Greater offspring predation favors evolution of faster development among species. We hypothesized that greater exerts selection on mothers to increase levels anabolic androgens in egg yolks achieve development. Here, we tested whether (1) concentrations yolk passerine species were associated with and (2) embryo nestling rates androgen concentrations. examined three potency along the synthesis pathway: androstenedione (A(4)) testosterone (T) 5 alpha -dihydrotestosterone (5 -DHT)....

1. Life-history theorists have long observed that fast growth and high reproduction tend to be associated with short life span, suggesting greater investment in such traits may trade off self-maintenance. The immune system plays an integral role self-maintenance has been proposed as a mediator of life-history trade-offs. 2. Ecoimmunologists predicted fast-living organisms should rely more heavily on constitutive innate immunity than slow-living organisms, defences are thought relatively...

A wide diversity of free-living organisms show increases in mortality rates and/or decreases reproductive success with advancing age. However, the physiological mechanisms underlying these demographic patterns senescence are poorly understood. Immunosenescence, age-related deterioration immune function, is well documented humans and laboratory models, often leads to increased morbidity due disease. we know very little about immunosenescence organisms. Here, studied a population tree...

Immunosenescence, the aging of immune system, is well documented in humans and laboratory models known to increase infection risk, morbidity, mortality among old. Immunosenescence patterns have recently been unveiled various free-living populations, but their consequences wild not explored. We investigated immunosenescence Tree Swallows Tachycineta bicolor through a field experiment simulating bacterial (challenge with lipopolysaccharide, LPS) females different ages during nestling rearing...

We assessed the effect of beak morphology on acoustic structure woodcreeper (subfamily Dendrocolaptinae) songs using a comparative analysis independent contrasts. For song each species, we measured maximum and minimum frequencies, bandwidth, emphasized frequency. Residuals variation in length frequencies after controlling for body size phylogeny were calculated species compared. found negative relationship between residuals length. This was significant frequency when excluded two...

1. Ecoimmunological theory predicts a link between life-history and immune-defence strategies such that fast-living organisms should rely more on constitutive innate defences compared to slow-living organisms. An untested assumption of this hypothesis is the variation in immune defence associated with life history has genetic basis. 2. Replicate populations two ecotypes garter snake Thamnophis elegans provide an ideal system which test assumption. Free-ranging snakes ecotype, reside...

The immunocompetence "pace-of-life" hypothesis proposes that fast-living organisms should invest more in innate immune defenses and less adaptive compared to slow-living ones. We found some support for this two life-history ecotypes of the snake Thamnophis elegans; individuals show higher levels immunity Here, we optimized a lymphocyte proliferation assay assess complementary prediction snakes turn stronger defenses. also assessed "environmental" predicts lower (both adaptive) given harsher...

ABSTRACT Climate change may subject animals to increasingly stressful environmental conditions, which could have negative physiological consequences if stress levels are elevated for long periods. We conducted a manipulative experiment determine the effects of novel climate on and immune function in model reptile species, painted turtle. collected turtles from four populations across species' geographic range housed them common‐garden one population's local climate. measured hormone...

Abstract Growing evidence suggests the existence of trade‐offs between immune function and reproduction in diverse taxa. Among vertebrates, however, there is still a taxonomic bias toward studies endotherms, particularly birds. We tested hypothesis that entails immune‐related costs viviparous garter snake, Thamnophis elegans , from populations exhibit two life‐history strategies, termed ecotypes, with contrasting paces life. Between we predicted lower gravid than non‐gravid females both but...

Negative effects of ecotourism on wildlife are rising worldwide. Conservation physiology can play a major role in protecting by providing early alerts changes the status individuals exposed to tourist activities. We measured an integrated set immune and health-state indices evaluate Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus). studied two reproductive colonies that differed intensity tourism population trends: Punta Tombo (higher intensity, declining population) San Lorenzo (lower growing...

Pneumococcal diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae represent a significant health and economic burden. Mexico has benefited from the inclusion of 7-valent (PCV7) 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV13) since their in National Immunization Program (NIP) 2006 2010, respectively. The objective this study is to estimate impact existing program predict future implications change current program.A previously published model was updated historic PCV programs relative pre-PCV...

The morphology-performance-fitness paradigm for testing selection on morphological traits has seen decades of successful application. At the same time, life-history approaches using matrix methods and perturbation studies have also allowed direct estimate acting vital rates that comprise them. Both methodologies been successfully applied to garter snakes long-term Eagle Lake research project reveal morphology, such as color pattern, number vertebrae, gape size; birth size, growth rates,...

Understanding the relationships among immune components in free-living animals is a challenge ecoimmunology, and it important not only for selecting assays to be used but also more knowledgeable interpretation of results. In this study, we investigated six defense indexes commonly by ecoimmunologists measured simultaneously individual tree swallows. Three main axes variation function were identified using principal analysis, representing T-cell, B-cell, innate immunity. Measures within each...

Species of Schellackia Reichenow, 1919 have been described from the blood reptiles distributed worldwide. Recently, spp. detected in European and Asian lizards molecularly characterised. However, parasites American lizard hosts remain uncharacterised. Thus, phylogenetic affinities between Old New World parasite species are unknown. In present study, we characterised morphologically hemococcidian (sporozoites) that infect three North America two South America. total, generated 12 new 18S rRNA...

Vertical transmission of blood parasites has been demonstrated in humans and some domestic species, but it not well documented wild populations. We assessed whether Hepatozoon are vertically transmitted naturally infected individuals the viviparous western terrestrial garter snake ( Thamnophis elegans ). Blood smears were taken from nine wild-caught gravid female snakes at capture, preparturition, postparturition, then their laboratory-born offspring age 2 mo 1 yr. All born to four females,...

Abstract An understudied aspect of vertebrate ecoimmunology has been the relative contributions environmental factors (E), genetic background (G) and their interaction (G × E) in shaping immune development function. Environmental temperature is known to affect many aspects function alterations regimes have implicated emergent disease outbreaks, making it a critical factor study context phenotype determinants wild animals. We assessed influences temperature, on first‐year innate adaptive...

Physiologic traits are promising indicators of population health in the face rapidly changing environments. We obtained values diverse physiologic parameters for Two-banded Plovers (Charadrius falklandicus) coastal sites Patagonia, Argentina, with objectives determining timeline which these become affected by stress capture and handling obtaining reference future monitoring populations. analyzed packed cell volume, white blood profile, heterophil/lymphocyte ratio, bacterial agglutination...