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Hutton P, Lendvai ÁZ, Németh J, McGraw KJ. Urban house finches are more resistant to the effects of artificial light at night. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 946:174525. [PMID: 38972420 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Rapid urbanization of habitats alters the physical, chemical, auditory, and photic environments of human and wild animal inhabitants. One of the most widespread transformations is caused by artificial light at night (ALAN), but it is not clear the extent to which individuals acclimate to such rapid environmental change. Here, we tested the hypothesis that urban birds show increased resistance to harmful behavioral, parasitological, and physiological effects of ALAN. We captured house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus), a bird that commonly inhabits cities and their natural surroundings, from two urban and two rural sites in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, which differ by both degree of urbanization and by multiple orders of magnitude in ALAN intensity, and placed them in a common garden laboratory setting. We exposed half of the birds from each habitat type to ecologically relevant levels of night lighting during the subjective night and found that, while ALAN exposure reduced sleep in both urban and rural birds, ALAN-exposed urban birds were able to sleep longer than ALAN-exposed rural birds. We also found that ALAN exposure increased the proliferation rate of an intestinal coccidian parasite (Isospora spp.) in both urban and rural birds, but that the rate of proliferation was lower in urban relative to rural birds. We found that night lighting suppressed titers of feather corticosterone in rural but not urban birds, suggesting that light impairs HPA function through chronic stress or suppression of its circadian rhythmicity, and that urban birds were again resistant to this effect. Mediation analyses show that the effect of ALAN exposure in rural birds was significantly sleep-mediated for feather corticosterone but not coccidiosis, suggesting a diversity of mechanisms by which ALAN alters physiology. We contribute further evidence that animals from night-lit habitats can develop resistance to ALAN and its detrimental effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierce Hutton
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
| | - Ádám Z Lendvai
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Jószef Németh
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Kevin J McGraw
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
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2
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Alquezar RD, Arregui L, Macedo RH, Gil D. Birds living near airports do not show consistently higher levels of feather corticosterone. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 11:coad079. [PMID: 37869263 PMCID: PMC10588694 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Noise represents a threat to human and wildlife health, triggering physiological and behavioral challenges to individuals living close to sources of extreme noise. Here, we considered airport environments as sources of potentially stressful stimuli for birds and tested if those living near airports are under higher physiological stress than birds living in quiet sites. We used measurements of CORT in feathers (CORTf) as a proxy of chronic stress. We evaluated 14 passerine and 1 non-passerine species, living near three Brazilian airports. We found that, across species, individuals with a better body condition had lower CORTf concentration. At the species level, we found that CORTf concentration was not consistently affected by airport noise. Comparing individuals living in quiet sites with those living near airports, we found that 2 species had higher and 2 had lower CORTf concentrations near airports, while 11 species presented no significant differences between sites. At the population level, model selection indicated that the direction and strength of these differences are weakly related to species' song frequency (peak frequency), as lower-frequency singers tended to present higher CORTf levels at airport-affected sites. In summary, we were unable to find a consistent response among species, probably due to species-specific differences in their response to anthropogenic disturbances. Instead, we found that species might be affected differently according to their singing spectral frequency and that individuals in good body condition show lower CORTf, suggesting that this measure is consistent with lower physiological stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata D Alquezar
- PG em Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, 70919-970, Brasília, DF, Brasil
| | - Lucía Arregui
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Regina H Macedo
- Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brasil
| | - Diego Gil
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
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3
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Cronin AD, Smit JAH, Muñoz MI, Poirier A, Moran PA, Jerem P, Halfwerk W. A comprehensive overview of the effects of urbanisation on sexual selection and sexual traits. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1325-1345. [PMID: 35262266 PMCID: PMC9541148 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Urbanisation can affect mating opportunities and thereby alter inter- and intra-sexual selection pressures on sexual traits. Biotic and abiotic urban conditions can influence an individual's success in pre- and post-copulatory mating, for example through impacts on mate attraction and mate preference, fertilisation success, resource competition or rival interactions. Divergent sexual selection pressures can lead to differences in behavioural, physiological, morphological or life-history traits between urban and non-urban populations, ultimately driving adaptation and speciation. Most studies on urban sexual selection and mating interactions report differences between urban and non-urban populations or correlations between sexual traits and factors associated with increased urbanisation, such as pollution, food availability and risk of predation and parasitism. Here we review the literature on sexual selection and sexual traits in relation to urbanisation or urban-associated conditions. We provide an extensive list of abiotic and biotic factors that can influence processes involved in mating interactions, such as signal production and transmission, mate choice and mating opportunities. We discuss all relevant data through the lens of two, non-mutually exclusive theories on sexual selection, namely indicator and sensory models. Where possible, we indicate whether these models provide the same or different predictions regarding urban-adapted sexual signals and describe different experimental designs that can be useful for the different models as well as to investigate the drivers of sexual selection. We argue that we lack a good understanding of: (i) the factors driving urban sexual selection; (ii) whether reported changes in traits result in adaptive benefits; and (iii) whether these changes reflect a short-term ecological, or long-term evolutionary response. We highlight that urbanisation provides a unique opportunity to study the process and outcomes of sexual selection, but that this requires a highly integrative approach combining experimental and observational work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D Cronin
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Judith A H Smit
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Matías I Muñoz
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Armand Poirier
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Peter A Moran
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Paul Jerem
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter Halfwerk
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
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Mikkelsen AJ, Lesmeister DB, O’Reilly KM, Dugger KM. Feather corticosterone reveals developmental challenges in a long‐term study of juvenile northern spotted owls. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ashlee J. Mikkelsen
- USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station Corvallis OR USA
- Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis OR USA
| | - Damon B. Lesmeister
- USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station Corvallis OR USA
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis OR USA
| | | | - Katie M. Dugger
- U.S. Geological Survey Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis OR USA
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Aharon-Rotman Y, Buttemer WA, Koren L, Wynne-Edwards K. Experimental corticosterone manipulation increases mature feather corticosterone content: implications for inferring avian stress history from feather analyses. CAN J ZOOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2021-0091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Feathers incorporate circulating steroids during development. It is therefore assumed that the corticosterone (CORT) content of feathers (CORTf) represents an integrated measure of plasma CORT over the moult period. We tested this assumption by quantifying CORTf in feathers of House Sparrows (Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758)) that were plucked before and after experimental manipulation of circulating CORT. Two of the seven flight feathers collected from each bird were fully grown throughout the CORT-manipulation period. We found that CORTf of all seven feathers corresponded with plasma CORT levels of non-moulting reference House Sparrows given the same implants. Surprisingly, the CORTf of the two mature feathers was 4- to 10-fold higher than values measured in the new replacement feathers. Our results show that CORTf of mature feathers may be affected by circulating CORT outside the moulting period. The most plausible explanation for our results is that CORT was transferred onto feather surfaces externally, but the mechanisms involved remain to be identified. Researchers are encouraged to establish effective procedures, in terms of both solvent and duration, for removing surface residues without extracting CORT from within the feather. This will increase confidence when inferring moult-related stress status from feather analyses in future ecological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaara Aharon-Rotman
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC 3216, Australia
| | - William A. Buttemer
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC 3216, Australia
| | - Lee Koren
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Katherine Wynne-Edwards
- Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
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Voit M, Baumgartner K, von Fersen L, Merle R, Reese L, Wiegard M, Will H, Tallo-Parra O, Carbajal A, Lopez-Bejar M, Thöne-Reineke C. Comparison of Two Different Feather Sampling Methods to Measure Corticosterone in Wild Greater Flamingos ( Phoenicopterus roseus) and Wild Mallards ( Anas platyrhynchos). Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11102796. [PMID: 34679819 PMCID: PMC8532614 DOI: 10.3390/ani11102796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The common standard sampling method to determine corticosterone in feathers (CORTf) is to pluck them from the bird’s skin. This procedure is considered to be painful, and the animals have to be caught and fixated firmly. Therefore, an animal experiment approval is required according to European and German legislation. In this study, we compared two methods: plucking vs. cutting feathers. The aim was to confirm the validation of an alternative less-invasive sampling technique. The specimens of this project were wild adult Mallards (Germany) and wild 1st-calender-year juvenile Greater Flamingos (Spain). In summary, there were no significant differences between the methods in terms of corticosterone results for both species. Additionally, no differences were found in CORTf between females and males of both species. In conclusion, these findings underline the suitability of cutting feathers as a sampling method for the determination of CORTf levels. Abstract This research project had the aim to validate the possible alternative and less-painful sampling method of cutting feathers close to the skin instead of plucking them for subsequent feather corticosterone analysis, confirming recently-published results for other species in captivity. Analyzing CORTf is often used in animal welfare studies in combination with behavioral monitoring. The background of this idea was to act in the sense of animal welfare and reduce the burden of animal studies according to the 3-R-Principle (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement) by refining procedures. To confirm the hypothesis that the sampling method itself has no influence on CORTf levels measured, plucked and cut samples of the respective bird were collected. Birds of two wild species were used: the Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and the Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus). The CORTf was measured by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The determined values were inspected for their mean values, standard deviation (SD), and average differences. Afterwards, the CORTf levels of both species were compared, according to the sampling method, with the concordance correlation coefficient (CCC). In the Bland-Altman (BA) plot the differences of the methods were displayed against the mean values. Additionally, sex, as a possible factor influencing CORTf, was analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test. The values of CCC showed poor agreement in the comparability of the two methods, whereas the concordance of the BA plot was decent. The average differences between the methods were marginal for both species (Mallards: −0.16 pg/mm, Flamingos −0.13 pg/mm). In summary, all anomalies or differences between the methods were negligible. Therefore, the alternative sampling method seems to be as suitable as the common standard method. No significant difference was found between females and males. Nevertheless, our results suggest that CORTf should not be interpreted in just considering the values themselves, but the results they should be analyzed in the context of a wider set of parameters. Hence, further studies are encouraged to create a larger data pool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marielu Voit
- Institute for Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 67, 14163 Berlin, Germany; (M.W.); (C.T.-R.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Katrin Baumgartner
- Zoo Nuremberg, Am Tiergarten 30, 90480 Nuremberg, Germany; (K.B.); (L.v.F.); (H.W.)
| | - Lorenzo von Fersen
- Zoo Nuremberg, Am Tiergarten 30, 90480 Nuremberg, Germany; (K.B.); (L.v.F.); (H.W.)
| | - Roswitha Merle
- Institute for Veterinary Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 67, 14163 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Lukas Reese
- Zoologischer Stadtgarten Karlsruhe, Ettlinger Straße 6, 76137 Karlsruhe, Germany;
| | - Mechthild Wiegard
- Institute for Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 67, 14163 Berlin, Germany; (M.W.); (C.T.-R.)
| | - Hermann Will
- Zoo Nuremberg, Am Tiergarten 30, 90480 Nuremberg, Germany; (K.B.); (L.v.F.); (H.W.)
| | - Oriol Tallo-Parra
- Veterinary Faculty, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain; (O.T.-P.); (A.C.); (M.L.-B.)
| | - Annaïs Carbajal
- Veterinary Faculty, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain; (O.T.-P.); (A.C.); (M.L.-B.)
| | - Manel Lopez-Bejar
- Veterinary Faculty, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain; (O.T.-P.); (A.C.); (M.L.-B.)
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA
| | - Christa Thöne-Reineke
- Institute for Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 67, 14163 Berlin, Germany; (M.W.); (C.T.-R.)
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Cain KE, Griffith SC, Kruuk LEB. Sex and morph differences in age-dependent trait changes in a polymorphic songbird. J Evol Biol 2021; 34:1691-1703. [PMID: 34528324 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13930] [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: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
There is growing evidence of important variation in how animals age, in particular in how the expression of traits changes with age among different species and populations. However, less is known about variation within populations, which may include variation in ageing patterns between different types of individuals (e.g. sexes or distinct polymorphisms) and between different types of traits (e.g. general traits versus those used in social signalling contexts). We used 6 years of longitudinal data to examine age-related changes in trait expression in a captive population of Gouldian finches (Erythrura gouldiae), a socially monogamous songbird with genetically determined colour morphs that differ in behaviour and physiology. We contrasted ageing patterns of different types of traits (social signalling vs. size-related) in both sexes and in two colour morphs, using a mixed model approach to account for both within- and between-individual effects. We found pronounced sex differences in how social signalling traits change with age, showing a quadratic pattern in males, but not changing with age in females. In contrast, we observed no sex-specific ageing patterns in size traits. We also found subtle morph differences in how size-related traits changed with age, with black morphs stable or increasing with age while red morphs showing a decline with age. Finally, we found an interesting sex by morph interaction in one important social signal (headband width). These results highlight the importance of using within-individual approaches to understand ageing patterns across types of individuals (sex, morph, etc.) and the need for further research on the ageing patterns of traits that may experience different selective pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristal E Cain
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.,School of Biological Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Simon C Griffith
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Loeske E B Kruuk
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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Blecher AS, Scheun J, Ganswindt A. Degradation of Temminck's pangolin ( Smutsia temminckii) scales with a keratinase for extraction of reproductive steroid hormones. MethodsX 2021; 8:101229. [PMID: 34434752 PMCID: PMC8374191 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2021.101229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hormone monitoring in keratinous tissues has become increasingly popular. The insoluble keratin materials are generally pulverised before hormone extraction; however, this is difficult for thicker keratin structures like baleen plates or hooves. A new method, involving the use of keratinase, allows enzymatic digestion of keratin and hormone analysis in the resulting suspension. Pangolins are unique mammals covered in keratinous scales, which are one of the reasons these animals are extensively trafficked. This study aimed to investigate the suitability of Temminck's pangolin scales as hormone matrix for quantifying reproductive steroids. A protocol was developed to digest scales with a keratinase before measuring hormone concentrations. This method can be used to investigate the reproductive endocrinology of Temminck's pangolins but may also be extended to the other extant pangolin species.•Keratinase digests Temminck's pangolin scales and reproductive steroid metabolite concentrations are measurable in the resulting suspension.•Isopropanol is an ideal washing solvent for scales to remove surface contaminants and scale sample mass should be standardised to allow comparisons.•Any section of a scale and scales from any pangolin body region can be used as samples for hormone quantification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arantxa S. Blecher
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Juan Scheun
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa
- Biodiversity Research Services, National Zoological Gardens, South Africa
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, South Africa
| | - André Ganswindt
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa
- Biodiversity Research Services, National Zoological Gardens, South Africa
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Häffelin KE, Kaufmann F, Lindenwald R, Döhring S, Spindler B, Preisinger R, Rautenschlein S, Kemper N, Andersson R. Corticosterone in feathers: Inter- and intraindividual variation in pullets and the importance of the feather type. Vet Anim Sci 2020; 11:100155. [PMID: 33732944 PMCID: PMC7943748 DOI: 10.1016/j.vas.2020.100155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Measuring corticosterone concentrations in feathers of poultry may be suitable to determine birds' exposure to stress. It is thinkable, that in laying hens such information could be helpful as an animal welfare indicator to evaluate adverse husbandry conditions and to predict the risk of developing behavioral disorders, such as feather pecking and cannibalism. Yet, there are some fundamental issues which remain unclear. Therefore, the objective of the current pilot study was to examine the inter- and intraindividual variation of pullets at the end of the rearing period, when most of the feathers are fully grown and animals are reaching sexual maturity. Flight feathers from both wings (n = 4), the tail (n = 2 – 3), and body feathers (n = 1 pool of 3 – 5 feathers) were taken from pullets (n = 10), genetics Lohmann Brown, at an age of 19 weeks who were reared in the same flock (N = 728). Corticosterone analysis was performed applying a validated protocol for laying hens. Results indicate not only high intraindividual, but also high interindividual variation. Mean over all samples was 75.2 pg/mg (± 38.58 pg/mg, n = 76), showing higher intraindividual variation (between feather types; SD: 23.75 pg/mg – 49.38 pg/mg; n = 10 pullets) than interindividual variation (within feather types; SD: 11.91 pg/mg – 49.55 pg/mg; n = 6 feather types). The variation between different feather types within one bird was higher than the variation within one feather type between different birds, indicating that birds a) may respond differently when exposed to stressors and b) corticosterone measurements should be done with the same feather type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Elisabeth Häffelin
- Faculty of Agriculture Sciences and Landscape Architecture, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, 49090 Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Falko Kaufmann
- Faculty of Agriculture Sciences and Landscape Architecture, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, 49090 Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Rebecca Lindenwald
- Clinic for Poultry, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (Foundation), 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Stefanie Döhring
- Faculty of Agriculture Sciences and Landscape Architecture, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, 49090 Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Birgit Spindler
- Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behavior, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (Foundation), 30173 Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Silke Rautenschlein
- Clinic for Poultry, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (Foundation), 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Nicole Kemper
- Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behavior, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (Foundation), 30173 Hannover, Germany
| | - Robby Andersson
- Faculty of Agriculture Sciences and Landscape Architecture, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, 49090 Osnabrück, Germany
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Validation of an Alternative Feather Sampling Method to Measure Corticosterone. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10112054. [PMID: 33171996 PMCID: PMC7694643 DOI: 10.3390/ani10112054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Research projects on birds’ welfare or their stress physiology are often complemented by measurements of corticosterone level in feathers. Until now, the common standard for this method is to collect the feathers by plucking, a procedure which on living birds is presumed to be painful and to cause stress. Therefore, in most European countries an animal experiment application is required. The aim of this study was to validate an alternative, possibly less stressful sampling method: cutting the feathers close to the skin. The examined species were geese and ducks from a conventional poultry husbandry. There was no relevant difference between the two methods assessed according to statistical analysis. In conclusion, it is reasonable to assume that feather cutting could be established as an alternative sampling method for measuring corticosterone. Nevertheless, we recommend further research on other species to confirm these results. Abstract The most common feather sampling method for feather corticosterone measurement is by plucking the feathers from the bird’s skin. This procedure performed on living, restrained birds is qualified as an animal experiment according to German/European legislation, which has to be applied for from the competent authorities. The Directive 2010/63/EU requires the full implementation of the 3-R Principle of Russel and Burch in animal experiments, which means not only to replace the use of animals, but also to reduce the number of animals used and to refine procedures whenever possible. In response to this issue, the aim of this study was to validate an alternative, less invasive sampling method by cutting feathers close to the skin in comparison to the gold standard of plucking them. For this proof-of-principle study, a conventional poultry husbandry with trial groups of geese (Anser anser domesticus) and ducks (Anas sterilis) was selected. All birds were kept under the same living conditions to standardize the influencing factors regarding husbandry, and thus, their stress levels. Feather samples were collected between the shoulders from 46 geese and 51 ducks, both by cutting as well as by plucking, directly after slaughter for meat production. Feather corticosterone levels were measured with Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Results were compared using Bland–Altman plots and concordance correlation coefficients (CCC). It could be seen that concordance between corticosterone levels in cut and plucked feathers was rather poor: 0.38 for Anser, and 0.57 for Anas. However, comparing the mean corticosterone values in pg/mm of each species with their respective standard deviations, the differences between the methods were negligible. As the results showed that the differences between the individuals were markedly greater than the differences between the methods, the determination of corticosterone levels in cut feathers is valid compared to using plucked feathers. The validation tests of ELISA showed only acceptable repeatability and reliability. Hence, the results should be verified in further studies. In conclusion, it is recommended for future research to use cut instead of plucked feathers for corticosterone measurement.
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Sykes BE, Hutton P, McGraw KJ. Sex-specific relationships between urbanization, parasitism, and plumage coloration in house finches. Curr Zool 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoaa060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Historically, studies of condition-dependent signals in animals have been male-centric, but recent work suggests that female ornaments can also communicate individual quality (e.g., disease state, fecundity). There also has been a surge of interest in how urbanization alters signaling traits, but we know little about if and how cities affect signal expression in female animals. We measured carotenoid-based plumage coloration and coccidian (Isospora spp.) parasite burden in desert and city populations of house finches Haemorhous mexicanus to examine links between urbanization, health state, and feather pigmentation in males and females. In earlier work, we showed that male house finches are less colorful and more parasitized in the city, and we again detected such patterns in this study for males; however, urban females were less colorful, but not more parasitized, than rural females. Moreover, contrary to rural populations, we found that urban birds (regardless of sex) with larger patches of carotenoid coloration were also more heavily infected with coccidia. These results show that urban environments can disrupt condition-dependent color expression and highlight the need for more studies on how cities affect disease and signaling traits in both male and female animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke E Sykes
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Pierce Hutton
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Kevin J McGraw
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
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12
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Häffelin KE, Lindenwald R, Kaufmann F, Döhring S, Spindler B, Preisinger R, Rautenschlein S, Kemper N, Andersson R. Corticosterone in feathers of laying hens: an assay validation for evidence-based assessment of animal welfare. Poult Sci 2020; 99:4685-4694. [PMID: 32988503 PMCID: PMC7598325 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2020.06.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies indicate that the evaluation of animal welfare in birds may be carried out with the measurement of the stress-related hormone corticosterone in feathers. However a standardized procedure for corticosterone measurements in feathers is lacking, a validation needs to be carried out for each new species before implementation. The aim of the present study was to establish a valid method to measure corticosterone concentrations in feathers of laying hens in a precise and repeatable manner using an established and commercially available ELISA. Validation was performed with feather pools of tail and interscapular feathers of commercial Lohmann Brown laying hens. Assessment groups, consisting of 5 replicates, were created. All replicates of an assessment group were processed at the same time. Each replicate was run in 4 repetitions by ELISA. Intra-assay and interassay CV was 7.5 and 6.4%, respectively. The serial dilution showed linearity and parallelism. Examining the hormone extraction efficiency by using different methanol volumes resulted in no statistical differences (P > 0.05). Pulverized feathers showed higher corticosterone values than minced feathers (P > 0.05). Differences were shown between 2 feather types (tail vs. interscapular feathers; P < 0.05), as well as between vane and rachis (P < 0.05). Performance of a freeze-thaw cycle led to a decrease of corticosterone concentrations in the samples. A possible effect of UV-A radiation on the stability of corticosterone in the feathers was not found (P > 0.05). With the present study, a valid protocol, feasible for analyzing feather pools of laying hens, was developed. It may provide fundamentals for further investigations on corticosterone in feathers as a noninvasive indicator to evaluate aspects of animal welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- K E Häffelin
- Faculty of Agriculture Sciences and Landscape Architecture, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, 49090 Osnabrück, Germany.
| | - R Lindenwald
- Clinic for Poultry, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (Foundation), 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - F Kaufmann
- Faculty of Agriculture Sciences and Landscape Architecture, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, 49090 Osnabrück, Germany
| | - S Döhring
- Faculty of Agriculture Sciences and Landscape Architecture, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, 49090 Osnabrück, Germany
| | - B Spindler
- Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behavior, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (Foundation), 30173 Hannover, Germany
| | | | - S Rautenschlein
- Clinic for Poultry, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (Foundation), 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - N Kemper
- Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behavior, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (Foundation), 30173 Hannover, Germany
| | - R Andersson
- Faculty of Agriculture Sciences and Landscape Architecture, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, 49090 Osnabrück, Germany
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13
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Whitham JC, Bryant JL, Miller LJ. Beyond Glucocorticoids: Integrating Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) into Animal Welfare Research. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10081381. [PMID: 32784884 PMCID: PMC7459918 DOI: 10.3390/ani10081381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal welfare researchers are committed to identifying novel measures for enhancing the quality of life of individual animals. Recently, welfare scientists have emphasized the need for tracking multiple indicators of an animal's behavioral, emotional and mental health. Researchers are currently focused on integrating non-invasive physiological biomarkers to gain insight into an individual's welfare status. Most commonly, the animal welfare community has analyzed glucocorticoid hormones and their metabolites as a measure of stress. While glucocorticoids provide valuable information about hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, there are limitations to utilizing these hormones as the sole measure of long-term stress and welfare. Other biomarkers, such as dehydroepiandrosterone and its sulfate ester-collectively referred to as DHEA(S)-help provide a more complete picture of HPA activity. DHEA(S) counteracts the effects glucocorticoids by having anti-aging, immune-enhancing and neuroprotective properties. Recent studies have examined the ratio of glucocorticoids to DHEA(S) as a way to better understand how the HPA axis is functioning. There is evidence that this ratio serves as an indicator of immune function, mental health, cognitive performance and overall welfare. We review studies that employed the glucocorticoid:DHEA(S) ratio, outline methodological considerations and discuss how researchers can integrate glucocorticoids, DHEA(S) and the glucocorticoid:DHEA(S) ratio into welfare assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica C. Whitham
- Chicago Zoological Society-Brookfield Zoo, 3300 Golf Road, Brookfield, IL 60513, USA;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +01-708-288-3829
| | | | - Lance J. Miller
- Chicago Zoological Society-Brookfield Zoo, 3300 Golf Road, Brookfield, IL 60513, USA;
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14
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Testosterone and the dark ventral patch of male red deer: the role of the social environment. Naturwissenschaften 2020; 107:18. [PMID: 32333124 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-020-01674-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The expression of male sexual traits, which is stimulated by testosterone, entails significant costs for individuals. Consequently, natural selection is expected to favour the modulation of sexual trait development according to the balance between its costs and benefits. The proportion of rivals in a population may affect this balance by increasing or decreasing the reproductive benefits associated with the development of sex traits. Here, we explore the relationship between testosterone level and sex trait size under two populational conditions of mate competition: fenced (i.e. high male-male competition; all male age groups are present) and unfenced (i.e. low competition; most males present are juveniles). Our model species is the Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus), and the sex trait is the dark ventral patch that males exhibit during the rutting season. Our results showed that the positive relationship between testosterone levels and the size of the dark ventral patch depends on the environmental level of male-male competition. Only in populations where the operational sex ratio was high (i.e. high proportion of rival males), individuals with high levels of testosterone developed the sex trait. Conversely, when mate competition was low, there was no significant relationship between testosterone level and trait size. This result reinforces the idea that the effect of testosterone in promoting the development of sex traits may be mediated by the intensity of mate competition in the population, as well as the role of sexual selection in the evolution of the dark ventral patch in red deer.
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15
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Leary CJ, Baugh AT. Glucocorticoids, male sexual signals, and mate choice by females: Implications for sexual selection. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 288:113354. [PMID: 31830474 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.113354] [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: 07/02/2019] [Revised: 12/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
We review work relating glucocorticoids (GCs), male sexual signals, and mate choice by females to understand the potential for GCs to modulate the expression of sexually selected traits and how sexual selection potentially feeds back on GC regulation. Our review reveals that the relationship between GC concentrations and the quality of male sexual traits is mixed, regardless of whether studies focused on structural traits (e.g., coloration) or behavioral traits (e.g., vocalizations) or were examined in developmental or activational frameworks. In contrast, the few mate choice experiments that have been done consistently show that females prefer males with low GCs, suggesting that mate choice by females favors males that maintain low levels of GCs. We point out, however, that just as sexual selection can drive the evolution of diverse reproductive strategies, it may also promote diversity in GC regulation. We then shift the focus to females where we highlight evidence indicating that stressors or high GCs can dampen female sexual proceptivity and the strength of preferences for male courtship signals. Hence, even in cases where GCs are tightly coupled with male sexual signals, the strength of sexual selection on aspects of GC physiology can vary depending on the endocrine status of females. Studies examining how GCs relate to sexual selection may shed light on how variation in stress physiology, sexual signals, and mate choice are maintained in natural populations and may be important in understanding context-dependent relationships between GC regulation and fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Leary
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, PO Box 1848, University, MS 38677, USA.
| | - Alexander T Baugh
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA
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16
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Lindsay WR, Andersson S, Bererhi B, Höglund J, Johnsen A, Kvarnemo C, Leder EH, Lifjeld JT, Ninnes CE, Olsson M, Parker GA, Pizzari T, Qvarnström A, Safran RJ, Svensson O, Edwards SV. Endless forms of sexual selection. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7988. [PMID: 31720113 PMCID: PMC6839514 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the field of sexual selection has exploded, with advances in theoretical and empirical research complementing each other in exciting ways. This perspective piece is the product of a “stock-taking” workshop on sexual selection and sexual conflict. Our aim is to identify and deliberate on outstanding questions and to stimulate discussion rather than provide a comprehensive overview of the entire field. These questions are organized into four thematic sections we deem essential to the field. First we focus on the evolution of mate choice and mating systems. Variation in mate quality can generate both competition and choice in the opposite sex, with implications for the evolution of mating systems. Limitations on mate choice may dictate the importance of direct vs. indirect benefits in mating decisions and consequently, mating systems, especially with regard to polyandry. Second, we focus on how sender and receiver mechanisms shape signal design. Mediation of honest signal content likely depends on integration of temporally variable social and physiological costs that are challenging to measure. We view the neuroethology of sensory and cognitive receiver biases as the main key to signal form and the ‘aesthetic sense’ proposed by Darwin. Since a receiver bias is sufficient to both initiate and drive ornament or armament exaggeration, without a genetically correlated or even coevolving receiver, this may be the appropriate ‘null model’ of sexual selection. Thirdly, we focus on the genetic architecture of sexually selected traits. Despite advances in modern molecular techniques, the number and identity of genes underlying performance, display and secondary sexual traits remains largely unknown. In-depth investigations into the genetic basis of sexual dimorphism in the context of long-term field studies will reveal constraints and trajectories of sexually selected trait evolution. Finally, we focus on sexual selection and conflict as drivers of speciation. Population divergence and speciation are often influenced by an interplay between sexual and natural selection. The extent to which sexual selection promotes or counteracts population divergence may vary depending on the genetic architecture of traits as well as the covariance between mating competition and local adaptation. Additionally, post-copulatory processes, such as selection against heterospecific sperm, may influence the importance of sexual selection in speciation. We propose that efforts to resolve these four themes can catalyze conceptual progress in the field of sexual selection, and we offer potential avenues of research to advance this progress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willow R Lindsay
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Staffan Andersson
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Badreddine Bererhi
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Jacob Höglund
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Arild Johnsen
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Charlotta Kvarnemo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Erica H Leder
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jan T Lifjeld
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Calum E Ninnes
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden.,Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
| | - Mats Olsson
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Geoff A Parker
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Tommaso Pizzari
- Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Qvarnström
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Rebecca J Safran
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States of America
| | - Ola Svensson
- School of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental Studies, Södertörn University, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Scott V Edwards
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States of America.,Gothenburg Centre for Advanced Studies in Science and Technology, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden
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17
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Laberge F, Yin-Liao I, Bernier NJ. Temporal profiles of cortisol accumulation and clearance support scale cortisol content as an indicator of chronic stress in fish. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 7:coz052. [PMID: 31620290 PMCID: PMC6788491 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2019] [Revised: 06/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The development of chronic stress indicators for fish is of great interest, but appropriate non-invasive methods are lagging those used in terrestrial vertebrates. Here, we explore the possibility that levels of the stress hormone cortisol in scales could be used as a chronic stress indicator. Three experiments were conducted to assess the temporal profiles of cortisol rise and fall in plasma and scales of goldfish (Carassius auratus) in response to stressors of varying intensity and duration. Results show that a single acute air emersion stressor does not influence scale cortisol content. In contrast, relative to plasma levels, the fall in scale cortisol content following a high-dose cortisol implant is delayed by at least 8 days, and the rise and fall in scale cortisol content in response to unpredictable chronic stress are delayed by at least 7 days. Also, scale cortisol content is spatially heterogeneous across the body surface of goldfish. Overall, since high and sustained circulating cortisol levels are needed to influence scale cortisol content and the rates of cortisol accumulation and clearance are much slower in scales than in plasma, our results show that scales can provide an integrated measure of cortisol production and serve as a chronic stress indicator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Laberge
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, Canada, N1G 2WI
| | - Irene Yin-Liao
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, Canada, N1G 2WI
| | - Nicholas J Bernier
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, Canada, N1G 2WI
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18
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Will A, Wynne‐Edwards K, Zhou R, Kitaysky A. Of 11 candidate steroids, corticosterone concentration standardized for mass is the most reliable steroid biomarker of nutritional stress across different feather types. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:11930-11943. [PMID: 31695898 PMCID: PMC6822065 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Revised: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Measuring corticosterone in feathers has become an informative tool in avian ecology, enabling researchers to investigate carry-over effects and responses to environmental variability. Few studies have, however, explored whether corticosterone is the only hormone expressed in feathers and is the most indicative of environmental stress. Essential questions remain as to how to compare hormone concentrations across different types of feathers and whether preening adds steroids, applied after feather growth.We used liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry to quantify a suite of 11 steroid hormones in back, breast, tail, and primary feathers naturally grown at overlapping time intervals by rhinoceros auklet Cerorhinca monocerata captive-reared fledglings and wild-caught juveniles. The captive-reared birds were raised on either a restricted or control diet. Measured steroids included intermediates in the adrenal steroidogenesis pathway to glucocorticoids and the sex steroids pathway to androgens and estrogens.Corticosterone was detected in the majority of feathers of each type. We also detected cortisone in back feathers, androstenedione in breast feathers, and testosterone in primary feathers. Captive fledglings raised on a restricted diet had higher concentrations of corticosterone in all four feather types than captive fledglings raised on a control diet. Corticosterone concentrations were reliably repeatable across feather types when standardized for feather mass, but not for feather length. Of the seven hormones looked for in uropygial gland secretions, only corticosterone was detected in one out of 23 samples.We conclude that corticosterone is the best feather-steroid biomarker for detection of developmental nutritional stress, as it was the only hormone to manifest a signal of nutritional stress, and that exposure to stress can be compared among different feather types when corticosterone concentrations are standardized by feather mass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Will
- Institute of Arctic BiologyUniversity of Alaska FairbanksFairbanksAlaska
| | | | - Ruokun Zhou
- Veterinary Medicine & Hotchkiss Brain InstituteUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlberta
| | - Alexander Kitaysky
- Institute of Arctic BiologyUniversity of Alaska FairbanksFairbanksAlaska
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19
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Berg ML, Knott B, Ribot RFH, Buchanan KL, Bennett ATD. Do glucocorticoids or carotenoids mediate plumage coloration in parrots? An experiment in Platycercus elegans. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2019; 280:82-90. [PMID: 31002829 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Conspicuous coloration can indicate phenotypic quality, and may reflect exposure or vulnerability to stress, or access to essential nutrients such as pigments. Although the production of pigmented colours is well understood, much less is known about how structural colours are affected by physiological state. In this study, we tested whether glucocorticoids (corticosterone) predicted expression of plumage coloration in an Australian parrot, the crimson rosella (Platycercus elegans). Parrots provide an interesting and unique test, as they possess conspicuous coloration produced by distinctive pigments known as psittacofulvins, in addition to structural coloration. We have previously documented that coloration in P. elegans is condition-dependent and responds to dietary manipulation. Here, n = 21 P. elegans underwent a dietary manipulation (including food restriction or carotenoid supplementation) during which they moulted, and the change in reflectance was measured for three structural and three pigmentary plumage patches. Stress-induced corticosterone (10 min after handling) measured at the start of the experiment predicted change in coloration in two pigmentary patches (crown and front). We also found that change in stress-induced corticosterone during the experiment was associated with the change in coloration of the crown and two structural patches (cheek and epaulette). Baseline corticosterone (<3 min after handling) was not associated with any measure of coloration. We found no effects of dietary manipulation on baseline or stress-induced corticosterone, but carotenoid supplementation was associated with an increase in a measure of chronic stress (heterophil/lymphocyte ratio), and the corticosterone response to handling decreased over the course of the study. Our results suggest that corticosterone may be linked to colour expression more broadly than previously recognised, including psittacofulvin and structural coloration in parrots, and they confirm the independence of plumage pigmentation in parrots from carotenoid accumulation. Moreover, our study provides new insight into the stress responses of Psittaciformes, one of the most highly threatened avian orders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathew L Berg
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, United Kingdom.
| | - Ben Knott
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Raoul F H Ribot
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Katherine L Buchanan
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Australia; School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew T D Bennett
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, United Kingdom
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20
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Adámková M, Bílková Z, Tomášek O, Šimek Z, Albrecht T. Feather steroid hormone concentrations in relation to age, sex, and molting time in a long-distance migratory passerine. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:9018-9026. [PMID: 31463000 PMCID: PMC6706234 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In birds, concentrations of testosterone (T) and corticosterone (Cort) are closely connected with many morphological, behavioral, and other physiological traits, including reproduction, metabolism, immunity, and fitness. The direction of the effect of these hormones on above-mentioned traits, and the potential feedback between hormones are in general unclear; in addition, knowledge on how age and sex can affect T and Cort concentrations is still inconsistent. Our study used a novel method to analyze testosterone and corticosterone in feathers (Tf, Cortf) based on the precolumn chemical derivatization of hormones before liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. Unlike previously used methods (RIA, EIA), our analytical procedure allows simultaneous analysis of both hormones from small amounts of feathers (4-25 mg) and, thus, overcomes the problem of insufficient detection limits. We applied this method to reveal associations between Tf and Cortf hormone concentrations and feather growth, age, and sex in feathers grown during the postbreeding (flanks) and prebreeding (tails) periods in barn swallows (Hirundo rustica). There was neither a correlation between prebreeding and postbreeding Tf, nor between prebreeding and postbreeding Cortf. Tail Cortf concentrations were negatively associated with tail feather growth rates. Feather hormone concentrations were correlated in the prebreeding period, negatively in males but positively in females. Both Cortf and Tf were higher in young birds compared to older ones, indicating either an age-related decrease in hormone concentrations within individuals, or the selective disappearance of individuals with high steroid concentrations. Males and females did not differ in Cortf, but Tf concentrations were higher in males than females, particularly during the prebreeding period. In this study, we provide an effective method for analyzing hormones in feathers in an ecological context, especially in situations when the total amount of feathers available for the analysis is limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Adámková
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of ScienceMasaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Faculty of ScienceMasaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
| | - Zuzana Bílková
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Faculty of ScienceMasaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
| | - Oldřich Tomášek
- Institute of Vertebrate BiologyCzech Academy of SciencesBrnoCzech Republic
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of ScienceCharles University in PraguePragueCzech Republic
| | - Zdeněk Šimek
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Faculty of ScienceMasaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
| | - Tomáš Albrecht
- Institute of Vertebrate BiologyCzech Academy of SciencesBrnoCzech Republic
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of ScienceCharles University in PraguePragueCzech Republic
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21
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MacLeod KJ, McCormick GL, Langkilde T. Glucocorticoids do not influence a secondary sexual trait or its behavioral expression in eastern fence lizards. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5229. [PMID: 30914721 PMCID: PMC6435798 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41596-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Secondary sexual traits and associated behaviors can be influenced by environmental factors such as exposure to stressors. Such effects may be mediated by the physiological stress response, which is typified by the release of glucocorticoid hormones. The effects of glucocorticoids on sexual traits such as plumage and display coloration have most commonly been studied in isolation rather than in conjunction with other pertinent aspects of signalling, such as behavior and habitat use, though these have substantial potential to alter signal perception. Here we test the effects of corticosterone (CORT), a common glucocorticoid, on a secondary sexual trait (badge coloration) in male eastern fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus), and behaviors associated with its expression. We show that neither baseline nor experimentally manipulated CORT levels were associated with badge coloration. Further, elevation of CORT levels in the field did not alter signalling or associated territorial behaviors. There was a trend for CORT-treatment to influence perch height selection, which may influence signal perception. We suggest that future studies investigating the effects of environmental stressors and associated physiological changes on secondary sexual traits should consider behaviors and ecology relevant to signal perception in order to best understand the influence of stressors in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- K J MacLeod
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, The Pennsylvania State University, Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA. .,Department of Biology, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, and Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - G L McCormick
- Department of Biology, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, and Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - T Langkilde
- Department of Biology, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, and Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
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22
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Alba AC, Strauch TA, Keisler DH, Wells KD, Kesler DC. Using a keratinase to degrade chicken feathers for improved extraction of glucocorticoids. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2019; 270:35-40. [PMID: 30291864 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Stress in animals is a concern in conservation breeding programs and livestock production facilities. The biological stress response is mediated by the release of glucocorticoids, which can suppress reproduction, growth, and immunity if recurrently activated. Feathers can be used to extract and monitor concentrations of corticosterone, a primary glucocorticoid in birds. However, current techniques for extracting feather corticosterone present challenges, including difficulty assessing extraction efficiency or hormone recovery, inconsistent extraction across feather lengths or pieces, and several uncertainties regarding the mechanisms of hormone deposition into feathers. To overcome such challenges and to provide tools useful for facilitating conservation breeding and livestock production, we developed and validated an alternative procedure for extracting feather glucocorticoids. We first developed a protocol to enzymatically digest the protein matrix of feathers using a keratinase, such that non-protein analytes could be isolated by organic extraction. We then developed an extraction protocol and evaluated techniques by measuring extraction efficiency and by testing parallelism and hormone recovery (accuracy) using radioimmunoassay. Our results demonstrated high and consistent extraction efficiency, as well as high accuracy and reliable parallelism to a standard curve upon measurement of corticosterone concentrations from extracts. By dissolving feather material into solution prior to extraction, we were able to replicate hormone deposition into the feather matrix and ensure consistent extraction across feathers. This work provides additional support for the validity and practicality of extracting glucocorticoids from feathers. Our extraction protocol is likely to extend to other applications as well, including the isolation of numerous non-protein analytes from various keratinized tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Alba
- Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Department, University of Missouri Columbia, 1105 E Rollins St., Columbia, MO 65211, United States; Disney's Animal Kingdom, 1200 North Savannah Circle East, Bay Lake, FL 32830, United States
| | - Trista A Strauch
- Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Department, University of Missouri Columbia, 1105 E Rollins St., Columbia, MO 65211, United States; Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, 160 Animal Science Research Center, Columbia, MO 65211, United States
| | - Duane H Keisler
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, 160 Animal Science Research Center, Columbia, MO 65211, United States
| | - Kevin D Wells
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, 160 Animal Science Research Center, Columbia, MO 65211, United States
| | - Dylan C Kesler
- Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Department, University of Missouri Columbia, 1105 E Rollins St., Columbia, MO 65211, United States; The Institute for Bird Populations, PO Box 1346, Point Reyes Station, CA 94956, United States.
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23
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Sarpong K, Madliger CL, Harris CM, Love OP, Doucet SM, Bitton PP. Baseline corticosterone does not reflect iridescent plumage traits in female tree swallows. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2019; 270:123-130. [PMID: 30392885 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2018] [Revised: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The production of high quality secondary sexual traits can be constrained by trade-offs in the allocation of energy and nutrients with other metabolic activities, and is mediated by physiological processes. In birds, the factors influencing male plumage quality have been well studied; however, factors affecting female plumage quality are poorly understood. Furthermore, it remains uncertain which physiological traits mediate the relationship between body condition and ornaments. In this three-year study of after-second-year female tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), we investigated (1) the relationship between baseline corticosterone near the end of the brood-rearing period (CORTBR) and feather colour characteristics (hue, saturation, brightness) the following year, and (2) the relationship between baseline corticosterone measured during incubation (CORTI) and brood rearing (CORTBR), and feather colour in the same year. To control for reproductive effort, we included reproductive parameters as covariates in all analyses. In this first study between CORT and the plumage colour characteristics of a species bearing iridescent feathers, we did not find any relationship between CORTBR and the colour of subsequently-produced feathers, nor did we find any relationship between CORT and the colour of feathers displayed during that breeding season. If CORT levels at the end of breeding carry over to influence the immediately subsequent moult period as we expect, our results generally indicate that structural plumage quality may not be as sensitive to circulating CORT levels compared to carotenoid-based colouration. Future studies, particularly those employing experimental manipulations of CORT during moult in species with iridescent traits, are necessary to fully determine the role glucocorticoids play in mediating the quality of secondary sexual characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keneth Sarpong
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada.
| | - Christine L Madliger
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada.
| | - Christopher M Harris
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada.
| | - Oliver P Love
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada.
| | - Stéphanie M Doucet
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada.
| | - Pierre-Paul Bitton
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada.
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Giraudeau M, Toomey MB, Hutton P, McGraw KJ. Expression of and choice for condition-dependent carotenoid-based color in an urbanizing context. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Giraudeau
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, E. Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ, USA
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Matthew B Toomey
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Pierce Hutton
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, E. Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Kevin J McGraw
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, E. Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ, USA
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25
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Sepp T, Desaivre S, Lendvai AZ, Németh J, McGraw KJ, Giraudeau M. Feather corticosterone levels are not correlated with health or plumage coloration in juvenile house finches. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/bly029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tuul Sepp
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Steve Desaivre
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Adam Z Lendvai
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - József Németh
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Egyetem, Hungary
| | - Kevin J McGraw
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Mathieu Giraudeau
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
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Freeman NE, Newman AEM. Quantifying corticosterone in feathers: validations for an emerging technique. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 6:coy051. [PMID: 30323931 PMCID: PMC6181252 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coy051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Feather corticosterone measurement is becoming a widespread tool for assessing avian physiology. Corticosterone is deposited into feathers during growth and provides integrative and retrospective measures of an individual's hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function. Although researchers across disciplines have been measuring feather corticosterone for the past decade, there are still many issues with the extraction and measurement of corticosterone from feathers. In this paper, we provide several directives for refining the methodology for feather hormone analysis. We compare parallelism between the standard curve and serially diluted feather tissue from wild turkeys, Canada jays, and black-capped chickadees to demonstrate the wide applicability across species. Through a series of validations, we compare methods for feather preparation, sample filtration and extract reconstitution prior to corticosterone quantification using a radioimmunoassay. Higher corticosterone yields were achieved following pulverization of the feather however, more variation between replicates was observed. Removal of the rachis also increased the amount of corticosterone detected per unit mass while glass versus paper filters had no effect, and using ethanol in the reconstution buffer decreased intra-assay variation. With these findings and continued methodological refinement, feather corticosterone has the potential to be a powerful tool for both ecologists and physiologists working with historical and contemporary specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikole E Freeman
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, Canada
- Corresponding author:
| | - Amy E M Newman
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, Canada
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27
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Giraudeau M, Friesen CR, Sudyka J, Rollings N, Whittington CM, Wilson MR, Olsson M. Ageing and the cost of maintaining coloration in the Australian painted dragon. Biol Lett 2017; 12:rsbl.2016.0077. [PMID: 27405377 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2016.0077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
There is now good evidence in several taxa that animal coloration positively reflects an individual's antioxidant capacity. However, even though telomeres, a marker of ageing, are known to be vulnerable to reactive oxygen species (ROS) attacks, no studies have ever assessed whether colour fading reflects the rate of biological ageing in any taxa. Here, we measured colour fading, telomere erosion (a measure of biological ageing) and ROS levels in painted dragons. We show that individuals that were better at maintaining their coloration during the three months of the study suffered a higher cost in terms of telomere erosion, but overall ROS levels measured at the start of the study were not significantly related to colour maintenance and telomere shortening. We therefore suggest that colour maintenance is a costly phenomenon in terms of telomere erosion, and that overall ROS levels do not seem to be a crucial component linking ornamental coloration and telomere erosion in our study system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Giraudeau
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Christopher R Friesen
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Joanna Sudyka
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Nicky Rollings
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Camilla M Whittington
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Mark R Wilson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Mats Olsson
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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28
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Carotenoid coloration is related to fat digestion efficiency in a wild bird. Naturwissenschaften 2017; 104:96. [DOI: 10.1007/s00114-017-1516-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Revised: 10/07/2017] [Accepted: 10/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Johns DW, Marchant TA, Fairhurst GD, Speakman JR, Clark RG. Biomarker of burden: Feather corticosterone reflects energetic expenditure and allostatic overload in captive waterfowl. Funct Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David W. Johns
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Saskatchewan Saskatoon Canada
| | | | - Graham D. Fairhurst
- Department of Veterinary PathologyUniversity of Saskatchewan Saskatoon Canada
| | - John R. Speakman
- Institute of Biochemical and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Aberdeen Aberdeen UK
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyChinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Robert G. Clark
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Saskatchewan Saskatoon Canada
- Prairie and Northern Wildlife Research CentreEnvironment and Climate Change CanadaSaskatoonCanada
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Robertson JK, Muir C, Hurd CS, Hing JS, Quinn JS. The effect of social group size on feather corticosterone in the co-operatively breeding Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani): An assay validation and analysis of extreme social living. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0174650. [PMID: 28355280 PMCID: PMC5371372 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [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: 10/12/2016] [Accepted: 03/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Living closely with others can provide a myriad of fitness benefits, from shared territory defense to co-operative resource acquisition. Costs of social aggregation are not absent, however, and likely influence optimal and observed groups’ sizes in a social species. Here, we explored optimal group size in a joint-nesting cuckoo species (the Smooth-billed Ani, Crotophaga ani) using endocrine markers of stress physiology (corticosterone, or CORT). Smooth-billed Anis exhibit intense reproductive competition that is exacerbated in atypically large groups. We therefore hypothesized that intra-group competition (measured by social group size) mediates the desirability and physiological cost of social group membership in this species. To test this hypothesis, we captured 47 adult Smooth-billed Anis (31 males, 16 females) during the breeding seasons of 2012-2014 in south-western Puerto Rico, and documented social group sizes. Tail feathers were sampled and used to quantify CORT (pg/mg) in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) (n = 50). Our analyses show significant differences in feather-CORT of adults between categorical group sizes, with individuals from atypically large social groups (≥ x + 1SD) having highest mean concentrations (33.319 pg/mg), and individuals from atypically small social groups (≤ x − 1SD) having lowest mean concentrations (8.969 pg/mg). Whether reproductive competition or effort is responsible for elevated CORT in atypically large social groups, however, remains unclear. Our results suggest that living in atypically large groups is physiologically expensive and may represent an evolutionarily unstable strategy. To our knowledge, this is the first study to explore a correlation between stress physiology and group size in a joint-nesting species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua K. Robertson
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Cameron Muir
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Neuroscience, Brock University, Saint Catherines, Ontario, Canada
| | - Conner S. Hurd
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jing S. Hing
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - James S. Quinn
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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31
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Friesen CR, Wilson MR, Rollings N, Sudyka J, Whittington CM, Giraudeau M, Olsson M. Conditional Handicaps in Exuberant Lizards: Bright Color in Aggressive Males Is Correlated with High Levels of Free Radicals. Front Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2017.00001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
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32
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Romero LM, Fairhurst GD. Measuring corticosterone in feathers: Strengths, limitations, and suggestions for the future. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2016; 202:112-122. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2016.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Revised: 05/02/2016] [Accepted: 05/02/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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33
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Harris CM, Madliger CL, Love OP. Temporal overlap and repeatability of feather corticosterone levels: practical considerations for use as a biomarker. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 4:cow051. [PMID: 27933163 PMCID: PMC5142047 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cow051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Revised: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The measurement of corticosterone (CORT) levels in feathers has recently become an appealing tool for the conservation toolbox, potentially providing a non-invasive, integrated measure of stress activity throughout the time of feather growth. However, because the mechanism of CORT deposition, storage and stability in feathers is not fully understood, it is unclear how reliable this measure may be, especially when there is an extended interval between growth and feather collection. We compared CORT levels of naturally grown feathers from tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) that were moulted and regrown concurrently and therefore expected to have similar CORT levels. Specifically, we compared the same feather from the left and right wing (moulted symmetrically) and different types of feathers (wing, back and tail) expected to have been moulted within the same time period. We found that larger, heavier feathers held more CORT per unit length. In addition, we found a lack of concordance in CORT levels both within the same feather type and between different feather types, even after taking into account differences in feather density. Our results indicate that naturally grown feathers may not consistently provide an indication of stress status. Additionally, conflict in results may arise depending on the feather assayed, and total feather volume may be an important consideration when interpreting feather CORT levels. Future work is necessary to determine explicitly the mechanisms of CORT deposition, the effects of environmental exposure and feather wear on the permanence of the feather CORT signal, and the influence of responses to wild stressors on feather CORT levels, before feather CORT can be implemented effectively as a tool for ecological and conservation applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M. Harris
- Corresponding author: 401 Sunset Avenue, Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4. Tel: +1 519 253 3000 ext. 4754.
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34
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Kullu SS, Das A, Bajpai SK, Garg AK, Yogi RK, Saini M, Sharma AK. Egg production performance, egg yolk antioxidant profile and excreta concentration of corticosterone in golden pheasants (Chrysolophus pictus) fed diets containing different levels of green vegetables. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2016; 101:e31-e42. [PMID: 27862403 DOI: 10.1111/jpn.12555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
In order to study the effect of feeding graded levels of green vegetables on egg production performance and egg yolk antioxidant status, 27 female golden pheasants (GP) were randomly distributed into three groups of nine each in an experiment based on completely randomized design. The diets of the birds in groups T1 , T2 and T3 contained 1.4%, 2.7% and 5.0% of green vegetables respectively. Feeding of experimental diets started on 12th February (day 1) and was continued till 30 June 2012. Average number of eggs laid and egg mass produced by the hens in group T3 was higher (p < 0.004) than those of T1 and T2 . Hen day egg production was lowest (p < 0.001) in group T1 . Roche yolk colour score was highest (p < 0.01) in T3 followed by T2 and was lowest in T1 . Other external and internal egg quality parameters were similar among the groups. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of egg yolk was higher (p < 0.04) in group T3 as compared to other two groups. Egg yolk concentration of total carotenoids, β-carotene, total sulfhydryl, protein-bound sulfhydryl and non-protein-bound sulfhydryl was higher (p < 0.05), whereas concentration of malondialdehyde was lower (p < 0.024) in group T3 as compared to other two groups. Excreta concentration of corticosterone was highest (p < 0.012) in T1 , followed by T2 , and was lowest in T3 . Egg yolk concentration of TAC and TSH was positively and that of malondialdehyde was negatively correlated with carotenoids intake. Excreta concentration of corticosterone was negatively correlated with carotenoids intake. It was concluded that incorporation of green vegetables in the diet at 5% on dry matter basis would improve egg production, egg yolk antioxidant status and the ability of the captive GP to combat stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- S S Kullu
- Centre for Wildlife Conservation, Management and Disease Surveillance, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, UP, India.,Centre for Advanced Faculty Training in Animal Nutrition, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, UP, India
| | - A Das
- Centre for Advanced Faculty Training in Animal Nutrition, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, UP, India
| | - S K Bajpai
- Centre for Advanced Faculty Training in Animal Nutrition, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, UP, India
| | - A K Garg
- Centre for Advanced Faculty Training in Animal Nutrition, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, UP, India
| | - R K Yogi
- Centre for Advanced Faculty Training in Animal Nutrition, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, UP, India
| | - M Saini
- Centre for Wildlife Conservation, Management and Disease Surveillance, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, UP, India
| | - A K Sharma
- Centre for Wildlife Conservation, Management and Disease Surveillance, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, UP, India
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35
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Boves TJ, Fairhurst GD, Rushing CS, Buehler DA. Feather corticosterone levels are related to age and future body condition, but not to subsequent fitness, in a declining migratory songbird. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 4:cow041. [PMID: 27729982 PMCID: PMC5055283 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cow041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2016] [Revised: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 08/27/2016] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
In migratory species, breeding and non-breeding locations are geographically separate, yet the effects of conditions from one stage may carry over to affect a subsequent stage. Ideally, to understand the mechanisms and implications of 'carry-over effects', one would need to follow individuals throughout the year, quantify potential environmental causal factors and physiological mediators during multiple life-history stages, and measure downstream fitness. Owing to current limitations of tracking technology, this is impossible for small, long-distance migrants, so indirect methods to characterize carry-over effects are required. Corticosterone (CORT) is a suspected physiological mediator of carry-over effects, but when collected from blood it provides only a physiological snapshot at that point in time. When extracted from feathers, however, feather corticosterone (CORTf) provides a measure of responses to stressors from previous, and longer, time periods. We collected feathers grown during two life-history stages (post-breeding and subsequent wintering) from individuals of two age classes of a rapidly declining migratory songbird, the cerulean warbler (Setophaga cerulea), on their breeding grounds and quantified CORTf concentrations. We then monitored reproduction and survival of individuals and analysed relationships among CORTf and age, body condition and future fitness. Compared with older males, second-year males had higher CORTf concentrations during both stages. When controlling for age and year, body condition at capture was positively related to CORTf concentrations from winter (especially for older birds). However, we found no relationships between CORTf and fitness (as defined by reproduction and survival). Thus, elevated CORT may represent a beneficial physiological response (e.g. hyperphagia prior to migration), particularly for certain life-history stages, and may mediate the condition in which individuals transition between stages. But for those birds that survive migration, subsequent fitness is likely determined by more recent events and local conditions (i.e. on breeding grounds), which have the potential to counteract conditions from the winter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Than J. Boves
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72401, USA
| | - Graham D. Fairhurst
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, CanadaSK S7N 5E2
| | - Clark S. Rushing
- Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC 20008, USA
| | - David A. Buehler
- Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37966, USA
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Lindsay WR, Wapstra E, Silverin B, Olsson M. Corticosterone: a costly mediator of signal honesty in sand lizards. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:7451-7461. [PMID: 28725412 PMCID: PMC5513280 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Revised: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying honest signal expression remain elusive and may involve the integration of social and physiological costs. Corticosterone is a socially modulated metabolic hormone that mediates energy investment and behavior and may therefore function to deter dishonest signal expression. We examined the relationship between corticosterone and green badge coloration in male sand lizards (Lacerta agilis), hypothesizing that physiological and behavioral costs resulting from elevated baseline glucocorticoids function in maintenance of honest signal expression. We found that large‐badged males had higher corticosterone titer, with this relationship apparent at the end of the season and absent early in the season. Large‐badged males also suffered higher ectoparasite load (number of tick nymphs), despite being in better condition than small‐badged males. Ectoparasite load was positively related to corticosterone titer early in the season at the time of badge formation. High‐condition individuals had lower corticosterone and lower numbers of ectoparasites than low‐condition individuals, suggestive of conditional variation in ability to withstand costs of corticosterone. We found an opposing negative relationship between corticosterone titer and endoparasite load. Corticosterone titer was also negatively associated with male mobility, a fitness‐determining behavior in this species. Because badge size is involved in mediating agonistic social interactions in this species, our results suggest that badge‐dependent variation in corticosterone is likely reflective of variation in social conditions experienced over the course of the season. Our results implicate corticosterone in maintenance of signal honesty, both early in the season through enforcement of physiological costs (ectoparasite load) and during the season through behavioral costs (male mobility). We propose that socially modulated variation in corticosterone critically functions in mediation of signal honesty without requiring a direct role for corticosterone in trait expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willow R Lindsay
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences Göteborg University Göteborg Sweden
| | - Erik Wapstra
- School of Biological Sciences University of Tasmania Hobart Tas. Australia
| | - Bengt Silverin
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences Göteborg University Göteborg Sweden
| | - Mats Olsson
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences Göteborg University Göteborg Sweden.,School of Biological Sciences University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
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Berk SA, McGettrick JR, Hansen WK, Breuner CW. Methodological considerations for measuring glucocorticoid metabolites in feathers. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 4:cow020. [PMID: 27335650 PMCID: PMC4913509 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cow020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2015] [Revised: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 05/02/2016] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, researchers have begun to use corticosteroid metabolites in feathers (fCORT) as a metric of stress physiology in birds. However, there remain substantial questions about how to measure fCORT most accurately. Notably, small samples contain artificially high amounts of fCORT per millimetre of feather (the small sample artefact). Furthermore, it appears that fCORT is correlated with circulating plasma corticosterone only when levels are artificially elevated by the use of corticosterone implants. Here, we used several approaches to address current methodological issues with the measurement of fCORT. First, we verified that the small sample artefact exists across species and feather types. Second, we attempted to correct for this effect by increasing the amount of methanol relative to the amount of feather during extraction. We consistently detected more fCORT per millimetre or per milligram of feather in small samples than in large samples even when we adjusted methanol:feather concentrations. We also used high-performance liquid chromatography to identify hormone metabolites present in feathers and measured the reactivity of these metabolites against the most commonly used antibody for measuring fCORT. We verified that our antibody is mainly identifying corticosterone (CORT) in feathers, but other metabolites have significant cross-reactivity. Lastly, we measured faecal glucocorticoid metabolites in house sparrows and correlated these measurements with corticosteroid metabolites deposited in concurrently grown feathers; we found no correlation between faecal glucocorticoid metabolites and fCORT. We suggest that researchers should be cautious in their interpretation of fCORT in wild birds and should seek alternative validation methods to examine species-specific relationships between environmental challenges and fCORT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara A. Berk
- Organismal Biology and Ecology, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Julie R. McGettrick
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Warren K. Hansen
- Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Creagh W. Breuner
- Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
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38
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Mougeot F, Lendvai ÁZ, Martínez-Padilla J, Pérez-Rodríguez L, Giraudeau M, Casas F, Moore IT, Redpath S. Parasites, mate attractiveness and female feather corticosterone levels in a socially monogamous bird. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-015-2048-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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39
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Moore FR, Shuker DM, Dougherty L. Stress and sexual signaling: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Strong RJ, Pereira MG, Shore RF, Henrys PA, Pottinger TG. Feather corticosterone content in predatory birds in relation to body condition and hepatic metal concentration. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2015; 214:47-55. [PMID: 25776461 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2015.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2014] [Revised: 02/27/2015] [Accepted: 03/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated the feasibility of measuring corticosterone in feathers from cryo-archived raptor specimens, in order to provide a retrospective assessment of the activity of the stress axis in relation to contaminant burden. Feather samples were taken from sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus, kestrel Falco tinnunculus, buzzard Buteo buteo, barn owl Tyto alba, and tawny owl Strix aluco and the variation in feather CORT concentrations with respect to species, age, sex, feather position, and body condition was assessed. In sparrowhawks only, variation in feather CORT content was compared with hepatic metal concentrations. For individuals, CORT concentration (pgmm(-1)) in adjacent primary flight feathers (P5 and P6), and left and right wing primaries (P5), was statistically indistinguishable. The lowest concentrations of CORT were found in sparrowhawk feathers and CORT concentrations did not vary systematically with age or sex for any species. Significant relationships between feather CORT content and condition were observed in only tawny owl and kestrel. In sparrowhawks, feather CORT concentration was found to be positively related to the hepatic concentrations of five metals (Cd, Mn, Co, Cu, Mo) and the metalloid As. There was also a negative relationship between measures of condition and total hepatic metal concentration in males. The results suggest that some factors affecting CORT uptake by feathers remain to be resolved but feather CORT content from archived specimens has the potential to provide a simple effects biomarker for exposure to environmental contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J Strong
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, United Kingdom; University of Lancaster, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United Kingdom
| | - M Glória Pereira
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, United Kingdom
| | - Richard F Shore
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, United Kingdom
| | - Peter A Henrys
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, United Kingdom
| | - Tom G Pottinger
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, United Kingdom.
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Grunst ML, Grunst AS, Parker CE, Romero LM, Rotenberry JT. Pigment-specific relationships between feather corticosterone concentrations and sexual coloration. Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
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Sefc KM, Brown AC, Clotfelter ED. Carotenoid-based coloration in cichlid fishes. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2014; 173C:42-51. [PMID: 24667558 PMCID: PMC4003536 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2014.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2013] [Revised: 03/03/2014] [Accepted: 03/14/2014] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Animal colors play important roles in communication, ecological interactions and speciation. Carotenoid pigments are responsible for many yellow, orange and red hues in animals. Whereas extensive knowledge on the proximate mechanisms underlying carotenoid coloration in birds has led to testable hypotheses on avian color evolution and signaling, much less is known about the expression of carotenoid coloration in fishes. Here, we promote cichlid fishes (Perciformes: Cichlidae) as a system in which to study the physiological and evolutionary significance of carotenoids. Cichlids include some of the best examples of adaptive radiation and color pattern diversification in vertebrates. In this paper, we examine fitness correlates of carotenoid pigmentation in cichlids and review hypotheses regarding the signal content of carotenoid-based ornaments. Carotenoid-based coloration is influenced by diet and body condition and is positively related to mating success and social dominance. Gaps in our knowledge are discussed in the last part of this review, particularly in the understanding of carotenoid metabolism pathways and the genetics of carotenoid coloration. We suggest that carotenoid metabolism and transport are important proximate mechanisms responsible for individual and population-differences in cichlid coloration that may ultimately contribute to diversification and speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina M Sefc
- Institute of Zoology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Alexandria C Brown
- Department of Biology, Amherst College, Amherst, MA 01002, USA; Graduate Program in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003 USA
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Giraudeau M, McGraw KJ. Physiological Correlates of Urbanization in a Desert Songbird. Integr Comp Biol 2014; 54:622-32. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icu024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Cattet M, Macbeth BJ, Janz DM, Zedrosser A, Swenson JE, Dumond M, Stenhouse GB. Quantifying long-term stress in brown bears with the hair cortisol concentration: a biomarker that may be confounded by rapid changes in response to capture and handling. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2014; 2:cou026. [PMID: 27293647 PMCID: PMC4732478 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cou026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2014] [Revised: 05/26/2014] [Accepted: 05/29/2014] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The measurement of cortisol in hair is becoming important in studying the role of stress in the life history, health and ecology of wild mammals. The hair cortisol concentration (HCC) is generally believed to be a reliable indicator of long-term stress that can reflect frequent or prolonged activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis over weeks to months through passive diffusion from the blood supply to the follicular cells that produce the hair. Diffusion of cortisol from tissues surrounding the follicle and glandular secretions (sebum and sweat) that coat the growing hair may also affect the HCC, but the extent of these effects is thought to be minimal. In this study, we report on a range of factors that are associated with, and possibly influence, cortisol concentrations in the hair of free-ranging brown bears (Ursus arctos). Through two levels of analyses that differed in sample sizes and availability of predictor variables, we identified the presence or absence of capture, restraint and handling, as well as different methods of capture, as significant factors that appeared to influence HCC in a time frame that was too short (minutes to hours) to be explained by passive diffusion from the blood supply alone. Furthermore, our results suggest that HCC was altered after hair growth had ceased and blood supply to the hair follicle was terminated. However, we also confirmed that HCC was inversely associated with brown bear body condition and was, therefore, responsive to diminished food availability/quality and possibly other long-term stressors that affect body condition. Collectively, our findings emphasize the importance of further elucidating the mechanisms of cortisol accumulation in hair and the influence of long- and short-term stressors on these mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Cattet
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 5B4
- Corresponding author: Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 5B4. Tel: +1 306 966 2162.
| | - Bryan J. Macbeth
- Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4Z6
| | - David M. Janz
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 5B4
| | - Andreas Zedrosser
- Department of Environmental and Health Studies, Telemark University College, 3800 Bø, Norway
| | - Jon E. Swenson
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Mathieu Dumond
- Department of Environment, Government of Nunavut, Kugluktuk, Nunavut, Canada X0B 0E0
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