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Kilgour DAV, Romero LM, Reed JM. Feather corticosterone is lower in translocated and historical populations of the endangered Laysan duck ( Anas laysanensis). Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240330. [PMID: 38772417 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Identifying reliable bioindicators of population status is a central goal of conservation physiology. Physiological stress measures are often used as metrics of individual health and can assist in managing endangered species if linked to fitness traits. We analysed feather corticosterone, a cumulative physiological stress metric, of individuals from historical, translocated, and source populations of an endangered endemic Hawaiian bird, the Laysan duck (Anas laysanensis). We hypothesized that feather corticosterone would reflect the improved reproduction and survival rates observed in populations translocated to Midway and Kure Atolls from Laysan Island. We also predicted less physiological stress in historical Laysan birds collected before ecological conditions deteriorated and the population bottleneck. All hypotheses were supported: we found lower feather corticosterone in the translocated populations and historical samples than in those from recent Laysan samples. This suggests that current Laysan birds are experiencing greater physiological stress than historical Laysan and recently translocated birds. Our initial analysis suggests that feather corticosterone may be an indicator of population status and could be used as a non-invasive physiological monitoring tool for this species with further validation. Furthermore, these preliminary results, combined with published demographic data, suggest that current Laysan conditions may not be optimal for this species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - J Michael Reed
- Department of Biology, Tufts University , , MA 02155, USA
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Amir Abdul Nasir AF, Niehaus AC, Cameron SF, Ujvari B, Madsen T, von Hippel FA, Gao S, Dillon DM, Buck CL, Charters J, Heiniger J, Blomberg S, Wilson RS. Manganese Exacerbates Seasonal Health Declines in a Suicidally Breeding Mammal. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2024; 43:74-86. [PMID: 37750553 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Reproductive costs must be balanced with survival to maximize lifetime reproductive rates; however, some organisms invest in a single, suicidal bout of breeding known as semelparity. The northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) is an endangered marsupial in which males, but not females, are semelparous. Northern quolls living near mining sites on Groote Eylandt, Northern Territory, Australia, accumulate manganese (Mn) in their brains, testes, and hair, and elevated Mn impacts motor performance. Whether Mn is associated with other health declines is yet unknown. In the present study we show that male and female northern quolls with higher Mn accumulation had a 20% reduction in immune function and a trend toward reduced cortisol concentrations in hair. The telomere lengths of male quolls did not change pre- to postbreeding, but those with higher Mn levels had longer telomeres; in contrast, the telomeres of females shortened during the breeding season but recovered between the first year and second year of breeding. In addition, the telomeres of quolls that were recaptured declined at significantly higher rates in quolls with higher Mn between prebreeding, breeding, and/or postbreeding seasons. Future research should determine whether changes in cortisol, immune function, or telomere length affect reproductive output or survival-particularly for semelparous males. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:74-86. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ami F Amir Abdul Nasir
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Amanda C Niehaus
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Skye F Cameron
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Subiaco East, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Beata Ujvari
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia
| | - Thomas Madsen
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia
| | - Frank A von Hippel
- Department of Community, Environment and Policy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Sisi Gao
- Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Danielle M Dillon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Jordan Charters
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jaime Heiniger
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Simone Blomberg
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Robbie S Wilson
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland, Australia
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Branco JM, Hingst-Zaher E, Dillon D, Jordan-Ward R, Siegrist J, Fischer JD, Schiesari L, von Hippel FA, Buck CL. A novel method for extraction and quantification of feather triiodothyronine (T3) and application to ecotoxicology of Purple Martin (Progne subis). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 332:121943. [PMID: 37301461 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Seventy-three percent of aerial insectivore species of birds breeding in North America have declined in the past five years. This decline is even greater in migratory insectivorous species, which face stressors in both their breeding and non-breeding ranges. The Purple Martin (Progne subis) is an aerial insectivore swallow that overwinters in South America and migrates to North America to breed. Purple Martin populations have declined by an estimated 25% since 1966. The eastern subspecies (P. subis subis) has declined the most and overwinters in the Amazon Basin, a region rich in environmental mercury (Hg) contamination. Previous studies reported elevated levels of Hg in feathers of this subspecies, which correlated negatively with body mass and fat reserves. Given the propensity of Hg to disrupt the endocrine system, and the role of thyroid hormones in regulating fat metabolism, this study quantifies concentrations of Hg and the thyroid hormone triiodothyronine (T3) in the feathers of P. subis subis. To our knowledge, this is the first study to extract and quantify T3 in feathers; thus, we developed, tested, and optimized a method for extracting T3 from feather tissue and validated an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to quantify T3 in Purple Martin feathers. The developed method yielded acceptable results for both parallelism and accuracy. The observed T3 concentrations were statistically modeled along with total Hg (THg) concentrations, but these variables were not significantly correlated. This suggests that the observed variation in THg concentration may be insufficient to cause a discernible change in T3 concentration. Furthermore, the observed effect of breeding location on feather T3 concentration might have obscured any effect of Hg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Branco
- Departmento de Ecologia, Universidade de São Paulo - Rua Do Matão, 321 - Trav. 14, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05508090, Brazil.
| | - Erika Hingst-Zaher
- Museu Biologico, Instituto Butantan - Av Vital Brasil 1500, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Danielle Dillon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University - 617 S Beaver, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Renee Jordan-Ward
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University - 617 S Beaver, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Joe Siegrist
- Purple Martin Conservation Association - 301 Peninsula Drive, Suite 6 Erie, PA, 16505, USA
| | - Jason D Fischer
- Disney's Animals, Science and Environment, Lake Buena Vista, FL, 32830, USA
| | - Luis Schiesari
- Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua Arlindo Bettio, 1000, São Paulo, SP, CEP 03828-000, Brazil
| | - Frank A von Hippel
- Department of Community, Environment and Policy, University of Arizona - 1295 N. Martin Avenue, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University - 617 S Beaver, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
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Branco JM, Hingst-Zaher E, Jordan-Ward R, Dillon D, Siegrist J, Fischer JD, Schiesari L, von Hippel FA, Buck CL. Interrelationships among feather mercury content, body condition and feather corticosterone in a Neotropical migratory bird, the Purple Martin (Progne subis subis). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 314:120284. [PMID: 36206890 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Purple Martins (Progne subis) are migratory birds that breed in North America and overwinter and complete their molt in South America. Many of the breeding populations are declining. The eastern North American subspecies of Purple Martin (P. subis subis) comprises >90% of all Purple Martins. This subspecies overwinters and molts in the Amazon Basin, a region that is high in mercury (Hg) contamination, which raises the possibility that observed declines in Purple Martins could be linked to Hg exposure. Exposure to Hg results in numerous and systemic negative health outcomes, including endocrine disruption. Corticosterone (CORT) is a primary modulator of the stress and metabolic axes of vertebrates; thus, it is important in meeting metabolic and other challenges of migration. Because feathers accumulate Hg and hormones while growing, quantification of Hg and CORT in feathers provides an opportunity to retrospectively assess Hg exposure and adrenal activity of birds using minimally invasive methods. We evaluated interrelationships among concentrations of total Hg (THg) and CORT in feathers that grew in the Amazon Basin and body condition (mass, fat score) of these birds in North America. Concentrations of THg in Purple Martin feathers ranged from 1.103 to 8.740 μg/g dw, levels associated with negative physiological impacts in other avian species. Concentrations of CORT did not correlate with THg concentration at the time of feather growth. However, we found evidence that THg concentration may negatively impact the ability of Purple Martins to accumulate fat, which could impair migratory performance and survivorship due to the high energy requirements of migration. This finding suggests potential carryover effects of Hg contamination at the wintering grounds in the Amazon to the summer breeding grounds in North America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Branco
- Departmento de Ecologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matao, 321 - Trav. 14, São Paulo, CEP 05508090, Brazil.
| | - Erika Hingst-Zaher
- Museu Biologico, Instituto Butantan - Av Vital Brasil 1500, São Paulo, CEP 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Renee Jordan-Ward
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University - 617 S Beaver, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Danielle Dillon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University - 617 S Beaver, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Joe Siegrist
- Purple Martin Conservation Association - 301 Peninsula Drive, Suite 6 Erie, PA, 16505, USA
| | - Jason D Fischer
- Disney's Animals, Science and Environment, Lake Buena Vista, FL, 32830, USA
| | - Luis Schiesari
- Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades, Universidade de São Paulo - Rua Arlindo Bettio, 1000, São Paulo, CEP 03828-000, Brazil
| | - Frank A von Hippel
- Department of Community, Environment and Policy, University of Arizona - 1295 N. Martin Avenue, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University - 617 S Beaver, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
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Fabio Braga A, E Hunt K, Dillon D, Minicozzi M, C Nicol S, Buck CL. Can spines tell a story? Investigation of echidna spines as a novel sample type for hormone analysis in monotremes. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2022; 325:114053. [PMID: 35580688 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2022.114053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) is a monotreme endemic to Australia and New Guinea, and is the most widespread native mammal in Australia. Despite its abundance, there are considerable gaps in our understanding of echidna life history such as reproductive cycles in both sexes, patterns of stress physiology, and possible seasonal changes in metabolism. Slow-growing integumentary sample types comprised of keratin (hair, claw, etc.) have been used in other wildlife to assess these questions via analysis of longitudinal patterns in steroid and thyroid hormones that are deposited in these tissues as they grow. Hairs and spines comprise the pelage of echidnas, the spines being keratinized structures homologous to hair. Thus, echidna spines could be a viable sample type for hormone analysis contributing to a better understanding of the biology of echidnas. The aim of this work was to determine whether steroid hormones are detectable in echidna spines, to perform assay validations, and to establish a protocol for extracting and quantifying hormones in echidna spines using commercially available assay kits. We also inspected cross-sectioned spines using light and electron microscopy for any evidence of annual growth markers that might enable inferences about spine growth rate. Corticosterone, progesterone, estradiol, and testosterone were detectable in all samples, and echidna spine extract passed standard assay validations (parallelism and accuracy), indicating that commercially available assay kits can quantify hormones accurately in this sample type. No visible growth marks were identified in the spines and thus spine growth rate is currently unknown. Echidna spines show promise as a novel matrix from which hormones can be quantified; next steps should involve determination of spine annual growth rate, possible seasonal changes in growth rate, and persistence of spines over time in order to perform physiological validations, i.e., relationship between physiological status and hormone concentrations in spines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Fabio Braga
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., 86011 Flagstaff, AZ, USA.
| | - Kathleen E Hunt
- Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation & Department of Biology, George Mason University, 1500 Remount Rd, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
| | - Danielle Dillon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., 86011 Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Michael Minicozzi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., 86011 Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Stewart C Nicol
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., 86011 Flagstaff, AZ, USA
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Fernández Ajó A, Hunt KE, Dillon D, Uhart M, Sironi M, Rowntree V, Loren Buck C. Optimizing hormone extraction protocols for whale baleen: Tackling questions of solvent:sample ratio and variation. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2022; 315:113828. [PMID: 34058189 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Obtaining endocrine data from alternative sample types such as baleen and other keratinized tissues has proven a valuable tool to investigate reproductive and stress physiology via steroid hormone quantification, and metabolic stress via thyroid hormone quantification in whales and other vertebrates. These alternative sample types provide an integrated measure of plasma levels over the period that the structure was growing, thus capturing months or even years of an individual's endocrine history. Additionally, their robust and stable keratin matrix allows such samples to be stored for years to decades, enabling the analysis and comparison of endocrine patterns from past and modern populations. However, the extraction and analysis of hormones from baleen and other keratinized tissues remains novel and requires both biological and analytical validations to ensure the method fulfills the requirements for its intended use. We utilized baleen recovered at necropsy from southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) that died at Península Valdés, Argentina, using a commercially available progesterone enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to address two methodological questions: 1) what is the minimum sample mass required to reliably quantify hormone content of baleen samples analyzed with commercially available EIAs, and 2) what is the optimal ratio of solvent volume to sample mass, i.e., the ratio that yields the maximum amount of hormone with high accuracy and low variability between replicates. We concluded that masses of at least 20 mg should be used whenever possible, and extraction is best performed using an 80:1 ratio of solvent to sample (volume of solvent to sample mass; μl:mg). These results can help researchers to make informed methodological decisions when using a destructive extraction method with rare or unique specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Fernández Ajó
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., PO Box 5640, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA; Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas, Capital Federal, O'Higgins 4380, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires 1429, Argentina.
| | - Kathleen E Hunt
- George Mason University & Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, 1500 Remount Rd, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
| | - Danielle Dillon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., PO Box 5640, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Marcela Uhart
- Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program, Los Alerces 3376, Puerto Madryn, Chubut 9120, Argentina; Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, VM3B Ground Floor, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Mariano Sironi
- Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas, Capital Federal, O'Higgins 4380, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires 1429, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales (FCEFyN), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Vélez Sársfield 299, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
| | - Victoria Rowntree
- Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas, Capital Federal, O'Higgins 4380, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires 1429, Argentina; Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, VM3B Ground Floor, Davis, CA 95616, USA; Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Ocean Alliance/Whale Conservation Institute, 32 Horton St, Gloucester, MA 01930, USA
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., PO Box 5640, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
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Sypka M, Jodłowska I, Białkowska AM. Keratinases as Versatile Enzymatic Tools for Sustainable Development. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1900. [PMID: 34944542 PMCID: PMC8699090 DOI: 10.3390/biom11121900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
To reduce anthropological pressure on the environment, the implementation of novel technologies in present and future economies is needed for sustainable development. The food industry, with dairy and meat production in particular, has a significant environmental impact. Global poultry production is one of the fastest-growing meat producing sectors and is connected with the generation of burdensome streams of manure, offal and feather waste. In 2020, the EU alone produced around 3.2 million tonnes of poultry feather waste composed primarily of keratin, a protein biopolymer resistant to conventional proteolytic enzymes. If not managed properly, keratin waste can significantly affect ecosystems, contributing to environmental pollution, and pose a serious hazard to human and livestock health. In this article, the application of keratinolytic enzymes and microorganisms for promising novel keratin waste management methods with generation of new value-added products, such as bioactive peptides, vitamins, prion decontamination agents and biomaterials were reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Aneta M. Białkowska
- Institute of Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology, Lodz University of Technology, Stefanowskiego 2/22, 90-537 Lodz, Poland; (M.S.); (I.J.)
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