Membrane-bound intestinal enzymes of passerine birds: dietary and phylogenetic correlates

Bird species exhibit great diversity in digestive tract morphology and enzymatic activity that is partly correlated with the chemical composition of their natural diets. However, no studies have assessed whether the activities of digestive enzymes of the enterocytes correlate with dietary chemical composition data analyzed as a continuous variable at an evolutionary scale. We used a phylogenetically explicit approach to examine the effect of diet on the hydrolytic activity of three digestive enzymes (maltase, sucrase, and aminopeptidase-N) in 16 species of songbirds (Order Passeriformes) from Central Chile. The total activities (μmol/min) of these enzymes were positively associated with body mass using both conventional least squares regressions and phylogenetically independent contrasts. After removing mass effects, we found a significant negative correlation between the ratio of aminopeptidase-N and maltase to the proportion of seeds found in the gizzard, but this relationship was no longer significant after controlling for phylogeny. When we analyzed the specific nutritional content of the diet, we found that the percentage of nitrogen in diet was negatively correlated with residual maltase activity and positively correlated with the ratio aminopeptidase-N/maltase. Given the large interspecific differences in biochemical capacity, we conclude that these differences reflect genetically determined evolutionary changes associated with the nutrient contents of each species’ natural diet.     

Zero prevalence of Clostridium difficile in wild passerine birds in Europe

Clostridium difficile is an important bacterial pathogen of humans and a variety of animal species, where it can cause significant medical problems. The major public health concern is the possibility of inapparent animal reservoirs of C. difficile and shedding of bacteria to noninfected individuals or populations, as well as being a source of food contamination. Migrating birds can be a key epizootiological factor for transmission and distribution of pathogens over a wide geographic range. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether migrating passerine birds can be a source of spread of C. difficile along their migration routes. Cloacal samples were taken from 465 passerine birds during their migration south over the Alps. Selective enrichment was used for detection of C. difficile. Clostridium difficile was not isolated from any of the samples, which indicates that migrating passerine birds are unlikely to serve as a reservoir and a carrier of C. difficile.     

Sperm morphology and sperm velocity in passerine birds

Sperm velocity is one of the main determinants of the outcome of sperm competition. Since sperm vary considerably in their morphology between and within species, it seems likely that sperm morphology is associated with sperm velocity. Theory predicts that sperm velocity may be increased by enlarged midpiece (energetic component) or flagellum length (kinetic component), or by particular ratios between sperm components, such as between flagellum length and head size. However, such associations have rarely been found in empirical studies. In a comparative framework in passerine birds, we tested these theoretical predictions both across a wide range of species and within a single family, the New World blackbirds (Icteridae). In both study groups, sperm velocity was influenced by sperm morphology in the predicted direction. Consistent with theoretical models, these results show that selection on sperm morphology and velocity are likely to be concomitant evolutionary forces.     

Genome size and wing parameters in passerine birds

Despite their status as the most speciose group of terrestrial vertebrates, birds exhibit the smallest and least variable genome sizes among tetrapods. It has been suggested that this is because powered flight imposes metabolic constraints on cell size, and thus on genome size. This notion has been supported by analyses of genome size and cell size versus resting metabolic rate and other parameters across birds, but most previous studies suffer from one or more limitations that have left the question open. The present study provides new insights into this issue through an examination of newly measured genome sizes, nucleus and cell sizes, body masses and wing parameters for 74 species of birds in the order Passeriformes. A positive relationship was found between genome size and nucleus/cell size, as well as between genome size and wing loading index, which is interpreted as an indicator of adaptations for efficient flight. This represents the single largest dataset presented for birds to date, and is the first to analyse a distinctly flight-related parameter along with genome size using phylogenetic comparative analyses. The results lend additional support to the hypothesis that the small genomes of birds are indeed related in some manner to flight, though the mechanistic and historical bases for this association remain an interesting area of investigation.     

Evolution of sperm structure and energetics in passerine birds

Spermatozoa exhibit considerable interspecific variability in size and shape. Our understanding of the adaptive significance of this diversity, however, remains limited. Determining how variation in sperm structure translates into variation in sperm performance will contribute to our understanding of the evolutionary diversification of sperm form. Here, using data from passerine birds, we test the hypothesis that longer sperm swim faster because they have more available energy. We found that sperm with longer midpieces have higher levels of intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP), but that greater energy reserves do not translate into faster-swimming sperm. Additionally, we found that interspecific variation in sperm ATP concentration is not associated with the level of sperm competition faced by males. Finally, using Bayesian methods, we compared the evolutionary trajectories of sperm morphology and ATP content, and show that both traits have undergone directional evolutionary change. However, in contrast to recent suggestions in other taxa, we show that changes in ATP are unlikely to have preceded changes in morphology in passerine sperm. These results suggest that variable selective pressures are likely to have driven the evolution of sperm traits in different taxa, and highlight fundamental biological differences between taxa with internal and external fertilization, as well as those with and without sperm storage.     

Social mating systems and extrapair fertilizations in passerine birds

Two alternative hypotheses have been proposed to explain howsocial and genetic mating systems are interrelated in birds.According to the first (male trade-off) hypothesis, socialpolygyny should increase extrapair fertilizations because whenmales concentrate on attracting additional social mates, theycannot effectively protect females with whom they have already paired from being sexually assaulted. According to the second(female choice) hypothesis, social polygyny should decreaseextrapair fertilizations because a substantial proportion offemales can pair with the male of their choice, and males caneffectively guard each mate during her fertile period. To discriminatethese alternatives, we comprehensively reviewed informationon social mating systems and extrapair fertilizations in temperatezone passerine birds. We found significant inverse relationshipsbetween proportions of socially polygynous males and frequenciesof extrapair young, whether each species was considered asan independent data point (using parametric statistics) orphylogenetically related species were treated as nonindependent (using contrasts analyses). When social mating systems weredichotomized, extrapair chicks were twice as frequent in monogamousas in polygynous species (0.23 vs. 0.11). We hypothesize thatin socially polygynous species, (1) there is less incentivefor females and males to pursue extrapair matings and (2) femalesincur higher costs for sexual infidelity (e.g., due to physical retaliation or reduction of paternal efforts) than in sociallymonogamous species.     

Response of passerine birds and chicks to larvae and pupae of ladybirds

1. Few, if any, experimental tests have demonstrated the anti‐predator protection of the developmental stages of ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) against vertebrates, despite the fact that both the visual appearance of ladybirds and the content of defensive compounds fulfil the definition of an aposematic prey. 2. In this study, avian predators of three species were confronted with fourth‐instar larvae and pupae of the harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) – a large, conspicuous, and toxic ladybird species. 3. The selected predators differed in their individual experience and attitude to ladybirds. Wild‐caught great tits (Parus major) strongly avoided attacking ladybirds in general, whereas wild‐caught tree sparrows (Passer montanus) were willing to include ladybirds in their diet. Domestic chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus) have never been confronted with ladybirds but usually show avoidance of aposematic signals. In this study, great tits and domestic chicks avoided both developmental stages, but in the case of chicks the avoidance had to be learned over the course of repeated encounters. Sparrow avoidance was significantly lower, with more than one‐third of the prey being attacked and eaten. 4. The protection of both developmental stages of ladybirds is similar to adults, despite substantially different visual appearance.     

不同食性野生鸟类肠道微生物研究进展

肠道微生物是庞大而多样的微生物群落,通过促进营养摄取、宿主防御、免疫调节等,在维持机体健康方面起着至关重要的作用。宿主外部或内部环境的任何变化都会影响肠道微生物的组成,鸟类具有复杂的生活史和多样化的食性,飞翔生活使它们的生理活动面临更大的选择性压力,导致肠道微生物菌群的变化更加复杂。近年来,随着基因测序技术的发展以及对鸟类肠道微生物研究的日益重视,导致了鸟类肠道微生物研究呈指数增长。但目前的研究主要以家禽为主,野生鸟类肠道微生物报道则相对较少。野生鸟类肠道微生物结构变化及其维持机制等的研究仍处于起步阶段,有较大的研究空间。从植食性、肉食性、杂食性三种食性的鸟类肠道微生物组成及特点、影响因素等方面对前人的文献进行了全面梳理,以期为野生鸟类肠道微生物研究提供参考。总的来说,植食性鸟类肠道微生物多样性最低,以高丰度的变形菌门（Proteobacteria）、厚壁菌门（Firmicutes）为主;而杂食性鸟类肠道微生物多样性最高。遗传、生活史特征、人类活动、城市化、圈养行为等对鸟类肠道微生物的组成具有显著性的影响。     

Growth strategies of passerine birds are related to brood parasitism by the brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater)

Sibling competition was proposed as an important selective agent in the evolution of growth and development. Brood parasitism by the brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) intensifies sibling competition in the nests of its hosts by increasing host chick mortality and exposing them to a genetically unrelated nestmate. Intranest sibling competition for resources supplied by parents is size dependent. Thus, it should select for high development rates and short nestling periods, which would alleviate negative impacts of brood parasitic chicks on host young. I tested these predictions on 134 North American passerines by comparative analyses. After controlling for covariates and phylogeny, I showed that high parasitism rate was associated with higher nestling growth rate, lower mass at fledging, and shorter nestling periods. These effects were most pronounced in species in which sibling competition is most intense (i.e., weighing over about 30 g). When species were categorized as nonhosts versus old hosts (parasitized for thousands of years) versus new hosts (parasitized the last 100-200 years), there was a clear effect of this parasitism category on growth strategies. Nestling growth rate was the most evolutionarily flexible trait, followed by mass at fledging and nestling period duration. Adjustments during incubation (incubation period length, egg volume) were less pronounced and generally disappeared after controlling for phylogeny. I show that sibling competition caused by brood parasites can have strong effects on the evolution of host growth strategies and that the evolution of developmental traits can take place very rapidly. Human alteration of habitats causing spread of brood parasites to new areas thus cascades into affecting the evolution of life-history traits in host species.     

Evaluating the contribution of dispersal to community structure in Neotropical passerine birds

For two centuries evolutionary biologists have sought to explain elevated biodiversity in the Neotropics. Although different process are known to be important, it is still not uncommon for researchers to emphasize a single mechanism. Recently, arguments have highlighted the importance of dispersal shaping community structure and evolution across the region. We examine this hypothesis by visualizing spatial variation in community structure for the majority of South American passerines (Aves) across the northern half of South America. By sampling over a contiguous area we show how community structure varies widely across Amazonia and surrounding regions. Our results support a combination of processes including: the inability of species to disperse across geographic barriers, Andean uplift, and variation in habitat type. Although dispersal is a factor, our results emphasize a lack of dispersal, driven primarily by features of the landscape, coupled with historical changes in climate to be important drivers of Neotropical diversity.     

Experiments on clutch size and nest size in passerine birds

Summary Results of experiments on three passerine species suggest that brood size may be constrained by nest size, since the breeding success of pairs provided with large nestcups was greater than that of those provided with small artificial nestcups. These results may have important implications, e.g. to the design of experiments involving manipulation of clutch and brood size. A small nestcup is requisite for successful hatching during the incubation period, but a large one for successful rearing during the nestling period. In nature this difference may select for types of nesting materials that are elastic, such as mosses and lichens. However, experiments showed that such materials rapidly absorb rainwater but only slowly dry out. In addition, because large nests dry out more slowly than small nests, selection will favour small nests among those open-nesting species that have exposed nests. A further possible nest size constraint on open-nesters is nest predation. However, no difference in the predation rate was found in experiments with small and large artificial nests.     

Global warming and body mass decline in Israeli passerine birds

Global warming may affect the physiology, distributions, phenology and adaptations of plants and animals. In Israel, minimum summer temperatures increased by an average of 0.26 degrees C per decade during the second half of the 20th century. Bergmann's rule predicts that, in warm-blooded animals, races from warm regions are smaller than races from cold regions. Numerous studies have reported general correlations between body mass in fossil animals and independently established palaeoclimatic changes from various parts of the world in accordance with this rule. Using museum specimens, I tested the prediction that the body mass and tarsus length of five resident passerine species in Israel declined between 1950 and 1999. The body mass of four species (the graceful warbler Prinia gracilis, the house sparrow Passer domesticus, the yellow-vented bulbul Pycnonotus xanthopygos and the Sardinian warbler Sylvia melanocephala, but not of the crested lark Galerida cristata) declined significantly during this period. Tarsus length also declined significantly during this period for two species (the graceful warbler and the house sparrow). Body condition (body mass-to-tarsus length ratio) decreased in the Sardinian warbler, the yellow-vented bulbul and the crested lark. It is suggested that the above declines in body mass and tarsus length are due to global warming and also in accordance with Bergmann's rule. The above explanation does not exclude the possibility that other factors, such as a decrease in food availability, contributed to the decline in body mass. These declines may have serious implications for community structure and competition among bird species and may affect the survival of small passerines.     

Sexually size dimorphic brains and song complexity in passerine birds

Neural correlates of bird song involve the volume of particularsong nuclei in the brain that govern song development, production,and perception. Intra- and interspecific variation in the volumeof these song nuclei are associated with overall brain size,suggesting that the integration of complex songs into the brainrequires general neural augmentation. In a comparative studyof passerine birds based on generalized least square models,we tested this hypothesis by exploring the interspecific relationshipbetween overall brain size and repertoire size. We found nosignificant association between song complexity of males andbrain size adjusted for body size. However, species in whichmales produced complex songs tended to have sex differencesin overall brain size. This pattern became stronger when wecontrolled statistically for female song complexity by usingsex differences in song complexity. In species with large differencesin song complexity, females evolved smaller brains than didmales. Our results suggest no role for the evolution of extendedneural space, as reflected by total brain size, owing to songcomplexity. However, factors associated with sexual selectionmirrored by sex differences in song complexity were relatedto sexual dimorphism in overall brain size.     

Climate and geographic distance are more influential than rivers on the beta diversity of passerine birds in Amazonia

Variation in the spatial structure of communities in terms of species composition (beta diversity) is affected by different ecological processes, such as environmental filtering and dispersal limitation. Large rivers are known as barriers for species dispersal (riverine hypothesis) in tropical regions. However, when organisms are not dispersal limited by geographic barriers, other factors, such as climatic conditions and geographic distance per se, may affect species distribution. In order to investigate the relative contribution of major rivers, climate and geographic distance on Passeriformes beta diversity, we divided Amazonia into 549 grid cells (1° of latitude and longitude) and obtained data of species occurrence, climate and geographic position for each cell. Beta diversity was measured using taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional metrics of composition. The influence of climatic variables, geographic distance and rivers on these metrics was tested using regression analyses. Passerine beta diversity is characterized mainly by the change in species taxonomic identity and in phylogenetic lineages across climatic gradients and over geographic distance. However, species with similar traits are found throughout the entire Amazonia. The size of rivers was proportional to their effect on species composition. However, climate and geographic distance are relatively more important than rivers for Amazonian taxonomic and phylogenetic species composition.