0000000000086325
AUTHOR
Elise Cellier-holzem
Social interactions modulate the virulence of avian malaria infection
There is an increasing understanding of the context-dependent nature of parasite virulence. Variation in parasite virulence can occur when infected individuals compete with conspecifics that vary in infection status; virulence may be higher when competing with uninfected competitors. In vertebrates with social hierarchies, we propose that these competition-mediated costs of infection may also vary with social status. Dominant individuals have greater competitive ability than competing subordinates, and consequently may pay a lower prevalence-mediated cost of infection. In this study we investigated whether costs of malarial infection were affected by the occurrence of the parasite in compet…
Effect of repeated exposure to Plasmodium relictum (lineage SGS1) on infection dynamics in domestic canaries.
7 pages; International audience; Parasites are known to exert strong selection pressures on their hosts and, as such, favour the evolution of defence mechanisms. The negative impact of parasites on their host can have substantial consequences in terms of population persistence and the epidemiology of the infection. In natural populations, however, it is difficult to assess the cost of infection while controlling for other potentially confounding factors. For instance, individuals are repeatedly exposed to a variety of parasite strains, some of which can elicit immunological memory, further protecting the host from subsequent infections. Cost of infection is, therefore, expected to be partic…
New polymorphic microsatellite loci in the house sparrow, Passer domesticus.
3 pages; International audience; We developed 13 new polymorphic microsatellite loci in the house sparrow (Passer domesticus), which exhibited from 2 to 15 alleles. Observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.17 to 0.77 and from 0.35 to 0.85, respectively. We detected no linkage disequilibrium between loci. Allele frequencies supported Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium for 8 loci out of 13 after Bonferroni correction. Combined with loci previously isolated in the house sparrow, these new microsatellite markers provide valuable tools to study population genetics of this species.
Females tend to prefer genetically similar mates in an island population of house sparrows.
11 pages; International audience; BACKGROUND: It is often proposed that females should select genetically dissimilar mates to maximize offspring genetic diversity and avoid inbreeding. Several recent studies have provided mixed evidence, however, and in some instances females seem to prefer genetically similar males. A preference for genetically similar mates can be adaptive if outbreeding depression is more harmful than inbreeding depression or if females gain inclusive fitness benefits by mating with close kin. Here, we investigated genetic compatibility and mating patterns in an insular population of house sparrow (Passer domesticus), over a three-year period, using 12 microsatellite mar…