Variation in Haematological Indices and Immune Function During the Annual Cycle in the Great Tit Parus major

[摘要] Weinvestigatedseasonalvariationinhaematologicalindicesandimmunefunctioninthenon-migratoryGreatTitParusmajoroveracompleteannualcycle.Thehaematocritvalueshowedamarkedreductioninspringandsummer,reachingalowestvalueduringmoult,afterwhichitincreasedtoreachamaximuminwinterandspring.Thepeakintheheterophiltolymphocyteratio(H/L)duringJulyindicatedthatGreatTitswerethemoststressedduringthefirsthalfofthemoultingperiod.TheincreaseinheterophilsandH/Lratio,concurrentwithareducednumberoflymphocytesduringthebreedingseason,probablyreflectedthecostofreproductionintermsofphysiologicalstressandimmunesuppression.AfterbreedingthenumberofheterophilsandtheH/Lratiodecreased,reachingalowestvalueduringwinter.Theconcentrationofimmunoglobulinsfollowedtheseasonalpatterninthenumberofheterophils,thoughhighestvaluesoccurredsomewhatlater,inJuly–Septemberduringthesecondpartofthemoultingperiod,Ourobservationsindicatedlargedifferencesinactivitythroughouttheyearofdifferentcomponentsoftheimmunesystem,Thissuggestsdifferencesinfunctionamongthecomponentsandpossiblydifferencesinsusceptibilitytostress,parasitismandhormonesduringtheannualcycle.Whenjuvenilesbecameindependentoftheirparents,theimmunoglobulinconcentrationincreased,whereasotherimmunemeasuresdidnotshowasignificantchange.Thisindicatesarapidincreaseofatleastonecomponentoftheimmunesystemaftertheyoungfledge.

[学科分类] 动物科学

[关键词] White Blood Cells