Induced maternal response to the Lyme disease spirochaete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in a colonial seabird, the kittiwake Rissa tridactyla

Mothers are predicted to invest in their offspring depending on the quality of their mate, their opportunity to invest in future reproduction and the characteristics of the habitat in which their offspring will be born. Recen t studies have suggested a transfer of maternal immunity to offspring as an induced response to the local presence of parasites in the environment, bu t evidence has been indirect. Here, we show the presence of antibodies agai nst the Lyme disease agent Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato; a spirochaete t ransmitted by the seabird tick Ixodes uriae, in the eggs of kittiwakes Riss a tridactyla. We report higher prevalence of antibodies against Borrelia in eggs from breeding areas with higher prevalence and abundance of ticks. Fu rther, high repeatabilities of antibody-positive eggs within clutches and b etween first and replacement clutches show that, within a breeding season, females differ consistently with respect to the expression of this induced maternal response. Our results suggest that mothers can alter investment in their young depending on local conditions. Such maternal effects clearly h ave implications for the ecology and evolution of host-parasite interaction s.