 Canada
| | - N. J. Lunn
- Wildlife Research Division; Science and Technology Branch; Environment and Climate Change Canada; University of Alberta; Edmonton Alberta T6G 2E9 Canada
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Behrendorff L, Leung LKP, McKinnon A, Hanger J, Belonje G, Tapply J, Jones D, Allen BL. Insects for breakfast and whales for dinner: the diet and body condition of dingoes on Fraser Island (K'gari). Sci Rep 2016; 6:23469. [PMID: 27009879 PMCID: PMC4806299 DOI: 10.1038/srep23469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2015] [Accepted: 03/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Top-predators play stabilising roles in island food webs, including Fraser Island, Australia. Subsidising generalist predators with human-sourced food could disrupt this balance, but has been proposed to improve the overall health of the island’s dingo (Canis lupus dingo) population, which is allegedly ‘starving’ or in ‘poor condition’. We assess this hypothesis by describing the diet and health of dingoes on Fraser Island from datasets collected between 2001 and 2015. Medium-sized mammals (such as bandicoots) and fish were the most common food items detected in dingo scat records. Stomach contents records revealed additional information on diet, such as the occurrence of human-sourced foods. Trail camera records highlighted dingo utilisation of stranded marine fauna, particularly turtles and whales. Mean adult body weights were higher than the national average, body condition scores and abundant-excessive fat reserves indicated a generally ideal-heavy physical condition, and parasite loads were low and comparable to other dingo populations. These data do not support hypotheses that Fraser Island dingoes have restricted diets or are in poor physical condition. Rather, they indicate that dingoes on Fraser Island are capable of exploiting a diverse array of food sources which contributes to the vast majority of dingoes being of good-excellent physical condition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Linda Behrendorff
- The University of Queensland, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Gatton, Queensland 4343, Australia.,Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of National Parks, Sport and Racing, Fraser Island, Queensland 4581, Australia
| | - Luke K-P Leung
- The University of Queensland, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Gatton, Queensland 4343, Australia
| | - Allan McKinnon
- Department of Environmental Heritage Protection, Threatened Species Unit, Moggill, Queensland 4070, Australia
| | - Jon Hanger
- Endeavour Veterinary Ecology, Toorbul, Queensland 4510, Australia
| | - Grant Belonje
- Fraser Coast Veterinary Services, Maryborough, Queensland 4650, Australia
| | - Jenna Tapply
- Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of National Parks, Sport and Racing, Fraser Island, Queensland 4581, Australia
| | - Darryl Jones
- Griffith University, Environmental Futures Research Institute, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Benjamin L Allen
- The University of Southern Queensland, Institute for Agriculture and the Environment, Toowoomba, Queensland 4350, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Negative covariance between parasite load and body condition in a population of feral horses. Parasitology 2016; 143:983-97. [DOI: 10.1017/s0031182016000408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARYIn wild and domestic animals, gastrointestinal parasites can have significant impacts on host development, condition, health, reproduction and longevity. Improving our understanding of the causes and consequences of individual-level variation in parasite load is therefore of prime interest. Here we investigated the relationship between strongyle fecal egg count (FEC) and body condition in a unique, naturalized population of horses that has never been exposed to anthelmintic drugs (Sable Island, Nova Scotia, Canada). We first quantified variation in FEC and condition for 447 individuals according to intrinsic (sex, age, reproductive status, social status) and extrinsic (group size, location, local density) variables. We then quantified the repeatability of measurements obtained over a field season and tested for covariance between FEC and condition. FECs were high relative to other horse populations (mean eggs per gram ± SD = 1543·28 ± 209·94). FECs generally decreased with age, were higher in lactatingvsnon-lactating females, and unexpectedly lower in males in some part of the island. FECs and condition were both spatially structured, with patterns depending on age, sex and reproductive status. FECs and condition were both repeatable. Most notably, FECs and condition were negatively correlated, especially in adult females.
Collapse
|
33
|
Long RA, Bowyer RT, Porter WP, Mathewson P, Monteith KL, Findholt SL, Dick BL, Kie JG. Linking habitat selection to fitness-related traits in herbivores: the role of the energy landscape. Oecologia 2016; 181:709-20. [PMID: 27003702 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3604-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2015] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Animals may partially overcome environmental constraints on fitness by behaviorally adjusting their exposure to costs and supplies of energy. Few studies, however, have linked spatiotemporal variation in the energy landscape to behaviorally mediated measures of performance that ostensibly influence individual fitness. We hypothesized that strength of selection by North American elk (Cervus elaphus) for areas that reduced costs of thermoregulation and activity, and increased access to high-quality forage, would influence four energetically mediated traits related to fitness: birth mass of young, nutritional condition of adult females at the onset of winter, change in nutritional condition of females between spring and winter, and neonatal survival. We used a biophysical model to map spatiotemporally explicit costs of thermoregulation and activity experienced by elk in a heterogeneous landscape. We then combined model predictions with data on forage characteristics, animal locations, nutritional condition, and mass and survival of young to evaluate behaviorally mediated effects of the energy landscape on fitness-related traits. During spring, when high-quality forage was abundant, female elk that consistently selected low-cost areas before parturition gave birth to larger young than less-selective individuals, and birth mass had a strong, positive influence on probability of survival. As forage quality declined during autumn, however, lactating females that consistently selected the highest quality forage available accrued more fat and entered winter in better condition than less-selective individuals. Results of our study highlight the importance of understanding the dynamic nature of energy landscapes experienced by free-ranging animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan A Long
- Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID, 83209, USA. .,Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, 83844, USA.
| | - R T Bowyer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID, 83209, USA
| | - Warren P Porter
- Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, WI, 53796, USA
| | - Paul Mathewson
- Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, WI, 53796, USA
| | - Kevin L Monteith
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA
| | - Scott L Findholt
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, La Grande, OR, 97850, USA
| | - Brian L Dick
- US Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, La Grande, OR, 97850, USA
| | - John G Kie
- Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID, 83209, USA
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Glazier DS, Clusella-Trullas S, Terblanche JS. Sexual dimorphism and physiological correlates of horn length in a South African isopod crustacean. J Zool (1987) 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- D. S. Glazier
- Department of Biology; Juniata College; Huntingdon PA USA
- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology; Centre for Invasion Biology; Stellenbosch University; Stellenbosch South Africa
| | - S. Clusella-Trullas
- Department of Botany and Zoology; Centre for Invasion Biology; Stellenbosch University; Stellenbosch South Africa
| | - J. S. Terblanche
- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology; Centre for Invasion Biology; Stellenbosch University; Stellenbosch South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Relationships between host body condition and immunocompetence, not host sex, best predict parasite burden in a bat-helminth system. Parasitol Res 2016; 115:2155-64. [PMID: 26898834 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-4957-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2015] [Accepted: 02/12/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Sex-biased parasitism highlights potentially divergent approaches to parasite resistance resulting in differing energetic trade-offs for males and females; however, trade-offs between immunity and self-maintenance could also depend on host body condition. We investigated these relationships in the big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus, to determine if host sex or body condition better predicted parasite resistance, if testosterone levels predicted male parasite burdens, and if immune parameters could predict male testosterone levels. We found that male and female hosts had similar parasite burdens and female bats scored higher than males in only one immunological measure. Top models of helminth burden revealed interactions between body condition index and agglutination score as well as between agglutination score and host sex. Additionally, the strength of the relationships between sex, agglutination, and helminth burden is affected by body condition. Models of male parasite burden provided no support for testosterone predicting helminthiasis. Models that best predicted testosterone levels did not include parasite burden but instead consistently included month of capture and agglutination score. Thus, in our system, body condition was a more important predictor of immunity and worm burden than host sex.
Collapse
|
36
|
Reaney LT, Knell RJ. Building a Beetle: How Larval Environment Leads to Adult Performance in a Horned Beetle. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0134399. [PMID: 26244874 PMCID: PMC4526545 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Accepted: 07/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The link between the expression of the signals used by male animals in contests with the traits which determine success in those contests is poorly understood. This is particularly true in holometabolous insects such as horned beetles where signal expression is determined during metamorphosis and is fixed during adulthood, whereas performance is influenced by post-eclosion feeding. We used path analysis to investigate the relationships between larval and adult nutrition, horn and body size and fitness-related traits such as strength and testes mass in the horned beetle Euoniticellus intermedius. In males weight gain post-eclosion had a central role in determining both testes mass and strength. Weight gain was unaffected by adult nutrition but was strongly correlated with by horn length, itself determined by larval resource availability, indicating strong indirect effects of larval nutrition on the adult beetle's ability to assimilate food and grow tissues. Female strength was predicted by a simple path diagram where strength was determined by eclosion weight, itself determined by larval nutrition: weight gain post-eclosion was not a predictor of strength in this sex. Based on earlier findings we discuss the insulin-like signalling pathway as a possible mechanism by which larval nutrition could affect adult weight gain and thence traits such as strength.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leeann T. Reaney
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, Mile End Road, London, United Kingdom
| | - Robert J. Knell
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, Mile End Road, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|