The effects of testosterone on antibody production and plumage coloration in male house sparrows (Passer domesticus) |
| |
Authors: | M R Evans A R Goldsmith S R A Norris |
| |
Institution: | (1) Department of Biological and Molecular Sciences University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK e-mail: mre2@stir.ac.uk Tel.: +44-1786-467761, Fax: +44-1786 464994, GB;(2) School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol Bristol, BS8 1UG, UK, GB;(3) Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, University of Oxford Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK, GB |
| |
Abstract: | Many bird species have patches of colour in their plumage, contrasting with their basic coloration, which are used to display
and signal status to conspecifics. These are called ’badges of status’, because they are believed to be low-cost signals of
social status. For a signalling system to be evolutionarily stable, cheating must be controlled. The conventional view is
that there is frequent testing, which uncovers cheats. Recently, the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis (ICHH) suggested
that signals may be dependent on testosterone for their development, with a cost being imposed through immune suppression.
We report experiments on house sparrows (Passer domesticus) which show that testosterone significantly influences the size of the bib (a ’badge of status’). The ultimate effect of
the testosterone manipulation was to impair antibody production, as predicted by the ICHH. However, testosterone manipulations
also changed the levels of the ’stress hormone’ corticosterone. The level of corticosterone was also related to the degree
of immunosuppression. After controlling for the effect of corticosterone, testosterone enhanced the birds’ ability to produce
antibodies, counter to the ICHH. The hypothesis therefore must be modified. We suggest that testosterone has a dual effect:
it leads to immunosuppression through a mechanism involving corticosterone but, conversely, leads to increased immunocompetence
probably via dominance influencing access to resources.
Received: 5 March 1999 / Received in revised form: 1 October 1999 / Accepted: 16 October 1999 |
| |
Keywords: | House sparrows Immunity Testosterone Corticosterone Status signalling Immunocompetence handicap hypothesis |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|