Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) staying in urban environments have higher levels of microfungi biota diversity than do birds from non-urban areas

Meissner, Włodzimierz; Dynowska, Maria; Góralska, Katarzyna; Rzyska, Hanna

doi:10.1016/j.funeco.2015.07.004

Cited by 13 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 44 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…These species are also mainly soil-born or plant-born fungi (Domsch et al, 1980). Some of them, such as F. oxysporum, Geotrichum fermentans and G. candidum, were isolated from the beaks and/or cloaca of wetland birds in a study by Dynowska and Kisicka (2005) as well as Meissner et al (2015), while Ch. tropicum, a keratinolytic species, has been isolated from feathers and other keratin remains (Hubálek, 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fungal Frequency and Diversity in the Nests of Wetland Birds from Poland: Relationships between Birds, Nest Properties and Inhabiting Fungi

Korniłłowicz-Kowalska

Kitowski

Bohacz

et al. 2018

Avian Biology Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Avian nests are a unique and sometimes extreme environment in which fungi occur. In this study, a correlation was recorded between the breeding biology and ecology of wetland birds and the biology and ecology of fungi in nests of wetland birds. The abundance of ecophysiologically diversified fungi, i.e. saprotrophs, cellulolytic fungi, and potentially zoo- and phytopathogenic fungi, was shown to be significantly higher in large nests, while species diversity (Shannon index) of fungi in nests with similar properties was not significant. The taxonomic structure (genus and species composition) and the spatial structure (frequency) of the nest mycobiota are mainly affected by nests’ specific physical and chemical properties which depend on the breeding and feeding preferences of the birds. In dry, highly sun-exposed nests of the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), a species that establishes breeding colonies high in the trees, mainly feeds on fish and has young who defecate into the nest, populations of xerophilic, alkali- and thermotolerant fungi, including keratinolytic fungi (Chrysosporium tropicum), developed. In the nests of the Mute Swan (Cygnus olor), a precocial species which constructs very large, relatively low-hygiene nests at the water's edge and which feeds on plant food, populations of hydrophilic and thermotolerant fungi, including highly cellulolytic fungi such as Chaetomium globosum, were detected. Nests of other small species of wetland birds, whose nests are also located on water but contain smaller amounts of animal-derived material, did not differ significantly mycologically and were colonised mainly by species such as Trichoderma viride and Penicillium purpurogenum, ubiquitous fungi with very high water and thermotolerant requirements.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fungal Frequency and Diversity in the Nests of Wetland Birds from Poland: Relationships between Birds, Nest Properties and Inhabiting Fungi

Korniłłowicz-Kowalska

Kitowski

Bohacz

et al. 2018

Avian Biology Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Only few studies provide data on the occurrence of fungi in wild bird organisms (e.g. Dynowska & Dynowski 1996;Cafarchia et al 2006;Biedunkiewicz et al 2012;Dynowska et al 2013Dynowska et al , 2015Meissner et al 2015). Pinowski et al (1994) pointed out the role of microorganisms as a significant causative agent of egg and chick mortality in sparrows nesting in hollows.…”

Section: Prevalence Of Fungi In Ontocenoses Of Birdsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Investigations concerning ecological determinants of mycotic infections in humans and animals explicitly show that each increase in the number of reported cases of fungus occurrence in their ontosphere is strictly correlated with the presence of the same species in the external environment (De Hoog et al 2000;Tsiodras et al 2008). Although the urban environment and human pressure create good conditions for the development of potentially-pathogenic mycoses from various ecophysiological groups (Meissner et al 2015), higher temperatures and lower relative humidity of cities, compared to extra-urban areas, may exert inhibitory effects on fungal development. These climatic determinants and, in a consequence, higher temperatures of buildings that are the nesting sites of House Sparrow, may ensure a stronger barrier against infection in the urban populations, especially considering the physiological decrease of body temperature of sparrow at night even by 3°C from the average daily temperature of 41-43°C (Binkley et al 1971).…”

Section: Prevalence Of Fungi In Ontocenoses Of Birdsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Birds are significantly more frequently colonized by fungi than other vertebrates, and thus become their carriers, natural reservoirs or active or passive vectors (Hubálek 2004;Cafarchia et al 2006;Tsiodras et al 2008;Biedunkiewicz et al 2012;Dynowska et al 2013Dynowska et al , 2015Meissner et al 2015). Birds are particularly susceptible to colonization by fungi owing to anatomical and physiological determinants that promote their growth and development, including poorly vascularized air sacs, thin skin without sweat and sebaceous glands, very poor or even absent antimycotic activity in blood (Dahlhausen 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Body condition and colonization by fungi of House SparrowsPasser domesticusin the urban and rural environment

Dulisz

Dynowska

Nowakowski

2021

The European Zoological Journal

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mycoses of wild birds are rarely addressed in scientific research. We tested the hypothesis that urban populations of House Sparrow Passer domesticus, which in many cities showed downward trends in their number and are characterized by lower body mass and poorer body condition, would be more frequently colonized by fungi. To evaluate the degree of bird colonization by fungi, swabs were taken from the beak cavity and cloaca of birds from urban and rural populations in the breeding season. A high degree of bird colonization by fungi was determined in both types of habitats (urban: 86% of population; rural: 92% of population). In total, 26 species of fungi were isolated (urban: 15 species; rural: 22 species). No significant differences were determined between the number of fungi species identified in birds from urban and rural habitats and between the degree of colonization of the two ontocenoses (beak cavity and cloaca). In both environments, Candida krusei turned out to be the prevalent fungus, with a clear predominance in the urban population. The extent of ontocenoses colonization was higher in adult than in juvenile birds, which indicated that the colonization of ontocenoses progresses with age. A significant correlation was found between the presence of fungi, lower values body condition parameters from the urban population (F -degree of fat score, logBM -body mass logarithm, logT -tarsus length logarithm, BM/WL -body mass/wing length, logBM/logWL, BM/TL -body mass/tail length), physiological condition, and age of birds, which may suggest that adults birds with worse condition, and higher haemoglobin level were more often colonized by fungi. No important differences in the fungal colonization were detected between urban and rural areas, thus, the hypothesis that fungal infection may be the cause of decline of sparrows in urban habitats is still to be demonstrated.

show abstract

“…Changes in the habitats caused by anthropogenic activity have resulted in alterations in the life history of the species; some mallard populations in certain parts of the Europe refrain from seasonal migrations. This has been observed in large cities and urban areas that provide continuous availability of food [ 17 – 19 ]. Rural and other non-urban areas are mainly home to migrating populations, which are exposed to hunting.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Presence of Mercury in the Tissues of Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos L.) from Włocławek Reservoir in Poland

Żarski

Skibniewski

Skibniewska

et al. 2016

Biol Trace Elem Res

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The study aimed at determining the degree of mercury contamination of mallards, game waterbirds migrating from the regions of the unknown degree of contamination and establishing whether the consumption of their meat comprises a hazard to human health in view of the binding norms concerning the mercury content in food products. The investigations were carried out on 30 mallards shot during the duck shooting season in which mercury concentrations in the muscles, liver, and kidneys were determined using the cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS) method. The mean Hg concentration in the investigated tissues in all birds studied amounted to 0.110, 0.154, and 0.122 mg kg−1 for the muscles, kidneys, and liver, respectively. The study indicated statistically significant (p ≤ 0.01) positive correlation between all of the organs examined. Animals were divided into two groups differing in both absolute values of Hg concentrations and those measured in individual tissues. In particular organs of birds representing the first group, the presence of highly significant correlation (p ≤ 0.01) was observed in all organs examined. In the second group, highly significant positive correlation between Hg concentrations in the liver and kidneys and highly significant negative dependence between the liver and muscles was noted. The examinations revealed that some birds must have come from regions of a high degree of mercury contamination.

show abstract

Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) staying in urban environments have higher levels of microfungi biota diversity than do birds from non-urban areas

Cited by 13 publications

References 44 publications

Fungal Frequency and Diversity in the Nests of Wetland Birds from Poland: Relationships between Birds, Nest Properties and Inhabiting Fungi

Fungal Frequency and Diversity in the Nests of Wetland Birds from Poland: Relationships between Birds, Nest Properties and Inhabiting Fungi

Body condition and colonization by fungi of House SparrowsPasser domesticusin the urban and rural environment

The Presence of Mercury in the Tissues of Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos L.) from Włocławek Reservoir in Poland

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About