Extremely high MHC class I variation in a population of a long-distance migrant,the Scarlet Rosefinch (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Carpodacus erythrinus</Emphasis>)

Although the number of studies focusing on the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in non-model vertebrates is increasing, results are often contradictory, and the structure of MHC is still poorly understood in wild species. Here, we describe the structure and diversity of exon 3 of MHC class I in a passerine bird, the Scarlet Rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus). Using capillary electrophoresis single-strand conformation polymorphism, we identified 82 different MHC class I variants in one Rosefinch population nesting at one site in the Czech Republic. Thus far, this is the highest intra-populational MHC class I variation observed in birds. We have not found support for ‘minimal essential’ MHC in this species since individuals exhibited between three and nine different exon 3 sequences, indicating that there may be at least five amplified MHC class I genes. By cloning, we obtained and analysed 29 exon sequences and found that all of them could be translated into potentially functional proteins. We also show that strong positive selection appears to be acting mainly, but not only, on previously described antigen-binding sites in MHC class I genes. Furthermore, our results indicate that recombination has played an important role in generating genetic diversity of these genes in the Scarlet Rosefinch; we discuss the significance of this extremely high genetic diversity in light of the life history traits of this species, such as long-distance migration. The sequence data described in this paper are accessible in GenBank data library under accession numbers FJ392762–FJ392790.     

Common garden experiment reveals pathogen isolate but no host genetic diversity effect on the dynamics of an emerging wildlife disease

Host genetic diversity can mediate pathogen resistance within and among populations. Here we test whether the lower prevalence of Mycoplasmal conjunctivitis in native North American house finch populations results from greater resistance to the causative agent, Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG), than introduced, recently‐bottlenecked populations that lack genetic diversity. In a common garden experiment, we challenged wild‐caught western (native) and eastern (introduced) North American finches with a representative eastern or western MG isolate. Although introduced finches in our study had lower neutral genetic diversity than native finches, we found no support for a population‐level genetic diversity effect on host resistance. Instead we detected strong support for isolate differences: the MG isolate circulating in western house finch populations produced lower virulence, but higher pathogen loads, in both native and introduced hosts. Our results indicate that contemporary differences in host genetic diversity likely do not explain the lower conjunctivitis prevalence in native house finches, but isolate‐level differences in virulence may play an important role.     

The relative efficacy of repellents against mosquito vectors of disease

Laboratory tests of insect repellents by various different methods showed that An.stephensi Liston was consistently more susceptible than An.gambiae Giles, An.albimanus Wiedemann or An.pulcherrimus Theobald. The six repellents tested were di-ethyl toluamide (deet), di-methyl phthalate (DMP), ethyl-hexanediol, permethrin, citronella and cedarwood oil. Testing systems in which the mosquitoes were presented with a choice gave consistently lower ED50 values than when there was no choice, i.e. the standards of tolerance are not absolute but depend on the options available. In field tests in an experimental hut a curtain with a high dose of di-ethyl toluamide (deet) reduced biting in the hut but had to be re-impregnated frequently. Deet-impregnated anklets gave about 84% protection against Culex quinquefasciatus Say for 80 days after one impregnation, in a trial in which the anklets were brought out of sealed storage and tested for 2 h nightly. Similar protection was found against An.funestus Giles but the protection against An.gambiae s.l., An. coustani Laveran and Mansonia spp. was not as good. There were highly significant differences between the four collectors' mosquito attractiveness but this varied highly significantly between the mosquito species.     

Geographic variation in male ornamentation and female mate preference in the house finch: a comparative test of models of sexual selection

I compared the mate preferences of female house finches (Carpodacusmexicanus) from populations in which males differ in both plumagecoloration and the extent of ventral pigmentation (patch size).Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the small patch of ventralcoloration displayed by males in some populations is derivedfrom a larger-patched ancestral state. Regardless of the appearanceof males in their own populations, however, females from allpopulations showed a preference for the most brightly coloredmales and males with the largest patches. A reduction in patchsize independent of a change in female mate preference is notconsistent with sensory-bias or reproductive isolation modelsof sexual selection or with general predictions of runaway modelsof sexual selection. In contrast, a lack of congruence betweenfemale mate preference and male trait expression is predictedby the honest advertisement model, with house finches respondingto variation in regional and local access to carotenoid plumagepigments.     

The evolution of sexual dimorphism in the house finch. I. Population divergence in morphological covariance structure

Abstract Patterns of genetic variation and covariation strongly affect the rate and direction of evolutionary change by limiting the amount and form of genetic variation available to natural selection. We studied evolution of morphological variance-covariance structure among seven populations of house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) with a known phylogenetic history. We examined the relationship between within- and among-population covariance structure and, in particular, tested the concordance between hierarchical changes in morphological variance-covariance structure and phylogenetic history of this species. We found that among-population morphological divergence in either males or females did not follow the within-population covariance patterns. Hierarchical patterns of similarity in morphological covariance matrices were not congruent with a priori defined historical pattern of population divergence. Both of these results point to the lack of proportionality in morphological covariance structure of finch populations, suggesting that random drift alone is unlikely to account for observed divergence. Furthermore, drift alone cannot explain the sex differences in within- and among-population covariance patterns or sex-specific patterns of evolution of covariance structure. Our results suggest that extensive among-population variation in sexual dimorphism in morphological covariance structure was produced by population differences in local selection pressures acting on each sex.     

棕朱雀取食含盐墙土现象的观察

1996~1998年发现重庆市开县一字梁区域有棕朱雀(Carpodacus edwardsii)分布。此后陆续发现巫山县的葱坪和梨子坪也有棕朱雀分布,但遇见数量和遇见率远低于开县一字梁。调查发现,棕朱雀主要集中分布在海拔较高(1 841~2 560 m)地处僻远的管护站房屋边活动,并在开县一字梁观察到棕朱雀具有偏爱啄食含盐墙土的行为。鉴于当地居民营建房屋时,为了防止蚂蚁入侵,在砌筑石块的泥浆中添加食盐,我们分别对管护站的2所房屋及其附近3所传统民居房屋的墙缝土进行了土样化验分析,管护站的2所房屋墙缝土的含盐量(分别为12.92 mg/g、16.84 mg/g)远高于附近的3所民居房屋(分别为1.31 mg/g、7.18 mg/g、0.53 mg/g)。据此认为,人工盐源很可能是维系该区域棕朱雀种群数量和生境质量的生态因子。     

燕雀亚科鸟类的贝叶斯系统发生:非洲鹂雀的分类地位及朱雀属的进化与异质起源

鹂雀(Linurgus olivaceus)是非洲热带森林中一种独特的鸣禽,为鹂雀属(Linurgus)的惟一物种。在已有的研究中,通过对鹂雀和雀形目现存鸟类中每个科及亚科至少一个物种的线粒体DNA序列测定,分析了鹂雀与其它现存雀形目鸟类的系统发生关系;在遗传上,对鹂雀与金丝雀、金翅雀及燕雀亚科其它鸟类亦有比较研究。本研究共使用了燕雀亚科83种鸟类,重点对该亚科的系统发生进行了修订。使用贝叶斯法构建了系统发生树,结果表明:鹂雀属于燕雀亚科,系统发生树中聚在金翅雀族(Carduelini),与金丝雀属(Serinus)、金翅雀属(Carduelis)及交嘴雀属(Loxia)的种类形成一组;在系统发生中,鹂雀可能是一个基部物种,它同金丝雀属和金翅雀属鸟类一同进化并分歧出来。在本研究中未能涉及的一些已灭绝种类,可能与鹂雀有着较近的遗传学关系。另一方面,研究也表明锡嘴雀(Coccotharustes coccothraustes)肯定包括在欧亚蜡嘴雀(蜡嘴雀属Eophona和拟蜡嘴雀属Mycerobas)中,美洲的朱雀(Carpodacus)可能是从亚洲种类分歧出来并经过进化辐射形成。     

Interspecific competition between introduced house finch populations and two associated passerine species

Summary House Finches (Carpodacus mexicanus), natives of western North America, have expanded their range in the eastern United States since their 1940 release in New York City. Range and the relation of House Finch population growth to the population dynamics of House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) and Purple Finches (Carpodacus purpureus) were examined, using data from the Breeding Bird Survey and the Christmas Bird Count. The House Finch population grew exponentially throughout its eastern range. Significant negative relationships in population density, relative to spatial and temporal control populations, were found between House Finches and House Sparrows in summer and winter, and between House Finches and Purple Finches in summer. Purple Finch and House Sparrow populations outside of the House Finch range appeared to have no effect on each other throughout the study. Neither changes in 74 weather variables, nor changes in forest, field or developed habitat explained the observed trends in population density. The results indicate that House Finches compete with these two species, but winter migration complicates the picture.     

MALE MATE CHOICE AND THE EVOLUTION OF FEMALE PLUMAGE COLORATION IN THE HOUSE FINCH

The house finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) is a sexually dichromatic passerine in which males display colorful plumage and females are generally drab brown. Some females, however, have a subdued version of the same pattern of ornamental coloration seen in males. In previous research, I found that female house finches use male coloration as an important criterion when choosing mates and that the plumage brightness of males is a reliable indicator of male nest attentiveness. Male house finches invest substantially in the care of young and, like females, stand to gain by choosing high-quality mates. I therefore hypothesized that a female's plumage brightness might be correlated with her quality and be the basis for male mate choice. In laboratory mate choice experiments, male house finches showed a significant preference for the most brightly plumaged females presented. Observations of a wild population of house finches, however, suggest that female age is the primary criterion in male choice and that female plumage coloration is a secondary criterion. In addition, yearling females tended to have more brightly colored plumage than older females, and there was no relationship between female plumage coloration and overwinter survival, reproductive success, or condition. These observations fail to support the idea that female plumage coloration is an indicator of individual quality. Male mate choice for brightly plumaged females may have evolved as a correlated response to selection on females to choose brightly colored males.