Title: Once-Banned Bird Flu Study Suggests Pandemic Threat Is Real
Category: Health News
Created: 5/2/2012 4:05:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 5/3/2012 12:00:00 AM

Title: Vaccine Against Bird Flu Readied, Just in Case
Category: Health News
Created: 4/30/2014 2:36:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 5/1/2014 12:00:00 AM

Fredrik Andreasson, Arne Hegemann, Andreas Nord, and Jan-Ake Nilsson

The capacity to get rid of excess heat produced during hard work is a possible constraint on parental effort during reproduction [heat dissipation limit (HDL) theory]. We released hard-working blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) from this constraint by experimentally removing ventral plumage. We then assessed whether this changed their reproductive effort (feeding rate and nestling size) and levels of self-maintenance (change in body mass and innate immune function). Feather-clipped females reduced the number of feeding visits and increased levels of constitutive innate immunity compared with unclipped females but did not fledge smaller nestlings. Thus, they increased self-maintenance without compromising current reproductive output. In contrast, feather clipping did not affect the number of feeding visits or innate immune function in males, despite increased heat loss rate. Our results show that analyses of physiological parameters, such as constitutive innate immune function, can be important when trying to understand sources of variation in investment in self-maintenance versus reproductive effort and that risk of overheating can influence innate immune function during reproduction.

Andreas Nord, Arne Hegemann, and Lars P. Folkow

Animals in seasonal environments must prudently manage energy expenditure to survive the winter. This may be achieved through reductions in the allocation of energy for various purposes (e.g. thermoregulation, locomotion, etc.). We studied whether such trade-offs also include suppression of the innate immune response, by subjecting captive male Svalbard ptarmigan (Lagopus muta hyperborea) to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) during exposure to either mild temperature (0°C) or cold snaps (acute exposure to –20°C), in constant winter darkness when birds were in energy-conserving mode, and in constant daylight in spring. The innate immune response was mostly unaffected by temperature. However, energy expenditure was below baseline when birds were immune challenged in winter, but significantly above baseline in spring. This suggests that the energetic component of the innate immune response was reduced in winter, possibly contributing to energy conservation. Immunological parameters decreased (agglutination, lysis, bacteriostatic capacity) or did not change (haptoglobin/PIT54) after the challenge, and behavioural modifications (anorexia, mass loss) were lengthy (9 days). While we did not study the mechanisms explaining these weak, or slow, responses, it is tempting to speculate they may reflect the consequences of having evolved in an environment where pathogen transmission rate is presumably low for most of the year. This is an important consideration if climate change and increased exploitation of the Arctic would alter pathogen communities at a pace outwith counter-adaption in wildlife.

Ana Gabriela Jimenez, Emily Cornelius Ruhs, Kailey J. Tobin, Katie N. Anderson, Audrey Le Pogam, Lyette Regimbald, and Francois Vezina

Seasonal changes in maximal thermogenic capacity (M_sum) in wild black-capped chickadees suggests that adjustments in metabolic performance are slow and begin to take place before winter peaks. However, when mean minimal ambient temperature (T_a) reaches –10°C, the chickadee phenotype appears to provide enough spare capacity to endure days with colder T_a, down to –20°C or below. This suggests that birds could also maintain a higher antioxidant capacity as part of their cold-acclimated phenotype to deal with sudden decreases in temperature. Here, we tested how environmental mismatch affected oxidative stress by comparing cold-acclimated (–5°C) and transition (20°C) phenotypes in chickadees exposed to an acute 15°C drop in temperature with that of control individuals. We measured superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities, as well as lipid peroxidation damage and antioxidant scavenging capacity in pectoralis muscle, brain, intestine and liver. We generally found differences between seasonal phenotypes and across tissues, but no differences with respect to an acute cold drop treatment. Our data suggest oxidative stress is closely matched to whole-animal physiology in cold-acclimated birds compared with transition birds, implying that changes to the oxidative stress system happen slowly.

Irene Verhagen, Barbara M. Tomotani, Phillip Gienapp, and Marcel E. Visser

Phenotypic plasticity is an important mechanism by which an individual can adapt its seasonal timing to predictable, short-term environmental changes by using predictive cues. Identification of these cues is crucial to forecast the response of species to long-term environmental change and to study their potential to adapt. Individual great tits (Parus major) start reproduction early under warmer conditions in the wild, but whether this effect is causal is not well known. We housed 36 pairs of great tits in climate-controlled aviaries and 40 pairs in outdoor aviaries, where they bred under artificial contrasting temperature treatments or in semi-natural conditions, respectively, for two consecutive years, using birds from lines selected for early and late egg laying. We thus obtained laying dates in two different thermal environments for each female. Females bred earlier under warmer conditions in climate-controlled aviaries, but not in outdoor aviaries. The latter was inconsistent with laying dates from our wild population. Further, early selection line females initiated egg laying consistently ~9 days earlier than late selection line females in outdoor aviaries, but we found no difference in the degree of plasticity (i.e. the sensitivity to temperature) in laying date between selection lines. Because we found that temperature causally affects laying date, climate change will lead to earlier laying. This advancement is, however, unlikely to be sufficient, thereby leading to selection for earlier laying. Our results suggest that natural selection may lead to a change in mean phenotype, but not to a change in the sensitivity of laying dates to temperature.

Yves Bötsch, Zulima Tablado, Bettina Almasi, and Lukas Jenni

Outdoor recreational activities are booming and most animals perceive humans as predators, which triggers behavioural and/or physiological reactions [e.g. heart rate increase, activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis]. Physiological stress reactions have been shown to affect the immune system of an animal and therefore may also affect the amount of maternal antibodies a female transmits to her offspring. A few studies have revealed that the presence of predators affects the amount of maternal antibodies deposited into eggs of birds. In this study, using Eurasian blue and great tit offspring (Cyanistes caeruleus and Parus major) as model species, we experimentally tested whether human recreation induces changes in the amount of circulating antibodies in young nestlings and whether this effect is modulated by habitat and competition. Moreover, we investigated whether these variations in antibody titre in turn have an impact on hatching success and offspring growth. Nestlings of great tit females that had been disturbed by experimental human recreation during egg laying had lower antibody titres compared with control nestlings. Antibody titre of nestling blue tits showed a negative correlation with the presence of great tits, rather than with human disturbance. The hatching success was positively correlated with the average amount of antibodies in great tit nestlings, independent of the treatment. Antibody titre in the first days of life in both species was positively correlated with body mass, but this relationship disappeared at fledging and was independent of treatment. We suggest that human recreation may have caused a stress-driven activation of the HPA axis in breeding females, chronically increasing their circulating corticosterone, which is known to have an immunosuppressive function. Either, lower amounts of antibodies are transmitted to nestlings or impaired transfer mechanisms lead to lower amounts of immunoglobulins in the eggs. Human disturbance could, therefore, have negative effects on nestling survival at early life-stages, when nestlings are heavily reliant on maternal antibodies, and in turn lead to lower breeding success and parental fitness. This is a so far overlooked effect of disturbance on early life in birds.

Maria Stager, Nathan R. Senner, Bret W. Tobalske, and Zachary A. Cheviron

Flexibility in heat generation and dissipation mechanisms provides endotherms the ability to match their thermoregulatory strategy with external demands. However, the degree to which these two mechanisms account for seasonal changes in body temperature regulation is little explored. Here we present novel data on the regulation of avian body temperature to investigate how birds alter mechanisms of heat production and heat conservation to deal with variation in ambient conditions. We subjected Dark-eyed Juncos (Junco hyemalis) to chronic cold acclimations of varying duration and subsequently quantified their metabolic rates, thermal conductance, and ability to maintain normothermia. Cold-acclimated birds adjusted traits related to both heat generation (increased summit metabolic rate) and heat conservation (decreased conductance) to improve their body temperature regulation. Increases in summit metabolic rate occurred rapidly, but plateaued after one week of cold exposure. In contrast, changes to conductance occurred only after nine weeks of cold exposure. Thus, the ability to maintain body temperature continued to improve throughout the experiment, but the mechanisms underlying this improvement changed through time. Our results demonstrate the ability of birds to adjust thermoregulatory strategies in response to thermal cues and reveal that birds may combine multiple responses to meet the specific demands of their environments.

Pigeons feathers are remarkably complex and understanding how they work has led to the first robot that flies like a pigeon, dubbed PigeonBot

We send some Fire Emblem info DIRECTLY to you. Then Alice gets Chris up to speed on the latest in Final Fantasy MMOs. Finally we...

The former Oasis frontman - who is engaged to his manager Debbie Gwyther - has been connecting with nature during the coronavirus pandemic and

Researchers see promise in recruiting red siskin pet traders as conservation partners

The chance to put biodiversity and the environment at the heart of recovery from the pandemic should not be squandered

One night in April, birdwatchers from around Britain stepped outside their doors and listened intently to something most of them had never experienced before: the fluting, mysterious, melancholy cry of the common scoter on the wing.

Flocks of these dusky sea ducks were beating their way over Britain on their long migratory journey towards their Arctic breeding grounds, easily audible to the naked ear. The first great wave was heard on the Wirral before being picked up in the Peak District, and at last by the Humber. A second wave was made out as flocks made their way along the line of Hadrian’s wall, from the Solway Firth in the west to Northumberland in the east. A third wave flew above listeners from the Severn estuary to the Wash. The birds were heard in urban Blackburn, Stalybridge, Bristol and London. It was thanks to social media that so many listeners were alert to the birds’ progress – and thanks to the silence of lockdown that they could be heard.

White-tailed eagles last seen on Isle of Wight in 1780

A small flock of shorebirds contaminated with oil after touching down on a northern Alberta tailings pond is expected to be released back into the wild within a week.

All the titles to add to your streaming list

Constructed from renewable natural materials like eucalyptus tree fibre, Merino wool and sugarcane, could this be the sneaker to make our running more sustainable?

Cities are home to a huge array of birdlife, but do you know your curlew from your godwit?

• Read more stories from our wild cities week

Which bird – the fastest living creature in the whole world – has found a home in city centres across Britain, Europe and North America?

Hobby

Peregrine

Swift

Which tropical-looking bird, weighing just 4.5g is now overwintering in Vancouver, Canada, where winter temperatures can fall well below zero?

Anna's hummingbird

Tropical kingbird

Worm-eating warbler

Which exotic pink waterbird gathers in large flocks in the lagoon in the centre of Montpellier on the French Riviera?

Roseate spoonbill

Scarlet ibis

Greater flamingo

Which bird of prey is a common sight as it gathers in huge flocks over cities such as New Delhi, India?

Himalayan vulture

Black kite

Indian spotted eagle

Which globally endangered species of wading bird, of which there are fewer than 500 left alive, stops off in Hong Kong each spring and autumn on its migratory journeys?

Long-billed curlew

Bar-tailed godwit

Spoon-billed sandpiper

Which black-and-white waterbird – known as the "bin chicken", "dump chook" and "refuse raptor" – regularly raids rubbish bins in Melbourne, Australia?

Australian white pelican

Australian white ibis

Black-necked stork

America’s national bird, which species of raptor regularly nests in Denver city centre?

American kestrel

Bald eagle

Golden eagle

Which epic global traveller flies all the way from the Antarctic Ocean, to breed in the centre of Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik?

Bar-headed goose

Arctic tern

Wilson's storm-petrel

Which graceful creature, Europe’s largest wildfowl, is also Denmark’s national bird, thanks to a story from Hans Christian Andersen?

Mute swan

Whooper swan

Bewick's swan

Which pinkish-brown garden bird is known as the "television dove" in Germany, because of its habit of perching on rooftop aerials?

Turtle dove

Laughing dove

Collared dove

4 and above.

Pretty good: your bird knowledge is clearly a feather in your cap

7 and above.

Great bird knowledge: you're in the top flight!

0 and above.

Oh dear: bird-wise you're getting by on a wing and a prayer ...

Find more age of extinction coverage here, and follow biodiversity reporters Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield on Twitter for all the latest news and features

Lockdown has allowed us a glimpse of how different our cities could be in a carbon-neutral world

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“When a day that you happen to know is Wednesday starts off by sounding like Sunday, there is something seriously wrong somewhere.”

Never can John Wyndham’s opening lines from The Day of the Triffids have been quite so apt. My friends in London tell me that the heart of the city, like other great conurbations all around the world, is eerily quiet. It is almost as if a neutron bomb has struck, removing in an instant all signs of human life, while leaving buildings, roads and other man-made artefacts perfectly intact.

Shorebirds are increasingly under pressure around Australia, as the nation's wetlands and coastal estuaries continue to be swallowed by housing.

The Allbirds co-founder on how sustainable materials like Merino wool and eucalyptus are changing the shoe game.

Keep on reading: M.R. Asks 3 Questions: Tim Brown, Co-Founder, Allbirds

Four men have been arrested by special agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as the result of an undercover investigation into the illegal killing and trade of bald and golden eagles and other protected birds. The men are charged in four complaints with alleged violations of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and the Lacey Act.

Exxon-Mobil Corporation, the world’s largest publicly traded oil and gas company, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Denver to violating the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) in five states during the past five years.

The county of Kauai, Hawaii, has entered into a plea agreement to resolve alleged violations of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA).

The Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) entered a plea agreement today in federal court in Honolulu to resolve violations of the Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Steven Patrick Garcia, Jr., 36, of San Jose, Calif., was sentenced today in federal court in Billings, Mont., to 24 months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release for selling and offering to sell migratory bird parts in violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) and the Lacey Act, the Department of Justice announced today. Garcia had pleaded guilty to the charge on January 16, 2013.

Duke Energy Renewables Inc., a subsidiary of Duke Energy Corp., based in Charlotte, N.C., pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Wyoming today to violating the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act

Existing backer Heritas Capital is said to have injected additional capital in the biotech startup.

The post SG’s Hummingbird Bioscience secures more capital in Series B extension round appeared first on DealStreetAsia.

The species is known as the “rice bird” in China, where it is hunted for food — a practice that has been illegal since 1997, but continues on the black market to this day. This practice on migratory passerines in Asia has pushed not only the Yellow-breasted Bunting to the edge of extinction; but led to all migratory bunting species in eastern Asia declining.

At some point we were told not to toss rice at the newly betrothed because of the birds – here's the real reason why we shouldn't.

Researchers in the UK are using genetic engineering to fight the bird flu epidemic.

Last April, airport authorities became suspicious of a traveler arriving to LAX from Vietnam after noticing bird droppings on his socks and feathers peeking from the cuffs of his pants. A closer inspection of the man,

It has a solar powered smoke alarm, GPS and is standing on guard, ready to phone it in.

Wool is an ideal material for footwear, with its odor-reducing and moisture-wicking properties, so why hasn't it caught on?

This is Paris' largest mural, made with hand-folded origami paper birds and a bit of spraypaint.

A Worcester’s Buttonquail was caught on camera for the first time by a French documentary team who were filming native bird trappers at work in the Philippines. No one realized how rare the bird was until it was identified as a Worcester’s Buttonquail

New research documents that mantises worldwide are eating small birds; in the US, invasive mantis species are devouring hummingbirds.

Between 2002 and 2015, these 'streamer lines' helped reduce seabird by-catch in Alaskan fisheries by 78%.

We are officially in love with Loch Pooltiel.

Tweet tweet. Collect enough virtual birds and you could make it to the Galapagos.

An existing storage shed in the forest is transformed into a small modern home with a striking form.

Melinda Hanson talks to TreeHugger about taking back the streets.

Well, at least the most iconic animal in the United States won't catch on fire too easily...

This looks a bit like the Hoth rebel station in Return of the Jedi...

Here is another reason to hate the Hudson Yards in New York City.

Discovered in a cave, the surprising find reveals a fast and giant bird that weighed almost as much as a polar bear.

Pigeons sure, but urban eagles and city vultures? A beautifully illustrated new book, Urban Aviary, spills their secrets.

Our photo of the day comes from Akumal, Mexico.

You may have heard that the iPhone 3G went on sale this morning. I saw a line outside of the AT&T; stores here in Manhattan, and I heard there was a line around the block this morning at the Union Street Apple store in San

Nature gets digitized in these vibrant animations that feature audio recordings from the rainforest.