Inbreeding negatively affects various life-history traits, with inbred individuals typically having lower fit- ness than outbred individuals (=inbreeding depression). Inbreeding depression is often emphasized under ...Inbreeding negatively affects various life-history traits, with inbred individuals typically having lower fit- ness than outbred individuals (=inbreeding depression). Inbreeding depression is often emphasized under environmental stress, but the underlying mechanisms and potential long-lasting consequences of such inbreeding-environment interactions remain poorly understood. Here, we hypothesize that inbreeding-environment interactions that occur early in life have long-term physiological effects, in partic- ular on the adult oxidative balance. We applied a unique experimental design to manipulate early life conditions of inbred and outbred songbirds (Serinus canaria) that allowed us to separate prenatal and postnatal components of early life conditions and their respective importance in inbreeding-environment interactions. We measured a wide variety of markers of oxidative status in adulthood, resulting in a com- prehensive account for oxidative balance. Using a Bayesian approach with Markov chain Monte Carlo, we found clear sex-specific effects and we also found only in females small yet significant long-term effects of inbreeding-environment interactions on adult oxidative balance. Postnatal components of early life conditions were most persuasively reflected on adult oxidative balance, with inbred females that experienced disadvantageous postnatal conditions upregulating enzymatic antioxidants in adulthood. Our study provides some evidence that adult oxidative balance can reflect inbreeding-environment inter- actions early in life, but given the rather small effects that were limited to females, we conclude that oxida- tive stress miaht have a limited role as mechanism underlvina inhre.e.dina-envirnnme.nt inte.raetinn.q_展开更多
文摘Inbreeding negatively affects various life-history traits, with inbred individuals typically having lower fit- ness than outbred individuals (=inbreeding depression). Inbreeding depression is often emphasized under environmental stress, but the underlying mechanisms and potential long-lasting consequences of such inbreeding-environment interactions remain poorly understood. Here, we hypothesize that inbreeding-environment interactions that occur early in life have long-term physiological effects, in partic- ular on the adult oxidative balance. We applied a unique experimental design to manipulate early life conditions of inbred and outbred songbirds (Serinus canaria) that allowed us to separate prenatal and postnatal components of early life conditions and their respective importance in inbreeding-environment interactions. We measured a wide variety of markers of oxidative status in adulthood, resulting in a com- prehensive account for oxidative balance. Using a Bayesian approach with Markov chain Monte Carlo, we found clear sex-specific effects and we also found only in females small yet significant long-term effects of inbreeding-environment interactions on adult oxidative balance. Postnatal components of early life conditions were most persuasively reflected on adult oxidative balance, with inbred females that experienced disadvantageous postnatal conditions upregulating enzymatic antioxidants in adulthood. Our study provides some evidence that adult oxidative balance can reflect inbreeding-environment inter- actions early in life, but given the rather small effects that were limited to females, we conclude that oxida- tive stress miaht have a limited role as mechanism underlvina inhre.e.dina-envirnnme.nt inte.raetinn.q_