Abstract
This study examines the relationship between genetically distinct populations of Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) with hemosporidian parasite phylogenetic data to examine geographic structuring of parasite lineages and to test for impacts of parasitic infection on host migration timing. We screened 296 hatch-year Red-tailed Hawks for infection with hemospridian parasites of the genus Leucocytozoon at a raptor migration site in the Marin Headlands, California, just north of San Francisco. Phylogenetic analysis based on cytochrome b sequences revealed a high diversity of closely related Leucocytozoon buteonis lineages (11 distinct haplotypes recorded) infecting the sampled hawk populations. Previous microsatellite analyses of breeding and migratory populations of Red-tailed Hawks revealed that the Marin Headlands migrants originate from two genetically distinct breeding populations from Central California and the Intermountain West. Early hawk arrivals to the study site (15 August–30 September 2004) are primarily non-migrant juveniles dispersing from Central California, while later arrivals (1 October–30 December 2004) are a mix of both California dispersals and migratory individuals from the Intermountain West population. We observed no correlation between the occurrence of parasitic infection and hawk migration timing in either hawk population. However, geographic structuring of Leucocytozoon parasite lineages was documented with one dominant lineage more prevalent within the Central California hawk population than the Intermountain West population. Future studies of the effects of Leucocytozoon infection on migrating Red-tailed Hawks should take into consideration the region of origin because birds from different geographical areas may be exposed to distinct parasite lineages.
Zusammenfassung
Weit verbreitete Diversität in der Abstammung von Leucocytozoon Blutparasiten in verschiedenen Populationen von westlichen Rotschwanzbussarden
Diese Studie untersucht sie Beziehung zwischen genetisch verschiedenen Populationen von Rotschwanzbussarden mit phylogenetischen Daten von Parasiten der Ordnung hemosporida, um geographische Strukturen von Parasiten-Abstammungslinien zu bestimmen und um die Einflüsse parasitischer Infektionen auf die zeitliche Koordinierung des Zuges der Wirte zu testen. Wir untersuchten 296 diesjährige Rotschwanzbussarde (Buteo jamaicensis) auf Infektionen mit Haemasporida-Parasiten der Gattung Leucocytozoon an einem Greifvogel-Zugort in Marin Headlands, Kalifornien, nördlich von San Francisco. Phylogenetische Analysen basierend auf Cytocrome b Sequenzen zeigten eine hohe Diversität an eng verwandten Leucocytozoon buteonis Abstammungslinien (11 verschiedene Haplotypen erfasst), mit der die beprobten Bussardpopulationen infiziert waren. Vorausgegangene Mikrosatellitenanalysen von Brut- und Zugpopulationen des Rotschwanzbussards zeigten, dass die Zugvögel in den Marin Headlands aus zwei genetisch unterschiedlichen Brutpopulationen aus Zentralkalifornien und der Region Intermountain West stammen. Früh ankommende Bussarde im Untersuchungsgebiet (15. August 2004–30. September 2004) sind vornehmlich nicht ziehende Jungvögel, die sich von Zentralkalifornien aus ausbreiten. Dagegen sind späte ankommende Vögel (1. Oktober 2004–30. Dezember 2004) sowohl kalifornische Dispergierer als auch ziehende Individuen der Intermountain West Population. Wir beobachteten keine Korrelation zwischen dem Auftreten von Parasiteninfektionen und dem Timing des Bussardzuges in beiden Populationen. Dennoch konnten geographische Strukturen der Parasiten-Abstammung mit einer dominanten Linie festgestellt werden, die prävalenter war in der zentralkalifornischen Bussardpopulation als in der Intermountain West Population. Zukünftige Studien zu den Auswirkungen von Leucocytozoon Infektionen auf ziehende Rotschwanzbussarde sollten die Ursprungsregion mit einbeziehen, da Vögel aus unterschiedlichen geographischen Gebieten verschiedenen Parasiten-Linien ausgesetzt sein könnten.
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Acknowledgments
We would like to thank the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory and dedicated volunteers for their support and contribution to scientific collection. We would also like to thank Dr. Claire Loiseau for help with statistical analyses. Mark Jasper and Ravinder Sehgal were supported by funds from the College of Science and Engineering and the Department of Biology at San Francisco State University.
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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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Jasper, M.A., Hull, J.M., Hull, A.C. et al. Widespread lineage diversity of leucocytozoon blood parasites in distinct populations of western Red-tailed Hawks. J Ornithol 155, 767–775 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-014-1064-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-014-1064-6