BUSCADOR RECOLECTA

Nest materials used by animals can have profound effects on developing offspring. They can modify the bacterial and parasitic environment of the nest, and can influence parental investment through sexual signalling processes. In spotless starlings, Sturnus unicolor, green plants and feathers are known nest materials with such functions. The aim of our study was to experimentally assess their influence on nestlings’ telomere length and attrition, which are good predictors of their survival prospects. In a full-factorial experiment, we explored these effects in two different populations, together with the potential effects of hatching date, ectoparasitism, bacterial environment and nestling growth. Telomere length and attrition largely depended on population identity and hatching date. After correcting for these effects, the addition of feathers resulted in higher rates of telomere attrition. The addition of plants did not affect nestling telomeres in general, but did in interaction with location: in Hueneja, the experimental addition of green plants resulted in longer telomeres. Feather pigmentation also did not affect telomere length or attrition in general, but did in interaction with location: in Hueneja, the experimental addition of unpigmented feathers resulted in nestlings with longer telomeres and lower attrition rates. Moreover, prevalence of staphylococci on the skin of 8-day-old nestlings was negatively related to telomere lengths of fledglings. Taken together, these results suggest a direct link between nest material composition and nestling telomere length and dynamics. This relationship could be partially mediated by the antimicrobial and/or antiparasitic properties of nest materials or by sexual signalling, Funding was provided by the Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad and European funds (FEDER) (CGL2013-48193-C3-1-P, CGL2013-48193-C3-2-P, CGL2012-30759, CGL2015-65055-P). J.M.P., G.T. and M.R.R. were supported respectively by Juan de la Cierva, Ramón & Cajal and Talentia postdoctoral contracts., Peer reviewed

Proyectos del Plan Nacional I+D+I con referencias PB94-0129, PB97-1132, BHA 2002-00138, HUM 2006-06250/HIST, Proyectos de la CAM con referencias 06/0020/1997, 06/0094/1998, 06/0090/2000, 06/0043/2001, Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010 con sigla CSD2007-00058, No, Museo de Santa Cruz (Toledo), Palomar del Pintado (Toledo), 2 colgantes en forma de mosca, una cuenta de perfil compuesto, y fragmento de cuenta de perfil curvo

Proyectos del Plan Nacional I+D+I con referencias PB94-0129, PB97-1132, BHA 2002-00138, HUM 2006-06250/HIST, Proyectos de la CAM con referencias 06/0020/1997, 06/0094/1998, 06/0090/2000, 06/0043/2001, Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010 con sigla CSD2007-00058, No, Museo de Santa Cruz (Toledo), Palomar del Pintado (Toledo), 2 colgantes en forma de mosca, una cuenta de perfil compuesto, y fragmento de cuenta de perfil curvo

Proyectos del Plan Nacional I+D+I con referencias PB94-0129, PB97-1132, BHA 2002-00138, HUM 2006-06250/HIST, Proyectos de la CAM con referencias 06/0020/1997, 06/0094/1998, 06/0090/2000, 06/0043/2001, Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010 con sigla CSD2007-00058, No, Museo de Santa Cruz (Toledo), Palomar del Pintado (Toledo), Anverso de colgante en forma de mosca

Proyectos del Plan Nacional I+D+I con referencias PB94-0129, PB97-1132, BHA 2002-00138, HUM 2006-06250/HIST, Proyectos de la CAM con referencias 06/0020/1997, 06/0094/1998, 06/0090/2000, 06/0043/2001, Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010 con sigla CSD2007-00058, No, Museo de Santa Cruz (Toledo), Palomar del Pintado (Toledo), Reverso de colgante en forma de mosca

Proyectos del Plan Nacional I+D+I con referencias PB94-0129, PB97-1132, BHA 2002-00138, HUM 2006-06250/HIST, Proyectos de la CAM con referencias 06/0020/1997, 06/0094/1998, 06/0090/2000, 06/0043/2001, Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010 con sigla CSD2007-00058, No, Museo de Santa Cruz (Toledo), Palomar del Pintado (Toledo), Reverso de colgante en forma de mosca

Proyectos del Plan Nacional I+D+I con referencias PB94-0129, PB97-1132, BHA 2002-00138, HUM 2006-06250/HIST, Proyectos de la CAM con referencias 06/0020/1997, 06/0094/1998, 06/0090/2000, 06/0043/2001, Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010 con sigla CSD2007-00058, No, Museo de Santa Cruz (Toledo), Palomar del Pintado (Toledo), Cuenta de perfil compuesto calada

Proyectos del Plan Nacional I+D+I con referencias PB94-0129, PB97-1132, BHA 2002-00138, HUM 2006-06250/HIST, Proyectos de la CAM con referencias 06/0020/1997, 06/0094/1998, 06/0090/2000, 06/0043/2001, Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010 con sigla CSD2007-00058, No, Museo de Santa Cruz (Toledo), Palomar del Pintado (Toledo), Cuenta de perfil compuesto calada

Proyectos del Plan Nacional I+D+I con referencias PB94-0129, PB97-1132, BHA 2002-00138, HUM 2006-06250/HIST, Proyectos de la CAM con referencias 06/0020/1997, 06/0094/1998, 06/0090/2000, 06/0043/2001, Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010 con sigla CSD2007-00058, No, Museo de Santa Cruz (Toledo), Palomar del Pintado (Toledo), Cuenta de perfil compuesto calada

Proyectos del Plan Nacional I+D+I con referencias PB94-0129, PB97-1132, BHA 2002-00138, HUM 2006-06250/HIST, Proyectos de la CAM con referencias 06/0020/1997, 06/0094/1998, 06/0090/2000, 06/0043/2001, Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010 con sigla CSD2007-00058, No, Museo de Santa Cruz (Toledo), Palomar del Pintado (Toledo), Cuenta de perfil compuesto calada