Transcriptome analysis of a wild bird reveals physiological responses to the urban environment

Watson, Hannah; Videvall, Elin; Andersson, Martin N.; Isaksson, Caroline

doi:10.1038/srep44180

Cited by 107 publications

(111 citation statements)

References 82 publications

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“…Thus, the results also for the other ω-3 PUFAs in the present study are likely to be at least partly affected by dietary differences across the habitats. In addition, it is also possible that there are species/family-specific effects on metabolic conversion across habitats (Jing et al, 2013;Watson et al, 2017). Regardless, the lower ω-3 PUFA of rural house-and tree sparrows compared to urban ones indicates a "poorer" nutritional status at the rural farms, rather than in the urban habitat.…”

Section: Habitat Differences In Fatty Acid Profilesmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…This has repeatedly been shown to result in changes in traits with potential fitness links, e.g., behavior, morphology, and reproductive investment (Gorissen et al, 2005;Isaksson et al, 2005;Fuller et al, 2007;Kempenaers et al, 2010). Likewise, several molecular and physiological parameters are also affected by the urban environment, including altered gene expression, endocrine changes, increased oxidative stress, and accelerated telomere attrition (Partecke et al, 2006;Isaksson, 2010;Atwell et al, 2012;Dominoni et al, 2013;Salmón et al, 2016;Watson et al, 2017). Such changes to blood-and cell chemistry may be exacerbated by a suboptimal diet in urban populations (Romieu et al, 2008;Isaksson et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These are especially relevant to study in the urbanization context due to their involvement in the regulation of physiological processes, such as cell membrane fluidity and transmembrane molecular movements, cardiac function, brain development, and immune responses (e.g., Hazel, 1995;Larsson et al, 2004;Pierce et al, 2005;Ben-Hamo et al, 2011;Hulbert and Abbott, 2012). Indeed, a recent study on great tits (Parus major) demonstrated that genes encoding enzymes responsible for biosynthesis of longchain PUFAs were differentially expressed between urban and rural individuals, although the factors underlying this habitatspecific difference, and the resulting physiological consequences, were not determined (Watson et al, 2017). Moreover, in birds, the dietary FA composition can affect several aspects of performance (Twining et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Species-Dependent Effects of the Urban Environment on Fatty Acid Composition and Oxidative Stress in Birds

et al. 2017

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Ecological impacts of urbanization include the loss of biodiversity and changes in species composition and population densities. However, how the urban environment affects fundamental physiological parameters is largely unknown. Here, we investigated physiological components related to health and nutrition, namely, plasma fatty acids (FA) and lipid peroxidation at inter-habitat and interspecific levels. Specifically, we compared four passerine bird species-the great tit (Parus major), the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), the house sparrow (Passer domesticus), and the tree sparrow (P. montanus)-from urban and rural environments. Significant interactions between species and habitat were revealed for the majority of the FAs. Interestingly, the observed inter-habitat variation in FAs was frequently in opposite directions when comparing species from the two families (tits, Paridae; sparrows, Passeridae). These patterns suggest that sparrows and tits feed on different food sources, or modulate their FA metabolism differently, across the urban-rural gradient. By using canonical discriminant analyses (CDA), we further demonstrated species-specific signals in FA composition, with misclassification of species being <1% within habitats and <7% between habitats. Finally, the urban-rural FA differences between species and families were manifested in two indices of health. Firstly, urban blue tits had a higher total ω-6/ω-3 polyunsaturated FA ratio than rural conspecifics, which is believed to increase inflammatory responses. Secondly, urban sparrows of both species showed higher lipid peroxidation indices (indicating a higher susceptibility to lipid peroxidation if exposed to pro-oxidants), and consequently, a higher level of lipid peroxidation compared to their rural conspecifics. Collectively, the speciesand habitat-specific differences in plasma FA composition, which are linked to nutrition and metabolism, suggest that the urban environment affect tits and sparrows primarily via two different pathways-inflammation and oxidative stress, respectively,-with potential consequences for the health of urban populations.

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Section: Habitat Differences In Fatty Acid Profilesmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Species-Dependent Effects of the Urban Environment on Fatty Acid Composition and Oxidative Stress in Birds

et al. 2017

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“…To thrive in these novel environments requires changes in behavior and physiology at the phenological and, possibly, genetic level. Such changes have, indeed, been found in urban populations of several species, indicating that they accommodate some of the challenges of city life (Isaksson, 2010;Munshi-South and Kharchenko, 2010;Dominoni et al, 2013aDominoni et al, , 2016Nemeth et al, 2013;Atwell et al, 2014;Gil et al, 2014;Giraudeau et al, 2014;Davies et al, 2016;Watson et al, 2017). Nonetheless, urban environments are linked to reductions in fitness and health in a substantial number of organisms (Chamberlain et al, 2009;Murray et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Elevated Immune Gene Expression Is Associated with Poor Reproductive Success of Urban Blue Tits

et al. 2017

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Urban and forest habitats differ in many aspects that can lead to modifications of the immune system of wild animals. Altered parasite communities, pollution, and artificial light at night in cities have been associated with exacerbated inflammatory responses, with possibly negative fitness consequences, but few data are available from free-living animals. Here, we investigate how urbanization affects major immune pathways and experimentally test potentially contributing factors in blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) from an urban and forest site. We first compared breeding adults by quantifying the mRNA transcript levels of proteins associated with anti-bacterial, anti-malarial (TLR4, LY86) and anti-helminthic (Type 2 transcription factor GATA3) immune responses. Adult urban and forest blue tits differed in gene expression, with significantly increased TLR4 and GATA3, but not LY86, in the city. We then experimentally tested whether these differences were environmentally induced by cross-fostering eggs between the sites and measuring mRNA transcripts in nestlings. The populations differed in reduced reproductive success, with a lower fledging success and lower fledgling weight recorded at the urban site. This mirrors the findings of our twin study reporting that the urban site was severely resource limited when compared to the forest. Because of low urban survival, robust gene expression data were only obtained from nestlings reared in the forest. Transcript levels in these nestlings showed no (TLR4, LY86), or weak (GATA3), differences according to their origin from forest or city nests, suggesting little genetic or maternal contribution to nestling immune transcript levels. Lastly, to investigate differences in parasite pressure between urban and forest sites, we measured the prevalence of malaria in adult and nestling blood. Prevalence was invariably high across environments and not associated with the transcript levels of the studied immune genes. Our results support the hypothesis that inflammatory pathways are activated in an urban environment and suggest that these differences are most likely induced by environmental factors.

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“…Ecologists are repeatedly pointed to clock pathways when they compare genomes and transcriptomes, for example, between urban and rural birds, or migratory and non-migratory states (e.g. [16,211,212]). These findings emphasize the importance of biological clocks in the real world.…”

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confidence: 99%

Two sides of a coin: ecological and chronobiological perspectives of timing in the wild

Helm

Visser

Schwartz

et al. 2017

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

146

199

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Most processes within organisms, and most interactions between organisms and their environment, have distinct time profiles. The temporal coordination of such processes is crucial across levels of biological organization, but disciplines differ widely in their approaches to study timing. Such differences are accentuated between ecologists, who are centrally concerned with a holistic view of an organism in relation to its external environment, and chronobiologists, who emphasize internal timekeeping within an organism and the mechanisms of its adjustment to the environment. We argue that ecological and chronobiological perspectives are complementary, and that studies at the intersection will enable both fields to jointly overcome obstacles that currently hinder progress. However, to achieve this integration, we first have to cross some conceptual barriers, clarifying prohibitively inaccessible terminologies. We critically assess main assumptions and concepts in either field, as well as their common interests. Both approaches intersect in their need to understand the extent and regulation of temporal plasticity, and in the concept of 'chronotype', i.e. the characteristic temporal properties of individuals which are the targets of natural and sexual selection. We then highlight promising developments, point out open questions, acknowledge difficulties and propose directions for further integration of ecological and chronobiological perspectives through Wild Clock research.

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Transcriptome analysis of a wild bird reveals physiological responses to the urban environment

Cited by 107 publications

References 82 publications

Species-Dependent Effects of the Urban Environment on Fatty Acid Composition and Oxidative Stress in Birds

Species-Dependent Effects of the Urban Environment on Fatty Acid Composition and Oxidative Stress in Birds

Elevated Immune Gene Expression Is Associated with Poor Reproductive Success of Urban Blue Tits

Two sides of a coin: ecological and chronobiological perspectives of timing in the wild

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