Demographic responses of eastern bluebirds to climatic variability in northeastern Arkansas

Harrod, Sara E.; Rolland, Virginie

doi:10.1002/1438-390x.12048

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 93 publications

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“…Given that both parasitism and heat reduced the abundance of key microbiota members associated with immunity, we predict that the net effects of a warming world and natural nest parasitism may threaten eastern bluebird survival in the future. This prediction is consistent with other studies raising concerns about the impacts of climate change on bluebird reproduction and survival (e.g., [56,57]). In contrast, a long-term study on breeding performance found that between the periods 1962-1972 and 2006-2016, tree swallow reproductive performance increased as a result of earlier breeding induced by warmer winter temperatures [58].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Differential Effects of Elevated Nest Temperature and Parasitism on the Gut Microbiota of Wild Avian Hosts

Ingala¹,

Albert²,

Addesso³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Background: Changes in wild animal gut microbiotas may influence host health and fitness. While many studies have shown correlations between gut microbiota structure and external factors, few studies demonstrate causal links between environmental variables and microbiota shifts. Here, we use a fully factorial experiment to test the effects of elevated ambient temperature and natural nest parasitism by nest flies (Protocalliphora sialia) on the microbiotas of two species of wild birds, the eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis) and the tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor).Results: We find that bacterial communities from the nestlings of each host species show differential response to both heat and parasitism, with gut microbiotas of eastern bluebirds more disrupted by heat and parasitism than those of tree swallows. Thus, we find that eastern bluebirds are unable to maintain stable associations with their gut bacteria in the face of both elevated temperature and parasitism. In contrast, tree swallow gut microbiotas are not significantly impacted by either heat or nest parasitism.Conclusions: Our results suggest that excess heat (e.g., as a result of climate change) may destabilize natural host-parasite-microbiota systems, with the potential to affect host fitness and survival in the anthropocene.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Differential Effects of Elevated Nest Temperature and Parasitism on the Gut Microbiota of Wild Avian Hosts

Ingala¹,

Albert²,

Addesso³

et al. 2021

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Given that both parasitism and heat reduced the abundance of key microbiota members associated with immunity, we predict that the net effects of a warming world and natural nest parasitism may threaten eastern bluebird survival in the future. This prediction is consistent with other studies raising concerns about the impacts of climate change on bluebird reproduction and survival (e.g., [ 57 , 58 ]). In contrast, a long-term study on breeding performance found that between the periods 1962–1972 and 2006–2016, tree swallow reproductive performance increased as a result of earlier breeding induced by warmer winter temperatures [ 59 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Differential effects of elevated nest temperature and parasitism on the gut microbiota of wild avian hosts

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Changes in wild animal gut microbiotas may influence host health and fitness. While many studies have shown correlations between gut microbiota structure and external factors, few studies demonstrate causal links between environmental variables and microbiota shifts. Here, we use a fully factorial experiment to test the effects of elevated ambient temperature and natural nest parasitism by nest flies (Protocalliphora sialia) on the gut microbiotas of two species of wild birds, the eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis) and the tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor). Results We find that bacterial communities from the nestlings of each host species show idiosyncratic responses to both heat and parasitism, with gut microbiotas of eastern bluebirds more disrupted by heat and parasitism than those of tree swallows. Thus, we find that eastern bluebirds are unable to maintain stable associations with their gut bacteria in the face of both elevated temperature and parasitism. In contrast, tree swallow gut microbiotas are not significantly impacted by either heat or nest parasitism. Conclusions Our results suggest that excess heat (e.g., as a result of climate change) may destabilize natural host-parasite-microbiota systems, with the potential to affect host fitness and survival in the Anthropocene.

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“…A year-round resident population of Eastern Bluebirds in northeast Arkansas (35°54′ N; 90°40′ W) has been monitored since the 2003 nesting season (Harrod & Rolland, 2020) In that population, the nesting season runs from mid-March to late August. Eastern Bluebirds are socially monogamous, but multiple parentage, mostly through extra-pair paternity, within a brood is common (Gowaty & Karlin, 1984;Gowaty & Plissner, 2020).…”

Section: Study Species and Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

Genomic data reveal unexpected relatedness between a brown female Eastern Bluebird and her brood

Schroeder,

Worm,

Sweet

et al. 2024

Ecology and Evolution

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Because plumage coloration is frequently involved in sexual selection, for both male and female mate choice, birds with aberrant plumage should have fewer mating opportunities and thus lower reproductive output. Here we report an Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) female with a brown phenotype that raised a brood of four chicks to fledging. The brown female and her mate were only related to their social offspring to the second degree and one of the offspring was a half‐sibling. We propose four family tree scenarios and discuss their implications (e.g., extra‐pair paternity, conspecific brood parasitism). Regardless of the tree, the brown female was able to find a mate, which may have been facilitated by the bottleneck created by the severe snowstorms in February 2021.

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Demographic responses of eastern bluebirds to climatic variability in northeastern Arkansas

Cited by 8 publications

References 93 publications

Differential Effects of Elevated Nest Temperature and Parasitism on the Gut Microbiota of Wild Avian Hosts

Differential Effects of Elevated Nest Temperature and Parasitism on the Gut Microbiota of Wild Avian Hosts

Differential effects of elevated nest temperature and parasitism on the gut microbiota of wild avian hosts

Genomic data reveal unexpected relatedness between a brown female Eastern Bluebird and her brood

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