Nutritional, immunological and oxidative adaptations under anthropogenic pressure in breeding Adelie penguins (P. adeliae) at Antarctic Peninsula: a biochemical and proteomic approach

IBAÑEZ, ANDRÉS; ANSALDO, MARTÍN; TORRES, DIEGO; MONTALTI, DIEGO; DI FONZO, CARLA; FERNANDEZ, JULIETA

Liverpool

Conferencia; 14th International Seabird Group Conference.; 2018

Environmental factors such as, anthropogenic activity may induce changes in the physiology, health status and energetic demands on seabirds. The colony of Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) at Hope Bay, Antarctic peninsula, breed close to a research station and thus, exposed to high levels of human activity (DZ area). There is a low disturbed area (LDZ), geographically protected, where penguins also breed. To elucidate which are the physiological adaptations to impacted environments, we determined, between zones, nutritional, immunological, oxidative parameters and the level of proteins expression using proteomic methods, in serum. Body mass, total proteins, albumin and triglycerides were higher in LDZ, while uric acid and glucose in the DZ. Higher IgY level, γ-globulin fraction and hemmaglutinating activity were observed in penguins from the DZ, indicating that elevated immune responses are relevant in this area. Penguins from DZ showed higher levels of fructosamine and γ-glutamyltransferase activity, indicating that oxidative stress occurrs. Antioxidant and immunological proteins, were highly expressed in the DZ individuals demonstrating that penguins exposed to high disturbance level overexpress proteins related to antioxidant and immune functions. Altogether, this would constitute an energy costly physiological strategy to maintain an adequate body condition against the unfavourable conditions in high impacted zones.