Grupo de Ecología Animal (GEA), Departamento de Ecología y Biología Animal, Universidad de Vigo, Vigo 36310, Spain
Grupo de Ecología Animal (GEA), Departamento de Ecología y Biología Animal, Universidad de Vigo, Vigo 36310, Spain.
J Exp Biol. 2019 Dec 18;222(Pt 24):jeb216176. doi: 10.1242/jeb.216176.
It is often assumed that embryos are isolated from external influences, but recent studies indicate that environmental stressors during prenatal stages can exert long-term negative effects on fitness. A potential mechanism by which predation risk may lastingly shape life-history traits and phenotypes is via effects on telomeres. However, whether prenatal exposure to environmental stressors, such as cues of predator presence, affects postnatal telomere length has not hitherto been investigated. Using an experimental design in which we modified the exposure of yellow-legged gull () embryos to social cues of predator presence (i.e. alarm calls), we show that prenatally exposed chicks had shorter telomeres after hatching. As young birds with shorter telomere lengths have reduced fledging success, reproductive success and lifespan, the reduced telomere length in the exposed chicks is likely to have long-term fitness consequences. Moreover, our results provide a mechanistic link through which predators may negatively affect population dynamics.
人们通常认为胚胎是与外界影响隔离开来的，但最近的研究表明，产前阶段的环境压力因素会对适应度产生长期的负面影响。捕食风险可能通过影响端粒来持久地塑造生活史特征和表型的一个潜在机制。然而，产前暴露于环境压力源（例如捕食者存在的线索）是否会影响产后端粒长度，迄今尚未得到研究。使用一种实验设计，我们改变了黄腿海鸥（）胚胎对捕食者存在的社会线索（即警报声）的暴露，我们发现，孵化后的预暴露雏鸟的端粒较短。由于端粒较短的幼鸟出飞成功率、繁殖成功率和寿命降低，暴露雏鸟的端粒缩短很可能会产生长期的适应度后果。此外，我们的结果提供了一个机制上的联系，通过这个联系，捕食者可能会对种群动态产生负面影响。
