Composition of physiologically important fatty acids in great tits differs between urban and rural populations on a seasonal basis

摘要: Fatty acids (FA) have crucial functions in animals, affecting e.g. inflammatory responses, thermoregulation, and cell membrane fluidity. Diet ambient temperature affect animals’ FA composition, which, turn, may influence these physiological processes. Great tits (Parus major) −common both urban rural habitats− are mainly granivorous during winter insectivorous summer. These diets show pronounced differences composition. Such variation has context-dependent effects on physiology, because the thermal environment, food availability, levels of pro-inflammatory environmental stressors differ between areas. Thus, we investigated how great tit plasma composition varied habitats across seasons. Eight FAs differed birds. Among these, arachidonic acid (omega (ω)-6 polyunsaturated FA) with thermoregulatory properties was more abundant than birds winter, whereas ω-3 anti-inflammatory were The difference pro- suggest that negative health suffer from being exposed to higher pollutants might be enhanced by an elevated response. summer This reflected diet change: common seeds, oleic- linoleic acid, present amounts birds, caterpillars Overall, a larger seasonal seen among study is first reveal populations for all animals studied date. Future experiments should unravel implications this variation, ultimately, link its fitness different dietary requirements ur