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Fulltext Epitope Mapping of Avian Influenza M2e Protein: Different Species Recognise Various Epitopes

Hasan NH, Ebrahimie E, Ignjatovic J, Tarigan S, Peaston A, Hemmatzadeh F

PLoS One, 2016;11(6):e0156418.
PMID: 27362795 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156418

A common approach for developing diagnostic tests for influenza virus detection is the use of mouse or rabbit monoclonal and/or polyclonal antibodies against a target antigen of the virus. However, comparative mapping of the target antigen using antibodies from different animal sources has not been evaluated before. This is important because identification of antigenic determinants of the target antigen in different species plays a central role to ensure the efficiency of a diagnostic test, such as competitive ELISA or immunohistochemistry-based tests. Interest in the matrix 2 ectodomain (M2e) protein of avian influenza virus (AIV) as a candidate for a universal vaccine and also as a marker for detection of virus infection in vaccinated animals (DIVA) is the rationale for the selection of this protein for comparative mapping evaluation. This study aimed to map the epitopes of the M2e protein of avian influenza virus H5N1 using chicken, mouse and rabbit monoclonal or monospecific antibodies. Our findings revealed that rabbit antibodies (rAbs) recognized epitope 6EVETPTRN13 of the M2e, located at the N-terminal of the protein, while mouse (mAb) and chicken antibodies (cAbs) recognized epitope 10PTRNEWECK18, located at the centre region of the protein. The findings highlighted the difference between the M2e antigenic determinants recognized by different species that emphasized the importance of comparative mapping of antibody reactivity from different animals to the same antigen, especially in the case of multi-host infectious agents such as influenza. The findings are of importance for antigenic mapping, as well as diagnostic test and vaccine development.

Matched MeSH terms: Influenza in Birds/virology*
Life cycle of a new Plagiorchid from Bulbuls and Swifts experimentally maintained in White-headed Munias and white mice

Heyneman D, Umathevy T

Med J Malaya, 1966 Jun;20(4):352.
PMID: 4224362
Matched MeSH terms: Birds
Fulltext Ecological impacts of tropical forest fragmentation: how consistent are patterns in species richness and nestedness?

Hill JK, Gray MA, Khen CV, Benedick S, Tawatao N, Hamer KC

Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, 2011 Nov 27;366(1582):3265-76.
PMID: 22006967 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2011.0050

Large areas of tropical forest now exist as remnants scattered across agricultural landscapes, and so understanding the impacts of forest fragmentation is important for biodiversity conservation. We examined species richness and nestedness among tropical forest remnants in birds (meta-analysis of published studies) and insects (field data for fruit-feeding Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) and ants). Species-area relationships were evident in all four taxa, and avian and insect assemblages in remnants typically were nested subsets of those in larger areas. Avian carnivores and nectarivores and predatory ants were more nested than other guilds, implying that the sequential loss of species was more predictable in these groups, and that fragmentation alters the trophic organization of communities. For butterflies, the ordering of fragments to achieve maximum nestedness was by fragment area, suggesting that differences among fragments were driven mainly by extinction. In contrast for moths, maximum nestedness was achieved by ordering species by wing length; species with longer wings (implying better dispersal) were more likely to occur at all sites, including low diversity sites, suggesting that differences among fragments were driven more strongly by colonization. Although all four taxa exhibited high levels of nestedness, patterns of species turnover were also idiosyncratic, and thus even species-poor sites contributed to landscape-scale biodiversity, particularly for insects.

Matched MeSH terms: Birds/physiology*
The Malaysian Medical Association's role in public health control for reduction of bird dropping hazards in Sarawak

Hock RH

Aust N Z J Public Health, 2009 Apr;33(2):194-5.
PMID: 19413867 DOI: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2009.00370.x
Matched MeSH terms: Birds/microbiology*
Fulltext Nutrigenomic effects of edible bird's nest on insulin signaling in ovariectomized rats

Hou Z, Imam MU, Ismail M, Ooi DJ, Ideris A, Mahmud R

Drug Des Devel Ther, 2015;9:4115-25.
PMID: 26316695 DOI: 10.2147/DDDT.S80743

Estrogen deficiency alters quality of life during menopause. Hormone replacement therapy has been used to improve quality of life and prevent complications, but side effects limit its use. In this study, we evaluated the use of edible bird's nest (EBN) for prevention of cardiometabolic problems in rats with ovariectomy-induced menopause. Ovariectomized female rats were fed for 12 weeks with normal rat chow, EBN, or estrogen and compared with normal non-ovariectomized rats. Metabolic indices (insulin, estrogen, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, oral glucose tolerance test, and lipid profile) were measured at the end of the experiment from serum and liver tissue homogenate, and transcriptional levels of hepatic insulin signaling genes were measured. The results showed that ovariectomy worsened metabolic indices and disrupted the normal transcriptional pattern of hepatic insulin signaling genes. EBN improved the metabolic indices and also produced transcriptional changes in hepatic insulin signaling genes that tended toward enhanced insulin sensitivity, and glucose and lipid homeostasis, even better than estrogen. The data suggest that EBN could meliorate estrogen deficiency-associated increase in risk of cardiometabolic disease in rats, and may in fact be useful as a functional food for the prevention of such a problem in humans. The clinical validity of these findings is worth studying further.

Matched MeSH terms: Birds*
Lactoferrin and ovotransferrin contribute toward antioxidative effects of Edible Bird's Nest against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress in human SH-SY5Y cells

Hou Z, Imam MU, Ismail M, Azmi NH, Ismail N, Ideris A, et al.

Biosci Biotechnol Biochem, 2015;79(10):1570-8.
PMID: 26057702 DOI: 10.1080/09168451.2015.1050989

There are reports of improved redox outcomes due to consumption of Edible Bird's Nest (EBN). Many of the functional effects of EBN can be linked to its high amounts of antioxidants. Interestingly, dietary components with high antioxidants have shown promise in the prevention of aging and its related diseases like Alzheimer's disease. In this study, the antioxidative potentials of EBN and its constituents, lactoferrin (LF) and ovotransferrin (OVF), were determined and protective effects against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)- induced toxicity on SH-SY5Y cells using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and acridine orange and propidium iodide (AO/PI) staining with microscopy were examined. Results showed that EBN and its constituents attenuated H2O2-induced cytotoxicity, and decreased radical oxygen species (ROS) through increased scavenging activity. Furthermore, LF, OVF, and EBN produced transcriptional changes in antioxidant related genes that tended towards neuroprotection as compared to H2O2-treated group. Overall, the results suggest that LF and OVF may produce synergistic or all-or-none antioxidative effects in EBN.

Matched MeSH terms: Birds
Fulltext Edible Bird's Nest Prevents Menopause-Related Memory and Cognitive Decline in Rats via Increased Hippocampal Sirtuin-1 Expression

Hou Z, He P, Imam MU, Qi J, Tang S, Song C, et al.

Oxid Med Cell Longev, 2017;2017:7205082.
PMID: 29104731 DOI: 10.1155/2017/7205082

Menopause causes cognitive and memory dysfunction due to impaired neuronal plasticity in the hippocampus. Sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) downregulation in the hippocampus is implicated in the underlying molecular mechanism. Edible bird's nest (EBN) is traditionally used to improve general wellbeing, and in this study, we evaluated its effects on SIRT1 expression in the hippocampus and implications on ovariectomy-induced memory and cognitive decline in rats. Ovariectomized female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed with normal pellet alone or normal pellet + EBN (6, 3, or 1.5%), compared with estrogen therapy (0.2 mg/kg/day). After 12 weeks of intervention, Morris water maze (four-day trial and one probe trial) was conducted, and serum estrogen levels, toxicity markers (alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, urea, and creatinine), and hippocampal SIRT1 immunohistochemistry were estimated after sacrifice. The results indicated that EBN and estrogen enhanced spatial learning and memory and increased serum estrogen and hippocampal SIRT1 expression. In addition, the EBN groups did not show as much toxicity to the liver as the estrogen group. The data suggested that EBN treatment for 12 weeks could improve cognition and memory in ovariectomized female rats and may be an effective alternative to estrogen therapy for menopause-induced aging-related memory loss.

Matched MeSH terms: Birds
Edible Bird's Nest Attenuates Menopause-Related Bone Degeneration in Rats via Increaing Bone Estrogen-Receptor Expression

Hou ZP, Tang SY, Ji HR, He PY, Li YH, Dong XL, et al.

Chin J Integr Med, 2021 Apr;27(4):280-285.
PMID: 31872369 DOI: 10.1007/s11655-019-3209-1

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanistic basis for the attenuation of bone degeneration by edible bird's nest (EBN) in ovariectomized rats.
METHODS: Forty-two female Sprage-Dawley rats were randomized into 7 groups (6 in each group). The ovariectomized (OVX) and OVX + 6%, 3%, and 1.5% EBN and OVX +estrogen groups were given standard rat chow alone, standard rat chow +6%, 3%, and 1.5% EBN, or standard rat chow +estrogen therapy (0.2mg/kg per day), respectively. The sham-operation group was surgically opened without removing the ovaries. The control group did not have any surgical intervention. After 12 weeks of intervention, blood samples were taken for serum estrogen, osteocalcin, and osteoprotegerin, as well as the measurement of magnesium, calcium abd zinc concentrations. While femurs were removed from the surrounding muscles to measure bone mass density using the X-ray edge detection technique, then collected for histology and estrogen receptor (ER) immunohistochemistry.
RESULTS: Ovariectomy altered serum estrogen levels resulting in increased food intake and weight gain, while estrogen and EBN supplementation attenuated these changes. Ovariectomy also reduced bone ER expression and density, and the production of osteopcalcin and osteorotegerin, which are important pro-osteoplastic hormones that promote bone mineraliztion and density. Conversely, estrogen and EBN increased serum estrogen levels leading to increased bone ER expression, pro-osteoplastic hormone production and bone density (all P<0.05).
CONCLUSION: EBN could be used as a safe alternative to hormone replacement therapys for managing menopausal complications like bone degeneration.

Matched MeSH terms: Birds
Fulltext Histoplasmosis with Addisonian crisis: call for bird control

Hu AS, Hu AS, Hu CH

Med J Malaysia, 2015 Apr;70(2):104-5.
PMID: 26162388 MyJurnal

We report a case of disseminated histoplasmosis, initially diagnosed from gut nodule colonoscopically, along with evidence of lung disease. Subsequently he developed Addisonian crisis due to adrenal involvement. Lessons were learnt from the importance of detailed history-personal and social/family, as well as psychosocial aspects of illness. Public health measures to reduce bird dropping (and thus possibility of histoplasmosis) are discussed.

Matched MeSH terms: Birds
Fulltext Using metapopulation theory for practical conservation of mangrove endemic birds

Huang R, Pimm SL, Giri C

Conserv Biol, 2020 02;34(1):266-275.
PMID: 31183898 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13364

As a landscape becomes increasingly fragmented through habitat loss, the individual patches become smaller and more isolated and thus less likely to sustain a local population. Metapopulation theory is appropriate for analyzing fragmented landscapes because it combines empirical landscape features with species-specific information to produce direct information on population extinction risks. This approach contrasts with descriptions of habitat fragments, which provide only indirect information on risk. Combining a spatially explicit metapopulation model with empirical data on endemic species' ranges and maps of habitat cover, we calculated the metapopulation capacity-a measure of a landscape's ability to sustain a metapopulation. Mangroves provide an ideal model landscape because they are of conservation concern and their patch boundaries are easily delineated. For 2000-20015, we calculated global metapopulation capacity for 99 metapopulations of 32 different bird species endemic to mangroves. Northern Australia and Southeast Asia had the highest richness of mangrove endemic birds. The Caribbean, Pacific coast of Central America, Madagascar, Borneo, and isolated patches in Southeast Asia in Myanmar and Malaysia had the highest metapopulation losses. Regions with the highest loss of habitat area were not necessarily those with the highest loss of metapopulation capacity. Often, it was not a matter of how much, but how the habitat was lost. Our method can be used by managers to evaluate and prioritize a landscape for metapopulation persistence.

Matched MeSH terms: Birds
Fulltext Factors influencing consumer intentions to avoid broiler chicken meat and products in Malaysia

Huang, L.C., Goh, Y.N., Mohaidin, Z.

International Food Research Journal, 2014;21(1):181-188.
MyJurnal

Reports of bird flu outbreaks occur around the globe, posing a severe threat to the poultry
industry and consumer health. Despite the number of bird flu scares, few studies have
considered the impact on consumers’ chicken consumption intentions in a non-western context,
such as in Malaysia. The aim of this study is to determine the factors that influence consumers’
intentions to take precautions by avoiding the consumption of broiler chicken meat and
products in Malaysia when a bird flu outbreak occurs. A total of 276 online questionnaires were
disseminated using convenience sampling with 109 respondents completing the questionnaires, generating a response rate of 40.8 percent. The study results show that attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, perceived credibility of information, and perceived risk have a significant relationship with consumer intentions to take precautions by avoiding the consumption of broiler chicken meat and products. One factor is the exception: attention towards bird flu news. These findings shed some light on understanding the extent of consumer response (i.e. consumption behavior) to future health crises (e.g. bird flu). Moreover, for policy makers, these findings may serve as a guide and a reference to food safety issues in the poultry industry, especially future bird flu scares.

Matched MeSH terms: Influenza in Birds
Characterization of Polar and Non-Polar Compounds of House Edible Bird's Nest (EBN) from Johor, Malaysia

Hun Lee T, Hau Lee C, Alia Azmi N, Kavita S, Wong S, Znati M, et al.

Chem Biodivers, 2020 Jan;17(1):e1900419.
PMID: 31721431 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.201900419

This work investigated the polar (PC: protein, amino acid and metabolite) and non-polar (NPC: fatty acid) compounds and bioactivity characteristics of the EBN harvested from the state of Johor in Malaysia. The electrophoretic gels exhibited 15 protein bands (16-173 kD) with unique protein profile. Amino acids analysis by AccQ⋅Tag method revealed 18 types of amino acids in EBN. Metabolite profiling was performed using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (HPLC-QTOF/MS) technique and a total of 54 compounds belonging to different groups were detected and identified. These findings help to uncover the relation of therapeutic activity of EBN. The EBN was further extracted with AcOEt and BuOH. The AcOEt extract was fractionated into three fractions (F1 -F3 ), and the high triglyceride content in F2 was verified by gC-FID. The three groups of fatty acids discovered in EBN are 48.43 % of poly-unsaturated (PUFA), 25.35 % of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and 24.74 % of mono-unsaturated fat (MUFA). This is the first time to report results ofEBN, BuOH, and AcOEt extracts and of fraction F2 (TEBN) on their analysis for their antioxidant activities by DPPH, ABTS and catalase assay and for their paraoxonase and anti-tyrosinase activities. The results showed that TEBN exhibited the significant bioactivity in all assays. These findings suggest that TEBN is a good source for natural bioactive compounds in promoting body vigor. Current work widened the content of EBN especially on the triglyceride and also marked the content of specific location (Johor, Malaysia) of EBN origin.

Matched MeSH terms: Birds*
Susceptibility of highly pathogenic A(H5N1) avian influenza viruses to the neuraminidase inhibitors and adamantanes

Hurt AC, Selleck P, Komadina N, Shaw R, Brown L, Barr IG

Antiviral Res, 2007 Mar;73(3):228-31.
PMID: 17112602

Since 2003, highly pathogenic A(H5N1) influenza viruses have been the cause of large-scale death in poultry and the subsequent infection and death of over 140 humans. A group of 55 influenza A(H5N1) viruses isolated from various regions of South East Asia between 2004 and 2006 were tested for their susceptibility to the anti-influenza drugs the neuraminidase inhibitors and adamantanes. The majority of strains were found to be fully sensitive to the neuraminidase inhibitors oseltamivir carboxylate, zanamivir and peramivir; however two strains demonstrated increased IC50 values. Sequence analysis of these strains revealed mutations in the normally highly conserved residues 116 and 117 of the N1 neuraminidase. Sequence analysis of the M2 gene showed that all of the A(H5N1) viruses from Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia contained mutations (L26I and S31N) associated with resistance to the adamantane drugs (rimantadine and amantadine), while strains from Indonesia were found to be a mix of both adamantane resistant (S31N) and sensitive viruses. None of the A(H5N1) viruses from Myanmar contained mutations known to confer adamantane resistance. These results support the use of neuraminidase inhibitors as the most appropriate class of antiviral drug to prevent or treat human A(H5N1) virus infections.

Matched MeSH terms: Birds; Influenza in Birds/virology*
Effects of logging and recovery process on avian richness and diversity in hill dipterocarp tropical rainforest-Malaysia

Husin MZ, Rajpar MN

J Environ Biol, 2015 Jan;36 Spec No:121-7.
PMID: 26591891

The effects of logging and recovery process on avian richness and diversity was compared in recently logged and thirty year post-harvested hill dipterocarp tropical rainforest, using mist-netting method. Atotal of 803 bird individuals representing 86 bird species and 29 families (i.e., 37.90% from recently logged forest and 62.10% from thirty year post-harvested forest) were captured from October 2010 to September, 2012. Twenty one bird species were commonly captured from both types of forests, 37 bird species were caught only in thirty year post-harvested forest and 28 bird species were caught only from recently logged forest. Arachnothera longirostra--Little Spiderhunter, Malacopteron magnum--Rufous-crowned Babbler, Alophoixus phaeocephalus -Yellow-bellied Bulbul and Meiglyptes tukki--Buff-necked Woodpecker were the most abundant four bird species in the thirty year post-harvested forest. On the contrary, seven bird species, i.e., Trichastoma rostratum - White-chested Babbler, Lacedo pulchella - Banded Kingfisher, Picus miniaceus--Banded Woodpecker, Enicurus ruficapillus - Chestnut-naped Forktail, Anthreptes simplex--Plain Sunbird, Muscicapella hodgsoni--Pygmy Blue Flycatcher and Otus rufescens--Reddish Scope Owl were considered as the rarest (i.e., each represented only 0.12%). Likewise, A. longirostra, Pycnonotus eythropthalmos - Spectacled Bulbul, P. simplex--Cream-vented Bulbul and Merops viridis--Blue-throated Bee-eater were the most dominant and Copsychus malabaricus--White-rumped Shama Eurylaimus javanicus--Banded Broadbill /xos malaccensis - Streaked Bulbul and Harpactes diardii--Diard's Trogon (each 0.12%) were the rarest bird species in recently logged forest. CAP analysis indicated that avian species in thirty year post-harvested forest were more diverse and evenly distributed than recently logged forest. However, recently logged forest was rich in bird species than thirty year post- harvested forest. The results revealed that logging and retrieval process affect bird species richness and diversity. However, bird species may respond differently from habitat to habitat, i.e., forest logging causes disturbance of some avian species while recovery process may replace the loss of vegetation and harbour a wide array of avian species richness and diversity.

Matched MeSH terms: Birds/classification*
Isolations of influenza A viruses from passerine birds in Malaysia

Ibrahim HM, Awang IP, Alexander DJ, Manvell RJ, Aini I, Ibrahim AL

Vet Rec, 1990 Nov 24;127(21):528.
PMID: 2281590
Matched MeSH terms: Birds/microbiology*
The ornithologist Alfred Russel Wallace and the controversy surrounding the dinosaurian origin of birds

Ibrahim N, Kutschera U

Theory Biosci, 2013 Dec;132(4):267-75.
PMID: 23975643 DOI: 10.1007/s12064-013-0192-5

Over many years of his life, the British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913) explored the tropical forests of Malaysia, collecting numerous specimens, including hundreds of birds, many of them new to science. Subsequently, Wallace published a series of papers on systematic ornithology, and discovered a new species on top of a volcano on Ternate, where he wrote, in 1858, his famous essay on natural selection. Based on this hands-on experience, and an analysis of an Archaeopteryx fossil, Wallace suggested that birds may have descended from dinosaurian ancestors. Here, we describe the "dinosaur-bird hypothesis" that originated with the work of Thomas H. Huxley (1825-1895). We present the strong evidence linking theropod dinosaurs to birds, and briefly outline the long and ongoing controversy around this concept. Dinosaurs preserving plumage, nesting sites and trace fossils provide overwhelming evidence for the dinosaurian origin of birds. Based on these recent findings of paleontological research, we conclude that extant birds indeed descended, with some modifications, from small, Mesozoic theropod dinosaurs. In the light of Wallace's view of bird origins, we critically evaluate recent opposing views to this idea, including Ernst Mayr's (1904-2005) arguments against the "dinosaur-bird hypothesis", and document that this famous ornithologist was not correct in his assessment of this important aspect of vertebrate evolution.

Matched MeSH terms: Birds/physiology*
Fulltext Garcinia subelliptica Merr. (Fukugi): A multipurpose coastal tree with promising medicinal properties

Inoue T, Kainuma M, Baba K, Oshiro N, Kimura N, Chan EW

J Intercult Ethnopharmacol, 2017 Jan 3;6(1):121-127.
PMID: 28163970 DOI: 10.5455/jice.20161229060034

In this short review, the current knowledge on the botany, ecology, uses, and medicinal properties of the multipurpose Garcinia subelliptica (Fukugi) is updated. As yet, there are no reviews on this indigenous and heritage coastal tree species of the Ryukyu Islands in Japan, which has ethnocultural, ecological, and pharmacological significance. Planted by the Okinawan people some 300 years ago, Fukugi trees serve as windbreaks and accord protection against the destructive typhoons. The species has become a popular ornamental tree, and its bark has been used for dyeing fabrics. It forms part of the food chain for mammals and insects and serves as nesting sites for birds. Endowed with bioactive compounds of benzophenones, xanthones, biflavonoids, and triterpenoids, G. subelliptica possesses anticancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-tyrosinase, trypanocidal, antibacterial, DNA topoisomerase inhibitory, DNA strand scission, choline acetyltransferase enhancing, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 inhibitory, and antiandrogenic activities. Fukugetin and fukugiside are two novel biflavonoids named after the species. The chemical constituents of Fukugi fruits when compared with those of mangosteen yielded interesting contrasts.

Matched MeSH terms: Birds
Monitoring of heavy metal pollution in urban and rural environments across Pakistan using House crows (Corvus splendens) as bioindicator

Iqbal F, Ayub Q, Wilson R, Song BK, Talei A, Yeong KY, et al.

Environ Monit Assess, 2021 Mar 30;193(4):237.
PMID: 33783594 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-021-08966-7

A widely distributed urban bird, the house crow (Corvus splendens), was used to assess bioavailable heavy metals in urban and rural environments across Pakistan. Bioaccumulation of arsenic (As), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), and copper (Cu) was investigated in wing feathers of 96 crows collected from eight locations and categorized into four groups pertaining to their geographical and environmental similarities. Results revealed that the concentrations of Pb, Ni, Mn, Cu, and Cr were positively correlated and varied significantly among the four groups. Zn, Fe, Cr, and Cu regarded as industrial outputs, were observed in birds both in industrialized cities and in adjoining rural agricultural areas irrigated through the Indus Basin Irrigation System. Birds in both urban regions accrued Pb more than the metal toxicity thresholds for birds. The house crow was ranked in the middle on the metal accumulation levels in feathers between highly accumulating raptor and piscivore and less contaminated insectivore and granivore species in the studied areas,. This study suggests that the house crow is an efficient bioindicator and supports the feasibility of using feathers to discriminate the local pollution differences among terrestrial environments having different levels and kinds of anthropogenic activities.

Matched MeSH terms: Birds
Biomonitoring of heavy metals in the feathers of House crow (Corvus splendens) from some metropolitans of Asia and Africa

Iqbal F, Wilson R, Ayub Q, Song BK, Krzeminska-Ahmedzai U, Talei A, et al.

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2023 Mar;30(13):35715-35726.
PMID: 36536201 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-24712-z

Urban-dwelling birds can be useful biomonitors to assess the impact of the urbanisation on both public and wildlife health. Widely distributed urban bird species, the House crow, was studied for heavy metal accumulation levels from nine cities of South Asia, Southeast Asia and Africa that border the Indian Ocean. Feathers were spectroscopically investigated for the deposition of ten heavy metals, i.e. As, Zn, Pb, Cd, Ni, iron Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu and Li. Fe and Zn were found to be the most prevalent metals in all sites. Measured concentrations of Pb (4.38-14.77 mg kg-1) overall, and Fe (935.66 mg kg-1) and Cu (67.17 mg kg-1) at some studied sites were above the toxicity levels reported lethal in avian toxicological studies. Multivariate analysis and linear models supported geographical location as a significant predictor for the level of most of the metals. Zn and Cu, generally and Pb, Cd, Mn, Cr at some sites exhibited potential bioaccumulation from surrounding environments. Inter-species comparisons strengthen the inference that the House crow is a reliable bioindicator species for the qualitative assessment of local urban environmental pollution and could be a useful tool for inter-regional monitoring programs.

Matched MeSH terms: Birds
Fulltext Does weather play an important role in the early nesting activity of colonial waterbirds? A case study in putrajaya wetlands, malaysia

Ismail A, Rahman F

Trop Life Sci Res, 2013 Aug;24(1):1-7.
PMID: 24575237 MyJurnal

Environmental factors can play important roles in influencing waterbird communities. In particular, weather may have various biological and ecological impacts on the breeding activities of waterbirds, though most studies have investigated the effect of weather on the late stages of waterbird breeding (e.g., hatching rate, chick mortality). Conversely, the present study attempts to highlight the influence of weather on the early nesting activities of waterbirds by evaluating a recently established mixed-species colony in Putrajaya Wetlands, Malaysia. The results show that only rainfall and temperature have a significant influence on the species' nesting activities. Rainfall activity is significantly correlated with the Grey Heron's rate of establishment (rainfall: rs = 0.558, p = 0.03, n = 72) whereas both temperature and rainfall are associated with Painted Stork's nesting density (temperature: rs = 0.573, p = 0.013; rainfall: rs = -0.662, p = 0.03, n = 48). There is a possibility that variations in the rainfall and temperature provide a cue for the birds to initiate their nesting. Regardless, this paper addresses concerns on the limitations faced in the study and suggests long-term studies for confirmation.

Matched MeSH terms: Birds

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