Effects of urbanisation on disease prevalence and age structure in blackbird Turdus merula populations

Despite increasing interest in urban ecology most attention has focussed on describing changes in assemblage composition and structure along urbanisation gradients, whilst relatively little research has focussed on the mechanisms behind these changes. Ecological theory predicts that alterations in b...

Ausführliche Beschreibung

Gespeichert in:

Bibliographische Detailangaben
Veröffentlicht in:	Oikos Jg. 118; H. 5; S. 774 - 782
Hauptverfasser:	Evans, Karl L., Gaston, Kevin J., Sharp, Stuart P., McGowan, Andrew, Simeoni, Michelle, Hatchwell, Ben J.
Format:	Journal Article
Sprache:	Englisch
Veröffentlicht:	Oxford, UK Oxford, UK : Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.05.2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd Blackwell Publishing Blackwell
Schlagworte:	age structure Animal and plant ecology Animal diseases Animal populations Animal, plant and microbial ecology Aves avian malaria Biological and medical sciences Birds correlation disease prevalence Ecology Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology General aspects Health risks Ixodidae latitude Malaria Parasite hosts Parasites risk Rural areas Rural populations Survival survival rate Ticks Turdus merula Urban areas Urban ecology Urban habitats urban population Urban populations Urbanization Vector-borne diseases Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution Protozoal disease Prevalence Disease Theory Alteration Environmental factor Risk Urban area Acari Aves Ixodidae Age distribution Biotic factor Parasitiformes Community structure Protozoa Apicomplexa Composition Malaria Plasmodium relictum Ecology Parasitosis Turdus merula Infection Arachnida Vertebrata Ixodida Arthropoda Urbanization Ectoparasite Invertebrata
ISSN:	0030-1299, 1600-0706
Online-Zugang:	Volltext
Tags:	Tag hinzufügen Keine Tags, Fügen Sie den ersten Tag hinzu!

Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:	Despite increasing interest in urban ecology most attention has focussed on describing changes in assemblage composition and structure along urbanisation gradients, whilst relatively little research has focussed on the mechanisms behind these changes. Ecological theory predicts that alterations in biotic interactions are particularly likely to arise, especially with regard to disease risk. Here, we report on differences in prevalence of avian malaria and tick infection and intensity in 11 paired urban and rural blackbird Turdus merula populations from across the western Palearctic. We find large and consistent reductions in tick prevalence and intensity in urban areas. There are also large reductions in the prevalence of avian malaria in many, but not all, urban areas. The proportion of first year birds in urban populations is significantly lower than that in rural ones, and across the more natural rural sites southerly populations contain fewer first years than northern ones. These patterns are expected to arise if survival rates are higher in urban areas, and are negatively correlated with latitude.
Bibliographie:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0706.2008.17226.x ark:/67375/WNG-N49C3RT7-T ArticleID:OIK17226 istex:B9CE190681FA35BCE2674A5A6C2744E1BAB114C6 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 content type line 14 ObjectType-Article-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	0030-1299 1600-0706
DOI:	10.1111/j.1600-0706.2008.17226.x