Publication
Title
Physiological and immunological responses of birds and mammals to forest degradation : a meta-analysis
Author
Abstract
Dramatic changes in species composition have been found following selective logging and forest fragmentation. The different responses of bird species to these disturbances suggest that some species are more sensitive to environmental changes than others. Recent studies have suggested that the chances of species to adapt to new environments may be mediated by their stress physiology and immunity. We reviewed and performed a meta analysis of studies that compared physiological and immunological endpoints of bird and mammal species between degraded (logged and fragmented) forests and undisturbed forests. We found that stress hormones and immunity markers show consistent changes in response to habitat degradation in birds and mammals. Higher physiological and immunological responses were found in those animals living in forests that were subjected to clear-cutting. Furthermore, we found that birds and species belonging to IUCN 'Threatened' categories exhibited significantly larger effect size estimates than mammals and 'Least Concern' species, respectively. Our meta analysis revealed that changes in the production of stress hormones and in some immune traits are a significant consequence of forest disturbance. Physiology and immunity might be two important mediators of the adaptiveness of a given species to changing forests.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Biological conservation. - Liverpool
Publication
Liverpool : 2018
ISSN
0006-3207
DOI
10.1016/J.BIOCON.2018.06.002
Volume/pages
224 (2018) , p. 223-229
ISI
000439537600025
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 07.09.2018
Last edited 09.10.2023
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