Coloured ornamental traits could be effective and non-invasive indicators of pollution exposure for wildlife

Lifshitz, Natalia; Clair, Colleen Cassady St.

doi:10.1093/conphys/cow028

Cited by 35 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 138 publications

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“…One example of these effects is bird age, which influences each of bird coloration , oxidative stress (Alonso-Álvarez et al 2009), and reproductive success (Robertson and Rendell 2001), but we had only a coarse measure of age (SY and ASY) and only for females. On the other hand, experimental studies that manipulate only one variable often contradict the results of studies in the wild (Caudill et al 2015, Ruuskanen et al 2015 and field-relevant work will be needed to understand how anthropogenic pollutants affect the coloration of ornamental features in wildlife (Lifshitz and St. Clair 2016). There may be particular promise in greater exploration of the nanostructure of iridescent feathers for which metal pollution may exert numerous effects.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although we found a slight negative relationship between metals and reproductive success, the effects of metals on color did not predict the effects of color on reproductive success. Despite its apparent complexity, we encourage more exploration of feather coloration as an early, noninvasive signal of subsequent detrimental effects of anthropogenic pollutants on bird populations (Hill 1995, Lifshitz andSt. Clair 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ornamental coloration of birds provides a reliable and noninvasive alternative to these invasive approaches, because it reveals physical condition, in turn indicating early effects of environmental pollution (reviewed in Lifshitz and St. Clair 2016). Because production and maintenance of colored ornaments is costly and directly linked to individual condition, these traits are extremely sensitive to environmental quality relative to traits maintained by natural selection (Møller andPomiankowski 1993, Hill 1995), and reveal the sum of all environmental pressures.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Iridescent coloration of Tree Swallows relates to environmental metal pollution

Lifshitz¹,

Clair²

2019

ACE

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Ornamental coloration in birds has been identified as a powerful, noninvasive tool for identifying exposure to metal pollution. Despite this potential, few studies have examined the effects of metals on iridescent coloration or assessed related impacts on bird fitness. Iridescent coloration is likely to be sensitive to metal pollution because it is already known to affect melanin production and this form of coloration is produced when light is refracted through layers of keratin and melanin inside feather barbules. In this study, we measured variation in plumage coloration, health (via oxidative stress), and reproductive success (via number of young fledged) of Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) nesting adjacent to water bodies containing different levels of metal pollution. Plumage hue shifted from bluer to greener and feather brightness was greater, where concentrations of copper and zinc were higher. Both patterns would be expected from changes in the microstructure of the feathers. Unexpectedly, increasing exposure to these metals correlated with increased apparent health (lower oxidative stress) in female swallows, but not males. Number of young fledged decreased slightly with exposure to metals but did not vary with the color of parents. Our results suggest the relationships between ornamental color, including iridescence, and fitness metrics are complex and much more work will be needed before color of iridescent feathers can provide a proactive, noninvasive, and effective diagnostic tool for detecting subtle effects of pollution on birds. La coloration iridescente des hirondelles bicolores est liée à la pollution de l'environnement par les métauxRÉSUMÉ. La coloration ornementale des oiseaux a été identifiée comme un outil puissant et non-invasif permettant de connaître leur exposition à la pollution par des métaux. Malgré ce potentiel, peu d'études ont examiné les effets des métaux sur la coloration iridescente ou évalué les impacts connexes sur la santé des oiseaux. La coloration iridescente est probablement sensible à la pollution par les métaux car on sait déjà qu'elle affecte la production de mélanine et que cette forme de coloration est produite par les reflets de la lumière dans les couches de kératine et de mélanine qui se trouvent dans les barbules des plumes. Dans cette étude, nous avons mesuré les variations de la coloration du plumage, la santé (via le stress lié à l'oxydation) et le succès de la reproduction (via le nombre de jeunes oiseaux) chez l'hirondelle bicolore (Tachycineta bicolor) nichant à proximité de plans d'eau affectés par différents niveaux de pollution par les métaux. La nuance du plumage variait du bleu au vert et l'éclat des plumes était plus important dans les endroits où les concentrations de cuivre et de zinc étaient les plus élevées. Ces deux tendances sont des conséquences normales de l'évolution de la microstructure des plumes. Étonnamment, l'exposition croissante à ces métaux était liée à une amélioration apparente de la santé (baisse du stress oxydant) chez les hiron...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Iridescent coloration of Tree Swallows relates to environmental metal pollution

Lifshitz¹,

Clair²

2019

ACE

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“…As reported by Fedoseeva (2011), asymmetry in the shape of the petiole can also provide information about long-term settlement degradation. Although colouration traits are effective and non-invasive indicators of environmental stress (Lifshitz & St Clair, 2016), they are not widely used in studies on ants. To our knowledge, the only exception is the approach proposed by Gilev (2002Gilev ( , 2003 and by Gilev et al (2015) and used by Korochkina et al (2014).…”

Section: Colour Pattern and Analysis Of Melanizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Not simply red: Colouration of red wood ant Formica rufa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is polymorphic, modular and size-dependent

Skaldina¹,

Sorvari²

2017

Eur. J. Entomol.

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“…assessing physiological status of alligators; Hamilton et al ., 2016) and colour-based animal biomarkers (e.g. as indicators of exposure to pollutants; Lifshitz and St Clair, 2016). The conservation physiology toolbox is also expanding in plant research, including approaches focused on non-structural carbohydrate storage (e.g.…”

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confidence: 99%