Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology最新文献

Population Variation in Steroid Hormone-Related Gene Expression and Sexually Dimorphic Communication in the Electric Fish Apteronotus albifrons. 白斑无鳍电鱼类固醇激素相关基因表达及两性二型交流的种群变异。

IF 1.9 3区生物学

Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology Pub Date : 2025-07-14 DOI: 10.1002/jez.70011

Melissa R Proffitt, G Troy Smith

{"title":"Population Variation in Steroid Hormone-Related Gene Expression and Sexually Dimorphic Communication in the Electric Fish Apteronotus albifrons.","authors":"Melissa R Proffitt, G Troy Smith","doi":"10.1002/jez.70011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.70011","url":null,"abstract":"The development and maintenance of sexually dimorphic behavior often depends on gonadal steroids. Interspecific variation in the magnitude of behavioral sex differences may be mediated by differences in steroid action on neural circuits controlling behavior. The electric communication signals of South American knifefishes are an excellent model to study the evolution and neuroendocrinology of sexually dimorphic behavior because species vary in the sexual dimorphism of these signals and because simple and well-characterized neural circuits regulate the production of electrocommunication signals. Specifically, electric organ discharge frequency (EODf) is controlled by the hindbrain pacemaker nucleus (Pn) and differs between sexes in some species but not in others. Species differences in EODf sexual dimorphism are linked to variation in Pn expression of genes for steroid receptors, steroidogenic enzymes, and receptor cofactors (Proffitt and Smith, 2024). In this study, we asked whether differences in sexual dimorphism of EODf across populations of black ghost knifefish (Apterontus albifrons) are also associated with variation in expression of these genes. Compared to an A. albifrons population with sexually dimorphic EODf, sexually monomorphic A. albifrons populations had reduced Pn expression of genes for androgen receptors and enzymes that increase potency of androgens and had greater expression of genes for a steroid receptor corepressor and for enzymes that reduce gonadal steroid potency. These findings suggest that changes in hormone-related gene expression in brain regions controlling behavior constitute control points for the evolution of variation in sexually dimorphic behavior across populations as well as across species.","PeriodicalId":15711,"journal":{"name":"Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144626472","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Environmental Stress in New England Cottontails (Sylvilagus transitionalis) Is Mitigated by High-Quality Habitat. 高质量生境减轻新英格兰棉尾的环境压力。

IF 1.9 3区生物学

Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology Pub Date : 2025-07-11 DOI: 10.1002/jez.70010

Eaqan A Chaudhry, Amanda E Cheeseman, Jonathan B Cohen, Christopher M Whipps, Louis Perrotti, Cynthia J Downs

{"title":"Environmental Stress in New England Cottontails (Sylvilagus transitionalis) Is Mitigated by High-Quality Habitat.","authors":"Eaqan A Chaudhry, Amanda E Cheeseman, Jonathan B Cohen, Christopher M Whipps, Louis Perrotti, Cynthia J Downs","doi":"10.1002/jez.70010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.70010","url":null,"abstract":"Organisms in changing environments are subjected to environmental perturbations that may exacerbate physiological stress. Under the Cort-Fitness Hypothesis framework, sustained elevations in physiological stress can negatively impact individual fitness. This hypothesis predicts a positive association between stressors and glucocorticoids. Using fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations from non-invasively collected fecal pellets, we assessed how physiological condition of an imperiled mammal, the New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis), correlates with potential stressors, namely a proxy of habitat quality (forest successional stage), the presence of a nonnative competitor (eastern cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus), and the density of an invasive plant species (Japanese barberry, Barberis thunbergii). Invasive plant prevalence and eastern cottontail presence independently had small effect sizes. Additionally, there was an interaction effect of eastern cottontail prevalence and Japanese barberry stem density on FGM concentrations, wherein increasing barberry stem density was associated with reduced FGM concentrations in patches with high eastern cottontail prevalence. Consequently, use of high-density Japanese barberry by New England cottontails may ameliorate physiological stress where eastern cottontails are prevalent. It follows that preferred patches, such as those with abundant food resources and cover, may reduce the physiological stress associated with competition and habitat degradation.","PeriodicalId":15711,"journal":{"name":"Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144608556","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Seasonal Changes and Phenotypic Flexibility in the Digestive System of the Hibernating Marsupial Dromiciops gliroides. 冬眠有袋动物的消化系统的季节变化和表型灵活性。

IF 1.9 3区生物学

Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology Pub Date : 2025-07-09 DOI: 10.1002/jez.70012

Pablo Sabat, Lucas Navarrete, Francisco Del Basto, Luis M Flores-Velázquez, Roberto F Nespolo

{"title":"Seasonal Changes and Phenotypic Flexibility in the Digestive System of the Hibernating Marsupial Dromiciops gliroides.","authors":"Pablo Sabat, Lucas Navarrete, Francisco Del Basto, Luis M Flores-Velázquez, Roberto F Nespolo","doi":"10.1002/jez.70012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.70012","url":null,"abstract":"During hibernation, reduced metabolic activity enables to withstand periods of limited resources and harsh weather. Therefore, animals exhibit reduced activity and decreased feeding, which involves energy savings. Thus, a reduction in both physiological and morphological digestive capacities is expected due to the prolonged metabolic depression of hibernation, which involves phenotypic flexibility of the digestive system at several levels. We studied Dromiciops gliroides a heterothermic marsupial endemic of the temperate rainforests of southern South America, by comparing the morphology and physiology of the small intestine between summer (active) and winter (hibernation) seasons. We collected individuals near Valdivia (Chile) in winter (n = 10) and summer (n = 7) using Tomahawk traps, for extracting small intestines, which were then processed for routine histology and biochemistry analysis. We measured disaccharidase activities (sucrase and maltase) as indicators of carbohydrate digestive capacity and N-aminopeptidase activity as an indicator of protein digestion. Our result showed a 32%-44% reduction in disaccharidase activity and 60% reduction in protease activity in torpid animals. Additionally, aminopeptidase-N activity decreased along the proximal-to-distal intestinal axis. In contrast, small intestine weight and villi length remained unchanged between seasons. These findings suggest that gut remodeling occurs in response to seasonal energetic demands, with greater biochemical changes than morphological ones, possibly reflecting the high energetic costs associated with intestinal shrinking and regrowth after hibernation. We conclude that hibernation triggers gut remodeling and phenotypic flexibility in the digestive systems of D. gliroides, representing a crucial mechanism for coping with seasonal environmental conditions.","PeriodicalId":15711,"journal":{"name":"Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144591390","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Maximum Free Glucocorticoids Link Natural Behavior and Stressors in a Wild Bird Population. 野生鸟类种群中最大游离糖皮质激素与自然行为和应激源的关系。

IF 1.9 3区生物学

Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology Pub Date : 2025-07-09 DOI: 10.1002/jez.70006

Creagh W Breuner, Joely G DeSimone, B Sunny Domschot, Thomas P Hahn

{"title":"Maximum Free Glucocorticoids Link Natural Behavior and Stressors in a Wild Bird Population.","authors":"Creagh W Breuner, Joely G DeSimone, B Sunny Domschot, Thomas P Hahn","doi":"10.1002/jez.70006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.70006","url":null,"abstract":"Glucocorticoids (GCs) regulate suites of traits that can have far-reaching consequences on reproduction and survival. While studies of GC effects on performance are common, results vary widely in their relationship to fitness. Focusing studies on performance metrics that have repercussions for both reproduction and survival may help clarify extended consequences of GC secretion. In this study we evaluated relationships between endogenous GC reactivity, body condition, food availability, and breeding-site departure during storms in a population of white-crowned sparrows early in the breeding season, asking whether GC secretion in response to our capture and handling challenge predicts natural behavioral responses to inclement weather, and whether food availability influences that decision. Our data support a role for GC reactivity in decisions to abandon nascent territories, in that more reactive individuals-those with higher free CORT in response to capture and handling stress-depart sooner during storms. In this case only free GCs (unbound to corticosteroid binding globulin) predict behavior, supporting the hypothesis that free hormone in the plasma is the biologically active fraction. We also suggest a role for food availability in these decisions, as males that located a supplemental food source did not depart during a storm. The very small sample size in the feeding study, however, limits any broad conclusions. All together these data (1) link GC reactivity (free max GC) to a naturally-induced behavior, and (2) support that individual variation in GC elevation has consequences for trade-offs in survival and reproduction.","PeriodicalId":15711,"journal":{"name":"Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144600639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Effects of Hyposalinity on Osmoregulation, Oxidative Stress, and Microbial Disruption in Chromis notata (Temminck & Schlegel, 1843). 低盐度对Chromis notata渗透调节、氧化应激和微生物破坏的影响（Temminck & Schlegel, 1843）。

IF 1.9 3区生物学

Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology Pub Date : 2025-07-08 DOI: 10.1002/jez.70009

Jin A Kim, Ji Yong Choi, Seul Hee Lee, Cheol Young Choi

{"title":"Effects of Hyposalinity on Osmoregulation, Oxidative Stress, and Microbial Disruption in Chromis notata (Temminck & Schlegel, 1843).","authors":"Jin A Kim, Ji Yong Choi, Seul Hee Lee, Cheol Young Choi","doi":"10.1002/jez.70009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.70009","url":null,"abstract":"Climate change causes substantial alterations in marine environments, including salinity reduction due to glacial melting, increased rainfall, and freshwater influx, which impose stress on marine organisms. Hypoosmotic stress leads to increased production of reactive oxygen species, thereby disrupting physiological processes, such as osmoregulation, oxidative responses, and gut microbial stability, in marine fish. Here, we investigated the responses of Chromis notata, a stenohaline damselfish, exposed to hyposaline conditions (27 and 20 psu), to better understand the effects of hyposalinity on osmoregulation, oxidative stress, and gut microbiota. Plasma osmolality was measured alongside Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) activity in gill tissue to assess osmoregulatory changes. The plasma levels of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels were measured as oxidative stress markers. Furthermore, 16S rRNA sequencing and RNA sequencing were conducted to analyze gut microbial diversity and transcriptomic responses, respectively. Plasma osmolality and NKA activity markedly decreased, whereas H₂O₂ and LPO levels remarkably increased under low-salinity conditions. The gut microbiome in the low-salinity groups exhibited decreased α-diversity and increased abundance of Proteobacteria, including pathogenic genera, whereas Lactobacillus abundance was reduced. Upregulated genes were associated with immune and inflammatory responses, including complement activation, and salt transmembrane transporter activity, whereas downregulated genes were linked to the lateral plasma membrane and mitochondrial membrane. These findings suggest that hyposaline induces oxidative stress and disrupts gut microbiome stability in C. notata, thereby triggering complex physiological and molecular responses. These findings provide insights into the challenges encountered by marine fish in coastal and oceanic ecosystems due to climate change.","PeriodicalId":15711,"journal":{"name":"Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144584038","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Potential Spectral Tuning of the Tapetum Lucidum in a Broadly Distributed Ungulate. 广泛分布的有蹄类动物绒毡层的电位谱调谐。

IF 1.9 3区生物学

Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology Pub Date : 2025-07-02 DOI: 10.1002/jez.70007

Blaise A Newman, Billy R Hammond, Gino J D'Angelo

{"title":"Potential Spectral Tuning of the Tapetum Lucidum in a Broadly Distributed Ungulate.","authors":"Blaise A Newman, Billy R Hammond, Gino J D'Angelo","doi":"10.1002/jez.70007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.70007","url":null,"abstract":"The tapetum lucidum, a biological reflector system found in the eyes of many vertebrate species, enhances visual sensitivity in low light conditions by reflecting light back through the retina. The structure of the ungulate tapetum fibrosum is unique, and its reflectance varies temporally in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus). We used reflectance spectroscopy to characterize the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) tapetum fibrosum and to determine if reflectance varies spatially across the species' range. Our results revealed spatial variation in tapetal coloration and reflectance across parts of the white-tailed deer's range, with populations displaying distinct spectral profiles. Deer in the northern populations of Missouri, Minnesota, and Indiana primarily possessed more short-wave-reflecting tapeta, whereas deer in the Georgia population exhibited more mid-wave-reflecting tapeta and the tapeta of Texas deer appeared intermediate in reflectance. Our findings suggest that tapetal reflectance in white-tailed deer may be influenced by ecological and environmental pressures that vary spatially. These results suggest that local variations in the spatial and temporal dynamics of the tapetum fibrosum in ungulates may be an adaptive trait.","PeriodicalId":15711,"journal":{"name":"Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144540451","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Metabolic Responses of Christmas Tree Worms (Serpulidae: Spirobranchus) to Thermal Acclimation. 圣诞树蠕虫对热驯化的代谢反应。

IF 1.9 3区生物学

Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology Pub Date : 2025-07-02 DOI: 10.1002/jez.70008

Juan Pablo Sánchez-Ovando, Fernando Díaz, Orión Norzagaray-López, Fabiola Lafarga-De la Cruz, Luis Enrique Angeles-Gonzalez, Francisco Benítez-Villalobos, Denise Re-Araujo

{"title":"Metabolic Responses of Christmas Tree Worms (Serpulidae: Spirobranchus) to Thermal Acclimation.","authors":"Juan Pablo Sánchez-Ovando, Fernando Díaz, Orión Norzagaray-López, Fabiola Lafarga-De la Cruz, Luis Enrique Angeles-Gonzalez, Francisco Benítez-Villalobos, Denise Re-Araujo","doi":"10.1002/jez.70008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.70008","url":null,"abstract":"Serpulids are an ecologically important group of sessile suspension feeders that play a key role in benthic-pelagic coupling by filtering and transforming suspended organic matter from the water column. Temperature is one of the main abiotic factors influencing marine ectotherm physiology and metabolic responses, including serpulids and their growth, survival and distribution patterns. Thus, the present study objective was to determine thermal acclimation effects on metabolic responses of two serpulid species-Spirobranchus spinosus and S. cf. corniculatus-distributed in the temperate Northern Pacific and tropical Eastern Pacific, respectively. Both adult tubeworm species were collected from the wild and acclimated for 30 days at different temperatures, directly affecting oxygen consumption (OCR) and ammonia excretion (AER) rates of both species. However, OCR decreased for warm-water species S. cf. corniculatus at 33°C. The O:N values of both species were low at all acclimation temperatures (0.5-3.9), indicating that individuals were using protein catabolism to obtain energy. The present study not only provides basic data on these two tubeworm species metabolic responses for the first time but also contributes to understanding how their metabolism is influenced by environmental changes (e.g., ocean warming), which may help assess their capacity to cope with climate change scenarios.","PeriodicalId":15711,"journal":{"name":"Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144540449","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

IF 1.9 3区生物学

Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology Pub Date : 2025-07-02 DOI: 10.1002/jez.70003

Sarah E Wolf, Elizabeth M George, Jess Dong, Kimberly A Rosvall

{"title":"Telomere-Related Gene Networks in the Ovary Shift Across Environmental Factors.","authors":"Sarah E Wolf, Elizabeth M George, Jess Dong, Kimberly A Rosvall","doi":"10.1002/jez.70003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.70003","url":null,"abstract":"The ovary is key to linking environmental factors with the timing and quality of offspring development. Focused on free-living female tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), we measured temporal variation in ovarian expression of genes involved in the regulation of telomere length. Using qPCR, we quantified mRNA abundance of shelterin proteins (TERF1, TERF2, TERF2IP, TPP1, POT1), telomerase (TERT), antioxidants (SOD1, PRDX-1, GPX), and glucocorticoid receptors (MR, GR). We asked how they differ across breeding stages and social environments, and then we assessed effects on gene co-expression, which reflects coordinated changes across this network of interacting genes. We hypothesized that maintenance of telomeres is upregulated and more strongly coregulated in the lead up to reproduction, i.e., before egg-laying and following a social challenge. We did not find a main effect of environmental context on mRNA abundance, but we did detect subtle differences in gene co-expression networks. Females exhibited stronger coregulation among shelterin proteins and stronger crosstalk with glucocorticoid receptors during incubation. In response to a conspecific challenger, coregulation of antioxidants with shelterin and glucocorticoid receptors was weaker or more negatively correlated, suggesting semi-independent social modulation of these telomere regulatory networks. While the consequences of these transcriptional differences require more research, our results suggest that the environment could contribute to protection of the ovary, including its telomeres.","PeriodicalId":15711,"journal":{"name":"Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144540452","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Morphological and Molecular Identifications of the Microbial Population Inhabiting the Feathers of the Domestic Pigeon at Different Ages, With Special Reference to the Antimicrobial Impact of Preen Secretions Against the Identified Microbes. 不同年龄家鸽羽毛中微生物种群的形态和分子鉴定，特别是家禽分泌物对鉴定微生物的抑菌作用。

IF 1.9 3区生物学

Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology Pub Date : 2025-07-02 DOI: 10.1002/jez.70002

Shaima M N Moustafa, Diaa Massoud, Yasser M Ahmed, Meaad F Alaida, Rasha G Tawfik, Mohamed M A Abumandour

{"title":"Morphological and Molecular Identifications of the Microbial Population Inhabiting the Feathers of the Domestic Pigeon at Different Ages, With Special Reference to the Antimicrobial Impact of Preen Secretions Against the Identified Microbes.","authors":"Shaima M N Moustafa, Diaa Massoud, Yasser M Ahmed, Meaad F Alaida, Rasha G Tawfik, Mohamed M A Abumandour","doi":"10.1002/jez.70002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.70002","url":null,"abstract":"The present investigation aimed to analyze the microbial communities inhabiting the feathers of the domestic pigeons at different age stages through both isolation of bacteria and fungi (culture-dependent) and 16S rRNA and ITS amplicon sequencing for bacteria and fungi, respectively (culture-independent), then evaluate the antimicrobial properties of the preen gland secretions of these isolates. Feather samples were collected from pigeons at three different ages: juvenile, adult, and senescent. One hundred fifty microbial species were identified; 108 were bacterial, and 42 were fungal species. The dominant microbial populations were Bacillus pumilus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Aspergillus flavus. The antimicrobial activities of the preen gland secretions were assessed for their respective MIC, MBC, and MFC assays, confirmed by DNA cleavage assay. The obtained results demonstrated that the preen secretions of juvenile individuals were more effective against microbial colonization than senescent birds, indicating a possible age-related decline in the efficiency of secretions with aging. The study emphasizes the ecological relevance of the gland secretions in maintaining plumage health status and preventing microbial colonization, which indicates a pivotal role in defensive mechanisms in combating bacterial and fungal invasion.","PeriodicalId":15711,"journal":{"name":"Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144540450","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Female Starlings With Experimentally Impaired Pre-Laying Condition Produce Smaller But Vitamin A Richer Eggs. 在实验中，产蛋条件受损的雌鸟产的蛋更小，但维生素A含量更高。

IF 1.9 3区生物学

Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology Pub Date : 2025-06-24 DOI: 10.1002/jez.70004

S Casquero, I Redondo, E Gómez-Llanos, A Á Romero-Haro, D Gil, L Pérez-Rodríguez

{"title":"Female Starlings With Experimentally Impaired Pre-Laying Condition Produce Smaller But Vitamin A Richer Eggs.","authors":"S Casquero, I Redondo, E Gómez-Llanos, A Á Romero-Haro, D Gil, L Pérez-Rodríguez","doi":"10.1002/jez.70004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.70004","url":null,"abstract":"Egg production is a main reproductive investment for females and a powerful pathway of maternal effects in oviparous species. The number and size of eggs in a clutch directly determine the amount and viability of the offspring. Similarly, yolk's key components, such as antioxidants (e.g., carotenoids, vitamins A and E) and hormones (e.g., androgens), can substantially shape offspring development and phenotype. External and internal factors may influence the female's ability to maximize offspring fitness through these egg characteristics. To study how female pre-laying body condition affects these variables, we experimentally impaired the condition of wild female spotless starlings (Sturnus unicolor) by clipping two flight feathers per wing before egg laying, and studied the impact on clutch size, egg size and yolk composition (concentrations of androgens and antioxidants, and oxidative damage on lipids). We found that females with impaired condition laid the same number of eggs as control females, but these were smaller. Our treatment did not significantly affect yolk concentrations of androgens, carotenoids, or vitamin E. However, females with impaired condition laid eggs with higher concentrations of vitamin A, and a weak but not significant tendency to have more oxidized lipids as compared to eggs laid by control females. These findings show that females differentially adjust each egg's characteristics and components depending on their condition. Also, our results suggest that females in a poor condition may strategically increase the allocation of vitamin A to yolks as a potential way to compensate for the negative impact of overall egg size.","PeriodicalId":15711,"journal":{"name":"Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144475500","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0