Year: 2018
Type: dissertation
Abstract: There is much interest in research on sperm telomere dynamics and how telomere length relates to sperm quality, male fertility, and its impact on fitness.There is, however, a lack of knowledge on sperm telomeres in avian species.This thesis aims to explore sperm relative telomere length in relation to blood telomere length, age, and individual attributes of adult male blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) in a wild population, using both cross-sectional and longitudinal data.Fieldwork was carried out in Dæli, outside of Oslo, Norway.A qPCR assay was used to estimate relative telomere length in 50 sperm samples and 40 blood samples from 45 individuals collected in 2016 and 2017, and correlations between relative telomere length in sperm and various attributes were assessed.There was a significant positive correlation with blood relative telomere length and a significant year effect on sperm telomere length.Cross-sectional data indicated that there was no relationship between sperm telomere length and age in blue tits; however, longitudinal data revealed an increase in sperm telomere length for all five individuals analysed.In addition, males with longer sperm telomeres reared broods which had lower mean nestling masses in one of the study years.The results indicate that sperm telomere dynamics are similar to those of blood telomeres in the short-lived blue tit, in contrast to what has been found in humans and other mammals.
Author: Avery Baie Macneish
Language: English
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2953938264