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Del Mar Labrador M, Serrano D, Doña J, Aguilera E, Arroyo JL, Atiénzar F, Barba E, Bermejo A, Blanco G, Borràs A, Calleja JA, Cantó JL, Cortés V, De la Puente J, De Palacio D, Fernández-González S, Figuerola J, Frías Ó, Fuertes-Marcos B, Garamszegi LZ, Gordo Ó, Gurpegui M, Kovács I, Martínez JL, Meléndez L, Mestre A, Møller AP, Monrós JS, Moreno-Opo R, Navarro C, Pap PL, Pérez-Tris J, Piculo R, Ponce C, Proctor HC, Rodríguez R, Sallent Á, Senar JC, Tella JL, Vágási CI, Vögeli M, Jovani R. Host space, not energy or symbiont size, constrains feather mite abundance across passerine bird species. J Anim Ecol 2024; 93:393-405. [PMID: 38100230 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Comprehending symbiont abundance among host species is a major ecological endeavour, and the metabolic theory of ecology has been proposed to understand what constrains symbiont populations. We parameterized metabolic theory equations to investigate how bird species' body size and the body size of their feather mites relate to mite abundance according to four potential energy (uropygial gland size) and space constraints (wing area, total length of barbs and number of feather barbs). Predictions were compared with the empirical scaling of feather mite abundance across 106 passerine bird species (26,604 individual birds sampled), using phylogenetic modelling and quantile regression. Feather mite abundance was strongly constrained by host space (number of feather barbs) but not by energy. Moreover, feather mite species' body size was unrelated to the body size of their host species. We discuss the implications of our results for our understanding of the bird-feather mite system and for symbiont abundance in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Del Mar Labrador
- Doñana Biological Station (CSIC), Seville, Spain
- SEO-Monticola Ornithological Group, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Jorge Doña
- University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | - Ana Bermejo
- SEO-Monticola Ornithological Group, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Antoni Borràs
- Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan A Calleja
- SEO-Monticola Ornithological Group, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Javier De la Puente
- SEO-Monticola Ornithological Group, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Diana De Palacio
- SEO-Monticola Ornithological Group, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | - László Z Garamszegi
- Institute of Ecology and Botany, Centre for Ecological Research, Vácrátót, Hungary
| | - Óscar Gordo
- Doñana Biological Station (CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | - Míriam Gurpegui
- National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - István Kovács
- 'Milvus Group' Bird and Nature Protection Association, Târgu Mureş, Romania
| | | | - Leandro Meléndez
- Biodiversity Research Institute (Univ. of Oviedo-CSIC-Princ. Asturias), Mieres, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Rubén Moreno-Opo
- SEO-Monticola Ornithological Group, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Péter L Pap
- Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | | | | | - Carlos Ponce
- SEO-Monticola Ornithological Group, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Ángel Sallent
- Naturalists Association of Southeast (ANSE), Murcia, Spain
| | | | - José L Tella
- Doñana Biological Station (CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | | | | | - Roger Jovani
- Doñana Biological Station (CSIC), Seville, Spain
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Vágási CI, Vincze O, Adámková M, Kauzálová T, Lendvai ÁZ, Pătraş LI, Pénzes J, Pap PL, Albrecht T, Tomášek O. Songbirds avoid the oxidative stress costs of high blood glucose levels: a comparative study. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246848. [PMID: 38054362 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Chronically high blood glucose levels (hyperglycaemia) can compromise healthy ageing and lifespan at the individual level. Elevated oxidative stress can play a central role in hyperglycaemia-induced pathologies. Nevertheless, the lifespan of birds shows no species-level association with blood glucose. This suggests that the potential pathologies of high blood glucose levels can be avoided by adaptations in oxidative physiology at the macroevolutionary scale. However, this hypothesis remains unexplored. Here, we examined this hypothesis using comparative analyses controlled for phylogeny, allometry and fecundity based on data from 51 songbird species (681 individuals with blood glucose data and 1021 individuals with oxidative state data). We measured blood glucose at baseline and after stress stimulus and computed glucose stress reactivity as the magnitude of change between the two time points. We also measured three parameters of non-enzymatic antioxidants (uric acid, total antioxidants and glutathione) and a marker of oxidative lipid damage (malondialdehyde). We found no clear evidence for blood glucose concentration being correlated with either antioxidant or lipid damage levels at the macroevolutionary scale, as opposed to the hypothesis postulating that high blood glucose levels entail oxidative costs. The only exception was the moderate evidence for species with a stronger stress-induced increase in blood glucose concentration evolving moderately lower investment into antioxidant defence (uric acid and glutathione). Neither baseline nor stress-induced glucose levels were associated with oxidative physiology. Our findings support the hypothesis that birds evolved adaptations preventing the (glyc)oxidative costs of high blood glucose observed at the within-species level. Such adaptations may explain the decoupled evolution of glycaemia and lifespan in birds and possibly the paradoxical combination of long lifespan and high blood glucose levels relative to mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Csongor I Vágási
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Centre for Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Orsolya Vincze
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Centre for Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Wetland Ecology Research Group, HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, 4026 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Marie Adámková
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 60300 Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 61137 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Kauzálová
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 60300 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ádám Z Lendvai
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Laura I Pătraş
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Centre of Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Babeş-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Janka Pénzes
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Centre for Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Péter L Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Centre for Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Tomáš Albrecht
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 60300 Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 12800 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Oldřich Tomášek
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 60300 Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 61137 Brno, Czech Republic
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3
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Becker DJ, Merrifield JM, Vágási CI, Czirják GÁ, Pap PL. Spatial Variation in the Inflammatory Response of House Sparrows in their Native Range. Ecohealth 2023; 20:231-235. [PMID: 37936004 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-023-01652-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Characterizing spatial differences in wildlife immunity is the first step to identify environmental drivers of host defense and disease risks. The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a model system for ecoimmunology, but spatial differences in immunity have been largely restricted to the invasive range of this global species. We provide an initial test of spatial variation in immune response to phytohemagglutinin in the native range, finding that birds from Romania have greater inflammatory responses than birds from Egypt. Future broad surveys across the house sparrow native range could contextualize these differences and determine underlying drivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Becker
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA.
| | - Jessie M Merrifield
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Csongor I Vágási
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Centre for Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Gábor Á Czirják
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Péter L Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Centre for Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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Marton A, Vágási CI, Vincze O, Bókony V, Pap PL, Pătraș L, Pénzes J, Bărbos L, Fülöp A, Osváth G, Ducatez S, Giraudeau M. Oxidative physiology is weakly associated with pigmentation in birds. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9177. [PMID: 35979521 PMCID: PMC9366753 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanistic link between avian oxidative physiology and plumage coloration has attracted considerable attention in past decades. Hence, multiple proximal hypotheses were proposed to explain how oxidative state might covary with the production of melanin and carotenoid pigments. Some hypotheses underscore that these pigments (or their precursors, e.g., glutathione) have antioxidant capacities or function as molecules storing the toxic excess of intracellular compounds, while others highlight that these pigments can act as pro-oxidants under specific conditions. Most studies addressing these associations are at the intraspecific level, while phylogenetic comparative studies are still scarce, though needed to assess the generality of these associations. Here, we tested whether plumage and bare part coloration were related to oxidative physiology at an interspecific level by measuring five oxidative physiology markers (three nonenzymatic antioxidants and two markers of lipid peroxidative damage) in 1387 individuals of 104 European bird species sampled during the breeding season, and by scoring plumage eumelanin, pheomelanin, and carotenoid content for each sex and species. Only the plasma level of reactive oxygen metabolites was related to melanin coloration, being positively associated with eumelanin score and negatively with pheomelanin score. Thus, our results do not support the role of antioxidant glutathione in driving variation in melanin synthesis across species. Furthermore, the carotenoid scores of feathers and bare parts were unrelated to the measured oxidative physiology parameters, further suggesting that the marked differences in pigmentation across birds does not influence their oxidative state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Attila Marton
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and EcologyBabeș‐Bolyai UniversityCluj‐NapocaRomania
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human BiologyUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
| | - Csongor I. Vágási
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and EcologyBabeș‐Bolyai UniversityCluj‐NapocaRomania
| | - Orsolya Vincze
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and EcologyBabeș‐Bolyai UniversityCluj‐NapocaRomania
- Institute of Aquatic EcologyCentre for Ecological ResearchDebrecenHungary
| | - Veronika Bókony
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research GroupPlant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Loránd Research NetworkBudapestHungary
| | - Péter L. Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and EcologyBabeș‐Bolyai UniversityCluj‐NapocaRomania
| | - Laura Pătraș
- Department of Molecular Biology and BiotechnologyBabeş‐Bolyai UniversityCluj‐NapocaRomania
| | - Janka Pénzes
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and EcologyBabeș‐Bolyai UniversityCluj‐NapocaRomania
| | - Lőrinc Bărbos
- Milvus Group Bird and Nature Protection AssociationTârgu MureșRomania
| | - Attila Fülöp
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and EcologyBabeș‐Bolyai UniversityCluj‐NapocaRomania
- MTA‐DE Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human BiologyUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
| | - Gergely Osváth
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and EcologyBabeș‐Bolyai UniversityCluj‐NapocaRomania
- Museum of ZoologyBabeş‐Bolyai UniversityCluj‐NapocaRomania
| | - Simon Ducatez
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) – UMR 241 EIO (UPF, IRD, Ifremer, ILM)TahitiFrench Polynesia
| | - Mathieu Giraudeau
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS – La Rochelle UniversitéLa RochelleFrance
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5
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Vincze O, Vágási CI, Pénzes J, Szabó K, Magonyi NM, Czirják GÁ, Pap PL. Sexual dimorphism in immune function and oxidative physiology across birds: The role of sexual selection. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:958-970. [PMID: 35106902 PMCID: PMC9305230 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Sex‐specific physiology is commonly reported in animals, often indicating lower immune indices and higher oxidative stress in males than in females. Sexual selection is argued to explain these differences, but empirical evidence is limited. Here, we explore sex differences in immunity, oxidative physiology and packed cell volume of wild, adult, breeding birds (97 species, 1997 individuals, 14 230 physiological measurements). We show that higher female immune indices are most common across birds (when bias is present), but oxidative physiology shows no general sex‐bias and packed cell volume is generally male‐biased. In contrast with predictions based on sexual selection, male‐biased sexual size dimorphism is associated with male‐biased immune measures. Sexual dichromatism, mating system and parental roles had no effect on sex‐specificity in physiology. Importantly, female‐biased immunity remained after accounting for sexual selection indices. We conclude that cross‐species differences in physiological sex‐bias are largely unrelated to sexual selection and alternative explanations should be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orsolya Vincze
- Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Debrecen, Hungary.,Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Csongor I Vágási
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Janka Pénzes
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Krisztián Szabó
- Department of Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Nóra M Magonyi
- Doctoral School of Biology and Sportbiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,Centre for Agricultural Research, Plant Protection Institute, ELKH, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Á Czirják
- Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Péter L Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.,Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
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6
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Vágási CI, Vincze O, Lemaître JF, Pap PL, Ronget V, Gaillard JM. Is degree of sociality associated with reproductive senescence? A comparative analysis across birds and mammals. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20190744. [PMID: 33678026 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Our understanding on how widespread reproductive senescence is in the wild and how the onset and rate of reproductive senescence vary among species in relation to life histories and lifestyles is currently limited. More specifically, whether the species-specific degree of sociality is linked to the occurrence, onset and rate of reproductive senescence remains unknown. Here, we investigate these questions using phylogenetic comparative analyses across 36 bird and 101 mammal species encompassing a wide array of life histories, lifestyles and social traits. We found that female reproductive senescence: (i) is widespread and occurs with similar frequency (about two-thirds) in birds and mammals; (ii) occurs later in life and is slower in birds than in similar-sized mammals; (iii) occurs later in life and is slower with an increasingly slower pace of life in both vertebrate classes; and (iv) is only weakly associated, if any, with the degree of sociality in both classes after accounting for the effect of body size and pace of life. However, when removing the effect of species differences in pace of life, a higher degree of sociality was associated with later and weaker reproductive senescence in females, which suggests that the degree of sociality is either indirectly related to reproductive senescence via the pace of life or simply a direct outcome of the pace of life. This article is part of the theme issue 'Ageing and sociality: why, when and how does sociality change ageing patterns?'
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Affiliation(s)
- Csongor I Vágási
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Orsolya Vincze
- Department of Tisza Research, MTA Centre for Ecological Research-DRI, Debrecen, Hungary.,CREEC, UMR IRD 224-CNRS 5290-Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,CREES Centre for Research on the Ecology and Evolution of Disease, Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-François Lemaître
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, CNRS, Université Lyon, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Péter L Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Victor Ronget
- Unité Eco-anthropologie (EA), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Michel Gaillard
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, CNRS, Université Lyon, Villeurbanne, France
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Vágási CI, Tóth Z, Pénzes J, Pap PL, Ouyang JQ, Lendvai ÁZ. The Relationship between Hormones, Glucose, and Oxidative Damage Is Condition and Stress Dependent in a Free-Living Passerine Bird. Physiol Biochem Zool 2021; 93:466-476. [PMID: 33164671 PMCID: PMC7982133 DOI: 10.1086/711957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
AbstractPhysiological state is an emergent property of the interactions among physiological systems within an intricate network. Understanding the connections within this network is one of the goals in physiological ecology. Here, we studied the relationship between body condition, two neuroendocrine hormones (corticosterone and insulin-like growth factor 1 [IGF-1]) as physiological regulators, and two physiological systems related to resource metabolism (glucose) and oxidative balance (malondialdehyde). We measured these traits under baseline and stress-induced conditions in free-living house sparrows (Passer domesticus). We used path analysis to analyze different scenarios about the structure of the physiological network. Our data were most consistent with a model in which corticosterone was the major regulator under baseline conditions. This model shows that individuals in better condition have lower corticosterone levels; corticosterone and IGF-1 levels are positively associated; and oxidative damage is higher when levels of corticosterone, IGF-1, and glucose are elevated. After exposure to acute stress, these relationships were considerably reorganized. In response to acute stress, birds increased their corticosterone and glucose levels and decreased their IGF-1 levels. However, individuals in better condition increased their corticosterone levels more and better maintained their IGF-1 levels in response to acute stress. The acute stress-induced changes in corticosterone and IGF-1 levels were associated with an increase in glucose levels, which in turn was associated with a decrease in oxidative damage. We urge ecophysiologists to focus more on physiological networks, as the relationships between physiological traits are complex and dynamic during the organismal stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Csongor I. Vágási
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Zsófia Tóth
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- Juhász-Nagy Pál Doctoral School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Janka Pénzes
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Péter L. Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | | | - Ádám Z. Lendvai
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
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Vágási CI, Fülöp A, Osváth G, Pap PL, Pénzes J, Benkő Z, Lendvai ÁZ, Barta Z. Social groups with diverse personalities mitigate physiological stress in a songbird. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20203092. [PMID: 33499787 PMCID: PMC7893263 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.3092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Social groups often consist of diverse phenotypes, including personality types, and this diversity is known to affect the functioning of the group as a whole. Social selection theory proposes that group composition (i.e. social environment) also influences the performance of individual group members. However, the effect of group behavioural composition on group members remains largely unexplored, and it is still contentious whether individuals benefit more in a social environment with homogeneous or diverse behavioural composition. We experimentally formed groups of house sparrows Passer domesticus with high and low diversity of personality (exploratory behaviour), and found that their physiological state (body condition, physiological stress and oxidative damage) improved with increasing group-level diversity of personality. These findings demonstrate that group personality composition affects the condition of group members and individuals benefit from social heterosis (i.e. associating with a diverse set of behavioural types). This aspect of the social life can play a key role in affiliation rules of social animals and might explain the evolutionary coexistence of different personalities in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Csongor I. Vágási
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Attila Fülöp
- MTA-DE Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- Juhász-Nagy Pál Doctoral School, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Gergely Osváth
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Museum of Zoology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Péter L. Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Janka Pénzes
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Zoltán Benkő
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Romanian Ornithological Society/BirdLife Romania, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Ádám Z. Lendvai
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Barta
- MTA-DE Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
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9
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Pap PL, Fülöp A, Adamkova M, Cepak J, Michalkova R, Safran RJ, Stermin AN, Tomasek O, Vágási CI, Vincze O, Wilkins MR, Albrecht T. Selection on multiple sexual signals in two Central and Eastern European populations of the barn swallow. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:11277-11287. [PMID: 31641472 PMCID: PMC6802025 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Revised: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Variation in intensity and targets of sexual selection on multiple traits has been suggested to play a major role in promoting phenotypic differentiation between populations, although the divergence in selection may depend on year, local conditions or age. In this study, we quantified sexual selection for two putative sexual signals across two Central and East European barn swallow (Hirundo rustica rustica) populations from Czech Republic and Romania over multiple years. We then related these differences in selection to variation in sexual characters among barn swallow populations. Our results show that tail length and ventral coloration vary between populations, sexes, and age classes (first-time breeders vs. experienced birds). We found that selection on tail length was stronger in first-time breeders than in experienced birds and in males than in females in the Romanian population, while these differences between age groups and sexes were weak in Czech birds. We suggest that the populational difference in selection on tail length might be related to the differences in breeding conditions. Our results show that ventral coloration is darker (i.e., has lower brightness) in the Romanian than in the Czech population, and in experienced birds and males compared with first-time breeders and females, respectively. The sexual difference in ventral coloration may suggest sexual selection on this trait, which is supported by the significant directional selection of ventral coloration in first-time breeding males on laying date. However, after controlling for the confounding effect of wing length and tarsus length, the partial directional selection gradient on this trait turned nonsignificant, suggesting that the advantage of dark ventral coloration in early breeding birds is determined by the correlated traits of body size. These findings show that ventral coloration may be advantageous over the breeding season, but the underlying mechanism of this relationship is not clarified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Péter L. Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology GroupHungarian Department of Biology and EcologyBabeş‐Bolyai UniversityCluj NapocaRomania
- MTA‐DE Behavioural Ecology Research GroupDepartment of Evolutionary Zoology and Human BiologyUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of ColoradoBoulderCOUSA
| | - Attila Fülöp
- Evolutionary Ecology GroupHungarian Department of Biology and EcologyBabeş‐Bolyai UniversityCluj NapocaRomania
- MTA‐DE Behavioural Ecology Research GroupDepartment of Evolutionary Zoology and Human BiologyUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
| | - Marie Adamkova
- Institute of Vertebrate BiologyCzech Academy of SciencesBrnoCzech Republic
- Department of Botany and ZoologyMasaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
| | | | - Romana Michalkova
- Department of ZoologyFaculty of ScienceCharles UniversityPragueCzech Republic
| | - Rebecca J. Safran
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of ColoradoBoulderCOUSA
| | | | - Oldrich Tomasek
- Institute of Vertebrate BiologyCzech Academy of SciencesBrnoCzech Republic
- Department of ZoologyFaculty of ScienceCharles UniversityPragueCzech Republic
| | - Csongor I. Vágási
- Evolutionary Ecology GroupHungarian Department of Biology and EcologyBabeş‐Bolyai UniversityCluj NapocaRomania
- MTA‐DE Behavioural Ecology Research GroupDepartment of Evolutionary Zoology and Human BiologyUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
| | - Orsolya Vincze
- Evolutionary Ecology GroupHungarian Department of Biology and EcologyBabeş‐Bolyai UniversityCluj NapocaRomania
| | | | - Tomas Albrecht
- Institute of Vertebrate BiologyCzech Academy of SciencesBrnoCzech Republic
- Department of ZoologyFaculty of ScienceCharles UniversityPragueCzech Republic
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Vágási CI, Vincze O, Pătraș L, Osváth G, Pénzes J, Haussmann MF, Barta Z, Pap PL. Longevity and life history coevolve with oxidative stress in birds. Funct Ecol 2019; 33:152-161. [PMID: 34290466 PMCID: PMC8291348 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
1. The mechanisms that underpin the evolution of ageing and life histories remain elusive. Oxidative stress, which results in accumulated cellular damages, is one of the mechanisms suggested to play a role. 2. In this paper, we set out to test the "oxidative stress theory of ageing" and the "oxidative stress hypothesis of life histories" using a comprehensive phylogenetic comparison based on an unprecedented dataset of oxidative physiology in 88 free-living bird species. 3. We show for the first time that bird species with longer lifespan have higher non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity and suffer less oxidative damage to their lipids. We also found that bird species featuring a faster pace-of-life either have lower non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity or are exposed to higher levels of oxidative damage, while adult annual mortality does not relate to oxidative state. 4. These results reinforce the role of oxidative stress in the evolution of lifespan and also corroborate the role of oxidative state in the evolution of life histories among free-living birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Csongor I. Vágási
- Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Evolutionary Ecology Group, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology, MTA-DE Behavioural Ecology Research Group, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Orsolya Vincze
- Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Evolutionary Ecology Group, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology, MTA-DE Behavioural Ecology Research Group, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Laura Pătraș
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Gergely Osváth
- Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Evolutionary Ecology Group, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology, MTA-DE Behavioural Ecology Research Group, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- Museum of Zoology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Janka Pénzes
- Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Evolutionary Ecology Group, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | | | - Zoltán Barta
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology, MTA-DE Behavioural Ecology Research Group, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Péter L. Pap
- Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Evolutionary Ecology Group, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology, MTA-DE Behavioural Ecology Research Group, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
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Pap PL, Vincze O, Vágási CI, Salamon Z, Pándi A, Bálint B, Nord A, Nudds RL, Osváth G. Vane macrostructure of primary feathers and its adaptations to flight in birds. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/bly189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Péter L Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Romania
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Egyetem tér, Hungary
- University of Colorado, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Orsolya Vincze
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Romania
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Egyetem tér, Hungary
| | - Csongor I Vágási
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Romania
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Egyetem tér, Hungary
| | - Zsuzsa Salamon
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Romania
| | - Andrea Pándi
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Romania
| | - Blanka Bálint
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Romania
| | - Andreas Nord
- Department of Biology, Section for Evolutionary Ecology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Arctic Animal Physiology, Arktisk biologibygget, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Robert L Nudds
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Gergely Osváth
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Romania
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Egyetem tér, Hungary
- Museum of Zoology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Romania
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Vágási CI, Pătraș L, Pap PL, Vincze O, Mureșan C, Németh J, Lendvai ÁZ. Experimental increase in baseline corticosterone level reduces oxidative damage and enhances innate immune response. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0192701. [PMID: 29432437 PMCID: PMC5809056 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoid (GC) hormones are significant regulators of homeostasis. The physiological effects of GCs critically depend on the time of exposure (short vs. long) as well as on their circulating levels (baseline vs. stress-induced). Previous experiments, in which chronic and high elevation of GC levels was induced, indicate that GCs impair both the activity of the immune system and the oxidative balance. Nonetheless, our knowledge on how mildly elevated GC levels, a situation much more common in nature, might influence homeostasis is limited. Therefore, we studied whether an increase in GC level within the baseline range suppresses or enhances condition (body mass, hematocrit and coccidian infestation) and physiological state (humoral innate immune system activity and oxidative balance). We implanted captive house sparrows Passer domesticus with either 60 days release corticosterone (CORT) or control pellets. CORT-treated birds had elevated baseline CORT levels one week after the implantation, but following this CORT returned to its pre-treatment level and the experimental groups had similar CORT levels one and two months following the implantation. The mass of tail feathers grown during the initial phase of treatment was smaller in treated than in control birds. CORT implantation had a transient negative effect on body mass and hematocrit, but both of these traits resumed the pre-treatment values by one month post-treatment. CORT treatment lowered oxidative damage to lipids (malondialdehyde) and enhanced constitutive innate immunity at one week and one month post-implantation. Our findings suggest that a relatively short-term (i.e. few days) elevation of baseline CORT might have a positive and stimulatory effect on animal physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Csongor I. Vágási
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- * E-mail: (CIV); (ÁZL)
| | - Laura Pătraș
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
| | - Péter L. Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Orsolya Vincze
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Cosmin Mureșan
- Emergency Hospital, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj Napoca, Romania
| | - József Németh
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Ádám Z. Lendvai
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- * E-mail: (CIV); (ÁZL)
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Pap PL, Vincze O, Fülöp A, Székely-Béres O, Pătraș L, Pénzes J, Vágási CI. Oxidative physiology of reproduction in a passerine bird: a field experiment. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2434-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Vincze O, Vágási CI, Pap PL, Palmer C, Møller AP. Wing morphology, flight type and migration distance predict accumulated fuel load in birds. J Exp Biol 2018; 222:jeb.183517. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.183517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Birds often accumulate large fat and protein reserves to fuel long-distance flights. While it is well known that species that fly the longest accumulate the largest amounts of fuel, considerable cross-species variation in fuel load is seen after controlling for overall migration distance. It remains unclear whether this variation can be explained by aerodynamic attributes of different species, despite obvious ecological and conservation implications. Here we collected data on wing morphology, flight type, migration distance and fuel load from 213 European bird species and explored three questions: (1) Does maximum fuel load relate to migration distance across species?; (2) Does wing morphology, as described by wing aspect ratio and wing loading, influence maximum fuel load, and; (3) Does flight type influence maximum fuel load? Our results indicate that maximum fuel load increases with migration across species, but residual variance is high. Our results indicate that maximum fuel load is also correlated with migration distance, but again residual variance is high. The latter variance is explained by aspect ratio and flight type, while wing loading and body mass explain little variance. Birds with slender wings accumulate less fuel than species with low wing aspect ratio when covering a similar migration distance. Continuously flapping species accumulate the largest amounts of fuel, followed by flapping and soaring, flapping and gliding species, while the smallest fuel loads were observed in birds with passerine-type flight. These results highlight complex eco-evolutionary adaptations to migratory behaviour, pointing toward the importance of energy-minimisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orsolya Vincze
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, RO-400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Csongor I. Vágási
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, RO-400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Péter László Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, RO-400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Colin Palmer
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Anders Pape Møller
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91405 Orsay Cedex, France
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15
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Osváth G, Daubner T, Dyke G, Fuisz TI, Nord A, Pénzes J, Vargancsik D, Vágási CI, Vincze O, Pap PL. How feathered are birds? Environment predicts both the mass and density of body feathers. Funct Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gergely Osváth
- Evolutionary Ecology GroupHungarian Department of Biology and EcologyBabeş‐Bolyai University Cluj Napoca Romania
- Museum of ZoologyBabeş‐Bolyai University Cluj Napoca Romania
- Behavioural Ecology Research GroupDepartment of Evolutionary Zoology and Human BiologyUniversity of Debrecen Debrecen Hungary
| | - Timea Daubner
- Evolutionary Ecology GroupHungarian Department of Biology and EcologyBabeş‐Bolyai University Cluj Napoca Romania
| | - Gareth Dyke
- Behavioural Ecology Research GroupDepartment of Evolutionary Zoology and Human BiologyUniversity of Debrecen Debrecen Hungary
- Department of GeologyBabeş‐Bolyai University Cluj Napoca Romania
| | | | - Andreas Nord
- Department of Arctic and Marine BiologyArctic Animal PhysiologyUniversity of Tromsø Tromsø Norway
- Department of BiologySection for Evolutionary EcologyLund University Lund Sweden
| | - Janka Pénzes
- Evolutionary Ecology GroupHungarian Department of Biology and EcologyBabeş‐Bolyai University Cluj Napoca Romania
| | - Dorottya Vargancsik
- Evolutionary Ecology GroupHungarian Department of Biology and EcologyBabeş‐Bolyai University Cluj Napoca Romania
| | - Csongor I. Vágási
- Evolutionary Ecology GroupHungarian Department of Biology and EcologyBabeş‐Bolyai University Cluj Napoca Romania
- Behavioural Ecology Research GroupDepartment of Evolutionary Zoology and Human BiologyUniversity of Debrecen Debrecen Hungary
| | - Orsolya Vincze
- Evolutionary Ecology GroupHungarian Department of Biology and EcologyBabeş‐Bolyai University Cluj Napoca Romania
- Behavioural Ecology Research GroupDepartment of Evolutionary Zoology and Human BiologyUniversity of Debrecen Debrecen Hungary
| | - Péter L. Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology GroupHungarian Department of Biology and EcologyBabeş‐Bolyai University Cluj Napoca Romania
- Behavioural Ecology Research GroupDepartment of Evolutionary Zoology and Human BiologyUniversity of Debrecen Debrecen Hungary
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Pap PL, Vincze O, Wekerle B, Daubner T, Vágási CI, Nudds RL, Dyke GJ, Osváth G. A phylogenetic comparative analysis reveals correlations between body feather structure and habitat. Funct Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Péter L. Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology Babeş‐Bolyai University Clinicilor Street 5–7 RO‐400006 Cluj Napoca Romania
- MTA‐DE “Lendület” Behavioural Ecology Research Group Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology University of Debrecen Egyetem tér 1 H‐4032 Debrecen Hungary
| | - Orsolya Vincze
- Evolutionary Ecology Group Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology Babeş‐Bolyai University Clinicilor Street 5–7 RO‐400006 Cluj Napoca Romania
- MTA‐DE “Lendület” Behavioural Ecology Research Group Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology University of Debrecen Egyetem tér 1 H‐4032 Debrecen Hungary
| | - Beatrix Wekerle
- Evolutionary Ecology Group Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology Babeş‐Bolyai University Clinicilor Street 5–7 RO‐400006 Cluj Napoca Romania
| | - Timea Daubner
- Evolutionary Ecology Group Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology Babeş‐Bolyai University Clinicilor Street 5–7 RO‐400006 Cluj Napoca Romania
| | - Csongor I. Vágási
- Evolutionary Ecology Group Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology Babeş‐Bolyai University Clinicilor Street 5–7 RO‐400006 Cluj Napoca Romania
- MTA‐DE “Lendület” Behavioural Ecology Research Group Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology University of Debrecen Egyetem tér 1 H‐4032 Debrecen Hungary
| | - Robert L. Nudds
- Faculty of Life Sciences University of Manchester ManchesterM13 9PT UK
| | - Gareth J. Dyke
- MTA‐DE “Lendület” Behavioural Ecology Research Group Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology University of Debrecen Egyetem tér 1 H‐4032 Debrecen Hungary
| | - Gergely Osváth
- Evolutionary Ecology Group Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology Babeş‐Bolyai University Clinicilor Street 5–7 RO‐400006 Cluj Napoca Romania
- MTA‐DE “Lendület” Behavioural Ecology Research Group Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology University of Debrecen Egyetem tér 1 H‐4032 Debrecen Hungary
- Museum of Zoology Babeş‐Bolyai University Clinicilor Street 5–7 RO‐400006 Cluj Napoca Romania
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Abstract
Long-distance migratory birds have relatively smaller brains than short-distance migrants or residents. Here, we test whether reduction in brain size with migration distance can be generalized across the different brain regions suggested to play key roles in orientation during migration. Based on 152 bird species, belonging to 61 avian families from six continents, we show that the sizes of both the telencephalon and the whole brain decrease, and the relative size of the optic lobe increases, while cerebellum size does not change with increasing migration distance. Body mass, whole brain size, optic lobe size and wing aspect ratio together account for a remarkable 46% of interspecific variation in average migration distance across bird species. These results indicate that visual acuity might be a primary neural adaptation to the ecological challenge of migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orsolya Vincze
- MTA-DE 'Lendület' Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Egytem tér 1, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Clinicilor Street 5-7, 400006, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Csongor I Vágási
- MTA-DE 'Lendület' Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Egytem tér 1, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Clinicilor Street 5-7, 400006, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Péter L Pap
- MTA-DE 'Lendület' Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Egytem tér 1, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Clinicilor Street 5-7, 400006, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Gergely Osváth
- MTA-DE 'Lendület' Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Egytem tér 1, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Clinicilor Street 5-7, 400006, Cluj-Napoca, Romania Museum of Zoology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Clinicilor Street 5-7, 400006, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Anders Pape Møller
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution, CNRS UMR 8079, Université Paris-Sud, Bâtiment 362, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France
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Geue JC, Vágási CI, Schweizer M, Pap PL, Thomassen HA. Environmental selection is a main driver of divergence in house sparrows ( Passer domesticus) in Romania and Bulgaria. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:7954-7964. [PMID: 27891219 PMCID: PMC5108248 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2016] [Revised: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 09/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Both neutral and adaptive evolutionary processes can cause population divergence, but their relative contributions remain unclear. We investigated the roles of these processes in population divergence in house sparrows (Passer domesticus) from Romania and Bulgaria, regions characterized by high landscape heterogeneity compared to Western Europe. We asked whether morphological divergence, complemented with genetic data in this human commensal species, was best explained by environmental variation, geographic distance, or landscape resistance—the effort it takes for an individual to disperse from one location to the other—caused by either natural or anthropogenic barriers. Using generalized dissimilarity modeling, a matrix regression technique that fits biotic beta diversity to both environmental predictors and geographic distance, we found that a small set of climate and vegetation variables explained up to ~30% of the observed divergence, whereas geographic and resistance distances played much lesser roles. Our results are consistent with signals of selection on morphological traits and of isolation by adaptation in genetic markers, suggesting that selection by natural environmental conditions shapes population divergence in house sparrows. Our study thus contributes to a growing body of evidence that adaptive evolution may be a major driver of diversification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia C Geue
- Comparative Zoology Institute for Evolution and Ecology University of Tübingen Tübingen Germany
| | - Csongor I Vágási
- MTA-DE 'Lendület' Behavioural Ecology Research Group Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology University of Debrecen Debrecen Hungary; Evolutionary Ecology Group Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology Babeş-Bolyai University Cluj- Napoca Romania
| | - Mona Schweizer
- Animal Physiological Ecology Institute for Evolution and Ecology University of Tübingen Tübingen Germany
| | - Péter L Pap
- MTA-DE 'Lendület' Behavioural Ecology Research Group Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology University of Debrecen Debrecen Hungary; Evolutionary Ecology Group Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology Babeş-Bolyai University Cluj- Napoca Romania
| | - Henri A Thomassen
- Comparative Zoology Institute for Evolution and Ecology University of Tübingen Tübingen Germany
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Pap PL, Pătraş L, Osváth G, Buehler DM, Versteegh MA, Sesarman A, Banciu M, Vágási CI. Seasonal Patterns and Relationships among Coccidian Infestations, Measures of Oxidative Physiology, and Immune Function in Free-Living House Sparrows over an Annual Cycle. Physiol Biochem Zool 2015; 88:395-405. [DOI: 10.1086/681243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Pap PL, Osváth G, Aparicio JM, Bărbos L, Matyjasiak P, Rubolini D, Saino N, Vágási CI, Vincze O, Møller AP. Sexual Dimorphism and Population Differences in Structural Properties of Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) Wing and Tail Feathers. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0130844. [PMID: 26110255 PMCID: PMC4482263 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection and aerodynamic forces affecting structural properties of the flight feathers of birds are poorly understood. Here, we compared the structural features of the innermost primary wing feather (P1) and the sexually dimorphic outermost (Ta6) and monomorphic second outermost (Ta5) tail feathers of barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) from a Romanian population to investigate how sexual selection and resistance to aerodynamic forces affect structural differences among these feathers. Furthermore, we compared structural properties of Ta6 of barn swallows from six European populations. Finally, we determined the relationship between feather growth bars width (GBW) and the structural properties of tail feathers. The structure of P1 indicates strong resistance against aerodynamic forces, while the narrow rachis, low vane density and low bending stiffness of tail feathers suggest reduced resistance against airflow. The highly elongated Ta6 is characterized by structural modifications such as large rachis width and increased barbule density in relation to the less elongated Ta5, which can be explained by increased length and/or high aerodynamic forces acting at the leading tail edge. However, these changes in Ta6 structure do not allow for full compensation of elongation, as reflected by the reduced bending stiffness of Ta6. Ta6 elongation in males resulted in feathers with reduced resistance, as shown by the low barb density and reduced bending stiffness compared to females. The inconsistency in sexual dimorphism and in change in quality traits of Ta6 among six European populations shows that multiple factors may contribute to shaping population differences. In general, the difference in quality traits between tail feathers cannot be explained by the GBW of feathers. Our results show that the material and structural properties of wing and tail feathers of barn swallows change as a result of aerodynamic forces and sexual selection, although the result of these changes can be contrasting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Péter L. Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
- MTA-DE “Lendület” Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- * E-mail:
| | - Gergely Osváth
- Museum of Zoology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
| | - José Miguel Aparicio
- Grupo de Investigación de la Biodiversidad Genética y Cultural, IREC-(CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Lőrinc Bărbos
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
- ‘Milvus Group’ Bird and Nature Protection Association, Tîrgu Mureș, Romania
| | - Piotr Matyjasiak
- Faculty of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Diego Rubolini
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Nicola Saino
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Csongor I. Vágási
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
- MTA-DE “Lendület” Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Orsolya Vincze
- MTA-DE “Lendület” Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Anders Pape Møller
- Laboratoire d’Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution, CNRS UMR 8079, Université Paris-Sud, Orsay Cedex, France
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Fenesi A, Vágási CI, Beldean M, Földesi R, Kolcsár LP, Shapiro JT, Török E, Kovács-Hostyánszki A. Solidago canadensis impacts on native plant and pollinator communities in different-aged old fields. Basic Appl Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2015.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Pap PL, Osváth G, Sándor K, Vincze O, Bărbos L, Marton A, Nudds RL, Vágási CI. Interspecific variation in the structural properties of flight feathers in birds indicates adaptation to flight requirements and habitat. Funct Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Péter L. Pap
- MTA‐DE “Lendület” Behavioural Ecology Research Group Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology University of Debrecen Egyetem tér 1 Debrecen H–4032 Hungary
- Evolutionary Ecology Group Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology Babeş‐Bolyai University Clinicilor Street 5–7 Cluj Napoca RO–400006 Romania
| | - Gergely Osváth
- Museum of Zoology Babeş‐Bolyai University Clinicilor Street 5–7 Cluj Napoca RO–400006 Romania
| | - Krisztina Sándor
- Evolutionary Ecology Group Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology Babeş‐Bolyai University Clinicilor Street 5–7 Cluj Napoca RO–400006 Romania
| | - Orsolya Vincze
- MTA‐DE “Lendület” Behavioural Ecology Research Group Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology University of Debrecen Egyetem tér 1 Debrecen H–4032 Hungary
- Evolutionary Ecology Group Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology Babeş‐Bolyai University Clinicilor Street 5–7 Cluj Napoca RO–400006 Romania
| | - Lőrinc Bărbos
- Evolutionary Ecology Group Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology Babeş‐Bolyai University Clinicilor Street 5–7 Cluj Napoca RO–400006 Romania
- ‘Milvus Group’ Bird and Nature Protection Association Márton Áron street 9/BTîrgu Mureş RO–540058 Romania
| | - Attila Marton
- Evolutionary Ecology Group Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology Babeş‐Bolyai University Clinicilor Street 5–7 Cluj Napoca RO–400006 Romania
- ‘Milvus Group’ Bird and Nature Protection Association Márton Áron street 9/BTîrgu Mureş RO–540058 Romania
| | - Robert L. Nudds
- Faculty of Life Sciences University of Manchester Manchester M13 9PT UK
| | - Csongor I. Vágási
- MTA‐DE “Lendület” Behavioural Ecology Research Group Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology University of Debrecen Egyetem tér 1 Debrecen H–4032 Hungary
- Evolutionary Ecology Group Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology Babeş‐Bolyai University Clinicilor Street 5–7 Cluj Napoca RO–400006 Romania
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Diaz-Real J, Serrano D, Pérez-Tris J, Fernández-González S, Bermejo A, Calleja JA, De la Puente J, De Palacio D, Martínez JL, Moreno-Opo R, Ponce C, Frías Ó, Tella JL, Møller AP, Figuerola J, Pap PL, Kovács I, Vágási CI, Meléndez L, Blanco G, Aguilera E, Senar JC, Galván I, Atiénzar F, Barba E, Cantó JL, Cortés V, Monrós JS, Piculo R, Vögeli M, Borràs A, Navarro C, Mestre A, Jovani R. Repeatability of feather mite prevalence and intensity in passerine birds. PLoS One 2014; 9:e107341. [PMID: 25216248 PMCID: PMC4162594 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2014] [Accepted: 07/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding why host species differ so much in symbiont loads and how this depends on ecological host and symbiont traits is a major issue in the ecology of symbiosis. A first step in this inquiry is to know whether observed differences among host species are species-specific traits or more related with host-symbiont environmental conditions. Here we analysed the repeatability (R) of the intensity and the prevalence of feather mites to partition within- and among-host species variance components. We compiled the largest dataset so far available: 119 Paleartic passerine bird species, 75,944 individual birds, ca. 1.8 million mites, seven countries, 23 study years. Several analyses and approaches were made to estimate R and adjusted repeatability (R(adj)) after controlling for potential confounding factors (breeding period, weather, habitat, spatial autocorrelation and researcher identity). The prevalence of feather mites was moderately repeatable (R = 0.26-0.53; R(adj) = 0.32-0.57); smaller values were found for intensity (R = 0.19-0.30; R(adj )= 0.18-0.30). These moderate repeatabilities show that prevalence and intensity of feather mites differ among species, but also that the high variation within species leads to considerable overlap among bird species. Differences in the prevalence and intensity of feather mites within bird species were small among habitats, suggesting that local factors are playing a secondary role. However, effects of local climatic conditions were partially observed for intensity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Diaz-Real
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
- Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal. Universidade de Vigo, Campus As Lagoas Marconsende, Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain
| | | | - Javier Pérez-Tris
- Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física. Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Grupo Ornitológico SEO-Monticola. Unidad de Zoología. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sofía Fernández-González
- Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física. Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Bermejo
- Grupo Ornitológico SEO-Monticola. Unidad de Zoología. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan A. Calleja
- Grupo Ornitológico SEO-Monticola. Unidad de Zoología. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento Biología Animal, Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier De la Puente
- Grupo Ornitológico SEO-Monticola. Unidad de Zoología. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Diana De Palacio
- Grupo Ornitológico SEO-Monticola. Unidad de Zoología. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - José L. Martínez
- Grupo Ornitológico SEO-Monticola. Unidad de Zoología. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rubén Moreno-Opo
- Grupo Ornitológico SEO-Monticola. Unidad de Zoología. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Ponce
- Grupo Ornitológico SEO-Monticola. Unidad de Zoología. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Jose Gutiérrez Abascal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Óscar Frías
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Jose Gutiérrez Abascal, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Anders P. Møller
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution, CNRS UMR 8079, Université Paris-Sud 11, Bâtiment 362, Orsay, France
| | | | - Péter L. Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
- MTA-DE “Lendület” Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - István Kovács
- 'Milvus Group' Bird and Nature Protection Association, Târgu Mureş, Romania
| | - Csongor I. Vágási
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
| | - Leandro Meléndez
- Unidad Mixta de Investigacion en Biodiversidad. Instituto Cantábrico de Biodiversidad (CSIC-Universidad de Oviedo), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Guillermo Blanco
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Jose Gutiérrez Abascal, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Juan Carlos Senar
- Unidad Asociada de Ecología Evolutiva y del Comportamiento, Museo de Ciencias Naturales de Barcelona (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Francisco Atiénzar
- Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Valencia, Paterna, Spain
| | - Emilio Barba
- Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Valencia, Paterna, Spain
| | - José L. Cantó
- Parque Natural del Carrascal de la Font Roja, Alcoi, Spain
| | - Verónica Cortés
- Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Valencia, Paterna, Spain
| | - Juan S. Monrós
- Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Valencia, Paterna, Spain
| | - Rubén Piculo
- Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Valencia, Paterna, Spain
| | - Matthias Vögeli
- Federal Office for the Environment FOEN, Species, Ecosystems, Landscape Division, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Antoni Borràs
- Unidad Asociada de Ecología Evolutiva y del Comportamiento, Museo de Ciencias Naturales de Barcelona (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Alexandre Mestre
- Department of Microbiology and Ecology, University of Valencia, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Roger Jovani
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
- * E-mail:
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Pap PL, Sesarman A, Vágási CI, Buehler DM, Pătraş L, Versteegh MA, Banciu M. No Evidence for Parasitism-Linked Changes in Immune Function or Oxidative Physiology over the Annual Cycle of an Avian Species. Physiol Biochem Zool 2014; 87:729-39. [DOI: 10.1086/676934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - István Kovács
- ‘Milvus Group’ Bird and Nature Protection Association; Márton Áron street 9/B; RO-540058; Tîrgu Mureş; Romania
| | - Ismael Galván
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie; Systématique et Evolution; Université Paris-Sud; CNRS UMR 8079; 11, Bâtiment 362; F-91405; Orsay, Cedex; France
| | - Péter L. Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group; Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology; Babeş-Bolyai University; Clinicilor Street 5-7; RO-400006; Cluj Napoca; Romania
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Affiliation(s)
- Péter L. Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group; Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology; Babeș-Bolyai University; Clinicilor St. 5-7; RO-400006; Cluj Napoca; Romania
| | | | - Lőrinc Bărbos
- Evolutionary Ecology Group; Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology; Babeș-Bolyai University; Clinicilor St. 5-7; RO-400006; Cluj Napoca; Romania
| | - Attila Marton
- Evolutionary Ecology Group; Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology; Babeș-Bolyai University; Clinicilor St. 5-7; RO-400006; Cluj Napoca; Romania
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Vágási CI, Pap PL, Vincze O, Benkő Z, Marton A, Barta Z. Haste makes waste but condition matters: molt rate-feather quality trade-off in a sedentary songbird. PLoS One 2012; 7:e40651. [PMID: 22808221 PMCID: PMC3395693 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0040651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2012] [Accepted: 06/11/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The trade-off between current and residual reproductive values is central to life history theory, although the possible mechanisms underlying this trade-off are largely unknown. The ‘molt constraint’ hypothesis suggests that molt and plumage functionality are compromised by the preceding breeding event, yet this candidate mechanism remains insufficiently explored. Methodology/Principal Findings The seasonal change in photoperiod was manipulated to accelerate the molt rate. This treatment simulates the case of naturally late-breeding birds. House sparrows Passer domesticus experiencing accelerated molt developed shorter flight feathers with more fault bars and body feathers with supposedly lower insulation capacity (i.e. shorter, smaller, with a higher barbule density and fewer plumulaceous barbs). However, the wing, tail and primary feather lengths were shorter in fast-molting birds if they had an inferior body condition, which has been largely overlooked in previous studies. The rachis width of flight feathers was not affected by the treatment, but it was still condition-dependent. Conclusions/Significance This study shows that sedentary birds might face evolutionary costs because of the molt rate–feather quality conflict. This is the first study to experimentally demonstrate that (1) molt rate affects several aspects of body feathers as well as flight feathers and (2) the costly effects of rapid molt are condition-specific. We conclude that molt rate and its association with feather quality might be a major mediator of life history trade-offs. Our findings also suggest a novel advantage of early breeding, i.e. the facilitation of slower molt and the condition-dependent regulation of feather growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Csongor I Vágási
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
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Vágási CI, Pap PL, Barta Z. Haste makes waste: accelerated molt adversely affects the expression of melanin-based and depigmented plumage ornaments in house sparrows. PLoS One 2010; 5:e14215. [PMID: 21151981 PMCID: PMC2997061 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0014215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2010] [Accepted: 11/10/2010] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Many animals display colorful signals in their integument which convey information about the quality of their bearer. Theoretically, these ornaments incur differential production and/or maintenance costs that enforce their honesty. However, the proximate mechanisms of production costs are poorly understood and contentious in cases of non-carotenoid-based plumage ornaments like the melanin-based badge and depigmented white wing-bar in house sparrows Passer domesticus. Costly life-history events are adaptively separated in time, thus, when reproduction is extended, the time available for molt is curtailed and, in turn, molt rate is accelerated. Methodology/Principal Findings We experimentally accelerated the molt rate by shortening the photoperiod in order to test whether this environmental constraint is mirrored in the expression of plumage ornaments. Sparrows which had undergone an accelerated molt developed smaller badges and less bright wing-bars compared to conspecifics that molted at a natural rate being held at natural-like photoperiod. There was no difference in the brightness of the badge or the size of the wing-bar. Conclusions/Significance These results indicate that the time available for molt and thus the rate at which molt occurs may constrain the expression of melanin-based and depigmented plumage advertisements. This mechanism may lead to the evolution of honest signaling if the onset of molt is condition-dependent through the timing of and/or trade-off between breeding and molt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Csongor I Vágási
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
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