Microbial surveillance verses cytokine responsiveness in native and non-native house sparrows

The success of introduced species often relies on flexible traits, including immune traits that balance infection risk against the harm of an overactive response. While theories predict non-natives will have weak defenses due to decreased parasite pressure, effective parasite surveillance remains crucial, as infection risk is rarely zero and the evolutionary novelty of infection is elevated in non-native areas. This study examines the relationship between parasite surveillance and cytokine responsiveness in native and non-native house sparrows, hypothesizing that non-natives maintain high pathogen surveillance while avoiding costly inflammation. We made this specific prediction, as this pattern could enable invaders to effectively mitigate pathogen risk in manner commensurate with the life history priorities of a colonizing organism (i.e., rapid maturation and high, per bout reproductive effort).  To test this hypothesis, we measured TLR-2 and TLR-4 expression, markers of pathogen surve..., (A) Bird capture and care
During the non-breeding seasons of 2020-2023, we captured adult house sparrows (n=89) via mist netting from sunrise to 11.00 in nine locations across the globe (Figure 1) with exact location and dates of capture available in the supplements. Upon capture, we measured wing cord (to 150 mm), tarsus length (to 0.1mm), and body mass (to 0.1g) and collected a ~50 µl blood sample from the brachial vein of each bird (stored in 300 µl of DNA/RNA shield (Zymo R1100-50). Immediately thereafter, we injected each bird with 100 µl of 1 mg ml-1 LPS (from E. coli 055:B5; Fisher L4005) in sterile saline subcutaneously over the breast muscle. Post injection, we housed birds individually (but in visual and vocal contact with one another) in wire songbird cages (approximately 35.6 x 40.6 x 44.5) with food and water ad libitum. Eight hours post-injection, we took an additional ~10 µl of blood from the brachial vein. Forty-eight hours post-injection, we euthanatized birds via isofl..., , ## Microbial surveillance verses cytokine responsiveness in native and non-native house sparrows

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.73n5tb35c](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.73n5tb35c)

This dataset contains two primary files: a file that has our our raw data and log transformed data (Data.csv) and our R script (McCain_Script.Rmd). Metadata listed here is also duplicated in the accompanying (Data-Metadata.csv) . 

### The labels of the columns in the datasheet

Band: Refers to the unique identification number for each bird, provided in the form of a band placed on the bird's leg for tracking and identification purposes.

County: The geographical location where each bird was sampled or observed.

Status: Indicates the invasion status of the bird, such as whether the bird was captured from a native or non-native (introduced) population

SEX: The sex of the bird, noted as M for male, or F for female 

Tarsus: The length of the bird's tarsus (the part of the leg between the foot and the knee), ...