Chemical Ecology of Uropygial Gland Secretions

尾盆腺的化学生态学在尾巴的底部，鸟类有一个腺体，称为尾盆腺或尾尾腺。这个腺体产生油性分泌物。鸟类一天多次用它们的喙将这些分泌物散布在它们的羽毛上。人们早就知道，这种行为对于保持羽毛的良好状态是必不可少的，因为将这些分泌物应用到羽毛上可以保持羽毛的柔韧性和延展性。此前的研究表明，虽然大多数鸟类都会产生分泌物，但不同鸟类的化学成分不同。分泌物的组成也会随季节变化，男性和女性之间可能会有所不同。在温暖的天气里，分泌物比在凉爽的时候含有更多的化学成分。在鸟的羽毛里和羽毛上可以发现许多有机体。这些包括细菌、真菌、螨虫、虱子和其他节肢动物。这些生物中的许多对鸟类都是有害的，可以假设，前腺分泌物在保护鸟类免受它们的伤害方面发挥了重要作用。这项建议的目的是描述前腺分泌物非常复杂的化学成分，确定这些化学成分在单一物种内如何在时间和空间上变化，并测试这些分泌物对寄生细菌、真菌和节肢动物的影响。这项研究将导致发现和鉴定新的化合物，并确定其中哪些具有抗菌、抗真菌、抗虱子和缓解疾病的作用。其中一些化学物质可能具有其他生物无法产生的新奇结构。这种化合物在兽医科学(家禽)中可能有很大的价值，甚至可能被应用于医药用途。

Chemical Ecology of Uropygial Gland Secretions At the base of their tail, birds possess a gland known as the uropygial or preen gland. This gland produces oily secretions. Multiple times a day birds use their beak to spread these secretions over their feathers. It has long be known that this behavior is essential for maintaining feathers in good condition because applying these secretions to feathers keeps them supple and malleable. Previous studies have shown that although most birds produce secretions, the chemical composition varies between bird species. Secretion composition also changes seasonally, and may differ between males and females. In warmer weather secretions contain a larger number of chemical components than during cooler periods. In and on bird feathers numerous organisms can be found. These include bacteria, fungi, mites, lice and other arthropods. Many of these organisms are harmful to the birds, and it can be hypothesized that preen-gland secretions would play an important role in protecting the bird against them. The objective of this proposal is to describe the very complex chemical composition of preen-gland secretions, to determine how these vary in time and space within a single species, and to test the effect the secretions have on parasitic bacteria, fungi and arthropods. The research will lead to the discovery and identification of new chemical compounds and determine which of these have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-lice and miticidal effects. Some of these chemicals may have novel structures that are not produced by other living organisms. Such compounds could be of great value in veterinary sciences (poultry), and could perhaps even have applications for medicinal use.