Abstract
'Immunocompetence' is a term used in avian immunological ecology to refer to the ability of an individual to overcome potential parasite infections. However, there are multiple ecological definitions of this term currently used.
This prevents much of the potential intellectual interchange between avian ecologists and immunologists, which decelerates the development of immunological ecology as a scientific discipline. In any individual host-parasite interrelationship the demands on host immunity are distinct and thus also the measurements of immunity in any particular case should be aimed differently.
The term 'immunocompetence' (defined as the ability to produce antiparasite or anti-antigen immune response) should be used as 0/1 character. The magnitude of a particular immune response (i.e. a continuous quantitative trait) should be referred to as 'immune responsiveness'.
Both terms should be used only with respect to a certain parasite taxon or antigen studied.