Avian life history in the Anthropocene: a study of physiological, morphological, behavioural and fitness responses to rapid habitat change in an East African forest specialist (ANTHROBIRD).

不同生境环境条件的变化导致了物种之间生活史的变化。为了成功地繁殖和生存，动物的生理、形态和行为需要适应其栖息地的环境条件。生境破碎化和退化迅速改变了环境的非生物和生物特性，从而可能破坏生活史特征之间的平衡。特别是在物种多样性和人口压力最大的热带地区，许多原始地区在过去几十年中已经支离破碎和退化。本研究探讨了如何碎片化和退化的泰塔山，在肯尼亚的生物多样性热点的云雾森林，影响投资到繁殖的热带森林专家，Phyllastrephus placidus，通过研究内分泌学（特别是应激激素皮质酮），免疫学，身体状况，父母的行为和生殖成功伴随着在同一个人。泰塔山的鸟类群落已被广泛研究多年，并提供了一个独特的框架，研究生活史的演变和栖息地的变化在野生热带人口。由于其不同的生活史（低繁殖力，但寿命长），热带物种可以预期的反应不同的栖息地变化比温带物种，这一直是大多数研究的重点对动物种群的影响，到目前为止人为变化。因此，这项研究的结果将作出重大贡献，我们的生活史进化的理解，特别是皮质酮和免疫系统作为介质的生活史权衡栖息地变化下的作用。

Variation in environmental conditions across habitats has led to variation in life histories between species. To successfully reproduce and survive, an animals physiology, morphology and behaviour need to be tuned to the environmental conditions of its habitat. Habitat fragmentation and degradation rapidly change abiotic and biotic properties of the environment and may, thereby, disrupt the balance between life history traits. Especially in tropical areas, where species biodiversity, but also human population pressure, are highest, many pristine areas have been fragmented and degraded in the last decades. This study examines how fragmentation and degradation of the cloud forests of the Taita Hills, a biodiversity hotspot in Kenya, affects investment into reproduction in a tropical forest specialist, Phyllastrephus placidus, by studying endocrinology (in particular the stress hormone corticosterone), immunology, body condition, parental behaviour and reproductive success concomitantly in the same individuals. The bird community of the Taita Hills has been studied extensively for many years and offers a unique framework to study life history evolution and habitat change in a wild tropical population. Because of their different life history (low fecundity, but long lifespan) tropical species can be expected to respond differently to habitat change than temperate species, which have been the focus of most studies on the effects of anthropogenic change on animal populations so far. Thus, the results of this study will make a major contribution to our understanding of life history evolution, in particular the role of corticosterone and the immune system as mediators of life history trade-offs under habitat change.