Meeting Abstract S6.5  Wednesday, Jan. 5  What is the functional significance of reduced immune function in migrating birds? OWEN, Jen C.; Michigan State University, East Lansing owenj@msu.edu One of the many challenges birds face during migration is increased exposure to novel pathogens and parasites enroute. Migration is also an energetically demanding period in a bird’s annual cycle. […]

Meeting Abstract S6.3  Wednesday, Jan. 5  The energetics of immunity: Leptin as a physiological mediator of energetic trade-offs in eco-immunology DEMAS, Gregory E.*; FRENCH, Susannah S.; Indiana University; Utah State University gdemas@indiana.edu Immunity, like all other biological processes, requires adequate energy to sustain optimal function. The role of energy balance, however, has only recently been considered in […]

Meeting Abstract S6.4  Wednesday, Jan. 5  Physiological mechanisms of range expansion in Kenyan house sparrows MARTIN, LB*; LEIBL, AL; COON, CAC; RICHARDS, CL; SCHREY, AW; University of South Florida, Integrative Biology; University of South Florida, Integrative Biology; University of South Florida, Integrative Biology; University of South Florida, Integrative Biology; University of South Florida, Integrative Biology lmartin@cas.usf.edu Organisms […]

Meeting Abstract S6.8  Wednesday, Jan. 5  Integrating Eco-Immunological Measurements into Disease Ecology Models DEARING, MD*; LEHMER, EM; University of Utah; Fort Lewis College dearing@biology.utah.edu The simplest predictive models in disease ecology focus on two demographic groups: individuals that are susceptible to a pathogen and those that are infected with a pathogen. Recent studies on immune function suggest […]

Meeting Abstract S6.9  Wednesday, Jan. 5  Individual heterogeneity in house finch immunity and disease resistance: what can physiology tell us about epidemiology? HAWLEY, DM; Virginia Tech hawleyd@vt.edu Individual heterogeneity in disease susceptibility is largely the rule for natural populations, with striking consequences for population-level disease dynamics. However, surprisingly few studies have characterized the ecological and social factors […]

Meeting Abstract S6.7  Wednesday, Jan. 5  How microbes shape birds and their eggs: matching pathogen pressure and protection TIELEMAN, BI*; HORROCKS, NPC; MATSON, KD; GRIZARD, S; SALLES, JF; University of Groningen B.I.Tieleman@rug.nl Birds and eggs need to protect themselves from pathogenic influences, but may also benefit from the microbial communities that they house. We explore the idea […]

Meeting Abstract S6.1  Wednesday, Jan. 5  Environmentally induced stochasticity of adaptive immunity. Good, bad, or ugly? KLASING, K.C.; Univ. of California, Davis kcklasing@ucdavis.edu Pathogens reproduce and evolve faster than their hosts by orders of magnitude, making the immune system’s job difficult. The innate immune system identifies pathogens using receptors that recognize evolutionarily conserved (predictable) molecular patterns, but […]

Meeting Abstract S6.6  Wednesday, Jan. 5  Ecological consequences of parasite-parasite interactions and the role of host immunity EZENWA, V.O.*; ETIENNE, R.S.; JOLLES, A.E.; University of Georgia; University of Groningen; Oregon State University vezenwa@uga.edu Accumulating evidence suggests that parasite-parasite interactions can be a powerful force shaping the spread of infectious diseases. In particular, immune-mediated interactions between co-occurring parasites […]

Meeting Abstract S6.10  Wednesday, Jan. 5  Can immunology predict host quality for disease transmission? KEESING, F; Bard College keesing@bard.edu Recent research in a variety of disease systems has shown that common species are often the highest quality hosts for pathogens and, in some cases, their vectors. For example, in the eastern United States, the highest quality host […]

Meeting Abstract S6.2  Wednesday, Jan. 5  Amphibian Immune Defenses against Chytridiomycosis: Impacts of Changing Environments ROLLINS-SMITH, L.A.*; RAMSEY, J.P.; REINERT, L.K.; WOODHAMS, D.C.; Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN; Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN; Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN; University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland louise.rollins-smith@vanderbilt.edu Eco-immunology is the field of study that attempts to understand […]