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Hee O, Di Francesco J, Kutz S. Variation in Muskox (Ovibos moschatus) Guard Hair Growth Rates: Implications for Measuring Chronological Biomarkers. J Wildl Dis 2024; 60:531-536. [PMID: 38314897 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-23-00101] [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: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Segmental analyses of hair may be useful for measuring biomarkers over several seasons to years from a single sample. To attribute hair segments to specific time periods, a known chronological marker, or a hair growth rate, is needed. We examined guard hair growth rates of captive muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA. We sought to determine if a general growth rate could be applied across muskox populations, thus facilitating the use of segmental analyses for various biomarkers. We used archived samples from 16 muskoxen that had guard hairs sampled at six, 14, and 30 wk after shaving. We measured the lengths of 10 guard hairs per sample, calculated weekly and annual growth rates, and then fitted linear mixed-effects models to assess the effect of different covariates on hair growth rate. The period in which hair had been grown had a significant effect (P<0.05) on growth rate. Extrapolated annual hair growth rates were 277±40 mm/yr (weeks 0-6), 248±47 mm/yr (weeks 7-14), and 165±36 mm/yr (weeks 15-30), with an overall average rate of 210±14 mm/yr. These rates were significantly faster than those of free-ranging Greenland muskoxen-78 mm/yr as measured by stable isotope analyses-and varied intra-annually. This suggests that a universal growth rate cannot be generalized across muskox populations and time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Hee
- University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 3330 Hospital Drive NW HSC 2559, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Juliette Di Francesco
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, VM3B 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, Davis, California 95616, USA
| | - Susan Kutz
- University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 3330 Hospital Drive NW HSC 2559, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
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Kabalika Z, Haydon DT, McGill RAR, Morales JM, Morrison TA, Newton J, Hopcraft JGC. Using sulfur stable isotope ratios (δ 34 S) for animal geolocation: Estimating the delay mechanisms between diet ingestion and isotope incorporation in tail hair. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2024; 38:e9674. [PMID: 38124168 PMCID: PMC10909487 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.9674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Metabolism and diet quality play an important role in determining delay mechanisms between an animal ingesting an element and depositing the associated isotope signal in tissue. While many isotope mixing models assume instantaneous reflection of diet in an animal- tissue, this is rarely the case. Here we use data from wildebeest to measure the lag time between ingestion of 34 S and its detection in tail hair. METHODS We use time-lagged regression analysis of δ34 S data from GPS-collared blue wildebeest from the Serengeti ecosystem in combination with δ34 S isoscape data to estimate the lag time between an animal ingesting and depositing 34 S in tail hair. RESULTS The best fitting regression model of δ34 S in tail hair and an individual- position on the δ34 S isoscape is generated assuming an average time delay of 78 days between ingestion and detection in tail hair. This suggests that sulfur may undergo multiple metabolic transitions before being deposited in tissue. CONCLUSION Our findings help to unravel the underlying complexities associated with sulfur metabolism and are broadly consistent with results from other species. These findings will help to inform research aiming to apply the variation of δ34 S in inert biological material for geolocation or understanding dietary changes, especially for fast moving migratory ungulates such as wildebeest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zabibu Kabalika
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Daniel T Haydon
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Rona A R McGill
- National Environmental Isotope Facility, Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Juan M Morales
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Thomas A Morrison
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Jason Newton
- National Environmental Isotope Facility, Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - J Grant C Hopcraft
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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Medill SA, Janz DM, McLoughlin PD. Hair Cortisol and Testosterone Concentrations in Relation to Maturity and Breeding Status of Male Feral Horses. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2129. [PMID: 37443926 PMCID: PMC10339860 DOI: 10.3390/ani13132129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Steroid-hormone concentrations from non-invasively obtained biomarkers, like hair, can provide a representation of circulating hormones diffused over relatively long time periods (e.g., weeks or months). The hormone cortisol is often associated with physiological or even psychological stress, while testosterone is strongly associated with male development and reproductive success. Increasingly, studies are using hormone levels derived from hair to make inferences among both domestic animals and wildlife. For horses, all previous hair hormone analysis has been done on companion or working animals. We evaluated the levels of hair cortisol (n = 153) and testosterone (n = 48) from 136 feral horses living on Sable Island, Canada that have been part of a long-term individual-based study since 2008. This population has been undisturbed and unmanaged for over 50 years, and exhibits the natural social organization for horses, harem defense polygyny. Hair samples were collected in mid to late summer and the segment analyzed corresponds with hair grown during, and following, the peak of the reproductive season. Social position was determined based on the male's role as either a dominant breeding Stallion (Stallion), a non-breeding subordinate male (tag), adult Bachelor (5 years old or older), or Immature male (2-4 years of age). While there was no difference in hair-cortisol concentration among any class of adult males (i.e., Stallion, tag, or Bachelor), Immature males had significantly lower hair cortisol concentrations than the other groups (p = 0.001). Hair testosterone levels among the four social positions were significantly higher among Stallions (p = 0.04). Hair testosterone concentration was also significantly related to the probability of a male being either a Bachelor or Stallion and was the only variable remaining in AICc model selection (p = 0.016, AICc = 32.3, Null AICc = 38.8). While not a significant relationship, Stallions had a negative correlation between hair cortisol concentrations and testosterone (R2 = -0.20, p = 0.383), and Bachelors, conversely, had a positive association (R2 = 0.43, p = 0.246). Our observations of hormone concentrations in relation to physiological, social, or reproductive parameters in this population suggest trends that are similar to what has been established using blood or other matrices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A. Medill
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C8, Canada;
| | - David M. Janz
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada;
| | - Philip D. McLoughlin
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C8, Canada;
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Medill SA, Janz DM, McLoughlin PD. Hair Cortisol Concentrations in Feral Horses and the Influence of Physiological and Social Factors. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2133. [PMID: 37443930 DOI: 10.3390/ani13132133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cortisol is a glucocorticoid hormone produced during activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) in response to psychological or physiological demands. High amounts of circulating cortisol can be found in individuals experiencing energetically demanding physiological events, such as pregnancy, lactation, injury, or starvation, but, also, in individuals who may have less obvious HPA activation from social situations. The feral horse population on Sable Island (Nova Scotia, Canada) provides an opportunity to look at hair cortisol concentration (HCC) as a proxy for circulating cortisol concentration to better understand physiological correlates. The horse's complex social structure also allows us to look at how the population and group structure may influence HPA activation. Hair samples (n = 282) were analyzed from 113 females and 135 males. Females with dependent offspring (foals) had higher HCC than those females without dependent offspring (p = 0.005). Horses in poor body condition were also more likely to have higher HCC (females: p < 0.001, males: p = 0.028); females had greater variation in the body condition index (BCI), which also correlated with foal production. In general, the top-ranked models describing female cortisol levels included age, BCI, presence of a foal, as well as social measures such as harem size and the number of bachelors in the vicinity. The top model describing male cortisol levels included age, BCI, and year of collection only, and the number of bachelors in the home range appeared in subsequent, though still high-ranked, models. Among the variables not of direct interest, we found some significant results relating to hair color and hair texture. Differences in HCC patterns between feral and domestically kept horses (e.g., age and sex) are likely linked to periods of resource limitations, particularly for individuals experiencing energetically demanding processes such as reproduction, illness/parasitism, or related to experiencing the full range of social and reproductive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Medill
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C8, Canada
| | - David M Janz
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Philip D McLoughlin
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C8, Canada
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Schmidt NM, Michelsen A, Hansen LH, Aggerbeck MR, Stelvig M, Kutz S, Mosbacher JB. Sequential analysis of δ 15 N in guard hair suggests late gestation is the most critical period for muskox calf recruitment. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2023; 37:e9470. [PMID: 36601893 PMCID: PMC10078194 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.9470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Analysis of stable isotopes in tissue and excreta may provide information about animal diets and their nutritional state. As body condition may have a major influence on reproduction, linking stable isotope values to animal demographic rates may help unravel the drivers behind animal population dynamics. METHODS We performed sequential analysis of δ15 N values in guard hair from 21 muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) from Zackenberg in high arctic Greenland. We were able to reconstruct the dietary history for the population over a 5-year period with contrasting environmental conditions. We examined the linkage between guard hair δ15 N values in 12 three-month periods and muskox calf recruitment to detect critical periods for muskox reproduction. Finally, we conducted similar analyses of the correlation between environmental conditions (snow depth and air temperature) and calf recruitment. RESULTS δ15 N values exhibited a clear seasonal pattern with high levels in summer and low levels in winter. However, large inter-annual variation was found in winter values, suggesting varying levels of catabolism depending on snow conditions. In particular δ15 N values during January-March were linked to muskox recruitment rates, with higher values coinciding with lower calf recruitment. δ15 N values were a better predictor of muskox recruitment rates than environmental conditions. CONCLUSIONS Although environmental conditions may ultimately determine the dietary δ15 N signal in muskox guard hairs, muskox calf recruitment was more strongly correlated with δ15 N values than ambient snow and temperature. The period January-March, corresponding to late gestation, appears particularly critical for muskox reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels Martin Schmidt
- Department of Ecoscience and Arctic Research CentreAarhus UniversityRoskildeDenmark
| | - Anders Michelsen
- Department of BiologyUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagen ØDenmark
- Center for PermafrostUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagen KDenmark
| | - Lars Holst Hansen
- Department of Ecoscience and Arctic Research CentreAarhus UniversityRoskildeDenmark
| | | | | | - Susan Kutz
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryABCanada
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Šturm MB, Smith S, Ganbaatar O, Buuveibaatar B, Balint B, Payne JC, Voigt CC, Kaczensky P. Isotope analysis combined with DNA barcoding provide new insights into the dietary niche of khulan in the Mongolian Gobi. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0248294. [PMID: 33780458 PMCID: PMC8006982 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
With increasing livestock numbers, competition and avoidance are increasingly shaping resource availability for wild ungulates. Shifts in the dietary niche of wild ungulates are likely and can be expected to negatively affect their fitness. The Mongolian Gobi constitutes the largest remaining refuge for several threatened ungulates, but unprecedentedly high livestock numbers are sparking growing concerns over rangeland health and impacts on threatened ungulates like the Asiatic wild ass (khulan). Previous stable isotope analysis of khulan tail hair from the Dzungarian Gobi suggested that they graze in summer but switch to a poorer mixed C3 grass / C4 shrub diet in winter, most likely in reaction to local herders and their livestock. Here we attempt to validate these findings with a different methodology, DNA metabarcoding. Further, we extend the scope of the original study to the South Gobi Region, where we expect higher proportions of low-quality browse in the khulan winter diet due to a higher human and livestock presence. Barcoding confirmed the assumptions behind the seasonal diet change observed in the Dzungarian Gobi isotope data, and new isotope analysis revealed a strong seasonal pattern and higher C4 plant intake in the South Gobi Region, in line with our expectations. However, DNA barcoding revealed C4 domination of winter diet was due to C4 grasses (rather than shrubs) for the South Gobi Region. Slight climatic differences result in regional shifts in the occurrence of C3 and C4 grasses and shrubs, which do not allow for an isotopic separation along the grazer-browser continuum over the entire Gobi. Our findings do not allow us to confirm human impacts upon dietary preferences in khulan as we lack seasonal samples from the South Gobi Region. However, these data provide novel insight into khulan diet, raise new questions about plant availability versus preference, and provide a cautionary tale about indirect analysis methods if used in isolation or extrapolated to the landscape level. Good concordance between relative read abundance of C4 genera from barcoding and proportion of C4 plants from isotope analysis adds to a growing body of evidence that barcoding is a promising quantitative tool to understand resource partitioning in ungulates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Burnik Šturm
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Steve Smith
- Konrad-Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Oyunsaikhan Ganbaatar
- Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area Administration, Takhin Tal, Gobi Altai Province, Mongolia
- Department of Zoology, School of Biology and Biotechnology, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | | | - Boglarka Balint
- Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area Administration, Takhin Tal, Gobi Altai Province, Mongolia
| | - John C. Payne
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Petra Kaczensky
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research–NINA, Trondheim, Norway
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Funck J, Kellam C, Seaton CT, Wooller MJ. Stable isotopic signatures in modern wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) hairs as telltale biomarkers of nutritional stress. CAN J ZOOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2019-0185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Assessing the challenges faced by wildlife populations is key to providing effective management but is problematic when dealing with populations in remote locations. Analyses of the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope composition (expressed as δ13C and δ15N values) of sequentially grown tissues, such as hairs, can be used to track changes in the eco-physiology of organisms. We generated δ13C and δ15N values from sequentially sampled (n = 465) hairs taken from wood bison (Bison bison athabascae Rhoads, 1898) (n = 27). Samples were taken from individuals prior to and after their release from captivity into the lower Innoko–Yukon river area of Alaska in 2015. Twenty months after release, individuals had a distinct seasonal pattern in δ13C values. Hairs from individuals that experienced food scarcity or long-distance movement were sampled as case studies. Nutritional stress in these cases lead to a rise in δ15N values and a decrease in δ13C values. Applications of δ13C and δ15N analyses of bison tail hairs could provide wildlife managers a valuable and minimally invasive tool to better understand bison seasonal metabolic status and determine the historical health and behavior of living and dead individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliette Funck
- Department of Geology and Geoscience, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
- Alaska Stable Isotope Facility, Water and Environmental Research Center, Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - Cade Kellam
- Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - C. Tom Seaton
- Wood Bison Restoration Project, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fairbanks, AK 99701, USA
| | - Matthew J. Wooller
- Alaska Stable Isotope Facility, Water and Environmental Research Center, Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
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Lazzerini N, Coulon A, Simon L, Marchina C, Noost B, Lepetz S, Zazzo A. Grazing high and low: Can we detect horse altitudinal mobility using high-resolution isotope (δ 13 C and δ 15 N values) time series in tail hair? A case study in the Mongolian Altai. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2019; 33:1512-1526. [PMID: 31148256 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.8496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope time series performed in continuously growing tissues (hair, tooth enamel) are commonly used to reconstruct the dietary history of modern and ancient animals. Predicting the effects of altitudinal mobility on animal δ13 C and δ15 N values remains difficult as several variables such as temperature, water availability or soil type can contribute to the isotope composition. Modern references adapted to the region of interest are therefore essential. METHODS Between June 2015 and July 2018, six free-ranging domestic horses living in the Mongolian Altaï were fitted with GPS collars. Tail hairs were sampled each year, prepared for sequential C and N isotope analysis using EA-IRMS. Isotopic variations were compared with altitudinal mobility, and Generalized Additive Mixed (GAMMs) models were used to model the effect of geographic and environmental factors on δ13 C and δ15 N values. RESULTS Less than half of the pasture changes were linked with a significant isotopic shift while numerous isotopic shifts did not correspond to any altitudinal mobility. Similar patterns of δ13 C and δ15 N variations were observed between the different horses, despite differences in mobility patterns. We propose that water availability as well as seasonal availability of N2 fixing type plants primarily controlled horse hair δ13 C and δ15 N values, overprinting the influence of altitude. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that altitudinal mobility is not the main factor that drives the variations in horse tail hair δ13 C and δ15 N values and that seasonal change in the animal dietary preference also plays an important role. It is therefore risky to interpret variations in δ13 C and δ15 N values of animal tissues in terms of altitudinal mobility alone, at least in C3 -dominated environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Lazzerini
- Archéozoologie, Archéobotanique: sociétés, pratiques et environnements (UMR 7209 AASPE), CNRS, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CP56, 55 rue Buffon, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Aurélie Coulon
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (UMR 7204 CESCO), CNRS, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CP135, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris, France
- CEFE, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, Univ. Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Laurent Simon
- Univ. Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, 69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Charlotte Marchina
- Institut Français de Recherche sur l'Asie de l'Est (IFRAE), FRE 2025, Inalco/Université de Paris/CNRS, 2 rue de Lille, 75007, Paris, France
| | - Bayarkhuu Noost
- Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Institute of History and Archaeology, Mongolia
| | - Sébastien Lepetz
- Archéozoologie, Archéobotanique: sociétés, pratiques et environnements (UMR 7209 AASPE), CNRS, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CP56, 55 rue Buffon, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Antoine Zazzo
- Archéozoologie, Archéobotanique: sociétés, pratiques et environnements (UMR 7209 AASPE), CNRS, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CP56, 55 rue Buffon, 75005, Paris, France
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Rudolph W, Remane D, Wissenbach DK, Peters FT. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based determination of ergocristine, ergocryptine, ergotamine, ergovaline, hypoglycin A, lolitrem B, methylene cyclopropyl acetic acid carnitine, N-acetylloline, N-formylloline, paxilline, and peramine in equine hair. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2019; 1117:127-135. [PMID: 31009898 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2019.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Revised: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Ingestion of hypoglycin A (HGA) in maple seeds or alkaloids produced by symbiotic fungi in pasture grasses is thought to be associated with various syndromes in grazing animals. This article describes analytical methods for monitoring long-term exposure to HGA, its metabolite MCPA-carnitine, as well as ergocristine, ergocryptine, ergotamine, ergovaline, lolitrem B, N-acetylloline, N-formylloline, peramine, and paxilline in equine hair. After extraction of hair samples separation was achieved using two ultra high performance liquid chromatographic systems (HILIC or RP-C18, ammonium formate:acetonitrile). A benchtop orbitrap instrument was used for high resolution tandem mass spectrometric detection. All analytes were sensitively detected with limits of detection between 1 pg/mg and 25 pg/mg. Irreproducible extraction or ubiquitous presence in horse hair precluded quantitative validation of lolitrem B/paxilline and N-acetylloline/N-formylloline, respectively. For the other analytes validation showed no interferences in blank hair. Other validation parameters were as follows: limits of quantification (LOQ), 10 to 100 pg/mg; recoveries, 18.3 to 91.0%; matrix effects, -48.2 - 24.4%; linearity, LOQ - 1000 pg/mg; accuracy, -14.9 - 6.4%, precision RSDs ≤10.7%. The method allows sensitive detection of all analytes and quantification of ergocristine, ergocryptine, ergotamine, ergovaline, HGA, MCPA-carnitine, and peramine in horse hair. Applicability was proven for N-acetylloline and N-formylloline by analyzing hair of 13 horses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wiebke Rudolph
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Daniela Remane
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Dirk K Wissenbach
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Frank T Peters
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
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Burnik Šturm M, Ganbaatar O, Voigt CC, Kaczensky P. Sequential stable isotope analysis reveals differences in multi-year dietary history of three sympatric equid species in SW Mongolia. J Appl Ecol 2017; 54:1110-1119. [PMID: 28717255 PMCID: PMC5510718 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
1. Competition among sympatric wild herbivores is reduced by different physiological, morphological, and behavioral traits resulting in different dietary niches. Wild equids are a rather uniform group of large herbivores which have dramatically declined in numbers and range. Correlative evidence suggests that pasture competition with livestock is one of the key factors for this decline, and the situation may be aggravated in areas where different equid species overlap. 2. The Dzungarian Gobi is currently the only place where two wild equid species coexist and share the range with the domesticated form of a third equid species. In the arid and winter cold Gobi, pasture productivity is low, highly seasonal, and wild equids additionally face increasing livestock densities. 3. We used stable isotope chronologies of tail hairs to draw inferences about multi-year diet seasonality, isotopic dietary niches, and physiological adaptations in the Asiatic wild ass (khulan), reintroduced Przewalski's horse, and domestic horse in the Mongolian part of the Dzungarian Gobi. 4. Our results showed that even in the arid Gobi, both horse species are predominantly grazers, whereas khulan are highly seasonal, switching from being grazers in summer to mixed feeders in winter. The isotopic dietary niches of the two horse species were almost identical, did not vary with season as in khulan, and were narrower than in the latter. Higher δ15N values point towards higher water use efficiency in khulan, which may be one reason why they can exploit pastures further away from water. 5. Synthesis and applications: The high degree of isotopic dietary niche overlap in the two horses points towards a high potential for pasture competition during the critical nutritional bottleneck in winter and highlights the need to severely restrict grazing of domestic horses on the range of the Przewalski's horses. Khulan are less constrained by water and seem more flexible in their choice of diet or less successful in exploiting grass dominated habitats in winter due to human presence. Providing additional water sources could increase the competition between khulan and livestock, and should therefore be only done following careful consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Burnik Šturm
- Research Institute of Wildlife EcologyUniversity of Veterinary MedicineViennaAustria
| | - Oyunsaikhan Ganbaatar
- Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area AdministrationTakhin TalGobi Altai ProvinceMongolia
- Department of ZoologySchool of Biology and BiotechnologyNational University of MongoliaUlan BatorMongolia
| | | | - Petra Kaczensky
- Research Institute of Wildlife EcologyUniversity of Veterinary MedicineViennaAustria
- Present address:
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research – NINATrondheimNorway
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Kaczensky P, Burnik Šturm M, Sablin MV, Voigt CC, Smith S, Ganbaatar O, Balint B, Walzer C, Spasskaya NN. Stable isotopes reveal diet shift from pre-extinction to reintroduced Przewalski's horses. Sci Rep 2017; 7:5950. [PMID: 28729625 PMCID: PMC5519547 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-05329-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Przewalski's horse (Equus ferus przewalskii), the only remaining wild horse within the equid family, is one of only a handful of species worldwide that went extinct in the wild, was saved by captive breeding, and has been successfully returned to the wild. However, concerns remain that after multiple generations in captivity the ecology of the Przewalski's horse and / or the ecological conditions in its former range have changed in a way compromising the species' long term survival. We analyzed stable isotope chronologies from tail hair of pre-extinction and reintroduced Przewalski's horses from the Dzungarian Gobi and detected a clear difference in the isotopic dietary composition. The direction of the dietary shift from being a mixed feeder in winter and a grazer in summer in the past, to a year-round grazer nowadays, is best explained by a release from human hunting pressure. A changed, positive societal attitude towards the species allows reintroduced Przewalski's horses to utilize the scarce, grass-dominated pastures of the Gobi alongside local people and their livestock whereas their historic conspecifics were forced into less productive habitats dominated by browse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Kaczensky
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, 1160, Vienna, Austria.
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research - NINA, P.O. Box 5685 Sluppen, NO-7485, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Martina Burnik Šturm
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, 1160, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Mikhail V Sablin
- Zoological Institute RAS, Universitetskaya nab. 1, 199034, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Christian C Voigt
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Steve Smith
- Konrad-Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Vienna, 1160, Austria
| | - Oyunsaikhan Ganbaatar
- Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area Administration, Takhin Tal, Gobi Altai Province, Mongolia
- Department of Zoology, School of Biology and Biotechnology, National University of Mongolia, 14200, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Boglarka Balint
- Konrad-Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Vienna, 1160, Austria
| | - Chris Walzer
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, 1160, Vienna, Austria
| | - Natalia N Spasskaya
- Zoological Museum of Moscow Lomonosow State University, Bolshaya Nikitskaya Str. 6, 125009, Moscow, Russia
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12
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Burnik Šturm M, Ganbaatar O, Voigt CC, Kaczensky P. First field-based observations of δ 2H and δ 18O values of event-based precipitation, rivers and other water bodies in the Dzungarian Gobi, SW Mongolia. ISOTOPES IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH STUDIES 2017; 53:157-171. [PMID: 27733073 PMCID: PMC5332016 DOI: 10.1080/10256016.2016.1231184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2016] [Accepted: 07/17/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
For certain remote areas like Mongolia, field-based precipitation, surface and ground water isotopic data are scarce. So far no such data exist for the Mongolian Gobi desert, which hinders the understanding of isotopic fractionation processes in this extreme, arid region. We collected 26 event-based precipitation samples, 39 Bij river samples, and 75 samples from other water bodies in the Dzungarian Gobi in SW Mongolia over a period of 16 months for hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope analysis. δ2H and δ18O values in precipitation show high seasonal variation and cover an extreme range: 175 ‰ for δ2H and 24 ‰ for δ18O values. The calculated local meteoric water line (LMWL) shows the isotopic characteristics of precipitation in an arid region. Individual water samples fall into one of three groups: within, above or below the 95 % confidence interval of LMWL. Data presented provide a basis for future studies in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Burnik Šturm
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Oyunsaikhan Ganbaatar
- Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area Administration, Takhin Tal, Gobi Altai Province, Mongolia
- School of Biology and Biotechnology, National University of Mongolia, Ulan Bator, Mongolia
| | - Christian C. Voigt
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Petra Kaczensky
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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13
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Chen G, Schnyder H, Auerswald K. Model explanation of the seasonal variation of δ 18O in cow (Bos taurus) hair under temperate conditions. Sci Rep 2017; 7:320. [PMID: 28337022 PMCID: PMC5428254 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-00361-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxygen isotopes (δ18O) in animal and human tissues are expected to be good recorders of geographical origin and migration histories. However, seasonal variation of δ18O may diminish the origin information in the tissues. Here the seasonality of δ18O in tail hair was investigated in a domestic suckler cow (Bos taurus) that underwent different ambient conditions, physiological states, keeping and feeding during five years. A detailed mechanistic model was built to explain this variation. The measured δ18O in hair significantly related (p < 0.05) to the δ18O in meteoric water in a regression analysis. Modelling suggested that this relation was only partly derived from the direct influence of feed moisture. Ambient conditions (temperature, moisture) also affected the animal itself (drinking water demand, transcutaneous vapor etc.). The clear temporal variation thus resulted from complex interactions with multiple influences. The twofold influence of ambient conditions via the feed and via the animal itself is advantageous for tracing the geographic origin because δ18O is then less influenced by variations in moisture uptake; however, it is unfavorable for indicating the production system, e.g. to distinguish between milk produced from fresh grass or from silage. The model is versatile but needs testing under a wider range of conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guo Chen
- Lehrstuhl für Grünlandlehre, Technische Universität München, Alte Akademie 12, Freising-Weihenstephan, 85354, Germany
| | - Hans Schnyder
- Lehrstuhl für Grünlandlehre, Technische Universität München, Alte Akademie 12, Freising-Weihenstephan, 85354, Germany
| | - Karl Auerswald
- Lehrstuhl für Grünlandlehre, Technische Universität München, Alte Akademie 12, Freising-Weihenstephan, 85354, Germany.
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