Oxidative costs of migration : infections as an added burden
(2026) In Journal of Avian Biology 2026(2).- Abstract
There is increasing evidence that over-production of reactive species (RS) constitutes a significant physiological cost for migrating birds. The current view entails that RS during migration originate primarily from increased metabolic activity associated with prolonged flights and refueling. In this review, we argue that there is another substantial, yet mostly overlooked, source for RS in migrating birds: infections. Specifically, we highlight that acute and chronic infections during migration are the norm rather than the exception, and that those infections can also result in harmful RS production, either via immune system activation or via the pathogen itself. Thus, infections may impose further oxidative costs on migrating... (More)
There is increasing evidence that over-production of reactive species (RS) constitutes a significant physiological cost for migrating birds. The current view entails that RS during migration originate primarily from increased metabolic activity associated with prolonged flights and refueling. In this review, we argue that there is another substantial, yet mostly overlooked, source for RS in migrating birds: infections. Specifically, we highlight that acute and chronic infections during migration are the norm rather than the exception, and that those infections can also result in harmful RS production, either via immune system activation or via the pathogen itself. Thus, infections may impose further oxidative costs on migrating individuals in addition to those directly caused by migratory flights and refueling. Depending on the type of infection and the associated immune responses, these costs may be substantial. Therefore, both migration- and infection-related oxidative challenges should be considered when trying to explain variation in (individual) migration strategies and in coping mechanisms used to mitigate oxidative damage. We explore the ecological and evolutionary consequences of infection during migration in relation to oxidative stress. Specific research on the processes and mechanisms involved in immune-oxidative stress may lead to fundamental advances in our understanding of the ecology and evolution of migration and residency.
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- author
- Tobler, Michael LU ; Hasselquist, Dennis LU ; Hegemann, Arne LU ; Gallardo, Lucía Jiménez ; Tris, Javier Pérez and Remacha, Carolina
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026-03
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- antioxidants, host–pathogen co-evolution, migration strategy, oxidative burst, reactive species, tolerance
- in
- Journal of Avian Biology
- volume
- 2026
- issue
- 2
- article number
- e03540
- publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105033232483
- ISSN
- 0908-8857
- DOI
- 10.1002/jav.03540
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- ad949db6-7bd3-4521-b41b-d6652df2b38e
- date added to LUP
- 2026-04-29 12:36:29
- date last changed
- 2026-05-06 11:18:45
@article{ad949db6-7bd3-4521-b41b-d6652df2b38e,
abstract = {{<p>There is increasing evidence that over-production of reactive species (RS) constitutes a significant physiological cost for migrating birds. The current view entails that RS during migration originate primarily from increased metabolic activity associated with prolonged flights and refueling. In this review, we argue that there is another substantial, yet mostly overlooked, source for RS in migrating birds: infections. Specifically, we highlight that acute and chronic infections during migration are the norm rather than the exception, and that those infections can also result in harmful RS production, either via immune system activation or via the pathogen itself. Thus, infections may impose further oxidative costs on migrating individuals in addition to those directly caused by migratory flights and refueling. Depending on the type of infection and the associated immune responses, these costs may be substantial. Therefore, both migration- and infection-related oxidative challenges should be considered when trying to explain variation in (individual) migration strategies and in coping mechanisms used to mitigate oxidative damage. We explore the ecological and evolutionary consequences of infection during migration in relation to oxidative stress. Specific research on the processes and mechanisms involved in immune-oxidative stress may lead to fundamental advances in our understanding of the ecology and evolution of migration and residency.</p>}},
author = {{Tobler, Michael and Hasselquist, Dennis and Hegemann, Arne and Gallardo, Lucía Jiménez and Tris, Javier Pérez and Remacha, Carolina}},
issn = {{0908-8857}},
keywords = {{antioxidants; host–pathogen co-evolution; migration strategy; oxidative burst; reactive species; tolerance}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{2}},
publisher = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
series = {{Journal of Avian Biology}},
title = {{Oxidative costs of migration : infections as an added burden}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jav.03540}},
doi = {{10.1002/jav.03540}},
volume = {{2026}},
year = {{2026}},
}