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Dryad

Data from: An immune challenge induces a decline in parental effort and compensation by the mate

Data files

Nov 19, 2024 version files 24.68 KB

Abstract

Immune defense is fundamental to diminish the negative effects of the attack of infectious agents, yet the activation of the immune system entails costs and may compromise other life history-traits such as reproduction. In reproductive brown booby pairs (Sula leucogaster), we experimentally imposed an immune challenge during incubation, by intraperitoneally injecting Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS), in either the male or the female. We aimed to test whether activation of the immune response results on: (1) an increase in oxidative stress parameters, (2) a decline in post-hatching parental care in the treated individual, and (3) a compensation of the post-hatching parental effort by the non-treated mate. We found that activation of the immune response during incubation did not increase oxidative damage to lipids or total antioxidant capacity. However, mounting an immune response compromised parental effort during the chick rearing period: compared to controls, LPS-treated parents showed roughly a twofold decline in the rate of offspring feeding and preening. Interestingly, mates of LPS-treated parents increased 58% their feeding rate suggesting parental care compensation. According to a scenario of full compensation, the decline in parental effort of LPS-treated parents did not result in a poorer offspring growth or immune response, or increased levels of oxidative stress parameters. These findings suggest that in a long-lived species with long-lasting biparental care, an immune challenge compromises parental care, favoring parental compensation as a strategy to mitigate costs in terms of offspring success.