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Hansen E, Sun J, Helander B, Bustnes JO, Eulaers I, Jaspers VLB, Covaci A, Eens M, Bourgeon S. A retrospective investigation of feather corticosterone in a highly contaminated white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) population. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 228:115923. [PMID: 37072083 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as organochlorines (OCs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), is associated with adverse health effects in wildlife. Many POPs have been banned and consequently their environmental concentrations have declined. To assess both temporal trends of POPs and their detrimental impacts, raptors are extensively used as biomonitors due to their high food web position and high contaminant levels. White-tailed eagles (WTEs; Haliaeetus albicilla) in the Baltic ecosystem represent a sentinel species of environmental pollution, as they have suffered population declines due to reproductive failure caused by severe exposure to dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) during the 1960s through 1980s. However, there is a lack of long-term studies that cover a wide range of environmental contaminants and their effects at the individual level. In this study, we used 135 pooled samples of shed body feathers collected in 1968-2012 from breeding WTE pairs in Sweden. Feathers constitute a temporal archive for substances incorporated into the feather during growth, including corticosterone, which is the primary avian glucocorticoid and a stress-associated hormone. Here, we analysed the WTE feather pools to investigate annual variations in feather corticosterone (fCORT), POPs (OCs and PBDEs), and stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes (SIs; dietary proxies). We examined whether the expected fluctuations in POPs affected fCORT (8-94 pg. mm-1) in the WTE pairs. Despite clear temporal declining trends in POP concentrations (p < 0.01), we found no significant associations between fCORT and POPs or SIs (p > 0.05 in all cases). Our results do not support fCORT as a relevant biomarker of contaminant-mediated effects in WTEs despite studying a highly contaminated population. However, although not detecting a relationship between fCORT, POP contamination and diet, fCORT represents a non-destructive and retrospective assessment of long-term stress physiology in wild raptors otherwise not readily available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Hansen
- UiT - the Arctic University of Norway, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Hansine Hansens Veg 18, NO-9019, Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Jiachen Sun
- College of Marine Life Science, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, CN-266003, Shandong, China
| | - Björn Helander
- Swedish Museum of Natural History, Department of Environmental Research and Monitoring, Box 50007, SE-10405, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jan Ove Bustnes
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Framsenteret, Hjalmar Johansens Gate 14, NO-9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Igor Eulaers
- Fram Centre, Norwegian Polar Institute, NO-9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Veerle L B Jaspers
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 5, 7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, BE-2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Marcel Eens
- Behavioural and Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, BE-2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Sophie Bourgeon
- UiT - the Arctic University of Norway, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Hansine Hansens Veg 18, NO-9019, Tromsø, Norway
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James KA, Stromin JI, Steenkamp N, Combrinck MI. Understanding the relationships between physiological and psychosocial stress, cortisol and cognition. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1085950. [PMID: 36950689 PMCID: PMC10025564 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1085950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress is viewed as a state of real or perceived threat to homeostasis, the management of which involves the endocrine, nervous, and immune systems. These systems work independently and interactively as part of the stress response. The scientific stress literature, which spans both animal and human studies, contains heterogeneous findings about the effects of stress on the brain and the body. This review seeks to summarise and integrate literature on the relationships between these systems, examining particularly the roles of physiological and psychosocial stress, the stress hormone cortisol, as controlled by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and the effects of stress on cognitive functioning. Health conditions related to impaired HPA axis functioning and their associated neuropsychiatric symptoms will also be considered. Lastly, this review will provide suggestions of clinical applicability for endocrinologists who are uniquely placed to measure outcomes related to endocrine, nervous and immune system functioning and identify areas of intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharine Ann James
- Applied Cognitive Science and Experimental Neuropsychology Team (ACSENT) Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Juliet Ilena Stromin
- Applied Cognitive Science and Experimental Neuropsychology Team (ACSENT) Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Nina Steenkamp
- Applied Cognitive Science and Experimental Neuropsychology Team (ACSENT) Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Marc Irwin Combrinck
- Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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3
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Names GR, Schultz EM, Krause JS, Hahn TP, Wingfield JC, Heal M, Cornelius JM, Klasing KC, Hunt KE. Stress in paradise: effects of elevated corticosterone on immunity and avian malaria resilience in a Hawaiian passerine. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:272529. [PMID: 34553762 PMCID: PMC8546672 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Vertebrates confronted with challenging environments often experience an increase in circulating glucocorticoids, which result in morphological, physiological and behavioral changes that promote survival. However, chronically elevated glucocorticoids can suppress immunity, which may increase susceptibility to disease. Since the introduction of avian malaria to Hawaii a century ago, low-elevation populations of Hawaii Amakihi (Chlorodrepanis virens) have undergone strong selection by avian malaria and evolved increased resilience (the ability to recover from infection), while populations at high elevation with few vectors have not undergone selection and remain susceptible. We investigated how experimentally elevated corticosterone affects the ability of high- and low-elevation male Amakihi to cope with avian malaria by measuring innate immunity, hematocrit and malaria parasitemia. Corticosterone implants resulted in a decrease in hematocrit in high- and low-elevation birds but no changes to circulating natural antibodies or leukocytes. Overall, leukocyte count was higher in low- than in high-elevation birds. Malaria infections were detected in a subset of low-elevation birds. Infected individuals with corticosterone implants experienced a significant increase in circulating malaria parasites while untreated infected birds did not. Our results suggest that Amakihi innate immunity measured by natural antibodies and leukocytes is not sensitive to changes in corticosterone, and that high circulating corticosterone may reduce the ability of Amakihi to cope with infection via its effects on hematocrit and malaria parasite load. Understanding how glucocorticoids influence a host's ability to cope with introduced diseases provides new insight into the conservation of animals threatened by novel pathogens. Summary: Amakihi innate immunity, as measured by natural antibodies and leukocytes, is not sensitive to changes in corticosterone, but high circulating corticosterone may reduce the ability of Amakihi to cope with avian malaria infection via its effects on hematocrit and malaria parasite load.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle R Names
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.,Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Schultz
- Department of Biology, Wittenberg University, 200 W Ward Street, Springfield, OH 45504, USA
| | - Jesse S Krause
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada Reno, 1664 North Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Thomas P Hahn
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - John C Wingfield
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Molly Heal
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Jamie M Cornelius
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, 2701 SW Campus Way, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Kirk C Klasing
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Kathleen E Hunt
- Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation & Department of Biology, George Mason University, 1500 Remount Rd, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
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Brown TJ, Hammers M, Taylor M, Dugdale HL, Komdeur J, Richardson DS. Hematocrit, age, and survival in a wild vertebrate population. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:214-226. [PMID: 33437424 PMCID: PMC7790625 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding trade-offs in wild populations is difficult, but important if we are to understand the evolution of life histories and the impact of ecological variables upon them. Markers that reflect physiological state and predict future survival would be of considerable benefit to unraveling such trade-offs and could provide insight into individual variation in senescence. However, currently used markers often yield inconsistent results. One underutilized measure is hematocrit, the proportion of blood comprising erythrocytes, which relates to the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity and viscosity, and to individual endurance. Hematocrit has been shown to decline with age in cross-sectional studies (which may be confounded by selective appearance/disappearance). However, few studies have tested whether hematocrit declines within individuals or whether low hematocrit impacts survival in wild taxa. Using longitudinal data from the Seychelles warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis), we demonstrated that hematocrit increases with age in young individuals (<1.5 years) but decreases with age in older individuals (1.5-13 years). In breeders, hematocrit was higher in males than females and varied relative to breeding stage. High hematocrit was associated with lower survival in young individuals, but not older individuals. Thus, while we did not find support for hematocrit as a marker of senescence, high hematocrit is indicative of poor condition in younger individuals. Possible explanations are that these individuals were experiencing dehydration and/or high endurance demands prior to capture, which warrants further investigation. Our study demonstrates that hematocrit can be an informative metric for life-history studies investigating trade-offs between survival, longevity, and reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J. Brown
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
| | - Martijn Hammers
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Martin Taylor
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
| | - Hannah L. Dugdale
- School of BiologyFaculty of Biological SciencesUniversity of LeedsLeedsUK
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - David S. Richardson
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
- Nature SeychellesVictoriaMahéSeychelles
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Fischer D, Marrotte RR, Chin EH, Coulson S, Burness G. Maternal glucocorticoid levels during incubation predict breeding success, but not reproductive investment, in a free-ranging bird. Biol Open 2020; 9:9/10/bio045898. [PMID: 33077551 PMCID: PMC7595688 DOI: 10.1242/bio.045898] [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] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The hormone corticosterone (CORT) has been hypothesized to be linked with fitness, but the directionality of the relationship is unclear. The ‘CORT-fitness hypothesis’ proposes that high levels of CORT arise from challenging environmental conditions, resulting in lower reproductive success (a negative relationship). In contrast, the CORT-adaptation hypothesis suggests that, during energetically demanding periods, CORT will mediate physiological or behavioral changes that result in increased reproductive investment and success (a positive relationship). During two breeding seasons, we experimentally manipulated circulating CORT levels in female tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) prior to egg laying, and measured subsequent reproductive effort, breeding success, and maternal survival. When females were recaptured during egg incubation and again during the nestling stage, the CORT levels were similar among individuals in each treatment group, and maternal treatment had no effect on indices of fitness. By considering variation among females, we found support for the CORT-adaptation hypothesis; there was a significant positive relationship between CORT levels during incubation and hatching and fledging success. During the nestling stage CORT levels were unrelated to any measure of investment or success. Within the environmental context of our study, relationships between maternal glucocorticoid levels and indices of fitness vary across reproductive stages. Summary: Levels of the stress biomarker corticosterone predict breeding success in female tree swallows. However, correlations between hormone levels and fitness differ between life-history stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devin Fischer
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada K9L 0G2
| | - Robby R Marrotte
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada K9L 0G2
| | - Eunice H Chin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6
| | - Smolly Coulson
- Department of Biology, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada K9L 0G2
| | - Gary Burness
- Department of Biology, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada K9L 0G2
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6
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Glucs ZE, Smith DR, Tubbs CW, Bakker VJ, Wolstenholme R, Dudus K, Burnett LJ, Clark M, Clark M, Finkelstein ME. Foraging behavior, contaminant exposure risk, and the stress response in wild California condors (Gymnogyps californianus). ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 189:109905. [PMID: 32738723 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Wild California condors (Gymnogyps californianus) are frequently exposed to lead via lead-based ammunition ingestion, and recent studies indicate significant exposure to organochlorines (e.g. dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)) for condors feeding on beach-cast marine mammals. We investigated the influence of contaminant exposure on condor glucocorticoid response through comparisons between wild and captive populations and identification of modifiers of glucocorticoid release in wild condors. We assessed the glucocorticoid response to routine trapping and handling events through measurement of plasma corticosterone and urate glucocorticoid metabolites (GCM). Comparison of peak urate GCM levels showed wild condors exhibited higher responses to handling-associated stressors (2300 ± 1400 ng/g dry wt, average ± SD, n = 27) than captive condors (910 ± 490 ng/g dry wt., n = 6, U = 28, p = 0.003). Multiple linear regression models and an information theoretic approach (AICc) identified several extrinsic variables (e.g., time captive in flight pen before sample collection) that were negatively associated with plasma corticosterone and urate GCM levels in wild condors, which explained ~25% of glucocorticoid variation. When accounting for these extrinsic variables we found that behavioral variables associated with increased lead and organochlorine exposure risk were positively associated with GCM levels, explaining an additional 15% of glucocorticoid variation among wild condors. Days absent from management area, a variable associated with reduced survival attributed to increased lead exposure risk, had a positive influence on plasma corticosterone levels (β = 53 ± 20 SE) and peak urate GCM levels (β = 1090 ± 586 SE). Years observed feeding on marine mammals, a variable positively associated with DDE and PCB exposure, positively influenced peak urate GCM (β = 1100 ± 520 SE) and the magnitude of GCM response (peak GCM - 1st urate GCM) (β = 1050 ± 500 SE). Our findings suggest that individual propensities for contaminant-associated foraging behaviors predict higher stress-induced glucocorticoid levels in wild condors, and that accounting for variables associated with trapping and handling is essential for assessing the impact of environmental stressors such as contaminants on the condor stress response. As an abnormal glucocorticoid response to stress is associated with reduced reproduction and survival in vertebrates, this work indicates the need for further investigations into the physiological impacts of sub-lethal contaminant exposures in scavenging species worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeka E Glucs
- Predatory Bird Research Group, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA; Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
| | - Donald R Smith
- Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Christopher W Tubbs
- San Diego Zoo Global, Institute for Conservation Research, Escondido, CA, USA
| | | | - Rachel Wolstenholme
- National Park Service, Interior Regions 8, 9, 10, 12, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kristina Dudus
- National Park Service, Interior Region 2, Gulf Breeze, FL, USA
| | | | | | - Michael Clark
- Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Myra E Finkelstein
- Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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7
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Link between past threatening experience and future neophobic behaviour depends on physiological stress responsiveness. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Bebus SE, Jones BC, Anderson RC. Development of the corticosterone stress response differs among passerine species. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 291:113417. [PMID: 32027877 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [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: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones which increase dramatically in response to a physical or perceived stressor. However, developing young of altricial species typically have a damped glucocorticoid stress response. The developmental hypothesis posits that the physiological stress response should develop concurrently with an individual's ability to respond to a challenge. The dampened response may benefit an organism, as chronic exposure to glucocorticoids can have short- and long-term detrimental effects, and altricial young are unable to escape most stressors. However, we do not know if or why species with similar ontogeny vary in their development of the physiological stress response. We assessed levels of baseline and stress-induced corticosterone (the main avian glucocorticoid) in six passerine species with varying life-history strategies, including a brood parasite, the brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater). Circulating baseline corticosterone levels increased with nestling age for all species. Stress-induced corticosterone levels sampled at 15-min post-capture significantly increased with nestling age at a similar rate and magnitude in brown-headed cowbirds, eastern phoebes (Sayornis phoebe), hooded warblers (Setophaga citrina), red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus), and song sparrows (Melospiza melodia). However, gray catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) nestlings showed an extremely dampened elevation in corticosterone in response to stress, even near fledge. Gray catbirds are unusual among songbirds, as they are open-ended song learners. Stress during development can profoundly influence avian song learning and performance abilities. However, further study is necessary to determine if there is a relationship between nestling adrenocortical activity and open- versus closed-ended song learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara E Bebus
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Davie, FL, USA.
| | - Blake Carlton Jones
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Rindy C Anderson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Davie, FL, USA
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Angelier F, Chastel O, Lendvai AZ, Parenteau C, Weimerskirch H, Wingfield JC. When do older birds better resist stress? A study of the corticosterone stress response in snow petrels. Biol Lett 2020; 16:20190733. [PMID: 31937214 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0733] [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] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Life-history theory predicts that, to optimize their fitness, individuals should increase their reproductive effort as their residual reproductive value decreases. Accordingly, several studies have shown that individuals downregulate their glucocorticoid stress response (a proxy of reproductive investment in vertebrates) as they age, and as the subsequent reproductive value decreases. However, and surprisingly, results appear inconsistent, suggesting that the environmental context or the individual state may affect the relationship between age and reproductive effort. Here, we tested for the first time this hypothesis, and more specifically, whether this attenuation of the corticosterone stress response with advancing age depends on the energetic status of individuals. We compared the influence of age on the corticosterone stress response between fasting and non-fasting breeding snow petrels (Pagodroma nivea), an extremely long-lived bird. As expected, we found that the corticosterone stress response was attenuated in old petrels, but only when they were not fasting. Interestingly, this pattern was not apparent in fasting petrels, suggesting that old birds downregulate their corticosterone stress response and increase their parental investment only when they are in good body condition. At the ultimate level, old individuals may maintain a strong corticosterone stress response when fasting because the survival costs of increased stress resistance and parental effort might then outweigh their reproductive benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS- la Rochelle Université, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Olivier Chastel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS- la Rochelle Université, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Adam Z Lendvai
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, Debrecen 4032, Hungary
| | - Charline Parenteau
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS- la Rochelle Université, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Henri Weimerskirch
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS- la Rochelle Université, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - John C Wingfield
- Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior Department, University of CA, Davis, CA, USA
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Glucs ZE, Smith DR, Tubbs CW, Jones Scherbinski J, Welch A, Burnett J, Clark M, Eng C, Finkelstein ME. Glucocorticoid measurement in plasma, urates, and feathers from California condors (Gymnogyps californianus) in response to a human-induced stressor. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0205565. [PMID: 30352070 PMCID: PMC6198957 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Vertebrates respond to stressful stimuli with the secretion of glucocorticoid (GC) hormones, such as corticosterone (CORT), and measurements of these hormones in wild species can provide insight into physiological responses to environmental and human-induced stressors. California condors (Gymnogyps californianus) are a critically endangered and intensively managed avian species for which information on GC response to stress is lacking. Here we evaluated a commercially available I125 double antibody radioimmunoassay (RIA) and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit for measurement of CORT and GC metabolites (GCM) in California condor plasma, urate, and feather samples. The precision and accuracy of the RIA assay outperformed the ELISA for CORT and GCM measurements, and CORT and GCM values were not comparable between the two assays for any sample type. RIA measurements of total CORT in condor plasma collected from 41 condors within 15 minutes of a handling stressor were highly variable (median = 70 ng/mL, range = 1-189 ng/mL) and significantly different between wild and captive condors (p = 0.02, two-tailed t-test, n = 10 wild and 11 captive). Urate GCM levels (median = 620 ng/g dry wt., range = 0.74-7200 ng/g dry wt., n = 216) significantly increased within 2 hr of the acute handling stressor (p = 0.032, n = 11 condors, one-tailed paired t-test), while feather section CORT concentrations (median = 18 pg/mm, range = 6.3-68 ng/g, n = 37) also varied widely within and between feathers. Comparison of multiple regression linear models shows condor age as a significant predictors of plasma CORT levels, while age, sex, and plasma CORT levels predicted GCM levels in urates collected within 30 min of the start of handling. Our findings highlight the need for validation when selecting an immunoassay for use with a new species, and suggest that non-invasively collected urates and feathers hold promise for assessing condor responses to acute or chronic environmental and human-induced stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeka E. Glucs
- Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Donald R. Smith
- Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America
| | - Christopher W. Tubbs
- San Diego Zoo Global, Institute for Conservation Research, Escondido, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Alacia Welch
- National Park Service, Pinnacles National Park, Paicines, CA, United States of America
| | - Joseph Burnett
- Ventana Wildlife Society, Monterey, CA, United States of America
| | - Michael Clark
- Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Curtis Eng
- Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Myra E. Finkelstein
- Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America
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11
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Gott A, Andrews C, Larriva Hormigos M, Spencer K, Bateson M, Nettle D. Chronological age, biological age, and individual variation in the stress response in the European starling: a follow-up study. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5842. [PMID: 30370189 PMCID: PMC6202956 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The strength of the avian stress response declines with age. A recently published study of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) found that a marker of biological age predicted the strength of the stress response even in individuals of the same chronological age. Specifically, birds that had experienced greater developmental telomere attrition (DTA) showed a lower peak corticosterone (CORT) response to an acute stressor, and more rapid recovery of CORT levels towards baseline. Here, we performed a follow-up study using the same capture-handling-restraint stressor in a separate cohort of starlings that had been subjected to a developmental manipulation of food availability and begging effort. We measured the CORT response at two different age points (4 and 18 months). Our data suggest a decline in the strength of the CORT response with chronological age: peak CORT was lower at the second age point, and there was relatively more reduction in CORT between 15 and 30 min. Individual consistency between the two age points was low, but there were modest familial effects on baseline and peak CORT. The manipulation of begging effort affected the stress response (specifically, the reduction in CORT between 15 and 30 min) in an age-dependent manner. However, we did not replicate the associations with DTA observed in the earlier study. We meta-analysed the data from the present and the earlier study combined, and found some support for the conclusions of the earlier paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Gott
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution & Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Clare Andrews
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution & Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | | | - Karen Spencer
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, UK
| | - Melissa Bateson
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution & Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Daniel Nettle
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution & Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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12
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Puehringer-Sturmayr V, Wascher CAF, Loretto MC, Palme R, Stoewe M, Kotrschal K, Frigerio D. Seasonal differences of corticosterone metabolite concentrations and parasite burden in northern bald ibis (Geronticus eremita): The role of affiliative interactions. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0191441. [PMID: 29364951 PMCID: PMC5783627 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The reproductive season is energetically costly as revealed by elevated glucocorticoid concentrations, constrained immune functions and an increased risk of infections. Social allies and affiliative interactions may buffer physiological stress responses and thereby alleviate associated effects. In the present study, we investigated the seasonal differences of immune reactive corticosterone metabolite concentrations, endoparasite burden (nematode eggs and coccidian oocysts) and affiliative interactions in northern bald ibis (Geronticus eremita), a critically endangered bird. In total, 43 individually marked focal animals from a free-ranging colony were investigated. The analyses included a description of initiated and received affiliative interactions, pair bond status as well as seasonal patterns of hormone and endoparasite levels. During the reproductive season, droppings contained parasite eggs more often and corticosterone metabolite levels were higher as compared to the period after reproduction. The excretion rate of endoparasite products was lower in paired individuals than in unpaired ones, but paired animals exhibited higher corticosterone metabolite concentrations than unpaired individuals. Furthermore, paired individuals initiated affiliative behaviour more frequently than unpaired ones. This suggests that the reproductive season influences the excretion patterns of endoparasite products and corticosterone metabolites and that affiliative interactions between pair partners may positively affect endoparasite burden during periods of elevated glucocorticoid levels. Being embedded in a pair bond may have a positive impact on individual immune system and parasite resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena Puehringer-Sturmayr
- Core Facility Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Grünau im Almtal, Austria.,Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Claudia A F Wascher
- Core Facility Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Grünau im Almtal, Austria.,Department of Biology, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Matthias-Claudio Loretto
- Core Facility Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Grünau im Almtal, Austria.,Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Experimental Endocrinology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mareike Stoewe
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Experimental Endocrinology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kurt Kotrschal
- Core Facility Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Grünau im Almtal, Austria.,Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Didone Frigerio
- Core Facility Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Grünau im Almtal, Austria.,Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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13
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Andrews C, Nettle D, Larriva M, Gillespie R, Reichert S, Brilot BO, Bedford T, Monaghan P, Spencer KA, Bateson M. A marker of biological age explains individual variation in the strength of the adult stress response. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:171208. [PMID: 28989794 PMCID: PMC5627134 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.171208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The acute stress response functions to prioritize behavioural and physiological processes that maximize survival in the face of immediate threat. There is variation between individuals in the strength of the adult stress response that is of interest in both evolutionary biology and medicine. Age is an established source of this variation-stress responsiveness diminishes with increasing age in a range of species-but unexplained variation remains. Since individuals of the same chronological age may differ markedly in their pace of biological ageing, we asked whether biological age-measured here via erythrocyte telomere length-predicts variation in stress responsiveness in adult animals of the same chronological age. We studied two cohorts of European starlings in which we had previously manipulated the rate of biological ageing by experimentally altering the competition experienced by chicks in the fortnight following hatching. We predicted that individuals with greater developmental telomere attrition, and hence greater biological age, would show an attenuated corticosterone (CORT) response to an acute stressor when tested as adults. In both cohorts, we found that birds with greater developmental telomere attrition had lower peak CORT levels and a more negative change in CORT levels between 15 and 30 min following stress exposure. Our results, therefore, provide strong evidence that a measure of biological age explains individual variation in stress responsiveness: birds that were biologically older were less stress responsive. Our results provide a novel explanation for the phenomenon of developmental programming of the stress response: observed changes in stress physiology as a result of exposure to early-life adversity may reflect changes in ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare Andrews
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Institute of Neuroscience and Newcastle University Institute of Ageing, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Daniel Nettle
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Institute of Neuroscience and Newcastle University Institute of Ageing, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Maria Larriva
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Robert Gillespie
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Sophie Reichert
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, UK
| | - Ben O. Brilot
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Institute of Neuroscience and Newcastle University Institute of Ageing, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, Plymouth University, Plymouth, UK
| | - Thomas Bedford
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Institute of Neuroscience and Newcastle University Institute of Ageing, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Pat Monaghan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Karen A. Spencer
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Melissa Bateson
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Institute of Neuroscience and Newcastle University Institute of Ageing, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Author for correspondence: Melissa Bateson e-mail:
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14
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Small TW, Bebus SE, Bridge ES, Elderbrock EK, Ferguson SM, Jones BC, Schoech SJ. Stress-responsiveness influences baseline glucocorticoid levels: Revisiting the under 3min sampling rule. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2017; 247:152-165. [PMID: 28189590 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.01.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2015] [Revised: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 01/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Plasma glucocorticoid (CORT) levels collected within 3min of capture are commonly believed to reflect pre-stressor, baseline CORT levels. Differences in these "baseline" values are often interpreted as reflecting differences in health, or the amount of social and environmental stress recently experienced by an individual. When interpreting "baseline" values it is generally assumed that any effect of capture-and-handling during the initial sampling period is small enough and consistent enough among individuals to not obscure pre-capture differences in CORT levels. However, plasma CORT increases in less than 3min post-capture in many free-living, endothermic species in which timing has been assessed. In addition, the rate of CORT secretion and the maximum level attained (i.e., the degree of stress-responsiveness) during a severe stressor often differs among individuals of the same species. In Florida scrub-jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens), an individual's stress-responsiveness during a 30min post-capture stressor is correlated with CORT levels in samples collected within 1.5min of capture, suggesting there is an intrinsic connection between stress-responsiveness and pre-capture CORT levels. Although differences in stress-responsiveness accounted for just 11% of the variance in these samples, on average, higher stress-responsive jays (top third of individuals) had baseline values twice that of lower stress-responsive jays (bottom third). Further, plasma CORT levels begin to increase around 2min post-capture in this species, but the rate of increase between 2 and 3min differs markedly with CORT increasing more rapidly in jays with higher stress-responsiveness. Together, these data indicate that baseline CORT values can be influenced by an individual's stress response phenotype and the differences due to stress-responsiveness can be exaggerated during sample collection. In some cases, the effects of differences in stress-responsiveness and the increase in CORT during sample collection could obscure, or supersede, differences in pre-capture plasma CORT levels that are caused by extrinsic factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas W Small
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, United States.
| | - Sara E Bebus
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, United States
| | - Eli S Bridge
- Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma, United States
| | | | | | - Blake C Jones
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, United States
| | - Stephan J Schoech
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, United States
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15
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Cockrem JF, Candy EJ, Barrett DP, Agnew P, Potter MA. Individual variation and repeatability of corticosterone responses of little penguins (Eudyptula minor) sampled in two successive years at Oamaru, New Zealand. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2017; 244:86-92. [PMID: 26801581 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2016.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2015] [Revised: 01/06/2016] [Accepted: 01/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Plasma corticosterone concentrations increase when birds experience a stressor, and plasma corticosterone responses to a capture and handling stressor have been measured in many species of birds. Whilst it is assumed that the reported corticosterone responses reflect the inherent sensitivity of each bird to the stressor, responses of the same birds have rarely been measured at intervals of one or more years. The current study was conducted to measure the repeatability in two successive years of corticosterone responses of little penguins (Eudyptula minor) at Oamaru, New Zealand. There was a wide range of individual corticosterone responses to capture and restraint in 96 little penguins in 2012 and 50 penguins sampled at the same time of year in 2013. There were significant repeatabilities for the ranks of corticosterone at 15, 30 and 60min (r=0.416±0.160, r=0.636±0.115 and r=0.380±0.166 respectively) and for the ranks of integrated corticosterone responses (r=0.594±0.126) for 23 birds sampled in both years. There were no significant relationships between the size of corticosterone responses and age, body weight or condition index. Mean corticosterone concentrations at 60min were 114.22±6.65ng/ml in 2012 and 116.94±6.42ng/ml in 2013. Mean corticosterone responses did not differ between two successive years and were greater than responses of other penguin species. Penguins are well suited to long term studies in which corticosterone responses are measured annually as potential measures of changing marine environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- John F Cockrem
- Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
| | - E Jane Candy
- Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - D Paul Barrett
- Institute of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - Philippa Agnew
- Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony, Waterfront Road, Oamaru, New Zealand
| | - Murray A Potter
- Institute of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
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16
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Ozella L, Anfossi L, Di Nardo F, Pessani D. Effect of weather conditions and presence of visitors on adrenocortical activity in captive African penguins (Spheniscus demersus). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2017; 242:49-58. [PMID: 26673870 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2015.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2015] [Accepted: 12/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
A number of potential stressors are present in captive environments and it is critically important to identify them in order to improve health and welfare in ex situ animal populations. In this study, we investigated the adrenocortical activity of a colony of African penguins hosted in an immersive zoo in Italy, with respect to the presence of visitors and local microclimatic conditions, using the non-invasive method of assessing faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs). The penguins' exhibit is a large naturalistic outdoor enclosure, which closely reproduces the natural habitat of this species. Data collection took place from the beginning of June to the end of August 2014, during the period of maximum flow of visitors. We carried out 12 sampling periods, each involving 2 consecutive days; during the first day we counted the visitors and we registered the meteorological data, and on the second day, we collected the faecal samples, which amounted to a total of 285 faecal samples. Our results showed that the number of visitors did not influence the adrenocortical activity of the African penguins. Conversely, the local microclimatic conditions did influence the physiological stress on these birds. We found that an increase of the daily mean temperature induced a significant increase in FGM concentrations, although humidity and wind speed had a moderating effect on temperature and reduced the heat-induced stress. Moreover, we calculated two climatic indices, commonly used to assess the thermal discomfort in animals, namely the THI (Temperature-Humidity Index) and WCI (Wind Chill Index), and we detected a positive relationship between their values and the FGM levels, demonstrating that these indices could be useful indicators of weather discomfort in African penguins. Our study shows that the simulating naturalistic conditions could have significant benefits for zoo animals, such as reducing the negative effect of visitors. Nevertheless, it should be taken into account where the zoological facility is located and if the local microclimatic conditions are compatible with the hosted species, to ensure that they do not differ greatly from their natural habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Ozella
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Turin, Italy.
| | - L Anfossi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Turin, Via Pietro Giuria 5, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - F Di Nardo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Turin, Via Pietro Giuria 5, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - D Pessani
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Turin, Italy
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17
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Lifetime variation in feather corticosterone levels in a long-lived raptor. Oecologia 2016; 183:315-326. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3708-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2015] [Accepted: 08/16/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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18
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Lendvai ÁZ, Giraudeau M, Bókony V, Angelier F, Chastel O. Within-individual plasticity explains age-related decrease in stress response in a short-lived bird. Biol Lett 2016; 11:rsbl.2015.0272. [PMID: 26179799 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2015.0272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A crucial problem for every organism is how to allocate energy between competing life-history components. The optimal allocation decision is often state-dependent and mediated by hormones. Here, we investigated how age, a major state variable affects individuals' hormonal response to a standardized stressor: a trait that may reflect allocation between self-maintenance and reproduction. We caught free-living house sparrows and measured their hormonal (corticosterone) response to capture stress in consecutive years. Using a long-term ringing dataset, we determined the age of the birds, and we partitioned the variation into within- and among-individual age components to investigate the effects of plasticity versus selection or gene flow, respectively, on the stress response. We found large among-individual variation in the birds' hormone profiles, but overall, birds responded less strongly to capture stress as they grew older. These results suggest that stress responsiveness is a plastic trait that may vary within individuals in an adaptive manner, and natural selection may act on the reaction norms producing optimal phenotypic response in the actual environment and life-history stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ádám Z Lendvai
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, Debrecen 4032, Hungary
| | - Mathieu Giraudeau
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Sydney, Heydon-Laurence Building A08, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Veronika Bókony
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Herman Ottó u. 15, Budapest 1022, Hungary
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS-Université de la Rochelle, La Rochelle, France
| | - Olivier Chastel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS-Université de la Rochelle, La Rochelle, France
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19
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20
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Angelier F, Parenteau C, Ruault S, Angelier N. Endocrine consequences of an acute stress under different thermal conditions: A study of corticosterone, prolactin, and thyroid hormones in the pigeon (Columbia livia). Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2016; 196:38-45. [PMID: 26924044 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2016.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Revised: 02/17/2016] [Accepted: 02/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
In the context of global change, the physiological and hormonal stress responses have received much attention because of their implications in terms of allostasis. However, most studies have focused on glucocorticoids only as the "common" response to stressors while neglecting other endocrine axes and hormones (e.g. prolactin, thyroid hormones) that play a crucial role in metabolic adjustments. Interestingly, the responsiveness of all these endocrine axes to stress may depend on the energetic context and this context-dependent stress response has been overlooked so far. In the wild, temperature can vary to a large extent within a short time window and ambient temperature may affect these metabolic-related endocrine axes, and potentially, their responsiveness to an acute stressor. Here, we explicitly tested this hypothesis by examining the effect of a standardized stress protocol on multiple hormonal responses in the rock pigeon (Columbia livia). We tested the effect of an acute restraint stress on (1) corticosterone levels, (2) prolactin levels, and (3) thyroid hormone levels (triiodothyronine, thyroxine) in pigeons that were held either at cool temperature (experimental birds) or at room temperature (control birds) during the stress protocol. Although we found a significant influence of restraint stress on most hormone levels (corticosterone, prolactin, and thyroxine), triiodothyronine levels were not affected by the restraint stress. This demonstrates that stressors can have significant impact on multiple endocrine mechanisms. Importantly, all of these hormonal responses to stress were not affected by temperature, demonstrating that the exposure to cold temperature does not affect the way these hormone levels change in response to handling stress. This suggests that some endocrine responses to temperature decreases may be overridden by the endocrine responses to an acute restraint stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, UMR 7372, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France.
| | - Charline Parenteau
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, UMR 7372, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Stéphanie Ruault
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, UMR 7372, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Nicole Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, UMR 7372, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
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21
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Hau M, Casagrande S, Ouyang J, Baugh A. Glucocorticoid-Mediated Phenotypes in Vertebrates. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.asb.2016.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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22
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Tablado Z, Jenni L. Determinants of uncertainty in wildlife responses to human disturbance. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2015; 92:216-233. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2014] [Revised: 09/07/2015] [Accepted: 09/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zulima Tablado
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1; CH-6204 Sempach Switzerland
| | - Lukas Jenni
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1; CH-6204 Sempach Switzerland
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23
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Treen GD, Hobson KA, Marchant TA, Bortolotti GR. Large-scale spatial variation in feather corticosterone in invasive house sparrows (Passer domesticus) in Mexico is related to climate. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:3808-17. [PMID: 26380707 PMCID: PMC4567882 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2015] [Revised: 06/30/2015] [Accepted: 07/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecologists frequently use physiological tools to understand how organisms cope with their surroundings but rarely at macroecological scales. This study describes spatial variation in corticosterone (CORT) levels in feathers of invasive house sparrows (Passer domesticus) across their range in Mexico and evaluates CORT–climate relationships with a focus on temperature and precipitation. Samples were collected from 49 sites across Mexico. Feather CORT (CORTf) was measured using methanol-based extraction and radioimmunoassay. Relationships between CORTf and spatial and climate variables were examined using simple linear regressions. Ordination was used on climate data, CORTf was plotted against the resulting axes, and univariate regression trees were used to identify important predictors of CORTf. Universal kriging interpolation was used to illustrate spatial variation in CORTf across Mexico. Correlations with ordination axes showed that high CORTf was associated with low precipitation during the rainy season and low dry season temperatures. Specifically, CORTf was negatively related to May precipitation and January and July minimum temperatures, and positively related to April deuterium excess and June minimum temperatures. CORTf was higher in second-year birds compared to after-hatch years and after-second years. House sparrows had higher CORTf levels in the hot, dry, north-central region of Mexico, and CORTf was negatively related to temperature and precipitation. House sparrows molt primarily from August–September but climate conditions throughout the year were important predictors of CORTf, suggesting that conditions outside of molt can carry over to influence energetics during feather growth. These data suggest that dry conditions are challenging for house sparrows in Mexico, supporting previous work showing that precipitation is an important predictor of broad-scale CORT variation. This work highlights the utility of CORTf for evaluating the influence of physiology on current avian range limits; furthermore, these data may allow us to predict future changes in species distributions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gillian D Treen
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 5E2
| | - Keith A Hobson
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 5E2 ; Environment Canada 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 3H5
| | - Tracy A Marchant
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 5E2
| | - Gary R Bortolotti
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 5E2
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24
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Heterophil/Lymphocyte Alterations as a Measure of Stress in American Alligators in Relation to Anthropogenic Disturbance in a Louisiana Intermediate Marsh. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2015. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse3020267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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25
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Hämäläinen A, Heistermann M, Kraus C. The stress of growing old: sex- and season-specific effects of age on allostatic load in wild grey mouse lemurs. Oecologia 2015; 178:1063-75. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-015-3297-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2014] [Accepted: 03/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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26
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Angelier F, Wingfield JC, Parenteau C, Pellé M, Chastel O. Does short-term fasting lead to stressed-out parents? A study of incubation commitment and the hormonal stress responses and recoveries in snow petrels. Horm Behav 2015; 67:28-37. [PMID: 25456104 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2014] [Revised: 11/14/2014] [Accepted: 11/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The hormonal stress response is flexible and can be modulated by individuals according to its costs and benefits. Therefore, it is predicted that parents in poor body condition should modify their hormonal stress response, and thus, redirect energy allocation processes from parental care to self-maintenance when stressors occur. To test this prediction, most studies on free-living vertebrates have only focused on the stress response while the stress recovery - how quickly hormonal levels return to baseline values - has been neglected. Moreover, most studies have only focused on corticosterone - the primary mediator of allostasis - without paying attention to prolactin despite its major role in mediating parental behaviors. Here, we examined the effect of a short-term fasting event on the corticosterone and prolactin stress responses and recoveries, and we subsequently explored their relationships with parental decision in the snow petrel (Pagodroma nivea). By comparing the hormonal profiles of fasting and non-fasting snow petrels, we showed that parents modulate their corticosterone (but not prolactin) stress response according to their energetic status. We also described for the first time the hormonal stress recoveries in wild birds and found that they did not differ between fasting and non-fasting birds. Importantly, egg neglect was negatively correlated with circulating prolactin but not corticosterone levels in this species, demonstrating therefore a complex link between body condition, parental behavior and circulating corticosterone and prolactin levels. We suggest that both corticosterone and prolactin play a major role in the way parents adjust to stressors. This multiple signaling may allow parents to fine-tune their response to stressors, and especially, to activate specific allostasis-related mechanisms in a timely manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, F-79360 Villiers en Bois, France.
| | - John C Wingfield
- Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior Department, University of CA, Davis, USA
| | - Charline Parenteau
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, F-79360 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Marie Pellé
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, F-79360 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Olivier Chastel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, F-79360 Villiers en Bois, France
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27
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Lendvai ÁZ, Ouyang JQ, Schoenle LA, Fasanello V, Haussmann MF, Bonier F, Moore IT. Experimental food restriction reveals individual differences in corticosterone reaction norms with no oxidative costs. PLoS One 2014; 9:e110564. [PMID: 25386675 PMCID: PMC4227652 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2014] [Accepted: 09/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Highly plastic endocrine traits are thought to play a central role in allowing organisms to respond rapidly to environmental change. Yet, not all individuals display the same degree of plasticity in these traits, and the costs of this individual variation in plasticity are unknown. We studied individual differences in corticosterone levels under varying conditions to test whether there are consistent individual differences in (1) baseline corticosterone levels; (2) plasticity in the hormonal response to an ecologically relevant stressor (food restriction); and (3) whether individual differences in plasticity are related to fitness costs, as estimated by oxidative stress levels. We took 25 wild-caught house sparrows into captivity and assigned them to repeated food restricted and control treatments (60% and 110% of their daily food intake), such that each individual experienced both food restricted and control diets twice. We found significant individual variation in baseline corticosterone levels and stress responsiveness, even after controlling for changes in body mass. However, these individual differences in hormonal responsiveness were not related to measures of oxidative stress. These results have implications for how corticosterone levels may evolve in natural populations and raise questions about what we can conclude from phenotypic correlations between hormone levels and fitness measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ádám Z. Lendvai
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Jenny Q. Ouyang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- The Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Laura A. Schoenle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Vincent Fasanello
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Mark F. Haussmann
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Frances Bonier
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ignacio T. Moore
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
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28
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Small TW, Schoech SJ. Sex differences in the long-term repeatability of the acute stress response in long-lived, free-living Florida scrub-jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens). J Comp Physiol B 2014; 185:119-33. [DOI: 10.1007/s00360-014-0866-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2014] [Revised: 09/25/2014] [Accepted: 10/14/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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29
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Elliott KH, O'Reilly KM, Hatch SA, Gaston AJ, Hare JF, Anderson WG. The prudent parent meets old age: a high stress response in very old seabirds supports the terminal restraint hypothesis. Horm Behav 2014; 66:828-37. [PMID: 25448533 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [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: 06/18/2014] [Revised: 09/26/2014] [Accepted: 11/05/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The reproductive success of wild animals usually increases with age before declining at the end of life, but the proximate mechanisms underlying those patterns remain elusive. Young animals are expected to invest less in current reproduction due to high prospects for future reproduction (the "restraint" hypothesis). The oldest animals may also show restraint when conditions are sub-optimal where even a small increase in reproductive investment may lead to death ("terminal restraint"). Alternatively, reproduction may be constrained by lack of experience and senescence (the "constraint" hypothesis). In two species of breeding seabirds, behavioural (time to return the offspring, calmness during restraint) and physiological (metabolism, glucose and corticosterone) parameters responded similarly to stress with advancing age, implying a generalized stress response. Across those parameters, birds were "shy" (high stress response) when young or old, and "bold" (low stress response) when middle-aged. Specifically, free corticosterone, the principal avian glucocorticoid responsible for directing energy away from reproduction and towards immediate survival following stress, was highest in both young and very old stressed birds. All age groups had a similar adrenal capacity to produce corticosterone, implying that middle-aged birds were showing restraint. Because the stress response, was highest at ages when the probability of current reproduction was lowest rather than at ages when the probability of future reproduction was highest we concluded that birds restrained reproductive investment based on current conditions rather than potential future opportunities. In particular, old birds showed terminal restraint when stressed. Hormonal cues promoted investment in adult survival over reproductive output at both the start and end of life consistent with the restraint hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle H Elliott
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada.
| | | | - Scott A Hatch
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - Anthony J Gaston
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment Canada, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - James F Hare
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - W Gary Anderson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
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30
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Intra-individual variability in fecal cortisol metabolites varies with lifetime exploration and reproductive life history in eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-014-1812-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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31
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Nord A, Sköld-Chiriac S, Hasselquist D, Nilsson JÅ. A tradeoff between perceived predation risk and energy conservation revealed by an immune challenge experiment. OIKOS 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.01221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Nord
- Section for Evolutionary Ecology, Dept of Biology; Ecology Building, Lund Univ.; SE-223 62 Lund Sweden
| | - Sandra Sköld-Chiriac
- Section for Evolutionary Ecology, Dept of Biology; Ecology Building, Lund Univ.; SE-223 62 Lund Sweden
- MEMEG, Molecular Ecology and Evolution Group, Ecology Building, Lund Univ.; SE-223 62 Lund Sweden
| | - Dennis Hasselquist
- MEMEG, Molecular Ecology and Evolution Group, Ecology Building, Lund Univ.; SE-223 62 Lund Sweden
| | - Jan-Åke Nilsson
- Section for Evolutionary Ecology, Dept of Biology; Ecology Building, Lund Univ.; SE-223 62 Lund Sweden
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32
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Wilcoxen TE, Bridge ES, Boughton RK, Hahn TP, Schoech SJ. Physiology of reproductive senescence in Florida scrub-jays: results from a long-term study and GnRH challenge. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2013; 194:168-74. [PMID: 24096038 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2013.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2013] [Revised: 09/10/2013] [Accepted: 09/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In most vertebrates, production of reproductive hormones wanes with age, co-occurring with a decline in reproductive output. Measurement of these hormones can serve as a key marker of the onset of reproductive senescence. Longitudinal studies of physiological parameters in populations of free-living animals are relatively uncommon; however, we have monitored baseline concentrations of hormones for nine years in a population of Florida scrub-jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens). We hypothesized that concentrations of circulating reproductive hormones change with age, and predicted declines in reproductive hormones in the oldest jays. We found that baseline levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (T) were relatively low in both young and old male breeders and reach their highest levels in birds aged 4-7years. Conversely, we found no age-related patterns in baseline levels of LH or estradiol in female jays. In males we determined which component of the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis is responsible for observed age-based differences, by challenging males of different ages with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH); thereby allowing assessment of pituitary and gonadal responsiveness by measuring plasma concentrations of luteinizing hormone and testosterone, respectively. The magnitude of increase in levels of both LH and T in response to GnRH challenge decreased with age in male breeders. Combined with the baseline levels, the results from the GnRH challenge suggest that younger birds have the capability to produce higher levels of reproductive hormone, whereas the old birds may be constrained by senescence in their ability to produce these hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis E Wilcoxen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, 3778 Walker Avenue, Memphis, TN 38111, USA; Biology Department, Millikin University, 1184 West Main Street, Decatur, IL 62522, USA.
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Angelier F, Wingfield JC. Importance of the glucocorticoid stress response in a changing world: theory, hypotheses and perspectives. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2013; 190:118-28. [PMID: 23770214 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2013.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 163] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2013] [Revised: 05/19/2013] [Accepted: 05/29/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
In this perspective paper, we emphasize the importance that integrative mechanisms, and especially the GC (glucocorticoid) stress response, can play in the ability of vertebrates to cope with ongoing global change. The GC stress response is an essential mediator of allostasis (i.e., the responses of an organism to a perturbation) that aims at maintaining stability (homeostasis) despite changing conditions. The GC stress response is a complex mechanism that depends on several physiological components and aims at promoting immediate survival at the expense of other life-history components (e.g., reproduction) when a labile perturbation factor (LPF) occurs. Importantly, this mechanism is somewhat flexible and its degree of activation can be adjusted to the fitness costs and benefits that result from the GC stress response. Therefore, this GC stress response mediates life-history decisions and is involved in the regulation of important life-history trade-offs. By inducing abrupt and rapid changes in the regime of LPFs, we believe that global change can affect the efficiency of the GC stress response to maintain homeostasis and to appropriately regulate these trades-offs. This dysfunction may result in an important mismatch between new LPFs and the associated GC stress response and, thus, in the inability of vertebrates to cope with a changing world. In that context, it is essential to better understand how the GC stress response can be adjusted to new LPFs through micro-evolution, phenotypic plasticity and phenotypic flexibility (habituation and sensitization). This paper sets up a theoretical framework, hypotheses and new perspectives that will allow testing and better understanding how the GC stress response can help or constrain individuals, populations and species to adjust to ongoing global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France.
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34
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Narayan EJ, Webster K, Nicolson V, Mucci A, Hero JM. Non-invasive evaluation of physiological stress in an iconic Australian marsupial: the Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2013; 187:39-47. [PMID: 23583768 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2013.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2012] [Revised: 03/22/2013] [Accepted: 03/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) are the only extant representatives of Australia's unique marsupial family Phascolarctidae and were listed as nationally Vulnerable in 2012. Causes of mortality are diverse, although the disease chlamydiosis, dog attacks, collisions with cars, and loss of habitat represent the principal reasons for the continued species decline. Koala breeding facilities in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia have been established for conservation and tourism. Non-invasive monitoring of physiological stress is important for determining the sub-lethal effects of environmental stressors on the well-being, reproduction and survival of Koalas in Zoos and also in the wild. In this study, we developed a faecal cortisol metabolite (FCM) enzyme-immunoassay (EIA) for monitoring physiological stress in Koalas from two established Zoos in Australia and also within a free-living sub-population from Queensland. Biological validation of the FCM EIA was done using an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) challenge. We discovered excretory lag-times of FCM of 24 h in females (n=2) and 48 h in male (n=2) Koalas in response to the ACTH challenge. FCM levels showed an episodic and delayed peak response lasting up to 9 days post ACTH challenge. This finding should be taken into consideration when designing future experiments to study the impacts of short-term (acute) and chronic stressors on the Koalas. Laboratory validations were done using parallelism and recovery checks (extraction efficiency) of the cortisol standard against pooled Koala faecal extracts. Greater than 99% recovery of the cortisol standard was obtained as well as a parallel displacement curve against Koala faecal extracts. FCM levels of the captive Koalas (n=10 males and 13 females) significantly differed by sex, reproductive condition (lactating versus non-lactating Koalas) and the handling groups. Handled male Koalas had 200% higher FCM levels than their non-handled counterparts, while females were not affected by handling as long they were not undergoing lactation. There was no significant difference in FCM levels between the captive and wild Koalas (n=9 males and 7 females). Overall, these results provide foundation knowledge on non-invasive FCM analysis in this iconic Australian marsupial. Non-invasive stress endocrinology opens up opportunities for evaluating the sub-lethal physiological effects of management activities (including caging, translocation) on the nutritional status, reproductive behaviors and disease status of captive and managed in situ Koala populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward J Narayan
- Environmental Futures Centre, School of Environment, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD 4222, Australia.
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35
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Angelier F, Wingfield JC, Trouvé C, de Grissac S, Chastel O. Modulation of the prolactin and the corticosterone stress responses: do they tell the same story in a long-lived bird, the Cape petrel? Gen Comp Endocrinol 2013; 182:7-15. [PMID: 23142160 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2012.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2012] [Revised: 10/09/2012] [Accepted: 10/22/2012] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Over the last decades, the corticosterone stress response has been suggested as a major physiological tool to understand what strategy an individual might adopt in response to environmental perturbations. More recently, another hormone related to parental care--prolactin--has been suggested as a complementary tool to investigate this question. Indeed, both of these hormones are affected by stressors and are involved in parental decisions, such as deserting the nest. Because of these similarities, it remains unclear what the functional distinction between the prolactin and corticosterone stress responses is. Here, we investigated whether natural variations of the corticosterone and prolactin stress responses are functionally linked in free-living Cape petrel (Daption capense) parents. If prolactin and corticosterone mediate the same functional response to a stressor and are the proxies of the same response, we predict that corticosterone and prolactin stress responses (1) will be modulated according to the same factors; (2) will affect reproductive performances in the same way; and, (3) of course, will be correlated. Contrary to these predictions, we found that the corticosterone and prolactin stress responses were respectively modulated according to body condition and breeding status. Moreover, prolactin levels, but not corticosterone levels, were related to hatching success in this species. Finally, we did not find any significant correlation between these two stress responses under any circumstances (failed breeders, incubating or chick rearing birds) and this result was overall supported by a review of the existing literature. Therefore, these two stress responses do not seem to be tightly linked and we believe that they may provide complementary pieces of information on parental investment in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France.
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36
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Narayan E, Hero JM, Evans N, Nicolson V, Muccib A. Non-invasive evaluation of physiological stress hormone responses in a captive population of the greater bilby Macrotis lagotis. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2012. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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37
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Stress responsiveness, age and body condition interactively affect flight initiation distance in breeding female eiders. Anim Behav 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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