Predator Avoidance and Immune Defence: Costs and Trade-Offs in Snails Export

@article{citeulike:2260018, abstract = {Organisms are often confronted by both predators and pathogens. Defending against such widely divergent enemies requires more than one type of defence. Multiple defences, however, raise the possibility of trade-offs among defences. We tested for such trade-offs by manipulating the level of predator-avoidance behaviour and immune function in the freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis (Gastropoda: Pulmonata). Our results show that predator avoidance and immune function had clear costs in terms of reproduction and survival. Further, we show that increased levels of predator-avoidance behaviour reduced the snails' ability to defend against potential pathogens. Predator-avoidance behaviour may thus have the additional indirect cost of reduced immunocompetence and increased susceptibility to pathogens. Our results suggest that ecological factors (e.g. predator density) may considerably modify the expression and costs of immune defences.}, author = {Rigby, Mark C. and Jokela, Jukka}, citeulike-article-id = {2260018}, citeulike-linkout-0 = {http://www.jstor.org/stable/2665863}, journal = {Proceedings: Biological Sciences}, keywords = {history, immunocompetence, life, phenotypic, plasticity, theory}, number = {1439}, pages = {171--176}, posted-at = {2008-01-20 04:24:26}, priority = {5}, title = {Predator Avoidance and Immune Defence: Costs and Trade-Offs in Snails}, url = {http://www.jstor.org/stable/2665863}, volume = {267}, year = {2000} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:2260018 L3 - citeulike-article-id:2260018 N2 - Organisms are often confronted by both predators and pathogens. Defending against such widely divergent enemies requires more than one type of defence. Multiple defences, however, raise the possibility of trade-offs among defences. We tested for such trade-offs by manipulating the level of predator-avoidance behaviour and immune function in the freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis (Gastropoda: Pulmonata). Our results show that predator avoidance and immune function had clear costs in terms of reproduction and survival. Further, we show that increased levels of predator-avoidance behaviour reduced the snails' ability to defend against potential pathogens. Predator-avoidance behaviour may thus have the additional indirect cost of reduced immunocompetence and increased susceptibility to pathogens. Our results suggest that ecological factors (e.g. predator density) may considerably modify the expression and costs of immune defences. IS - 1439 JF - Proceedings: Biological Sciences EP - 176 TI - Predator Avoidance and Immune Defence: Costs and Trade-Offs in Snails VL - 267 SP - 171 KW - history KW - immunocompetence KW - life KW - phenotypic KW - plasticity KW - theory AU - Rigby, Mark AU - Jokela, Jukka PY - 2000/// UR - http://www.jstor.org/stable/2665863 ER -