鸟类巢寄生伤害理论的进化

Review of virulent evolution in avian brood parasitism

鸟类巢寄生的寄主无论是成鸟还是雏鸟,对宿主都是极具伤害性的,因为它们降低了宿主的生育力,然而,无论是在寄主种内还是种间,其伤害性的差异变化很大。综述了以往对这种伤害性差异的各种解释,以往的解释在很大程度上集中在伤害性所带来的利益。认为寄主的伤害性行为可以像病原体的伤害性一样进行分类,伤害性在为寄主带来利益的同时,也伴随着代价,所以,由病原体伤害性进化研究衍生而来的平衡假说,适用于解释鸟类巢寄生伤害理论的进化。

The adults and nestlings of avian brood parasites are both virulent to their host because they considerably reduce the reproductive success of the hosts. However, the variation of virulence is quiet different between or within parasitized species. This paper reviewed the explanation of the virulent difference focused on the benefit from virulence in the past studies. In our opinion, the virulence of brood parasites could be classified as to the virulence of pathogens that bring costs while experience benefits at the same time. We suggested that the balance hypothesis which developed from the research of pathogens virulence might be the more reasonable explanation for the virulent evolution in avian brood parasitism.