The detection of viral pathogens is critical importance in biology, medicine, and agriculture. Unfortunately, existing techniques to screen for a broad spectrum viruses suffer from severe limitations. To facilitate the comprehensive unbiased analysis prevalence given biological setting, we have developed genomic strategy highly parallel screening. cornerstone this approach long oligonucleotide (70-mer) DNA microarray capable simultaneously detecting hundreds viruses. Using virally infected...

ABSTRACT Avian keratin disorder (AKD), characterized by debilitating overgrowth of the avian beak, was first documented in black-capped chickadees ( Poecile atricapillus ) Alaska. Subsequently, similar deformities have appeared numerous species across continents. Despite widespread distribution this emerging pathology, cause AKD remains elusive. As a result, it is unknown whether suspected cases afflicted are causally linked, and impacts pathology at population community levels difficult to...

Abstract: Evidence suggests that the involvement of local people in conservation work increases a project's chances success. Involving citizen scientists research, however, raises questions about data quality. As tool to better assess potential participants for projects, we developed knowledge gradient, K, along which community members occupy different positions on basis their experience with and research subject. This gradient can be used refine citizen–science concept allow researchers...

Infection with parasites and pathogens is costly for hosts, causing loss of nutritional resources, reproductive potential, tissue integrity even life. In response, animals have evolved behavioural immunological strategies to avoid infection by infestation parasites. Scientists generally study these in isolation from each other; however, since defences entail costs, host individuals should benefit balancing investment strategies, understanding infectious disease dynamics would studying the...

Abstract Introduced disease has been implicated in recent wildlife extinctions and population declines worldwide. Both anthropogenic‐induced change natural environmental features can affect pathogen spread. Furthermore, disturbance result changes stress physiology, nutrition, social structure, which turn suppress immune system function. However, it remains unknown whether landscape variation results heterogeneity host resistance to pathogens. Avian pox virus, a avian Hawaii, was introduced...

ABSTRACT Ecological immunology is a rapidly growing field of study that focuses on understanding variation in immune systems across species and how this relates to ecology evolution. Newly developed methods aimed at studying function setting have yielded many insights. Nonetheless, there continues be much debate regarding the interpretation measures function. There substantial evidence suggest handling stress could introduce into function, yet no has examined impacts incremental changes...

Summary A spring emergence of avian haemosporidian infections is nearly universal among temperate zone birds and often described as a cost reproductive effort. We take advantage the opportunistic (i.e., aseasonal) breeding schedule red crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) to determine relative contributions season vs. host physiology timing intensity Haemoproteus in zone. Despite activity both winter summer, were highly seasonal- occurring largely from May through September- measures condition...

Avian keratin disorder (AKD) is an epizootic of debilitating beak deformities, first documented in black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) Alaska during the late 1990s. Similar deformities have now been recorded dozens species birds across multiple continents. Despite this, etiology AKD has remained elusive, making it difficult to assess impacts this disease on wild populations. We previously identified association between infection with a novel picornavirus, Poecivirus, and small...

SUMMARY The impact of haematozoan infection on host fitness has received substantial attention since Hamilton and Zuk posited that parasites are important drivers sexual selection. However, short-term studies testing the assumption these consistently reduce in wild have produced contradictory results. To address this complex issue, we conducted a long-term study examining relationship between naturally occurring with Haemoproteus Plasmodium , lifetime reproductive success survival Mountain...

The scientific community has long recognized the importance of individual behaviour in pathogen spread wild animals. Furthermore, recent studies have highlighted potential for to act as a defence mechanism. In line with these studies, optimization hypothesis ( PDOH ) posits that individuals balance investment costly behavioural and immunological defences against infection. Here, I test using data from observations Galapagos finches (Medium Ground Finches G eospiza fortis Small fuliginosa at...

The application of next-generation sequencing (NGS) to the study whole genomes and transcriptomes is becoming commonplace in molecular biology medicine. Over past decade, these technologies have become more accessible broader biological community as cost NGS has decreased significantly availability ready-to-use library preparation kits user-friendly bioinformatic tools increased. Indeed, are starting be deployed ecological systems immune function already yielded new discoveries insights....

Avian keratin disorder (AKD), a disease of unknown etiology characterized by debilitating beak overgrowth, has increasingly affected wild bird populations since the 1990s. A novel picornavirus, poecivirus, is closely correlated with status in Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) Alaska, US. However, our knowledge relationship between poecivirus and deformities other species geographic areas remains limited. The growing scope number AKD-like require better understanding causative...

ABSTRACT Background Avian keratin disorder (AKD) is an epizootic of debilitating beak deformities, first documented in black-capped chickadees ( Poecile atricapillus ) Alaska during the late 1990s. Similar deformities have now been recorded dozens species birds across multiple continents. Despite this, etiology AKD has remained elusive, making it difficult to assess impacts this disease on wild populations. We previously identified association between infection with a novel picornavirus,...

Urbanization can influence many environmental factors that affect the condition, immunity, and gut microbiota of birds. Over past several decades, Galápagos Islands Ecuador have experienced increasing human activity, which has led to recent changes in morphology, microbiota, immunity Darwin's finches. However, these traits not been characterized before exponential growth population size tourist visitation rates, i.e., 2009. The goal this study was determine effect land use on fecal immune...

ABSTRACT Avian keratin disorder (AKD), a disease characterized by debilitating beak overgrowth but with unknown etiology, has increasingly affected wild bird populations since the 1990s. We previously showed that novel picornavirus, Poecivirus, is closely correlated status in Black-capped Chickadees ( Poecile atricapillus ) Alaska. However, our knowledge of relationship between Poecivirus and deformities other species geographic areas remains limited. The growing scope number AKD-like...

This data set is comprised of two tables, one with results poecivirus screening tissues from six North American avian species using PCR followed by Sanger sequencing in addition to unbiased metagenomic sequencing, the second lists names and sequences primers used.

This dataset contains results of genetic screening for Poecivirus from samples black-capped chickadees (BCCH; Poecile atricapillus) with and without clinical signs avian keratin disorder (AKD). Data include information on detection/non-detection the virus in tissue collected buccal swabs, cloacal blood samples, fecal up to 124 individuals between 2015 2017 various locations southcentral Alaska. For an additional 17 symptomatic (and one asymptomatic) individual(s) 2001 same region, data...

ABSTRACT Urbanization can influence animal traits, including immunity and gut microbiota. Over the past several decades, Galápagos Islands have seen rapid resident human population growth tourist activity, leading to varying levels of activity across Islands. Consequently, diet, microbiota, endemic animals, such as Darwin’s finches, may changed. The goal this study was determine effect land use on immune response, body measurements finches in 2008, at a time rapidly increasing Specifically,...