Abstract
Parasitism results in substantial costs to hosts, which can manifest in a variety of ways. Ectoparasites, especially those that are hematophagous, can deplete the host’s nutritional resources and induce costly immunological responses. Such costs can be especially relevant to neonatal animals, who also have to invest in growth and development. We used a cavity-nesting songbird species (House Sparrows; Passer domesticus) to address three main objectives related to the costs of ectoparasitism. First, we examined how abundance of ectoparasitic taxa in nests varied as a function of season. We found that fleas and blowflies were the primary ectoparasites, and were found nearly exclusively in the first or second half of the breeding season, respectively. Second, we used the insecticide permethrin to manipulate ectoparasite abundance and measured nestling body mass, circulating levels of nutrients (i.e., glucose, glycerol, and triglycerides), oxidative damage (i.e., d-ROMs), antibody levels (i.e., IgY), survival during the nestling stage, and detection of juveniles after they left the nest (i.e., post-fledging). An experimental reduction of parasites resulted in nestlings that circulated higher levels of hemoglobin and IgY, and were also likely to fledge earlier. Third, we tested if metrics collected during the nestling period predicted probability of detection post-fledging. We found a positive correlation between nestling triglyceride levels and likelihood of detection during the post-fledging stage. Thus, ectoparasitic taxa vary seasonally and have a measurable impact on nestling physiology. However, short-term survival or dispersal may be shaped predominately by nutrition, rather than ectoparasitism.
Zusammenfassung
Hämophage Ektoparasiten beeinträchtigen die Größe und Physiologie der Nestlinge, aber nicht das offensichtliche Überleben
Parasitismus ist für den Wirt mit erheblichen Kosten verbunden, die sich auf unterschiedliche Weise äußern können. Ektoparasiten, insbesondere hämophage Ektoparasiten, können die Nahrungsressourcen des Wirts aufbrauchen und kostspielige immunologische Reaktionen auslösen. Solche Kosten können besonders für neugeborene Tiere relevant sein, die auch in Wachstum und Entwicklung investieren müssen. Wir haben eine in Höhlen nistende Singvogelart (Haussperling; Passer domesticus) verwendet, um drei Hauptziele im Zusammenhang mit den Kosten des Ektoparasitismus zu untersuchen. Erstens untersuchten wir, wie die Häufigkeit ektoparasitischer Taxa in Nestern in Abhängigkeit von der Jahreszeit variierte. Wir stellten fest, dass Flöhe und Schmeißfliegen die wichtigsten Ektoparasiten waren und fast ausschließlich in der ersten bzw. zweiten Hälfte der Brutsaison gefunden wurden. Zweitens verwendeten wir das Insektizid Permethrin, um die Anzahl der Ektoparasiten zu manipulieren, und maßen die Körpermasse der Nestlinge, den zirkulierenden Nährstoffgehalt (d. h. Glukose, Glycerin und Triglyceride), die oxidative Schädigung (d. h. d-ROMs), den Antikörperspiegel (d. h. IgY), das Überleben während des Nestlingsstadiums und den Nachweis von Jungvögeln nach dem Verlassen des Nestes (d. h. nach dem Ausfliegen). Eine experimentelle Reduzierung der Parasiten führte zu Nestlingen, die höhere Hämoglobin- und IgY-Werte aufwiesen und wahrscheinlich auch früher flügge wurden. Drittens testeten wir, ob die während der Nestlingszeit erhobenen Messwerte die Wahrscheinlichkeit der Wiederbeobachtung nach dem Ausfliegen vorhersagen. Wir fanden eine positive Korrelation zwischen den Triglyceridwerten der Nestlinge und der Wahrscheinlichkeit der Wiederbeobachtung nach dem Ausfliegen. Ektoparasitäre Taxa variieren also saisonal und haben einen messbaren Einfluss auf die Physiologie der Nestlinge. Das kurzfristige Überleben oder die Ausbreitung werden aber eher durch die Ernährung und nicht durch Ektoparasitismus bestimmt.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank J. Kohlmeier, R. Kurt, J. Dearworth, and K. Ferrell for logistical assistance, and M. Rothenberger and B. Cohen for comments on an earlier version of this manuscript.
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The work was supported by the Science Horizons program, the EXCEL program, the Biology Department, and the Richard King Mellon Research Fellowship of Lafayette College to JMC, ENS, and MWB, and by start-up funds from the University of Connecticut to SAK.
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ENS, MWB, and SAK conceived the ideas and designed methodology; JWW developed software and hardware; ENS, JMC, MWB, and SAK collected the data; SAK analyzed the data; ENS and MWB led the writing of the manuscript. All authors contributed critically to drafts and gave final approval for publication.
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Stierhoff, E.N., Carpenetti, J.M., Knutie, S.A. et al. Hematophagous ectoparasites affect nestling size and physiology, but not apparent survival. J Ornithol 165, 449–459 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-023-02115-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-023-02115-2