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Corlatti L. Anonymous fecal sampling and NIRS studies of diet quality: Problem or opportunity? Ecol Evol 2020; 10:6089-6096. [PMID: 32607215 PMCID: PMC7319235 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 04/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Investigating the drivers of diet quality is a key issue in wildlife ecology and conservation. Fecal near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (f-NIRS) is widely used to assess dietary quality since it allows for noninvasive, rapid, and low-cost analysis of nutrients. Samples for f-NIRS can be collected and analyzed with or without knowledge of animal identities. While anonymous sampling allows to reduce the costs of individual identification, as it neither requires physical captures nor DNA genotyping, it neglects the potential effects of individual variation. As a consequence, regression models fitted to investigate the drivers of dietary quality may suffer severe issues of pseudoreplication. I investigated the relationship between crude protein and ecological predictors at different time periods to assess the level of individual heterogeneity in diet quality of 22 marked chamois Rupicapra rupicapra monitored over 2 years. Models with and without individual grouping effect were fitted to simulate identifiable and anonymous fecal sampling, and model estimates were compared to evaluate the consequences of anonymizing data collection and analysis. The variance explained by the individual random effect and the value of diet repeatability varied with seasons and peaked in winter. Despite the occurrence of individual variation in dietary quality, ecological parameter estimates under identifiable or anonymous sampling were consistently similar. This study suggests that anonymous fecal sampling may provide robust estimates of the relationship between dietary quality and ecological correlates. However, since the level of individual heterogeneity in dietary quality may vary with species- or study-specific features, inconsequential pseudoreplication should not be assumed in other taxa. When individual differences are known to be inconsequential, anonymous sampling allows to optimize the trade-off between sampling intensity and representativeness. When pseudoreplication is consequential, however, no conclusive remedy exists to effectively resolve nonindependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Corlatti
- Chair of Wildlife Ecology and ManagementUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
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52
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Kraus S, Krüger O, Guenther A. Zebra finches bi-directionally selected for personality differ in repeatability of corticosterone and testosterone. Horm Behav 2020; 122:104747. [PMID: 32217065 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Consistent between-individual differences in behaviour have been documented across the animal kingdom. Such variation between individuals has been shown to be the basis for selection and to act as a pacemaker for evolutionary change. Recently, equivocal evidence suggests that such consistent between-individual variation is also present in hormones. This observation has sparked interest in understanding the mechanisms shaping individual differences, temporal consistency and heritability of hormonal phenotypes and to understand, if and to what extent hormonal mechanisms are involved in mediating consistent variation in behaviour between individuals. Here, we used zebra finches of the fourth generation of bi-directionally selected lines for three independent behaviours: aggression, exploration and fearlessness. We investigated how these behaviours responded to artificial selection and tested their repeatability. We further tested for repeatability of corticosterone and testosterone across and within lines. Moreover, we are presenting the decomposed variance components for within-individual variance (i.e. flexibility) and between-individual variance (i.e. more or less pronounced differences between individuals) and investigate their contribution to repeatability estimates. Both hormones as well as the exploration and fearlessness but not aggressiveness, were repeatable. However, variance components and hence repeatability differed between lines and were often lower than in unselected control animals, mainly because of a reduction in between-individual variance. Our data show that artificial selection (including active selection and genetic drift) can affect the mean and variance of traits. We stress the importance for understanding how variable a trait is both between and within individuals to assess the selective value of a trait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Kraus
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Germany.
| | - Oliver Krüger
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Germany.
| | - Anja Guenther
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany.
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53
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Grant AR, Baldan D, Kimball MG, Malisch JL, Ouyang JQ. Across time and space: Hormonal variation across temporal and spatial scales in relation to nesting success. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 292:113462. [PMID: 32171744 PMCID: PMC7187986 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 02/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
There is a renewed interest in investigating individual variation in hormone levels in relation to fitness metrics, as hormones act as mediators of life-history trade-offs. Hormone concentrations, however, are labile, responding to both internal and external stimuli, so the relationship between hormones and fitness can be non-consistent. One explanation of this inconsistent relationship is that a single hormone sample may not be representative of individual phenotypes in a free-living species. We addressed this issue by repeatedly sampling a free-living population of mountain white-crowned sparrows, Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha, for baseline and stress-induced corticosterone (cort) and testosterone (T) across different stages of the breeding season. We measured (co)variation using three different methods, taking into account inter- and intra-individual variances, to determine whether hormone levels and the stress response are repeatable. We documented the temporal (over 3 months) and spatial (home-range) variation of individual hormone phenotypes and investigated how these components related to nesting success. At the population level, we found significant repeatability in male stress-induced cort concentrations but no repeatability in male or female baseline cort or male T concentrations. Using a new metric of intra-individual variance focusing on the stress response (profile repeatability), we found a wide range of variance scores, with most individuals showing high variation in their stress response. Similarly, we found a low level of repeatability of the reaction norm intercept and slope for the stress response across different life-history stages. Males with higher concentrations of stress-induced cort had more central home-ranges. Males with higher body condition had larger home-ranges; however, home-range size did not relate to male hormone concentrations or nesting success. We also did not find any significant relationship between variation in hormone levels and nesting success. We recommend that future studies combine both physiological and environmental components to better understand the relationship between hormones and fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avery R Grant
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA.
| | - Davide Baldan
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Melanie G Kimball
- Department of Biology, St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Marys City, MD, USA
| | - Jessica L Malisch
- Department of Biology, St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Marys City, MD, USA
| | - Jenny Q Ouyang
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
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54
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Effects of predation risk on egg steroid profiles across multiple populations of threespine stickleback. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5239. [PMID: 32251316 PMCID: PMC7090078 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61412-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Predation often has consistent effects on prey behavior and morphology, but whether the physiological mechanisms underlying these effects show similarly consistent patterns across different populations remains an open question. In vertebrates, predation risk activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and there is growing evidence that activation of the maternal HPA axis can have intergenerational consequences via, for example, maternally-derived steroids in eggs. Here, we investigated how predation risk affects a suite of maternally-derived steroids in threespine stickleback eggs across nine Alaskan lakes that vary in whether predatory trout are absent, native, or have been stocked within the last 25 years. Using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS), we detected 20 steroids within unfertilized eggs. Factor analysis suggests that steroids covary within and across steroid classes (i.e. glucocorticoids, progestogens, sex steroids), emphasizing the modularity and interconnectedness of the endocrine response. Surprisingly, egg steroid profiles were not significantly associated with predator regime, although they were more variable when predators were absent compared to when predators were present, with either native or stocked trout. Despite being the most abundant steroid, cortisol was not consistently associated with predation regime. Thus, while predators can affect steroids in adults, including mothers, the link between maternal stress and embryonic development is more complex than a simple one-to-one relationship between the population-level predation risk experienced by mothers and the steroids mothers transfer to their eggs.
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55
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Harris BN. Stress hypothesis overload: 131 hypotheses exploring the role of stress in tradeoffs, transitions, and health. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 288:113355. [PMID: 31830473 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.113355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Revised: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Stress is ubiquitous and thus, not surprisingly, many hypotheses and models have been created to better study the role stress plays in life. Stress spans fields and is found in the literature of biology, psychology, psychophysiology, sociology, economics, and medicine, just to name a few. Stress, and the hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal/interrenal (HPA/I) axis and sympathetic nervous system (SNS), are involved in a multitude of behaviors and physiological processes, including life-history and ecological tradeoffs, developmental transitions, health, and survival. The goal of this review is to highlight and summarize the large number of available hypotheses and models, to aid in comparative and interdisciplinary thinking, and to increase reproducibility by a) discouraging hypothesizing after results are known (HARKing) and b) encouraging a priori hypothesis testing. For this review I collected 214 published hypotheses or models dealing broadly with stress. In the main paper, I summarized and categorized 131 of those hypotheses and models which made direct connections among stress and/or HPA/I and SNS, tradeoffs, transitions, and health. Of those 131, the majority made predictions about reproduction (n = 43), the transition from health to disease (n = 38), development (n = 23), and stress coping (n = 18). Additional hypotheses were classified as stage-spanning or models (n = 37). The additional 83 hypotheses found during searches were tangentially related, or pertained to immune function or oxidative stress, and these are listed separately. Many of the hypotheses share underlying rationale and suggest similar, if not identical, predictions, and are thus not mutually exclusive; some hypotheses spanned classification categories. Some of the hypotheses have been tested multiple times, whereas others have only been examined a few times. It is the hope that multi-disciplinary stress researchers will begin to harmonize their naming of hypotheses in the literature so as to build a clearer picture of how stress impacts various outcomes across fields. The paper concludes with some considerations and recommendations for robust testing of stress hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breanna N Harris
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States.
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56
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Lind MA, Hõrak P, Sepp T, Meitern R. Corticosterone levels correlate in wild-grown and lab-grown feathers in greenfinches (Carduelis chloris) and predict behaviour and survival in captivity. Horm Behav 2020; 118:104642. [PMID: 31765655 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Level of corticosterone (CORT), which is a predominant glucocorticoid in birds, has become the main indicator for assessing the stress level of birds in ecological studies. Feather corticosterone (CORTf) provides information about corticosterone levels during feather growth, however, the underlying causes of individual variation of CORTf between individuals and individual persistency of CORTf are not yet fully understood. Therefore, this study addresses individual consistency in CORTf and the association of variation in CORTf with behaviour that results in damage to tail feathers. We studied relations between CORTf, plasma CORT, and behaviour in wild-caught male greenfinches in captivity. CORTf in wild-grown feathers correlated positively with CORTf in lab-grown feathers. CORTf levels were about 20% lower in lab-grown feathers than in those grown in the wild. Four birds that died in captivity had significantly higher average CORTf levels in wild-grown feathers than the survivors. Plasma CORT levels of two measurements taken in the lab seven days apart correlated positively, however, no correlations between plasma CORT and CORTf were found. In order to study the link between CORTf and behaviour, the extent of tail damage from flapping against cage bar was assessed. Contrary to our prediction, birds with higher CORTf had less tail damage. This study adds to the evidence that CORTf levels can be considered as informative markers of some persistent component of individual phenotypic quality that can predict survival under standardized laboratory conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari-Ann Lind
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014 Tartu, Estonia.
| | - Peeter Hõrak
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Tuul Sepp
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Richard Meitern
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014 Tartu, Estonia
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57
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Palma A, Blas J, Tella JL, Cabezas S, Marchant TA, Carrete M. Differences in adrenocortical responses between urban and rural burrowing owls: poorly-known underlying mechanisms and their implications for conservation. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coaa054. [PMID: 32665848 PMCID: PMC7336563 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coaa054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2018] [Revised: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal/interrenal (HPA) axis of vertebrates integrates external information and orchestrates responses to cope with energy-demanding and stressful events through changes in circulating glucocorticoid levels. Urbanization exposes animals to a wide variety of ever-changing stimuli caused by human activities that may affect local wildlife populations. Here, we empirically tested the hypothesis that urban and rural owls (Athene cunicularia) show different adrenocortical responses to stress, with urban individuals showing a reduced HPA-axis response compared to rural counterparts to cope with the high levels of human disturbance typical of urban areas. We applied a standard capture-restraint protocol to measure baseline levels and stress-induced corticosterone (CORT) responses. Urban and rural owls showed similar circulating baseline CORT levels. However, maximum CORT levels were attained earlier and were of lower magnitude in urban compared to rural owls, which showed a more pronounced and long-lasting response. Variability in CORT responses was also greater in rural owls and contained the narrower variability displayed by urban ones. These results suggest that only individuals expressing low-HPA-axis responses can thrive in cities, a pattern potentially mediated by three alternative and non-exclusive hypotheses: phenotypic plasticity, natural selection and matching habitat choice. Due to their different conservation implications, we recommend further research to properly understand wildlife responses to humans in an increasingly urbanized world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Palma
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), 41092 Seville, Spain
- Corresponding author: Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), 41092 Seville, Spain.
| | - Julio Blas
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), 41092 Seville, Spain
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, S7N 5E2 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - José L Tella
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), 41092 Seville, Spain
| | - Sonia Cabezas
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, S7N 5E2 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Tracy A Marchant
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, S7N 5E2 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Martina Carrete
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), 41092 Seville, Spain
- Departament of Physical, Chemical and Natural Systems, Universidad Pablo de Olavide (UPO), 41013 Seville, Spain
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58
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Individual differences in glucocorticoid regulation: Does it relate to disease risk and resilience? Front Neuroendocrinol 2020; 56:100803. [PMID: 31697962 PMCID: PMC7189329 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.100803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Glucocorticoid (GC) signaling varies among individuals, and this variation may relate to individual differences in health outcomes. To determine if and which aspects of signaling (basal, circadian, integrative, or reactivity) are associated with specific health outcomes, we reviewed recent studies that relate GCs to health outcomes. We identified papers through PubMed and reviewed 100 original research articles related to mental health, cardiovascular health, cancer, diabetes, obesity, pulmonary health, sleep, and fitness. Many studies reported elevated GC secretion associated with worse health, but this was only particularly true for integrative GC measures. On the other hand, accentuated cortisol awakening response and a steeper circadian rhythm were both associated with positive health outcomes. Overall, relationships between GC secretion and health outcomes were relatively weak. This systematic review of relationships between GC metrics and health outcomes highlights the importance of careful consideration when selecting methods to measure GC regulation in health research.
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59
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Atwood MP, Kie JG, Millspaugh JJ, Matocq MD, Bowyer RT. Condition of mule deer during winter: stress and spatial overlap with North American elk. MAMMAL RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-019-00474-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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60
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Carbillet J, Rey B, Lavabre T, Chaval Y, Merlet J, Débias F, Régis C, Pardonnet S, Duhayer J, Gaillard JM, Hewison AJM, Lemaître JF, Pellerin M, Rannou B, Verheyden H, Gilot-Fromont E. The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio indexes individual variation in the behavioural stress response of wild roe deer across fluctuating environmental conditions. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2755-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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61
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Mazza V, Dammhahn M, Eccard JA, Palme R, Zaccaroni M, Jacob J. Coping with style: individual differences in responses to environmental variation. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2760-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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62
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Hammond TT, Vo M, Burton CT, Surber LL, Lacey EA, Smith JE. Physiological and behavioral responses to anthropogenic stressors in a human-tolerant mammal. J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
As humans continue to alter natural habitats, many wild animals are facing novel suites of environmental stimuli. These changes, including increased human–wildlife interactions, may exert sublethal impacts on wildlife such as alterations in stress physiology and behavior. California ground squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi) occur in human-modified as well as more pristine environments, where they face a variety of anthropogenic and naturally occurring threats. This makes this species a valuable model for examining the effects of diverse challenges on the physiology and behavior of free-living mammals. To explore potential sublethal effects of habitat modification on O. beecheyi, we compared body masses, behaviors, and fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) levels for free-living squirrels in human-disturbed versus undisturbed habitats. Prior to these analyses, we validated the use of FGMs in this species by exposing captive O. beecheyi to pharmacological and handling challenges; both challenges produced significant increases in FGMs in the study animals. While FGM responses were repeatable within captive individuals, responses by free-living animals were more variable, perhaps reflecting a greater range of life-history traits and environmental conditions within natural populations of squirrels. Animals from our human-disturbed study site had significantly higher FGMs, significantly lower body masses, and were significantly less behaviorally reactive to humans than those from our more pristine study site. Thus, despite frequent exposure of California ground squirrels to human impacts, anthropogenic stressors appear to influence stress physiology and other phenotypic traits in this species. These findings suggest that even human-tolerant mammalian species may experience important sublethal consequences due to human modifications of natural habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talisin T Hammond
- San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, Escondido, CA, USA
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Minnie Vo
- Biology Department, Mills College, Oakland, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Eileen A Lacey
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
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63
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Santicchia F, Wauters LA, Dantzer B, Westrick SE, Ferrari N, Romeo C, Palme R, Preatoni DG, Martinoli A. Relationships between personality traits and the physiological stress response in a wild mammal. Curr Zool 2019; 66:197-204. [PMID: 32440278 PMCID: PMC7233610 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoz040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoids (GCs) are involved in the regulation of an animal's energetic state. Under stressful situations, they are part of the neuroendocrine response to cope with environmental challenges. Animals react to aversive stimuli also through behavioral responses, defined as coping styles. Both in captive and wild populations, individuals differ in their behavior along a proactive-reactive continuum. Proactive animals exhibit a bold, active-explorative and social personality, whereas reactive ones are shy, less active-explorative and less social. Here, we test the hypothesis that personality traits and physiological responses to stressors covary, with more proactive individuals having a less pronounced GC stress response. In wild populations of invasive gray squirrels Sciurus carolinensis, we measured fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs), an integrated measure of circulating GCs, and 3 personality traits (activity, sociability, and exploration) derived from open field test (OFT) and mirror image stimulation (MIS) test. Gray squirrels had higher FGMs in Autumn than in Winter and males with scrotal testes had higher FGMs than nonbreeding males. Personality varied with body mass and population density. Squirrels expressed more activity-exploration at higher than at lower density and heavier squirrels had higher scores for activity-exploration than animals that weighed less. Variation in FGM concentrations was not correlated with the expression of the 3 personality traits. Hence, our results do not support a strong association between the behavioral and physiological stress responses but show that in wild populations, where animals experience varying environmental conditions, the GC endocrine response and the expression of personality are uncorrelated traits among individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Santicchia
- Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Environment Analysis and Management Unit - Guido Tosi Research Group - Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, Via J. H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Lucas A Wauters
- Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Environment Analysis and Management Unit - Guido Tosi Research Group - Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, Via J. H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy.,Department of Biology, Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Antwerp, 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
| | - Sarah E Westrick
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Nicola Ferrari
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milano, Italy.,Centro di Ricerca Coordinata Epidemiologia e Sorveglianza Molecolare delle Infezioni, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Claudia Romeo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Rupert Palme
- Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Damiano G Preatoni
- Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Environment Analysis and Management Unit - Guido Tosi Research Group - Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, Via J. H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Adriano Martinoli
- Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Environment Analysis and Management Unit - Guido Tosi Research Group - Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, Via J. H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
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64
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Montreuil-Spencer C, Schoenemann K, Lendvai ÁZ, Bonier F. Winter corticosterone and body condition predict breeding investment in a nonmigratory bird. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Reproduction is an energetically demanding life history stage that requires costly physiological and behavioral changes, yet some individuals will invest more into reproduction and breed more successfully than others. To understand variation in reproductive investment, previous studies have evaluated factors during breeding, but conditions outside of this life history stage may also play a role. Using a free-ranging population of black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus), we assessed the repeatability of plastic traits relating to energetic condition (circulating initial corticosterone concentrations and body condition) during the nonbreeding season and evaluated whether these traits predicted reproductive investment in the subsequent breeding season. We found that initial corticosterone concentrations and an index of body condition, but not fat score, were moderately repeatable over a 1-week period in winter. This trait repeatability supports the interpretation that among-individual variation in these phenotypic traits could reflect an intrinsic strategy to cope with challenging conditions across life history stages. We found that females with larger fat reserves during winter laid eggs sooner and tended to spend more time incubating their eggs and feeding their offspring. In contrast, we found that females with higher residual body mass delayed breeding, after controlling for the relationship between fat score and timing of breeding. Additionally, females with higher initial corticosterone in winter laid lighter eggs. Our findings suggest that conditions experienced outside of the breeding season may be important factors explaining variation in reproductive investment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kelsey Schoenemann
- Biology Department, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada
- Virginia Working Landscapes, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA
| | - Ádám Z Lendvai
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1. Debrecen, Hungary
- Department of Geology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Frances Bonier
- Biology Department, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada
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65
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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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66
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Romero LM, Gormally BMG. How Truly Conserved Is the “Well-Conserved” Vertebrate Stress Response? Integr Comp Biol 2019; 59:273-281. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icz011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The vertebrate stress response is considered to be a highly conserved suite of responses that are evolved to help animals survive noxious environmental stimuli. The two major pathways of the stress response include the catecholamine release that is part of the autonomic nervous system and comprises the immediate fight-or-flight response, and the slower release of corticosteroids from the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis that help orchestrate longer-term responses. These two pathways are present in every vertebrate yet examined, and the anatomical and physiological architecture underlying these pathways are consistent. Despite these structural similarities, however, recent data indicate substantial temporal and species variation in the actual regulation of these pathways. For example, activation of both pathways varies seasonally in some species but not others, and responses of both pathways can be extensively modulated by an individual’s previous experience. Consequently, even though the anatomy of the stress response is highly conserved, the activation and functional output is not highly conserved. Given this variation, it is perhaps not surprising that it is proving difficult to correlate individual stress responses with differences in fitness outcomes. This review summarizes the challenge of making broad generalized assumptions about fitness consequences of the stress response given the functional variation we observe.
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Affiliation(s)
- L M Romero
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Robinson Hall, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - B M G Gormally
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Robinson Hall, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA 02155, USA
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67
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Martin LB, Vitousek M, Donald JW, Flock T, Fuxjager MJ, Goymann W, Hau M, Husak J, Johnson MA, Kircher B, Knapp R, Miller ET, Schoenle LA, Williams T, Francis CD. IUCN Conservation Status Does Not Predict Glucocorticoid Concentrations in Reptiles and Birds. Integr Comp Biol 2019; 58:800-813. [PMID: 30052988 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icy102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Circulating glucocorticoids (GCs) are the most commonly used biomarkers of stress in wildlife. However, their utility as a tool for identifying and/or managing at-risk species has varied. Here, we took a very broad approach to conservation physiology, asking whether International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listing status (concern versus no obvious concern) and/or location within a geographic range (edge versus non-edge) predicted baseline and post-restraint concentrations of corticosterone (CORT) among many species of birds and reptiles. Even though such an approach can be viewed as coarse, we asked in this analysis whether CORT concentrations might be useful to implicate species at risk. Indeed, our effort, relying on HormoneBase, a repository of data on wildlife steroids, complements several other large-scale efforts in this issue to describe and understand GC variation. Using a phylogenetically informed Bayesian approach, we found little evidence that either IUCN status or edge/non-edge location in a geographic distribution were related to GC levels. However, we did confirm patterns described in previous studies, namely that breeding condition and evolutionary relatedness among species predicted some GC variation. Given the broad scope of our work, we are reluctant to conclude that IUCN status and location within a range are unrelated to GC regulation. We encourage future more targeted efforts on GCs in at-risk populations to reveal how factors leading to IUCN listing or the environmental conditions at range edges impact individual performance and fitness, particularly in the mammals, amphibians, and fish species we could not study here because data are currently unavailable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn B Martin
- Department of Global Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Maren Vitousek
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Jeremy W Donald
- Coates Library, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA
| | - Travis Flock
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA
| | | | - Michaela Hau
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319 Starnberg, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Jerry Husak
- Department of Biology, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN 55105, USA
| | - Michele A Johnson
- Department of Biology, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA
| | - Bonnie Kircher
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
| | - Rosemary Knapp
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | | | - Laura A Schoenle
- Department of Global Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA.,Department of Biology, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY 13323, USA
| | - Tony Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6
| | - Clinton D Francis
- Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
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Zimmer C, Taff CC, Ardia DR, Ryan TA, Winkler DW, Vitousek MN. On again, off again: Acute stress response and negative feedback together predict resilience to experimental challenges. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cedric Zimmer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Cornell University Ithaca New York
| | - Conor C. Taff
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Cornell University Ithaca New York
- Lab of Ornithology Cornell University Ithaca New York
| | - Daniel R. Ardia
- Department of Biology Franklin and Marshall College Lancaster Pennsylvania
| | - Thomas A. Ryan
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Cornell University Ithaca New York
| | - David W. Winkler
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Cornell University Ithaca New York
- Lab of Ornithology Cornell University Ithaca New York
| | - Maren N. Vitousek
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Cornell University Ithaca New York
- Lab of Ornithology Cornell University Ithaca New York
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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: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [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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Sagar RL, Mitchell C, Rayner MJ, Stanley MC, Dunphy BJ. Maximising success: Translocation does not negatively impact stress reactivity and development in petrel chicks. Glob Ecol Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2018.e00508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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Sarpong K, Madliger CL, Harris CM, Love OP, Doucet SM, Bitton PP. Baseline corticosterone does not reflect iridescent plumage traits in female tree swallows. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2019; 270:123-130. [PMID: 30392885 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2018] [Revised: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The production of high quality secondary sexual traits can be constrained by trade-offs in the allocation of energy and nutrients with other metabolic activities, and is mediated by physiological processes. In birds, the factors influencing male plumage quality have been well studied; however, factors affecting female plumage quality are poorly understood. Furthermore, it remains uncertain which physiological traits mediate the relationship between body condition and ornaments. In this three-year study of after-second-year female tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), we investigated (1) the relationship between baseline corticosterone near the end of the brood-rearing period (CORTBR) and feather colour characteristics (hue, saturation, brightness) the following year, and (2) the relationship between baseline corticosterone measured during incubation (CORTI) and brood rearing (CORTBR), and feather colour in the same year. To control for reproductive effort, we included reproductive parameters as covariates in all analyses. In this first study between CORT and the plumage colour characteristics of a species bearing iridescent feathers, we did not find any relationship between CORTBR and the colour of subsequently-produced feathers, nor did we find any relationship between CORT and the colour of feathers displayed during that breeding season. If CORT levels at the end of breeding carry over to influence the immediately subsequent moult period as we expect, our results generally indicate that structural plumage quality may not be as sensitive to circulating CORT levels compared to carotenoid-based colouration. Future studies, particularly those employing experimental manipulations of CORT during moult in species with iridescent traits, are necessary to fully determine the role glucocorticoids play in mediating the quality of secondary sexual characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keneth Sarpong
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada.
| | - Christine L Madliger
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada.
| | - Christopher M Harris
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada.
| | - Oliver P Love
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada.
| | - Stéphanie M Doucet
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada.
| | - Pierre-Paul Bitton
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada.
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Fowler MA, Paquet M, Legault V, Cohen AA, Williams TD. Physiological predictors of reproductive performance in the European Starling ( Sturnus vulgaris). Front Zool 2018; 15:45. [PMID: 30479645 PMCID: PMC6249724 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-018-0288-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background It is widely assumed that variation in fitness components has a physiological basis that might underlie selection on trade-offs, but the mechanisms driving decreased survival and future fecundity remain elusive. Here, we assessed whether physiological variables are related to workload ability or immediate fitness consequences and if they mediate future survival or reproductive success. We used data on 13 physiological variables measured in 93 female European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) at two breeding stages (incubation, chick-rearing), for first-and second-broods over two years (152 observations). Results There was little co-variation among the physiological variables, either in incubating or chick-rearing birds, but some systematic physiological differences between the two stages. Chick-rearing birds had lower hematocrit and plasma creatine kinase but higher hemoglobin, triglyceride and uric acid levels. Only plasma corticosterone was repeatable between incubation and chick-rearing. We assessed relationships between incubation or chick-rearing physiology and measures of workload, current productivity, future fecundity or survival in a univariate manner, and found very few significant relationships. Thus, we next explored the utility of multivariate analysis (principal components analysis, Mahalanobis distance) to account for potentially complex physiological integration, but still found no clear associations. Conclusions This implies either that a) birds maintained physiological variables within a homeostatic range that did not affect their performance, b) there are relatively few links between physiology and performance, or, more likely, c) that the complexity of these relationships exceeds our ability to measure it. Variability in ecological context may complicate the relationship between physiology and behavior. We thus urge caution regarding the over-interpretation of isolated significant findings, based on single traits in single years, in the literature. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12983-018-0288-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melinda A Fowler
- 1Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6 Canada.,Present address: Springfield College Biology, 263 Alden Street, Springfield, MA 01109-3797 USA
| | - Mélissa Paquet
- 3Groupe de recherche PRIMUS, Department of Family Medicine, University of Sherbrooke, 3001 12e Ave N, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4 Canada
| | - Véronique Legault
- 3Groupe de recherche PRIMUS, Department of Family Medicine, University of Sherbrooke, 3001 12e Ave N, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4 Canada
| | - Alan A Cohen
- 3Groupe de recherche PRIMUS, Department of Family Medicine, University of Sherbrooke, 3001 12e Ave N, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4 Canada
| | - Tony D Williams
- 1Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6 Canada
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73
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Fanson KV, Biro PA. Meta-analytic insights into factors influencing the repeatability of hormone levels in agricultural, ecological, and medical fields. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2018; 316:R101-R109. [PMID: 30427725 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00006.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Interest in individual variation in hormone concentrations is rapidly increasing, particularly with regard to the evolutionary and practical implications. A key aspect of studying individual variation in any labile trait is estimating the degree of within- versus among-individual variation, but at present, we do not have a broad consensus on the extent to which hormone levels are repeatable and what factors might influence repeatability. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of hormone levels that included 1,132 estimates of repeatability from 368 studies across three fields of study: agriculture, ecology, and medicine. We assessed the influence of sex, age class, sample type, hormone family, type of hormone measure, assay type, number of subjects, number of samples per subject, and sampling interval on repeatability estimates. Overall mean repeatability was 0.58, but estimates differed substantially among study disciplines, being lowest in ecology (0.34), moderate in agriculture (0.52), and relatively high in medicine (0.68). In addition, repeatability decreased slightly as sampling interval increased, and also tended to be higher for peak hormone levels than baseline levels. Overall, hormone levels are moderately repeatable, suggesting that they can potentially be useful indicators of individual variation. However, estimates of repeatability are quite variable among fields, so caution should be used when relying on single samples to assess individual variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerry V Fanson
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Australia.,Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, La Trobe University , Bundoora , Australia
| | - Peter A Biro
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Australia
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Garamszegi LZ, Donald J, Francis CD, Fuxjager MJ, Goymann W, Hau M, Husak JF, Johnson MA, Kircher B, Knapp R, Martin LB, Miller ET, Schoenle LA, Vitousek MN, Williams TD. Species-Specific Means and Within-Species Variance in Glucocorticoid Hormones and Speciation Rates in Birds. Integr Comp Biol 2018; 58:763-776. [PMID: 30011006 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icy086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
At macroevolutionary scales, stress physiology may have consequences for species diversification and subspecies richness. Populations that exploit new resources or undergo range expansion should cope with new environmental challenges, which could favor higher mean stress responses. Within-species variation in the stress response may also play a role in mediating the speciation process: in species with broad variation, there will always be some individuals that can tolerate an unpredictable environment, whereas in species with narrow variation there will be fewer individuals that are able to thrive in a new ecological niche. We tested for the evolutionary relationship between stress response, speciation rate, and subspecies richness in birds by relying on the HormoneBase repository, from which we calculated within- and among-species variation in baseline (BL) and stress-induced (SI) corticosterone levels. To estimate speciation rates, we applied Bayesian analysis of macroevolutionary mixtures that can account for variation in diversification rate among clades and through time. Contrary to our predictions, lineages with higher diversification rates were not characterized by higher BL or SI levels of corticosterone either at the tips or at the deeper nodes of the phylogeny. We also found no association between mean hormone levels and subspecies richness. Within-species variance in corticosterone levels showed close to zero repeatability, thus it is highly unlikely that this is a species-specific trait that influences diversification rates. These results imply that stress physiology may play a minor, if any, role in determining speciation rates in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- László Zsolt Garamszegi
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana-CSIC, c/Americo Vespucio, 26, 41092 Seville, Spain.,MTA-ELTE Theoretical Biology and Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Department of Plant Systematics, Ecology and Theoretical Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest H-1117, Hungary
| | - Jeremy Donald
- Coates Library, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA
| | - Clinton D Francis
- Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA
| | | | - Michaela Hau
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen 82319, Germany.,University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany
| | - Jerry F Husak
- Department of Biology, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN 55105, USA
| | - Michele A Johnson
- Department of Biology, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA
| | - Bonnie Kircher
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
| | - Rosemary Knapp
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Lynn B Martin
- Department of Global Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | | | - Laura A Schoenle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Maren N Vitousek
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Tony D Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada
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Vitousek MN, Johnson MA, Husak JF. Illuminating Endocrine Evolution: The Power and Potential of Large-Scale Comparative Analyses. Integr Comp Biol 2018; 58:712-719. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icy098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Maren N Vitousek
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Michele A Johnson
- Department of Biology, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA
| | - Jerry F Husak
- Department of Biology, University of St. Thomas, 2115 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105, USA
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76
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Vitousek MN, Taff CC, Ardia DR, Stedman JM, Zimmer C, Salzman TC, Winkler DW. The lingering impact of stress: brief acute glucocorticoid exposure has sustained, dose-dependent effects on reproduction. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:20180722. [PMID: 30051820 PMCID: PMC6053934 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Acutely stressful experiences can have profound and persistent effects on phenotype. Across taxa, individuals differ remarkably in their susceptibility to stress. However, the mechanistic causes of enduring stress effects, and of individual differences in stress susceptibility, are poorly understood. Here, we tested whether brief, acute increases in glucocorticoid hormones have persistent effects on phenotype, and whether effects differ according to the magnitude or duration of elevation. We used a novel method to non-invasively manipulate hormone levels on short time scales: the application of corticosterone gel to a model egg secured in the nest. Free-living female tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) exposed to several brief corticosterone increases during incubation showed dose-dependent differences in behaviour throughout the reproductive period. Birds receiving treatments that simulated higher or longer acute stress responses later provisioned larger broods at lower rates; the resulting offspring were smaller in size. Treatment did not influence female body condition, oxidative stress, reproductive success or inter-annual survival, but exposed females maintained higher baseline corticosterone after treatments ceased. Overall, these results indicate that brief, acute elevations in glucocorticoids in adulthood can have long-term consequences. Furthermore, individuals that mount a greater or longer acute stress response may be more likely to experience lingering effects of stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maren N Vitousek
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Conor C Taff
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Daniel R Ardia
- Department of Biology, Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, PA 17604, USA
| | - Jocelyn M Stedman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Cedric Zimmer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Timothy C Salzman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
| | - David W Winkler
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
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Guindre-Parker S. The Evolutionary Endocrinology of Circulating Glucocorticoids in Free-Living Vertebrates: Recent Advances and Future Directions across Scales of Study. Integr Comp Biol 2018; 58:814-825. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icy048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Guindre-Parker
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Summerlee Science Complex, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1
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78
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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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