Applying the tools of ecological immunology to conservation: a test case in the Galapagos sea lion

摘要: Infectious disease threatens biodiversity and human health on a global scale, emergence may become more common as humans further encroach habitats modify environments. To accurately assess the risk of in free-ranging populations vertebrates, we require an understanding dynamics immunity wild. We applied techniques from emergent discipline ecological immunology to describe immune activity endangered Galapagos sea lion Zalophus wollebaeki, which is threatened simultaneously by domestic animals fluctuations food supply driven unpredictable environmental variation. compared shortly after birth until 2 years age between two colonies: one heavily influenced other uninhabited island, using generalized linear model framework. Controlling for development, was higher human-impacted colony, assessed with both humoural cellular components cumulative snapshot measures activity. discuss possibility that lions colony are under greater immunostimulatory pressure than those comparison could have implications individual fitness, stability emergence. The study demonstrates utility widely applicable approach quantifying wild it highlights important aspects system targeted analysis study.