Habitat degradation relates to reduced immune function in nestlings, but not adults, of a tropical forest bird.

ABSTRACT: Human-induced habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation are among the leading causes of species decline worldwide. This is particularly true in tropical forests, where unique, often highly specialized fauna is under threat. By altering resource availability, anthropogenic habitat change can impose resource constraints on animals and may influence their allocation of resources to competing life history traits. In this study, we investigated whether nestlings and adults differently invest in self-maintenance depending on habitat degradation in the placid greenbul (Phyllastrephus cabanisi placidus), a cooperative breeder native to the cloud forests of Eastern Africa. We quantified investment in self-maintenance by measuring innate immune function using bacteria killing assays (BKAs) in adul

SUBMITTER: Sorg TI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12657580 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature