Causes and consequences of oxidative stress in wild birds

Wednesday 25/04/2012, 12h

Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona

Saló d'actes, Laboratori de Natura, Castell dels Tres Dragons

 

 

Causes and consequences of oxidative stress in wild birds

 

Dr Caroline Isaksson
Associate Senior Lecturer
Evolutionary Ecology group
Lund University/Sweden & University of Oxford/UK

 

The interest to study oxidative stress in non-model species and in an ecological context has increased tremendously the last decade. The reason for this is the central role of redox physiology for cellular health (or senescence) and the recent advances in the formulation of concepts regarding the role of oxidative stress as key proximate link between various life-history traits such as longevity and fecundity. Although, laboratory studies somewhat support this link, there is still a poor understanding about covariances, context-specificity and the implications of accumulating oxidative damages or having an up-regulated antioxidant response in a natural setting. The present eco-physiological talk is divided into two sections, first, I will present data on how urbanization, and the associated pollution, can influence oxidative stress in wild bird populations, and discuss its potential impact for population performance; second, I will present unpublished data on within population variation in oxidative stress, with the focus on the relative importance of small-scale environmental heterogeneity, avian malaria and reproduction, and finally, discuss its implications for understanding individual life-history trajectories.