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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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2
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Salmón P, López-Idiáquez D, Capilla-Lasheras P, Pérez-Tris J, Isaksson C, Watson H. Urbanisation impacts plumage colouration in a songbird across Europe: Evidence from a correlational, experimental and meta-analytical approach. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:1924-1936. [PMID: 37574652 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13982] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Urbanisation is accelerating across the globe, transforming landscapes, presenting organisms with novel challenges, shaping phenotypes and impacting fitness. Urban individuals are claimed to have duller carotenoid-based colouration, compared to their non-urban counterparts, the so-called 'urban dullness' phenomenon. However, at the intraspecific level, this generalisation is surprisingly inconsistent and often based on comparisons of single urban/non-urban populations or studies from a limited geographical area. Here, we combine correlational, experimental and meta-analytical data on a common songbird, the great tit Parus major, to investigate carotenoid-based plumage colouration in urban and forest populations across Europe. We find that, as predicted, urban individuals are paler than forest individuals, although there are large population-specific differences in the magnitude of the urban-forest contrast in colouration. Using one focal region (Malmö, Sweden), we reveal population-specific processes behind plumage colouration differences, which are unlikely to be the result of genetic or early-life conditions, but instead a consequence of environmental factors acting after fledging. Finally, our meta-analysis indicates that the urban dullness phenomenon is well established in the literature, for great tits, with consistent changes in carotenoid-based plumage traits, particularly carotenoid chroma, in response to anthropogenic disturbances. Overall, our results provide evidence for uniformity in the 'urban dullness' phenomenon but also highlight that the magnitude of the effect on colouration depends on local urban characteristics. Future long-term replicated studies, covering a wider range of species and feeding guilds, will be essential to further our understanding of the eco-evolutionary implications of this phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Salmón
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - David López-Idiáquez
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Pablo Capilla-Lasheras
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Javier Pérez-Tris
- Evolution and Conservation Biology Research Group, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Hannah Watson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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3
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Remacha C, Ramírez Á, Arriero E, Pérez-Tris J. Haemosporidian infections influence risk-taking behaviours in young male blackcaps, Sylvia atricapilla. Anim Behav 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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4
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Llanos-Garrido A, Briega-Álvarez A, Pérez-Tris J, Díaz JA. Environmental association modelling with loci under divergent selection predicts the distribution range of a lizard. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:3856-3868. [PMID: 34047420 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
During the historical building of a species range, individual colonizers have to confront different ecological challenges, and the capacity of the species to broaden its range may depend on the total amount of adaptive genetic variation supplied by evolution. We set out to increase our understanding of what defines a range and the role of underlying genetics by trying to predict an entire species' range from the geographical distribution of its genetic diversity under selection. We sampled five populations of the western Mediterranean lizard Psammodromus algirus that inhabit a noticeable environmental gradient of temperature and precipitation. We correlated the genotypes of 95 individuals (18-20 individuals per population) for 21 SNPs putatively under selection with environmental scores on a bioclimatic gradient, using 1 × 1 km2 grid cells as sampling units. By extrapolating the resulting model to all possible combinations of alleles, we inferred all the geographic cells that were theoretically suitable for a given amount of genetic variance under selection. The inferred distribution range overlapped to a large extent with the realized range of the species (77.46% of overlap), including an accurate prediction of internal gaps and range borders. Our results suggest an adaptability threshold determined by the amount of genetic variation available that would be required to warrant adaptation beyond a certain limit of environmental variation. These results support the idea that the expansion of a species' range can be ultimately linked to the arising of new variants under selection (either newly selected variants from standing genetic variation or innovative mutations under selection).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Llanos-Garrido
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, UCM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrea Briega-Álvarez
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions und Biodiversitätsforschung Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Javier Pérez-Tris
- Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, UCM, Madrid, Spain
| | - José A Díaz
- Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, UCM, Madrid, Spain
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5
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Delmore K, Illera JC, Pérez-Tris J, Segelbacher G, Lugo Ramos JS, Durieux G, Ishigohoka J, Liedvogel M. The evolutionary history and genomics of European blackcap migration. eLife 2020; 9:e54462. [PMID: 32312383 PMCID: PMC7173969 DOI: 10.7554/elife.54462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Seasonal migration is a taxonomically widespread behaviour that integrates across many traits. The European blackcap exhibits enormous variation in migration and is renowned for research on its evolution and genetic basis. We assembled a reference genome for blackcaps and obtained whole genome resequencing data from individuals across its breeding range. Analyses of population structure and demography suggested divergence began ~30,000 ya, with evidence for one admixture event between migrant and resident continent birds ~5000 ya. The propensity to migrate, orientation and distance of migration all map to a small number of genomic regions that do not overlap with results from other species, suggesting that there are multiple ways to generate variation in migration. Strongly associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were located in regulatory regions of candidate genes that may serve as major regulators of the migratory syndrome. Evidence for selection on shared variation was documented, providing a mechanism by which rapid changes may evolve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kira Delmore
- Behavioural Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary BiologyPlönGermany
| | - Juan Carlos Illera
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO-CSIC-PA), Oviedo UniversityMieresSpain
| | - Javier Pérez-Tris
- Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Complutense University of MadridMadridSpain
| | | | - Juan S Lugo Ramos
- Behavioural Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary BiologyPlönGermany
| | - Gillian Durieux
- Behavioural Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary BiologyPlönGermany
| | - Jun Ishigohoka
- Behavioural Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary BiologyPlönGermany
| | - Miriam Liedvogel
- Behavioural Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary BiologyPlönGermany
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6
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de la Hera I, Hernández-Téllez I, Pérez-Rigueiro J, Pérez-Tris J, Rojo FJ, Tellería JL. Mechanical and structural adaptations to migration in the flight feathers of a Palaearctic passerine. J Evol Biol 2020; 33:979-989. [PMID: 32282960 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Current avian migration patterns in temperate regions have been developed during the glacial retreat and subsequent colonization of the ice-free areas during the Holocene. This process resulted in a geographic gradient of greater seasonality as latitude increased that favoured migration-related morphological and physiological (co)adaptations. Most evidence of avian morphological adaptations to migration comes from the analysis of variation in the length and shape of the wings, but the existence of intra-feather structural adjustments has been greatly overlooked despite their potential to be under natural selection. To shed some light on this question, we used data from European robins Erithacus rubecula overwintering in Campo de Gibraltar (Southern Iberia), where sedentary robins coexist during winter with conspecifics showing a broad range of breeding origins and, hence, migration distances. We explicitly explored how wing length and shape, as well as several functional (bending stiffness), developmental (feather growth rate) and structural (size and complexity of feather components) characteristics of flight feathers, varied in relation to migration distance, which was estimated from the hydrogen stable isotope ratios of the summer-produced tail feathers. Our results revealed that migration distance not only favoured longer and more concave wings, but also promoted primaries with a thicker dorsoventral rachis and shorter barb lengths, which, in turn, conferred more bending stiffness to these feathers. We suggest that these intra-feather structural adjustments could be an additional, largely unnoticed, adaptation within the avian migratory syndrome that might have the potential to evolve relatively quickly to facilitate the occupation of seasonal environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iván de la Hera
- Evolution and Conservation Biology Research Group, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Irene Hernández-Téllez
- Evolution and Conservation Biology Research Group, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Pérez-Rigueiro
- Department of Materials Science, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Pérez-Tris
- Evolution and Conservation Biology Research Group, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - José Luis Tellería
- Evolution and Conservation Biology Research Group, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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7
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Pérez-Tris J, Llanos-Garrido A, Bloor P, Carbonell R, Tellería JL, Santos T, Díaz JA. Increased individual homozygosity is correlated with low fitness in a fragmented lizard population. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blz144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
AbstractIsolation owing to anthropogenic habitat fragmentation is expected to increase the homozygosity of individuals, which might reduce their fitness as a result of inbreeding depression. Using samples from a fragmented population of the lizard Psammodromus algirus, for which we had data about two correlates of fitness, we genotyped individuals for six microsatellite loci that correctly capture genome-wide individual homozygosity of these lizards (as validated with an independent sample of lizards genotyped for both these microsatellites and > 70 000 single nucleotide polymorphisms). Our data revealed genetic structure at a very small geographical scale, which was compatible with restricted gene flow among populations disconnected in a matrix of inhospitable habitat. Lizards from the same fragment were genetically more related to one another than expected by chance, and individual homozygosity was greater in small than in large fragments. Within fragments, individual homozygosity was negatively associated with adult body size and clutch mass, revealing a link among reduced gene flow, increased homozygosity and lowered fitness that might reduce population viability deterministically. Our results contribute to mounting evidence of the impact of the loss of genetic diversity on fragmented wild populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Pérez-Tris
- Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandro Llanos-Garrido
- Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paul Bloor
- Instituto de Genética, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá D.C., Colombia
| | - Roberto Carbonell
- Consejería de Medio Ambiente, Servicio Espacios Naturales, Valladolid, Spain
| | - José Luis Tellería
- Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Tomás Santos
- Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - José A Díaz
- Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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8
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Fernández-Correa I, Truchado DA, Gomez-Lucia E, Doménech A, Pérez-Tris J, Schmidt-Chanasit J, Cadar D, Benítez L. A novel group of avian astroviruses from Neotropical passerine birds broaden the diversity and host range of Astroviridae. Sci Rep 2019; 9:9513. [PMID: 31266971 PMCID: PMC6606752 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45889-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Metagenomics is helping to expand the known diversity of viruses, especially of those with poorly studied hosts in remote areas. The Neotropical region harbors a considerable diversity of avian species that may play a role as both host and short-distance vectors of unknown viruses. Viral metagenomics of cloacal swabs from 50 Neotropical birds collected in French Guiana revealed the presence of four complete astrovirus genomes. They constitute an early diverging novel monophyletic clade within the Avastrovirus phylogeny, representing a putative new astrovirus species (provisionally designated as Avastrovirus 5) according to the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) classification criteria. Their genomic organization shares some characteristics with Avastrovirus but also with Mamastrovirus. The pan-astrovirus RT-PCR analysis of the cloacal samples of 406 wild Neotropical birds showed a community-level prevalence of 4.9% (5.1% in passerines, the highest described so far in this order of birds). By screening birds of a remote region, we expanded the known host range of astroviruses to the avian families Cardinalidae, Conopophagidae, Furnariidae, Thamnophilidae, Turdidae and Tyrannidae. Our results provide important first insights into the unexplored viral communities, the ecology, epidemiology and features of host-pathogen interactions that shape the evolution of avastroviruses in a remote Neotropical rainforest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izaskun Fernández-Correa
- Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, José Antonio Novais, 12, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel A Truchado
- Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, José Antonio Novais, 12, 28040, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, José Antonio Novais, 12, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Esperanza Gomez-Lucia
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Avda. Puerta de Hierro s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Doménech
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Avda. Puerta de Hierro s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Pérez-Tris
- Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, José Antonio Novais, 12, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit
- Bernhard-Nocht-Institut fur Tropenmedizin, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Haemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, National Reference Centre for Tropical Infectious Diseases, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany.,University of Hamburg, Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Cadar
- Bernhard-Nocht-Institut fur Tropenmedizin, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Haemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, National Reference Centre for Tropical Infectious Diseases, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Laura Benítez
- Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, José Antonio Novais, 12, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
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9
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Ortiz-Catedral L, Brunton D, Stidworthy MF, Elsheikha HM, Pennycott T, Schulze C, Braun M, Wink M, Gerlach H, Pendl H, Gruber AD, Ewen J, Pérez-Tris J, Valkiūnas G, Olias P. Haemoproteus minutus is highly virulent for Australasian and South American parrots. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:40. [PMID: 30654841 PMCID: PMC6337802 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3255-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [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: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Haemoproteus and Plasmodium species are widespread avian blood parasites. Several Plasmodium species are known for their high virulence and have caused significant declines in naïve bird populations. The impact of closely related Haemoproteus parasites is largely unknown. Recently we reported a lethal disease in two parrot aviaries caused by Haemoproteus parasites. Results Here we show that the causative pathogen Haemoproteus minutus is responsible for further 17 lethal outbreaks in parrot aviaries in Denmark, Germany and Great Britain. All affected parrots are endemic to Australasia and South America. We sequenced the cytochrome b gene from megalomeront-infected muscle tissue of 21 parrots and identified the two lineages TUPHI01 and TURDUS2 as causative agents, commonly naturally infecting the common blackbird (Turdus merula) and the song thrush (Turdus philomelos), respectively, in the Palaearctic. No intraerythrocytic parasite stages were found in any of the parrots. We failed to detect H. minutus in invasive Indian ring-necked parakeets (Psittacula krameri) in Germany. Together this suggests that abortive infections with two virulent lineages of H. minutus are lethal for naïve parrot species from Australasia and South America. We asked whether we could detect H. minutus in New Zealand, where its Turdus hosts were introduced in the 1800s. We therefore tested invasive blackbirds and song thrushes, and the co-existing endemic red-fronted parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae) population on three New Zealand islands. No Haemoproteus spp. DNA was detected in all blood samples, indicating absence of transmission. Conclusions The results of this study show that captive parrots in Europe are threatened by two lineages of an otherwise benign parasite of Turdus spp. Aviary collections of parrots should be protected from Culicoides spp. vectors in Europe. Animal trade and climate changes extending the current vector and parasite distribution have to be considered as potential risk factors for the introduction of the disease in naïve parrot populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Ortiz-Catedral
- Massey University, Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 102904, North Shore Mail Centre, Auckland, 0745, New Zealand
| | - Dianne Brunton
- Massey University, Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 102904, North Shore Mail Centre, Auckland, 0745, New Zealand
| | - Mark F Stidworthy
- International Zoo Veterinary Group, Station House, Parkwood Street, Keighley, BD21 4NQ, UK
| | - Hany M Elsheikha
- University of Nottingham, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, Sutton Bonington Campus, Sutton Bonington, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Tom Pennycott
- Ayr Disease Surveillance Centre, Auchincruive, Ayr, KA6 5AE, UK
| | - Christoph Schulze
- Berlin-Brandenburg State Laboratory, Gerhard-Neumann-Str. 2, 15236, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany
| | - Michael Braun
- Heidelberg University, Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Wink
- Heidelberg University, Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Helga Gerlach
- Gerlach Laboratory, Grosshessloher Strasse 23, 81479, Munich, Germany
| | - Helene Pendl
- Pendl Laboratory, Untere Roostmatt 7, 6300, Zug, Switzerland
| | - Achim D Gruber
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 15, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - John Ewen
- Zoological Society of London, Institute of Zoology, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Javier Pérez-Tris
- Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Biología (Planta 9), Complutense University of Madrid, C/ José Antonio Novais, 2. Ciudad Universitaria, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gediminas Valkiūnas
- Institute of Ecology, Nature Research Centre, Akademijos str. 2, 08412, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Philipp Olias
- University of Bern, Institute of Animal Pathology, Länggassstrasse 122, 3063, Bern, Switzerland.
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10
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Truchado DA, Moens MAJ, Callejas S, Pérez-Tris J, Benítez L. Genomic characterization of the first oral avian papillomavirus in a colony of breeding canaries (Serinus canaria). Vet Res Commun 2018; 42:111-120. [PMID: 29446002 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-018-9713-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Papillomaviruses are non-enveloped, DNA viruses that infect skin and mucosa of a wide variety of vertebrates, causing neoplasias or simply persisting asymptomatically. Avian papillomaviruses, with six fully sequenced genomes, are the second most studied group after mammalian papillomaviruses. In this study, we describe the first oral avian papillomavirus, detected in the tongue of a dead Yorkshire canary (Serinus canaria) and in oral swabs of the same bird and other two live canaries from an aviary in Madrid, Spain. Its genome is 8,071 bp and presents the canonical papillomavirus architecture with six early (E6, E7, E1, E9, E2, E4) and two late open reading frames (L1 and L2) and a long control region between L1 and E6. This new avian papillomavirus L1 gene shares a 64% pairwise identity with FcPV1 L1, so it has been classified as a new species (ScPV1) within the Ethapapillomavirus genus. Although the canary died after showing breathing problems, there is no evidence that the papillomavirus caused those symptoms so it could be part of the oral microbiota of the birds. Hence, future investigations are needed to evaluate the clinical relevance of the virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Truchado
- Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Calle José Antonio Novais 12, 28040, Madrid, Spain. .,Departamento de Fisiología, Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Calle José Antonio Novais 12, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Michaël A J Moens
- Fundación de Conservación Jocotoco, Lizardo García E9-104 y Andrés Xaura, 170143, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Sergio Callejas
- Unidad de Genómica, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Calle Melchor Fernández Almagro, 3, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Pérez-Tris
- Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Calle José Antonio Novais 12, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Benítez
- Departamento de Fisiología, Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Calle José Antonio Novais 12, 28040, Madrid, Spain
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11
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Moens MAJ, Pérez-Tris J, Cortey M, Benítez L. Identification of two novel CRESS DNA viruses associated with an Avipoxvirus lesion of a blue-and-gray Tanager (Thraupis episcopus). Infect Genet Evol 2018; 60:89-96. [PMID: 29454113 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2018.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Revised: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of circular rep-encoding single stranded (CRESS) DNA viruses has increased spectacularly over the past decade. They represent the smallest animal viruses known worldwide infecting a wide variety of invertebrates and vertebrates in different natural and human-made environments. The extremely low similarity of nucleotide and protein sequences among different CRESS DNA genomes has challenged their classification. Moreover, the existence of capsid proteins (Cp) remains difficult to demonstrate which is crucial to understand the structural properties of these viruses. Here we describe two unclassified CRESS DNA viruses isolated from a cutaneous lesion, caused by a strain of Avipoxvirus, from a blue-and-gray tanager (Thraupis episcopus) in Southern Ecuador. Both viruses present replication-associated proteins (Rep) and one to two open reading frames (ORF), one of which represents a putative Cp. The two new Rep are long proteins characterized by the existence of the several highly conserved amino acid residues characteristic of rolling circle replication. Within the putative Cp we detected intrinsically disordered regions (IDR), potential protein and DNA binding regions, and nuclear localization signals (NLS), providing further evidence of presumed Cp. Despite being found on the same host lesion, both viruses show low similarity between each other (<60%) and other known CRESS DNA viruses. Furthermore, we analyze the evolutionary relationships within the CRESS DNA diversity. Additional sampling is needed to explore the possible pathogenic effects, prevalence and diversity (both phylogenetical and structural) of these viruses in wild bird populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaël A J Moens
- Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid. Calle José Antonio Nováis 12, 28040 Madrid, Spain; Jocotoco Foundation, Lizardo García E9-104 y Andrés Xaura, Quito, Ecuador.
| | - Javier Pérez-Tris
- Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid. Calle José Antonio Nováis 12, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Martí Cortey
- Departament de Sanitat i d'Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.
| | - Laura Benítez
- Department of Physiology, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid. Calle José Antonio Nováis 12, 28040,Madrid, Spain.
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12
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Ruiz-Martínez J, Ferraguti M, Figuerola J, Martínez-de la Puente J, Williams RAJ, Herrera-Dueñas A, Aguirre JI, Soriguer R, Escudero C, Moens MAJ, Pérez-Tris J, Benítez L. Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of Avipoxvirus in House Sparrows in Spain. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0168690. [PMID: 28005936 PMCID: PMC5179100 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 09/05/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Avipoxvirus (APV) is a fairly common virus affecting birds that causes morbidity and mortality in wild and captive birds. We studied the prevalence of pox-like lesions and genetic diversity of APV in house sparrows (Passer domesticus) in natural, agricultural and urban areas in southern Spain in 2013 and 2014 and in central Spain for 8 months (2012-2013). Overall, 3.2% of 2,341 house sparrows visually examined in southern Spain had cutaneous lesions consistent with avian pox. A similar prevalence (3%) was found in 338 birds from central Spain. Prevalence was higher in hatch-year birds than in adults. We did not detect any clear spatial or temporal patterns of APV distribution. Molecular analyses of poxvirus-like lesions revealed that 63% of the samples were positive. Molecular and phylogenetic analyses of 29 DNA sequences from the fpv167 gene, detected two strains belonging to the canarypox clade (subclades B1 and B2) previously found in Spain. One of them appears predominant in Iberia and North Africa and shares 70% similarity to fowlpox and canarypox virus. This APV strain has been identified in a limited number of species in the Iberian Peninsula, Morocco and Hungary. The second one has a global distribution and has been found in numerous wild bird species around the world. To our knowledge, this represents the largest study of avian poxvirus disease in the broadly distributed house sparrow and strongly supports the findings that Avipox prevalence in this species in South and central Spain is moderate and the genetic diversity low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Ruiz-Martínez
- Departamento de Microbiología III, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Martina Ferraguti
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Jordi Figuerola
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Sevilla, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Josué Martínez-de la Puente
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Sevilla, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | | | - Amparo Herrera-Dueñas
- Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Ignacio Aguirre
- Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ramón Soriguer
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Sevilla, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Clara Escudero
- Departamento de Microbiología III, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Michaël André Jean Moens
- Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Pérez-Tris
- Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Benítez
- Departamento de Microbiología III, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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13
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Remacha C, Delgado JA, Bulaic M, Pérez-Tris J. Human Disturbance during Early Life Impairs Nestling Growth in Birds Inhabiting a Nature Recreation Area. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0166748. [PMID: 27851816 PMCID: PMC5112931 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0166748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [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: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Nature recreation conflicts with conservation, but its impacts on wildlife are not fully understood. Where recreation is not regulated, visitors to natural areas may gather in large numbers on weekends and holidays. This may increase variance in fitness in wild populations, if individuals whose critical life cycle stages coincide with periods of high human disturbance are at a disadvantage. We studied nestling development of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) in a natural area where recreation activities intensify during weekends and other public holidays at picnic and leisure facilities, but not in the surrounding woods. In nests located near recreation facilities, blue tit nestlings that hatched during holidays developed slowly, and fledged with low body mass and poor body condition. However, nestlings that hatched outside of holidays and weekends in these nest boxes developed normally, eventually attaining similar phenotypes as those hatching in the surrounding woods. Within-brood variance in body mass was also higher in broods that began growing during holidays in disturbed areas. Our results show that early disturbance events may have negative consequences for wild birds if they overlap with critical stages of development, unveiling otherwise cryptic impacts of human activities. These new findings may help managers better regulate nature recreation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Remacha
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Ecology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Mateja Bulaic
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Pérez-Tris
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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14
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Moens MAJ, Valkiūnas G, Paca A, Bonaccorso E, Aguirre N, Pérez-Tris J. Parasite specialization in a unique habitat: hummingbirds as reservoirs of generalist blood parasites of Andean birds. J Anim Ecol 2016; 85:1234-45. [PMID: 27177277 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2015] [Accepted: 05/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how parasites fill their ecological niches requires information on the processes involved in the colonization and exploitation of unique host species. Switching to hosts with atypical attributes may favour generalists broadening their niches or may promote specialization and parasite diversification as the consequence. We analysed which blood parasites have successfully colonized hummingbirds, and how they have evolved to exploit such a unique habitat. We specifically asked (i) whether the assemblage of Haemoproteus parasites of hummingbirds is the result of single or multiple colonization events, (ii) to what extent these parasites are specialized in hummingbirds or shared with other birds and (iii) how hummingbirds contribute to sustain the populations of these parasites, in terms of both prevalence and infection intensity. We sampled 169 hummingbirds of 19 species along an elevation gradient in Southern Ecuador to analyse the host specificity, diversity and infection intensity of Haemoproteus by molecular and microscopy techniques. In addition, 736 birds of 112 species were analysed to explore whether hummingbird parasites are shared with other birds. Hummingbirds hosted a phylogenetically diverse assemblage of generalist Haemoproteus lineages shared with other host orders. Among these parasites, Haemoproteus witti stood out as the most generalized. Interestingly, we found that infection intensities of this parasite were extremely low in passerines (with no detectable gametocytes), but very high in hummingbirds, with many gametocytes seen. Moreover, infection intensities of H. witti were positively correlated with the prevalence across host species. Our results show that hummingbirds have been colonized by generalist Haemoproteus lineages on multiple occasions. However, one of these generalist parasites (H. witti) seems to be highly dependent on hummingbirds, which arise as the most relevant reservoirs in terms of both prevalence and gametocytaemia. From this perspective, this generalist parasite may be viewed as a hummingbird specialist. This challenges the current paradigm of how to measure host specialization in these parasites, which has important implications to understand disease ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaël A J Moens
- Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Calle José Antonio Novais 12, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Anahi Paca
- Centro de Investigación de la Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático (BioCamb), Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica, Machala y Sabanilla, Cotocollao, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Elisa Bonaccorso
- Centro de Investigación de la Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático (BioCamb), Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica, Machala y Sabanilla, Cotocollao, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Nikolay Aguirre
- Biodiversity, Forests and Ecosystem Services Research Program, Universidad Nacional de Loja, Ciudadela Guillermo Falconi Espinoza, Casilla 11-01-24, Loja, Ecuador
| | - Javier Pérez-Tris
- Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Calle José Antonio Novais 12, 28040, Madrid, Spain
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15
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Mantilla JS, González AD, Lotta IA, Moens M, Pacheco MA, Escalante AA, Valkiūnas G, Moncada LI, Pérez-Tris J, Matta NE. Haemoproteus erythrogravidus n. sp. (Haemosporida, Haemoproteidae): Description and molecular characterization of a widespread blood parasite of birds in South America. Acta Trop 2016; 159:83-94. [PMID: 26995696 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2016.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2015] [Revised: 02/15/2016] [Accepted: 02/29/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The great diversity of birds and ecosystems in the Andean mountains has been understudied in terms of their parasite species. We describe a new Haemoproteus parasite, H. (Parahaemoproteus) erythrogravidus infecting Zonotrichia capensis (Rufous-Collared Sparrow) in South America. The description of this blood parasite species is supported by morphological and molecular data based on a fragment of cytochrome b gene (cyt b) and complete mitochondrial genome sequences. The new species is closely related to H. (Parahaemoproteus) coatneyi, and it can be readily distinguished from the latter parasite due to morphology of its blood stages, particularly 1) the formation of a marked protrusion on envelope of infected erythrocytes by the majority of developing gametocytes, a feature which is unique for this Haemoproteus species and 2) the extremely attenuated width of the growing dumbbell-shaped macro- and microgametocytes. Additionally, Haemoproteus erythrogravidus is shown to be a monophyletic taxon that diverges from Haemoproteus coatneyi at the molecular level. We provide the complete mitochondrial DNA genome for both H. coatneyi and H. erythrogravidus. Molecular and morphological evidences indicate that H. erythrogravidus is present in Ecuador and Colombia, and genetic lineages with 100% of identity for the cyt b gene were reported in Chile, Perú, and Venezuela. Our study also indicates that H. erythrogravidus and H. coatneyi are sympatric sister taxa sharing Z. capensis as a host species across its distribution, which could be the result of sympatric speciation or complex biogeographic processes. Further studies on the distribution and evolutionary history of Z. capensis and its parasites H. erythrogravidus and H. coatneyi insight for our better understanding of the factors and dynamics driving parasite speciation.
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16
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Hahn S, Korner-Nievergelt F, Emmenegger T, Amrhein V, Csörgő T, Gursoy A, Ilieva M, Kverek P, Pérez-Tris J, Pirrello S, Zehtindjiev P, Salewski V. Longer wings for faster springs - wing length relates to spring phenology in a long-distance migrant across its range. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:68-77. [PMID: 26811775 PMCID: PMC4716511 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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: 07/19/2015] [Revised: 10/27/2015] [Accepted: 11/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In migratory birds, morphological adaptations for efficient migratory flight often oppose morphological adaptations for efficient behavior during resident periods. This includes adaptations in wing shape for either flying long distances or foraging in the vegetation and in climate‐driven variation of body size. In addition, the timing of migratory flights and particularly the timely arrival at local breeding sites is crucial because fitness prospects depend on site‐specific phenology. Thus, adaptations for efficient long‐distance flights might be also related to conditions at destination areas. For an obligatory long‐distance migrant, the common nightingale, we verified that wing length as the aerodynamically important trait, but not structural body size increased from the western to the eastern parts of the species range. In contrast with expectation from aerodynamic theory, however, wing length did not increase with increasing migration distances. Instead, wing length was associated with the phenology at breeding destinations, namely the speed of local spring green‐up. We argue that longer wings are beneficial for adjusting migration speed to local conditions for birds breeding in habitats with fast spring green‐up and thus short optimal arrival periods. We suggest that the speed of spring green‐up at breeding sites is a fundamental variable determining the timing of migration that fine tune phenotypes in migrants across their range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steffen Hahn
- Department of Bird Migration Swiss Ornithological Institute Sempach Switzerland
| | | | - Tamara Emmenegger
- Department of Bird Migration Swiss Ornithological Institute Sempach Switzerland
| | | | - Tibor Csörgő
- Department of Anatomy, Cell & Developmental Biology Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - Arzu Gursoy
- Department of Biology Ondokuz Mayis University Samsun Turkey
| | - Mihaela Ilieva
- Institute of Biodiversity & Ecosystem Research Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Sofia Bulgaria
| | | | - Javier Pérez-Tris
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology Complutense University of Madrid Madrid Spain; SEO-Monticola Ringing Group Autonomous University of Madrid Madrid Spain
| | - Simone Pirrello
- Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) Ozzano dell'Emilia Italy
| | - Pavel Zehtindjiev
- Institute of Biodiversity & Ecosystem Research Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Sofia Bulgaria
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17
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Moens MAJ, Pérez-Tris J. Discovering potential sources of emerging pathogens: South America is a reservoir of generalist avian blood parasites. Int J Parasitol 2015; 46:41-9. [PMID: 26348660 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2015.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Revised: 08/04/2015] [Accepted: 08/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Generalist pathogens are capable of infecting a wide range of host species, and may pose serious disease emergence threats if accidentally moved outside their native areas. To date little effort has been devoted to identifying geographic areas that may act as reservoirs of generalist pathogens. According to current theory, where host diversity is high, parasite specialisation in one host species may be penalised by reduced host availability, while generalist parasites may benefit from the exploitation of various host species. Therefore natural selection could favor generalist parasites where host diversity is high. Here we explored if, in a highly diverse bird community in Ecuador, a generalist strategy is promoted among local Haemoproteus and Plasmodium blood-borne parasites compared with similar parasite communities throughout the world. We reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships of every parasite lineage in order to understand the evolution of host specificity in this megadiverse area. We found high levels of host generalisation for both parasite genera, and the mean host range of the Haemoproteus community in Ecuador was significantly higher than other parasite communities in other areas outside the Neotropics. Generalist Haemoproteus parasites in this bird community had diverse phylogenetic ancestry, were closely related to specialist parasites and were apparently endemic to the Amazon, showing that different parasites have independently evolved into host generalists in this region. Finally we show that Haemoproteus communities in Ecuador and South America are more generalist than in temperate areas, making this continent a hotspot of generalist Haemoproteus parasites for wild birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaël A J Moens
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Calle José Antonio Novais 12, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Javier Pérez-Tris
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Calle José Antonio Novais 12, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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18
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Fernández-González S, Pérez-Rodríguez A, de la Hera I, Proctor HC, Pérez-Tris J. Different space preferences and within-host competition promote niche partitioning between symbiotic feather mite species. Int J Parasitol 2015; 45:655-62. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2015.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2014] [Revised: 03/13/2015] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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19
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Pérez-Rodríguez A, de la Hera I, Bensch S, Pérez-Tris J. Evolution of seasonal transmission patterns in avian blood-borne parasites. Int J Parasitol 2015; 45:605-11. [PMID: 25957160 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2015.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2014] [Revised: 03/13/2015] [Accepted: 03/16/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
In temperate regions, many vector-borne parasites maximise their transmission prospects by adjusting reproduction to seasonal cycles of host susceptibility and vector availability. Nevertheless, in these regions there are areas where environmental conditions are favourable throughout the year, so that parasites could benefit from a year-round transmission strategy. We analysed how different transmission strategies (strict summer transmission, extended summer transmission - including spring and autumn, and year round transmission) have evolved among the different genetic lineages of Haemoproteus parabelopolskyi, an avian blood-borne parasite shared by three sibling species of passerine hosts. Our results indicate that the ancestral state of this clade of parasites had a strict summer transmission with the blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) as the host. Other transmission strategies and switches to the other host species (Sylvia abyssinica and Sylvia borin) evolved recently, several times, independently. This suggests that, although year-round transmission is ecologically successful at present, seasonal transmission may have become more stable over evolutionary time. Switches from strict summer to an extended or year-round transmission strategy could have ecological consequences, if they promote the spread of parasites into more distant regions, transported by the migrating bird hosts. Therefore, a deeper knowledge of how different parasite transmission strategies are structured among birds in temperate areas is essential for understanding how disease emergence risks may develop in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antón Pérez-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, José Antonio Nováis 2, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Iván de la Hera
- Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, José Antonio Nováis 2, E-28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Staffan Bensch
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Javier Pérez-Tris
- Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, José Antonio Nováis 2, E-28040 Madrid, Spain
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20
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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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Pérez-Rodríguez A, de la Hera I, Fernández-González S, Pérez-Tris J. Global warming will reshuffle the areas of high prevalence and richness of three genera of avian blood parasites. Glob Chang Biol 2014; 20:2406-2416. [PMID: 24488566 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2013] [Accepted: 01/23/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The importance of parasitism for host populations depends on local parasite richness and prevalence: usually host individuals face higher infection risk in areas where parasites are most diverse, and host dispersal to or from these areas may have fitness consequences. Knowing how parasites are and will be distributed in space and time (in a context of global change) is thus crucial from both an ecological and a biological conservation perspective. Nevertheless, most research articles focus just on elaborating models of parasite distribution instead of parasite diversity. We produced distribution models of the areas where haemosporidian parasites are currently highly diverse (both at community and at within-host levels) and prevalent among Iberian populations of a model passerine host: the blackcap Sylvia atricapilla; and how these areas are expected to vary according to three scenarios of climate change. On the basis of these models, we analysed whether variation among populations in parasite richness or prevalence are expected to remain the same or change in the future, thereby reshuffling the geographic mosaic of host-parasite interactions as we observe it today. Our models predict a rearrangement of areas of high prevalence and richness of parasites in the future, with Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon parasites (today the most diverse genera in blackcaps) losing areas of high diversity and Plasmodium parasites (the most virulent ones) gaining them. Likewise, the prevalence of multiple infections and parasite infracommunity richness would be reduced. Importantly, differences among populations in the prevalence and richness of parasites are expected to decrease in the future, creating a more homogeneous parasitic landscape. This predicts an altered geographic mosaic of host-parasite relationships, which will modify the interaction arena in which parasite virulence evolves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antón Pérez-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, E-28040, Spain
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Williams RAJ, Escudero Duch C, Pérez-Tris J, Benítez L. Polymerase chain reaction detection of avipox and avian papillomavirus in naturally infected wild birds: comparisons of blood, swab and tissue samples. Avian Pathol 2014; 43:130-4. [PMID: 24456300 DOI: 10.1080/03079457.2014.886326] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Avian poxvirus (avipox) is widely reported from avian species, causing cutaneous or mucosal lesions. Mortality rates of up to 100% are recorded in some hosts. Three major avipox clades are recognized. Several diagnostic techniques have been reported, with molecular techniques used only recently. Avipox has been reported from 278 different avian species, but only 111 of these involved sequence and/or strain identification. Collecting samples from wild birds is challenging as only few wild bird individuals or species may be symptomatic. Also, sampling regimes are tightly regulated and the most efficient sampling method, whole bird collection, is ethically challenging. In this study, three alternative sampling techniques (blood, cutaneous swabs and tissue biopsies) from symptomatic wild birds were examined. Polymerase chain reaction was used to detect avipoxvirus and avian papillomavirus (which also induces cutaneous lesions in birds). Four out of 14 tissue samples were positive but all 29 blood samples and 22 swab samples were negative for papillomavirus. All 29 blood samples were negative but 6/22 swabs and 9/14 tissue samples were avipox-positive. The difference between the numbers of positives generated from tissue samples and from swabs was not significant. The difference in the avipox-positive specimens in paired swab (4/6) and tissue samples (6/6) was also not significant. These results therefore do not show the superiority of swab or tissue samples over each other. However, both swab (6/22) and tissue (8/9) samples yielded significantly more avipox-positive cases than blood samples, which are therefore not recommended for sampling these viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard A J Williams
- a Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Biological Sciences , Universidad Complutense de Madrid , Madrid , Spain
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Pérez-Rodríguez A, Fernández-González S, de la Hera I, Pérez-Tris J. Finding the appropriate variables to model the distribution of vector-borne parasites with different environmental preferences: climate is not enough. Glob Chang Biol 2013; 19:3245-3253. [PMID: 23606561 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2012] [Revised: 03/26/2013] [Accepted: 04/11/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how environmental variation influences the distribution of parasite diversity is critical if we are to anticipate disease emergence risks associated with global change. However, choosing the relevant variables for modelling current and future parasite distributions may be difficult: candidate predictors are many, and they seldom are statistically independent. This problem often leads to simplistic models of current and projected future parasite distributions, with climatic variables prioritized over potentially important landscape features or host population attributes. We studied avian blood parasites of the genera Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon (which are viewed as potential emergent pathogens) in 37 Iberian blackcap Sylvia atricapilla populations. We used Partial Least Squares regression to assess the relative importance of a wide array of putative determinants of variation in the diversity of these parasites, including climate, landscape features and host population migration. Both prevalence and richness of parasites were predominantly related to climate (an effect which was primarily, but not exclusively driven by variation in temperature), but landscape features and host migration also explained variation in parasite diversity. Remarkably, different models emerged for each parasite genus, although all parasites were studied in the same host species. Our results show that parasite distribution models, which are usually based on climatic variables alone, improve by including other types of predictors. Moreover, closely related parasites may show different relationships to the same environmental influences (both in magnitude and direction). Thus, a model used to develop one parasite distribution can probably not be applied identically even to the most similar host-parasite systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antón Pérez-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, E-28040, Spain
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24
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Pérez-Rodríguez A, de la Puente J, Onrubia A, Pérez-Tris J. Molecular characterization of haemosporidian parasites from kites of the genus Milvus (Aves: Accipitridae). Int J Parasitol 2013; 43:381-7. [PMID: 23376529 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2012.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [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: 10/22/2012] [Revised: 12/05/2012] [Accepted: 12/10/2012] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Despite the ecological significance and appeal of birds of prey, many aspects of their biology remain poorly known, including the diversity of parasites infecting them in the wild. We studied the diversity and prevalence of haemosporidian parasites infecting the two species of kites of the genus Milvus, aiming to describe the phylogenetic relationships among them and with other haemosporidians, as well as their distribution in the two host species. Black kites, Milvus migrans, harboured a more diverse community of parasites, including three haplotypes of each of the three genera Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon, which also occurred at a higher prevalence than in red kites. In red kites, Milvus milvus only three haplotypes of Leucocytozoon were found. Kite parasites were not closely related to one another nor were they kite-specific: their diversity spanned various branches of the haemosporidian phylogenetic tree, and their closest relatives were found in other species (including various avian orders), although some Leucocytozoon and Haemoproteus haplotypes clustered within apparently raptor-specific parasite clades. Remarkably, Plasmodium spp. and Haemoproteus spp. infected adult black kites only, an observation which supports the hypothesis that they are transmitted at the African wintering grounds, while Leucocytozoon spp. is putatively transmitted only in Europe. Intercontinental migration of the black kite might explain the divergence of parasite diversity between these two sister species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antón Pérez-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
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Fernández-González S, De la Hera I, Pérez-Rodríguez A, Pérez-Tris J. Divergent host phenotypes create opportunities and constraints on the distribution of two wing-dwelling feather mites. OIKOS 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2012.00241.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Ewen JG, Bensch S, Blackburn TM, Bonneaud C, Brown R, Cassey P, Clarke RH, Pérez-Tris J. Establishment of exotic parasites: the origins and characteristics of an avian malaria community in an isolated island avifauna. Ecol Lett 2012; 15:1112-9. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01833.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2012] [Revised: 05/11/2012] [Accepted: 06/14/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John G. Ewen
- Institute of Zoology; Zoological Society of London; Regent's Park London NW1 4RY UK
| | - Staffan Bensch
- Department of Biology; Lund University; Sölvegatan 37 SE-22362 Lund Sweden
| | - Tim M. Blackburn
- Institute of Zoology; Zoological Society of London; Regent's Park London NW1 4RY UK
- Distinguished Scientist Fellowship Program; King Saud University; P.O. Box 2455 Riyadh 1145 Saudi Arabia
| | - Camille Bonneaud
- Station d'Ecologie Expérimentale du CNRS à Moulis; USR 2936; 09200 Moulis France
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation; College of Life and Environmental Sciences; University of Exeter; Penryn Cornwall TR10 9EZ UK
| | - Ruth Brown
- Institute of Zoology; Zoological Society of London; Regent's Park London NW1 4RY UK
| | - Phillip Cassey
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences; University of Adelaide; Adelaide SA 5005 Australia
| | - Rohan H. Clarke
- School of Biological Sciences; Monash University; Clayton Vic. 3125 Australia
| | - Javier Pérez-Tris
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology; Complutense University; Madrid 28040 Spain
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Ventim R, Ramos JA, Osório H, Lopes RJ, Pérez-Tris J, Mendes L. Avian malaria infections in western European mosquitoes. Parasitol Res 2012; 111:637-45. [PMID: 22427023 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-012-2880-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2012] [Accepted: 02/23/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In the complex life cycle of avian malaria parasites (Plasmodium sp.), we still have a poor understanding on the vector-parasite relationships. This study described the community of potential avian malaria vectors in four Portuguese reedbeds. We tested if their geographical distribution differed, and investigated on their Plasmodium infections. The mosquitoes' feeding preferences were evaluated using CO(2), mice, and birds as baits. The most abundant species were Culex pipiens, Culex theileri, and Ochlerotatus caspius (and, in one site, Coquillettidia richiardii). Plasmodium lineages SGS1 and SYAT05 were found in unengorged Cx. pipiens and Cx. theileri, respectively, suggesting that these mosquitoes were competent vectors of those lineages. The species' abundance was significantly different among sites, which may help to explain the observed differences in the prevalence of SGS1. At the study sites, SGS1 was detected in the most abundant mosquito species and reached a high prevalence in the most abundant passerine species. Probably, this parasite needs abundant hosts in all phases of its cycle to keep a good reservoir of infection in all its stages. Cq. richiardii showed an opportunistic feeding behavior, while Cx. pipiens appeared to be more mammophilic than previously described, perhaps because the used avian bait was not its preferential target. In one of the study sites, mosquitoes seem to be attracted to the Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor, an abundant bird species that may be an important local reservoir of avian malaria infections. To our knowledge, this is the first report of detection of avian Plasmodium DNA from European mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Ventim
- Institute of Marine Research (IMAR/CMA), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Apartado 3046, 3001-401 Coimbra, Portugal.
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Pérez-Tris J, Williams RAJ, Abel-Fernández E, Barreiro J, Conesa JJ, Figuerola J, Martinez-Martínez M, Ramírez A, Benitez L. A multiplex PCR for detection of poxvirus and papillomavirus in cutaneous warts from live birds and museum skins. Avian Dis 2012; 55:545-53. [PMID: 22312972 DOI: 10.1637/9685-021411-reg.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Viral cutaneous lesions are frequent in some bird populations, though we are generally ignorant of the causal agent. In some instances, they represent a threat to livestock and wildlife health. We present here a multiplex PCR which detects and distinguishes infection by two such agents, avipoxviruses and papillomaviruses, in avian hosts. We assayed biopsies and superficial skin swabs from field and preserved museum skin specimens. Ninety-three percent of samples from symptomatic specimens tested positive for the presence of avipox (n = 23) or papillomavirus (n = 5). Sixteen and five sequences, corresponding to the P4b and L1 genes, were obtained from avipox and papillomavirus, respectively. One museum specimen, of Fringilla coelebs (chaffinch), was apparently infected with both viruses. Although papillomavirus sequences proved identical to previously published sequences, four novel avipox sequences were generated and used to build a neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree. Our tree recovered a similar topology to that of several recent authors; however, we also propose here two new minor avipox clades (B1b and B3). This multiplex PCR technique shows improved sensitivity compared to other avipox and papillomavirus assays, is able to detect a wide range of avipox and papillomavirus types (it amplifies all three avian-derived papillomavirus genera described thus far and sequences from both major avipox clades), and was even able to detect ancient viral DNA contained in museum specimens of greater than 75 years antiquity for both viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Pérez-Tris
- Department de Zoología y Antropología Física, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, C/Jose Antonio Novais, 28040, Madrid, Spain
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Fuller T, Bensch S, Müller I, Novembre J, Pérez-Tris J, Ricklefs RE, Smith TB, Waldenström J. The ecology of emerging infectious diseases in migratory birds: an assessment of the role of climate change and priorities for future research. Ecohealth 2012; 9:80-88. [PMID: 22366978 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-012-0750-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2011] [Revised: 01/26/2012] [Accepted: 02/10/2012] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Pathogens that are maintained by wild birds occasionally jump to human hosts, causing considerable loss of life and disruption to global commerce. Preliminary evidence suggests that climate change and human movements and commerce may have played a role in recent range expansions of avian pathogens. Since the magnitude of climate change in the coming decades is predicted to exceed climatic changes in the recent past, there is an urgent need to determine the extent to which climate change may drive the spread of disease by avian migrants. In this review, we recommend actions intended to mitigate the impact of emergent pathogens of migratory birds on biodiversity and public health. Increased surveillance that builds upon existing bird banding networks is required to conclusively establish a link between climate and avian pathogens and to prevent pathogens with migratory bird reservoirs from spilling over to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevon Fuller
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1496, USA.
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Marzal A, Ricklefs RE, Valkiūnas G, Albayrak T, Arriero E, Bonneaud C, Czirják GA, Ewen J, Hellgren O, Hořáková D, Iezhova TA, Jensen H, Križanauskienė A, Lima MR, de Lope F, Magnussen E, Martin LB, Møller AP, Palinauskas V, Pap PL, Pérez-Tris J, Sehgal RNM, Soler M, Szöllősi E, Westerdahl H, Zetindjiev P, Bensch S. Diversity, loss, and gain of malaria parasites in a globally invasive bird. PLoS One 2011; 6:e21905. [PMID: 21779353 PMCID: PMC3136938 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0021905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [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: 11/08/2010] [Accepted: 06/14/2011] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive species can displace natives, and thus identifying the traits that make aliens successful is crucial for predicting and preventing biodiversity loss. Pathogens may play an important role in the invasive process, facilitating colonization of their hosts in new continents and islands. According to the Novel Weapon Hypothesis, colonizers may out-compete local native species by bringing with them novel pathogens to which native species are not adapted. In contrast, the Enemy Release Hypothesis suggests that flourishing colonizers are successful because they have left their pathogens behind. To assess the role of avian malaria and related haemosporidian parasites in the global spread of a common invasive bird, we examined the prevalence and genetic diversity of haemosporidian parasites (order Haemosporida, genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus) infecting house sparrows (Passer domesticus). We sampled house sparrows (N = 1820) from 58 locations on 6 continents. All the samples were tested using PCR-based methods; blood films from the PCR-positive birds were examined microscopically to identify parasite species. The results show that haemosporidian parasites in the house sparrows' native range are replaced by species from local host-generalist parasite fauna in the alien environments of North and South America. Furthermore, sparrows in colonized regions displayed a lower diversity and prevalence of parasite infections. Because the house sparrow lost its native parasites when colonizing the American continents, the release from these natural enemies may have facilitated its invasion in the last two centuries. Our findings therefore reject the Novel Weapon Hypothesis and are concordant with the Enemy Release Hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso Marzal
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Anatomy, Cellular Biology and Zoology, University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Robert E. Ricklefs
- Department of Biology, University of Missouri, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | | | - Tamer Albayrak
- Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi, Fen Edebiyat Fakültesi, Biyoloji Bölümü, Burdur, Turkey
| | - Elena Arriero
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie Evolutive, CNRS UMR7103, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Paris, France
| | - Camille Bonneaud
- Station d'Ecologie Expérimentale du CNRS USR 2973, Moulis, France
| | - Gábor A. Czirják
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - John Ewen
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Olof Hellgren
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Dita Hořáková
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Henrik Jensen
- Department of Biology, Centre for Conservation Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Marcos R. Lima
- Departamento de Ecologia-IB, Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
- Centre of Ecology and Conservation, School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Cornwall, United Kingdom
| | - Florentino de Lope
- Department of Anatomy, Cellular Biology and Zoology, University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Eyðfinn Magnussen
- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Faroes, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Lynn B. Martin
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Anders P. Møller
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution, CNRS UMR 8079, Université Paris-Sud, Bâtiment 362, Orsay, France
- Center for Advanced Study, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Péter L. Pap
- Department of Taxonomy and Ecology, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Javier Pérez-Tris
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ravinder N. M. Sehgal
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Manuel Soler
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Eszter Szöllősi
- Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Pavel Zetindjiev
- Central Laboratory of General Ecology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Staffan Bensch
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- * E-mail:
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Remacha C, Pérez-Tris J, Delgado JA. Reducing visitors' group size increases the number of birds during educational activities: Implications for management of nature-based recreation. J Environ Manage 2011; 92:1564-1568. [PMID: 21295906 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2011.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2009] [Revised: 12/08/2010] [Accepted: 01/05/2011] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Organized tours to watch wildlife are popular recreational and educational activities, in which the visitor expectative (to observe as many and as diverse animals as possible) runs parallel to conservation purposes. However, the presence of visitors may cause negative impacts on wildlife, which makes recreation difficult to manage. Thus, restricting visitor's load to minimize impacts on fauna may be advisable, but too much restriction may end up disappointing the public. We analysed how visitors' group size influences the number and variety of birds observed during an educational activity directed to scholars, in a forested area where public access is otherwise restricted. We observed fewer birds, but not fewer species, as the size of scholars' groups increased. Such effect was apparently mediated by a few species demonstrating reduced tolerance to increased group size. Our results support the idea that reducing the size of visitors' groups not only helps to minimize the negative impacts on wildlife derived from leisure activities, but also allows visitors to watch more wildlife. Therefore, organizing visitors in small numbers is recommended in the design of activities directed to groups of people visiting natural areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Remacha
- Departamento de Ecología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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Tellería JL, Díaz JA, Pérez-Tris J, de Juana E, de la Hera I, Iraeta P, Salvador A, Santos T. Barrier effects on vertebrate distribution caused by a motorway crossing through fragmented forest landscape. Anim Biodiv Conserv 2011. [DOI: 10.32800/abc.2011.34.0331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Anti–predator training of juvenile little owls was tested in a sample of recovered owls raised in captivity in Brinzal Owl Rescue Center (Madrid, Spain). Mortality caused by predators has been described previously in released individuals. Nine little owls were conditioned during their development to a naturalized goshawk and a large live rat, whose presence was paired to the owl’s alarm call. All nine owls and seven non–trained individuals were then released during the late summer and autumn and radio–tracked for six weeks to test their survival. In total 71.4% of the trained owls survived while only the 33.3% of the untrained group were alive at the end of week six. The only cause of death that was detected was predation. Antipredator training, therefore, seems to be beneficial in maximizing survival after the release of juvenile little owls.
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Hellgren O, Pérez-Tris J, Bensch S. A jack-of-all-trades and still a master of some: prevalence and host range in avian malaria and related blood parasites. Ecology 2009; 90:2840-9. [PMID: 19886492 DOI: 10.1890/08-1059.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
A parasite's ability to be a specialist vs. a generalist may have consequences for its prevalence within one or more if its host species. In this study we investigated the relationship between host specialization and prevalence in the highly species diverse avian blood parasites of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus. Contrary to trade-off hypotheses that may explain host specialization, within both genera the parasites with the ability to complete their life cycles and be transmitted across a wide host range (broad compatibility) were also the most common parasites within their compatible host species. These patterns remained unchanged when the host species with the highest prevalence were excluded, which reduces the possibility that the observed pattern was caused by parasites reaching high prevalence in a single main host, and being "spilled over" to other host species. We hypothesize that a positive relationship between parasite host range and prevalence might be explained by an overall higher encounter rate for the parasites with broad host range, which compensates for possibly reduced performance of parasites in each host species. Overall, these results show that parasites with the ability to successfully infect a wide variety of host species of broad ancestry also can have the ability to be the most prevalent in single host species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olof Hellgren
- Department of Animal Ecology, Ecology Building, Lund University, SE-22362 Lund, Sweden.
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Bensch S, Hellgren O, Pérez-Tris J. MalAvi: a public database of malaria parasites and related haemosporidians in avian hosts based on mitochondrial cytochrome b lineages. Mol Ecol Resour 2009; 9:1353-8. [PMID: 21564906 DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-0998.2009.02692.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 596] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Research in avian blood parasites has seen a remarkable increase since the introduction of polymerase chain reaction-based methods for parasite identification. New data are revealing complex multihost-multiparasite systems which are difficult to understand without good knowledge of the host range and geographical distribution of the parasite lineages. However, such information is currently difficult to obtain from the literature, or from general repositories such as GenBank, mainly because (i) different research groups use different parasite lineage names, (ii) GenBank entries frequently refer only to the first host and locality at which each parasite was sampled, and (iii) different researchers use different gene fragments to identify parasite lineages. We propose a unified database of avian blood parasites of the genera Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon identified by a partial region of their cytochrome b sequences. The database uses a standardized nomenclature to remove synonymy, and concentrates all available information about each parasite in a public reference site, thereby facilitating access to all researchers. Initial data include a list of host species and localities, as well as genetic markers that can be used for phylogenetical analyses. The database is free to download and will be regularly updated by the authors. Prior to publication of new lineages, we encourage researchers to assign names to match the existing database. We anticipate that the value of the database as a source for determining host range and geographical distribution of the parasites will grow with its size and substantially enhance the understanding of this remarkably diverse group of parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Staffan Bensch
- Department of Ecology, Lund University, Ecology Building, S-22362 Lund, Sweden Department of Zoology, The Edward Grey Institute, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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Abstract
Migratory birds are assumed to be under stronger sexual selection pressure than sedentary populations, and the fact that their song is more complex has been taken as confirmation of this fact. However, this assumes that sexual selection pressure due to both male competition and female choice increase together. A further issue is that, in many species, songs become less complex during competitive encounters; in contrast, female choice selects for more complex song, so the two selection pressures may drive song evolution in different directions. We analysed song in two sedentary and two migratory populations of blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla), a species in which different song parts are directed to males and females. We found that migratory populations produce longer, female-directed warbles, indicating sexual selection through female choice is the strongest in these populations. However, the part of the song directed towards males is shorter and more repetitive (as observed in individual competitive encounters between males) in non-migratory populations, indicating sedentary populations, are under stronger selection due to male competition. We show for the first time that the intensity of selection pressure from male competition and female choice varies independently between populations with different migratory behaviours. Rapid alterations in the migration patterns of species are thus likely to lead to unexpected consequences for the costs and benefits of sexual signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Collins
- School of Biology, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK.
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Santos T, Díaz JA, Pérez-Tris J, Carbonell R, Tellería JL. Habitat quality predicts the distribution of a lizard in fragmented woodlands better than habitat fragmentation. Anim Conserv 2008. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-1795.2007.00146.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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García JT, Suárez F, Garza V, Calero-Riestra M, Hernández J, Pérez-Tris J. Genetic and phenotypic variation among geographically isolated populations of the globally threatened Dupont’s lark Chersophilus duponti. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2008; 46:237-51. [PMID: 17719801 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2007.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2007] [Revised: 06/20/2007] [Accepted: 06/22/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Identifying genetically and phenotypically distinct populations of threatened species is critical if we are to delineate appropriate plans for their conservation. We conducted an integrated analysis of population genetic structure, historical demographic events, current gene flow (all based on mtDNA sequences) and morphological variation of three geographically separated groups of populations of Dupont's lark Chersophilus duponti, located in the Iberian Peninsula (three populations), Morocco (two populations), and Tunisia (one population). Unusually, this lark species is the only one among the genus Chersophilus. Our results revealed the early historical divergence of an eastern Dupont's lark lineage (in Tunisia) and a western lineage (in Morocco and Spain), consistent with subspecies taxonomy and distribution. The western lineage subsequently split into two lineages, following the isolation of Iberian and African populations. Such pattern of historical differentiation caused great population genetic structure, with differences among geographic areas explaining more than 80% of total genetic variation. Mismatch distributions and coalescent estimates of divergence time showed that lineage divergence was associated with sudden population expansion events, which apparently took place during the last glaciation, when steppe habitats were widespread across the Mediterranean region. Extant populations from different geographic areas hardly shared any haplotype (only one out of 16 ND2 haplotypes was shared by Tunisian and Moroccan Dupont's larks), and consequently gene flow between geographic areas was found to be virtually absent. Apart from showing great genetic differentiation, Dupont's larks from different geographic areas were morphologically distinct, showing substantial variation in body size and feeding-related traits (length of feet and bill). We conclude that Dupont's lark populations isolated in the Iberian Peninsula, Morocco, and Tunisia are distinct evolutionary entities and should be considered as such in conservation plans. Such circumstance sets a daunting conservation challenge that exemplifies the need of incorporating knowledge of historical processes to our general understanding of the demography of threatened species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús T García
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, Ronda de Toledo s/n, E-13005 Ciudad Real, Spain.
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Pérez-Tris J, Hellgren O, Krizanauskiene A, Waldenström J, Secondi J, Bonneaud C, Fjeldså J, Hasselquist D, Bensch S. Within-host speciation of malaria parasites. PLoS One 2007; 2:e235. [PMID: 17311104 PMCID: PMC1794596 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0000235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [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: 11/08/2006] [Accepted: 02/01/2007] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sympatric speciation—the divergence of populations into new species in absence of geographic barriers to hybridization—is the most debated mode of diversification of life forms. Parasitic organisms are prominent models for sympatric speciation, because they may colonise new hosts within the same geographic area and diverge through host specialization. However, it has been argued that this mode of parasite divergence is not strict sympatric speciation, because host shifts likely cause the sudden effective isolation of parasites, particularly if these are transmitted by vectors and therefore cannot select their hosts. Strict sympatric speciation would involve parasite lineages diverging within a single host species, without any population subdivision. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we report a case of extraordinary divergence of sympatric, ecologically distinct, and reproductively isolated malaria parasites within a single avian host species, which apparently occurred without historical or extant subdivision of parasite or host populations. Conclusions/Significance This discovery of within-host speciation changes our current view on the diversification potential of malaria parasites, because neither geographic isolation of host populations nor colonization of new host species are any longer necessary conditions to the formation of new parasite species.
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Abstract
Research on contact zones has paid relatively little attention to host-parasite interactions, although these situations have important but different implications depending on whether one considers the host or the parasite's perspective. We investigated both the role of a host contact zone in parasite expansion and whether parasites could influence contact zone dynamics. We studied the diversity and the patterns of parasite exchange (genera Haemoproteus and Plasmodium) infecting two parapatric sibling passerines meeting at a moving contact zone in western Europe. We amplified and sequenced a fragment of the parasite cytochrome b gene. The expanding host harboured more diverse parasites, which might indicate a superior ability to face a diverse parasite fauna than the receding host. Prevalence was very high in both hosts, due to the frequent occurrence of two sister Haemoproteus lineages. Despite the recent movement of the contact zone, these two parasites fitted almost perfectly to the geographic range of their main host species. Yet, we found several cases of cross-species infection in sympatric areas and evidences of asymmetrical spreading of parasites from the expanding host towards the receding host. Altogether, our results suggest that the host contact zone mainly acts as a barrier to parasite expansion even if recurrent host shifts are observed. Besides, they also support the idea that parasite-mediated competition might contribute to the displacement of hosts' contact zones, thereby emphasizing the role of parasitism on the population dynamics of sympatric species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Reullier
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Animale, UMR MA 105 Paysages et biodiversité, Faculté des Sciences, Université d'Angers, Campus de Belle-Beille, France
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Bonneaud C, Pérez-Tris J, Federici P, Chastel O, Sorci G. MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY ALLELES ASSOCIATED WITH LOCAL RESISTANCE TO MALARIA IN A PASSERINE. Evolution 2006. [DOI: 10.1111/j.0014-3820.2006.tb01114.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Bonneaud C, Pérez-Tris J, Federici P, Chastel O, Sorci G. Major histocompatibility alleles associated with local resistance to malaria in a passerine. Evolution 2006; 60:383-9. [PMID: 16610328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Malaria parasites are a major cause of human mortality in tropical countries and a potential threat for wildlife, as witnessed by the malaria-induced extinction of naive Hawaiian avifauna. Identifying resistance mechanisms is therefore crucial both for human health and wildlife conservation. Patterns of malaria resistance are known to be highly polygenic in both humans and mice, with marked contributions attributed to major histocompatibility (Mhc) genes. Here we show that specific Mhc variants are linked to both increased resistance and susceptibility to malaria infection in a wild passerine species, the house sparrow (Passer domesticus). In addition, links between host immunogenetics and resistance to malaria involved population-specific alleles, suggesting local adaptation in this host-parasite interaction. This is the first evidence for a population-specific genetic control of resistance to malaria in a wild species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Bonneaud
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie Evolutive Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 7103, Paris 75005, France.
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Bonneaud C, Pérez-Tris J, Federici P, Chastel O, Sorci G. MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY ALLELES ASSOCIATED WITH LOCAL RESISTANCE TO MALARIA IN A PASSERINE. Evolution 2006. [DOI: 10.1554/05-409.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Abstract
Bird migration has been assumed, mostly implicitly, to represent a distinct class of animal behavior, with deep and strong homologies in the various phenotypic expressions of migratory behavior between different taxa. Here the evidence for the existence of what could be called a "migratory syndrome," a tightly integrated, old group of adaptive traits that enables birds to commit themselves to highly organized seasonal migrations, is assessed. A list of problems faced by migratory birds is listed first and the traits that migratory birds have evolved to deal with these problems are discussed. The usefulness of comparative approaches to investigate which traits are unique to migrants is then discussed. A provisional conclusion that, perhaps apart from a capacity for night-time compass orientation, there is little evidence for deeply rooted coadapted trait complexes that could make up such a migratory syndrome, is suggested. Detailed analyses of the genetic and physiological architecture of potential adaptations to migration, combined with a comparative approach to further identify the phylogenetic levels at which different adaptive traits for migration have evolved, are recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theunis Piersma
- Animal Ecology Group, P.O. Box 14, 9750 Haren, the Netherlands.
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Abstract
Birds harbouring several malarial parasites are common in the wild, and resolving such multiple infections is important for our understanding of host–parasite relationships. We propose a simple and reasonably accurate method for detecting and resolving multiple infections, based on the analysis of parasite cytochrome b DNA sequences: genetically mixed infections are first identified by double nucleotide peaks on sequence electropherograms, and later retrieved by TA-cloning. We applied this method to wild birds, and to experimentally created mixes with varying proportion of two parasites (Plasmodium spp. and Haemoproteus spp.). In general, the method was very efficient in detecting and resolving multiple infections, but some problems were encountered. Several multiple infections were erroneously scored as simple, either because one of the parasite lineages was a better target for the primers used, or because it was much more abundant in the mix. On the other hand, single nucleotide substitutions and template switching during PCR produced artificial sequences in some clones. We discuss the utility of the method, and propose a framework for its use when screening for genetically diverse avian malarial parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Pérez-Tris
- Department of Animal Ecology, Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-22362 Lund, Sweden.
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Abstract
Migratory strategies of birds require complex orientation mechanisms, morphological adaptations, and life-history adjustments. From an evolutionary perspective, it is important to know how fast this complex combination of traits can evolve. We analyzed mitochondrial control-region DNA sequences in 241 blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) from 12 populations with different migratory behaviors. The sample included sedentary populations in Europe and Atlantic archipelagos and migratory populations with different distances of migration, from regional to intercontinental migrations, and different heading directions (due to a migratory divide in central Europe). There was no genetic structure between migratory and sedentary populations, or among populations from different biogeographic areas (Atlantic islands, the Iberian Peninsula, or the continent), however we found evidence of a genetic structure when comparing populations located on either side of the migratory divide. These findings support an independent evolution of highly divergent migratory strategies in blackcaps, occurring after a postglacial colonization of the continent along western and eastern routes. Accordingly, mismatch-distribution analyses suggested an expansion of blackcaps from a very small population size, and time estimates dated such an expansion during the last postglacial period. However, the populations in Gibraltar, located in a putative Mediterranean refuge, appeared to be independent of these processes, showing evidence of restricted gene flow with other populations and demonstrating insignificant historical changes in effective population size. Our results show that the interruption of gene flow between migratory and sedentary populations is not necessary for the maintenance of such a polymorphism, and that even the most divergent migratory strategies of a bird species are susceptible to evolution in response to historical environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Pérez-Tris
- Department of Animal Ecology, Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-22362 Lund, Sweden.
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Bensch S, Pérez-Tris J, Waldenström J, Hellgren O. Linkage between nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences in avian malaria parasites: multiple cases of cryptic speciation? Evolution 2004; 58:1617-21. [PMID: 15341164 DOI: 10.1111/j.0014-3820.2004.tb01742.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 194] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Analyses of mitochondrial cytochrome b diversity among avian blood parasites of the genera Haemoproteus and Plasmodium suggest that there might be as many lineages of parasites as there are species of birds. This is in sharp contrast to the approximately 175 parasite species described by traditional methods based on morphology using light microscopy. Until now it has not been clear to what extent parasite mitochondrial DNA lineage diversity reflects intra- or interspecific variation. We have sequenced part of a fast-evolving nuclear gene, dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase (DHFR-TS), and demonstrate that most of the parasite mitochondrial DNA lineages are associated with unique gene copies at this locus. Although these parasite lineages sometimes coexist in the same host individual, they apparently do not recombine and could therefore be considered as functionally distinct evolutionary entities, with independent evolutionary potential. Studies examining parasite virulence and host immune systems must consider this remarkable diversity of avian malaria parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Staffan Bensch
- Department of Animal Ecology, Ecology Building, S-223 62 Lund, Sweden.
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Bensch S, Pérez-Tris J, Waldenström J, Hellgren O. LINKAGE BETWEEN NUCLEAR AND MITOCHONDRIAL DNA SEQUENCES IN AVIAN MALARIA PARASITES: MULTIPLE CASES OF CRYPTIC SPECIATION? Evolution 2004. [DOI: 10.1554/04-026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Tellería JL, Virgós E, Carbonell R, Pérez-Tris J, Santos T. Behavioural responses to changing landscapes: flock structure and anti-predator strategies of tits wintering in fragmented forests. OIKOS 2003. [DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0706.2001.950207.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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