Age and environment affect constitutive immune function in Red Knots (Calidris canutus)

We studied subspecies, age and environmental effects on constitutive immune function (natural antibody and complement titres, haptoglobin activity and leukocyte concentrations) in Red Knots (Calidris canutus). We compared C. c. islandica and C. c. canutus in the Wadden Sea and found no difference in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Ornithology
Main Authors: Buehler, Deborah M., Tieleman, B. Irene, Piersma, Theunis
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2009
Subjects:
Immune function
Age
Environment
Habitat quality
Shorebirds
NATURAL ANTIBODIES
BANC-DARGUIN
ANNUAL-CYCLE
MIGRANT SHOREBIRD
MAURITANIA
INNATE
BIRDS
MIGRATION
FLOCKING
STOPOVER
Calidris canutus
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/11370/34d5b59f-0cf8-46c7-a6f9-d8b2b5066a31
https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/34d5b59f-0cf8-46c7-a6f9-d8b2b5066a31
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-009-0402-6
Description
Summary:We studied subspecies, age and environmental effects on constitutive immune function (natural antibody and complement titres, haptoglobin activity and leukocyte concentrations) in Red Knots (Calidris canutus). We compared C. c. islandica and C. c. canutus in the Wadden Sea and found no difference in immune function between subspecies. However, C. c. canutus on their wintering grounds in Banc d'Arguin had higher natural antibody and lower complement levels than C. c. canutus or C. c. islandica in the Wadden Sea. This suggests that immune function is determined more by the surrounding environment than by subspecies. We also compared age classes in the Wadden Sea and found that first year birds had significantly lower natural antibody levels than adults, but that second year birds no longer differed from adults. Finally, we examined the interaction of age and environment in Banc d'Arguin. We found that first year birds (but not adults) in a low quality habitat had higher leukocyte concentrations than first year birds or adults in a high quality habitat. Differences in available resources and defence needs between environments, and differences among individuals differentially distributed between sites, are likely important contributors to the variation in immune function we report. Future studies, which examine these factors on wild birds, will be important for our understanding of how animals function in their natural environment. (220).

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