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Della Costa NS, Martella MB, Bernad L, Marin RH, Navarro JL. Yolk corticosterone and progesterone levels in Greater Rhea (Rhea americana) eggs vary in a changing social environment. J Exp Zool A Ecol Integr Physiol 2022; 337:594-599. [PMID: 35614573 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Maternal hormones in avian egg yolks may signal and prepare offspring for the prevailing conditions. However, this adjustment requires some degree of flexibility in regulating yolk hormone deposition. The Greater Rhea (Rhea americana) has a particular mating system that combines mixed polygyny and polyandry, communal nesting, and exclusive paternal care of chicks. In this species, we previously found that yolk hormone deposition varies among eggs of different captive populations and could influence chicks' physiology and behavior. However, it is still unknown whether females can modify yolk hormone deposition in a changing social environment. Using a captive population of Greater Rheas, in this study, we quantified yolk hormone levels before and after a reduction in the number of females present in the population. We found that females deposited on average higher yolk corticosterone and lower yolk progesterone after the change in their social environment. Since corticosterone deposited into the yolk comes exclusively from the female's plasma, our results suggest that females had, on average, higher plasma corticosterone levels. The change in the number of females may increase the events of male-male competitions, courtships, and matings, leading to an increase of corticosterone in the females' plasma and then into their eggs. Since we previously found that higher yolk corticosterone and lower yolk progesterone were associated with the production of chicks that have an attenuated stress response, the present study results suggest that yolk hormone deposition is mediated by flexible mechanisms that could adjust development to the prevailing conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia S Della Costa
- Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Córdoba Province, Argentina
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Córdoba, Córdoba Province, Argentina
| | - Mónica B Martella
- Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Córdoba Province, Argentina
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Córdoba, Córdoba Province, Argentina
| | - Lucía Bernad
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce, Balcarce, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina
| | - Raúl H Marin
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos (ICTA), Cátedra de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Córdoba Province, Argentina
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIBYT), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Córdoba, Córdoba Province, Argentina
| | - Joaquín L Navarro
- Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Córdoba Province, Argentina
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Córdoba, Córdoba Province, Argentina
- Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecología, Cátedra de Problemática Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Córdoba Province, Argentina
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Della Costa NS, Navarro JL, Bernad L, Marin RH, Martella MB. Effect of maternal environment on yolk immunoreactive corticosterone and its influence on adrenocortical and behavioral activity in chicks of Greater Rhea (Rhea americana). Horm Behav 2019; 114:104534. [PMID: 31129284 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Maternal corticosterone in avian eggs may modify offspring phenotype in order to increase survival in poor environments. In the Greater Rhea (Rhea americana), we previously found that yolk immunoreactive corticosterone is influenced by the quality of the maternal environment: eggs laid by females of the intensive rearing system (IRS), living in poor captive conditions, had higher yolk immunoreactive corticosterone than those produced by females of the semi-extensive rearing system (SRS), living in better conditions. Here, we evaluate if these different hormone levels are associated with the production of different phenotypes. We collected eggs from the IRS and SRS for hormonal quantification and artificial incubation. Then, half of the chicks selected from each environment were exposed to a capture and restraint protocol, and the rest remained undisturbed and were used as controls. In the IRS, we found that higher yolk immunoreactive corticosterone was associated with the production of chicks that had reduced hatchability, lower hatchling mass and higher baseline fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) than those produced by SRS females. Moreover, after capture and restraint, IRS chicks did not modify their FGM nor their behaviors compared to their controls, while SRS chicks increased their FGM and spent more time ambulating and less time pecking, compared to their controls. These results indicate that yolk immunoreactive corticosterone could modify offspring phenotype. Although future studies are needed to elucidate their implications for fitness, our results suggest that yolk corticosterone could be mediating an adaptive maternal effect that allows individuals to better cope with poor conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia S Della Costa
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Rondeau 798, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Joaquín L Navarro
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Rondeau 798, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina; Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecología, Cátedra de Problemática Ambiental, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Lucía Bernad
- Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Ruta 226 km 73 1/2, CC 276, 7620 Balcarce, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Raúl H Marin
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos (ICTA) y Cátedra de Química Biológica, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, 5016 Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIBYT), Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, 5016 Córdoba, Argentina.
| | - Mónica B Martella
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Rondeau 798, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina.
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Navarro JL, Lèche A, Della Costa NS, Vera Cortez M, Marin RH, Martella MB. State of the art knowledge in adrenocortical and behavioral responses to environmental challenges in a threatened South American ratite: Implications to in situ and ex-situ conservation. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2019; 273:52-60. [PMID: 29656044 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Revised: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 04/11/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
The Greater Rhea (Rhea americana) is an endemic ratite to South America, whose wild populations have undergone a remarkable decrease due to habitat degradation and fragmentation by the expansion of the agricultural frontier, poaching and predation by dogs. Anthropogenic perturbations in wild environments, as well as the management in captivity, can generate different stress responses in this species, thus, the monitoring of adrenocortical and behavioral activities are considered primary assessment tools with both conservation and welfare implications. In this review we analyze and integrate the different measurements of glucocorticoids (in plasma, feces, and yolk) carried out in different captive and wild populations, taking into account the diverse predictable and unpredictable conditions to which the Greater Rhea responds in each of those environments. In addition, the translocation of this bird is presented as an application of stress physiology in field ecology for conservation purposes, in which we evaluated how this species responds when it is released into a novel environment. Our results indicate that this ratite has a striking high sensitivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis compared to that of other bird species and shows a wide variety of adrenocortical responses depending on the environment in which it lives. This suggests that its HPA axis has a phenotypic plasticity that enables the rhea to cope with the environmental challenges. In this sense, we propose that one of the routes of this plasticity could be mediated by the maternal transfer of steroid hormones to the egg. Finally, we discuss the importance of integrating the monitoring of the adrenocortical response along with the environmental variables that define the life history of the species, in management and conservation programs ex-situ and in situ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joaquín Luis Navarro
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Rondeau 798, CP 5000 Córdoba, Argentina; Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecología, Cátedra de Problemática Ambiental, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, CP 5000 Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, CP 5000 Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Alvina Lèche
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Rondeau 798, CP 5000 Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, CP 5000 Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Natalia S Della Costa
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Rondeau 798, CP 5000 Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, CP 5000 Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Marilina Vera Cortez
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Rondeau 798, CP 5000 Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, CP 5000 Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Raúl H Marin
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos (ICTA) y Cátedra de Química Biológica, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, X5000AVP Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIBYT), Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, CP 5016 Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Mónica B Martella
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Rondeau 798, CP 5000 Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, CP 5000 Córdoba, Argentina.
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Della Costa NS, Marin RH, Busso JM, Hansen C, Navarro JL, Martella MB. Influence of the rearing system on yolk corticosterone concentration in captive Greater Rheas (Rhea americana). Zoo Biol 2016; 35:246-50. [PMID: 26928950 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2015] [Revised: 02/05/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Many environmental conditions elevate plasma corticosterone in laying birds, leading to elevated hormone accumulation in the egg. We investigated whether maternal yolk corticosterone levels in Greater Rheas differ between fresh eggs collected from an intensive (IRS) and a semi-extensive (SRS) rearing system. After HPLC validation, yolk corticosterone was measured using a corticosterone (125) I radio-immunoassay kit. Results (mean ± SE) showed that eggs collected from the IRS exhibited a significantly higher corticosterone concentration than eggs from SRS (89.88 ± 8.93 vs. 45.41 ± 5.48 ng/g yolk, respectively). Our findings suggest that rearing conditions under an intensive scheme (e.g., small pens with bare ground, no direct foraging and handling) might be perceived as more stressful for Greater Rhea females than semi-extensive rearing conditions (e.g., low animal density distributed in extensive areas and direct foraging), which would result in the transfer of higher yolk corticosterone levels. A better understanding of environmental conditions and female traits that affect yolk corticosterone deposition provides a background for future studies concerning the roles of maternal corticosterone on offspring development. Zoo Biol. 35:246-250, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia S Della Costa
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA, CONICET-UNC) and Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Rondeau 798, (X5000AVP) Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Raul H Marin
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos, (IIBYT, CONICET-UNC), and Cátedra de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Vélez Sársfield 1611, (X5000AVP) Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Juan M Busso
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos, (IIBYT, CONICET-UNC), and Cátedra de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Vélez Sársfield 1611, (X5000AVP) Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Cristian Hansen
- Laboratorio de Análisis Clínicos Especializados (LACE), Av. Vélez Sársfield 562, (X5000AVP) Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Joaquín L Navarro
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA, CONICET-UNC) and Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Rondeau 798, (X5000AVP) Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Mónica B Martella
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA, CONICET-UNC) and Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Rondeau 798, (X5000AVP) Córdoba, Argentina
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Valdez DJ, Vera Cortez M, Della Costa NS, Lèche A, Hansen C, Navarro JL, Martella MB. Seasonal changes in plasma levels of sex hormones in the greater Rhea (Rhea americana), a South American Ratite with a complex mating system. PLoS One 2014; 9:e97334. [PMID: 24837464 PMCID: PMC4023989 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0097334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2013] [Accepted: 04/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Seasonal rhythm in sex hormones has been extensively studied in birds, as well as its relationship with the type of mating system. The Greater Rhea (Rhea americana), a South American ratite species, reproduces seasonally and has a complex mating system: female-defense polygyny and sequential polyandry. The present study aimed at analyzing the endocrine basis of reproduction in this species and its relationship with its mating system. We used HPLC and electrochemiluminescence techniques to identify and measure plasma testosterone and estradiol levels. Annual oscillations in sex hormones, testosterone and estradiol, in adult males and females were observed. Lower levels of these hormones were exhibited during the non reproductive season (February to July), whereas their maximum values were reached in September for males and November-December for females. These fluctuations reflect the seasonal changes in gonadal function. By contrast, no significant sex hormones oscillations were observed in juvenile males and females (negative control of seasonal changes). Greater rheas maintain high testosterone and estradiol levels throughout the reproductive period. The high testosterone levels during incubation and chick rearing did not inhibit parental behavior in males, which appears not to conform to the "Challenge Hypothesis". In females, the high estradiol levels throughout the reproductive season would be needed to sustain their long egg-laying period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego J. Valdez
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA-CONICET), Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Córdoba, Argentina
- * E-mail: E-mail:
| | - Marilina Vera Cortez
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA-CONICET), Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Natalia S. Della Costa
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA-CONICET), Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Alvina Lèche
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA-CONICET), Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Cristian Hansen
- Laboratorio de Análisis Clínicos Especializados (LACE), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Joaquín L. Navarro
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA-CONICET), Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Mónica B. Martella
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA-CONICET), Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Córdoba, Argentina
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