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Surkova EN, Savinetskaya LE, Khropov IS, Tchabovsky AV. Flexible males, reactive females: faecal glucocorticoid metabolites indicate increased stress in the colonist population, damping with time in males but not in females. J Comp Physiol B 2024; 194:545-554. [PMID: 38953915 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-024-01564-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Individuals colonizing new areas at expanding ranges encounter numerous and unpredictable stressors. Exposure to unfamiliar environments suggests that colonists would differ in stress levels from residents living in familiar conditions. Few empirical studies tested this hypothesis and produced mixed results, and the role of stress regulation in colonization remains unclear. Studies relating stress levels to colonization mainly use a geographical analysis comparing established colonist populations with source populations. We used faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs) to assess both spatial and temporal dynamics of stress levels in an expanding population of midday gerbils (Meriones meridianus). We demonstrated that adult males and females had higher FGM levels in newly emerged colonies, compared with the source population, but differed in the pattern of FGM dynamics post-foundation. In males, FGM levels sharply decreased in the second year after colony establishment. In females, FGM levels did not change with time and remained high despite the decreasing environmental unpredictability, exhibiting among-individual variation. Increased stress levels of colonist males damping with time post-colonization suggest they are flexible in responding to immediate changes in environmental uncertainty. On the contrary, high and stable over generations stress levels uncoupled from the changes in the environmental uncertainty in female colonists imply that they carry a relatively constant phenotype associated with the reactive coping strategy favouring colonization. We link sex differences in consistency and plasticity in stress regulation during colonization to the sex-specific life-history strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena N Surkova
- Laboratory for Population Ecology, Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, 33 Leninskii pr, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ludmila E Savinetskaya
- Laboratory for Population Ecology, Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, 33 Leninskii pr, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ivan S Khropov
- Laboratory for Population Ecology, Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, 33 Leninskii pr, Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrey V Tchabovsky
- Laboratory for Population Ecology, Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, 33 Leninskii pr, Moscow, Russia.
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2
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Hediger JA, Spencer BD, Rice MF, Hopper ML, DeYoung RW, Ortega-Santos JA, Fulbright TE, Hewitt DG, Foley AM, Schofield LR, Campbell TA, Sheriff MJ, Cherry MJ. Physiological carry-over effects of variable precipitation are mediated by reproductive status in a long-lived ungulate. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 12:coae045. [PMID: 38974502 PMCID: PMC11224986 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coae045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
In the age of global climate change, extreme climatic events are expected to increase in frequency and severity. Animals will be forced to cope with these novel stressors in their environment. Glucocorticoids (i.e. 'stress' hormones) facilitate an animal's ability to cope with their environment. To date, most studies involving glucocorticoids focus on the immediate physiological effects of an environmental stressor on an individual, few studies have investigated the long-term physiological impacts of such stressors. Here, we tested the hypothesis that previous exposure to an environmental stressor will impart lasting consequences to an individual's glucocorticoid levels. In semi-arid environments, variable rainfall drives forage availability for herbivores. Reduced seasonal precipitation can present an extreme environmental stressor potentially imparting long-term impacts on an individual's glucocorticoid levels. We examined the effects of rainfall and environmental characteristics (i.e. soil and vegetation attributes) during fawn-rearing (i.e. summer) on subsequent glucocorticoid levels of female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in autumn. We captured 124 adult (≥2.5-year-old) female deer via aerial net-gunning during autumn of 2015, 2016 and 2021 across four populations spanning a gradient of environmental characteristics and rainfall in the semi-arid environment of South Texas, USA. We found for every 1 cm decrease in summer rainfall, faecal glucocorticoid levels in autumn increased 6.9%, but only in lactating females. Glucocorticoid levels in non-lactating, female deer were relatively insensitive to environmental conditions. Our study demonstrates the long-lasting effects of environmental stressors on an individual's glucocorticoid levels. A better understanding of the long-term effects stressors impart on an individual's glucocorticoid levels will help to evaluate the totality of the cost of a stressor to an individual's welfare and predict the consequences of future climate scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Hediger
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University –Kingsville, 700 University Boulevard, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
| | - Bryan D Spencer
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University –Kingsville, 700 University Boulevard, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
| | - Michaela F Rice
- Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 500 Lafayette Road North, Saint Paul, MN 55155, USA
| | - Miranda L Hopper
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University –Kingsville, 700 University Boulevard, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
| | - Randy W DeYoung
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University –Kingsville, 700 University Boulevard, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
| | - J Alfonso Ortega-Santos
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University –Kingsville, 700 University Boulevard, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
| | - Timothy E Fulbright
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University –Kingsville, 700 University Boulevard, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
| | - David G Hewitt
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University –Kingsville, 700 University Boulevard, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
| | - Aaron M Foley
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University –Kingsville, 700 University Boulevard, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
| | - Landon R Schofield
- East Foundation, 200 Concord Plaza Drive, Suite 410, San Antonio, TX 78216, USA
| | - Tyler A Campbell
- East Foundation, 200 Concord Plaza Drive, Suite 410, San Antonio, TX 78216, USA
| | - Michael J Sheriff
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, 285 Old Westport Road, Dartmouth, MA 02747, USA
| | - Michael J Cherry
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University –Kingsville, 700 University Boulevard, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
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Desai B, Bhowmik T, Srinivasan R, Whitaker N, Ghosal R. Monitoring the stress physiology of free-ranging mugger crocodiles ( Crocodylus palustris) across diverse habitats within Central Gujarat, India. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 12:coae035. [PMID: 38840751 PMCID: PMC11151695 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coae035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Animals face several challenges in their natural environment, and to cope with such conditions, they may exhibit contrasting physiological responses that directly affect their overall well-being and survival. In this study, we assessed physiological responses via faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) measurements in free-ranging mugger crocodiles inhabiting diverse habitats in Gujarat, India. We sampled muggers within Charotar, a rural area (Zone A) with local people having high tolerance towards the presence of muggers, and Vadodara, a region having both urban (Zone B) and rural (Zone C) areas with high levels of human-mugger conflict (HMC). Further, muggers in Vadodara live in water bodies that are mostly polluted due to sewage disposal from adjoining chemical industries. To measure fGCM (mean ± SEM, ng/g dry faeces) levels in muggers, scats were collected during both breeding (N = 107 scats) and non-breeding (N = 22 scats) seasons from all three zones. We used captive muggers (a focal enclosure) to biologically validate (via capture and restraint) the selected fGCM assay (11-oxoetiocholanolone assay). We showed a significant (P < 0.05) 11-fold increase in fGCM levels between pre-capture (540.9 ± 149.2, N = 11) and post-capture (6259.7 ± 1150.5, N = 11) samples. The validated assay was applied to free-ranging muggers during the breeding season, and Zone A showed significantly (P < 0.05) lower fGCM levels (542.03 ± 71.3) compared to muggers of Zone B (1699.9 ± 180.8) and Zone C (1806.4 ± 243.2), both zones having high levels of HMC with polluted water bodies. A similar contrast in fGCM levels was also observed during the non-breeding season. Overall, the study demonstrated that fGCM levels in muggers varied across habitats, and such variation could be due to a multitude of ecological factors that the species experience in their immediate local environment. Moreover, high fGCM levels in muggers of Vadodara during both breeding and non-breeding seasons may indicate a condition of chronic stress, which could be maladaptive for the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brinky Desai
- Biological and Life Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Ahmedabad University, Commerce Six Roads, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad 380009, Gujarat, India
| | - Tathagata Bhowmik
- Biological and Life Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Ahmedabad University, Commerce Six Roads, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad 380009, Gujarat, India
| | - Rohith Srinivasan
- Biological and Life Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Ahmedabad University, Commerce Six Roads, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad 380009, Gujarat, India
| | - Nikhil Whitaker
- Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, Post Bag No 4, Mahabalipuram, Chennai 603104, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Ratna Ghosal
- Biological and Life Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Ahmedabad University, Commerce Six Roads, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad 380009, Gujarat, India
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Orrick K, Sommer N, Rowland F, Ferraro K. Predator-prey interactions across hunting mode, spatial domain size, and habitat complexities. Ecology 2024; 105:e4316. [PMID: 38693704 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4316] [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: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Predator-prey interactions are a fundamental part of community ecology, yet the relative importance of consumptive and nonconsumptive effects (NCEs) (defined as a risk-induced response that alters prey fitness) has not been resolved. Theory suggests that the emergence and subsequent predominance of consumptive or NCEs depend on the given habitat's complexity as well as predator hunting mode and spatial domain sizes of both predator and prey, but their relative influence on the outcome of predator-prey interactions is unknown. We built agent-based models in NetLogo to simulate predator-prey interactions for three hunting modes-sit-and-wait, sit-and-pursue, and active-while concurrently simulating large versus small spatial domain sizes for both predators and prey. We studied (1) how hunting mode and spatial domain size interact to influence the emergence of consumptive or NCEs and (2) how, when NCEs do dominate, hunting mode and spatial domain separately or additively determine prey shifts in time, space, and habitat use. Our results indicate consumptive effects only dominate for active predators when prey habitat domains overlap completely with the predator's spatial domain and when sit-and-wait and sit-and-pursue predators and their prey both have large spatial domains. Prey are most likely to survive when they shift their time but most frequently shift their habitat. Our paper helps to better understand the underlying mechanisms that drive consumptive or NCEs to be most dominant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaggie Orrick
- Yale University School of the Environment, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Nathalie Sommer
- Yale University School of the Environment, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Freya Rowland
- Yale University School of the Environment, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Kristy Ferraro
- Yale University School of the Environment, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Colborne S, Peiman KS, Birnie-Gauvin K, Larsen MH, Aarestrup K, Cooke SJ. Effects of pre-winter cortisol exposure on condition, diet, and morphology of wild juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta). JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 341:282-292. [PMID: 38238913 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2781] [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: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Winter is an energetically challenging period for many animals in temperate regions because of the relatively harsh environmental conditions and reduction in food availability during this season. Moreover, stressors experienced by individuals in the fall can affect their subsequent foraging strategy and energy stores after exposure has ended, referred to as carryover effects. We used exogenous cortisol manipulation of wild juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta) in the fall to simulate a physiological stress response and then investigated short-term (2 weeks) and long-term (4 months) effects on condition metrics (hepatosomatic index and water muscle content), diet (stomach contents and stable isotopes), and morphology during growth in freshwater. We revealed some short-term impacts, likely due to handling stress, and long-term (seasonal) changes in diet, likely reflecting prey availability. Unfortunately, we had very few recaptures of cortisol-treated fish at long-term sampling, limiting detailed analysis about cortisol effects at that time point. Nonetheless, the fish that were sampled showed elevated stable isotopes, suggestive of a cortisol effect long after exposure. This is one of few studies to investigate whether cortisol influences foraging and morphology during juvenile growth, thus extending the knowledge of proximate mechanisms influencing ecologically-relevant phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Colborne
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Quantitative Fisheries Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kathryn S Peiman
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kim Birnie-Gauvin
- Section for Freshwater Fisheries and Ecology, National Institute for Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Silkeborg, Denmark
| | - Martin H Larsen
- Section for Freshwater Fisheries and Ecology, National Institute for Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Silkeborg, Denmark
| | - Kim Aarestrup
- Section for Freshwater Fisheries and Ecology, National Institute for Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Silkeborg, Denmark
| | - Steven J Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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MacLeod KJ, English S, Ruuskanen SK, Taborsky B. Stress in the social context: a behavioural and eco-evolutionary perspective. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb245829. [PMID: 37529973 PMCID: PMC10445731 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
The social environment is one of the primary sources of challenging stimuli that can induce a stress response in animals. It comprises both short-term and stable interactions among conspecifics (including unrelated individuals, mates, potential mates and kin). Social stress is of unique interest in the field of stress research because (1) the social domain is arguably the most complex and fluctuating component of an animal's environment; (2) stress is socially transmissible; and (3) stress can be buffered by social partners. Thus, social interactions can be both the cause and cure of stress. Here, we review the history of social stress research, and discuss social stressors and their effects on organisms across early life and adulthood. We also consider cross-generational effects. We discuss the physiological mechanisms underpinning social stressors and stress responses, as well as the potential adaptive value of responses to social stressors. Finally, we identify outstanding challenges in social stress research, and propose a framework for addressing these in future work.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sinead English
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Suvi K. Ruuskanen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Survontie 9 C, FI-40014, Finland
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, FI-20014, Finland
| | - Barbara Taborsky
- Division of Behavioural Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Institute for Advanced Study, 14193 Berlin, Germany
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Medill SA, Janz DM, McLoughlin PD. Hair Cortisol and Testosterone Concentrations in Relation to Maturity and Breeding Status of Male Feral Horses. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2129. [PMID: 37443926 PMCID: PMC10339860 DOI: 10.3390/ani13132129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Steroid-hormone concentrations from non-invasively obtained biomarkers, like hair, can provide a representation of circulating hormones diffused over relatively long time periods (e.g., weeks or months). The hormone cortisol is often associated with physiological or even psychological stress, while testosterone is strongly associated with male development and reproductive success. Increasingly, studies are using hormone levels derived from hair to make inferences among both domestic animals and wildlife. For horses, all previous hair hormone analysis has been done on companion or working animals. We evaluated the levels of hair cortisol (n = 153) and testosterone (n = 48) from 136 feral horses living on Sable Island, Canada that have been part of a long-term individual-based study since 2008. This population has been undisturbed and unmanaged for over 50 years, and exhibits the natural social organization for horses, harem defense polygyny. Hair samples were collected in mid to late summer and the segment analyzed corresponds with hair grown during, and following, the peak of the reproductive season. Social position was determined based on the male's role as either a dominant breeding Stallion (Stallion), a non-breeding subordinate male (tag), adult Bachelor (5 years old or older), or Immature male (2-4 years of age). While there was no difference in hair-cortisol concentration among any class of adult males (i.e., Stallion, tag, or Bachelor), Immature males had significantly lower hair cortisol concentrations than the other groups (p = 0.001). Hair testosterone levels among the four social positions were significantly higher among Stallions (p = 0.04). Hair testosterone concentration was also significantly related to the probability of a male being either a Bachelor or Stallion and was the only variable remaining in AICc model selection (p = 0.016, AICc = 32.3, Null AICc = 38.8). While not a significant relationship, Stallions had a negative correlation between hair cortisol concentrations and testosterone (R2 = -0.20, p = 0.383), and Bachelors, conversely, had a positive association (R2 = 0.43, p = 0.246). Our observations of hormone concentrations in relation to physiological, social, or reproductive parameters in this population suggest trends that are similar to what has been established using blood or other matrices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A. Medill
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C8, Canada;
| | - David M. Janz
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada;
| | - Philip D. McLoughlin
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C8, Canada;
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Procko M, Naidoo R, LeMay V, Burton AC. Human presence and infrastructure impact wildlife nocturnality differently across an assemblage of mammalian species. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286131. [PMID: 37228104 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Wildlife species may shift towards more nocturnal behavior in areas of higher human influence, but it is unclear how consistent this shift might be. We investigated how humans impact large mammal diel activities in a heavily recreated protected area and an adjacent university-managed forest in southwest British Columbia, Canada. We used camera trap detections of humans and wildlife, along with data on land-use infrastructure (e.g., recreation trails and restricted-access roads), in Bayesian regression models to investigate impacts of human disturbance on wildlife nocturnality. We found moderate evidence that black bears (Ursus americanus) were more nocturnal in response to human detections (mean posterior estimate = 0.35, 90% credible interval = 0.04 to 0.65), but no other clear relationships between wildlife nocturnality and human detections. However, we found evidence that coyotes (Canis latrans) (estimates = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.46 to 1.17) were more nocturnal and snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) (estimate = -0.87, 95% CI = -1.29 to -0.46) were less nocturnal in areas of higher trail density. We also found that coyotes (estimate = -0.87, 95% CI = -1.29 to -0.46) and cougars (Puma concolor) (estimate = -1.14, 90% CI = -2.16 to -0.12) were less nocturnal in areas of greater road density. Furthermore, coyotes, black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and snowshoe hares were moderately more nocturnal in areas near urban-wildland boundaries (estimates and 90% CIs: coyote = -0.29, -0.55 to -0.04, black-tailed deer = -0.25, -0.45 to -0.04, snowshoe hare = -0.24, -0.46 to -0.01). Our findings imply anthropogenic landscape features may influence medium to large-sized mammal diel activities more than direct human presence. While increased nocturnality may be a promising mechanism for human-wildlife coexistence, shifts in temporal activity can also have negative repercussions for wildlife, warranting further research into the causes and consequences of wildlife responses to increasingly human-dominated landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Procko
- Department of Forest Resources Management, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Robin Naidoo
- World Wildlife Fund - US, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
- Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Valerie LeMay
- Department of Forest Resources Management, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - A Cole Burton
- Department of Forest Resources Management, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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King AG, Edwards PD, Cote S, Palme R, Boonstra R, Sicotte P. Assessing stress in wild black-and-white colobus monkeys non-invasively. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2023; 334:114212. [PMID: 36646325 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2023.114212] [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: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Analysis of glucocorticoid profiles serves as a valuable, multi-faceted tool for insight into the behavior and physiology of wild populations. Recently, the measurement of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FCMs) has exploded in popularity due to its compatibility with noninvasive techniques and remote environments A critical first step is to perform a biological validation to ensure that the assay accurately reflect changes in FCM levels. We use an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to perform a biological validation on samples collected from two males and six females in a wild population of Colobus vellerosus in response to three naturally occurring potential stressors. We also describe the FCM response pattern in the week following parturition in three females and examine the influence of sex, reproductive state, and time of day on the concentrations of baseline samples collected daily from 13 adult individuals over a period of four months. We validated the assay: FCM levels increase in response to natural stressors with a two-day lag. In the two days surrounding parturition, FMC levels increased. Baseline concentrations were affected by collection time and female reproductive state, with lactating females having lower concentrations than pregnant or cycling females. Thus, we successfully carried out the first validation and characterization of FCMs in a wild African colobine. This will serve as an essential foundation for future studies of C. vellerosus and similar wild primates whose objective is to investigate the role glucocorticoids play in responses to social and ecological challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allyson G King
- Department of Anthropology & Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada.
| | - Phoebe D Edwards
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada; Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada
| | - Susanne Cote
- Department of Anthropology & Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Rudy Boonstra
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada; Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada
| | - Pascale Sicotte
- Department of Anthropology & Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H3G 1M8, Canada
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10
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Komaki S, Matsunami M, Lin JW, Lee KH, Lin YP, Lee Y, Lin SM, Igawa T. Transcriptomic Changes in Hot Spring Frog Tadpoles (Buergeria otai) in Response to Heat Stress. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.706887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Buergeria frog tadpoles exhibit high thermal tolerance and are occasionally found in water pools that temporarily exceed 40°C. With the aim of understanding how they can cope with the severe heat stress, we performed RNA-seq of three heat-treated (38°C) and three control (25°C) tadpoles and compared their transcriptomic profiles. We identified 382 differentially expressed transcripts. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis of these transcripts further identified hub proteins involved in protein degradation, stress granule assembly, and global suppression of DNA transcription and mRNA translation. Along with the avoidance behavior against high water temperature, these endurance mechanisms potentially support tadpoles to survive in high temperatures for short periods of time. Similar mechanisms may exist in many other amphibian species whose habitats are prone to high temperatures.
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11
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Hasselquist D, Tobler M. The Accumulating Costs Hypothesis—to Better Understand Delayed “Hidden” Costs of Seemingly Mild Disease and Other Moderate Stressors. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.685057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Mild diseases and moderate stressors are seemingly harmless and are therefore often assumed to have negligible impact on Darwinian fitness. Here we argue that the effects of “benign” parasites and other moderate stressors may have a greater impact on lifespan and other fitness traits than generally thought. We outline the “accumulating costs” hypothesis which proposes that moderate strains on the body caused by mild diseases and other moderate stressors that occur throughout life will result in small irreversible “somatic lesions” that initially are invisible (i.e., induce “hidden” costs). However, over time these somatic lesions accumulate until their summed effect reaches a critical point when cell senescence and malfunction begin to affect organ functionality and lead to the onset of degenerative diseases and aging. We briefly discuss three potential mechanisms through which the effects of moderate strains (e.g., mild diseases) could accumulate: Accelerated telomere shortening, loss of repetitious cell compartments and other uncorrected DNA damage in the genome. We suggest that telomere shortening may be a key candidate for further research with respect to the accumulating costs hypothesis. Telomeres can acquire lesions from moderate strains without immediate negative effects, lesions can be accumulated over time and lead to a critically short telomere length, which may eventually cause severe somatic malfunctioning, including aging. If effects of mild diseases, benign parasites and moderate stressors accrued throughout life can have severe delayed consequences, this might contribute to our understanding of life history strategies and trade-offs, and have important implications for medicine, including consideration of treatment therapies for mild (chronic) infections such as malaria.
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12
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Sandoval-Herrera NI, Mastromonaco GF, Becker DJ, Simmons NB, Welch KC. Inter- and intra-specific variation in hair cortisol concentrations of Neotropical bats. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 9:coab053. [PMID: 34267922 PMCID: PMC8278960 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Quantifying hair cortisol has become popular in wildlife ecology for its practical advantages for evaluating stress. Before hair cortisol levels can be reliably interpreted, however, it is key to first understand the intrinsic factors explaining intra- and inter-specific variation. Bats are an ecologically diverse group of mammals that allow studying such variation. Given that many bat species are threatened or have declining populations in parts of their range, minimally invasive tools for monitoring colony health and identifying cryptic stressors are needed to efficiently direct conservation efforts. Here we describe intra- and inter-specific sources of variation in hair cortisol levels in 18 Neotropical bat species from Belize and Mexico. We found that fecundity is an important ecological trait explaining inter-specific variation in bat hair cortisol. Other ecological variables such as colony size, roost durability and basal metabolic rate did not explain hair cortisol variation among species. At the individual level, females exhibited higher hair cortisol levels than males and the effect of body mass varied among species. Overall, our findings help validate and accurately apply hair cortisol as a monitoring tool in free-ranging bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia I Sandoval-Herrera
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3B2, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | | | - Daniel J Becker
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Nancy B Simmons
- Department of Mammalogy, Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, 10024-5102, USA
| | - Kenneth C Welch
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3B2, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
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13
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Detecting the effects of predator-induced stress on the global metabolism of an ungulate prey using fecal metabolomic fingerprinting. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6129. [PMID: 33731769 PMCID: PMC7971053 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85600-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Few field tests have assessed the effects of predator-induced stress on prey fitness, particularly in large carnivore-ungulate systems. Because traditional measures of stress present limitations when applied to free-ranging animals, new strategies and systemic methodologies are needed. Recent studies have shown that stress and anxiety related behaviors can influence the metabolic activity of the gut microbiome in mammal hosts, and these metabolic alterations may aid in identification of stress. In this study, we used NMR-based fecal metabolomic fingerprinting to compare the fecal metabolome, a functional readout of the gut microbiome, of cattle herds grazing in low vs. high wolf-impacted areas within three wolf pack territories. Additionally, we evaluated if other factors (e.g., cattle nutritional state, climate, landscape) besides wolf presence were related to the variation in cattle metabolism. By collecting longitudinal fecal samples from GPS-collared cattle, we found relevant metabolic differences between cattle herds in areas where the probability of wolf pack interaction was higher. Moreover, cattle distance to GPS-collared wolves was the factor most correlated with this difference in cattle metabolism, potentially reflecting the variation in wolf predation risk. We further validated our results through a regression model that reconstructed cattle distances to GPS-collared wolves based on the metabolic difference between cattle herds. Although further research is needed to explore if similar patterns also hold at a finer scale, our results suggests that fecal metabolomic fingerprinting is a promising tool for assessing the physiological responses of prey to predation risk. This novel approach will help improve our knowledge of the consequences of predators beyond the direct effect of predation.
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14
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Prohaska BK, Talwar BS, Grubbs RD. Blood biochemical status of deep-sea sharks following longline capture in the Gulf of Mexico. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 9:coaa113. [PMID: 33505700 PMCID: PMC7816797 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coaa113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Prior to the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill, little research effort was focused on studying deep-sea sharks in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). While the biology of these fishes remains virtually unknown, they are routinely captured in commercial fisheries as bycatch. In the absence of basic biological data, and with the probability of post-release survival unknown for most species, effective management plans cannot be formulated, making populations highly susceptible to overfishing. Any potential detrimental effects of the DWH oil spill, which occurred at 1500 m deep, are also unknown. Following longline capture, we characterized the physiological blood biochemical parameters related to secondary stress and compared them among seven shark species occurring on the continental shelf edge and slope in the GoM at depths ranging from 200 to 2000 m. We also investigated the relationship between blood parameters and depth as well as proximity to the oil spill site. The deep-sea sharks examined here exhibited variability in blood chemistry associated with the secondary stress response, with values falling within published records for previously studied elasmobranchs. Results suggested that there is greater relative physiological stress in shallower-dwelling sharks as well as smaller-bodied sharks. Further, the rate of core temperature warming was fastest in smaller bodied sharks, which likely contributes to greater physiological stress. The core temperatures of the larger-bodied, deeper-dwelling species were not altered as drastically as the smaller-bodied sharks after being hauled to the surface. Any chronic physiological effects of the oil spill were not detectable as there were no relevant correlations between blood chemistry metrics and proximity to the DWH oil spill site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca K Prohaska
- Coastal and Marine Laboratory, Florida State University, St. Teresa, FL 32358, USA
- Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering Division, NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - Brendan S Talwar
- Coastal and Marine Laboratory, Florida State University, St. Teresa, FL 32358, USA
- Exuma Sound Ecosystem Research Project, Cape Eleuthera Institute, Eleuthera, The Bahamas
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL 33181, USA
| | - R Dean Grubbs
- Coastal and Marine Laboratory, Florida State University, St. Teresa, FL 32358, USA
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15
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Romeo C, Wauters LA, Santicchia F, Dantzer B, Palme R, Martinoli A, Ferrari N. Complex relationships between physiological stress and endoparasite infections in natural populations. Curr Zool 2020; 66:449-457. [PMID: 33293925 PMCID: PMC7705514 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoaa029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Short-term elevation of glucocorticoids (GCs) is one of the major physiological mechanisms by which vertebrates cope with challenging environmental or social factors (stressors). However, when exposure to stressors occurs repeatedly or over a prolonged period of time, animals may experience chronic elevation of GCs, which reduces the immune response efficiency and can lead to higher intensity of parasitic infection. Here, we used invasive gray squirrels Sciurus carolinensis introduced in Northern Italy and their 2 most prevalent gastrointestinal parasites, the nematode Strongyloides robustus and coccidia of the genus Eimeria, as a model to investigate relationships among macroparasite infection and concentrations of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs), an integrated measure of circulating GCs. Our results revealed an association of FGMs with infection by St. robustus, but not with coccidia. Individuals with higher FGMs appear to be responsible for the greatest St. robustus egg shedding within gray squirrel populations, thus possibly acting as superspreaders. However, FGMs were negatively associated with adult St. robustus, suggesting that the abundance of adults of this nematode species does not induce elevation in FGMs, but is only affected by it through immune-mediated effects on its fecundity. Finally, the relationship between St. robustus (both eggs and adult parasites) and FGMs was not linear, suggesting that only high levels of physiological stress influence parasite infection. Our findings highlight that the direction and magnitude of the stress-infection relationship may depend not only on the specific host-parasite system, but also on the different life stages of the same parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Romeo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, Milano, 2133, Italy
| | - Lucas A Wauters
- Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Environment Analysis and Management Unit—Guido Tosi Research Group—Università degli Studi dell’Insubria, Via J. H. Dunant 3, Varese, 21100, Italy
- Department of Biology, Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, 2610, Belgium
| | - Francesca Santicchia
- Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Environment Analysis and Management Unit—Guido Tosi Research Group—Università degli Studi dell’Insubria, Via J. H. Dunant 3, Varese, 21100, Italy
| | - Ben Dantzer
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 830 North University, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Rupert Palme
- Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, Vienna, 1210, Austria
| | - Adriano Martinoli
- Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Environment Analysis and Management Unit—Guido Tosi Research Group—Università degli Studi dell’Insubria, Via J. H. Dunant 3, Varese, 21100, Italy
| | - Nicola Ferrari
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, Milano, 2133, Italy
- Centro di Ricerca Coordinata Epidemiologia e Sorveglianza Molecolare delle Infezioni, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
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16
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Marler TE. Artifleck: The Study of Artifactual Responses to Light Flecks with Inappropriate Leaves. PLANTS 2020; 9:plants9070905. [PMID: 32708982 PMCID: PMC7412511 DOI: 10.3390/plants9070905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Methods in sunfleck research commonly employ the use of experimental leaves which were constructed in homogeneous light. These experimental organs may behave unnaturally when they are challenged with fluctuating light. Photosynthetic responses to heterogeneous light and leaf macronutrient relations were determined for Cycas micronesica, Glycine max, and Zea mays leaves that were grown in homogeneous shade, heterogeneous shade, or full sun. The speed of priming where one light fleck increased the photosynthesis during a subsequent light fleck was greatest for the leaves grown in heterogeneous shade. The rate of induction and the ultimate steady-state photosynthesis were greater for the leaves that were grown in heterogeneous shade versus the leaves grown in homogeneous shade. The leaf mass per area, macronutrient concentration, and macronutrient stoichiometry were also influenced by the shade treatments. The amplitude and direction in which the three developmental light treatments influenced the response variables were not universal among the three model species. The results indicate that the historical practice of using experimental leaves which were constructed under homogeneous light to study leaf responses to fluctuating light may produce artifacts that generate dubious interpretations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas E Marler
- Western Pacific Tropical Research Center, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Guam, Mangilao, GU 96923, USA
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17
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Birnie-Gauvin K, Lennox RJ, Guglielmo CG, Teffer AK, Crossin GT, Norris DR, Aarestrup K, Cooke SJ. The Value of Experimental Approaches in Migration Biology. Physiol Biochem Zool 2020; 93:210-226. [DOI: 10.1086/708455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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18
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Continuity of chronic predation risk determines changes in prey physiology. Sci Rep 2020; 10:6972. [PMID: 32332831 PMCID: PMC7181678 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-64000-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Prey reconfigure their physiology to avoid costs of prolonged predator pressure. However, these changes might not occur under periodic predation risk, with repeating acute phases. To test the effect of predation risk continuity on changes in prey physiology, we exposed amphipods: Dikerogammarus villosus and Gammarus jazdzewskii to periodic and constant predation cue. After one week, we measured: cellular defence systems: total antioxidant status (TAS), heat shock proteins (Hsp70); intracellular damage marker: lipid peroxidation (TBARS); condition index: glycogen concentration. Predator presence reduced TAS level in G. jazdzewskii independent of its continuity and in D. villosus after periodic exposure. Amphipods showed downregulation of Hsp70 when exposed to periodic (D. villosus) or constant (G. jazdzewskii) predation risk. Exposure to predators reduced TBARS level in D. villosus (irrespective of the continuity) and G. jazdzewskii (periodic exposure). Glycogen concentration in both species was not affected by predator presence. Thus, the continuity of the predator cue shaped prey physiology reconfiguration, optimizing costs of physiological adjustments under challenging conditions. Nevertheless, the lack of negative consequences of the prolonged exposure to the predator cue, whether constant or periodic, shows that amphipods can thrive under chronic predation risk, which is a constant part of the wild environment.
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19
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Pritchard CE, Palme R, Langkilde T. Glucocorticoid and triiodothyronine concentrations do not correlate with behavior in vicuñas (Vicugna vicugna). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 286:113299. [PMID: 31606464 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.113299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
State-dependent foraging theory posits that animals should make foraging decisions based on energetic condition, where animals with fewer energetic reserves prioritize foraging over other behaviors, including antipredator behaviors. However, few studies have investigated these trade-offs at an individual level in wild, free-ranging animals. We investigated the relationships between internal condition and behavior in a wild mammal, the vicuña (Vicugna vicugna), which makes state-dependent decisions about the use of two habitats with different characteristics that contribute to their internal condition. Using non-invasively collected fecal samples, we measured glucocorticoid metabolites (GCMs) and thyroid hormones (THs) as indicators of combined stress (predation and nutritional), and just nutritional stress, respectively. We video recorded 20-minute behavioral observations and focused on behaviors which often demand a trade-off between energy acquisition and antipredator behaviors-vigilance and foraging. We found differences in expression of these behaviors between the two sites but found no relationships between physiological parameters (GCMs and THs) and behavior (vigilance and foraging) at either site. We suggest that state-dependent foraging may be difficult to observe in large mammals under baseline conditions and that GCMs and THs may be insensitive to small changes in stress stimuli at this scale, and where these wild animals have the entire suite of behavioral responses available to them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catharine E Pritchard
- 208 Mueller Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16801, USA.
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Tracy Langkilde
- 208 Mueller Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16801, USA.
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20
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Lawrence MJ, Eliason EJ, Zolderdo AJ, Lapointe D, Best C, Gilmour KM, Cooke SJ. Cortisol modulates metabolism and energy mobilization in wild-caught pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus). FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2019; 45:1813-1828. [PMID: 31300974 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-019-00680-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Acute elevation of cortisol via activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis aids the fish in dealing with a stressor. However, chronic elevation of cortisol has detrimental effects and has been studied extensively in lab settings. However, data pertaining to wild teleosts are lacking. Here, we characterized the metabolic consequences of prolonged cortisol elevation (96 h) in wild-caught pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus). Pumpkinseed were implanted with cocoa butter alone (sham) or containing cortisol (25 mg kg-1 body weight), and at 24, 48, 72, and 96 h, tissue samples were collected, whole-body ammonia excretion was determined, and whole-organism metabolism was assessed using intermittent flow respirometry. Cortisol-treated pumpkinseed exhibited the highest plasma cortisol concentration at 24 h post-implantation, with levels decreasing over the subsequent time points although remaining higher than in sham-treated fish. Cortisol-treated fish exhibited higher standard and maximal metabolic rates than sham-treated fish, but the effect of cortisol treatment on aerobic scope was negligible. Indices of energy synthesis/mobilization, including blood glucose concentrations, hepatosomatic index, hepatic glycogen concentrations, and ammonia excretion rates, were higher in cortisol-treated fish compared with controls. Our work suggests that although aerobic scope was not diminished by prolonged elevation of cortisol levels, higher metabolic expenditures may be of detriment to the animal's performance in the longer term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Lawrence
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada.
| | - Erika J Eliason
- Department of Ecology, Evolution & Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93117, USA
| | - Aaron J Zolderdo
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
- Queen's University Biological Station, Queen's University, Elgin, ON, K0G 1E0, Canada
| | - Dominique Lapointe
- St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences, Cornwall, ON, K6H 4Z1, Canada
| | - Carol Best
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Kathleen M Gilmour
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Steven J Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
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21
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Carbajal A, Soler P, Tallo-Parra O, Isasa M, Echevarria C, Lopez-Bejar M, Vinyoles D. Towards Non-Invasive Methods in Measuring Fish Welfare: The Measurement of Cortisol Concentrations in Fish Skin Mucus as a Biomarker of Habitat Quality. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9110939. [PMID: 31717428 PMCID: PMC6912682 DOI: 10.3390/ani9110939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cortisol levels in fish skin mucus have shown to be good stress indicators in farm fish exposed to different stressors. Its applicability in free-ranging animals subject to long-term environmental stressors though remains to be explored. The present study was therefore designed to examine whether skin mucus cortisol levels from a wild freshwater fish (Catalan chub, Squalius laietanus) are affected by the habitat quality. Several well-established hematological parameters and cortisol concentrations were measured in blood and compared to variations in skin mucus cortisol values across three habitats with different pollution gradient. Fluctuations of cortisol in skin mucus varied across the streams of differing habitat quality, following a similar pattern of response to that detected by the assessment of cortisol levels in blood and the hematological parameters. Furthermore, there was a close relationship between cortisol concentrations in skin mucus and several of the erythrocytic alterations and the relative proportion of neutrophils to lymphocytes. Taken together, results of this study provide the first evidence that skin mucus cortisol levels could be influenced by habitat quality. Although results should be interpreted with caution, because a small sample size was collected in one studied habitat, the measurement of cortisol in skin mucus could be potentially used as a biomarker in freshwater fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annaïs Carbajal
- Department of Animal Health and Anatomy, Veterinary Faculty, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain;
- Correspondence: or
| | - Patricia Soler
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (P.S.); (D.V.)
| | - Oriol Tallo-Parra
- Department of Animal and Food Science, Veterinary Faculty, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Marina Isasa
- Cetaqua, Centro tecnológico del agua, Cornellà de Llobregat, 08940 Barcelona, Spain; (M.I.); (C.E.)
| | - Carlos Echevarria
- Cetaqua, Centro tecnológico del agua, Cornellà de Llobregat, 08940 Barcelona, Spain; (M.I.); (C.E.)
| | - Manel Lopez-Bejar
- Department of Animal Health and Anatomy, Veterinary Faculty, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Dolors Vinyoles
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (P.S.); (D.V.)
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22
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Xu DL, Xu MM, Wang DH. Effects of air temperatures on antioxidant defense and immunity in Mongolian gerbils. J Therm Biol 2019; 84:111-120. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2019.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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23
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Lawrence MJ, Godin JGJ, Zolderdo AJ, Cooke SJ. Chronic Plasma Cortisol Elevation Does Not Promote Riskier Behavior in a Teleost Fish: A Test of the Behavioral Resiliency Hypothesis. Integr Org Biol 2019; 1:obz009. [PMID: 33791525 PMCID: PMC7671160 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obz009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Stressed fish have been shown to have higher predator-induced mortality than unstressed conspecifics, suggesting a role for the hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal axis in modifying risk-taking behaviors. Yet, there is also evidence of behavioral resiliency in the face of chronic stressors. Here, we tested the behavioral resiliency hypothesis, which posits that animals can maintain consistent behavioral phenotypes in the face of significant physiological challenges. We determined whether chronic plasma cortisol elevation promotes risk-taking behaviors in a model teleost fish, the pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus). Experimental fish were implanted with cocoa butter either as a sham or with cortisol. At 48 h post-implantation, the behavior of individual focal fish was tested in an experimental arena comprising of a simulated physical refuge, an open zone containing a constrained conspecific shoal, and a compartment containing either a model of a northern pike (Esox lucius) paired with corresponding pike olfactory cues in lake water or no pike model (control) paired with sham lake water cues only. The fish were assayed individually for their refuge utilization, shoaling tendency, and general activity. Neither cortisol treatment nor predation-risk treatment influenced any of these behaviors. This suggests that sunfish, in the context of our experiment, were behaviorally resilient to the physiological effects of chronic plasma cortisol elevation and in the face of an apparent threat of predation. Our results thus provide support for the behavioral resiliency hypothesis in fish under both physiological and ecological stressors. We posit that behavioral resiliency is an evolutionary adaptation ensuring appropriate responses to environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Lawrence
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6.,Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - Jean-Guy J Godin
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - Aaron J Zolderdo
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6.,Queen's University Biological Station, Queen's University, Elgin, Ontario, Canada K0G 1E0
| | - Steven J Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
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24
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Lawrence MJ, Jain-Schlaepfer S, Zolderdo AJ, Algera DA, Gilmour KM, Gallagher AJ, Cooke SJ. Are 3 minutes good enough for obtaining baseline physiological samples from teleost fish? CAN J ZOOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2017-0093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
A prerequisite to studying the physiological status of wild animals is the ability to obtain blood samples that reflect the condition prior to capture or handling. Based on research in avian taxa, it is recommended that such samples be obtained within 3 min of capture; however, this guideline has not been validated in wild teleosts. The present study addresses the time course of physiological changes in a number of blood metrics across six species of freshwater fish. Fishes were caught using a standardized angling protocol and held in a water-filled trough prior to the collection of a blood sample, via caudal phlebotomy, between 0.5 and 11 min after capture. Changes in whole-blood glucose and lactate concentrations, hematocrit, and plasma cortisol concentrations were assessed. Change-point analyses indicated that blood lactate concentrations and hematocrit did not deviate from baseline values until ∼2–5 min of handling for all species, whereas blood glucose concentrations generally did not deviate significantly from baseline over the 11 min test period. In all species, plasma cortisol concentrations began to increase above baseline between ∼4 and 8 min after capture. Thus, to ensure that blood samples are representative of baseline conditions across multiple metrics, we recommend that sampling be limited to less than 2 min in teleost fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Lawrence
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Sofia Jain-Schlaepfer
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
- College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia, 4811
| | - Aaron J. Zolderdo
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Dirk A. Algera
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | | | - Austin J. Gallagher
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
- Beneath the Waves, Inc., Miami, FL 33133, USA
| | - Steven J. Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
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25
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Fauteux D, Gauthier G, Berteaux D, Palme R, Boonstra R. High Arctic lemmings remain reproductively active under predator-induced elevated stress. Oecologia 2018; 187:657-666. [PMID: 29651661 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4140-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Non-consumptive effects of predation have rarely been assessed in wildlife populations even though their impact could be as important as lethal effects. Reproduction of individuals is one of the most important demographic parameters that could be affected by predator-induced stress, which in turn can have important consequences on population dynamics. We studied non-consumptive effects of predation on the reproductive activity (i.e., mating and fertilization) of a cyclic population of brown lemmings exposed to intense summer predation in the Canadian High Arctic. Lemmings were live-trapped, their reproductive activity (i.e., testes visible in males, pregnancy/lactation in females) assessed, and predators were monitored during the summers of 2014 and 2015 within a 9 ha predator-reduction exclosure delimited by a fence and covered by a net, and on an 11 ha control area. Stress levels were quantified non-invasively with fecal corticosterone metabolites (FCM). We found that FCM levels of lemmings captured outside the predator exclosure (n = 50) were 1.6 times higher than inside (n = 51). The proportion of pregnant/lactating adult females did not differ between the two areas, nor did the proportion of adult scrotal males. We found that lemmings showed physiological stress reactions due to high predation risk, but had no sign of reduced mating activity or fertility. Thus, our results do not support the hypothesis of reproductive suppression by predator-induced stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominique Fauteux
- Department of Biology and Centre d'études nordiques, Université Laval, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Quebec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada. .,Canadian Museum of Nature, P.O. Box 3443, Station D, Ottawa, ON, K1P 6P4, Canada.
| | - Gilles Gauthier
- Department of Biology and Centre d'études nordiques, Université Laval, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Quebec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Dominique Berteaux
- Canada Research Chair on Northern Biodiversity and Centre d'études nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, 300 Allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, QC, G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rudy Boonstra
- Centre for the Neurobiology of Stress, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON, M1C 1A4, Canada
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Ostner J, Schülke O. Linking Sociality to Fitness in Primates: A Call for Mechanisms. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.asb.2017.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Are the adverse effects of stressors on amphibians mediated by their effects on stress hormones? Oecologia 2017; 186:393-404. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-017-4020-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Harley CDG, Connell SD, Doubleday ZA, Kelaher B, Russell BD, Sarà G, Helmuth B. Conceptualizing ecosystem tipping points within a physiological framework. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:6035-6045. [PMID: 28808563 PMCID: PMC5551099 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2017] [Revised: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Connecting the nonlinear and often counterintuitive physiological effects of multiple environmental drivers to the emergent impacts on ecosystems is a fundamental challenge. Unfortunately, the disconnect between the way "stressors" (e.g., warming) is considered in organismal (physiological) and ecological (community) contexts continues to hamper progress. Environmental drivers typically elicit biphasic physiological responses, where performance declines at levels above and below some optimum. It is also well understood that species exhibit highly variable response surfaces to these changes so that the optimum level of any environmental driver can vary among interacting species. Thus, species interactions are unlikely to go unaltered under environmental change. However, while these nonlinear, species-specific physiological relationships between environment and performance appear to be general, rarely are they incorporated into predictions of ecological tipping points. Instead, most ecosystem-level studies focus on varying levels of "stress" and frequently assume that any deviation from "normal" environmental conditions has similar effects, albeit with different magnitudes, on all of the species within a community. We consider a framework that realigns the positive and negative physiological effects of changes in climatic and nonclimatic drivers with indirect ecological responses. Using a series of simple models based on direct physiological responses to temperature and ocean pCO 2, we explore how variation in environment-performance relationships among primary producers and consumers translates into community-level effects via trophic interactions. These models show that even in the absence of direct mortality, mismatched responses resulting from often subtle changes in the physical environment can lead to substantial ecosystem-level change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher D. G. Harley
- Department of Zoology and Institute for the Oceans and FisheriesUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Sean D. Connell
- Southern Seas Ecology LaboratoriesSchool of Biological Sciences & Environment InstituteUniversity of AdelaideAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Zoë A. Doubleday
- Southern Seas Ecology LaboratoriesSchool of Biological Sciences & Environment InstituteUniversity of AdelaideAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Brendan Kelaher
- National Marine Science Centre & Centre for Coastal Biogeochemistry ResearchSchool of Environment, Science and EngineeringSouthern Cross UniversityCoffs HarbourNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Bayden D. Russell
- The Swire Institute of Marine ScienceSchool of Biological SciencesThe University of Hong KongHong KongHong Kong
| | - Gianluca Sarà
- Laboratorio di Ecologia SperimentaleDipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del MareUniversità degli Studi di PalermoPalermoItaly
| | - Brian Helmuth
- Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences and School of Public Policy and Urban AffairsNortheastern UniversityBostonMAUSA
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Luong LT, Horn CJ, Brophy T. Mitey Costly: Energetic Costs of Parasite Avoidance and Infection. Physiol Biochem Zool 2017; 90:471-477. [DOI: 10.1086/691704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Fauteux D, Gauthier G, Berteaux D, Bosson C, Palme R, Boonstra R. Assessing Stress in Arctic Lemmings: Fecal Metabolite Levels Reflect Plasma Free Corticosterone Levels. Physiol Biochem Zool 2017; 90:370-382. [DOI: 10.1086/691337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Lawrence MJ, Eliason EJ, Brownscombe JW, Gilmour KM, Mandelman JW, Cooke SJ. An experimental evaluation of the role of the stress axis in mediating predator-prey interactions in wild marine fish. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2017; 207:21-29. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2017.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Revised: 01/20/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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Belanger C, Peiman K, Vera-Chang M, Moon T, Cooke S. Pumpkinseed sunfish ( Lepomis gibbosus) from littoral and limnetic habitats differ in stress responsiveness independent of environmental complexity and presence of conspecifics. CAN J ZOOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2016-0202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In the face of a changing world, there has been increasing interest in the behavioural and physiological responses of wild animals to stressors. Many factors can influence stress responsiveness, but two that have not been extensively studied during the stress-induced phase are environmental complexity and the presence of conspecifics. Using wild pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus (L., 1758)) collected from limnetic and littoral sites, we tested whether glucose and cortisol were affected by environmental complexity and the density of conspecifics during the period of maximum response following a standardized air stressor. Overall, environmental complexity and conspecific density did not have a significant effect on maximum stress. However, in the environmental complexity experiment, fish collected from the littoral site had significantly higher concentrations of maximum glucose and cortisol, and tended to have higher glucose and cortisol responsiveness, than limnetic fish. This indicates that although the collection site did not affect a fish’s baseline values, intraspecific variation in site use is associated with divergent sensitivity of the hypothalamic–pituitary–interrenal axis to stressors. The importance of capture location on maximal response from stressors represents a potential sampling bias and source of variation, and may be even more pronounced in species that are habitat specialists.
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Affiliation(s)
- C.B. Belanger
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - K.S. Peiman
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - M.N. Vera-Chang
- Department of Biology and Centre for Advanced Research in Environmental Genomics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - T.W. Moon
- Department of Biology and Centre for Advanced Research in Environmental Genomics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - S.J. Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
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Birnie-Gauvin K, Peiman KS, Larsen MH, Aarestrup K, Willmore WG, Cooke SJ. Short-term and long-term effects of transient exogenous cortisol manipulation on oxidative stress in juvenile brown trout. J Exp Biol 2017; 220:1693-1700. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.155465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In the wild, animals are exposed to a growing number of stressors with increasing frequency and intensity, as a result of human activities and human-induced environmental change. To fully understand how wild organisms are affected by stressors, it is crucial to understand the physiology that underlies an organism’s response to a stressor. Prolonged levels of elevated glucocorticoids are associated with a state of chronic stress and decreased fitness. Exogenous glucocorticoid manipulation reduces an individual’s ability to forage, avoid predators and grow, thereby limiting the resources available for physiological functions like the defence against oxidative stress. Using the brown trout (Salmo trutta), we evaluated the short-term (2 weeks) and long-term (4 months over winter) effects of exogenous cortisol manipulations (as well as relevant shams and controls) on the oxidative status of wild juveniles. Cortisol caused an increase in glutathione over a two-week period and appeared to reduce glutathione over winter. Cortisol treatment did not affect oxidative stress levels or low-molecular weight antioxidants. Cortisol caused a significant decrease in growth rates but did not affect predation risk. Over winter survival in the stream was associated with low levels of oxidative stress and glutathione. Thus, oxidative stress may be a mechanism by which elevated cortisol causes negative physiological consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Birnie-Gauvin
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1S 5B6
- Department of Biology and Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1S 5B6
- DTU AQUA, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Section for Freshwater Fisheries Ecology, Technical University of Denmark, Vejlsøvej 39, 8600 Silkeborg, Denmark
| | - Kathryn S. Peiman
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - Martin H. Larsen
- DTU AQUA, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Section for Freshwater Fisheries Ecology, Technical University of Denmark, Vejlsøvej 39, 8600 Silkeborg, Denmark
- Danish Centre for Wild Salmon, Brusgårdsvej 15, 8960 Randers, Denmark
| | - Kim Aarestrup
- DTU AQUA, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Section for Freshwater Fisheries Ecology, Technical University of Denmark, Vejlsøvej 39, 8600 Silkeborg, Denmark
| | - William G. Willmore
- Department of Biology and Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - Steven J. Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1S 5B6
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34
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Yohannes E, Gwinner H, Lee RW, Schwabl H. Stable isotopes predict reproductive performance of European starlings breeding in anthropogenic environments. Ecosphere 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Yohannes
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Mainaustr. 252 D‐78464 Konstanz Germany
| | - Helga Gwinner
- Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics Max Planck Institute for Ornithology P.O. Box 1564 D‐82305 Starnberg (Seewiesen) Germany
| | - Raymond W. Lee
- School of Biological Sciences Washington State University Pullman Washington 99164 USA
| | - Hubert Schwabl
- School of Biological Sciences Washington State University Pullman Washington 99164 USA
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Midwood JD, Larsen MH, Aarestrup K, Cooke SJ. Stress and food deprivation: linking physiological state to migration success in a teleost fish. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 219:3712-3718. [PMID: 27618858 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.140665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2016] [Accepted: 09/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Food deprivation is a naturally occurring stressor that is thought to influence the ultimate life-history strategy of individuals. Little is known about how food deprivation interacts with other stressors to influence migration success. European populations of brown trout (Salmo trutta) exhibit partial migration, whereby a portion of the population smoltifies and migrates to the ocean, and the rest remain in their natal stream. This distinct, natural dichotomy of life-history strategies provides an excellent opportunity to explore the roles of energetic state (as affected by food deprivation) and activation of the glucocorticoid stress response in determining life-history strategy and survival of a migratory species. Using an experimental approach, the relative influences of short-term food deprivation and experimental cortisol elevation (i.e. intra-coelomic injection of cortisol suspended in cocoa butter) on migratory status, survival and growth of juvenile brown trout relative to a control were evaluated. Fewer fish migrated in both the food deprivation and cortisol treatments; however, migration of fish in cortisol and control treatments occurred at the same time while that of fish in the food deprivation treatment was delayed for approximately 1 week. A significantly greater proportion of trout in the food deprivation treatment remained in their natal stream, but unlike the cortisol treatment, there were no long-term negative effects of food deprivation on growth, relative to the control. Overall survival rates were comparable between the food deprivation and control treatments, but significantly lower for fish in the cortisol treatment. Food availability and individual energetic state appear to dictate the future life-history strategy (migrate or remain resident) of juvenile salmonids while experimental elevation of the stress hormone cortisol causes impaired growth and reduced survival of both resident and migratory individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D Midwood
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - Martin H Larsen
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Freshwater Fisheries, Technical University of Denmark, Vejlsøvej 39, Silkeborg 8600, Denmark
| | - Kim Aarestrup
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Freshwater Fisheries, Technical University of Denmark, Vejlsøvej 39, Silkeborg 8600, Denmark
| | - Steven J Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1S 5B6
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36
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Schell CJ, Young JK, Lonsdorf EV, Mateo JM, Santymire RM. Olfactory attractants and parity affect prenatal androgens and territoriality of coyote breeding pairs. Physiol Behav 2016; 165:43-54. [PMID: 27378509 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.06.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Revised: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Hormones are fundamental mediators of personality traits intimately linked with reproductive success. Hence, alterations to endocrine factors may dramatically affect individual behavior that has subsequent fitness consequences. Yet it is unclear how hormonal or behavioral traits change with environmental stressors or over multiple reproductive opportunities, particularly for biparental fauna. To simulate an environmental stressor, we exposed captive coyote (Canis latrans) pairs to novel coyote odor attractants (i.e. commercial scent lures) mid-gestation to influence territorial behaviors, fecal glucocorticoid (FGMs) and fecal androgen metabolites (FAMs). In addition, we observed coyote pairs as first-time and experienced breeders to assess the influence of parity on our measures. Treatment pairs received the odors four times over a 20-day period, while control pairs received water. Odor-treated pairs scent-marked (e.g. urinated, ground scratched) and investigated odors more frequently than control pairs, and had higher FAMs when odors were provided. Pairs had higher FAMs as first-time versus experienced breeders, indicating that parity also affected androgen production during gestation. Moreover, repeatability in scent-marking behaviors corresponded with FGMs and FAMs, implying that coyote territoriality during gestation is underpinned by individually-specific hormone profiles. Our results suggest coyote androgens during gestation are sensitive to conspecific olfactory stimuli and prior breeding experience. Consequently, fluctuations in social or other environmental stimuli as well as increasing parity may acutely affect coyote traits essential to reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Schell
- Committee on Evolutionary Biology, University of Chicago, 1025 E. 57th Street, Culver Hall 402, Chicago, IL 60637, United States.
| | - Julie K Young
- USDA-WS-NWRC, Predator Research Facility, Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, USU - BNR 163, Logan, UT 84322, United States
| | - Elizabeth V Lonsdorf
- Department of Psychology, Franklin and Marshall College, P.O. Box 3003, Lancaster, PA 17603, United States
| | - Jill M Mateo
- Committee on Evolutionary Biology, University of Chicago, 1025 E. 57th Street, Culver Hall 402, Chicago, IL 60637, United States
| | - Rachel M Santymire
- Committee on Evolutionary Biology, University of Chicago, 1025 E. 57th Street, Culver Hall 402, Chicago, IL 60637, United States; Department of Conservation and Science, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60614, United States
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Watson IPB, Brüne M, Bradley AJ. The evolution of the molecular response to stress and its relevance to trauma and stressor-related disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 68:134-147. [PMID: 27216210 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2015] [Revised: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 05/11/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The experience of "stress", in its broadest meaning, is an inevitable part of life. All living creatures have evolved multiple mechanisms to deal with such threats and challenges and to avoid damage to the organism that may be incurred from these stress responses. Trauma and stressor-related disorders are psychiatric conditions that are caused specifically by the experience of stress, though depression, anxiety and some other disorders may also be unleashed by stress. Stress, however, is not a mandatory criterion of these diagnoses. This article focuses on the evolution of the neurochemicals involved in the response to stress and the systems in which they function. This includes the skin and gut, and the immune system. Evidence suggests that responses to stress are evolutionarily highly conserved, have wider involvement than the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal stress axis alone, and that excessive stress responses can produce stressor-related disorders in both humans and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian P Burges Watson
- University of Tasmania, Department of Psychiatry, Hobart, Tasmania 7005, Australia
| | - Martin Brüne
- LWL University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany.
| | - Adrian J Bradley
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
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Cedergreen N, Nørhave NJ, Svendsen C, Spurgeon DJ. Variable Temperature Stress in the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (Maupas) and Its Implications for Sensitivity to an Additional Chemical Stressor. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0140277. [PMID: 26784453 PMCID: PMC4718611 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2015] [Accepted: 09/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A wealth of studies has investigated how chemical sensitivity is affected by temperature, however, almost always under different constant rather than more realistic fluctuating regimes. Here we compared how the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans responds to copper at constant temperatures (8-24°C) and under fluctuation conditions of low (±4°C) and high (±8°C) amplitude (averages of 12, 16, 20°C and 16°C respectively). The DEBkiss model was used to interpret effects on energy budgets. Increasing constant temperature from 12-24°C reduced time to first egg, life-span and population growth rates consistent with temperature driven metabolic rate change. Responses at 8°C did not, however, accord with this pattern (including a deviation from the Temperature Size Rule), identifying a cold stress effect. High amplitude variation and low amplitude variation around a mean temperature of 12°C impacted reproduction and body size compared to nematodes kept at the matching average constant temperatures. Copper exposure affected reproduction, body size and life-span and consequently population growth. Sensitivity to copper (EC50 values), was similar at intermediate temperatures (12, 16, 20°C) and higher at 24°C and especially the innately stressful 8°C condition. Temperature variation did not increase copper sensitivity. Indeed under variable conditions including time at the stressful 8°C condition, sensitivity was reduced. DEBkiss identified increased maintenance costs and increased assimilation as possible mechanisms for cold and higher copper concentration effects. Model analysis of combined variable temperature effects, however, demonstrated no additional joint stressor response. Hence, concerns that exposure to temperature fluctuations may sensitise species to co-stressor effects seem unfounded in this case.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Cedergreen
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nils Jakob Nørhave
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Claus Svendsen
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, United Kingdom
| | - David J. Spurgeon
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, United Kingdom
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39
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Sopinka NM, Donaldson MR, O’Connor CM, Suski CD, Cooke SJ. Stress Indicators in Fish. FISH PHYSIOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-802728-8.00011-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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40
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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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Crossin GT, Love OP, Cooke SJ, Williams TD. Glucocorticoid manipulations in free‐living animals: considerations of dose delivery, life‐history context and reproductive state. Funct Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Glenn T. Crossin
- Biology Department Dalhousie University Halifax Nova Scotia Canada
| | - Oliver P. Love
- Biology Department University of Windsor Windsor Ontario Canada
| | - Steven J. Cooke
- Fish Ecology & Conservation Physiology Laboratory Institute of Environmental Science and Department of Biology Carleton University Ottawa Ontario Canada
| | - Tony D. Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences Simon Fraser University Burnaby British Columbia Canada
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Aerts J, Metz JR, Ampe B, Decostere A, Flik G, De Saeger S. Scales tell a story on the stress history of fish. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0123411. [PMID: 25922947 PMCID: PMC4414496 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2014] [Accepted: 02/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Fish faced with stressful stimuli launch an endocrine stress response through activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI-) axis to release cortisol into the blood. Scientifically validated biomarkers to capture systemic cortisol exposure over longer periods of time are of utmost importance to assess chronic stress in governmental, wildlife, aquaculture and scientific settings. Here we demonstrate that cortisol in scales of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) is the long-sought biomarker for chronic stress. Undisturbed (CTR) and daily stressed (STRESS) carp were compared. Dexamethasone (DEX) or cortisol (CORT) fed fish served as negative and positive controls, respectively. Scale cortisol was quantified with a validated ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method. An increase in scale cortisol content was found in STRESS and CORT but not in CTR and DEX fish. Scale cortisol content reflects its accumulation in a stressor and time dependent manner and validates the scale cortisol content as biomarker for chronic stress. Plasma analyses confirmed that (i) CTR, DEX and CORT treatments were effective, (ii) plasma cortisol of STRESS fish showed no signs of chronic HPI-axis activation, and (iii) plasma cortisol is a poor predictor for chronic stress. The expression of HPI key genes crf, pomc, and star were up-regulated in STRESS fish in the absence of a plasma cortisol response, as was the target gene of cortisol encoding subunit α1 of the Na+/K+-ATPase in gills. When lost, scales of fish regenerate fast. Regenerated scales corroborate our findings, offering (i) unsurpassed time resolution for cortisol incorporation and as such for stressful events, and (ii) the possibility to investigate stress in a well defined and controlled environment and time frame creating novel opportunities for bone physiological research. We conclude that the cortisol content in ontogenetic and regenerated scales is an innovative biomarker for chronic stress offering ample applications in science and industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan Aerts
- Bio-analysis Research Group, Animal Sciences Unit, Institute for Agriculture and Fisheries Research, Melle, Belgium
- Laboratory of Food Analysis, Department of Bio-analysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- * E-mail:
| | - Juriaan Rogier Metz
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Faculty of Science, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Bart Ampe
- Biostatistics and Data modeling, Animal Sciences Unit, Institute for Agriculture and Fisheries Research, Melle, Belgium
| | - Annemie Decostere
- Department of Morphology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Gert Flik
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Faculty of Science, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Sarah De Saeger
- Laboratory of Food Analysis, Department of Bio-analysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Aronsen GP, Beuerlein MM, Watts DP, Bribiescas RG. Redtail and red colobus monkeys show intersite urinary cortisol concentration variation in Kibale National Park, Uganda. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 3:cov006. [PMID: 27293691 PMCID: PMC4778450 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cov006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2014] [Revised: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 02/02/2015] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Non-invasive measurement of urinary cortisol is a proven method of evaluating the impact of environmental stressors on wild primates. Variation in cortisol concentrations can reflect physiological stress, and prolonged elevation of circulating cortisol can significantly affect individual and population-level health. In a previous study, we found that urinary cortisol concentrations in grey-cheeked mangabeys (Lophocebus albigena) were higher at a highly disturbed site (Mainaro) in Kibale National Park, Uganda compared with a minimally disturbed site (Ngogo) in the same habitat. Here, we expand on this research, reporting on cortisol concentrations in two other cercopithecid monkeys (Cercopithecus ascanius and Piliocolobus rufomitratus) at the same two sites. We hypothesized that C. ascanius would show no difference between sites, given its preference for secondary forests, while P. rufomitratus would have higher cortisol concentrations at the disturbed site. Contrary to expectations, both species exhibited significantly higher cortisol concentrations at Ngogo (minimally disturbed) compared with Mainaro (disturbed). We suggest that these results may be caused by inter- or intragroup social dynamics, intersite differences in predation rate, fruit/food availability and chemistry, or a combination of these factors. These initial evaluations of urinary cortisol concentrations provide testable hypotheses on habitat disturbance and Kibale primate ecophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary P. Aronsen
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - David P. Watts
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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Champagne C, Tift M, Houser D, Crocker D. Adrenal sensitivity to stress is maintained despite variation in baseline glucocorticoids in moulting seals. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 3:cov004. [PMID: 27293689 PMCID: PMC4778431 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cov004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2014] [Revised: 01/21/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2015] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Stressful disturbances activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and result in the release of glucocorticoid (GC) hormones. This characteristic stress response supports immediate energetic demands and subsequent recovery from disturbance. Increased baseline GC concentrations may indicate chronic stress and can impair HPA axis function during exposure to additional stressors. Levels of GCs, however, vary seasonally and with life-history stage, potentially confounding their interpretation. Our objective was to evaluate HPA axis function across variations in baseline GC levels. Northern elephant seals show substantial baseline variation in GC levels during their annual moulting period. We therefore conducted measurements early, in the middle and at the end of moulting; we simulated an acute stressor by administering adrenocorticotrophic hormone and evaluated the changes in circulating hormones and metabolites over the following 2 h. The stress response was characterized by increases in both cortisol and aldosterone (F 7,105 = 153 and 25.3, respectively; P < 0.001). These hormones increased in parallel and the slopes of their relationship varied by study group, suggesting they are regulated in a co--ordinated manner during acute stress in this species. There was no detectable difference in the total release of cortisol or aldosterone among study groups, indicating that the HPA axis remained sensitive to stimulation by adrenocorticotrophic hormone despite varying baseline levels of GCs. Acute stress influenced carbohydrate and fat metabolism in all study groups, but protein catabolism was affected to a far lesser degree. These findings suggest that elephant seals, and potentially other pinniped species, are resilient to moderate variations in baseline GC levels and remain capable of mounting a response to additional stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cory Champagne
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA 92106
, USA
- Corresponding author: NationalMarine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA 92106
, USA. Tel: +1 707 321 6113.
| | - Michael Tift
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA 92093
, USA
| | - Dorian Houser
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA 92106
, USA
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45
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Martin LB, Liebl AL. Physiological flexibility in an avian range expansion. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2014; 206:227-34. [PMID: 25125084 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2014.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2014] [Revised: 06/13/2014] [Accepted: 07/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The mechanisms that enable animals to colonize new areas are little known, but growing evidence indicates that the regulation of stress hormones is important. Stress hormones probably influence invasions because they enable organisms to adjust their phenotypes depending on environmental context. Often, studies of stress hormones are based on single or a few samples from individuals even though the flexibility in the regulation of such hormones is what enables them to achieve homeostasis and facilitate performance. Here, we asked whether flexibility in the regulation of one stress hormone, corticosterone, was related to colonization success in one of the world's most successful avian invaders, the house sparrow (Passer domesticus). We studied Kenyan house sparrows, as the species was recently introduced there (around 1950) and has since expanded northwestward. Previous work in this system revealed that younger populations released more corticosterone during a restraint stressor than older populations. Our first goal was to discern whether such population differences were fixed or flexible in adulthood; our second goal was to determine whether individual identity explained any variation in corticosterone regulation. As before, we found that corticosterone responses to short-term restraint (i.e., stress responses), but not baseline corticosterone, were larger in younger populations. We also found that both baseline and stress-induced corticosterone measures were flexible; both metrics became similar among sites after one week of captivity. For stress responses, we also found that individual identity was important. Altogether, the present data suggest that the colonization of Kenya by house sparrows might have been facilitated by stress hormone regulatory flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn B Martin
- University of South Florida, Department of Integrative Biology, SCA 110, Tampa, FL 33620, United States.
| | - Andrea L Liebl
- University of South Florida, Department of Integrative Biology, SCA 110, Tampa, FL 33620, United States; University of Exeter, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Penryn TR10 9EZ, United Kingdom
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Abstract
Most organisms, including ourselves, are exposed to environmental stressors at various points during life, and responses to such stressors have been optimised by evolution to give the best fitness outcomes. It is expected that environmental change will substantially increase long-term stress exposure in many animal groups in the coming decades. A major challenge for biologists is to understand and predict how this will influence individuals, populations and ecosystems, and over what time scale such effects will occur. This requires a multi-disciplinary approach, combining studies of mechanisms with studies of fitness consequences for individuals and their descendants. In this review, I discuss the positive and negative fitness consequences of responses to stressful environments, particularly during early life, and with an emphasis on studies in birds. As many of the mechanisms underlying stress responses are highly conserved across the vertebrate groups, the findings from these studies have general applicability when interpreted in a life history context. One important route that has recently been identified whereby chronic stress exposure can affect health and longevity over long time frames is via effects on telomere dynamics. Much of this work has so far been done on humans, and is correlational in nature, but studies on other taxa, and experimental work, are increasing. I summarise the relevant aspects of vertebrate telomere biology and critically appraise our current knowledge with a view to pointing out important future research directions for our understanding of how stress exposure influences life histories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pat Monaghan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
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Anderson L, Cree A, Towns D, Nelson N. Modulation of corticosterone secretion in tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus): Evidence of a dampened stress response in gravid females. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2014; 201:45-52. [PMID: 24713446 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2014.03.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [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: 10/21/2013] [Revised: 03/08/2014] [Accepted: 03/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Baseline and stress response glucocorticoid (GC) secretion can be modulated by individuals to support activities and physiological functions connected with reproduction (migration, mating, oviposition and/or parturition, care of young). Corticosterone (CORT) is the primary GC in reptiles and, in accordance with other vertebrates, an adrenocortical stress response is observed. Modulation of CORT secretion occurs in several reptile species, such that elevated baseline CORT concentration and/or a dampened CORT response are common during reproductive life-history events. We investigated CORT secretion after 24 h capture-restraint in the oviparous tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus), the last living rhynchocephalian, and tested whether gravid females have a dampened CORT response compared with non-gravid females. We also included males as a comparison. We confirmed that gravid females have significantly higher baseline plasma CORT concentrations than non-gravid females, suggesting increased CORT secretion during nesting. Furthermore, we found that gravid females exhibit a dampened CORT response compared to non-gravid females and males. Our results demonstrate that female reproductive condition influences CORT secretion in tuatara, and suggest that gravid females modulate CORT secretion during nesting to maintain homeostasis, effectively increasing chances of reproductive success and promoting overall fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay Anderson
- Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand.
| | - Alison Cree
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand.
| | - David Towns
- Ecosystem Development Team, Science and Technical Group, Department of Conservation, Private Bag 68-908 Newton, Auckland 1145, New Zealand.
| | - Nicola Nelson
- Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand.
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Manzur T, Vidal F, Pantoja JF, Fernández M, Navarrete SA. Behavioural and physiological responses of limpet prey to a seastar predator and their transmission to basal trophic levels. J Anim Ecol 2014; 83:923-33. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2013] [Accepted: 01/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Manzur
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA); Universidad Católica del Norte; Larrondo 1281 Coquimbo Chile
- Estación Costera de Investigaciones Marinas and Center for Marine Conservation; Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; Casilla 114-D Santiago Chile
| | - Francisco Vidal
- Estación Costera de Investigaciones Marinas and Center for Marine Conservation; Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; Casilla 114-D Santiago Chile
| | - José F. Pantoja
- Facultad de Ciencias del Mar; Universidad Católica del Norte; Larrondo 1281 Coquimbo Chile
| | - Miriam Fernández
- Estación Costera de Investigaciones Marinas and Center for Marine Conservation; Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; Casilla 114-D Santiago Chile
| | - Sergio A. Navarrete
- Estación Costera de Investigaciones Marinas and Center for Marine Conservation; Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; Casilla 114-D Santiago Chile
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Davies NA, Gramotnev G, McAlpine C, Seabrook L, Baxter G, Lunney D, Rhodes JR, Bradley A. Physiological stress in koala populations near the arid edge of their distribution. PLoS One 2013; 8:e79136. [PMID: 24265749 PMCID: PMC3827162 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2013] [Accepted: 09/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research has shown that the ecology of stress has hitherto been neglected, but it is in fact an important influence on the distribution and numbers of wild vertebrates. Environmental changes have the potential to cause physiological stress that can affect population dynamics. Detailed information on the influence of environmental variables on glucocorticoid levels (a measure of stress) at the trailing edge of a species' distribution can highlight stressors that potentially threaten species and thereby help explain how environmental challenges, such as climate change, will affect the survival of these populations. Rainfall determines leaf moisture and/or nutritional content, which in turn impacts on cortisol concentrations. We show that higher faecal cortisol metabolite (FCM) levels in koala populations at the trailing arid edge of their range in southwestern Queensland are associated with lower rainfall levels (especially rainfall from the previous two months), indicating an increase in physiological stress when moisture levels are low. These results show that koalas at the semi-arid, inland edge of their geographic range, will fail to cope with increasing aridity from climate change. The results demonstrate the importance of integrating physiological assessments into ecological studies to identify stressors that have the potential to compromise the long-term survival of threatened species. This finding points to the need for research to link these stressors to demographic decline to ensure a more comprehensive understanding of species' responses to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Ashley Davies
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Galina Gramotnev
- Landscape Ecology and Conservation Group, School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Clive McAlpine
- Landscape Ecology and Conservation Group, School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Leonie Seabrook
- Landscape Ecology and Conservation Group, School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Greg Baxter
- Landscape Ecology and Conservation Group, School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Daniel Lunney
- Office of Environment and Heritage New South Wales, Hurstville, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Jonathan R. Rhodes
- Landscape Ecology and Conservation Group, School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Adrian Bradley
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
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50
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Norén K, Angerbjörn A. Genetic perspectives on northern population cycles: bridging the gap between theory and empirical studies. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2013; 89:493-510. [PMID: 24779519 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2012] [Revised: 09/30/2013] [Accepted: 10/01/2013] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Many key species in northern ecosystems are characterised by high-amplitude cyclic population demography. In 1924, Charles Elton described the ecology and evolution of cyclic populations in a classic paper and, since then, a major focus has been the underlying causes of population cycles. Elton hypothesised that fluctuations reduced population genetic variation and influenced the direction of selection pressures. In concordance with Elton, present theories concern the direct consequences of population cycles for genetic structure due to the processes of genetic drift and selection, but also include feedback models of genetic composition on population dynamics. Most of these theories gained mathematical support during the 1970s and onwards, but due to methodological drawbacks, difficulties in long-term sampling and a complex interplay between microevolutionary processes, clear empirical data allowing the testing of these predictions are still scarce. Current genetic tools allow for estimates of genetic variation and identification of adaptive genomic regions, making this an ideal time to revisit this subject. Herein, we attempt to contribute towards a consensus regarding the enigma described by Elton almost 90 years ago. We present nine predictions covering the direct and genetic feedback consequences of population cycles on genetic variation and population structure, and review the empirical evidence. Generally, empirical support for the predictions was low and scattered, with obvious gaps in the understanding of basic population processes. We conclude that genetic variation in northern cyclic populations generally is high and that the geographic distribution and amount of diversity are usually suggested to be determined by various forms of context- and density-dependent dispersal exceeding the impact of genetic drift. Furthermore, we found few clear signatures of selection determining genetic composition in cyclic populations. Dispersal is assumed to have a strong impact on genetic structuring and we suggest that the signatures of other microevolutionary processes such as genetic drift and selection are weaker and have been over-shadowed by density-dependent dispersal. We emphasise that basic biological and demographical questions still need to be answered and stress the importance of extensive sampling, appropriate choice of tools and the value of standardised protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Norén
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
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