Host life-history traits predict haemosporidian parasite prevalence in tanagers (Aves: Thraupidae)

• Autores: Aguiar de Souza Penha, Victor; Maia Chaves Bicalho Domingos, Fabricius; Fecchio, Alan; Bell, Jeffrey A.; Weckstein, Jason D.; Ricklefs, Robert E.; Martins Braga, Erika; de Abreu Moreira, Patrícia; Soares, Leticia; Latta, Steven; Tolesano Pascoli, Graziela; Alquezar, Renata Duarte; Del Claro, Kleber; Tonelli Manica, Lilian
• Año de publicación: 2023
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Materia: DIET; HABITAT TYPE; INCUBATION PERIOD; PARAHAEMOPROTEUS; PLASMODIUM; TEMPERATURE
• Institución: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

Vector-borne parasites are important ecological drivers influencing life-history evolution in birds by increasing host mortality or susceptibility to new diseases. Therefore, understanding why vulnerability to infection varies within a host clade is a crucial task for conservation biology and for understanding macroecological life-history patterns. Here, we studied the relationship of avian life-history traits and climate on the prevalence of Plasmodium and Parahaemoproteus parasites. We sampled 3569 individual birds belonging to 53 species of the family Thraupidae. Individuals were captured from 2007 to 2018 at 92 locations. We created 2 phylogenetic generalized least-squares models with Plasmodium and Parahaemoproteus prevalence as our response variables, and with the following predictor variables: climate PC1, climate PC2, body size, mixed-species flock participation, incubation period, migration, nest height, foraging height, forest cover, and diet. We found that Parahaemoproteus and Plasmodium prevalence was higher in species inhabiting open habitats. Tanager species with longer incubation periods had higher Parahaemoproteus prevalence as well, and we hypothesize that these longer incubation periods overlap with maximum vector abundances, resulting in a higher probability of infection among adult hosts during their incubation period and among chicks. Lastly, we found that Plasmodium prevalence was higher in species without migratory behaviour, with mixed-species flock participation, and with an omnivorous or animal-derived diet. We discuss the consequences of higher infection prevalence in relation to life-history traits in tanagers.
Fil: Aguiar de Souza Penha, Victor. Universidade Federal do Paraná; Brasil
Fil: Maia Chaves Bicalho Domingos, Fabricius. Universidade Federal do Paraná; Brasil
Fil: Fecchio, Alan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica; Argentina
Fil: Bell, Jeffrey A.. University of South Dakota; Estados Unidos
Fil: Weckstein, Jason D.. No especifíca;
Fil: Ricklefs, Robert E.. University of Missouri; Estados Unidos
Fil: Martins Braga, Erika. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Brasil
Fil: de Abreu Moreira, Patrícia. Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto; Brasil
Fil: Soares, Leticia. University of Western Australia; Australia
Fil: Latta, Steven. No especifíca;
Fil: Tolesano Pascoli, Graziela. Universidade do Brasília; Brasil
Fil: Alquezar, Renata Duarte. Universidade do Brasília; Brasil
Fil: Del Claro, Kleber. Universidade Federal de Uberlandia; Brasil
Fil: Tonelli Manica, Lilian. Universidade Federal do Paraná; Brasil