Biology Publications
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2017
Journal
Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A - Ecological and Integrative Physiology
Volume
327
Issue
5
First Page
284
Last Page
292
URL with Digital Object Identifier
10.1002/jez.2088
Abstract
A central tenet of ecoimmunology is that an organism’s environment shapes its optimal investment in immunity. For example, the benefits of acquired (relatively pathogen-specific) versus innate (non-specific) immune defences are thought to vary with the risk of encountering familiar versus unfamiliar pathogens. Because pathogen communities vary geographically, individuals that travel farther during seasonal migration or natal dispersal are predicted to have higher exposure to novel pathogens, and lower exposure to familiar pathogens, potentially favoring investment in innate immunity. During the breeding season, migratory animals’ exposure to familiar pathogens should increase, potentially favoring investment in acquired immunity. We hypothesized that song sparrows Melospiza melodia adjust their constitutive immune profiles in response to risk of encountering novel versus familiar pathogens. We predicted that individuals migrating longer distances (inferred from stable hydrogen isotope analysis of claws) and less philopatric individuals (inferred from microsatellite assignment testing) would rely more heavily on acquired than innate defences. We also predicted that reliance on acquired defences would increase throughout the early breeding season. Consistent with trade-offs between acquired and innate defences, levels of immunoglobulin Y (acquired) varied negatively with macrophage phagocytosis activity (innate). Levels of acquired relative to innate immunity did not vary significantly with migration distance or philopatry, but increased throughout the early breeding season. Macrophage phagocytosis was not significantly repeatable between years. Song sparrows appear to shift from innate defences immediately after migration, to acquired defences with increasing time at the breeding grounds. These patterns highlight the plasticity of constitutive immune defences in migratory animals.
Notes
"This is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article: Tosha R. Kelly,Heather L. MacGillivray,Keith A. Hobson,Scott A. MacDougall-Shackleton,Elizabeth A. MacDougall-Shackleton (2017). Immune Profiles Vary Seasonally, But Are Not Significantly Related To Migration Distance Or Natal Dispersal, In A Migratory Songbird. Journal of Experimental Zoology: Part A 327, 284-292. which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.2088. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions."