The effect of insect food availability on songbird reproductive success and chick body condition: Evidence from a systematic review and meta‐analysis

Ecology Letters, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 26(4), P. 658 - 673

Published: Feb. 16, 2023

Reports of declines in abundance and biomass insects other invertebrates from around the world have raised concerns about food limitation that could profound impacts for insectivorous species. Food availability can clearly affect species; however, there is considerable variation among studies whether this effect evident, thus a lack clarity over generality relationship. To understand how decreased due to invertebrate will bird populations, we conducted systematic review used meta-analytic structural equation modelling, which allowed us treat our core variables interest as latent estimated by diverse ways researchers measure fecundity chick body condition. We found moderate positive on condition strong reproductive success. also negative relationship between Our results demonstrate generally limiting factor breeding songbirds. analysis provides evidence consistent trade-off success, demonstrating complexity trophic dynamics important these vital rates.

Language: Английский

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Gut microbiome composition, not alpha diversity, is associated with survival in a natural vertebrate population

Animal Microbiome, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 3(1)

Published: Dec. 20, 2021

The vertebrate gut microbiome (GM) can vary substantially across individuals within the same natural population. Although there is evidence linking GM to health in captive animals, very little known about consequences of variation for host fitness wild. Here, we explore relationship between faecal diversity, body condition, and survival using data from long-term study a discrete population Seychelles warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis) on Cousin Island. To our knowledge, this first time that differences associated with have been fully characterised species, multiple age groups breeding seasons.

Language: Английский

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Physiological differences between wild and captive animals: a century-old dilemma

Journal of Experimental Biology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 226(23)

Published: Nov. 30, 2023

ABSTRACT Laboratory-based research dominates the fields of comparative physiology and biomechanics. The power lab work has long been recognized by experimental biologists. For example, in 1932, Georgy Gause published an influential paper Journal Experimental Biology describing a series clever experiments that provided first empirical test competitive exclusion theory, laying foundation for field remains active today. At time, wrestled with dilemma conducting or field, ultimately deciding progress could be best achieved taking advantage high level control offered experiments. However, physiological often yield different, even contradictory, results when conducted versus settings. This is especially concerning Anthropocene, as standard laboratory techniques are increasingly relied upon to predict how wild animals will respond environmental disturbances inform decisions conservation management. In this Commentary, we discuss several hypothesized mechanisms explain disparities between biology field. We propose strategies understanding why these differences occur can use improve our animals. Nearly century beyond Gause's work, still know remarkably little about what makes captive different from ones. Discovering should important goal biologists future.

Language: Английский

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Origins and Diversification of Myiasis Across Blowflies

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(2)

Published: Feb. 1, 2025

ABSTRACT Parasitism represents a prevalent and successful ecological strategy that has evolved independently numerous times across metazoa. Understanding the origin diversification of parasitism is central question in evolutionary biology. This study investigated path leading to specific form blowflies known as myiasis, where larvae develop on or within vertebrate. We modeled myiasis‐associated traits, including trophic specialization (obligatory parasitism, facultative saprophagy), larval food substrate (necrotic, fresh both) developmental temperature (constant, variable blowfly phylogeny. Our results suggested ancestral state likely encompassed saprophagy with developing corpses necrotic tissues from wounds either homeothermic heterothermic hosts. Furthermore, our analysis highlights role an intermediate step for obligate blowflies, indicating pre‐adaptations parasitic lifestyle may serve stepping stones emerging parasitism. These findings shed light complex history vertebrate emphasizing importance critical transitional stage this process.

Language: Английский

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Diet induces parallel changes to the gut microbiota and problem solving performance in a wild bird

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 10(1)

Published: Nov. 27, 2020

Abstract The microbial community in the gut is influenced by environmental factors, especially diet, which can moderate host behaviour through microbiome-gut-brain axis. However, ecological relevance of microbiome-mediated behavioural plasticity wild animals unknown. We presented wild-caught great tits ( Parus major ) with a problem-solving task and showed that performance was weakly associated variation microbiome. then manipulated microbiome feeding birds one two diets differed their relative levels fat, protein fibre content: an insect diet (low content), or seed (high content). Microbial communities were less diverse among individuals given compared to those on diet. Individuals likely problem-solve after being same microbiota metrics altered as consequence also correlated problem solving performance. Although effect could have been caused motivational nutritional differences between our treatments, results nevertheless raise possibility dietary induced changes be important mechanism underlying individual populations.

Language: Английский

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Possibilities and limits for using the gut microbiome to improve captive animal health

Animal Microbiome, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 3(1)

Published: Dec. 1, 2021

Abstract Because of its potential to modulate host health, the gut microbiome captive animals has become an increasingly important area research. In this paper, we review current literature comparing microbiomes wild and animals, as well experiments tracking when are moved between environments. As a whole, these studies report highly idiosyncratic results with significant differences in effect captivity on species. While few have analyzed functional capacity microbiomes, there been little research directly addressing health consequences microbiomes. Therefore, body cannot broadly answer what costs, if any, arise from having captivity. Addressing outstanding question will be critical determining whether it is worth pursuing microbial manipulations conservation tool. To stimulate next wave which can tie impacts, outline wide range tools that used manipulate suggest variety methods for measuring impact such manipulation preceding therapeutic use. Altogether, caution researchers against generalizing species given variability community responses highlight need understand role plays animal before putting into practice.

Language: Английский

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Killing with kindness: Does widespread generalised provisioning of wildlife help or hinder biodiversity conservation efforts?

Biological Conservation, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 261, P. 109295 - 109295

Published: Aug. 18, 2021

Language: Английский

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Exposure and susceptibility: The Twin Pillars of infection

Functional Ecology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 36(7), P. 1713 - 1726

Published: May 3, 2022

Abstract Exposure and susceptibility underlie every organism's infection status, an untold diversity of factors can drive variation in both. Often, both exposure change response to a given factor, they interact, such that their relative contributions observed disease dynamics are obscured. These independent interlinked changes often complicate empirical inference ecology ecoimmunology. Although many studies address this problem, it is implicit rather than explicit requires specific set tools tackle. Moreover, as yet, there no established conceptual framework for disentangling processes. Here, we consolidate previous theory understanding regarding the entwined effects exposure, which refer ‘the Twin Pillar Problem’. We provide conceptualising exposure–susceptibility interactions, where obscure, confound, induce or counteract one another, providing some well‐known examples each complicating mechanism. synthesise guidelines anticipating controlling covariance between susceptibility, detail statistical operational methodology researchers have employed deal with them. Finally, discuss novel emerging frontiers study ecology, potential further integration fields wildlife human health. Read free Plain Language Summary article on Journal blog.

Language: Английский

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Early-life factors shaping the gut microbiota of Common buzzard nestlings

Animal Microbiome, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 6(1)

Published: May 14, 2024

Abstract Background Exploring the dynamics of gut microbiome colonisation during early-life stages is important for understanding potential impact microbes on host development and fitness. Evidence from model organisms suggests a crucial phase when shifts in microbiota can lead to immune dysregulation reduced condition. However, our long-lived vertebrates, especially early development, remains limited. We therefore used wild population common buzzard nestlings ( Buteo buteo ) investigate connections between colonisation, environmental factors. Results targeted both bacterial eukaryotic using 16S 28S rRNA genes. sampled individuals developmental longitudinal design. Our data revealed that age significantly affected microbial diversity composition. Nest environment was notable predictor composition, with particularly communities differing habitats occupied by hosts. Nestling condition infection blood parasite Leucocytozoon predicted community Conclusion findings emphasise importance studying capture changes occurring ontogeny. They highlight role reflecting health nest developing nestling microbiome. Overall, this study contributes complex interplay communities, factors, variables, sheds light ecological processes governing stages.

Language: Английский

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Host tolerance and resistance to parasitic nest flies differs between two wild bird species

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 9(21), P. 12144 - 12155

Published: Oct. 14, 2019

Abstract Hosts have developed and evolved defense strategies to limit parasite damage. can reduce the damage that parasites cause by decreasing fitness (resistance) or without affecting (tolerance). Because a species infect multiple host species, determining effect of on these hosts identifying important implications for multi‐host–parasite dynamics. Over 2 years, we experimentally manipulated parasitic flies ( Protocalliphora sialia ) in nests tree swallows Tachycineta bicolor eastern bluebirds Sialia sialis ). We then determined effects survival nestlings compared between species. resistance quantifying densities (number per gram host) measured nestling antibody levels as mechanism resistance. quantified tolerance relationship density blood loss measuring hemoglobin (as proxy recovery) provisioning rates parental compensation resources lost parasite) potential mechanisms tolerance. For bluebirds, was twice high swallows. Both were tolerant P. at their respective loads but neither parasite. However, more resistant which likely related higher antibody‐mediated immune response swallow nestlings. Neither recovery nor Overall, results suggest are both parasites. These demonstrate different similar defenses against same

Language: Английский

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