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Beattie UK, Estrada RS, Gormally BMG, Reed JM, McVey M, Romero LM. Investigating the effects of acute and chronic stress on DNA damage. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 341:256-263. [PMID: 38221843 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
A hallmark of the vertebrate stress response is a rapid increase in glucocorticoids and catecholamines; however, this does not mean that these mediators are the best, or should be the only, metric measured when studying stress. Instead, it is becoming increasingly clear that assaying a suite of downstream metrics is necessary in stress physiology. One component of this suite could be assessing double-stranded DNA damage (dsDNA damage), which has recently been shown to increase in blood with both acute and chronic stress in house sparrows (Passer domesticus). To further understand the relationship between stress and dsDNA damage, we designed two experiments to address the following questions: (1) how does dsDNA damage with chronic stress vary across tissues? (2) does the increase in dsDNA damage during acute stress come from one arm of the stress response or both? We found that (1) dsDNA damage affects tissues differently during chronic stress and (2) the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis influences dsDNA damage with acute stress, but the sympathetic-adreno-medullary system does not. Surprisingly, our data are not explained by studies on changes in hormone receptor levels with chronic stress, so the underlying mechanism remains unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ursula K Beattie
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rodolfo S Estrada
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Brenna M G Gormally
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
- Seventh College, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - J Michael Reed
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mitch McVey
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - L Michael Romero
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
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2
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Madison FN, Bingman VP, Smulders TV, Lattin CR. A bird's eye view of the hippocampus beyond space: Behavioral, neuroanatomical, and neuroendocrine perspectives. Horm Behav 2024; 157:105451. [PMID: 37977022 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Although the hippocampus is one of the most-studied brain regions in mammals, research on the avian hippocampus has been more limited in scope. It is generally agreed that the hippocampus is an ancient feature of the amniote brain, and therefore homologous between the two lineages. Because birds and mammals are evolutionarily not very closely related, any shared anatomy is likely to be crucial for shared functions of their hippocampi. These functions, in turn, are likely to be essential if they have been conserved for over 300 million years. Therefore, research on the avian hippocampus can help us understand how this brain region evolved and how it has changed over evolutionary time. Further, there is a strong research foundation in birds on hippocampal-supported behaviors such as spatial navigation, food caching, and brood parasitism that scientists can build upon to better understand how hippocampal anatomy, network circuitry, endocrinology, and physiology can help control these behaviors. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the avian hippocampus in spatial cognition as well as in regulating anxiety, approach-avoidance behavior, and stress responses. Although there are still some questions about the exact number of subdivisions in the avian hippocampus and how that might vary in different avian families, there is intriguing evidence that the avian hippocampus might have complementary functional profiles along the rostral-caudal axis similar to the dorsal-ventral axis of the rodent hippocampus, where the rostral/dorsal hippocampus is more involved in cognitive processes like spatial learning and the caudal/ventral hippocampus regulates emotional states, anxiety, and the stress response. Future research should focus on elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanisms - including endocrinological - in the avian hippocampus that underlie behaviors such as spatial navigation, spatial memory, and anxiety-related behaviors, and in so doing, resolve outstanding questions about avian hippocampal function and organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farrah N Madison
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Verner P Bingman
- Department of Psychology, J. P. Scott Center for Neuroscience, Mind and Behavior, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403, USA
| | - Tom V Smulders
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, School of Psychology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4DR, UK
| | - Christine R Lattin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA.
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3
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Beattie UK, Fefferman N, Romero LM. Varying intensities of chronic stress induce inconsistent responses in weight and plasma metabolites in house sparrows ( Passer domesticus). PeerJ 2023; 11:e15661. [PMID: 37456877 PMCID: PMC10340100 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the biggest unanswered questions in the field of stress physiology is whether variation in chronic stress intensity will produce proportional (a gradient or graded) physiological response. We were specifically interested in the timing of the entrance into homeostatic overload, or the start of chronic stress symptoms. To attempt to fill this knowledge gap we split 40 captive house sparrows (Passer domesticus) into four groups (high stress, medium stress, low stress, and a captivity-only control) and subjected them to six bouts of chronic stress over a 6-month period. We varied the number of stressors/day and the length of each individual bout with the goal of producing groups that would experience different magnitudes of wear-and-tear. To evaluate the impact of chronic stress, at the start and end of each stress bout we measured body weight and three plasma metabolites (glucose, ketones, and uric acid) in both a fasted and fed state. All metrics showed significant differences across treatment groups, with the high stress group most frequently showing the greatest changes. However, the changes did not produce a consistent profile that matched the different chronic stress intensities. We also took samples after a prolonged recovery period of 6 weeks after the chronic stressors ended. The only group difference that persisted after 6 weeks was weight-all differences across groups in metabolites recovered. The results indicate that common blood metabolites are sensitive to stressors and may show signs of wear-and-tear, but are not reliable indicators of the intensity of long-term chronic stress. Furthermore, regulatory mechanisms are robust enough to recover within 6 weeks post-stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ursula K. Beattie
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Nina Fefferman
- Departments of Ecology and Evolution, University of Tennessee—Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
| | - L. Michael Romero
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, United States
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Marasco V, Kaiya H, Pola G, Fusani L. Ghrelin, not corticosterone, is associated with transitioning of phenotypic states in a migratory Galliform. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 13:1058298. [PMID: 36699038 PMCID: PMC9869107 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1058298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In both captive and free-living birds, the emergence of the migratory phenotype is signalled by rapid and marked increases in food intake and fuelling, as well as changes in amount of nocturnality or migratory restlessness. The metabolic hormone corticosterone and, as more recently suggested, the gut-derived hormone ghrelin have been suggested to play a role in mediating such phenomenal phenotypic flexibility given that they both regulate fuel metabolism and locomotion across vertebrate taxa. Here, using the Common quail (Coturnix coturnix) as our study species, we induced autumn migration followed by a non-migratory wintering phase through controlled changes in daylight. We thus compared plasma corticosterone and ghrelin concentrations between the two sampling phases and assessed whether these hormones might reflect the migratory state. While we found no differences in plasma corticosterone between the two sampling phases and no link of this hormone with changes in body mass, levels of food intake or migratory restlessness, the migratory birds had substantially higher levels of plasma ghrelin relative to the non-migratory birds. Furthermore, while ghrelin did not correlate with the gain in body mass over the entire pre-migratory fuelling phase (over an average of nine weeks preceding blood sampling), plasma ghrelin did positively correlate with the gain in body mass observed during the final fattening stages (over an average of three weeks preceding blood sampling). Again, variation in plasma ghrelin also reflected the amount of body mass depleted over both the long- and short-time frame as birds returned to their non-migratory baseline - lower levels of plasma ghrelin consistently correlated with larger losses in body mass. Thus, while our data do not highlight a role of the hormone corticosterone in sustaining pre-migratory fattening as shown in other bird species, they do add evidence for a potential role of ghrelin in mediating migratory behaviour and further suggest that this hormone might be important in regulating the transitioning of migratory states, possibly by promoting fuel mobilisation and usage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Marasco
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Hiroyuki Kaiya
- Department of Biochemistry, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Suita, Japan
- Research Division of Drug Discovery, Grandsoul Research Institute for Immunology, Inc., Nara, Japan
| | - Gianni Pola
- Istituto Sperimentale Zootecnico per la Sicilia, Palermo, Italy
| | - Leonida Fusani
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University Biology Building, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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5
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Bauer C, Oranges M, Firempong G, Romero LM. Corticosterone alters body weight, but not metabolites, during chronic stress. Physiol Biochem Zool 2022; 95:465-473. [DOI: 10.1086/721297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Bauer CM, Watts HE. Corticosterone's roles in avian migration: Assessment of three hypotheses. Horm Behav 2021; 135:105033. [PMID: 34273707 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
While corticosterone (CORT) is often suggested to be an important hormone regulating processes necessary for avian migration, there has been no systematic assessment of CORT's role in migration. Prior to migration, birds increase fat stores and flight muscle size to prepare for the high energetic costs associated with long-distance flight. After attaining sufficient energetic stores, birds then make the actual decision to depart from their origin site. Once en route birds alternate between periods of flight and stopovers, during which they rest and refuel for their next bouts of endurance flight. Here, we evaluate three non-mutually exclusive hypotheses that have been proposed in the literature for CORT's role in migration. (1) CORT facilitates physiological preparations for migration [e.g. hyperphagia, fattening, and flight muscle hypertrophy]. (2) CORT stimulates departure from origin or stopover sites. (3) CORT supports sustained migratory travel. After examining the literature to test predictions stemming from each of these three hypotheses, we found weak support for a role of CORT in physiological preparation for migration. However, we found moderate support for a role of CORT in stimulating departures, as CORT increases immediately prior to departure and is higher when migratory restlessness is displayed. We also found moderate support for the hypothesis that CORT helps maintain sustained travel, as CORT is generally higher during periods of flight, though few studies have tested this hypothesis. We provide recommendations for future studies that would help to further resolve the role of CORT in migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn M Bauer
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, USA.
| | - Heather E Watts
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA; Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
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7
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Vernasco BJ, Emmerson MG, Gilbert ER, Sewall KB, Watts HE. Migratory state and patterns of steroid hormone regulation in the pectoralis muscle of a nomadic migrant, the pine siskin (Spinus pinus). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2021; 309:113787. [PMID: 33862052 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The endocrine system is known to mediate responses to environmental change and transitions between different life stages (e.g., a non-breeding to a breeding life stage). Previous works from the field of environmental endocrinology have primarily focused on changes in circulating hormones, but a comprehensive understanding of endocrine signaling pathways requires studying changes in additional endocrine components (e.g., receptor densities) in a diversity of contexts and life stages. Migratory birds, for instance, can exhibit dramatic changes in their physiology and behavior, and both sex steroids as well as glucocorticoids are proposed mediators of the transition into a migratory state. However, the role of changes in endocrine signaling components within integral target tissues, such as flight muscles, in modulating the transition into a migratory state remains poorly understood. Here, we examined changes in gene expression levels of and correlational patterns (i.e., integration) between 8 endocrine signaling components associated with either glucocorticoids or sex steroid signaling in the pectoralis muscles of a nomadic migratory bird, the pine siskin (Spinus pinus). The pectoralis muscle is essential to migratory flight and undergoes conspicuous changes in preparation for migration, including hypertrophy. We focus on endocrine receptors and enzymes (e.g., 5α-reductase) that modulate the signaling capacity of circulating hormones within target tissues and may influence either catabolic or anabolic functioning within the pectoralis. Endocrine signaling components were compared between captive birds sampled prior to the expression of vernal migratory preparation and during the expression of a vernal migratory state. While birds exhibited differences in the size and color of the flight muscle and behavioral shifts indicative of a migratory state (i.e., zugunruhe), none of the measured endocrine components differed before and after the transition into the migratory state. Patterns of integration amongst all genes did, however, differ between the two life stages, suggesting the contrasting demands of different life stages may shape entire endocrine signaling networks within target tissues rather than individual components. Our work aligns with previous endocrine studies on pine siskins and, viewed together, suggest additional studies are needed to understand the endocrine system's role in mediating the development and progression of the vernal migratory state in this species. Further, the patterns observed in pine siskins, a nomadic migrant, differ from previous studies on obligate migrants and suggest that different mechanisms or interactions between endocrine signaling components may mediate the migratory transition in nomadic migrants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben J Vernasco
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA.
| | | | | | - Kendra B Sewall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Heather E Watts
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
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8
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Jaikumar G, Slabbekoorn H, Sireeni J, Schaaf M, Tudorache C. The role of the Glucocorticoid Receptor in the Regulation of Diel Rhythmicity. Physiol Behav 2020; 223:112991. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.112991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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9
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DeSimone JG, Ramirez MG, Elowe CR, Griego MS, Breuner CW, Gerson AR. Developing a Stopover-CORT hypothesis: Corticosterone predicts body composition and refueling rate in Gray Catbirds during migratory stopover. Horm Behav 2020; 124:104776. [PMID: 32439349 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Migratory flight is energetically challenging, requiring alternating phases of fuel catabolism and fuel accumulation, accompanied by dramatic changes in body composition and behavior. Baseline corticosterone (CORT; the primary glucocorticoid in birds) is thought to underlie transitions between fuel catabolism during flight, fuel deposition during stopover, and the initiation of migratory flight. However, studies of CORT on stopover physiology and behavior remain disparate efforts, lacking the cohesion of a general hypothesis. Here we develop a Stopover-CORT hypothesis formalizing the relationships among CORT, body condition, and refueling rate in migratory birds. First we expect body mass to increase with triglycerides (TRIG) as birds refuel. Second, based on a synthesis of previous literature, we predict a U-shaped CORT curve over the course of stopover, postulating that elevated CORT at arrival is reactive, responding to poor body condition, while CORT elevation before departure is preparative, driving changes in behavior and body condition. We tested these predictions in Gray Catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis) following a trans-Gulf flight during spring migration. We found baseline CORT was negatively correlated with body condition and TRIG, corresponding with our predictions for arriving and refueling-but not departing-birds. It is possible catbirds undergo regional habitat translocations rather than complete the entire stopover phase at our study site. We propose the Stopover-CORT hypothesis as a useful predictive framework for future studies of the mechanistic basis of stopover physiology. By studying the regulation of stopover refueling and departure, we may better understand physiological limitations to overall migration rate and improve assessments of habitat quality for refueling birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joely G DeSimone
- Organismal Biology, Ecology, and Evolution, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA.
| | | | - Cory R Elowe
- Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Michael S Griego
- Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Creagh W Breuner
- Organismal Biology, Ecology, and Evolution, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Alexander R Gerson
- Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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10
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Casagrande S, DeMoranville KJ, Trost L, Pierce B, Bryła A, Dzialo M, Sadowska ET, Bauchinger U, McWilliams SR. Dietary antioxidants attenuate the endocrine stress response during long-duration flight of a migratory bird. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200744. [PMID: 32546088 PMCID: PMC7329026 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoids (GCs) are metabolic hormones that promote catabolic processes, which release stored energy and support high metabolic demands such as during prolonged flights of migrating birds. Dietary antioxidants (e.g. anthocyanins) support metabolism by quenching excess reactive oxygen species produced during aerobic metabolism and also by activating specific metabolic pathways. For example, similar to GCs' function, anthocyanins promote the release of stored energy, although the extent of complementarity between GCs and dietary antioxidants is not well known. If anthocyanins complement GCs functions, birds consuming anthocyanin-rich food can be expected to limit the secretion of GCs when coping with a metabolically challenging activity, avoiding the exposure to potential hormonal detrimental effects. We tested this hypothesis in European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) flying in a wind tunnel. We compared levels of corticosterone, the main avian GC, immediately after a sustained flight and at rest for birds that were fed diets with or without an anthocyanin supplement. As predicted, we found (i) higher corticosterone after flight than at rest in both diet groups and (ii) anthocyanin-supplemented birds had less elevated corticosterone after flight than unsupplemented control birds. This provides novel evidence that dietary antioxidants attenuate the activation of the HPA axis (i.e. increased secretion of corticosterone) during long-duration flight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Casagrande
- Evolutionary Physiology Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, D-82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Kristen J DeMoranville
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Lisa Trost
- Department for Behavioral Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, D-82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Barbara Pierce
- Department of Biology, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT 06825, USA
| | - Amadeusz Bryła
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Maciej Dzialo
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Edyta T Sadowska
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Ulf Bauchinger
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, PAS, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Scott R McWilliams
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
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11
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Kimmitt AA, Sinkiewicz DM, Ketterson ED. Seasonally sympatric songbirds that differ in migratory strategy also differ in neuroendocrine measures. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 285:113250. [PMID: 31445009 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.113250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Seasonally breeding animals initiate gonadal recrudescence when mechanisms that suppress reproduction give way to mechanisms that stimulate it. However, knowledge of mechanistic changes in hormonal regulation during this transition is limited. Further, most studies of reproductive timing have focused on males, despite the critical role of females in determining breeding phenology. Closely related populations that live in the same environment but differ in reproductive timing provide an opportunity to examine differences in mechanisms during the transition from the pre-reproductive to reproductive state. We studied closely related migrant and resident populations of dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis) that reside in the same environment in spring but differ in breeding phenology. Residents initiate breeding earlier than migrants, which do not breed until after they have migrated. To directly study differences in the hypothalamic mechanisms of reproduction, we captured 16 migrant and 13 resident females from the field on March 25-April 11. We quantified expression of mRNA transcripts and show that resident females had higher abundance of gonadotropin-releasing hormone transcripts than migrant females, indicating greater reproductive development in resident than migrant females living in the same environment. We also found higher transcript abundance of estrogen receptor and androgen receptor in migrant than resident females, suggesting that negative feedback may delay reproductive development in migrant females until after they migrate. These differences in hypothalamic mechanisms may help to explain differences in reproductive timing in populations that differ in migratory strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail A Kimmitt
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 E. Third St., Bloomington, IN 47405, United States.
| | - David M Sinkiewicz
- Center for Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, 1001 E. Third St., Bloomington, IN 47405, United States
| | - Ellen D Ketterson
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 E. Third St., Bloomington, IN 47405, United States; Environmental Resilience Institute, Indiana University, 717 E. Eighth St., Bloomington, IN 47408, United States
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12
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Dominoni DM, de Jong M, Bellingham M, O'Shaughnessy P, van Oers K, Robinson J, Smith B, Visser ME, Helm B. Dose-response effects of light at night on the reproductive physiology of great tits (Parus major): Integrating morphological analyses with candidate gene expression. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2018; 329:473-487. [PMID: 30058288 PMCID: PMC6220976 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2018] [Revised: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is increasingly recognized as a potential threat to wildlife and ecosystem health. Among the ecological effects of ALAN, changes in reproductive timing are frequently reported, but the mechanisms underlying this relationship are still poorly understood. Here, we experimentally investigated these mechanisms by assessing dose‐dependent photoperiodic responses to ALAN in the great tit (Parus major). We individually exposed photosensitive male birds to one of three nocturnal light levels (0.5, 1.5, and 5 lux), or to a dark control. Subsequent histological and molecular analyses on their testes indicated a dose‐dependent reproductive response to ALAN. Specifically, different stages of gonadal growth were activated after exposure to different levels of light at night. mRNA transcript levels of genes linked to the development of germ cells (stra8 and spo11) were increased under 0.5 lux compared to the dark control. The 0.5 and 1.5 lux groups showed slight increases in testis size and transcript levels associated with steroid synthesis (lhr and hsd3b1) and spermatogenesis (fshr, wt1, sox9, and cldn11), although spermatogenesis was not detected in histological analysis. In contrast, all birds under 5 lux had 10 to 30 times larger testes than birds in all other groups, with a parallel strong increase in mRNA transcript levels and clear signs of spermatogenesis. Across treatments, the volume of the testes was generally a good predictor of testicular transcript levels. Overall, our findings indicate that even small changes in nocturnal light intensity can increase, or decrease, effects on the reproductive physiology of wild organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide M Dominoni
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.,Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Maaike de Jong
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Michelle Bellingham
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Peter O'Shaughnessy
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Kees van Oers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jane Robinson
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Bethany Smith
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Marcel E Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Barbara Helm
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.,GELIFES, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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13
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Dayger CA, LeMaster MP, Lutterschmidt DI. Physiological correlates of reproductive decisions: Relationships among body condition, reproductive status, and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in a reptile. Horm Behav 2018; 100:1-11. [PMID: 29452075 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2017] [Revised: 02/04/2018] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
When opportunities to feed and reproduce are limited, females are often unable to recover sufficient energy stores to reproduce in consecutive years. Body condition has been used as a proxy for recent reproductive history in such species. We previously found that glucocorticoid responses to capture stress vary with body condition in female red-sided garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis), a species with limited seasonal breeding opportunities. Because variation in glucocorticoid receptor (GR) protein in the brain could explain these differences, we first assessed GR protein content in females in different body conditions. To investigate if body condition during the spring mating season accurately reflects recent reproductive history, we measured glucocorticoid responses to stress in females with different body conditions, assessed their mating behavior and brought mated females to our lab to determine which females would give birth during the summer (i.e., were parturient). Female red-sided garter snakes reproduce biennially, and therefore mated females that did not give birth were deemed non-parturient. In this study, glucocorticoid stress responses and mating behavior did not vary with body condition, nor was body condition related to brain GR or reproductive condition (parturient vs non-parturient). Only unreceptive females showed a significant stress-induced increase in glucocorticoids, suggesting that reduced stress responsiveness is associated with receptivity. Parturient females mated faster (were more proceptive) than non-parturient females. These data suggest that HPA axis activity modulates receptivity, while proceptivity is related primarily to reproductive condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A Dayger
- Dept. of Biology, Portland State University, 1719 SW 10(th) Ave, Portland, OR 97201, United States.
| | - Michael P LeMaster
- Dept. of Biology, Western Oregon University, 345 N. Monmouth Ave, Monmouth, OR 97361, United States.
| | - Deborah I Lutterschmidt
- Dept. of Biology, Portland State University, 1719 SW 10(th) Ave, Portland, OR 97201, United States.
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14
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Cornelius JM, Perreau G, Bishop VR, Krause JS, Smith R, Hahn TP, Meddle SL. Social information changes stress hormone receptor expression in the songbird brain. Horm Behav 2018; 97:31-38. [PMID: 29030109 PMCID: PMC5780353 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2017] [Revised: 08/22/2017] [Accepted: 10/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Social information is used by many vertebrate taxa to inform decision-making, including resource-mediated movements, yet the mechanisms whereby social information is integrated physiologically to affect such decisions remain unknown. Social information is known to influence the physiological response to food reduction in captive songbirds. Red crossbills (Loxia curvirostra) that were food reduced for several days showed significant elevations in circulating corticosterone (a "stress" hormone often responsive to food limitation) only if their neighbors were similarly food restricted. Physiological responses to glucocorticoid hormones are enacted through two receptors that may be expressed differentially in target tissues. Therefore, we investigated the influence of social information on the expression of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA in captive red crossbill brains. Although the role of MR and GR in the response to social information may be highly complex, we specifically predicted social information from food-restricted individuals would reduce MR and GR expression in two brain regions known to regulate hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) activity - given that reduced receptor expression may lessen the efficacy of negative feedback and release inhibitory tone on the HPA. Our results support these predictions - offering one potential mechanism whereby social cues could increase or sustain HPA-activity during stress. The data further suggest different mechanisms by which metabolic stress versus social information influence HPA activity and behavioral outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie M Cornelius
- Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI, USA.
| | - Gillian Perreau
- The Roslin Institute, The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, UK
| | - Valerie R Bishop
- The Roslin Institute, The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, UK.
| | - Jesse S Krause
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Rachael Smith
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Thomas P Hahn
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Simone L Meddle
- The Roslin Institute, The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, UK.
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15
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Krause JS, Pérez JH, Meddle SL, Wingfield JC. Effects of short-term fasting on stress physiology, body condition, and locomotor activity in wintering male white-crowned sparrows. Physiol Behav 2017; 177:282-290. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.04.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Revised: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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16
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de Haas EN, Calandreau L, Baéza E, Chartrin P, Palme R, Darmaillacq AS, Dickel L, Lumineau S, Houdelier C, Denis I, Arnould C, Meurisse M, Bertin A. Lipids in maternal diet influence yolk hormone levels and post-hatch neophobia in the domestic chick. Dev Psychobiol 2017; 59:400-409. [PMID: 28261786 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2016] [Revised: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
We assessed whether the ratio of dietary n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) during egg formation engenders transgenerational maternal effects in domestic chicks. We analyzed yolk lipid and hormone concentrations, and HPA-axis activity in hens fed a control diet (high n-6/n-3 ratio) or a diet enriched in n-3 PUFAs (low n-6/n-3 ratio) for 6 consecutive weeks. Their chicks were tested for neophobia during the first week of life. We found higher corticosterone metabolites in droppings of hens fed the diet enriched in n-3 and significantly higher concentrations of yolk progesterone, androstenedione, and estradiol in their eggs compared to controls. Chicks of hens fed the n-3 enriched diet showed a lower body mass at hatch than controls and expressed higher neophobia when exposed to a novel object. These results add support to the hypothesis that the nutritional state of female birds produces variation in yolk hormone levels and engender maternal effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elske N de Haas
- INRA Centre Val de Loire, UMR85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Laboratoire de Comportement, Neurobiologie et Adaptation, Nouzilly, France.,CNRS, UMR7247 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Nouzilly, France.,Université François Rabelais de Tours, Tours, France.,Institut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation, Nouzilly, France
| | - Ludovic Calandreau
- INRA Centre Val de Loire, UMR85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Laboratoire de Comportement, Neurobiologie et Adaptation, Nouzilly, France.,CNRS, UMR7247 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Nouzilly, France.,Université François Rabelais de Tours, Tours, France.,Institut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation, Nouzilly, France
| | - Elisabeth Baéza
- INRA Centre Val de Loire, Unité de Recherches Avicoles, Nouzilly, France
| | - Pascal Chartrin
- INRA Centre Val de Loire, Unité de Recherches Avicoles, Nouzilly, France
| | - Rupert Palme
- Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Medical Biochemistry, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anne-Sophie Darmaillacq
- Neuroéthologie Cognitive des Céphalopodes (NECC) Normandie Université, Université de Caen Normandie UMR 6552 CNRS - Université Rennes1 F-14032, Caen, France
| | - Ludovic Dickel
- Neuroéthologie Cognitive des Céphalopodes (NECC) Normandie Université, Université de Caen Normandie UMR 6552 CNRS - Université Rennes1 F-14032, Caen, France
| | | | | | - Isabelle Denis
- INRA, Unité de Neurobiologie de l'Olfaction (NBO, INRA-U1197), Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Cécile Arnould
- INRA Centre Val de Loire, UMR85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Laboratoire de Comportement, Neurobiologie et Adaptation, Nouzilly, France.,CNRS, UMR7247 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Nouzilly, France.,Université François Rabelais de Tours, Tours, France.,Institut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation, Nouzilly, France
| | - Maryse Meurisse
- INRA Centre Val de Loire, UMR85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Laboratoire de Comportement, Neurobiologie et Adaptation, Nouzilly, France.,CNRS, UMR7247 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Nouzilly, France.,Université François Rabelais de Tours, Tours, France.,Institut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation, Nouzilly, France
| | - Aline Bertin
- INRA Centre Val de Loire, UMR85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Laboratoire de Comportement, Neurobiologie et Adaptation, Nouzilly, France.,CNRS, UMR7247 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Nouzilly, France.,Université François Rabelais de Tours, Tours, France.,Institut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation, Nouzilly, France
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17
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Bauer CM, Needham KB, Le CN, Stewart EC, Graham JL, Ketterson ED, Greives TJ. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity is not elevated in a songbird (Junco hyemalis) preparing for migration. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2016; 232:60-6. [PMID: 26718082 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2015.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2015] [Revised: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 12/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
During spring, increasing daylengths stimulate gonadal development in migratory birds. However, late-stage reproductive development is typically postponed until migration has been completed. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis regulates the secretion of glucocorticoids, which have been associated with pre-migratory hyperphagia and fattening. The HPA-axis is also known to suppress the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, suggesting the possibility that final transition into the breeding life history stage may be slowed by glucocorticoids. We hypothesized that greater HPA-axis activity in individuals preparing for migration may foster preparation for migration while simultaneously acting as a "brake" on the development of the HPG-axis. To test this hypothesis, we sampled baseline corticosterone (CORT), stress-induced CORT, and negative feedback efficacy of Dark-eyed Juncos (Junco hyemalis) in an overwintering population that included both migratory (J.h. hyemalis) and resident (J.h. carolinensis) individuals. We predicted that compared to residents, migrants would have higher baseline CORT, higher stress-induced CORT, and weaker negative feedback. Juncos were sampled in western Virginia in early March, which was about 2-4wk before migratory departure for migrants and 4-5wk before first clutch initiation for residents. Contrary to our predictions, we found that migrants had lower baseline and stress-induced CORT and similar negative feedback efficacy compared with residents, which suggests that delayed breeding in migrants is influenced by other physiological mechanisms. Our findings also suggest that baseline CORT is not elevated during pre-migratory fattening, as migrants had lower baseline CORT and were fatter than residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn M Bauer
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA.
| | - Katie B Needham
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA
| | - Chuong N Le
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA
| | - Emily C Stewart
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA
| | - Jessica L Graham
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA
| | | | - Timothy J Greives
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA
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18
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Evidence for a mechanism of phenotypic integration of behaviour and innate immunity in a wild rodent: implications for animal personality and ecological immunology. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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19
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Liu M, Swanson DL. Stress physiology of migrant birds during stopover in natural and anthropogenic woodland habitats of the Northern Prairie region. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2014; 2:cou046. [PMID: 27293667 PMCID: PMC4806743 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cou046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2014] [Revised: 09/08/2014] [Accepted: 09/12/2014] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic alterations of woodland habitat may influence stopover biology, which in turn could alter the stress physiology of migratory landbirds. Woodland stopover habitats are scarce in the Northern Prairie region of North America and consist of native riparian corridor woodlands (corridors) and smaller, more isolated woodlots of anthropogenic origin around farmsteads (woodlots). Corridor habitats have been greatly reduced since the time of European settlement, but woodlot habitats have appeared over this same time period. In this study, we compared stopover biology and stress physiology of migratory landbirds using natural and anthropogenic woodland habitats. We first tested for differences between birds in the two habitats for baseline corticosterone (CORTB) and the magnitude of the stress response for individual species, taxonomic families and foraging guilds. Plasma corticosterone increased significantly for all bird groups in both habitats following 30 min of restraint stress (CORT30), and neither CORTB nor the magnitude of the stress response (CORT30 - CORTB) differed significantly between birds in the two habitats. Secondly, because CORTB levels are often elevated and CORT secretion following a stressor is often suppressed for birds in poor body condition, we hypothesized that woodland migrants with higher fattening rates would show reduced CORTB and a robust stress response. We tested this hypothesis by assessing the relationships between plasma corticosterone and plasma metabolites associated with refuelling. We found that CORTB was negatively associated and the magnitude of the stress response positively associated with plasma triglycerides (an indicator of fat deposition), with opposite patterns for corticosterone and plasma β-hydroxybutyrate (an indicator of fat catabolism). These data suggest that both corridor and woodlot habitats serve as effective stopover habitat and that the reduction of corridor habitat and increased reliance on anthropogenic woodlots is not detrimental to the stress physiology of migrants in a region with limited woodland habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Liu
- Corresponding author: Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA. Tel: +1 605 202 1168.
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20
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Dantzer B, Fletcher QE, Boonstra R, Sheriff MJ. Measures of physiological stress: a transparent or opaque window into the status, management and conservation of species? CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2014; 2:cou023. [PMID: 27293644 PMCID: PMC4732472 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cou023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 268] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2014] [Revised: 05/08/2014] [Accepted: 05/11/2014] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Conservation physiology proposes that measures of physiological stress (glucocorticoid levels) can be used to assess the status and future fate of natural populations. Increases in glucocorticoids may reflect a more challenging environment, suggesting that the influence of human activities on free-living animals could be quantified by measuring glucocorticoids. Biomedical studies suggest that chronic increases in glucocorticoids can have detrimental effects on survival and reproduction, which could influence the viability of populations. Here, we discuss the use of measurements of glucocorticoids in conservation physiology. We first provide an overview of the different methods to quantify glucocorticoids and their utility in conservation physiology. We then discuss five questions we think are essential for conservation physiologists to address. We highlight how intrinsic (e.g. sex, reproductive status, age, recent experiences) and ecological factors (e.g. predation, food availability, snowfall) can, by themselves or through their interactions with anthropogenic disturbances, affect the physiological stress response and mask any general patterns about the effects of anthropogenic disturbances on glucocorticoids. Using a meta-analysis, we show that anthropogenic disturbances are consistently associated with increased glucocorticoids regardless of the type of human disturbance. We also show that males may be more sensitive to anthropogenic disturbances than females and that faecal glucocorticoids, but not baseline plasma glucocorticoids, consistently increase in response to anthropogenic disturbances. Finally, we discuss how increases in glucocorticoids in free-living animals can sometimes enhance survival and reproduction. Unfortunately, our literature analysis indicates that this observation has not yet gained traction, and very few studies have shown that increases in glucocorticoid levels resulting from anthropogenic disturbances decrease survival or reproduction. We think that the use of measures of glucocorticoids in conservation physiology has tremendous potential, but there are still a number of methodological concerns, in addition to several crucial questions that should be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Dantzer
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Quinn E. Fletcher
- Département de biologie, chimie et geographie, Université du Québec á Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada G5L 3A1
| | - Rudy Boonstra
- Centre for the Neurobiology of Stress, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada M1C 1A4
| | - Michael J. Sheriff
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16801, USA
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21
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Cornelius JM, Boswell T, Jenni-Eiermann S, Breuner CW, Ramenofsky M. Contributions of endocrinology to the migration life history of birds. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2013; 190:47-60. [PMID: 23602795 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2013.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2012] [Revised: 03/24/2013] [Accepted: 03/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Migration is a key life cycle stage in nearly 2000 species of birds and is a greatly appreciated phenomenon in both cultural and academic arenas. Despite a long research tradition concerning many aspects of migration, investigations of hormonal contributions to migratory physiology and behavior are more limited and represent a comparatively young research field. We review advances in our understanding of the hormonal mechanisms of migration with particular emphasis on the sub-stages of the migration life history: development, departure, flight and arrival. These sub-stages vary widely in their behavioral, ecological and physiological contexts and, as such, should be given appropriate individual consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Cornelius
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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22
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Corticosterone secretion patterns prior to spring and autumn migration differ in free-living barn swallows (Hirundo rustica L.). Oecologia 2013; 173:689-97. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-013-2669-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2012] [Accepted: 04/17/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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23
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Buehler DM, Vézina F, Goymann W, Schwabl I, Versteegh M, Tieleman BI, Piersma T. Independence among physiological traits suggests flexibility in the face of ecological demands on phenotypes. J Evol Biol 2012; 25:1600-13. [PMID: 22686517 DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2012.02543.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Phenotypic flexibility allows animals to adjust their physiology to diverse environmental conditions encountered over the year. Examining how these varying traits covary gives insights into potential constraints or freedoms that may shape evolutionary trajectories. In this study, we examined relationships among haematocrit, baseline corticosterone concentration, constitutive immune function and basal metabolic rate in red knot Calidris canutus islandica individuals subjected to experimentally manipulated temperature treatments over an entire annual cycle. If covariation among traits is constrained, we predict consistent covariation within and among individuals. We further predict consistent correlations between physiological and metabolic traits if constraints underlie species-level patterns found along the slow-fast pace-of-life continuum. We found no consistent correlations among haematocrit, baseline corticosterone concentration, immune function and basal metabolic rate either within or among individuals. This provides no evidence for constraints limiting relationships among these measures of the cardiovascular, endocrine, immune and metabolic systems in individual red knots. Rather, our data suggest that knots are free to adjust individual parts of their physiology independently. This makes good sense if one places the animal within its ecological context where different aspects of the environment might put different pressures on different aspects of physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- D M Buehler
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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24
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Addis EA, Davis JE, Miner BE, Wingfield JC. Variation in circulating corticosterone levels is associated with altitudinal range expansion in a passerine bird. Oecologia 2011; 167:369-78. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-011-2001-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2009] [Accepted: 04/11/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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25
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Abstract
Mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids are steroid hormones that are released by the adrenal cortex in response to stress and hydromineral imbalance. Historically, adrenocorticosteroid actions are attributed to effects on gene transcription. More recently, however, it has become clear that genome-independent pathways represent an important facet of adrenal steroid actions. These hormones exert nongenomic effects throughout the body, although a significant portion of their actions are specific to the central nervous system. These actions are mediated by a variety of signalling pathways, and lead to physiologically meaningful events in vitro and in vivo. We review the nongenomic effects of adrenal steroids in the central nervous system at the levels of behaviour, neural system activity, individual neurone activity and subcellular signalling activity. A clearer understanding of adrenal steroid activity in the central nervous system will lead to a better ability to treat human disease as well as reduce the side-effects of the steroid treatments already in use.
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Affiliation(s)
- N K Evanson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati, OH 45237, USA.
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26
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Raja-aho S, Suorsa P, Vainio M, Nikinmaa M, Lehikoinen E, Eeva T. Body condition is associated with adrenocortical response in the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica L.) during early stages of autumn migration. Oecologia 2010; 163:323-32. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-009-1553-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2009] [Accepted: 12/18/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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27
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Breuner CW, Orchinik M. Pharmacological characterization of intracellular, membrane, and plasma binding sites for corticosterone in house sparrows. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2009; 163:214-24. [PMID: 19236873 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2009.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2008] [Revised: 01/14/2009] [Accepted: 01/15/2009] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The diversity and specificity of glucocorticoid effects are dependent on cell-specific receptor mechanisms. Three known corticosteroid receptors mediate tissue effects of glucocorticoids in vertebrates: two intracellular receptors that act primarily as ligand-activated transcription factors, and a membrane-associated receptor. The intracellular receptor sub-types have been well characterized in mammals, however relatively little is known about them across non-mammalian vertebrates. The membrane-associated receptors are poorly characterized in most vertebrate taxa. To explore the basis for glucocorticoid action in birds, we pharmacologically characterized the three putative corticosteroid receptors in the brain, as well as a plasma corticosterone binding globulin, in the house sparrow (Passer domesticus). We found that house sparrow brain cytosol contained two distinguishable binding sites for corticosterone. A high affinity, mineralocorticoid-like receptor had subnanomolar affinity for corticosterone (K(d) approximately 0.2 nM). However, this 'MR-like' high-affinity receptor did not bind RU28318 or canrenoic acid, two compounds that bind mammalian MR with high affinity. A lower-affinity, glucocorticoid-like receptor in brain cytosol bound corticosterone with an average K(d)=5.61 nM. This GR-like receptor showed subnanomolar affinity for RU 486. MR- and GR-like receptors were found in equal numbers in whole brain assays (average B(max)=69 and 62 fmol/mg protein, respectively). House sparrow brain membranes contain a single binding site specific for glucocorticoids, with characteristics consistent with a steroid/receptor interaction. Corticosterone affinity for this putative membrane receptor was approximately 24 nM, with apparent B(max)=177 fmol/mg protein. House sparrow plasma contained a single binding site for [(3)H]corticosterone. Specific binding to plasma sites was inhibited by glucocorticoids, progesterone, and testosterone. Testosterone binding to this corticosteroid binding globulin is noteworthy as sex steroid-specific binding globulins have not been identified in birds. Taken together, these data extend our ability to evaluate the comparative actions of glucocorticoids, increase our understanding of mechanisms behind the tissue specificity of glucocorticoid action, and offer insight into the evolution of glucocorticoid action in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Creagh W Breuner
- Division of Biological Sciences, Organismal Biology and Ecology, University of Montana, 32 Campus Dr., HS 104, Missoula, MT 59812, USA.
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28
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Buehler DM, Bhola N, Barjaktarov D, Goymann W, Schwabl I, Tieleman BI, Piersma T. Constitutive immune function responds more slowly to handling stress than corticosterone in a shorebird. Physiol Biochem Zool 2008; 81:673-81. [PMID: 18752420 DOI: 10.1086/588591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Ecological immunologists are interested in how immune function changes during different seasons and under different environmental conditions. However, an obstacle to answering such questions is discerning the effects of biological factors of interest and investigation artifacts such as handling stress. Here we examined handling stress and its effects on constitutive (noninduced) immune function via two protocols on captive red knots (Calidris canutus). We investigated how constitutive immunity responds to handling stress, how quickly these changes take place, and the practical implications for researchers interested in sampling baseline immune levels. We found that Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans killing increased with handling stress while total leukocyte and lymphocyte concentrations decreased. However, although corticosterone increased significantly and rapidly in response to handling stress, none of the 10 measures of constitutive immunity that we tested differed significantly from baseline within 20 or 30 min of capture. Thus, researchers interested in baseline immune function should sample animals as soon as possible after capture, but studies in species not easily sampled in less than 3 min (such as red knots) could still yield useful results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah M Buehler
- Animal Ecology Group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 14, 9750 AA, Haren, The Netherlands.
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29
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Holberton RL, Boswell T, Hunter MJ. Circulating prolactin and corticosterone concentrations during the development of migratory condition in the Dark-eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2008; 155:641-9. [PMID: 18164708 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2007.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2007] [Revised: 09/10/2007] [Accepted: 11/03/2007] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Endogenous plasma prolactin and baseline corticosterone concentrations were measured in Dark-eyed Juncos (Junco hyemalis, n=27) photostimulated into migratory condition to look at how these hormones may be linked to the development of migratory condition. In addition to the commonly used assay for corticosterone, a recombinant-derived European starling prolactin assay validated for Dark-eyed juncos was used to measure endogenous prolactin in order to detect small but significant changes in plasma prolactin levels. In response to transfer from short (10.5L:13.5D) to long (18L:6D) days, the birds increased in body mass, fat score, daily food intake, and nocturnal migratory locomotor activity (Zugunruhe). On short-days, both hormones were low (corticosterone mean=2.89ng/mL+/-0.48 SE; prolactin mean=6.43ng/mL+/-1.31 SE). But, within 14 days of photostimulation both hormones increased significantly (Day 14: corticosterone mean=5.71ng/mL+/-0.77 SE; prolactin mean=19.67ng/mL+/-2.81 SE), rising further by Day 48 (corticosterone mean=8.41ng/mL+/-0.72; prolactin mean=112.67ng/mL+/-9.18 SE). On Day 48, birds with the most fat (fat score=3) had significantly higher corticosterone levels than those with less fat (fat score=2). This pattern, albeit not statistically significant, was similar for prolactin. These results illustrate that, independent of the seasonal peak in prolactin associated with the onset of photorefractoriness, plasma prolactin levels can rise, in concert with corticosterone, as birds come into spring migratory condition, providing some support for earlier hypotheses that these two hormones play an integral role in the development of migratory condition. Whether similar changes in plasma prolactin occur with respect to autumn migration, as does baseline corticosterone, has yet to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L Holberton
- Department of Biology, P.O. Box 1848, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA.
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Horton BM, Long JA, Holberton RL. Intraperitoneal delivery of exogenous corticosterone via osmotic pump in a passerine bird. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2007; 152:8-13. [PMID: 17428484 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2007.02.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2006] [Revised: 02/22/2007] [Accepted: 02/27/2007] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Selecting the most reliable method to deliver exogenous steroids remains a problem for researchers, particularly when designing experiments on small birds. We used intraperitoneal (IP) osmotic pumps to deliver exogenous corticosterone (CORT) and RU486 in captive White-throated Sparrows. Males received implants containing either a low (LD) or moderate dose (MD) of CORT, RU486 (RU), or polyethylene glycol vehicle only (V). This method provided sustained elevations in baseline CORT in both LD and MD males compared to V males, with higher CORT levels induced in MD males. Slight increases in post-implant CORT resulted in V males, but not in RU males. We observed no significant change in the condition of V males in terms of body mass, furcular fat score or food intake rates, although locomotor activity declined slightly after implantation. Taken together, our results suggest that IP pumps had little impact on the overall health of the birds. CORT levels were maintained within natural ranges for this species, suggesting that our results are biologically relevant and useful for future endocrine studies with small birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent M Horton
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, USA.
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Holberton RL, Wilson CM, Hunter MJ, Cash WB, Sims CG. The Role of Corticosterone in Supporting Migratory Lipogenesis in the Dark‐Eyed Junco,Junco hyemalis: A Model for Central and Peripheral Regulation. Physiol Biochem Zool 2007; 80:125-37. [PMID: 17160885 DOI: 10.1086/508816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/21/2006] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The functional role of corticosterone (CORT) in regulating migratory hyperphagia and lipogenesis was investigated in an annual migrant, the dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis). Intraperitoneal injections of either dexamethasone (9 microg DXM/500 microL of 5% EtOH in saline, n=10) to inhibit an increase in baseline CORT or saline (5% EtOH, n=9) were given every 48 h for 15 d after transfer from short (10.5L:13.5D) to long (15.5L:8.5D) days. Food intake, body mass, furcular fat deposition scores, and nocturnal migratory activity were recorded for 29 d after photostimulation. Both groups showed the same increase in daily food intake over the study period (DXM=52%, control=41%). Controls began to increase baseline CORT and mass about 2 wk after photostimulation. DXM-treated birds maintained low CORT and did not increase mass or CORT until injections ceased, at which time they gained mass at the same rate shown earlier by controls. DXM-treated birds did not show greater levels of migratory activity despite experiencing an increase in energy intake during the CORT-inhibited period. Collectively, the results support the migration modulation hypothesis, illustrating how an increase in baseline CORT is needed to support the development of migratory condition. We address the apparent conflict with earlier studies on CORT and migratory food intake and propose a model in which migratory hyperphagia is supported by changes in centrally regulated responses to CORT that can occur even if CORT remains low and lipogenesis is regulated predominantly by peripheral mechanisms that require an increase in baseline CORT.
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Affiliation(s)
- R L Holberton
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, Mississippi 38677, USA.
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Bonier F, Martin PR, Sheldon KS, Jensen JP, Foltz SL, Wingfield JC. Sex-specific consequences of life in the city. Behav Ecol 2006. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arl050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Piersma T, Pérez-Tris J, Mouritsen H, Bauchinger U, Bairlein F. Is there a "migratory syndrome" common to all migrant birds? Ann N Y Acad Sci 2005; 1046:282-93. [PMID: 16055861 DOI: 10.1196/annals.1343.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Bird migration has been assumed, mostly implicitly, to represent a distinct class of animal behavior, with deep and strong homologies in the various phenotypic expressions of migratory behavior between different taxa. Here the evidence for the existence of what could be called a "migratory syndrome," a tightly integrated, old group of adaptive traits that enables birds to commit themselves to highly organized seasonal migrations, is assessed. A list of problems faced by migratory birds is listed first and the traits that migratory birds have evolved to deal with these problems are discussed. The usefulness of comparative approaches to investigate which traits are unique to migrants is then discussed. A provisional conclusion that, perhaps apart from a capacity for night-time compass orientation, there is little evidence for deeply rooted coadapted trait complexes that could make up such a migratory syndrome, is suggested. Detailed analyses of the genetic and physiological architecture of potential adaptations to migration, combined with a comparative approach to further identify the phylogenetic levels at which different adaptive traits for migration have evolved, are recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theunis Piersma
- Animal Ecology Group, P.O. Box 14, 9750 Haren, the Netherlands.
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Landys MM, Piersma T, Guglielmo CG, Jukema J, Ramenofsky M, Wingfield JC. Metabolic profile of long-distance migratory flight and stopover in a shorebird. Proc Biol Sci 2005; 272:295-302. [PMID: 15705555 PMCID: PMC1634973 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2004.2952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Migrating birds often complete long non-stop flights during which body energy stores exclusively support energetic demands. The metabolic correlates of such long-distance travel in free-living migrants are as yet poorly studied. Bar-tailed godwits, Limosa lapponica taymyrensis, undertake a 4500 km flight to their single spring stopover site and thus provide an excellent model in which to determine the energy fuels associated with endurance travel. To this end, we evaluated plasma concentrations of six key metabolites in arriving godwits caught immediately upon landing near their stopover site. Initial metabolite levels were compared with levels after 5 h of inactive rest to determine how flight per se affects energy metabolism. Birds refuelling on the stopover site were also examined. Arriving godwits displayed elevated plasma free fatty acids, glycerol and butyrate, confirming the importance of lipid fuel in the support of extended migratory activity. Further-more, elevated plasma triglycerides in these birds suggest that fatty acid provisioning is facilitated through hepatic synthesis and release of neutral lipids, as previously hypothesized for small migrants with high mass-specific metabolic rates. Finally, elevations in plasma uric acid suggest that protein breakdown contributes to the support of long-distance movement, to possibly maintain citric acid cycle intermediates, gluconeogenesis and/or water balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meta M Landys
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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