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Nagel R, Pohle K, Jordán L, Tuponja I, Stainfield C, Toscani C, Fox-Clarke C, Costantini D, Czirják GÁ, Forcada J, Hoffman JI. Life-history stage influences immune investment and oxidative stress in response to environmental heterogeneity in Antarctic fur seals. Commun Biol 2024; 7:788. [PMID: 38951600 PMCID: PMC11217341 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06499-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune defenses are crucial for survival but costly to develop and maintain. Increased immune investment is therefore hypothesized to trade-off with other life-history traits. Here, we examined innate and adaptive immune responses to environmental heterogeneity in wild Antarctic fur seals. In a fully crossed, repeated measures design, we sampled 100 pups and their mothers from colonies of contrasting density during seasons of contrasting food availability. Biometric and cortisol data as well as blood for the analysis of 13 immune and oxidative status markers were collected at two key life-history stages. We show that immune responses of pups are more responsive than adults to variation in food availability, but not population density, and are modulated by cortisol and condition. Immune investment is associated with different oxidative status markers in pups and mothers. Our results suggest that early life stages show greater sensitivity to extrinsic and intrinsic effectors, and that immunity may be a strong target for natural selection even in low-pathogen environments such as Antarctica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Nagel
- Department of Evolutionary Population Genetics, Faculty of Biology, Bielefeld University, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany.
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany.
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 9TH, UK.
| | - Katja Pohle
- Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lilla Jordán
- Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Iva Tuponja
- Department of Evolutionary Population Genetics, Faculty of Biology, Bielefeld University, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Claire Stainfield
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, UK
- Scotland's Rural College, Craibstone Estate, Ferguson Building, Aberdeen, AB21 9YA, UK
| | - Camille Toscani
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, UK
| | - Cameron Fox-Clarke
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, UK
| | - David Costantini
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, 01100, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Gábor Á Czirják
- Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jaume Forcada
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, UK
| | - Joseph I Hoffman
- Department of Evolutionary Population Genetics, Faculty of Biology, Bielefeld University, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, UK
- Center for Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Bielefeld University, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
- Joint Institute for Individualisation in a Changing Environment, Bielefeld University and University of Münster, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany
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