This is a really interesting article about how the evolution of the anthropoid immune system might be responsive to environmental factors, using baseline leucocyte concentrations as a proxy.
http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/269/1495/1031.full.pdf+html?sid=a255f50e-7f61-466b-a4ca-af1264e6874f
The authors conclude that while group size and population dynamics are less tightly associated with parasitism and leucocyte concentration, annual rainfall (due to wetness and increased presence of parasites) and body mass (due to relatively higher or lower proportion of surface area available for damage/injury) are related. These conclusions are interesting especially in light of our discussions on adaptive immune response in the readings this week.
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