Immunocompetence and its costs during development: an experimental study in blue tit nestlings

摘要: The allocation into T-cell-mediated immunocompetence was experimentally increased in 68 out of 139 nestlings by supplementary feeding methionine to half the 15 blue tit nests. Methionine-supplemented had an immunocompetence, but a reduced growth compared with control siblings. Nestlings that low initial weights and were supplemented mortality risk. investment nestling tits make appears be tightly controlled survival costs paid through trade-off between growth.