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Migratory flight imposes oxidative stress in bats
David Costantini1,2, Oliver Lindecke3,4, Gunārs Pētersons5
1UMR 7221 CNRS/MNHN, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, 7 rue Cuvier, Paris, France.
Current Zoology
|April 3, 2019
Summary
Autumn migration causes oxidative stress in bats, increasing molecular damage. Resting allows bats to recover from this oxidative damage, suggesting shared stress mitigation strategies with migratory birds.
Area of Science:
- Zoology
- Physiology
- Ecology
Background:
- Migration presents significant physiological challenges for many animal species.
- Oxidative damage is increasingly recognized as a key challenge for migratory animals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test if autumn migration imposes an oxidative challenge on Nathusius' bats (Pipistrellus nathusii).
- To compare oxidative status markers between migrating and resting bats.
Main Methods:
- Blood samples were collected from migrating bats and bats resting for 18 or 24 hours.
- Four blood-based markers of oxidative status were analyzed: oxidative damage, enzymatic antioxidants (glutathione peroxidase), and nonenzymatic antioxidants.
- Data were collected in Latvia during 2016 and 2017.
Main Results:
- Migrating bats exhibited higher oxidative damage and altered antioxidant levels compared to resting bats.
- Differences in oxidative status markers varied between sampling years.
- These differences were independent of the bats' body condition or sex.
Conclusions:
- Migratory flight imposes acute oxidative stress on bats.
- Resting aids bats in recovering from oxidative damage incurred during migration.
- Migrating bats and birds may employ similar oxidative stress mitigation and recovery strategies.
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