| Blood parasites mediate morph-specific maintenance costs in a colour polymorphic wild bird. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 21599778 Owner: NLM Status: Publisher |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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Parasites can mediate profound negative effects on host fitness. Colour polymorphism has been suggested to covary genetically with intrinsic physiological properties. Tawny owl colour polymorphism is highly heritable with two main morphs, grey and brown. We show that experimental medication acts to reduce blood parasites and that medicated grey females maintain body mass during breeding, whereas medicated brown females decline in body mass similar to control females of both morphs. We find no effect of medication on general immunoglobulin levels, antigen-specific humoral response or H/L ratio. In the descriptive data, both morphs have similar blood parasite infection rates, but blood parasite infection is associated with decreased body mass in brown but not in grey females. We conclude that blood parasite infection primarily has somatic costs, which differ between the two highly heritable tawny owl colour morphs with more pronounced costs in the grey (little pigmented) morph than in the brown (heavily pigmented) morph. Because our descriptive results imply the opposite pattern, our findings highlight the need of experimental manipulation when studying heritable variation in hosts' response to parasitism. |
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Authors:
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P Karell; K Ahola; T Karstinen; H Kolunen; H Siitari; J E Brommer |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: JOURNAL ARTICLE Date: 2011-5-23 |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Journal of evolutionary biology Volume: - ISSN: 1420-9101 ISO Abbreviation: - Publication Date: 2011 May |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2011-5-23 Completed Date: - Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 8809954 Medline TA: J Evol Biol Country: - |
Other Details:
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Languages: ENG Pagination: - Citation Subset: - |
Copyright Information:
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© 2011 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2011 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. |
Affiliation:
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Bird Ecology Unit, Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland Tornihaukantie 8D 72, FI-02620 Espoo, Finland Juusinkuja 1, FI-02700 Kauniainen, Finland Nikkarinkatu 52, FI-15500 Lahti, Finland Evolutionary Research Unit, Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland. |
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