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- Title
Physiological stress responses to nonmimetic model brood parasite eggs: Leukocyte profiles and heat‐shock protein Hsp70 levels.
- Authors
Ruiz‐Raya, Francisco; Abaurrea, Teresa; Vigo, Ramón; Soler, Manuel
- Abstract
Obligate avian brood parasites lay their eggs in the nest of other bird species, known as hosts. Brood parasitism often imposes severe fitness costs on hosts, selecting for the evolution of effective antiparasitic defences, such as recognition and rejection of brood parasite eggs. Glucocorticoids have been recently found to mediate host physiological and behavioral adjustments in response to brood parasite eggs; however, it remains unclear whether brood parasitism triggers a general response involving multiple physiological elements. In this study, we experimentally investigated whether a salient brood parasitic stimulus (the presence of a nonmimetic model egg in the nest) causes physiological adjustments in adult Eurasian blackbirds (Turdus merula) at immune (leukocyte profiles) and cellular (heat‐shock protein Hsp70 synthesis) level. Also, we explored whether these physiological changes are mediated by variations in corticosterone (CORT) levels. We found that experimental brood parasitism caused an increase in heterophils and a decrease in lymphocytes, leading to higher heterophils and lymphocytes ratios in parasitized birds. Nevertheless, we did not find tradeoffs between immune function and CORT levels. Hsp70 synthesis was not affected by our experimental manipulation. Our findings provide evidence that brood parasite eggs trigger a general stress response in egg‐rejecter hosts, including changes in cellular immune profiles. Highlights: Physiological effects of avian brood parasitism were assessed in adult hosts.Non‐mimetic brood parasite eggs led to increased heterophil/lymphocyte ratios, but not Hsp70 levels, in hosts.Changes on hosts' immune function were not mediated by plasma corticosterone.
- Subjects
HSP70 heat-shock proteins; BIRDS; BROOD parasites; PHYSIOLOGICAL stress; BROOD parasitism; LEUCOCYTES
- Publication
Journal of Experimental Zoology: Part A Ecological & Integrative Physiology, 2022, Vol 337, Issue 6, p587
- ISSN
2471-5638
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/jez.2593