Male zebra finches exposed to lead (Pb) during development have reduced volume of song nuclei, altered sexual traits, and received less attention from females as adults
Male zebra finches exposed to lead (Pb) during development have reduced volume of song nuclei, altered sexual traits, and received less attention from females as adults
复制标题
发育过程中接触铅 (Pb) 的雄性斑胸草雀的鸣核体积减少，性特征改变，并且成年后受到雌性的关注较少
DOI：
10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.111850
复制
发表时间：
2021
影响因子：
6.8
通讯作者：
Sewall, Kendra B.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Goodchild, Christopher G.;Beck, Michelle L.;VanDiest, Isaac;Czesak, Frankie N.;Lane, Samuel J.;Sewall, Kendra B.
铅 (Pb) 是一种普遍存在的全球污染物，会干扰神经发育的敏感窗口并导致组织氧化损伤。中度和高度接触铅的影响已在鸟类中得到充分研究，但生命早期低水平接触铅是否影响成年表型仍不清楚。雌性鸣禽利用雄性的鸣叫和颜色来区分高品质和低质量的雄性。因此，如果生命早期接触铅会破坏鸣叫学习能力，或者使抗氧化色素的分配偏离丰富多彩的第二性征，那么接触铅的雄鸟对雌鸟的吸引力可能会降低。我们将发育中的斑胸草雀 (Taeniopygia guttata) 在孵化后（第 0-100 天）暴露于受铅污染的饮用水（十亿分之 100 或 1000 [ppb]）。一旦雄性雀达到成年（孵化后 120-150 天），我们测量了鸣叫学习能力、喙和脸颊斑块的颜色以及大脑中鸣叫核的体积。我们还测量了相对于对照组男性，女性对铅暴露男性的偏好。最后，我们测量了雄性和雌性雀的运动和空间认知表现，以评估认知特征对铅暴露的敏感性是否存在差异。暴露于 1000 ppb 铅的雄性斑胸草雀会损害鸣叫学习能力、鸣核体积减少、喙变红，并且较少受到雌性的关注。此外，铅暴露会损害雄性和雌性雀的运动表现，但不会影响空间认知任务的表现。暴露于铅污染水的成年雀的血液铅含量较高，但在所有情况下，血液铅含量均低于 7.0 µg dL−1。这项研究表明，低水平的铅接触会导致认知缺陷，这种缺陷会持续到成年期，并可能通过改变第二性征和降低男性吸引力来间接影响健康。
Lead (Pb) is a pervasive global contaminant that interferes with sensitive windows for neurological development and causes oxidative damage to tissues. The effects of moderate and high exposure to Pb have been well-studied in birds, but whether low-level early-life exposure to Pb influences adult phenotype remains unclear. Female songbirds use a male's song and coloration to discriminate between high- and low-quality males. Therefore, if early-life exposure to Pb disrupts song learning ability or shifts the allocation of antioxidant pigments away from colorful secondary sexual traits, male birds exposed to Pb may be less attractive to females. We exposed developing zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) to Pb-contaminated drinking water (100 or 1000 parts per billion [ppb]) after hatching (days 0–100). Once male finches reached adulthood (120–150 days post hatch), we measured song learning ability, coloration of bill and cheek patches, and volume of song nuclei in the brain. We also measured female preference for Pb-exposed males relative to control males. Finally, we measured motoric and spatial cognitive performance in male and female finches to assess whether cognitive traits differed in their sensitivity to Pb exposure. Male zebra finches exposed to 1000 ppb Pb had impaired song learning ability, reduced volume of song nuclei, bills with less redness and received less attention from females. Additionally, Pb exposure impaired motoric performance in both male and female finches but did not affect performance in a spatial cognitive task. Adult finches exposed to Pb-contaminated water had higher blood-Pb levels, though in all cases blood-Pb levels were below 7.0 µg dL−1. This study suggests that low-level exposure to Pb contributes to cognitive deficits that persist into adulthood and may indirectly influence fitness by altering secondary sexual traits and reducing male attractiveness.