10.5061/DRYAD.6NR62
Soler, Juan J.
Spanish National Research Council
Ruiz Castellano, Cristina
Spanish National Research Council
Martínez de la Puente, Josué
Spanish National Research Council
Tomás, Gustavo
Spanish National Research Council
Ruiz-Rodríguez, Magdalena
Spanish National Research Council
Figuerola, Jordi
Spanish National Research Council
Data from: Telomere dynamics in parasitic great spotted cuckoos and their
magpie hosts
Dryad
dataset
2015
Host-parasite interaction
Life History Evolution
Clamator glandarius
Pica pica
trade-offs
Evolutionary physiology
2015-06-22T15:24:15Z
2015-06-22T15:24:15Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1111/jeb.12680
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CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Although little is known on the impact of environment on telomere length
dynamics, it has been suggested to be affected by stress, lifestyle and/or
life-history strategies of animals. We here compared telomere dynamics in
erythrocytes of hatchlings and fledglings of the brood parasite great
spotted cuckoos (Clamator glandarius) and of magpies (Pica pica), their
main host in Europe. In magpie chicks, telomere length decreased from
hatching to fledging while no significant change in telomere length of
great spotted cuckoo chicks was found. Moreover, we found interspecific
differences in the association between laying date and telomere
shortening. Interspecific differences in telomere shortening were
interpreted as a consequence of differences in lifestyle and life-history
characteristics of magpies and great spotted cuckoos. In comparison with
magpies, cuckoos experience reduced sibling competition and higher access
to resources, and, consequently, lower stressful environmental conditions
during the nestling phase. These characteristics also explain the
associations between telomere attrition and environmental conditions (i.e.
laying date) for magpies and the absence of association for great spotted
cuckoos. These results therefore fit expectations on telomere dynamics
derived from interspecific differences in lifestyle and life-history of
brood parasites and their bird hosts.
Telomere length of magpie and great spotted cuckoo nestlingsTelomere
length of magpie and great spotted cuckoo nestlings soon after hatching
and before fledging. We also show telomere attrition values and
laying-date of each studied nest. Values are means estimates per study
nest.data.xlsx
southeastern Spain
Southeastern Spain