LE3 .A278 2010

2010

Shutler, Dave

Acadia University

Bachelor of Science

Honours

Biology

Biology

Recently, evolutionary biologists have become interested in how animals devote their limited energy resources to immunocompetence ( immune system strength). Polygamous species and species with sexual dimorphism can have sex- biased immune responses; however, less is known about sex- bias in monogamous or monomorphic species. Juveniles are also assumed to have lower immunocompetence than adults due to costs of development. However, once an individual reaches maturity, little is known about how immunocompetence fluctuates over their lifetime. Leach’s storm- petrel ( Oceanodroma leucorhoa; hereafter petrel) is a monogamous, monomorphic, long- lived species that often returns to the same nest site each year, and is an ideal species to examine these questions. I tested whether immunocompetence in petrels changes over time ( using previously banded birds that had their immunocompetence assessed in 2008), whether parental immunocompetence predicts that of their chicks, and whether there is a sex- bias in immunocompetence. On Bon Portage Island, Nova Scotia between May and September 2009, birds were removed from burrows by hand, measured, weighed, banded, and blood- sampled for sexing and for assaying immunocompetence. In the lab, I used PCR and gel electrophoresis for molecular sexing and tested for levels of natural antibodies and complement ( aspects of the innate immune system) using a hemolysis- hemagglutination assay. Results suggest that adults have a stronger immune response than chicks, that there is no sex- bias in immune response in Leach’s storm- petrels, and that there is no correlation in immune function between chicks and their parents.

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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:682