Infection prevalence and absence of positive correlation between avian haemosporidian parasites, mass and body condition in the Cape Weaver<i>Ploceus capensis</i>

Schultz, Albert B.; Underhill, Les G.; Earlé, R. A.; Underhill, G. D.

doi:10.2989/00306521003690630

Cited by 13 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…The ploceid family had heavier infections than would be found by chance (Table 3); Southern Red Bishops and Cape Weavers were prominent hosts of both Plasmodium and Haemoproteus , and were significantly more heavily infected than other avian families. The prevalence in ploceids (27%) was higher than the 21% reported from birds sampled in the neighbouring Eastern Cape [45]. Plasmodium infection was also notable in Motacillidae (wagtails) and Laniidae (shrikes), which have previously featured as prominently infected hosts in avian malaria studies conducted in East and West Africa [39],[46].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

Host Specificity And Co-Speciation In Avian Haemosporidia In The Western Cape, South Africa

et al. 2014

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Host and pathogen ecology are often closely linked, with evolutionary processes often leading to the development of host specificity traits in some pathogens. Host specificity may range from ‘generalist’, where pathogens infect any available competent host; to ‘specialist’, where pathogens repeatedly infect specific host species or families. Avian malaria ecology in the region remains largely unexplored, despite the presence of vulnerable endemic avian species. We analysed the expression of host specificity in avian haemosporidia, by applying a previously developed host specificity index to lineages isolated from wetland passerines in the Western Cape, South Africa. Parasite lineages were isolated using PCR and identified when possible using matching lineages deposited in GenBank and in MalAvi. Parasitic clades were constructed from phylogenetic trees consisting of Plasmodium and Haemoproteus lineages. Isolated lineages matched some strains of Plasmodium relictum, P. elongatum, Haemoproteus sylvae and H. lanii. Plasmodium lineages infected a wide range of hosts from several avian families in a generalist pattern of infection. Plasmodium spp. also exhibited an infection trend according to host abundance rather than host species. By contrast, Haemoproteus lineages were typically restricted to one or two host species or families, and displayed higher host fidelity than Plasmodium spp. The findings confirm that a range of host specificity traits are exhibited by avian haemosporidia in the region. The traits show the potential to not only impact infection prevalence within specific host species, but also to affect patterns of infection at the community level.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

Host Specificity And Co-Speciation In Avian Haemosporidia In The Western Cape, South Africa

et al. 2014

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“…, Schultz et al. ) and preliminary analyses showed that including the average mass of species did not change the results presented here. Hence, body mass was not considered in the creation of the maintainers group.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 43%

Testing epidemiological functional groups as predictors of avian haemosporidia patterns in southern Africa

et al. 2016

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Abstract. Understanding the dynamics of multihost parasites and the roles of different host species in parasite epidemiology requires consideration of the whole animal community. Host communities may be composed of hundreds of interacting species, making it necessary to simplify the problem. One approach to summarizing the host community in a way that is relevant to the epidemiology of the parasite is to group host species into epidemiological functional groups (EpiFGs). We used EpiFGs to test our understanding of avian malaria ( Plasmodium and Haemoproteus) dynamics in four communities of wetland-associated birds in southern Africa. Bird counts and captures were undertaken every 2-4 months over 2 yr and malaria was diagnosed by nested PCR. One hundred and seventy-six bird species were allocated to a set of EpiFGs according to their assumed roles in introducing and maintaining the parasite in the system. Roles were quantified as relative risks from avian foraging, roosting, and movement ecology and assumed interaction with vector species. We compared our estimated a priori risks to empirical data from 3414 captured birds from four sites and 3485 half-hour point counts. After accounting for relative avian abundance, our risk estimates significantly correlated with the observed prevalence of Haemoproteus but not Plasmodium. Although avian roosting height (for both malarial genera) and movement ecology (for Plasmodium) separately influenced prevalence, host behavior alone was not sufficient to predict Plasmodium patterns in our communities. Host taxonomy and relative abundance were also important for this parasite. Although using EpiFGs enabled us to predict the infection patterns of only one genus of heamosporidia, our approach holds promise for examining the influence of host community composition on the transmission of vector-borne parasites and identifying gaps in our understanding of host-parasite interactions.

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“…A bird with the condition index i > 1 has a larger mass than predicted for its wing length, and a bird with i < 1 has a smaller mass than that predicted for its wing length (Schultz et al . ). For the estimation of the allometric relationship, only birds caught in February were used; this is the month when birds were leanest (Elliott et al.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…The allometric relationship between the lean body mass and wing length (an indicator of size in birds) was used to predict the mass of an individual bird of a given body size. We followed the approach recommended in Summers (1988) and implemented by Schultz et al (2010).…”

Section: End Of Molt and Body Conditionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The condition index i is the observed mass divided by the predicted mass for a bird of given wing length: i = m/m*. A bird with the condition index i > 1 has a larger mass than predicted for its wing length, and a bird with i < 1 has a smaller mass than that predicted for its wing length (Schultz et al 2010). For the estimation of the allometric relationship, only birds caught in February were used; this is the month when birds were leanest (Elliott et al 1976;Minton et al 2006) and when molt would have been completed, therefore, feather wear will not affect calculations of allometric relationship.…”

Section: End Of Molt and Body Conditionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Flexibility and constraints in the molt schedule of long‐distance migratory shorebirds: causes and consequences

Barshep

Minton²,

Underhill

et al. 2013

Ecology and Evolution

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Molt is a major component of the annual cycle of birds, the timing and extent of which can affect body condition, survival, and future reproductive success through carry-over effects. The way in which molt is fitted into the annual cycle seems to be a somewhat neglected area which is both of interest and of importance. Study of the causes of annual variation in the timing of molt and its potential consequence in long-distance migratory birds was examined using the Curlew Sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea, as a model species. Using the maximum likelihood molt models of Underhill and Zucchini (1988, Ibis 130:358–372), the relationship between annual variability in the start dates of molt at the population level with conditions on the breeding area was explored. Adult males typically started early in years when temperature in June on the Arctic breeding grounds were high compared to cold years while adult females molted later in years of high breeding success and/or warm July temperature and vice versa. When molt started later, the duration was often shorter, indicating that late completion of molt might have fitness consequences, probably jeopardizing survival. Evidence of this was seen in the low body condition of birds in years when molt was completed late. The results indicate that these migratory shorebirds follow a fine-tuned annual life cycle, and disturbances at a certain stage can alter next biological events through carry-over effects.

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Infection prevalence and absence of positive correlation between avian haemosporidian parasites, mass and body condition in the Cape WeaverPloceus capensis

Cited by 13 publications

References 60 publications

Host Specificity And Co-Speciation In Avian Haemosporidia In The Western Cape, South Africa

Host Specificity And Co-Speciation In Avian Haemosporidia In The Western Cape, South Africa

Testing epidemiological functional groups as predictors of avian haemosporidia patterns in southern Africa

Flexibility and constraints in the molt schedule of long‐distance migratory shorebirds: causes and consequences

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