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Sugianto NA, Newman C, Macdonald DW, Buesching CD. Effects of weather and social factors on hormone levels in the European badger (Meles meles). ZOOLOGY 2023; 158:126093. [PMID: 37149943 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2023.126093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Animals in the wild continually experience changes in environmental and social conditions, which they respond to with behavioural, physiological and morphological adaptations related to individual phenotypic quality. During unfavourable environmental conditions, reproduction can be traded-off against self-maintenance, mediated through changes in reproductive hormone levels. Using the European badger (Meles meles) as a model species, we examine how testosterone in males and oestrogens in females respond to marked deviations in weather from the long-term mean (rainfall and temperature, where badger earthworm food supply is weather dependent), and to social factors (number of adult males and females per social group and total adults in the population), in relation to age, weight and head-body length. Across seasons, testosterone levels correlated postively with body weight and rainfall variability, whereas oestrone correlated positively with population density, but negatively with temperature variability. Restricting analyses to the mating season (spring), heavier males had higher testosterone levels and longer females had higher oestradiol levels. Spring oestrone levels were lower when temperatures were above normal. That we see these effects for this generally adaptive species with a broad bioclimatic niche serves to highlight that climatic effects (especially with the threat of anthropogenic climate change) on reproductive physiology warrant careful attention in a conservation context.
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Affiliation(s)
- N A Sugianto
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney OX13 5QL, UK.
| | - C Newman
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney OX13 5QL, UK; Cook's Lake Farming Forestry and Wildlife Inc (Ecological Consultancy), Queens County, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - D W Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney OX13 5QL, UK
| | - C D Buesching
- Cook's Lake Farming Forestry and Wildlife Inc (Ecological Consultancy), Queens County, Nova Scotia, Canada; Department of Biology, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
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2
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Ruthsatz K, Eterovick PC, Bartels F, Mausbach J. Contributions of water-borne corticosterone as one non-invasive biomarker in assessing nitrate pollution stress in tadpoles of Rana temporaria. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2023; 331:114164. [PMID: 36400158 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2022.114164] [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: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Among a multitude of stressors to which wildlife is exposed, environmental pollution is a pervasive one that poses a serious threat. The permeable skin of amphibians is likely to increase direct contact of the body with pollutants, making them a group worth studying to access environmental quality. Consequently, finding reliable and complementary biomarkers that will present detectable and predictable changes in response to pollutants is essential to identify pollution sublethal effects on amphibians and to investigate whether these are in part responsible for population declines. The glucocorticoid hormone corticosterone (CORT), involved in many metabolic functions, is often used to measure the physiological stress response to environmental stressors in amphibians. In this study, we evaluated whether water-borne CORT can serve as a non-invasive biomarker for nitrate pollution stress in the European common frog (Rana temporaria) by comparing the effect of nitrate exposure on hormone release rates and on other physiological downstream biomarkers, i.e., ultimate physiological effects of the stressor. Specifically, we investigated the effect of different nitrate concentrations (0, 10, 50, and 100 mg/L) on water-borne CORT release rates, age, size, and body condition. Exposure to nitrate pollution significantly increased age at metamorphosis and water-borne CORT release rates, and led to reduced mass and body condition, but only at higher nitrate concentrations (i.e., 50 and 100 mg/L). Considering this similar sensitivity to other acknowledged biomarkers, water-borne CORT was a reliable biomarker of physiological stress in R. temporaria exposed to nitrate pollution stress in a controlled single-stressor laboratory approach. Thus, water-borne CORT is a promising method to be included in more holistic approaches. We recommend that such approaches keep testing multiple biomarker combinations, as species are exposed to several stressors likely to interact and produce varied outcomes in different biomarkers in their natural habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Ruthsatz
- Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstraße 4, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
| | - Paula C Eterovick
- Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstraße 4, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Fabian Bartels
- Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstraße 4, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jelena Mausbach
- Eawag & ETH Zurich,Überlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
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Physical Injuries and Hair Corticosterone Concentration in Rabbit Kits from Single- and Group-Housed Does Kept on a Commercial Farm. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13020196. [PMID: 36670736 PMCID: PMC9854544 DOI: 10.3390/ani13020196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In intense breeding programs, rabbits are exposed to numerous stress factors which could affect their welfare and health. It has been suggested that group housing is more comfortable for does and similar to the living conditions of European wild rabbits. In this study, we compared three different housing systems—single housing; housing in pairs; and housing in groups of three does—to test whether there is a measurable impact on skin lesions, health, and hair corticosterone concentration (HCC) of their kits. The number of kits with lesions increased with the number of does kept together. The probability of kits getting injured was higher in groups of three does than in pens of single-housed does (p = 0.041). When does were pair-housed, kits seemed to have fewer disease symptoms compared to the other treatments. Concerning HCC of kits, there was no significant difference between the housing systems (p > 0.05). The mean HCC of kits was 2.94 pg/mg, while pair housing had the lowest HCC (2.59 pg/mg). This study focused on the welfare of kits from group-housed does. From this perspective, pair housing of does may be appropriate to allow social interaction between does without unduly affecting the welfare of their kits.
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Breeding stage impacts on chronic stress and physiological condition in northern gannets (Morus bassanus). Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2022; 274:111305. [PMID: 36100122 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.111305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Physiological condition can affect survival and reproductive success in seabirds. However, seabirds rarely show outward signs of poor physiological condition, making it difficult to identify and address issues before they result in population level impacts. We investigate physiological condition of breeding northern gannets (Morus bassanus) between years and nesting stages. Blood smears were used to quantify blood cell profiles indicative of chronic stress, infection, disease, and immunocompetence. No blood parasites were observed, but elevated Heterophil to Lymphocyte (H:L) ratios, eosinophils, and monocytes suggest higher prevalence of infection in some years. Chronic stress levels, indicated by high H:L ratio, were elevated in incubation and early chick-rearing compared to late chick-rearing, which coincided with poorer body condition in breeding birds. This study highlights the value of haematology as a tool for identifying changing patterns of health that may serve as an early indicator of breeding failure, overwintering mortality, and population declines.
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Santicchia F, Wauters LA, Dantzer B, Palme R, Tranquillo C, Preatoni D, Martinoli A. Native species exhibit physiological habituation to invaders: a reason for hope. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20221022. [PMID: 36168765 PMCID: PMC9515632 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals cope with environmental perturbations through the stress response, a set of behavioural and physiological responses aimed to maintain and/or return to homeostasis and enhance fitness. Vertebrate neuroendocrine axis activation in response to environmental stressors can result in the secretion of glucocorticoids (GCs), whose acute increases may be adaptive, while chronic elevation may be detrimental. Invasive grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) act as a stressor eliciting elevation of GCs in native red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris). Here we used 6-year data of variation in faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations following invasion by grey squirrels in three red squirrel populations, to identify if red squirrels showed physiological habituation to this stressor. The decrease in FGMs over time was more pronounced shortly after invasion and at high densities of grey squirrels while it decreased less strongly and was no longer influenced by the invader density as time since invasion elapsed. At the individual level, FGMs also decreased more markedly as each red squirrel experienced prolonged contact with the invader. Our study provides compelling new data suggesting that native species in the wild can habituate to prolonged contact with invasive species, showing that they may avoid the potentially harmful effects of chronic elevations in GCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Santicchia
- Environment Analysis and Management Unit - Guido Tosi Research Group - Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, via J. H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Lucas Armand Wauters
- Environment Analysis and Management Unit - Guido Tosi Research Group - Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, via J. H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Ben Dantzer
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 830 North University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Rupert Palme
- Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Claudia Tranquillo
- Environment Analysis and Management Unit - Guido Tosi Research Group - Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, via J. H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Damiano Preatoni
- Environment Analysis and Management Unit - Guido Tosi Research Group - Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, via J. H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Adriano Martinoli
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
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Capybara responses to varying levels of predation risk. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Cope HR, Keeley T, Keong J, Smith D, Silva FRO, McArthur C, Webster KN, Mella VSA, Herbert CA. Validation of an Enzyme Immunoassay to Measure Faecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites in Common Brushtail Possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) to Evaluate Responses to Rehabilitation. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12131627. [PMID: 35804526 PMCID: PMC9265043 DOI: 10.3390/ani12131627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Little is known about how exposure to novel stimuli during rescue and rehabilitation could affect the physiology of native wildlife. We investigated this question in a species commonly rescued for rehabilitation, the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula). Glucocorticoids (major hormones involved in stress responses) are metabolised in the body and excreted in the form of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites, which can be measured as a way of evaluating the response of animals to potential stressors. Comparing five enzyme immunoassay options, we found that the 11-oxoaetiocholanolone (abbreviation: 72a) EIA was the most suitable for measuring these metabolites in brushtail possums. This assay was then used to measure faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations in 20 possums during rehabilitation. The probability of a physiological “stress” response occurring within five days of a potentially stressful event was about 50%, regardless of the type of event. There was a high level of variation in hormone profiles between possums. Our study has demonstrated that injured and orphaned possums show detectable changes in faecal glucocorticoid metabolites during captivity and rehabilitation, and has identified events that can induce a physiological response in some individuals. This is the first step toward understanding the relationship between these responses during rehabilitation and survival. Abstract Volunteer wildlife rehabilitators rescue and rehabilitate thousands of native animals every year in Australia. However, there is little known about how exposure to novel stimuli during rehabilitation could affect the physiology of wildlife. We investigated this question in a species that commonly enters rehabilitation, the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula). We evaluated five enzyme immunoassays (EIA) to determine the most suitable for measuring faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) as a proxy for evaluating the response of brushtail possums to potential stressors during rehabilitation. An adrenocorticotrophin hormone (ACTH) challenge was conducted on wild-caught possums to determine the best-performing EIA based on the successful detection of FGM peaks in at least two of three possums. While a number of assays met these criteria, the 11-oxoaetiocholanolone (abbreviation: 72a) EIA was selected as it had the largest amplitude of change in response to the ACTH challenge. This assay was then used to measure FGM concentrations in 20 possums during rehabilitation. There was high variation in baseline FGM concentrations and response to captivity between possums. Significant changes in FGM levels were detected in most possums during captivity, but were not reliably associated with potentially stressful events that were identified by rehabilitators. The probability of an FGM peak occurring within five days of a potentially stressful event was about 50%, regardless of the type of event. Our study has demonstrated that injured and orphaned possums show changes in FGMs during captivity and rehabilitation and has identified events that can induce a physiological response in some individuals. We recommend that research now focus on the relationship between these responses during rehabilitation and pre- and post-release survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly R. Cope
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia;
- Correspondence:
| | - Tamara Keeley
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia;
| | - Joy Keong
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia; (J.K.); (D.S.); (F.R.O.S.); (C.M.); (C.A.H.)
| | - Daniel Smith
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia; (J.K.); (D.S.); (F.R.O.S.); (C.M.); (C.A.H.)
| | - Fabiola R. O. Silva
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia; (J.K.); (D.S.); (F.R.O.S.); (C.M.); (C.A.H.)
| | - Clare McArthur
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia; (J.K.); (D.S.); (F.R.O.S.); (C.M.); (C.A.H.)
| | - Koa N. Webster
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia;
| | - Valentina S. A. Mella
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia;
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia; (J.K.); (D.S.); (F.R.O.S.); (C.M.); (C.A.H.)
| | - Catherine A. Herbert
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia; (J.K.); (D.S.); (F.R.O.S.); (C.M.); (C.A.H.)
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Di Francesco J, Kwong GPS, Deardon R, Checkley SL, Mastromonaco GF, Mavrot F, Leclerc LM, Kutz S. Qiviut cortisol is associated with metrics of health and other intrinsic and extrinsic factors in wild muskoxen ( Ovibos moschatus). CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 10:coab103. [PMID: 35492408 PMCID: PMC9040286 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Glucocorticoid (GC) levels are increasingly and widely used as biomarkers of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity to study the effects of environmental changes and other perturbations on wildlife individuals and populations. However, identifying the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence GC levels is a key step in endocrinology studies to ensure accurate interpretation of GC responses. In muskoxen, qiviut (fine woolly undercoat hair) cortisol concentration is an integrative biomarker of HPA axis activity over the course of the hair's growth. We gathered data from 219 wild muskoxen harvested in the Canadian Arctic between October 2015 and May 2019. We examined the relationship between qiviut cortisol and various intrinsic (sex, age, body condition and incisor breakage) and extrinsic biotic factors (lungworm and gastrointestinal parasite infections and exposure to bacteria), as well as broader non-specific landscape and temporal features (geographical location, season and year). A Bayesian approach, which allows for the joint estimation of missing values in the data and model parameters estimates, was applied for the statistical analyses. The main findings include the following: (i) higher qiviut cortisol levels in males than in females; (ii) inter-annual variations; (iii) higher qiviut cortisol levels in a declining population compared to a stable population; (iv) a negative association between qiviut cortisol and marrow fat percentage; (v) a relationship between qiviut cortisol and the infection intensity of the lungworm Umingmakstrongylus pallikuukensis, which varied depending on the geographical location; and (vi) no association between qiviut cortisol and other pathogen exposure/infection intensity metrics. This study confirmed and further identified important sources of variability in qiviut cortisol levels, while providing important insights on the relationship between GC levels and pathogen exposure/infection intensity. Results support the use of qiviut cortisol as a tool to monitor temporal changes in HPA axis activity at a population level and to inform management and conservation actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliette Di Francesco
- Corresponding author: Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4Z6, Canada.
| | - Grace P S Kwong
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4Z6, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Rob Deardon
- Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4Z6, Canada
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Sylvia L Checkley
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Gabriela F Mastromonaco
- Reproductive Physiology Unit, Toronto Zoo, 361A Old Finch Avenue, Scarborough, Ontario M1B 5K7, Canada
| | - Fabien Mavrot
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Lisa-Marie Leclerc
- Department of Environment, Government of Nunavut, P.O. Box 377, Kugluktuk, Nunavut X0B 0E0, Canada
| | - Susan Kutz
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4Z6, Canada
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Zukerman Y, Sigal Z, Berger-Tal O. COVID-19 Restrictions in a Nature Reserve Reveal the Costs of Human Presence for the Threatened Nubian Ibex (Capra nubiana). Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.751515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing pressure of ecotourism on wildlife in their natural habitats leads many wild animals to alter their behaviors. The restrictions issued in many places due to COVID-19 provide a rare opportunity to examine wildlife behavior in nature reserves with reduced human presence, and to reveal the impact of human visitation on the behaviors and fitness of local wildlife species. In 2019 and 2020 we placed trail cameras next to two natural springs in the Israeli Negev Desert, Ein-Avdat and Ein-Shaviv, located 9 km apart. Both sites serve as the main water source for local Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana) populations, but Ein-Avdat is situated within a popular national park into which visitors’ entrance was restricted due to COVID-19 regulations in 2020, while Ein-Shaviv is more remote and thus attracts only few visitors regardless of COVID-19 regulations. Our study revealed that during 2020, ibex in Ein-Avdat arrived to drink earlier in the day and the population’s Female:Kids ratio more than doubled. These changes were not observed in Ein-Shaviv. We found that the daily number of visitors in Ein-Avdat affected the arrival time of ibex to the water pool. We conclude that the reduced number of visitors to Ein-Avdat in 2020 compared to 2019 may have allowed ibex to arrive in preferred hours, and may have contributed to the increased kid-to-females ratio. Our study shows that behavioral adaptions to human visitation in nature reserves might carry a high fitness cost.
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Ebensperger LA, Quirici V, Bunster V, León C, Ramírez‐Estrada J, Hayes LD. Effects of Radio‐Collars are not Contingent on Socioecological Conditions in Degus. J Wildl Manage 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Luis A. Ebensperger
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Verónica Quirici
- Centro de Investigación para la Sustentabilidad Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, República 440 Santiago Chile
| | - Valentina Bunster
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Cecilia León
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Juan Ramírez‐Estrada
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Loren D. Hayes
- Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Sciences University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Chattanooga 37403 TN USA
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Influence of Stress Assessed through Infrared Thermography and Environmental Parameters on the Performance of Fattening Rabbits. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11061747. [PMID: 34208105 PMCID: PMC8230780 DOI: 10.3390/ani11061747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of stress due to heat (temperature-humidity index; THI) or handling (human restraining), assessed using infrared thermography, on the performance parameters of rabbits of a Spanish Common breed. Thirty-nine rabbits weaned at the age of 28 days were analyzed during a 38-d fattening period at two times of the year: a cold period and a warm period. The rabbits’ stress due to handling was assessed by the temperature difference taken by infrared thermography in the inner ear of the animals, before and after being handled. In general, the productive results were low, since it was an unimproved rustic breed. The animals were more productive in the cold season as the values obtained for daily feed intake (DFI), average daily gain (ADG), total body weight (TBW), total feed intake (TFI) and total weight gain (TWG) were higher then, while the feed conversion ratio (FCR) was higher in the warm season. The greater the stress due to handling, the less efficient the animals were. It was therefore concluded that changes in animal welfare caused by the rabbits’ reactivity to both climatic and individual factors affect animal productivity. Abstract Rabbits often experience stress when they perceive certain stimuli, such as handling. The physiological response of animals to stress and temperament is associated with feeding efficiency, with those with the least capacity to react to stress showing the highest performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of stress due to heat (temperature-humidity index; THI) or handling, assessed using infrared thermography, on the performance parameters of rabbits of a Spanish Common breed. Thirty-nine rabbits were analyzed during a 38-d fattening period at two times of the year: a cold period and a warm period. The rabbits’ stress due to handling was assessed by the temperature difference taken in the inner ear, before and after being handled. The animals were more productive in the cold season. Temperature-humidity index significantly influenced average daily gain (ADG) and daily feed intake (DFI). Rabbits with higher levels of stress showed higher ADG, DFI and feed conversion ratio (FCR) values. The greater the stress due to handling, the less efficient the animals were. FCR increased with higher THI. It was concluded that changes in animal welfare caused by the rabbits’ reactivity to both climatic and individual factors affect animal productivity.
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McMahon EK, Cavigelli SA. Gaps to Address in Ecological Studies of Temperament and Physiology. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:1917-1932. [PMID: 34097030 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecology is a diverse field with many researchers interested in drivers and consequences of variability within populations. Two aspects of variability that have been addressed are behavioral and physiological. While these have been shown to separately influence ecological outcomes such as survival, reproductive success and fitness, combined they could better predict within-population variability in survival and fitness. Recently there has been a focus on potential fitness outcomes of consistent behavioral traits that are referred to as personality or temperament (e.g. boldness, sociability, exploration, etc.). Given this recent focus, it is an optimal time to identify areas to supplement in this field, particularly in determining the relationship between temperament and physiological traits. To maximize progress, in this perspective paper we propose that the following two areas be addressed: (1) increased diversity of species, and (2) increased number of physiological processes studied, with an eye toward using more representative and relatively consistent measures across studies. We first highlight information that has been gleaned from species that are frequently studied to determine how animal personality relates to physiology and/or survival/fitness. We then shine a spotlight on important taxa that have been understudied and that can contribute meaningful, complementary information to this area of research. And last, we propose a brief array of physiological processes to relate to temperament, and that can significantly impact fitness, and that may be accessible in field studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elyse K McMahon
- Ecology Graduate Program, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.,Center for Brain, Behavior, and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.,Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Sonia A Cavigelli
- Center for Brain, Behavior, and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.,Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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Freeman NE, Norris DR, Sutton AO, Strickland D, Kyser TK, Newman AEM. Early-Life Corticosterone Body Condition Influence Social Status and Survival in a Food-Caching Passerine. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:9-19. [PMID: 34086914 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals undergo profound changes throughout their early life as they grow and transition between life-history stages. As a result, the conditions that individuals experience during development can have both immediate and lasting effects on their physiology, behavior, and, ultimately, fitness. In a population of Canada jays in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, we characterized the diet composition and physiological profile of young jays at three key time points during development (nestling, pre-fledge, and pre-dispersal) by quantifying stable-carbon (δ13C) and -nitrogen (δ15N) isotopes and corticosterone concentrations in feathers. We then investigated the downstream effects of early-life diet composition, feather corticosterone, and environmental conditions on a juvenile's social status, body condition, and probability of being observed in the fall following hatch. Across the three time points, the diet of Canada jay young was composed primarily of vertebrate tissue and human food with the proportion of these food items increasing as the jays neared dispersal. Feather corticosterone concentrations also shifted across the three time points, decreasing from nestling to pre-dispersal. Dominant juveniles had elevated corticosterone concentrations in their feathers grown pre-dispersal compared with subordinates. High body condition as nestlings was associated with high body condition as juveniles and an increased probability of being observed in the fall. Together, our results demonstrate that nestling physiology and body condition influence the social status and body condition once individuals are independent, with potential long-term consequences on survival and fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikole E Freeman
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - D Ryan Norris
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.,Nature Conservancy of Canada, 245 Eglington Avenue East, Toronto, ON M4P 3J1, Canada
| | - Alex O Sutton
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | | | - T Kurt Kyser
- Queen's Facility for Isotopic Research, Department of Geological Sciences, Queen's University, 99 University Avenue, Kingston, ON K2L 3N6, Canada
| | - Amy E M Newman
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
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Benedek I, Altbӓcker V, Molnár T. Stress reactivity near birth affects nest building timing and offspring number and survival in the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). PLoS One 2021; 16:e0246258. [PMID: 33513198 PMCID: PMC7845978 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The physiological response to stressors has great importance, and its variance has an adaptive role in the survival of individuals. This study describes the effects of stress-axis activation on maternal behavior during the birthing process (parturition) in captive rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). In this species, chances of survival are strongly influenced by nest quality. Thus, maternal care is initiated with nest preparation in late pregnancy, which itself is subject to strict and complex hormonal regulation. Among these hormones, progesterone is one of the most dominant in the process of nest construction. We have demonstrated that its level is altered by the level of cortisol elevation in the animal in question, potentially having an influence on the preparation of the nest for the newborn kittens. We found that does that had a constant and un-elevated level of cortisol metabolite while delivering their litters performed better than those individuals that showed an increased corticoid response around parturition. The latter group exhibited a perceptible delay in the building of their nests, and in addition, further losses were also experienced in their already smaller litters. As the quality of the nest itself proved to be was in no way inferior to those of the other group, this higher kitten-mortality rate may be attributed to impaired maternal behavior. Individual variances in cortisol levels may also result in subtle changes in hormonal regulation, potentially affecting the expression of maternal behavior. We have concluded that the higher level of cortisol detected in more-sensitive does effectively disrupts the natural hormonal regulation involved in their nest-building processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ildikó Benedek
- Department of Wild Biology and Ethology, Institute of Environmental Science and Nature Conservation, Szent István University, Kaposvár, Hungary
| | - Vilmos Altbӓcker
- Department of Wild Biology and Ethology, Institute of Environmental Science and Nature Conservation, Szent István University, Kaposvár, Hungary
| | - Tamás Molnár
- Department of Nature Conservation and Environmental Management, Institute of Environmental Science and Nature Conservation, Szent István University, Kaposvár, Hungary
- * E-mail:
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15
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Quirici V, Botero-Delgadillo E, González-Gómez PL, Espíndola-Hernández P, Zambrano B, Cuevas E, Wingfield JC, Vásquez RA. On the relationship between baseline corticosterone levels and annual survival of the thorn-tailed rayadito. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2021; 300:113635. [PMID: 33017587 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Baseline concentrations of glucocorticoids (i.e., cortisol and/or corticosterone) can moderately increase with the degree of energy demands that an individual faces. This could be a mechanism based on which glucocorticods (GCs) can mediate life history trade-offs, and therefore fitness. The 'cort-fitness hypothesis' predicts a negative relationship between GCs and fitness, meanwhile the 'cort-adaptation hypothesis' predicts the opposite pattern. Field studies on the relation between baseline GCs and survival rate have shown mixed results, supporting both positive and negative effect. These ambiguous results could be partially consequence of the short time frame in that most of the studies are carried on. In this study, we tested the predictions of the 'cort-fitness hypothesis' and 'cort-adaptation hypothesis' by using long-term data (eight-year of capture-mark-recapture) of Thorn-tailed Rayadito (Aphrastura spinicauda) in two populations at different latitudes. We assessed whether survival varied as a function of Cort levels and whether it varied in a linear (positive: 'cort-adaptation hypothesis' or negative: 'cort-fitness hypothesis') or curvilinear way. The two populations in our study had different baseline Cort levels, then we evaluated whether the association between baseline Cort and survival probability varied between them. In the high latitude population (i.e., lower baseline Cort levels), we observed a marginally quadratic relationship that is consistent with the cort-fitness hypothesis. In contrast, in the low altitude population we did not find this relation. Our findings suggests that the association between baseline Cort and survival probability is context-dependent, and highlights the importance of comparing different populations and the use of long-term data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Quirici
- Centro de Investigación para la Sustentabilidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Esteban Botero-Delgadillo
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute of Ornithology, Germany; Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad and Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; SELVA: Research for Conservation in the Neotropics, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Paulina L González-Gómez
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, United States; Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Av. Pedro de Valdivia 425, Providencia, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pamela Espíndola-Hernández
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute of Ornithology, Germany
| | - Brayan Zambrano
- Doctorado en Medicina de la Conservación, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Elfego Cuevas
- Doctorado en Medicina de la Conservación, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - John C Wingfield
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, United States
| | - Rodrigo A Vásquez
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad and Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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16
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Fischer CP, Romero LM. The effects of daily mitotane or diazepam treatment on the formation of chronic stress symptoms in newly captured wild house sparrows. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coaa118. [PMID: 34970435 PMCID: PMC7771575 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coaa118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Wild animals brought into captivity frequently experience chronic stress and typically need a period of time to adjust to the conditions of captivity (restraint, artificial lighting, altered diet, human presence, etc.), to which they may never fully acclimate. Changes in mass, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and heart rate parameters have been observed over the first week in newly captive house sparrows (Passer domesticus). In this study, we tested the effects of two drugs, diazepam and mitotane, in preventing the chronic stress symptoms caused by captivity, compared with oil-injected control animals. Diazepam is an anxiolytic that is widely prescribed in humans and other animals and has been shown in some cases to reduce physiological stress. Mitotane is an agent that causes chemical adrenalectomy, reducing the body's capacity to produce glucocorticoid hormones. Our mitotane treatment did not cause the expected change in corticosterone concentrations. Baseline corticosterone was higher after a week in captivity regardless of the treatment group, while stress-induced corticosterone did not significantly increase above baseline after a week in captivity in any treatment group. However, mitotane treatment did have some physiological effects, as it reduced the resting heart rate and the duration of the heart rate response to a sudden noise. It also prevented the increase in nighttime activity that we observed in control animals. There was no effect of diazepam on corticosterone, resting heart rate, activity or heart rate response to a sudden noise, and no effect of either treatment on the sympathetic vs parasympathetic control of the resting heart rate. Together, these data suggest that mitotane, but not diazepam, can have a modest impact on helping house sparrows adapt to captive conditions. Easing the transition to captivity will likely make conservation efforts, such as initiating captive breeding programs, more successful.
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17
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Hernández-Arciga U, Herrera M LG, Königsberg M, Valdez RA, Flores-Martínez JJ, Romano MC. Synergetic effects of immune challenge and stress depress cortisol, inflammatory response and antioxidant activity in fish-eating Myotis. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb234914. [PMID: 33161382 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.234914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
One of the most common tools in conservation physiology is the assessment of environmental stress via glucocorticoid measurement. However, little is known of its relationship with other stress-related biomarkers, and how the incidence of an immune challenge during long-term stress could affect an individual's overall stress response. We investigated here the relationship between basal and post-acute stress fecal cortisol metabolite (FC) with different antioxidant enzymes, oxidative damage and immune parameters in the fish-eating bat, Myotis vivesi We found that in both basal and post-stress conditions, FC was highly related with a number of antioxidant enzymes and immune parameters, but not to oxidative damage. We also assessed changes of FC through the seasons. Basal FC samples and stress reactivity after short-duration stress displayed similar levels during summer, autumn and early winter, but lower concentrations in late winter. Stress reactivity after long-duration stress was greater in summer and early winter. Finally, we tested the effect of a simultaneous exposure to a long, strong stress stimulus with an immune response stimulation by administrating adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) after 42 h. Results showed that when both stimuli were administrated, FC concentrations, inflammation and some antioxidant activity were lowered in comparison with the control and individual administration of the challenges. Our findings support the idea that animals maintain constant basal glucocorticoid levels when living in challenging environments, but response to acute stress differs seasonally and immune defense mechanisms and stress responses might be compromised when confronted with multiple challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulalume Hernández-Arciga
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 70-153, Ciudad de México, 04510 Mexico
- Laboratorio de Bioenergética y Envejecimiento Celular, Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Iztapalapa, Ciudad de México, 09340 Mexico
| | - L Gerardo Herrera M
- Estación de Biología Chamela, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 21, San Patricio, JAL, 48980 Mexico
| | - Mina Königsberg
- Laboratorio de Bioenergética y Envejecimiento Celular, Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Iztapalapa, Ciudad de México, 09340 Mexico
| | - Ricardo A Valdez
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados, Ciudad de México, 07360 Mexico
| | - José Juan Flores-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Sistemas de Información Geográfica, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, 04510 Mexico
| | - Marta C Romano
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados, Ciudad de México, 07360 Mexico
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18
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Gingery TM, Diefenbach DR, Pritchard CE, Ensminger DC, Wallingford BD, Rosenberry CS. Survival is negatively associated with glucocorticoids in a wild ungulate neonate. Integr Zool 2020; 16:214-225. [PMID: 33164347 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
It is unknown how ungulate physiological responses to environmental perturbation influence overall population demographics. Moreover, neonatal physiological responses remain poorly studied despite the importance of neonatal survival to population growth. Glucocorticoid (GC) hormones potentially facilitate critical physiological and behavioral responses to environmental perturbations. However, elevated GC concentrations over time may compromise body condition and indirectly reduce survival. We evaluated baseline salivary cortisol (CORT; a primary GC in mammals) concentrations in 19 wild neonatal white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in a northern (NS) and southern (SS) area in Pennsylvania. After ranking survival models consisting of variables hypothesized to influence neonate survival (i.e. weight, sex), the probability of neonate survival was best explained by CORT concentrations, where elevated CORT concentrations were associated with reduced survival probability to 12 weeks of age. Cortisol concentrations were greater in the SS where predation rates and predator densities were lower. As the first evaluation of baseline CORT concentrations in an ungulate neonate to our knowledge, this is also the first study to demonstrate CORT concentrations are negatively associated with ungulate survival at any life stage. Glucocorticoid hormones could provide a framework in which to better understand susceptibility to mortality in neonatal white-tailed deer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tess Michelle Gingery
- Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Duane Richard Diefenbach
- Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA.,U. S. Geological Survey, Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - David Charles Ensminger
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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19
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Béziers P, Korner-Nievergelt F, Jenni L, Roulin A, Almasi B. Glucocorticoid levels are linked to lifetime reproductive success and survival of adult barn owls. J Evol Biol 2020; 33:1689-1703. [PMID: 32945025 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Glucocorticoid hormones, such as corticosterone, are crucial in regulating daily life metabolism and energy expenditure, as well as promoting short-term physiological and behavioural responses to unpredictable environmental challenges. Therefore, glucocorticoids are considered to mediate trade-offs between survival and reproduction. Relatively little is known about how selection has shaped glucocorticoid levels. We used 15 years of capture-recapture and dead recovery data combined with 13 years of corticosterone and breeding success data taken on breeding barn owls (Tyto alba) to investigate such trade-offs. We found that survival was positively correlated with stress-induced corticosterone levels in both sexes, whereas annual and lifetime reproductive success (i.e. the sum of young successfully fledged during the entire reproductive career) was positively correlated with both baseline and stress-induced corticosterone levels in females only. Our results suggest that, in the barn owl, the stress-induced corticosterone response is a good proxy for adult survival and lifetime reproductive success. However, selection pressure appears to act differently on corticosterone levels of males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Béziers
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland.,Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Lukas Jenni
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
| | - Alexandre Roulin
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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20
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Resident European ground squirrels exhibit higher stress levels than translocated individuals after conservation reinforcement. Mamm Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-020-00066-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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21
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Benedek I, Altbӓcker V, Zsolnai A, Molnár T. Exploring the Genetic Background of the Differences in Nest-Building Behavior in European Rabbit. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10091579. [PMID: 32899658 PMCID: PMC7552269 DOI: 10.3390/ani10091579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Once a day, nursing and absentee mothering make the wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) an ideal model animal for measuring differences in maternal behavior. Behavioral events and their hormonal regulation leading to parturition are well documented; however, the genetic background behind individual differences in this complex process is unknown. Decreased progesterone hormone level and the reduction of progesterone receptor activity are crucial to initiating the collection of nest material. The progesterone receptor gene is a likely candidate affecting nest-building behavior. In addition to several known point mutations in the progesterone receptor gene of the European wild rabbit, we have found a new mutation in the promoter region of the gene at 2682 T > C. Although this new single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was not involved in the formation of the nest-building behavior, an SNP (2464G > A) already described in the promoter region showed an association with individual differences in the initiation of hay carrying. The distribution of this SNP delivered an opposite result compared to domestic rabbits. Genotype (GG) with high uterine capacity was most frequent; the hereditary value of the trait was h2 = 0.10. Thus, progesterone receptor gene polymorphism may manifest in individual differences affecting breeding success in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ildikó Benedek
- Institute of Environmental Sciences and Nature Conservation, Szent István University, Kaposvár Campus, 7400 Kaposvár, Hungary;
- Correspondence: (I.B.); (T.M.)
| | - Vilmos Altbӓcker
- Institute of Environmental Sciences and Nature Conservation, Szent István University, Kaposvár Campus, 7400 Kaposvár, Hungary;
| | - Attila Zsolnai
- Research Institute for Animal Breeding, Nutrition and Meat Science, 2053 Herceghalom, Hungary;
| | - Tamás Molnár
- Institute of Environmental Sciences and Nature Conservation, Szent István University, Kaposvár Campus, 7400 Kaposvár, Hungary;
- Correspondence: (I.B.); (T.M.)
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22
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Vilela S, Alves da Silva A, Palme R, Ruckstuhl KE, Sousa JP, Alves J. Physiological Stress Reactions in Red Deer Induced by Hunting Activities. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:E1003. [PMID: 32521768 PMCID: PMC7341308 DOI: 10.3390/ani10061003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Hunting activity is usually seen as a factor capable of causing an intense stress response in wildlife that may lead to short but also long-term stress. In the Lousã Mountain, Portugal, the population of red deer (Cervus elaphus) is the target of intensive seasonal hunting. We collected and measured cortisol (and its metabolites) in three tissues types (blood, feces and hair) from red deer hunted during two hunting seasons to evaluate the stress levels at different time windows. We also assessed the immunological and physical condition of the animals. We predicted that the hunting activity would act as a stressor inducing increased short and long-term stress levels in the population. Results showed an increase in hair cortisol levels during the months of harvesting. Surprisingly, the tendency for plasma cortisol levels was to decrease during the hunting season, which could be interpreted as habituation to hunting activity, or due to the hunting duration. Contrary to our predictions, fecal cortisol metabolites did not show any clear patterns across the months. Overall, our results suggest an influence of hunting activities on the physiological stress in red deer. In addition, hair seems to be useful to measure physiological stress, although more studies are required to fully understand its suitability as an indicator of long-term stress. Methodologically, our approach highlights the importance of simultaneously using different methods to assess short and long-term effects in studies on physiological stress reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Vilela
- Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal; (S.V.); (A.A.d.S); (J.P.S.)
| | - António Alves da Silva
- Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal; (S.V.); (A.A.d.S); (J.P.S.)
| | - Rupert Palme
- Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, Vienna 2210, Austria;
| | - Kathreen E. Ruckstuhl
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada;
| | - José Paulo Sousa
- Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal; (S.V.); (A.A.d.S); (J.P.S.)
| | - Joana Alves
- Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal; (S.V.); (A.A.d.S); (J.P.S.)
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23
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Non-Invasive Assessment of Body Condition and Stress-Related Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolite Concentrations in African Elephants ( Loxodonta africana) Roaming in Fynbos Vegetation. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10050814. [PMID: 32397066 PMCID: PMC7278398 DOI: 10.3390/ani10050814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The Western Cape Province of South Africa is characterized by Fynbos vegetation. This unique endemic vegetation type belongs to the Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest of the six floral kingdoms in the world, and only a few provincial, national and private game reserves in this area currently support populations of African elephants (Loxodonta africana). As a result, not much is known about the ability of elephants to thrive in such a unique environment. External factors such as a nutritionally poor diet can be perceived as a stressor by mammals, and establishing links between these two factors was the focus of this study. The results of monitoring individual stress-related hormone levels and body conditions suggest that elephants can obtain adequate nutrition from Fynbos vegetation. Abstract Fynbos is a unique endemic vegetation type belonging to the Cape Floral Kingdom in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, representing the smallest of the six floral kingdoms in the world. Nowadays, only a few game reserves in this region support populations of African elephants (Loxodonta africana), and thus, little information exists regarding the suitability of the nutritionally poor Fynbos vegetation for these megaherbivores. Using already established non-invasive methods, the monitoring of individual body conditions and fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations, as a measure of physiological stress, was performed to examine a herd of 13 elephants in a Western Cape Province Private Game Reserve, during two monitoring periods (April and June 2018), following a severe drought. The results indicate that overall median body condition scores (April and June: 3.0, range 2.0–3.0) and fGCM concentrations (April: 0.46 µg/g dry weight (DW), range 0.35–0.66 µg/g DW; June: 0.61 µg/g DW, range 0.22–1.06 µg/g DW) were comparable to those of other elephant populations previously studied utilizing the same techniques. These findings indicate that the individuals obtain sufficient nutrients from the surrounding Fynbos vegetation during the months monitored. However, a frequent assessment of body conditions and stress-associated fGCM concentrations in these animals would assist conservation management authorities and animal welfare practitioners in determining ways to manage this species in environments with comparably poorer nutritional vegetation.
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24
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Lavin SR, Woodruff MC, Atencia R, Cox D, Woodruff GT, Setchell JM, Wheaton CJ. Biochemical and biological validations of a faecal glucocorticoid metabolite assay in mandrills ( Mandrillus sphinx). CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 7:coz032. [PMID: 31528347 PMCID: PMC6736364 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Stress is a major factor in determining success when releasing endangered species into the wild but is often overlooked. Mandrills (Mandrills sphinx) are vulnerable to extinction due to habitat loss and demand for bush meat and the pet trade. To help bolster in situ populations, rehabilitated rescued mandrills recently were released into a protected area in the Republic of Congo. The goal of this study was to validate the use of faecal glucocorticoid metabolite enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) in mandrills and test field-friendly faecal hormone extraction techniques that can subsequently be used to monitor the stress physiology and welfare of mandrills throughout the release process. Using faecal samples collected from ex situ mandrills, we tested cortisol, corticosterone, 11β-hydroxyetiocholanolone (69a), and 11-oxoetiocholanolone EIAs. Absolute concentrations, hormone profiles following medical procedures or translocation, and high-performance liquid chromatography fraction immunoreactivity showed that the 69a assay was the best choice to monitor the stress response in this species. Samples with delayed extraction or drying times had 40-80% lower 69a concentrations than samples extracted immediately post-collection and frozen. The 69a EIA is an appropriate assay for monitoring welfare in this species in situ or ex situ, and results indicated that consistent extraction methods are important for accurate comparisons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shana R Lavin
- Animals, Science and Environment, Disney’s Animal Kingdom®, Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA
| | - Miles C Woodruff
- Anthropology Department and Behavior, Ecology and Evolution Research Centre, Durham University, Durham, UK
- The Jane Goodall Institute, Vienna, VA, USA
| | | | - Debby Cox
- The Jane Goodall Institute, Vienna, VA, USA
| | | | - Joanna M Setchell
- Anthropology Department and Behavior, Ecology and Evolution Research Centre, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Catharine J Wheaton
- Animals, Science and Environment, Disney’s Animal Kingdom®, Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA
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Kozak A, Rozempolska-Rucińska I, Kasperek K, Bownik A. Level of stress in relation to emotional reactivity of hens. ITALIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/1828051x.2019.1642150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Kozak
- Institute of Biological Basis of Animal Production, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Iwona Rozempolska-Rucińska
- Institute of Biological Basis of Animal Production, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Kornel Kasperek
- Institute of Biological Basis of Animal Production, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Adam Bownik
- Institute of Biological Basis of Animal Production, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland
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Abstract
This study was intended as a contribution to the argument about possible suffering of animals used for demonstrative purposes during teaching at universities. Pharmacology lectures at the University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Czech Republic were selected for this experiment. The study focused on stress assessment using haematological and biochemical indices. Blood samples were drawn from 20 rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus f. domesticus L.) 10 days after arrival at the institute (before the first practical lesson), and then in the 7th and 12th weeks of the semester with practical lessons. The haematological and biochemical indices were compared between the experimental group (n = 10) used for practical demonstrations and the control group (n = 10) which was kept in its hutch. Practical lessons included manipulation with rabbits, health examination, topical or total application and observation of the drugs’ effects. All the acts were carried out by students. Significant changes were detected in some of haematological (erythrocytes, haemoglobin, haematocrit) and biochemical (glucose, total protein, enzymes aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase) variables compared to the control group. The values obtained from the last blood sampling indicate a possible habituation process in the experimental group between the 8th and 12th week. The results were compared between the experimental and control group and also with the results of other studies with different stressors. In conclusion, the stress the rabbits used for teaching purposes at universities are exposed to, is tolerable.
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Vuarin P, Pillay N, Schradin C. Elevated basal corticosterone levels increase disappearance risk of light but not heavy individuals in a long-term monitored rodent population. Horm Behav 2019; 113:95-102. [PMID: 31077709 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
According to the cort-fitness hypothesis, glucocorticoid levels correlate negatively with fitness. However, field studies found mixed support for this hypothesis, potentially because the association between glucocorticoids and fitness might depend on prevailing environmental conditions. Based on the long-term monitoring of a natural rodent population, we tested whether individuals with elevated corticosterone levels were more likely to disappear, accounting for individual condition and among-year variation in food availability, population density and predation pressure. We used basal corticosterone levels measured at the onset of the pre-breeding season in 331 African striped mice from six generations. While basal corticosterone levels were highly repeatable within individuals, between-individual variation was large. Survival analysis revealed that disappearance risk over the pre-breeding season increased with elevated basal corticosterone levels for light but not for heavy individuals. High levels of corticosterone may be more deleterious to smaller individuals (i.e. through allostatic overload), eventually increasing their mortality risk, and disappearance would represent actual death. An alternative non-exclusive explanation could be that high levels of corticosterone selectively trigger dispersal in light individuals, and disappearance would rather reflect their departure from the population. Although environmental conditions varied considerably among generations, none of the interactions between corticosterone and environmental variables were significant. Disappearance probability was positively correlated with both predation pressure and with food availability, a factor favoring dispersal. In sum, elevated basal corticosterone levels increased disappearance in light striped mice, either directly via reduced survival prospects and/or indirectly via dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Vuarin
- University of the Witwatersrand, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, 1 Jan Smuts Avenue, Braamfontein 2000, South Africa
| | - Neville Pillay
- University of the Witwatersrand, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, 1 Jan Smuts Avenue, Braamfontein 2000, South Africa
| | - Carsten Schradin
- University of the Witwatersrand, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, 1 Jan Smuts Avenue, Braamfontein 2000, South Africa; Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
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Vitousek MN, Johnson MA, Downs CJ, Miller ET, Martin LB, Francis CD, Donald JW, Fuxjager MJ, Goymann W, Hau M, Husak JF, Kircher BK, Knapp R, Schoenle LA, Williams TD. Macroevolutionary Patterning in Glucocorticoids Suggests Different Selective Pressures Shape Baseline and Stress-Induced Levels. Am Nat 2019; 193:866-880. [DOI: 10.1086/703112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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29
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Gormally BMG, Ramos S, Yin H, Romero LM. Recovery periods during repeated stress impact corticosterone and behavioral responses differently in house sparrows. Horm Behav 2019; 112:81-88. [PMID: 30986400 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
A number of studies have shown that chronic stress can negatively impact both physiology and behavior in a variety of organisms. What has yet to be extensively explored is whether these changes permanently alter an animal's functioning, or if they can be reversed. In this study, we used wild-caught house sparrows (Passer domesticus) to assess how recovery periods influence the physiological and behavioral impacts of an initial four days and subsequent four days of repeated stressors. Birds were randomly assigned to a recovery group and either experienced 0, 24, or 72 h of recovery between the two sets of stressors (cage rolling and cage tapping). We measured the regulation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis by quantifying baseline and stress-induced corticosterone as well as negative feedback strength. We also assessed behavior using neophobia trials to measure how birds altered their approach towards novel objects and their overall activity. Both behavior and corticosterone responses were assessed before the experiment, after the recovery time, and following the final 4 days of stressors. We found that birds that experienced 24 h of recovery had reduced stress-induced corticosterone, but enhanced negative feedback relative to the pre-experiment sample. Additionally, 4 days of stressors was enough to significantly reduce approach latency towards novel objects; however, pre-experiment levels returned with longer periods of recovery. Finally, recovery time did not significantly influence responses to the second 4 days of stressors. Our results indicate that brief recovery periods partially ameliorate the hormonal and behavioral effects of repeated stress.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah Ramos
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Hannah Yin
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
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Schoenle LA, Zimmer C, Vitousek MN. Understanding Context Dependence in Glucocorticoid-Fitness Relationships: The Role of the Nature of the Challenge, the Intensity and Frequency of Stressors, and Life History. Integr Comp Biol 2019; 58:777-789. [PMID: 29889246 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icy046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been well-established that there is variation in the strength and direction of the relationship between circulating glucocorticoids (GCs) and fitness. When studies demonstrate such variation or the direction of the GC-fitness relationship is unexpected, the results are often attributed to context-dependency. However, descriptors of context can be vague (e.g., "environmental context") and few studies explicitly test how the optimal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response to stressors varies across specific contexts. Although existing hypotheses create a strong foundation for understanding GC-fitness relationships, many do not provide explicit predictions of how, when, and why the relationships will change. Here, we discuss three broad factors which we expect to shape the relationships between HPA axis activity and fitness metrics: (1) whether the HPA axis-mediated response matches the challenge, (2) the intensity and frequency of challenges, and (3) life history. We also make predictions for how these factors might affect GC-fitness relationships and discuss ways to test these predictions. Observational studies, experimental manipulations of context, and large-scale cross-species comparisons will be critical to understanding the observed variation in GC-fitness relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A Schoenle
- Department of Global Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA.,Department of Biology, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY 13323, USA
| | - Cedric Zimmer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Maren N Vitousek
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.,Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
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31
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Correlated response to selection for litter size environmental variability in rabbits' resilience. Animal 2019; 13:2348-2355. [PMID: 30806348 DOI: 10.1017/s1751731119000302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Resilience is the ability of an animal to return soon to its initial productivity after facing diverse environmental challenges. This trait is directly related to animal welfare and it plays a key role in fluctuations of livestock productivity. A divergent selection experiment for environmental variance of litter size has been performed successfully in rabbits over ten generations. The objective of this study was to analyse resilience indicators of stress and disease in the divergent lines of this experiment. The high line showed a lower survival rate at birth than the low line (-4.1%). After correcting by litter size, the difference was -3.2%. Involuntary culling rate was higher in the high than in the low line (+12.4%). Before vaccination against viral haemorrhagic disease or myxomatosis, concentration of lymphocytes, C-reactive protein (CRP), complement C3, serum bilirubin, triglycerides and cholesterol were higher in the high line than in the low line (difference between lines +4.5%, +5.6 µg/ml, +4.6 mg/ml, +7.9 mmol/l, +0.3 mmol/l and +0.4 mmol/l). Immunological and biochemical responses to the two vaccines were similar. After vaccination, the percentage of lymphocytes and CRP concentration were higher in the low line than in the high one (difference between lines +4.0% and +13.1 µg/ml). The low line also showed a higher increment in bilirubin and triglycerides than the high line (+14.2 v. +8.7 mmol/l for bilirubin and +0.11 v. +0.01 mmol/l for triglycerides); these results would agree with the protective role of bilirubin and triglycerides against the larger inflammatory response found in this line. In relation to stress, the high line had higher basal concentration of cortisol than the low line (+0.2ng/ml); the difference between lines increased more than threefold after the injection of ACTH 1 to 24, the increase being greater in the high line (+0.9 ng/ml) than in the low line (+0.4 ng/ml). Selection for divergent environmental variability of litter size leads to dams with different culling rate for reproductive causes and different kits' neonatal survival. These associations suggest that the observed fitness differences are related to differences in the inflammatory response and the corticotrope response to stress, which are two important components of physiological adaptation to environmental aggressions.
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32
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Fischer CP, Romero LM. Chronic captivity stress in wild animals is highly species-specific. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 7:coz093. [PMID: 31824674 PMCID: PMC6892464 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/13/2019] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Wild animals are brought into captivity for many reasons-conservation, research, agriculture and the exotic pet trade. While the physical needs of animals are met in captivity, the conditions of confinement and exposure to humans can result in physiological stress. The stress response consists of the suite of hormonal and physiological reactions to help an animal survive potentially harmful stimuli. The adrenomedullary response results in increased heart rate and muscle tone (among other effects); elevated glucocorticoid (GC) hormones help to direct resources towards immediate survival. While these responses are adaptive, overexposure to stress can cause physiological problems, such as weight loss, changes to the immune system and decreased reproductive capacity. Many people who work with wild animals in captivity assume that they will eventually adjust to their new circumstances. However, captivity may have long-term or permanent impacts on physiology if the stress response is chronically activated. We reviewed the literature on the effects of introduction to captivity in wild-caught individuals on the physiological systems impacted by stress, particularly weight changes, GC regulation, adrenomedullary regulation and the immune and reproductive systems. This paper did not review studies on captive-born animals. Adjustment to captivity has been reported for some physiological systems in some species. However, for many species, permanent alterations to physiology may occur with captivity. For example, captive animals may have elevated GCs and/or reduced reproductive capacity compared to free-living animals even after months in captivity. Full adjustment to captivity may occur only in some species, and may be dependent on time of year or other variables. We discuss some of the methods that can be used to reduce chronic captivity stress.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - L Michael Romero
- Department of Biology, 200 College Ave. Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155 USA
- Corresponding author: Department of Biology, Medford, MA 02155, USA.
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33
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Houslay TM, Earley RL, Young AJ, Wilson AJ. Habituation and individual variation in the endocrine stress response in the Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulata). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2019; 270:113-122. [PMID: 30339807 PMCID: PMC6300406 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Revised: 10/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The vertebrate stress response enables individuals to react to and cope with environmental challenges. A crucial aspect of the stress response is the elevation of circulating glucocorticoids. However, continued activation of the stress response under repeated exposure to stressors can be damaging to fitness. Under certain circumstances it may therefore be adaptive to habituate to repeated exposures to a particular stressor by reducing the magnitude of any associated release of glucocorticoids. Here, we investigate whether Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata) habituate to repeated exposure to a mild stressor, using a waterborne hormone sampling approach that has previously been shown to elicit a stress response in small fish. We also test for individual variation in the extent of habituation to this stressor. Concentrating on freely circulating cortisol, we found that the first exposure to the assay induced high cortisol release rates but that guppies tended to habituate quickly to subsequent exposures. There were consistent differences among individuals in their average cortisol release rate (after accounting for effects of variables such as body size) over repeated exposures. Our analyses did not find evidence of individual differences in habituation rate, although limitations in statistical power could account for this finding. We repeated the analysis for free 11-ketotestosterone, which can also respond to stressors, but found no obvious habituation pattern and no among-individual variation. We also present data on conjugated forms of both hormones, which were repeatable but did not show the expected time-lagged habituation effect. We discuss consistent individual differences around the general pattern of habituation in the flexible stress response, and highlight the potential for individual variation in habituation to facilitate selection against the deleterious effects of chronic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- T M Houslay
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter (Penryn Campus), Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK.
| | - R L Earley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Biology Building 211-213, Box 870344, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA.
| | - A J Young
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter (Penryn Campus), Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK.
| | - A J Wilson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter (Penryn Campus), Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK.
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34
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El-Tarabany MS, Ahmed-Farid OA, El-Tarabany AA. Impact of space allowance on performance traits, brain neurotransmitters and blood antioxidant activity of New Zealand White rabbits. Prev Vet Med 2018; 163:44-50. [PMID: 30670185 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2018.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Revised: 11/25/2018] [Accepted: 12/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this trial was to investigate the effect of space allowance on performance, welfare-related parameters and the levels of brain neurotransmitters in growing male rabbits. In a cage housing system, a total of 96 weaned rabbits were accommodated on three space allowance conditions (S1 = 1425 cm2/rabbit; S2 = 850 cm2/rabbit; S3 = 625 cm2/rabbit), with 8 replicate cages per each group. Rabbits in the S1 and S2 groups showed better daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio compared with the high stocking density group (p = 0.004 and 0.018, respectively). Compared to the highest stocking density group (S3), rabbits in the S1 and S2 groups showed significantly lower serum cortisol, MDA and GSSH level (p = 0.026, 0.018 and 0.009, respectively). The concentration of dopamine in brain tissues was significantly decreased in the S3 group compared with other experimental groups (P = 0.001). However, there was no significant effect of space allowance on the brain AChE level (P = 0.277). Brain serotonin and GABA levels showed a significant decrease in rabbits reared with a limited space allowance (S3) compared with S1 and S2 groups (P = 0.001 and 0.038, respectively). The level of brain MDA was significantly increased in the S3 group compared with the S1 group (P = 0.006). However, there were no detectable differences in the brain ATP level in rabbits reared with different space allowance (P = 0.693). In conclusion, the current study indicates that the 850 cm2/rabbit stocking density has resulted in a better feed intake, and welfare-related conditions compared with the 625 cm2/rabbit. Furthermore, the limited space allowance may impair the most important brain neurotransmitters in male rabbits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud S El-Tarabany
- Department of Animal Wealth Development, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Sharkia, Egypt.
| | - Omar A Ahmed-Farid
- Physiology Department, National Organization for Drug Control and Research (NODCAR), Egypt
| | - Akram A El-Tarabany
- Biological Applications Department, Radioisotopes Applications Division, NRC, Atomic Energy Authority, Inshas, Cairo, Egypt
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35
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Jain-Schlaepfer S, Midwood J, Larsen M, Aarestrup K, King G, Suski C, Cooke S. Relationship of baseline and maximum glucocorticoid concentrations to migration propensity: a field test with wild subadult brown trout (Salmo trutta). CAN J ZOOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2018-0044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
There is considerable variation in glucocorticoid (GC) baseline status and stress responses of individuals, yet the cause and consequence of this variation remains ambiguous. Attempts to relate GC levels to fitness and life-history trade-offs have yielded variable results. In this study, we evaluated whether baseline and poststressor GC hormone concentrations predicted migration strategy (i.e., resident or migrant) and successful seaward migration in a partially migrating population of juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta Linnaeus, 1758). Baseline (N = 99) or poststressor (N = 102) plasma cortisol concentrations were obtained from brown trout and they were tagged with passive integrated transponder (PIT) and released in a natural Danish stream. Subsequently, fish were tracked with PIT reader systems and the stream was resampled for resident individuals. GC levels were not found to be associated with recapture of resident individuals or migration propensity to our first tracking station (S1), but increased baseline (and not poststressor) GC levels were associated with increased passage from S1 to our second tracking station, which anecdotally was an area of high predation or challenge. Our study found no evidence to suggest that cortisol regulates the migration life history in juvenile brown trout, but intermediate increases in baseline GC (and not poststressor GC) levels may favor migration performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- S.M.R. Jain-Schlaepfer
- Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - J.D. Midwood
- Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Science, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - M.H. Larsen
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Freshwater Fisheries, Technical University of Denmark, Vejlsøvej 39, 8600 Silkeborg, Denmark
- Danish Centre for Wild Salmon, Brusgårdsvej 15, DK-8960 Randers SØ, Denmark
| | - K. Aarestrup
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Freshwater Fisheries, Technical University of Denmark, Vejlsøvej 39, 8600 Silkeborg, Denmark
| | - G.D. King
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, 1102 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - C.D. Suski
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, 1102 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - S.J. Cooke
- Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
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MacLeod KJ, Sheriff MJ, Ensminger DC, Owen DAS, Langkilde T. Survival and reproductive costs of repeated acute glucocorticoid elevations in a captive, wild animal. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 268:1-6. [PMID: 30016628 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Revised: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Organisms are continuously encountering both predictable and unpredictable ecological stressors within their environment. The activation of the hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal (stress) axis is a fundamental process allowing animals to cope with and respond to such encounters. A main consequence of HPA axis activation is the release of glucocorticoid hormones. Although short-term glucocorticoid elevations lead to changes in physiological and behavioral processes that are often adaptive, our understanding of fitness consequences of repeated acute elevations in glucocorticoid hormones over a longer time period is largely lacking. This is of particular current importance as animals are facing a significant increase in exposure to stressors including those associated with human-induced rapid environmental change. Here, we test fitness-relevant consequences of repeated exposure to glucocorticoids in the absence of natural challenges, by treating wild-caught gravid female eastern fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus) with a daily transdermal dose of a glucocorticoid hormone until laying. This treatment causes an increase in plasma glucocorticoids that mimics the natural response lizards have when they encounter a stressor in the wild, without confounding effects associated with the encounter itself. This treatment reduced females' reproductive success (hatching success) and survival. Further, glucocorticoid-induced reductions in reproductive success were greater when females had experienced higher temperatures the previous winter. This demonstrates the potential significant consequences of repeated exposure to acute elevations in glucocorticoid hormones. Additionally, the costs of repeated glucocorticoid elevation may be further exaggerated by an individual's previous experience, such as the potential compounding effects of winter warming increasing animals' vulnerability to increased glucocorticoid levels during spring breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- K J MacLeod
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, Mueller Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, The Huck Institute of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - M J Sheriff
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, The Huck Institute of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - D C Ensminger
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - D A S Owen
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, Mueller Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, The Huck Institute of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - T Langkilde
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, Mueller Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, The Huck Institute of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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Wolf TE, Valades GB, Simelane P, Bennett NC, Ganswindt A. The relationship between physical injury, body condition and stress-related hormone concentrations in free-ranging giraffes. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tanja E. Wolf
- T. E. Wolf (http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4040-8425) , N. C. Bennett and A. Gans
| | | | - Phumlile Simelane
- G. Benavides Valades and P. Simelane, Savannah Research Center, Mbuluzi Game Reserve, Lubombo Conser
| | - Nigel C. Bennett
- T. E. Wolf (http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4040-8425) , N. C. Bennett and A. Gans
| | - Andre Ganswindt
- T. E. Wolf (http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4040-8425) , N. C. Bennett and A. Gans
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38
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Santicchia F, Dantzer B, van Kesteren F, Palme R, Martinoli A, Ferrari N, Wauters LA. Stress in biological invasions: Introduced invasive grey squirrels increase physiological stress in native Eurasian red squirrels. J Anim Ecol 2018; 87:1342-1352. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Santicchia
- Environment Analysis and Management Unit; Guido Tosi Research Group; Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences; Università degli Studi dell'Insubria; Varese Italy
| | - Ben Dantzer
- Department of Psychology; University of Michigan; Ann Arbor Michigan
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Michigan; Ann Arbor Michigan
| | | | - Rupert Palme
- Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Experimental Endocrinology; Department of Biomedical Sciences; University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna; Vienna Austria
| | - Adriano Martinoli
- Environment Analysis and Management Unit; Guido Tosi Research Group; Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences; Università degli Studi dell'Insubria; Varese Italy
| | - Nicola Ferrari
- Department of Veterinary Sciences and Public Health; Università degli Studi di Milano; Milan Italy
| | - Lucas Armand Wauters
- Environment Analysis and Management Unit; Guido Tosi Research Group; Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences; Università degli Studi dell'Insubria; Varese Italy
- Department of Biology; Evolutionary Ecology Group; University of Antwerp; Wilrijk Belgium
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39
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Vitousek MN, Taff CC, Hallinger KK, Zimmer C, Winkler DW. Hormones and Fitness: Evidence for Trade-Offs in Glucocorticoid Regulation Across Contexts. Front Ecol Evol 2018. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2018.00042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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40
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MacLeod KJ, Krebs CJ, Boonstra R, Sheriff MJ. Fear and lethality in snowshoe hares: the deadly effects of non-consumptive predation risk. OIKOS 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.04890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty J. MacLeod
- Dept of Ecosystem Science and Management; Pennsylvania State Univ., Forest Resources Building, University Park; PA 16802 USA
- Dept of Biology; Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park; PA USA
| | | | - Rudy Boonstra
- Centre of the Neurobiology of Stress, Dept of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Toronto Scarborough; Toronto ON Canada
| | - Michael J. Sheriff
- Dept of Ecosystem Science and Management; Pennsylvania State Univ., Forest Resources Building, University Park; PA 16802 USA
- Huck Inst. of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park; PA USA
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41
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Stedman JM, Hallinger KK, Winkler DW, Vitousek MN. Heritable variation in circulating glucocorticoids and endocrine flexibility in a free‐living songbird. J Evol Biol 2017; 30:1724-1735. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Revised: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. M. Stedman
- Department of Biomedical Sciences Cornell University Ithaca NY USA
| | - K. K. Hallinger
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Cornell University Ithaca NY USA
| | - D. W. Winkler
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Cornell University Ithaca NY USA
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology Ithaca NY USA
| | - M. N. Vitousek
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Cornell University Ithaca NY USA
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology Ithaca NY USA
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42
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Pokharel SS, Seshagiri PB, Sukumar R. Assessment of season-dependent body condition scores in relation to faecal glucocorticoid metabolites in free-ranging Asian elephants. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 5:cox039. [PMID: 28721215 PMCID: PMC5508666 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cox039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Revised: 05/20/2017] [Accepted: 06/14/2017] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
We studied seasonal and annual changes in visual body condition scores (BCSs), and assessed how these scores were related to levels of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCMs) in free-ranging Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in the seasonally dry tropical forests of the Mysore and Nilgiri Elephant Reserves in southern India. We assessed the animals' BCS visually on a scale of 1 to 5; where 1 represents a very thin and 5 represents a very fat elephant. To understand the influence of seasonality on BCS, we sampled the population during dry (n = 398) and wet seasons (n = 255) of 2013 and 2015 while, for annual changes in BCS, we sampled nine free-ranging adult females from different family groups that had been repeatedly sighted over seven years. To evaluate the influence of body condition on fGCM, 307 faecal samples were collected from 261 different elephants and were analysed. As a parameter of adrenocortical activity, and thus stress, fGCM was measured (μg/g) in the ethanol-extracted samples using a group-specific 11-oxoaetiocholanolone EIA (antibody raised against 11-oxoaetiocholanolone-17-CMO:BSA and biotinylated-11-oxoaetiocholanolone as a label). Effect of age and season on BCS in relation to fGCM was also studied. A seasonal shift in BCS was observed as expected, i.e. individuals with low BCS were more frequent during the dry season when compared with the wet season. Concentrations of fGCM were highest in individuals with lowest BCS (BCS 1) and then significantly declined till BCS 3. fGCM levels were almost comparable for BCS 3, 4 and 5. This pattern was more conspicuous in female than in male elephants. Season-dependent BCS, hence, reflect the stress status as measured by fGCM, especially in female Asian elephants. This could be used as an important non-invasive approach to monitor the physiological health of free-ranging elephant populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Polani B. Seshagiri
- Department of Molecular Reproduction and Developmental Genetics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, Karnataka, India
| | - Raman Sukumar
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, Karnataka, India
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43
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Vera F, Zenuto R, Antenucci CD. Expanding the actions of cortisol and corticosterone in wild vertebrates: A necessary step to overcome the emerging challenges. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2017; 246:337-353. [PMID: 28109824 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2016] [Revised: 11/14/2016] [Accepted: 01/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
We conducted a review of scientific articles published between 2000 and 2014 and evaluated how frequently various aspects of cortisol and corticosterone (CORT) actions have been considered in studies on wild vertebrates. Results show that (1) the notion that CORT are stress-responsive hormones is central in our theoretical frameworks and it is reflected by the fact that several articles refer to CORT as "stress hormones". (2) The large majority of studies do not contemplate the possibility of decrease and no change in CORT levels in response to chronic stressors. (3) Our ideas about CORT actions on energy balance are slanted towards the mobilization of energy, though there are several studies considering -and empirically addressing- CORT's orexigenic actions, particularly in birds. (4) The roles of CORT in mineral-water balance, though widely documented in the biomedical area, are virtually ignored in the literature about wild vertebrates, with the exception of studies in fish. (5) Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) independent regulation of CORT secretion is also very scarcely considered. (6) The preparative, permissive, suppressive and stimulatory actions of CORT, as described by Sapolsky et al. (2000), are not currently considered by the large majority of authors. We include an extension of the Preparative Hypothesis, proposing that the priming effects of baseline and stress-induced CORT levels increase the threshold of severity necessary for subsequent stimuli to become stressors. Studies on animal ecology and conservation require integration with novel aspects of CORT actions and perspectives developed in other research areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Vera
- Laboratorio de Ecología Fisiológica y del Comportamiento, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Roxana Zenuto
- Laboratorio de Ecología Fisiológica y del Comportamiento, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - C Daniel Antenucci
- Laboratorio de Ecología Fisiológica y del Comportamiento, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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44
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Pascuan CG, Di Rosso ME, Pivoz-Avedikian JE, Wald MR, Zorrilla Zubilete MA, Genaro AM. Alteration of neurotrophin and cytokine expression in lymphocytes as novel peripheral markers of spatial memory deficits induced by prenatal stress. Physiol Behav 2017; 173:144-155. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.01.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2016] [Revised: 01/30/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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45
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Waterhouse MD, Sjodin B, Ray C, Erb L, Wilkening J, Russello MA. Individual-based analysis of hair corticosterone reveals factors influencing chronic stress in the American pika. Ecol Evol 2017. [PMID: 28649323 PMCID: PMC5478070 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoids are often measured in wildlife to assess physiological responses to environmental or ecological stress. Hair, blood, saliva, or fecal samples are generally used depending on the timescale of the stress response being investigated and species‐specific considerations. Here, we report the first use of hair samples to measure long‐term corticosterone levels in the climate‐sensitive American pika (Ochotona princeps). We validated an immunoassay‐based measurement of corticosterone extracted from hair samples and compared corticosterone estimates obtained from plasma, hair, and fecal samples of nine pikas. To demonstrate an ecological application of this technique, we characterized physiological stress in 49 pikas sampled and released at eight sites along two elevational transects. Microclimate variation was measured at each site using both ambient and subsurface temperature sensors. We used an information theoretic approach to compare support for linear, mixed‐effects models relating corticosterone estimates to microclimate, body size, and sex. Corticosterone was measured accurately in pika hair samples after correcting for the influence of sample mass on corticosterone extraction efficiency. Hair‐ and plasma‐based estimates of corticosterone were weakly correlated. The best‐supported model suggested that corticosterone was lower in larger, male pikas, and at locations with higher ambient temperatures in summer. Our results are consistent with a general negative relationship between body mass and glucocorticoid concentration observed across mammalian species, attributed to the higher mass‐specific metabolic rates of smaller bodied animals. The higher corticosterone levels in female pikas likely reflected the physiological demands of reproduction, as observed in a wide array of mammalian species. Additionally, we establish the first direct physiological evidence for thermal stress in the American pika through nonlethal sampling of corticosterone. Interestingly, our data suggest evidence for cold stress likely induced during the summer molting period. This technique should provide a useful tool to researchers wishing to assess chronic stress in climate‐sensitive mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bryson Sjodin
- Department of Biology University of British Columbia Kelowna BC Canada
| | - Chris Ray
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Colorado Boulder CO USA
| | - Liesl Erb
- Departments of Biology and Environmental Studies Warren Wilson College Asheville NC USA
| | - Jennifer Wilkening
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Colorado Boulder CO USA
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46
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Ranglack DH, Neuman-Lee LA, French SS, du Toit JT. Considerations of context and scale when using fecal glucocorticoids to indicate stress in large mammals: A study of wild american plains bison. SOUTHWEST NAT 2017. [DOI: 10.1894/0038-4909-62.1.62] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dustin H. Ranglack
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322 (DHR)
| | | | - Susannah S. French
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322 (LAN, SSF)
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47
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Hing S, Northover AS, Narayan EJ, Wayne AF, Jones KL, Keatley S, Thompson RCA, Godfrey SS. Evaluating Stress Physiology and Parasite Infection Parameters in the Translocation of Critically Endangered Woylies (Bettongia penicillata). ECOHEALTH 2017; 14:128-138. [PMID: 28213652 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-017-1214-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2016] [Revised: 12/31/2016] [Accepted: 01/19/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Translocation can be stressful for wildlife. Stress may be important in fauna translocation because it has been suggested that it can exacerbate the impact of infectious disease on translocated wildlife. However, few studies explore this hypothesis by measuring stress physiology and infection indices in parallel during wildlife translocations. We analysed faecal cortisol metabolite (FCM) concentration and endoparasite parameters (nematodes, coccidians and haemoparasites) in a critically endangered marsupial, the woylie (Bettongia penicillata), 1-3 months prior to translocation, at translocation, and 6 months later. FCM for both translocated and resident woylies was significantly higher after translocation compared to before or at translocation. In addition, body condition decreased with increasing FCM after translocation. These patterns in host condition and physiology may be indicative of translocation stress or stress associated with factors independent of the translocation. Parasite factors also influenced FCM in translocated woylies. When haemoparasites were detected, there was a significant negative relationship between strongyle egg count and FCM. This may reflect the influence of glucocorticoids on the immune response to micro- and macro-parasites. Our results indicate that host physiology and infection patterns can change significantly during translocation, but further investigation is required to determine how these patterns influence translocation success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Hing
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia.
| | - Amy S Northover
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Edward J Narayan
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, 2650, Australia
| | - Adrian F Wayne
- Science and Conservation Division, Department of Parks and Wildlife, Manjimup, WA, 6258, Australia
| | - Krista L Jones
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Sarah Keatley
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - R C Andrew Thompson
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Stephanie S Godfrey
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
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48
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Madliger CL, Love OP. Conservation implications of a lack of relationship between baseline glucocorticoids and fitness in a wild passerine. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2016; 26:2730-2743. [PMID: 27763712 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2016] [Revised: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The application of physiological measures to conservation monitoring has been gaining momentum and, while a suite of physiological traits are available to ascertain disturbance and condition in wildlife populations, glucocorticoids (i.e., GCs; cortisol and corticosterone) are the most heavily employed. The interpretation of GC levels as sensitive indicators of population change necessitates that GCs and metrics of population persistence are linked. However, the relationship between GCs and fitness may be highly context-dependent, changing direction, or significance, depending on the GC measure, fitness metric, life history stage, or other intrinsic and extrinsic contexts considered. We examined the relationship between baseline plasma corticosterone (CORT) levels measured at two periods of the breeding season and three metrics of fitness (offspring quality, reproductive output, and adult survival) in female Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor). Specifically, we investigated whether (1) a relationship between baseline CORT metrics and fitness exists in our population, (2) whether the inclusion of energetic contexts, such as food availability, reproductive investment, or body mass, could alter or improve the strength of the relationship between CORT and fitness, and (3) whether energetic contexts could better predict fitness compared to CORT metrics. Importantly, we investigated these relationships in both natural conditions and under an experimental manipulation of foraging profitability (feather clipping) to determine the influence of an environmental constraint on GC-fitness relationships. We found a lack of relationship between baseline CORT and both short- and long-term metrics of fitness in control and clipped birds. In contrast, loss in body mass over reproduction positively predicted reproductive output (number of chicks leaving the nest) in control birds; however, the relationship was characterized by a low R2 (5%), limiting the predictive capacity, and therefore the application potential, of such a measure in a conservation setting. Our results stress the importance of ground-truthing GC-fitness relationships and indicate that baseline GCs will likely not be easily employed as conservation biomarkers across some species and life history stages. Given the accumulating evidence of temporally dynamic, inconsistent, and context-dependent GC-fitness relationships, placing effort towards directly measuring fitness traits, rather than plasma GC levels, will likely be more worthwhile for many conservation endeavours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine L Madliger
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, Ontario, N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Oliver P Love
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, Ontario, N9B 3P4, Canada
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, Ontario, N9B 3P4, Canada
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49
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Drolet A, Dussault C, Côté SD. Simulated drilling noise affects the space use of a large terrestrial mammal. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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50
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Lifetime variation in feather corticosterone levels in a long-lived raptor. Oecologia 2016; 183:315-326. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3708-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2015] [Accepted: 08/16/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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