Haemosporidian prevalence and community composition vary little across a chickadee hybrid zone

The Auk ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ari A Rice ◽  
Robert L Curry ◽  
Jason D Weckstein
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Breeding Season ◽  
Hybrid Zone ◽  
Host Species ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Parasite Prevalence ◽  
Molecular Methods ◽  
Hybrid Zones ◽  
Poecile Atricapillus ◽  
Bird Parasite

Abstract Within animal hybrid zones, parasites may determine competitive outcomes between host species and thus affect hybridization dynamics. We addressed this hypothesis by evaluating haemosporidian prevalence and community composition in a rapidly moving hybrid zone between Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) and Carolina Chickadees (P. carolinensis). Using molecular methods, we screened for haemosporidians in multiple chickadee populations across the hybrid zone and investigated whether parasite prevalence varied as a function of admixture among these birds. We identified 36 parasite lineages from 3 haemosporidian genera (Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon) but found no genera or lineages more likely to infect any particular chickadee taxon. Instead, haemosporidian prevalence varied across sites and seasons: Leucocytozoon was more prevalent during chickadees’ breeding season, whereas Haemoproteus prevalence peaked during nonbreeding periods. Leucocytozoon infected proportionally fewer birds at the leading edge of the hybrid zone than near its center. However, haemosporidian communities were similar among chickadee populations, and evidence for parasite exchanges between chickadee taxa was lacking. These results underscore the complexity of bird–parasite relationships and suggest that haemosporidians are unlikely to play a major role in the ongoing movement of this hybrid zone.

scholarly journals Limited movement of a hybrid zone in relation to regional variation in magnitude of climate change

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alana Alexander ◽  
Mark Robbins ◽  
Jesse Holmes ◽  
Robert Moyle ◽  
Townsend Peterson
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Reproductive Isolation ◽  
Hybrid Zone ◽  
Parental Species ◽  
Range Shifts ◽  
Hybrid Zones ◽  
Poecile Atricapillus ◽  
Temperature Trends ◽  
Additional Reference ◽  
Western Portion

Hybrid zones can provide clear documentation of range shifts in response to climate change and identify loci important to reproductive isolation. Using a deep temporal (36-38 years) comparison of the black-capped (Poecile atricapillus) and Carolina (P. carolinensis) chickadee hybrid zone, we investigated movement of the under-sampled western portion of the zone (western Missouri) as well as investigating whether loci and pathways underpinning reproductive isolation were similar to those from the eastern portion of the hybrid zone. Using 92 birds sampled along the hybrid zone transect in 2016, 68 birds sampled between 1978 and 1980, and 5 additional reference birds sampled from outside the hybrid zone, we generated 11,669 SNPs via ddRADseq. We used these SNPs to interpolate spatially and assess the movement of the hybrid zone interface through time, and to assess variation in introgression among loci. We demonstrate that the interface has moved approximately 5-8 km to the northwest over the last 36-38 years, i.e., at only one-fifth the rate at which the eastern portion of the hybrid zone (e.g. Pennsylvania, Ohio) has moved. Temperature trends across the last 38 years reveal that eastern areas have warmed 50% more than western areas in terms of annual mean temperature, possibly providing an explanation for the slower movement of the hybrid zone in Missouri. Using genomic cline analyses, we detected four genes that showed restricted introgression in both Missouri and Pennsylvania, including Pnoc, a gene involved in metabolism, learning and memory, concordant with previous physiological and behavioral findings on hybrids and the parental species.

scholarly journals Reproductive Success Across The Black-Capped Chickadee (Poecile Atricapillus) and Carolina Chickadee (P. Carolinensis) Hybrid Zone in Ohio

The Auk ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 122 (3) ◽  
pp. 759-772 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. L. Bronson ◽  
Thomas C. Grubb ◽  
Gene D. Sattler ◽  
Michael J. Braun
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Hybrid Zone ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Genetic Introgression ◽  
Genetic Composition ◽  
Poecile Atricapillus ◽  
Relative Paucity ◽  
Carolina Chickadee ◽  
The Face ◽  
East West

AbstractBlack-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) and Carolina Chickadees (P. carolinensis) hybridize in an east-west band from New Jersey to Kansas. Within the past century, the Ohio portion of this hybrid zone and the Carolina Chickadee range to the south have been moving northward, whereas the Black-capped Chickadee range has retracted. In Ohio, we characterized the genetic composition of the hybrid zone using five diagnostic molecular loci. Although there was no evidence of assortative mating in the center of the hybrid zone, we found a relative paucity of genetically intermediate breeding females as compared with breeding males. That suggests viability selection against female hybrids, in line with Haldane’s rule. On the basis of reproductive variables (number of nestlings, reproductive success), we found a decrease in productivity of breeding pairs in the hybrid zone that is significantly and positively related to their probability of producing homozygous offspring at each autosomal or sex-linked locus. We also found that the decrease in productivity was significantly and positively related to the genetic composition of the male of the pair (i.e. pure male chickadees more productive). These data strongly suggest that hybrids are at a selective disadvantage. Because the zone of reduced reproductive success was considerably narrower than the zone of introgression, our results demonstrate that genetic introgression is occurring in the face of substantial selection against hybrids.Éxito Reproductivo a través de la Zona de Hibridación de Poecile atricapillus y P. carolinensis en Ohio

scholarly journals Host species, and not environment, predicts variation in blood parasite prevalence, distribution, and diversity along a humidity gradient in northern South America

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 3800-3814 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulo C. Pulgarín-R ◽  
Juan P. Gómez ◽  
Scott Robinson ◽  
Robert E. Ricklefs ◽  
Carlos Daniel Cadena
Keyword(s):  
South America ◽  
Host Species ◽  
Parasite Prevalence ◽  
Blood Parasite ◽  
Humidity Gradient ◽  
Northern South America

scholarly journals Influence of Niche Overlap and Territoriality on Hybridization Between Hermit Warblers and Townsend's Warblers

The Auk ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 117 (1) ◽  
pp. 175-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott F. Pearson ◽  
David A. Manuwal
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Hybrid Zone ◽  
Parental Species ◽  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Habitat Characteristics ◽  
Hybrid Zones ◽  
Parental Fitness ◽  
Habitat Transition ◽  
Habitat Variables ◽  
Washington Cascades

Abstract Hybrid zones between Townsend's Warblers (Dendroica townsendi) and Hermit Warblers (D. occidentalis) in the Pacific Northwest are narrow relative to estimated dispersal distances and appear to be moving, with Townsend's replacing Hermits. We examined whether the habitat-transition and parental-fitness asymmetry models can explain why these zones are narrow and moving by comparing habitat variables associated with warbler territories in the Washington Cascades hybrid zone. Habitat variables did not differ among phenotypes, suggesting that the habitat-transition model cannot explain the narrow and dynamic nature of this hybrid zone. Habitat characteristics of Hermit Warbler territories did not differ inside versus outside the hybrid zone, also suggesting that this zone is not associated with a region of habitat transition. The lack of difference in habitat use could be the result of comparing variables that are not important to pairing success. However, warblers tended to select territories on west-southwest aspects. South aspects in the southern Washington Cascades are dominated by Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and true fir, which is a habitat selected by female warblers when choosing among territories and males. The parental-fitness asymmetry model does not necessarily make predictions about habitat use within the hybrid zone but predicts the superiority of one parental species over the other. However, if significant overlap occurs in habitat use or niche (as in these warblers), then competition between parental species is likely to occur. To determine whether these species compete, we mapped 12 warbler territories and monitored an additional 94 territories throughout the breeding season and found that all males with neighbors compete for and hold exclusive territories. Thus, the pattern of habitat use and territoriality is consistent with the parental-fitness asymmetry model.

scholarly journals Male territorial vocalizations and responses are decoupled in an avian hybrid zone

2008 ◽  
Vol 363 (1505) ◽  
pp. 2879-2889 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula M den Hartog ◽  
Hans Slabbekoorn ◽  
Carel ten Cate
Keyword(s):  
Hybrid Zone ◽  
Acoustic Signals ◽  
Hybrid Zones ◽  
Natural Hybrid ◽  
Individual Male ◽  
Individual Strategy ◽  
Intraspecific Communication ◽  
Selective Sensitivity ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Male Signals

A core area of speciation research concerns the coevolution of species-specific signals and the selective sensitivity to such signals. Signals and responses to them should be tuned to each other, to be effective in intraspecific communication. Hybrid zones are ideal to study the presence of such ‘behavioural coupling’ and the mechanisms governing it, and this has rarely been done. Our study examines acoustic signals of males and their response to them in the context of territorial interactions in a natural hybrid zone between two dove species, Streptopelia vinacea and Streptopelia capicola . Male signals are important in hybrid zone dynamics as they are essential for territory establishment, which is crucial for successful reproduction. We tested whether the response of individual male hybrids is linked to how similar their own signal is to the playback signal. We did not find evidence for behavioural coupling. The combined evidence from the low level of response to hybrid and heterospecific signals outside the hybrid zone and a lack of coupling within the hybrid zone suggests that perceptual learning may explain our results. Learning to respond to locally abundant signals may be the best individual strategy and is likely to contribute to the maintenance of a hybrid zone.

Plasmodium prevalence across avian host species is positively associated with exposure to mosquito vectors

Parasitology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 142 (13) ◽  
pp. 1612-1620 ◽  
Author(s):  
MATTHEW C. I. MEDEIROS ◽  
ROBERT E. RICKLEFS ◽  
JEFFREY D. BRAWN ◽  
GABRIEL L. HAMER
Keyword(s):  
Host Species ◽  
Avian Malaria ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Relative Number ◽  
Parasite Prevalence ◽  
Species Traits ◽  
Malaria Vectors ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Avian Host ◽  
Vector Borne

SUMMARYThe prevalence of vector-borne parasites varies greatly across host species, and this heterogeneity has been used to relate infectious disease susceptibility to host species traits. However, a few empirical studies have directly associated vector-borne parasite prevalence with exposure to vectors across hosts. Here, we use DNA sequencing of blood meals to estimate utilization of different avian host species by Culex mosquitoes, and relate utilization by these malaria vectors to avian Plasmodium prevalence. We found that avian host species that are highly utilized as hosts by avian malaria vectors are significantly more likely to have Plasmodium infections. However, the effect was not consistent among individual Plasmodium taxa. Exposure to vector bites may therefore influence the relative number of all avian Plasmodium infections among host species, while other processes, such as parasite competition and host-parasite coevolution, delimit the host distributions of individual Plasmodium species. We demonstrate that links between avian malaria susceptibility and host traits can be conditioned by patterns of exposure to vectors. Linking vector utilization rates to host traits may be a key area of future research to understand mechanisms that produce variation in the prevalence of vector-borne pathogens among host species.

scholarly journals Copy number variation of the putative speciation genes in the European house mouse hybrid zone

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexey Yanchukov ◽  
Zusana Hiadlovska ◽  
Zeljka Pezer ◽  
Milos Macholan ◽  
Jaroslav Pialek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Copy Number Variation ◽  
House Mouse ◽  
Hybrid Zone ◽  
Copy Number ◽  
Digital Pcr ◽  
Gene Copy ◽  
Ancestral Population ◽  
Hybrid Zones ◽  
Interaction Sites ◽  
Number Variation

Hybrid zones have long been described as "windows on the evolutionary process", and studying them has become even more important since the advance in the genome analysis tools. The hybrid zone between two subspecies of the house mouse (Mus musculus musculus and Mus m. domesticus) is a unique model speciation system to study fine scale interactions of recently diverged genomes. Here, we explore the role of gene Copy Number Variation in shaping the barrier to introgression in the hybrid zone within a previously established transect in Central Europe. The CNV of seven pre-selected candidate genes was determined via droplet-digital PCR and analyzed in the context of ~500k SNPs, with the ancestral population (i.e. musculus or domesticus) of every SNP allele previously inferred in the admixed individuals (Baird et al., in prep.). The copy numbers of five genes were clearly associated with the prevalence of either musculus or domesticus genomes across the hybrid zone. In three cases, the highest and/or outlying levels of association were observed at or very close to the annotated positions of the respective gene amplicons, demonstrating the power of our approach in confirming the reference locations of copy number variants. Notably, several other reference locations were recognized as positive outliers in the association with particular CNV genes, possibly representing the extra gene copies and/or their epistatic interaction sites.

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