No evidence for melatonin-linked immunoenhancement over the annual cycle of an avian species
The winter immunoenhancement hypothesis associates long nights and increased exposure to melatonin with enhanced immune function in winter when resource availability is low and the chances of becoming ill are high. Thus, increased exposure to melatonin in the winter could be adaptive for species fac...
Published in: | Journal of Comparative Physiology A |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
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2009
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Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/11370/e60029f8-8f8e-4877-a5c1-2abad917f1da https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/e60029f8-8f8e-4877-a5c1-2abad917f1da https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-009-0422-y https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/6732046/2009JCompPhysiolABuehler.pdf |
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ftunigroningenpu:oai:pure.rug.nl:publications/e60029f8-8f8e-4877-a5c1-2abad917f1da 2024-06-02T08:04:47+00:00 No evidence for melatonin-linked immunoenhancement over the annual cycle of an avian species Buehler, Deborah M. Koolhaas, Anita Van't Hof, Thomas J. Schwabl, Ingrid Dekinga, Anne Piersma, Theunis Tieleman, B. Irene 2009-05 application/pdf https://hdl.handle.net/11370/e60029f8-8f8e-4877-a5c1-2abad917f1da https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/e60029f8-8f8e-4877-a5c1-2abad917f1da https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-009-0422-y https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/6732046/2009JCompPhysiolABuehler.pdf eng eng https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/e60029f8-8f8e-4877-a5c1-2abad917f1da info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Buehler , D M , Koolhaas , A , Van't Hof , T J , Schwabl , I , Dekinga , A , Piersma , T & Tieleman , B I 2009 , ' No evidence for melatonin-linked immunoenhancement over the annual cycle of an avian species ' , Journal of comparative physiology a-Neuroethology sensory neural and behavioral physiology , vol. 195 , no. 5 , pp. 445-451 . https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-009-0422-y Annual cycle Immune function Melatonin Seasonal stressors Winter immunoenhancement hypothesis SEASONAL-VARIATIONS CALIDRIS-CANUTUS RED KNOTS BIRD RESPONSES MIGRANT STRESS CELL SHOREBIRD article 2009 ftunigroningenpu https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-009-0422-y 2024-05-07T18:37:21Z The winter immunoenhancement hypothesis associates long nights and increased exposure to melatonin with enhanced immune function in winter when resource availability is low and the chances of becoming ill are high. Thus, increased exposure to melatonin in the winter could be adaptive for species facing difficult winter conditions. This idea has found some support in studies of resident mammals. In birds, the link between day length and melatonin over the annual cycle is weaker, and contributions of melatonin to seasonal timing are unclear. Furthermore, many species, especially migrants, do not experience the most difficult conditions of their annual cycle in winter. In this study, we tested whether the winter immunoenhancement hypothesis holds in an avian species, the red knot Calidris canutus. We found that melatonin duration and amplitude varied significantly over the annual cycle with the highest values occurring in winter. However, peaks did not correspond to the winter solstice or with annual variation in immune function. Our findings do not support the winter immunoenhancement hypothesis in knots and question whether the idea that immune function should be bolstered in winter can be generalized to systems where winter is not the most difficult time of the year. Article in Journal/Newspaper Calidris canutus Red Knot University of Groningen research database Journal of Comparative Physiology A 195 5 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Groningen research database |
op_collection_id |
ftunigroningenpu |
language |
English |
topic |
Annual cycle Immune function Melatonin Seasonal stressors Winter immunoenhancement hypothesis SEASONAL-VARIATIONS CALIDRIS-CANUTUS RED KNOTS BIRD RESPONSES MIGRANT STRESS CELL SHOREBIRD |
spellingShingle |
Annual cycle Immune function Melatonin Seasonal stressors Winter immunoenhancement hypothesis SEASONAL-VARIATIONS CALIDRIS-CANUTUS RED KNOTS BIRD RESPONSES MIGRANT STRESS CELL SHOREBIRD Buehler, Deborah M. Koolhaas, Anita Van't Hof, Thomas J. Schwabl, Ingrid Dekinga, Anne Piersma, Theunis Tieleman, B. Irene No evidence for melatonin-linked immunoenhancement over the annual cycle of an avian species |
topic_facet |
Annual cycle Immune function Melatonin Seasonal stressors Winter immunoenhancement hypothesis SEASONAL-VARIATIONS CALIDRIS-CANUTUS RED KNOTS BIRD RESPONSES MIGRANT STRESS CELL SHOREBIRD |
description |
The winter immunoenhancement hypothesis associates long nights and increased exposure to melatonin with enhanced immune function in winter when resource availability is low and the chances of becoming ill are high. Thus, increased exposure to melatonin in the winter could be adaptive for species facing difficult winter conditions. This idea has found some support in studies of resident mammals. In birds, the link between day length and melatonin over the annual cycle is weaker, and contributions of melatonin to seasonal timing are unclear. Furthermore, many species, especially migrants, do not experience the most difficult conditions of their annual cycle in winter. In this study, we tested whether the winter immunoenhancement hypothesis holds in an avian species, the red knot Calidris canutus. We found that melatonin duration and amplitude varied significantly over the annual cycle with the highest values occurring in winter. However, peaks did not correspond to the winter solstice or with annual variation in immune function. Our findings do not support the winter immunoenhancement hypothesis in knots and question whether the idea that immune function should be bolstered in winter can be generalized to systems where winter is not the most difficult time of the year. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Buehler, Deborah M. Koolhaas, Anita Van't Hof, Thomas J. Schwabl, Ingrid Dekinga, Anne Piersma, Theunis Tieleman, B. Irene |
author_facet |
Buehler, Deborah M. Koolhaas, Anita Van't Hof, Thomas J. Schwabl, Ingrid Dekinga, Anne Piersma, Theunis Tieleman, B. Irene |
author_sort |
Buehler, Deborah M. |
title |
No evidence for melatonin-linked immunoenhancement over the annual cycle of an avian species |
title_short |
No evidence for melatonin-linked immunoenhancement over the annual cycle of an avian species |
title_full |
No evidence for melatonin-linked immunoenhancement over the annual cycle of an avian species |
title_fullStr |
No evidence for melatonin-linked immunoenhancement over the annual cycle of an avian species |
title_full_unstemmed |
No evidence for melatonin-linked immunoenhancement over the annual cycle of an avian species |
title_sort |
no evidence for melatonin-linked immunoenhancement over the annual cycle of an avian species |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/11370/e60029f8-8f8e-4877-a5c1-2abad917f1da https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/e60029f8-8f8e-4877-a5c1-2abad917f1da https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-009-0422-y https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/6732046/2009JCompPhysiolABuehler.pdf |
genre |
Calidris canutus Red Knot |
genre_facet |
Calidris canutus Red Knot |
op_source |
Buehler , D M , Koolhaas , A , Van't Hof , T J , Schwabl , I , Dekinga , A , Piersma , T & Tieleman , B I 2009 , ' No evidence for melatonin-linked immunoenhancement over the annual cycle of an avian species ' , Journal of comparative physiology a-Neuroethology sensory neural and behavioral physiology , vol. 195 , no. 5 , pp. 445-451 . https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-009-0422-y |
op_relation |
https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/e60029f8-8f8e-4877-a5c1-2abad917f1da |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-009-0422-y |
container_title |
Journal of Comparative Physiology A |
container_volume |
195 |
container_issue |
5 |
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1800749434464632832 |