Article
Zoology
Yaara Aharon-Rotman, William A. Buttemer, Lee Koren, Katherine Wynne-Edwards
Summary: The study suggests that circulating steroids can affect the CORTf values of mature feathers, highlighting the importance of establishing effective procedures for removing surface residues without compromising the CORT extracted from within the feather for future ecological studies.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ornithology
Yosef Kiat, Ido Izhaki
Summary: Our study shows that split moult is more common in long-distance migrants than in short-distance migrants and sedentary species. Age may be a factor associated with the probability of exhibiting split moult, as this strategy was more common in adults than in first-year birds. Split moult may be a strategy that allows birds to cope with time and energy constraints during the main moult period by retaining part of their flight-feathers and resuming their moult later in the yearly cycle.
Article
Biology
Krystof Horak, Lukas Bobek, Marie Adamkova, Ondrej Kauzal, Tereza Kauzalova, Judith Pouadjeu Manialeu, Telesphore Benoit Nguelefack, Eric Djomo Nana, Knud Andreas Jonsson, Pavel Munclinger, David Horak, Ondrej Sedlacek, Oldrich Tomasek, Tomas Albrecht
Summary: Tropical bird species have slower feather growth rates and higher occurrence of stress-induced fault bars compared to their temperate zone counterparts. However, latitudinal migrants across the Sahara Desert exhibit similar feather growth patterns to temperate zone residents rather than tropical species at their breeding latitude.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yosef Kiat, Batmunkh Davaasuren, Tuvshinjargal Erdenechimeg, David Troupin, Nir Sapir
Summary: Large-scale environmental gradients have significant effects on birds' feather moult processes, with Eastern Palearctic populations exhibiting less extensive moult compared to Western Palearctic populations due to differences in cold season duration, migration distance, and body mass. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding how specific environmental conditions influence organismal processes within different species' distribution ranges.
Article
Ecology
Yosef Kiat, Nir Sapir
Summary: This study examined the effect of elevation on the moulting speed of wing feathers in Eurasian Blackbirds, finding that birds moulted faster at lower elevations. The differences in moult speed related to elevation were modulated by bird sex, with males moulting faster at high elevations but slower at low elevations compared to females. These findings emphasize the importance of considering sex-dependent responses to spatial environmental conditions in influencing key aspects of bird activities and life-history processes.
EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Anders Brodin, Hannah Watson
Summary: Aggressive interactions between city-dwelling great tits are more frequent due to higher population densities, but urban great tits have lower levels of stress hormones in their feathers, suggesting that competing for dominance in a flock is less stressful in the city. This study highlights the overlooked aspect of how the urban environment indirectly modulates the physiology of animals through changes in behavioral interactions. Measurements of corticosterone (CORT) levels in feathers show that urban individuals experience lower overall stress exposure during the feather growth period. These findings suggest that urban great tits may have adapted to cope with the challenging urban environment or face physiological constraints on stress response during moult.
CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Justus Hagemann, Carles Conejero, Milena Stillfried, Gregorio Mentaberre, Raquel Castillo-Contreras, Joerns Fickel, Jorge Ramon Lopez-Olvera
Summary: Urban wildlife ecology is gaining relevance as cities expand, with urban wild boars forming genetically distinct populations. Forest patches play a crucial role in genetic differentiation of urban wild boars.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anne N. M. A. Ausems, Grzegorz Skrzypek, Katarzyna Wojczulanis-Jakubas, Dariusz Jakubas
Summary: The study combined stable carbon and oxygen signatures of rectrices grown during the non-breeding period of two pairs of storm-petrel species to determine differences in moulting ranges within and between the species. Various variables were examined to understand clustering patterns in moulting signatures, and a geographical distribution prediction model was employed to predict potential moulting areas of the sampled feather type. The results showed that different factors could explain the differences within and between the four species in moulting ecology.
Article
Biology
Adam Z. Lendvai, Zsofia Toth, Katharina Mahr, Gergely Osvath, Sarah Vogel-Kindgen, Bruno A. Gander
Summary: In this study, manipulating the IGF-1 levels in bearded reedlings did not accelerate feather growth rate, but it did alter the intensity of moult by initiating the renewal of multiple feathers simultaneously.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
T. Bartels, J. Berk, K. Cramer, E. Kanitz, W. Otten
Summary: The study found that prior contamination of feathers with excreta can significantly increase corticosterone concentration in laying hens, which remains detectable even after washing.
Article
Zoology
Davide M. Dominoni, Dylon Teo, Claire J. Branston, Aryan Jakhar, Bedur Faleh A. Albalawi, Neil P. Evans
Summary: Urbanization drives phenotypic variation in many animal species, with environmental factors potentially causing physiological differences between urban and rural animals. Research suggests that artificial light at night may influence the glucocorticoid response of urban and rural animals differently.
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Ashlee J. Mikkelsen, Damon B. Lesmeister, Kathleen M. O'Reilly, Katie M. Dugger
Summary: The study found that feather corticosterone in juvenile spotted owls is positively related to temperature and precipitation, and negatively related to juvenile mass at banding. Importantly, in lighter juveniles, increased precipitation is associated with higher levels of feather corticosterone, while greater mass can decrease the effect of precipitation.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
T. Bartels, J. Berk, K. Cramer, E. Kanitz, W. Otten
Summary: The study analyzed the effects of corticosterone supplementation on feather corticosterone concentrations (fCORT) in layer pullets, finding that increased corticosterone levels led to decreased body weight, shorter and lighter feathers, and a delayed molt. The results suggest that fCORT measurement can be a useful tool for evaluating long-term stress in chickens and may have implications for animal welfare research.
Article
Zoology
Sergey Mironov, Terry D. Galloway
Summary: The investigation in Manitoba on the diversity and taxonomy of feather mites of the subfamily Pterodectinae on passerines and kingfishers revealed a total 19 species in 5 genera, with descriptions of eight new species. Additionally, nine pterodectine species were reported for the first time in the fauna of Canada. The study also proposed new diagnoses for certain genera and revised the species contents within these genera.
Article
Ecology
Maider Iglesias-Carrasco, Joseph A. Tobias, David A. Duchene
Summary: Studies have shown that species with traits promoting urban colonization have historically undergone faster diversification compared to urban-avoidant species, indicating that urbanization favors clades with a historical tendency towards rapid speciation or reduced extinction. Additionally, a portion of urban-avoidant passerines have been found to be recent and undergoing fast diversification.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Spectroscopy
Fardausi Akhter, Graham D. Fairhurst, Peter E. R. Blanchard, Karen L. Machin, Rob I. R. Blyth, Julie Thompson, Jamille McLeod, Renfei Feng, Catherine Soos
X-RAY SPECTROMETRY
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Diederik Strubbe, Noraine Salleh Hudin, Aimeric Teyssier, Pieter Vantieghem, Johan Aerts, Luc Lens
LANDSCAPE AND URBAN PLANNING
(2020)
Article
Ecology
J. Morgan Brown, E. Emiel van Loon, Willem Bouten, Kees C. J. Camphuysen, Luc Lens, Wendt Mueller, Chris B. Thaxter, Judy Shamoun-Baranes
Summary: The study found that lesser black-backed gulls exhibit consistent individual strategies for non-breeding distributions, winter site fidelity, migration routes, and timing of migration, regardless of migration distance. However, there are still individual differences in behavior, and these differences are not related to migration distance. This suggests that individuals have the capacity to adjust to current conditions within their individual strategies, and occasionally even change their strategy.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Evy Goossens, Roschong Boonyarittichaikij, Daan Dekeukeleire, Sarah Van Praet, Dries Bonte, Kris Verheyen, Luc Lens, An Martel, Elin Verbrugghe
Summary: The study analyzed the gut microbiome of the Eurasian nuthatch, revealing high inter-individual variation at different taxonomic levels and distinct differences compared to the great tit microbiome.
ARCHIVES OF MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Victor Martin-Velez, Casper H. A. van Leeuwen, Marta I. Sanchez, Francisco Hortas, Judy Shamoun-Baranes, Chris B. Thaxter, Luc Lens, Cornelis J. Camphuysen, Andy J. Green
Summary: Non-frugivorous waterbirds play a crucial role in dispersing weed plants over long distances, exchanging species between human-dominated and natural areas. The study demonstrates that about 92% of weed seeds are dispersed within the birds' activity area, while the remaining 8% reach other habitats, with 42% reaching moist environments suitable for weed establishment. This research emphasizes the significance of non-frugivorous birds in long-distance plant dispersal, an often overlooked mechanism in weed plant expansion studies.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Annelies De Cuyper, Marcus Clauss, Luc Lens, Diederik Strubbe, Andreas Zedrosser, Sam Steyaert, Arturo Munoz Saravia, Geert P. J. Janssens
Summary: Grading fecal consistency of carnivores is commonly used to monitor gut health and digestion, but there is currently no such system for brown bears. This study aimed to establish a scoring system for brown bears based on a diet study, showing a close relationship between fecal consistency and diet components.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Arne Deknock, Frank Pasmans, Robby van Leeuwenberg, Sarah Van Praet, Stijn Bruneel, Luc Lens, Siska Croubels, An Martel, Peter Goethals
Summary: This study found that Daphnia spp. are effective at removing Bd zoospores, while high concentrations of the algae P. subcapitata may interfere with pathogen removal rates. It suggests potential management actions for biological disease mitigation, with the goal of optimizing conditions for filter feeders like Daphnia to reduce pathogen densities and infection pressure in amphibian hosts. Additional field trials are needed to further confirm these findings and evaluate the impact of intervention actions.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sarah Leclaire, Maxime Pineaux, Pierrick Blanchard, Joel White, Scott A. Hatch
Summary: This study examined the association between microbiota and breeding performance in black-legged kittiwakes, and revealed differences in microbiota composition between breeders and nonbreeders as well as among different body sites. Better female breeders had lower abundance of certain bacteria in the cloaca and lower microbiota diversity in feathers, suggesting a potential relationship between microbiota and host fitness. These findings support the hypothesis that natural variation in microbiota is associated with differences in host fitness in wild animals.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Tim Claerhout, Diederik Strubbe, Ramon Castillo Torres, Marie-Stephanie Samain, Lars W. W. Chatrou, Emily Veltjen
Summary: In Hispaniola, there are five endangered Magnolia species, but limited knowledge about their distribution and genetics hinders conservation efforts. This study uses species distribution modeling and genetic analysis to determine habitat suitability and genetic health of the Magnolias in Hispaniola. The results support the recognition of the four studied species and suggest prioritizing conservation efforts based on genetic diversity and spatial distribution. Installing habitat corridors and promoting gene flow between populations are recommended as effective conservation strategies.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Diederik Strubbe, Laura Jimenez, A. Marcia Barbosa, Amy J. S. Davis, Luc Lens, Carsten Rahbek
Summary: This study demonstrates that mechanistic models based on functional traits can accurately identify areas at risk of invasion by non-native birds in Europe. Predicting potential invasive distribution ranges has significant uncertainties, but using ecophysiological mechanistic models can determine the true extent of the geographical area at risk. Mechanistic predictions, which can identify tolerable climates outside of species' current niches, are valuable for informing policy and management strategies to prevent the escalating impacts of invasive species.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Annelies De Cuyper, Diederik Strubbe, Marcus Clauss, Luc Lens, Andreas Zedrosser, Sam Steyaert, Leen Verbist, Geert P. J. Janssens
Summary: The nutrient composition in the diet of brown bears has metabolic significance and is related to their foraging behavior. The study found that brown bears have a diet dominated by vertebrates and ants in spring and early summer, and berries in fall, resulting in protein-rich and carbohydrate-rich diets, respectively. Although there were differences in dietary ingredient proportions between reproductive classes, the nutrient concentrations in the diet were similar, indicating that bears are able to maintain a consistent nutrient profile by selecting different ingredients. The study also showed that the bears' diets provided sufficient glucogenic substrate for efficient metabolism throughout the year, suggesting either a driving force of metabolic efficiency in diet selection or abundant natural resources available to the bears.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Kristof Haems, Nathalie Van Rysselberghe, Evy Goossens, Diederik Strubbe, Geertrui Rasschaert, An Martel, Frank Pasmans, An Garmyn
Summary: Campylobacter is a major cause of human gastroenteritis worldwide, with poultry products being the primary source of transmission. Maternal antibodies in broiler breeder flocks can protect their progeny from Campylobacter infection during the early weeks of life. Vaccinating broiler breeders can protect their offspring against Campylobacter colonization under low pathogen exposure conditions, although the protective effect is limited at higher challenge doses.
Article
Microbiology
Jessica Cote, Lisa Jacquin, Charlotte Veyssiere, Sophie Manzi, Roselyne Etienne, Annie Perrault, Marine C. Cambon, Severine Jean, Joel White
Summary: Eutrophication of freshwater ecosystems has been found to affect the skin microbiota diversity and composition in fish. The presence of suspended organic matter in highly eutrophic sites is associated with higher taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity. There are significant links between eutrophication and the taxonomic composition and beta-diversity of the skin microbiota.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY
(2022)
