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Oxidative physiology is weakly associated with pigmentation in birds
Attila Marton1,2, Csongor I Vágási1, Orsolya Vincze1,3
1Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology Babeș-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca Romania.
Ecology and Evolution
|August 18, 2022
Summary
Avian plumage coloration is not linked to oxidative physiology across species. Pigment production, including melanin and carotenoids, does not correlate with antioxidant levels or oxidative damage in European birds.
Area of Science:
- * Avian biology
- * Physiological ecology
- * Evolutionary biology
Background:
- * The relationship between avian oxidative physiology and plumage coloration is complex, with hypotheses suggesting pigments act as antioxidants or pro-oxidants.
- * Previous research primarily focused on intraspecific studies, necessitating interspecific analyses to understand broader evolutionary patterns.
- * Understanding this link is crucial for explaining the diversity of bird coloration and its physiological underpinnings.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To investigate the interspecific relationship between plumage/bare part coloration and oxidative physiology in European birds.
- * To test hypotheses regarding the role of pigments (melanin and carotenoids) in antioxidant defense and oxidative stress.
- * To assess the generality of associations between coloration and oxidative state across avian species.
Main Methods:
- * Measured five oxidative physiology markers (antioxidants, lipid peroxidation) in 1387 individuals from 104 European bird species.
- * Quantified eumelanin, pheomelanin, and carotenoid content in plumage and bare parts for each species and sex.
- * Employed phylogenetic comparative methods to analyze interspecific correlations.
Main Results:
- * Plasma reactive oxygen metabolites showed a significant association with melanin coloration (positive with eumelanin, negative with pheomelanin).
- * No significant relationship was found between carotenoid scores (feathers, bare parts) and any measured oxidative physiology markers.
- * Results do not support glutathione's role in driving species-level melanin variation or pigment influence on oxidative state.
Conclusions:
- * Interspecific variation in avian coloration is largely independent of the measured oxidative physiology parameters.
- * The proposed antioxidant or pro-oxidant roles of pigments may not be a primary driver of evolutionary patterns in bird coloration across species.
- * Further research is needed to explore other factors influencing the evolution of bird coloration and oxidative strategies.
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