Mitigating the impact of microbial pressure on great (Parus major) and blue (Cyanistes caeruleus) tit hatching success through maternal immune investment.

The hatching success of a bird's egg is one of the key determinants of avian reproductive success, which may be compromised by microbial infections causing embryonic death. During incubation, outer eggshell bacterial communities pose a constant threat of pathogen translocation and embryo infection. One of the parental strategies to mitigate this threat is the incorporation of maternal immune factors into the egg albumen and yolk.

Phosphorus mining efficiency declines with decreasing soil P concentration and varies across crop species.

High soil P concentrations hinder ecological restoration of biological communities typical for nutrient-poor soils. Phosphorus mining, i.e.

Salmonella Typhimurium DT193 and DT99 are present in great and blue tits in Flanders, Belgium.

Endemic infections with the common avian pathogen Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Typhimurium (Salmonella Typhimurium) may incur a significant cost on the host population. In this study, we determined the potential of endemic Salmonella infections to reduce the reproductive success of blue (Cyanistes caeruleus) and great (Parus major) tits by correlating eggshell infection with reproductive parameters. The fifth egg of each clutch was collected from nest boxes in 19 deciduous forest fragments.