Oxidative stress mediates physiological costs of begging in magpie (Pica pica) nestlings.

BACKGROUND: Theoretical models predict that a cost is necessary to guarantee honesty in begging displays given by offspring to solicit food from their parents. There is evidence for begging costs in the form of a reduced growth rate and immunocompetence. Moreover, begging implies vigorous physical a...

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Main Authors: Gregorio Moreno-Rueda, Tomás Redondo, Cristina E Trenzado, Ana Sanz, Jesús M Zúñiga
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2012-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3393730?pdf=render
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spelling doaj-284cb305840d4a8a9cb428e29de7dc5f2020-11-24T21:42:19ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032012-01-0177e4036710.1371/journal.pone.0040367Oxidative stress mediates physiological costs of begging in magpie (Pica pica) nestlings.Gregorio Moreno-RuedaTomás RedondoCristina E TrenzadoAna SanzJesús M ZúñigaBACKGROUND: Theoretical models predict that a cost is necessary to guarantee honesty in begging displays given by offspring to solicit food from their parents. There is evidence for begging costs in the form of a reduced growth rate and immunocompetence. Moreover, begging implies vigorous physical activity and attentiveness, which should increase metabolism and thus the releasing of pro-oxidant substances. Consequently, we predict that soliciting offspring incur a cost in terms of oxidative stress, and growth rate and immune response (processes that generate pro-oxidants substances) are reduced in order to maintain oxidative balance. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We test whether magpie (Pica pica) nestlings incur a cost in terms of oxidative stress when experimentally forced to beg intensively, and whether oxidative balance is maintained by reducing growth rate and immune response. Our results show that begging provokes oxidative stress, and that nestlings begging for longer bouts reduce growth and immune response, thereby maintaining their oxidative status. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These findings help explaining the physiological link between begging and its associated growth and immunocompetence costs, which seems to be mediated by oxidative stress. Our study is a unique example of the complex relationships between the intensity of a communicative display (begging), oxidative stress, and life-history traits directly linked to viability.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3393730?pdf=render
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Gregorio Moreno-Rueda
Tomás Redondo
Cristina E Trenzado
Ana Sanz
Jesús M Zúñiga
spellingShingle Gregorio Moreno-Rueda
Tomás Redondo
Cristina E Trenzado
Ana Sanz
Jesús M Zúñiga
Oxidative stress mediates physiological costs of begging in magpie (Pica pica) nestlings.
PLoS ONE
author_facet Gregorio Moreno-Rueda
Tomás Redondo
Cristina E Trenzado
Ana Sanz
Jesús M Zúñiga
author_sort Gregorio Moreno-Rueda
title Oxidative stress mediates physiological costs of begging in magpie (Pica pica) nestlings.
title_short Oxidative stress mediates physiological costs of begging in magpie (Pica pica) nestlings.
title_full Oxidative stress mediates physiological costs of begging in magpie (Pica pica) nestlings.
title_fullStr Oxidative stress mediates physiological costs of begging in magpie (Pica pica) nestlings.
title_full_unstemmed Oxidative stress mediates physiological costs of begging in magpie (Pica pica) nestlings.
title_sort oxidative stress mediates physiological costs of begging in magpie (pica pica) nestlings.
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
series PLoS ONE
issn 1932-6203
publishDate 2012-01-01
description BACKGROUND: Theoretical models predict that a cost is necessary to guarantee honesty in begging displays given by offspring to solicit food from their parents. There is evidence for begging costs in the form of a reduced growth rate and immunocompetence. Moreover, begging implies vigorous physical activity and attentiveness, which should increase metabolism and thus the releasing of pro-oxidant substances. Consequently, we predict that soliciting offspring incur a cost in terms of oxidative stress, and growth rate and immune response (processes that generate pro-oxidants substances) are reduced in order to maintain oxidative balance. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We test whether magpie (Pica pica) nestlings incur a cost in terms of oxidative stress when experimentally forced to beg intensively, and whether oxidative balance is maintained by reducing growth rate and immune response. Our results show that begging provokes oxidative stress, and that nestlings begging for longer bouts reduce growth and immune response, thereby maintaining their oxidative status. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These findings help explaining the physiological link between begging and its associated growth and immunocompetence costs, which seems to be mediated by oxidative stress. Our study is a unique example of the complex relationships between the intensity of a communicative display (begging), oxidative stress, and life-history traits directly linked to viability.
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3393730?pdf=render
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