High temperatures are associated with decreased immune system performance in a wild primate
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Rising temperatures due to climate change are predicted to threaten the persistence of wild animals, but there is little evidence that climate change has pushed species beyond their thermal tolerance. The immune system is an ideal avenue to assess the effects of climate change because immune performance is sensitive to changes in temperature and immune competency can affect reproductive success. We investigate the effect of rising temperatures on a biomarker of nonspecific immune performance in a wild population of capuchin monkeys and provide compelling evidence that immune performance is associated with ambient temperature. Critically, we found that immune performance in young individuals is more sensitive to high temperatures compared to other age groups. Coupled with evidence of rising temperatures in the region, our results offer insight into how climate change will affect the immune system of wild mammals.
Source: Science Advances
Authors: Jordan M. Lucore, Jacinta C. Beehner, Amy F. White, Lorena F. Sinclair, Vasco Alexandre Martins, Sarah A. Kovalaskas, Juan Carlos Ordoñez, Thore J. Bergman, Marcela E. Benítez, Andrew J. Marshall
Institutions: University of Michigan, Durham University, Emory University
Language: English
Subfield: Ecology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,500
OpenAlex ID: W4404840243