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Parkinson KJL, Hennin HL, Gilchrist HG, Hobson KA, Hussey NE, Love OP. Breeding stage and tissue isotopic consistency suggests colony-level flexibility in niche breadth of an Arctic marine bird. Oecologia 2022; 200:503-514. [PMID: 36229693 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05267-9] [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: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Organisms must overcome environmental limitations to optimize their investment in life history stages to maximize fitness. Human-induced climate change is generating increasingly variable environmental conditions, impacting the demography of prey items and, therefore, the ability of consumers to successfully access resources to fuel reproduction. While climate change effects are especially pronounced in the Arctic, it is unknown whether organisms can adjust foraging decisions to match such changes. We used a 9-year blood plasma δ13C and δ15N data set from over 700 pre-breeding Arctic common eiders (Somateria mollissima) to assess breeding-stage and inter-annual variation in isotopic niche, and whether inferred trophic flexibility was related to colony-level breeding parameters and environmental variation. Eider blood isotope values varied both across years and breeding stages, and combined with only weak relationships between isotopic metrics and environmental conditions suggests that pre-breeding eiders can make flexible foraging decisions to overcome constraints imposed by local abiotic conditions. From an investment perspective, an inshore, smaller isotopic niche predicted a greater probability to invest in reproduction, but was not related to laying phenology. Proximately, our results provide evidence that eiders breeding in the Arctic can alter their diet at the onset of reproductive investment to overcome increases in the energetic demand of egg production. Ultimately, Arctic pre-breeding common eiders may have the stage- and year-related foraging flexibility to respond to abiotic variation to reproduce successfully.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle J L Parkinson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada. .,Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, N1H 2W1, Canada.
| | - Holly L Hennin
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - H Grant Gilchrist
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Keith A Hobson
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Nigel E Hussey
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
| | - Oliver P Love
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
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2
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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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3
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Zhang VY, Buck CL. Seasonal patterns in behavior and glucocorticoid secretion of a specialist Holarctic tree squirrel (Sciurus aberti). J Comp Physiol B 2022; 192:541-559. [DOI: 10.1007/s00360-022-01429-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Steenweg RJ, Crossin GT, Hennin HL, Gilchrist HG, Love OP. Favorable spring conditions can buffer the impact of winter carryover effects on a key breeding decision in an Arctic-breeding seabird. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8588. [PMID: 35154656 PMCID: PMC8826066 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The availability and investment of energy among successive life-history stages is a key feature of carryover effects. In migratory organisms, examining how both winter and spring experiences carryover to affect breeding activity is difficult due to the challenges in tracking individuals through these periods without impacting their behavior, thereby biasing results.Using common eiders Somateria mollissima, we examined whether spring conditions at an Arctic breeding colony (East Bay Island, Nunavut, Canada) can buffer the impacts of winter temperatures on body mass and breeding decisions in birds that winter at different locations (Nuuk and Disko Bay, Greenland, and Newfoundland, Canada; assessed by analyzing stable isotopes of 13-carbon in winter-grown claw samples). Specifically, we used path analysis to examine how wintering and spring environmental conditions interact to affect breeding propensity (a key reproductive decision influencing lifetime fitness in female eiders) within the contexts of the timing of colony arrival, pre-breeding body mass (body condition), and a physiological proxy for foraging effort (baseline corticosterone).We demonstrate that warmer winter temperatures predicted lower body mass at arrival to the nesting colony, whereas warmer spring temperatures predicted earlier arrival dates and higher arrival body mass. Both higher body mass and earlier arrival dates of eider hens increased the probability that birds would initiate laying (i.e., higher breeding propensity). However, variation in baseline corticosterone was not linked to either winter or spring temperatures, and it had no additional downstream effects on breeding propensity.Overall, we demonstrate that favorable pre-breeding conditions in Arctic-breeding common eiders can compensate for the impact that unfavorable wintering conditions can have on breeding investment, perhaps due to greater access to foraging areas prior to laying.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Glenn T. Crossin
- Department of BiologyDalhousie UniversityHalifaxNova ScotiaCanada
| | - Holly L. Hennin
- Environment and Climate Change CanadaNational Wildlife Research CentreCarleton UniversityOttawaOntarioCanada
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of WindsorWindsorOntarioCanada
| | - H. Grant Gilchrist
- Environment and Climate Change CanadaNational Wildlife Research CentreCarleton UniversityOttawaOntarioCanada
| | - Oliver P. Love
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of WindsorWindsorOntarioCanada
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5
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Hoarau M, Angelier F, Touzalin F, Zgirski T, Parenteau C, Legagneux P. Corticosterone: foraging and fattening puppet master in pre-breeding greylag geese. Physiol Behav 2021; 246:113666. [PMID: 34875316 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113666] [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: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Reproduction is one of the most energetically costly life history stages, which impose constraints, even outside the breeding period. Capital breeders typically accumulate energy in preparation for reproduction and the amount of body mass gain prior to reproduction partly determines reproductive outcome in such species. Understanding the physiological and behavioral interplay that governs energy storage is thus essential. Pleiotropic hormones such as glucocorticoids can modulate diel and seasonal energy allocation in vertebrates. Baseline corticosterone (CORT, the main glucocorticoid hormone in birds) fluctuation can induce changes in foraging behavior and/or energy storage. In this experiment, we slightly elevated CORT levels and monitored body mass and foraging behavior prior to reproduction in semi-captive greylag geese. Birds treated either with CORT or placebo pellets inserted subcutaneously were monitored during 21 days. Same individuals were sequentially submitted to both treatments. The increase of CORT levels measured in either fecal or blood samples confirmed the slight CORT elevation in treated birds. Foraging behaviors increased (up to 9%) in the CORT treated group compared to controls only during morning observations. Birds treated with CORT increased their body mass gain by 6.3% compared to controls. This effect lasted during the first 11 days after pellet implementation. We thus confirm the central role of glucocorticoids on foraging behaviors and body mass gain in pre-nesting birds. This study opens new avenues to manipulate body condition in large-bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Hoarau
- Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Pavillon Alexandre-Vachon 1045, Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, G1V0A6, Québec, Canada; Centre d'Études Nordiques, Université Laval, Pavillon Abitibi-Price 2405, rue de la Terrasse Local 1202, Québec, G1V 0A6, Québec, Canada
| | - F Angelier
- Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372- CNRS, Université de LaRochelle, 405 Route de Prissé la Charrière, 79360, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - F Touzalin
- UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - T Zgirski
- Département de Biologie, Univserité du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR), 300, allée des Ursulines, C.P 3300. A, Rimouski, G5L3A1, Québec, Canada
| | - C Parenteau
- Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372- CNRS, Université de LaRochelle, 405 Route de Prissé la Charrière, 79360, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - P Legagneux
- Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Pavillon Alexandre-Vachon 1045, Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, G1V0A6, Québec, Canada; Centre d'Études Nordiques, Université Laval, Pavillon Abitibi-Price 2405, rue de la Terrasse Local 1202, Québec, G1V 0A6, Québec, Canada; Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372- CNRS, Université de LaRochelle, 405 Route de Prissé la Charrière, 79360, Villiers-en-Bois, France
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6
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Guindre-Parker S, Rubenstein DR. Long-Term Measures of Climate Unpredictability Shape the Avian Endocrine Stress Axis. Am Nat 2021; 198:394-405. [PMID: 34403319 DOI: 10.1086/715628] [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] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe vertebrate glucocorticoid stress response is an important mechanism facilitating pleiotropic phenotypic adjustments for coping with environmental change and optimizing fitness. Although circulating glucocorticoid hormones are mediators of plasticity that individuals can adjust rapidly in response to environmental challenges, they are also shaped by ecological selection. It remains unclear, however, how environmental variation on different timescales influences glucocorticoids. Here, we use an intraspecific comparative approach to determine how variation in precipitation on different timescales (months, years, decades) shapes distinct components of the glucocorticoid response. We sampled superb starlings (Lamprotornis superbus) at eight sites across Kenya in multiple years that differed in precipitation. Among-population variation in baseline glucocorticoids was shaped by both short- and long-term precipitation, whereas variation in stress-induced levels was poorly explained by precipitation on any timescale. Adrenal sensitivity, quantified via adrenocorticotropic hormone injections, was shaped by long-term precipitation and was highest in unpredictable environments. Together, these results suggest that variation in glucocorticoids can be best explained by environmental variation at timescales that extend beyond the lives of individuals, although baseline glucocorticoids also reflect short-term environmental conditions. Patterns of long-term precipitation may represent a microevolutionary selective pressure shaping the endocrine stress axis across populations and influencing how individuals cope with environmental change.
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7
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Zhang VY, Williams CT, Palme R, Buck CL. Glucocorticoids and activity in free-living arctic ground squirrels: Interrelationships between weather, body condition, and reproduction. Horm Behav 2020; 125:104818. [PMID: 32698015 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104818] [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: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The dynamic relationship between glucocorticoids and behavior are not well understood in wild mammals. We investigated how weather, body condition, and reproduction interact to affect cortisol levels and activity patterns in a free-living population of arctic ground squirrels (Urocitellus parryii). As a proxy for foraging and escape behaviors, collar-mounted accelerometers and light loggers were used to measure above-ground activity levels and the amount of time squirrels spent below the surface, respectively. Fecal cortisol metabolites (FCMs) were quantified to assess glucocorticoid secretion in squirrels. Male and female squirrels differed in above-ground activity levels and time spent below-ground across the active season, with males being most active during mating and females most active during lactation. We also found that female, but not male, squirrels exhibited seasonal variation in FCM levels, with concentrations highest during mid-lactation and lowest after the lactation period. In female squirrels, the seasonal relationships between breeding stage, activity, and FCM levels were also consistent with changes in maternal investment and the preparative role that glucocorticoids are hypothesized to play in energy mobilization. Body condition was not associated with FCM levels in squirrels. As predicted, deteriorating weather also influenced FCM levels and activity patterns in squirrels. FCM concentrations were affected by an interaction between temperature and wind speed when seasonal temperatures were lowest. In addition, above-ground activity, but not time spent below-ground, positively correlated with FCM levels. These results suggest that, although ground squirrels avoid inclement weather by remaining below-ground, activation of the stress axis may stimulate foraging activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Y Zhang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Cory T Williams
- Institute of Arctic Biology and Department of Biology & Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, A-1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA.
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8
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Tarroux A, Cherel Y, Fauchald P, Kato A, Love OP, Ropert‐Coudert Y, Spreen G, Varpe Ø, Weimerskirch H, Yoccoz NG, Zahn S, Descamps S. Foraging tactics in dynamic sea‐ice habitats affect individual state in a long‐ranging seabird. Funct Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Tarroux
- Department of Arctic Ecology ‐ Tromsø Norwegian Institute for Nature Research Tromsø Norway
- Biodiversity Section Norwegian Polar Institute Tromsø Norway
| | - Yves Cherel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC) UMR 7372 du CNRS‐La Rochelle Université Villiers‐en‐Bois France
| | - Per Fauchald
- Department of Arctic Ecology ‐ Tromsø Norwegian Institute for Nature Research Tromsø Norway
| | - Akiko Kato
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC) UMR 7372 du CNRS‐La Rochelle Université Villiers‐en‐Bois France
| | - Oliver P. Love
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Windsor Windsor ON Canada
| | - Yan Ropert‐Coudert
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC) UMR 7372 du CNRS‐La Rochelle Université Villiers‐en‐Bois France
| | - Gunnar Spreen
- Biodiversity Section Norwegian Polar Institute Tromsø Norway
- Institute of Environmental Physics University of Bremen Bremen Germany
| | - Øystein Varpe
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Bergen & Norwegian Institute for Nature Research Bergen Norway
| | - Henri Weimerskirch
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC) UMR 7372 du CNRS‐La Rochelle Université Villiers‐en‐Bois France
| | - Nigel G. Yoccoz
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology University of Tromsø ‐ The Arctic University of Norway Tromsø Norway
| | - Sandrine Zahn
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien Université de StrasbourgUMR7178 CNRS Strasbourg France
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9
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Guindre-Parker S. Individual Variation in Glucocorticoid Plasticity: Considerations and Future Directions. Integr Comp Biol 2020; 60:79-88. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icaa003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis regulates the secretion of glucocorticoids, hormones with diverse roles ranging from regulating daily metabolic demand to coping with sudden perturbations. As a result, glucocorticoids are thought to help vertebrates track their changing environments and coordinate plasticity in diverse phenotypes. While this endocrine system is highly plastic—where one individual can produce multiple phenotypes across varying environmental conditions—little is understood about the degree to which individuals, populations, or species differ in circulating glucocorticoid plasticity. Empirical research quantifying individual variation in glucocorticoid plasticity has increased in recent years, though the multiple complex roles of the HPA-axis make it challenging to generalize the extent to which individual variation in plasticity exists. I provide an overview of current findings on variation in glucocorticoids plasticity, and outline multiple types of glucocorticoid plasticity researchers should consider in future work to advance our understanding of the causes and consequences of individual variation in glucocorticoid plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Guindre-Parker
- Department of Ecology, Evolution & Organismal Biology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA 30144, USA
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10
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Bowers EK, Thompson CF, Bowden RM, Sakaluk SK. Posthatching Parental Care and Offspring Growth Vary with Maternal Corticosterone Level in a Wild Bird Population. Physiol Biochem Zool 2020; 92:496-504. [PMID: 31393208 DOI: 10.1086/705123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Corticosterone is the primary metabolic steroid in birds and is vital for maintaining homeostasis. However, the relationship between baseline corticosterone and reproduction is unclear, and we lack an understanding of how differences in baseline corticosterone at one stage of the breeding cycle influence reproductive effort at later stages. In a wild population of house wrens, we quantified the concentration of corticosterone in yolks of freshly laid eggs as an integrated measure of maternal physiology and related this to a behavioral measure of stress reactivity made during the nestling period, namely, the latency with which females resumed parental activities following a standardized disturbance at their nest (setting up a camera to record provisioning). Females that recently produced eggs containing higher corticosterone concentrations, which were significantly repeatable within females, took longer to resume activity related to parental care (i.e., feeding and brooding young) following the disturbance. Moreover, a female's latency to resume parental activities negatively predicted her provisioning of nestlings with food and the condition of these young at fledging but did not predict the number fledged. We cross-fostered offspring prior to hatching so these effects on maternal behavior are independent of any prenatal maternal effects on nestlings via the egg. These results are consistent with earlier findings, suggesting that females with higher baseline corticosterone during egg laying or early incubation tend to prioritize self-maintenance over reproduction compared with females with lower baseline corticosterone and suggest that a female's latency to return to her nest and resume parental care following a disturbance might represent a simple, functional measure of maternal stress reactivity.
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11
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Zena LA, Dillon D, Hunt KE, Navas CA, Buck CL, Bícego KC. Hormonal correlates of the annual cycle of activity and body temperature in the South-American tegu lizard (Salvator merianae). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 285:113295. [PMID: 31580883 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.113295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [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: 03/29/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Life history transitions and hormones are known to interact and influence many aspects of animal physiology and behavior. The South-American tegu lizard (Salvator merianae) exhibits a profound seasonal shift in metabolism and body temperature, characterized by high daily activity during warmer months, including reproductive endothermy in spring, and metabolic suppression during hibernation in winter. This makes S. merianae an interesting subject for studies of interrelationships between endocrinology and seasonal changes in physiology/behavior. We investigated how plasma concentrations of hormones involved in regulation of energy metabolism (thyroid hormones T4 and T3; corticosterone) and reproduction (testosterone in males and estrogen/progesterone in females) correlate with activity and body temperature (Tb) across the annual cycle of captive held S. merianae in semi-natural conditions. In our initial model, thyroid hormones and corticosterone showed a positive relationship with activity and Tb with independent of sex: T3 positively correlated with activity and Tb, while T4 and corticosterone correlated positively with changes in Tb only. This suggests that thyroid hormones and glucocorticoids may be involved in metabolic transitions of annual cycle events. When accounting for sex-steroid hormones, our sex separated models showed a positive relationship between testosterone and Tb in males and progesterone and activity in females. Coupling seasonal endocrine measures with activity and Tb may expand our understanding of the relationship between animal's physiology and its environment. Manipulative experiments are required in order to unveil the directionality of influences existing among abiotic factors and the hormonal signaling of annual cyclicity in physiology/behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas A Zena
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, 05508-090 São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA.
| | - Danielle Dillon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Kathleen E Hunt
- Department of Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Carlos A Navas
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, 05508-090 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Kênia C Bícego
- Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, College of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University, 14884-900 Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil.
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12
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Vidal AC, Roldan M, Christofoletti MD, Tanaka Y, Galindo DJ, Duarte JMB. Stress in captive Blue-fronted parrots ( Amazona aestiva): the animalists' tale. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 7:coz097. [PMID: 31832195 PMCID: PMC6899226 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz097] [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: 03/20/2019] [Revised: 09/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Understanding stress physiology is crucial for species management because high levels of stress can reduce reproduction and the individual's ability to face threats to survive. One of the most popular methods for non-invasive monitoring of animal endocrine status is the glucocorticoid (GC) metabolite measurements, which can provide important information about how animals are affected by their surrounding environment. Here, we carried out the biological validation of corticosterone enzyme immunoassays (EIAs), which together with a cortisol EIA was used to quantified the concentrations of urofaecal GC metabolites (uGCMs) in wild and captive Blue-fronted amazon parrots (Amazona aestiva). Urofaecal GC concentrations were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in free-living parrots (157.9 ± 18.5 ng cortisol/g and 61.14 ± 23.5 ng corticosterone/g dry urofaecal sample) than in those kept in captivity, which showed the comparable levels of GC metabolites independently of the management system applied. The higher uGCM levels obtained in the wild population point to an adaptive response for survival and species propagation in a more challenging environment, in comparison with captive animals. Furthermore, the lower uGCM concentrations in captive parrots may indicate an adaptive capacity of the species A. aestiva to captivity and its potential as a legal pet. The corticosterone EIA applied in this study proved to be an effective technique for the adrenocortical activity monitoring in this species. We discuss our findings considering the management and destiny given to wild-caught birds that are kept in confinement or returned to nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Chesna Vidal
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Deer Research and Conservation Center (NUPECCE), Jaboticabal, São Paulo 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Mar Roldan
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Deer Research and Conservation Center (NUPECCE), Jaboticabal, São Paulo 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Maurício Durante Christofoletti
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Deer Research and Conservation Center (NUPECCE), Jaboticabal, São Paulo 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Yuki Tanaka
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Deer Research and Conservation Center (NUPECCE), Jaboticabal, São Paulo 14884-900, Brazil
| | - David Javier Galindo
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Deer Research and Conservation Center (NUPECCE), Jaboticabal, São Paulo 14884-900, Brazil
| | - José Maurício Barbanti Duarte
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Deer Research and Conservation Center (NUPECCE), Jaboticabal, São Paulo 14884-900, Brazil
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13
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Soulsbury CD. Income and capital breeding in males: energetic and physiological limitations on male mating strategies. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:222/1/jeb184895. [PMID: 30602463 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.184895] [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: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Income and capital breeding describe two dichotomous breeding strategies that characterise the allocation of resources to reproduction. Capital breeders utilise stored endogenous resources (typically lipids) to finance reproduction, whereas income breeders use exogenous resources (typically carbohydrates). The basis for such characterisation has mainly come from studying females, yet for many species, male and female reproductive success may be determined by substantially different factors. Females allocate resources to offspring production, whereas males typically allocate resources to accessing mating opportunities, e.g. from contests or displays. The primary metabolic fuel (lipids or carbohydrates) in males appears to be dependent on the type of activity being performed (i.e. high versus low intensity or long versus short duration), rather than capital or income breeding strategy per se. Males performing sustained, long-duration effort typically utilise lipids, whereas those undergoing intense activity more often utilise carbohydrates. As a result, either fuel type can be used in either strategy. Breeding season duration can constrain strategy choice; lipids and carbohydrates can be used in short breeding season species, but only lipids provide a viable fuel source for long breeding season capital breeders. Both capital- and income-breeding males must manage their resource use during the breeding season, but capital breeders must also cope with physiological stressors associated with extended fasting. Overall, the capital-income breeding concept applies equally to male reproduction, but compared with females, there are different physical and physiological constraints that shape choice of strategy. This Commentary also highlights some key future areas that need to be investigated to further understand how capital-income breeding strategies shape male mating strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl D Soulsbury
- School of Life Science, University of Lincoln, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK
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14
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Rojas TN, Vergara-Tabares DL, Valdez DJ, Ponzio MF, Peluc SI. Food supplementation by an invasive fleshy-fruited shrub sustains body condition of a native frugivorous bird during winter. Integr Zool 2018; 14:259-269. [PMID: 30019849 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Birds tend to adjust their behavior and physiology to changes in food availability in their environment. Seasonal fluctuation of food resources may act as an energetic challenge, augmenting hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) activity, leading to an increase in corticosterone concentrations and promoting the metabolism of energy stores. Plant invasions may alter seasonal food fluctuations by providing a food supply during scarce seasons. This could attenuate the energetic challenge, reducing HPA axis activity and the metabolism of reserves. Using a system with seasonal fluctuation in food availability, we tested if fruit supplementation by the invasive fleshy-fruited Pyracantha angustifolia during the season of native fruit scarcity decreases the consumption of energy stores through activity attenuation of the HPA axis. We measured changes in body condition and circulating corticosterone (CORT) concentration in Turdus chiguanco occurring at sites both invaded and not invaded by P. angustifolia over 3 time periods that correspond to the periods prior to, during and after highest fruit production of the plant. Fruit scarcity in the ecosystem appears as an energetic challenge for T. chiguanco, given that body mass, fat score and residuals of body mass/tarsus length decreased during winter in a site not invaded by the exotic shrub. Conversely, the presence of the invasive plant seemed to attenuate the metabolism of energetic reserves, as we did not record changes in body condition in birds inhabiting the invaded site. Unexpectedly, plasma CORT concentration did not vary between sites or periods. Further evaluation is required to elucidate how enhanced body condition, resulting from the consumption of a fleshy-fruited invasive plant, affects survivorship and reproductive performance in T. chiguanco.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Nicolas Rojas
- Institute of Diversity and Animal Eology (IDEA-CONICET), National University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | | | - Diego Javier Valdez
- Institute of Diversity and Animal Eology (IDEA-CONICET), National University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Marina Flavia Ponzio
- Institute of Health Science Research (INICSA-CONICET), Faculty of Medical Sciences, National University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Susana Inés Peluc
- Institute of Diversity and Animal Eology (IDEA-CONICET), National University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.,Faculty of Exacts, Physics and Nature Sciences, National University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
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15
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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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16
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Hennin HL, Dey CJ, Bêty J, Gilchrist HG, Legagneux P, Williams TD, Love OP. Higher rates of prebreeding condition gain positively impacts clutch size: A mechanistic test of the condition‐dependent individual optimization model. Funct Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Holly L. Hennin
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Windsor Windsor Ontario Canada
| | - Cody J. Dey
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental ResearchUniversity of Windsor Windsor Ontario Canada
| | - Joël Bêty
- Département de Biologie and Centre d'études nordiquesUniversité du Québec à Rimouski Rimouski Québec Canada
| | - H. Grant Gilchrist
- National Wildlife Research CentreEnvironment and Climate Change Canada Ottawa Ontario Canada
| | - Pierre Legagneux
- Département de Biologie and Centre d'études nordiquesUniversité du Québec à Rimouski Rimouski Québec Canada
| | - Tony D. Williams
- Department of Biological SciencesSimon Fraser University Burnaby British Columbia Canada
| | - Oliver P. Love
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Windsor Windsor Ontario Canada
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17
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Vágási CI, Pătraș L, Pap PL, Vincze O, Mureșan C, Németh J, Lendvai ÁZ. Experimental increase in baseline corticosterone level reduces oxidative damage and enhances innate immune response. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0192701. [PMID: 29432437 PMCID: PMC5809056 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoid (GC) hormones are significant regulators of homeostasis. The physiological effects of GCs critically depend on the time of exposure (short vs. long) as well as on their circulating levels (baseline vs. stress-induced). Previous experiments, in which chronic and high elevation of GC levels was induced, indicate that GCs impair both the activity of the immune system and the oxidative balance. Nonetheless, our knowledge on how mildly elevated GC levels, a situation much more common in nature, might influence homeostasis is limited. Therefore, we studied whether an increase in GC level within the baseline range suppresses or enhances condition (body mass, hematocrit and coccidian infestation) and physiological state (humoral innate immune system activity and oxidative balance). We implanted captive house sparrows Passer domesticus with either 60 days release corticosterone (CORT) or control pellets. CORT-treated birds had elevated baseline CORT levels one week after the implantation, but following this CORT returned to its pre-treatment level and the experimental groups had similar CORT levels one and two months following the implantation. The mass of tail feathers grown during the initial phase of treatment was smaller in treated than in control birds. CORT implantation had a transient negative effect on body mass and hematocrit, but both of these traits resumed the pre-treatment values by one month post-treatment. CORT treatment lowered oxidative damage to lipids (malondialdehyde) and enhanced constitutive innate immunity at one week and one month post-implantation. Our findings suggest that a relatively short-term (i.e. few days) elevation of baseline CORT might have a positive and stimulatory effect on animal physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Csongor I. Vágási
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- * E-mail: (CIV); (ÁZL)
| | - Laura Pătraș
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
| | - Péter L. Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Orsolya Vincze
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Cosmin Mureșan
- Emergency Hospital, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj Napoca, Romania
| | - József Németh
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Ádám Z. Lendvai
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- * E-mail: (CIV); (ÁZL)
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18
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Sorenson GH, Dey CJ, Madliger CL, Love OP. Effectiveness of baseline corticosterone as a monitoring tool for fitness: a meta-analysis in seabirds. Oecologia 2016; 183:353-365. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3774-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2016] [Accepted: 11/08/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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19
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Provencher JF, Forbes MR, Hennin HL, Love OP, Braune BM, Mallory ML, Gilchrist HG. Implications of mercury and lead concentrations on breeding physiology and phenology in an Arctic bird. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2016; 218:1014-1022. [PMID: 27567168 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.08.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2016] [Revised: 08/18/2016] [Accepted: 08/21/2016] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Although physiological traits and phenology are thought to be evolved traits, they often show marked variation within populations, which may be related to extrinsic factors. For example, trace elements such as mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) alter biochemical processes within wildlife that may affect migration and breeding. While there is a growing understanding of how contaminants may influence wildlife physiology, studies addressing these interactions in free-living species are still limited. We examined how four non-essential trace elements (cadmium, Hg, Pb and selenium) interacted with physiological and breeding measures known to influence breeding in a free-living population of common eider ducks (Somateria mollissima). We collected blood from female eiders as they arrived at a breeding colony in northern Canada. Blood was subsequently assessed for baseline corticosterone (CORT), immunoglobulin Y (IgY), and the four trace elements. We used model selection to identify which elements varied most with CORT, IgY, arrival condition, and arrival timing. We then used path analysis to assess how the top two elements from the model selection process (Hg and Pb) varied with metrics known to influence reproduction. We found that arrival date, blood Hg, CORT, and IgY showed significant inter-annual variation. While blood Pb concentrations were low, blood Pb levels significantly increased with later arrival date of the birds, and varied negatively with eider body condition, suggesting that even at low blood concentrations, Pb may be related to lower investment in reproduction in eiders. In contrast, blood Hg concentrations were positively correlated with eider body condition, indicating that fatter birds also had higher Hg burdens. Overall, our results suggest that although blood Hg and Pb concentrations were below no-effect levels, these low level concentrations of known toxic metals show significant relationships with breeding onset and condition in female eider ducks, factors that could influence reproductive success in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- J F Provencher
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| | - M R Forbes
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - H L Hennin
- Department of Biological Sciences and Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
| | - O P Love
- Department of Biological Sciences and Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
| | - B M Braune
- WLSD, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - M L Mallory
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, Canada
| | - H G Gilchrist
- WLSD, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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20
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Hennin HL, Bêty J, Legagneux P, Gilchrist HG, Williams TD, Love OP. Energetic Physiology Mediates Individual Optimization of Breeding Phenology in a Migratory Arctic Seabird. Am Nat 2016; 188:434-45. [PMID: 27622877 DOI: 10.1086/688044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The influence of variation in individual state on key reproductive decisions impacting fitness is well appreciated in evolutionary ecology. Rowe et al. (1994) developed a condition-dependent individual optimization model predicting that three key factors impact the ability of migratory female birds to individually optimize breeding phenology to maximize fitness in seasonal environments: arrival condition, arrival date, and ability to gain in condition on the breeding grounds. While empirical studies have confirmed that greater arrival body mass and earlier arrival dates result in earlier laying, no study has assessed whether individual variation in energetic management of condition gain effects this key fitness-related decision. Using an 8-year data set from over 350 prebreeding female Arctic common eiders (Somateria mollissima), we tested this component of the model by examining whether individual variation in two physiological traits influencing energetic management (plasma triglycerides: physiological fattening rate; baseline corticosterone: energetic demand) predicted individual variation in breeding phenology after controlling for arrival date and body mass. As predicted by the optimization model, individuals with higher fattening rates and lower energetic demand had the earliest breeding phenology (shortest delays between arrival and laying; earliest laying dates). Our results are the first to empirically determine that individual flexibility in prebreeding energetic management influences key fitness-related reproductive decisions, suggesting that individuals have the capacity to optimally manage reproductive investment.
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21
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Bowers EK, Bowden RM, Thompson CF, Sakaluk SK. Elevated corticosterone during egg production elicits increased maternal investment and promotes nestling growth in a wild songbird. Horm Behav 2016; 83:6-13. [PMID: 27189763 PMCID: PMC4915999 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2016] [Revised: 05/11/2016] [Accepted: 05/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids circulating in breeding birds during egg production accumulate within eggs, and may provide a potent form of maternal effect on offspring phenotype. However, whether these steroids affect offspring development remains unclear. Here, we employed a non-invasive technique that experimentally elevated the maternal transfer of corticosterone to eggs in a wild population of house wrens. Feeding corticosterone-injected mealworms to free-living females prior to and during egg production increased the number of eggs that females produced and increased corticosterone concentrations in egg yolks. This treatment also resulted in an increase in the amount of yolk allocated to eggs. Offspring hatching from these eggs begged for food at a higher rate than control offspring and eventually attained increased prefledging body condition, a trait predictive of their probability of recruitment as breeding adults in the study population. Our results indicate that an increase in maternal glucocorticoids within the physiological range can enhance maternal investment and offspring development.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Keith Bowers
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics Section, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790-4120, USA.
| | - Rachel M Bowden
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics Section, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790-4120, USA
| | - Charles F Thompson
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics Section, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790-4120, USA
| | - Scott K Sakaluk
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics Section, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790-4120, USA
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