Recapture probability, flight morphology, and microorganisms.

ABSTRACT: Microorganisms on and within organisms are ubiquitous and interactions with their hosts range from mutualistic over commensal, to pathogenic. We hypothesized that microorganisms might affect the ability of barn swallows Hirundo rustica to escape from potential predators, with positive associations between the abundance of microorganisms and escape ability implying mutualistic effects, while negative associations would imply antagonistic effects. We quantified escape behavior as the ability to avoid capture in a mist net and hence as a small number of recaptures. Because recapture probability may also depend on timing of reproduction and reproductive success, we also tested whether the association between recapture and microorganisms was mediated by an association between recapture a

SUBMITTER: Al Rubaiee Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6007672 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature