Migratory flight imposes oxidative stress in bats

Abstract

Many animal species migrate over long distances, but the physiological challenges of migration are poorly understood. It has recently been suggested that increased molecular oxidative damage might be one important challenge for migratory animals. We tested the hypothesis that autumn migration imposes an oxidative challenge to bats by comparing values of 4 blood-based markers of oxidative status (oxidative damage and both enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants) between Nathusius' bats Pipistrellus nathusii that were caught during migration flights with those measured in conspecifics after resting for 18 or 24 h. Experiments were carried out at Pape Ornithological Station in Pape (Latvia) in 2016 and 2017. Our results show that flying bats have a blood oxidative status different from that of resting bats due to higher oxidative damage and different expression of both nonenzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants (glutathione peroxidase). The differences in oxidative status markers varied between sampling years and were independent from individual body condition or sex. Our work provides evidence that migratory flight might impose acute oxidative stress to bats and that resting helps animals to recover from oxidative damage accrued en route. Our data suggest that migrating bats and birds might share similar strategies of mitigating and recovering from oxidative stress.

Flight muscle protein damage during endurance flight is related to energy expenditure but not dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids in a migratory bird

“…It should be noted that flight activity did not influence blood endogenous antioxidants in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata), including SOD and catalase (Costantini et al, 2013). Additionally, flight in migratory Nathusius' bats (Pipistrellus nathusii) did not significantly alter blood SOD activity but did increase blood glutathione peroxidase activity (Costantini et al, 2018). This suggests that tissues differentially regulate SOD activity during flight.…”

Oxidative damage to lipids is rapidly reduced during migratory stopovers

“…To summarize, the results from the current study on a long‐distance migrant suggest that stopovers may function not only to refuel, but also to lessen the oxidative damage to lipids that results from migratory flights (Costantini et al, ; Jenni‐Eiermann et al, ). Our study therewith highlights the need to include physiological processes if we are to fully understand the (temporal) organization of migration.…”

“…Birds face multiple physiological challenges during the migration life cycle stages. For example, flying can negatively impact immune function (Eikenaar & Hegemann, ; Nebel et al, ; Nebel, Buehler, Macmillan, & Guglielmo, ; but see Matson, Horrocks, Tieleman, & Haase, ), and disrupt the oxidative balance in favour of damaging oxidants (Costantini et al, ; Eikenaar, Hegemann, et al, ; Jenni‐Eiermann et al, ; Skrip et al, ). Moreover, many migrants fly during the night and forage during the day, which may result in sleep deprivation.…”

“…Jenni‐Eiermann et al () found that European robins Erithacus rubecula caught out of nocturnal migratory flight had higher oxidative damage to proteins than birds resting during the day. Comparably, although not a bird, Nathusius bats Pipistrelli natusii caught out of migratory flight had higher oxidative damage to lipids than conspecifics resting for 18 or 24 hr after having been caught (Costantini, Lindecke, Petersons, & Voigt, ). In northern wheatears Oenanthe oenanthe caught at a stopover site, oxidative damage to lipids was negatively correlated with the birds’ energy stores, which suggests that catabolizing fuel during migratory flight results in oxidative damage (Eikenaar, Hegemann, Packmor, Kleudgen, & Isaksson, ).…”

The Effect of Shelter on Oxidative Stress and Aggressive Behavior in Crested Newt Larvae (Triturus spp.)

“…A normal error function and an identity-link function were applied. The preliminary analyses did not reveal any significant differences between aquariums for each treatment for each oxidative stress parameter analyzed (p ≥ 0.11, Supplementary Table S1); thus, this factor was not retained in the analyses in order to minimize the number of variables that were included in the model [54]. Outcomes with the aquarium as a factor were similar to the given one.…”