Temporal-spatial patterns of intestinal parasites of the Hooded Crane (Grus monacha) wintering in lakes of the middle and lower Yangtze River floodplain

Abstract

Background: Parasites have adverse effects on the life and survival of many migratory waterbirds, especially birds on the endangered species list. Hooded Cranes are large migratory colonial waterbirds wintering in wetlands, which are prone to parasite infection, thus monitoring the diversity of parasites is important for sound wetland management and protection of this species. Methods: From November 2012 to April 2013, we collected 821 fresh faecal samples from the three lakes (Poyang, Caizi and Shengjin Lake) in the lower and middle Yangtze River floodplain, and detected with saturated brine floating and centrifugal sedimentation methods. Parasite eggs were quantified with a modified McMaster's counting method.

Major histocompatibility complex classII DABalleles associated with intestinal parasite load in the vulnerable Chinese egret (Egretta eulophotes)

“…Three diversity indices of intestinal parasites in the vulnerable Chinese egret (richness: 10, diversity: 1.14, and evenness: 0.50) were similar to those in another vulnerable bird, Grus monacha (8–11, 1.340–1.571, and 0.571–0.691, respectively) (Huang et al. ). In the population of our study, more than half of the individuals (65.63%) were found to be infected, suggesting that the Chinese egret is particularly susceptible to parasite infection.…”

“…Recently, some evidences indicate that parasites have adverse effects on the life and survival of many migratory waterbirds, especially endangered ones (Poulin ; Huang et al. ). The migratory waterbirds might suffer more immunological suppression and infection risk from parasites than other birds during migration and aggregation (Huang et al.…”

“…The migratory waterbirds might suffer more immunological suppression and infection risk from parasites than other birds during migration and aggregation (Huang et al. ). In our previous MHC studies on this vulnerable species, we isolated and characterized three classical single‐copy loci of MHC class II DAB gene (named Egeu‐ DAB1, ‐DAB2, and ‐DAB3) and established an efficient locus‐specific MHC genotyping technique (Li et al.…”

“…The migratory colonial life pattern wintering in the south of Asia while breeding on offshore islands in Russia, North Korea, South Korea, and China may facilitate the pathogen transmission and advance MHC polymorphism in this species (Shiina et al 2004; BirdLife International 2015; IUCN 2015). Recently, some evidences indicate that parasites have adverse effects on the life and survival of many migratory waterbirds, especially endangered ones (Poulin 1999;Huang et al 2014). The migratory waterbirds might suffer more immunological suppression and infection risk from parasites than other birds during migration and aggregation (Huang et al 2014).…”

“…Recently, some evidences indicate that parasites have adverse effects on the life and survival of many migratory waterbirds, especially endangered ones (Poulin 1999;Huang et al 2014). The migratory waterbirds might suffer more immunological suppression and infection risk from parasites than other birds during migration and aggregation (Huang et al 2014). In our previous MHC studies on this vulnerable species, we isolated and characterized three classical single-copy loci of MHC class II DAB gene (named Egeu-DAB1, -DAB2, and -DAB3) and established an efficient locus-specific MHC genotyping technique (Li et al 2011;Wang et al 2013;Lei et al 2015).…”