1
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Benowitz-Fredericks ZM, Will AP, Pete SN, Whelan S, Kitaysky AS. Corticosterone release in very young siblicidal seabird chicks (Rissa tridactyla) is sensitive to environmental variability and responds rapidly and robustly to external challenges. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2024; 355:114545. [PMID: 38701975 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2024.114545] [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: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
In birds, patterns of development of the adrenocortical response to stressors vary among individuals, types of stressors, and species. Since there are benefits and costs of exposure to elevated glucocorticoids, this variation is presumably a product of selection such that animals modulate glucocorticoid secretion in contexts where doing so increases their fitness. In this study, we evaluated hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) activity in first-hatched free-living seabird nestlings that engage in intense sibling competition and facultative siblicide (black-legged kittiwakes, Rissa tridactyla). We sampled 5 day old chicks (of the ∼45 day nestling period), a critical early age when food availability drives establishment of important parent-offspring and intra-brood dynamics. We experimentally supplemented parents with food ("supplemented") and measured chick baseline corticosterone secretion and capacity to rapidly increase corticosterone in response to an acute challenge (handling and 15 min of restraint in a bag). We also used topical administration of corticosterone to evaluate the ability of chicks to downregulate physiologically relevant corticosterone levels on a short time scale (minutes). We found that 5 day old chicks are not hypo-responsive but release corticosterone in proportion to the magnitude of the challenge, showing differences in baseline between parental feeding treatments (supplemented vs non-supplemented), moderate increases in response to handling, and a larger response to restraint (comparable to adults) that also differed between chicks from supplemented and control nests. Topical application of exogenous corticosterone increased circulating levels nearly to restraint-induced levels and induced downregulation of HPA responsiveness to the acute challenge of handling. Parental supplemental feeding did not affect absorbance/clearance or negative feedback. Thus, while endogenous secretion of corticosterone in young chicks is sensitive to environmental context, other aspects of the HPA function, such as rapid negative feedback and/or the ability to clear acute elevations in corticosterone, are not. We conclude that 5 day old kittiwake chicks are capable of robust adrenocortical responses to novel challenges, and are sensitive to parental food availability, which may be transduced behaviorally, nutritionally, or via maternal effects. Questions remain about the function of such rapid, large acute stress-induced increases in corticosterone in very young chicks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - A P Will
- World Wildlife Fund, US Arctic Program, United States; University of Alaska Fairbanks, Department of Biology and Wildlife, Institute of Arctic Biology, United States
| | - S N Pete
- Bucknell University, Department of Biology, 1 Dent Drive, Lewisburg, PA, United States
| | - S Whelan
- Institute for Seabird Research and Conservation, United States
| | - A S Kitaysky
- University of Alaska Fairbanks, Department of Biology and Wildlife, Institute of Arctic Biology, United States
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2
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DeSana AN, Morgan Benowitz-Fredericks Z, Amano A, Gazes RP. Salivary cortisol captures endocrine response to an acute stressor in captive female tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella). Am J Primatol 2024:e23677. [PMID: 39146198 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23677] [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: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 07/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Measuring glucocorticoids such as cortisol is a useful tool for exploring relationships among behavior, physiology, and well-being in primates. As cortisol circulates in blood, it moves into biological matrices such as hair, urine, feces, and saliva. Saliva sampling is a simple, noninvasive method to measure cortisol that can be easily implemented by training animals to voluntarily provide samples. The temporal lag between elevation of cortisol in the blood and elevation of cortisol in saliva likely varies by species and must be characterized to identify appropriate sampling regimens. In the present study we characterized the time course of cortisol changes in saliva following an acute psychological stressor in captive tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella). We trained eight free-moving female tufted capuchin monkeys to voluntarily produce clean saliva samples. We exposed them to the acute stressor of a veterinary catch net and observed behavior pre and post exposure. We collected salivary samples immediately pre exposure (0 min) and 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, and 120 min after exposure. Salivary cortisol was quantified using a Salimetrics kit. Behavioral and cortisol measures were compared within individuals to a control condition in which no stressor was presented. Capuchins showed a clear behavioral response to the stressor by demonstrating increased freezing and pacing, decreased feed foraging, nonsocial play, and scratching, and decreased willingness to provide saliva samples after stressor presentation. After stressor presentation, average salivary cortisol began to increase at 30 min and continued to increase through the 120 min sample period. There was individual variation in absolute cortisol levels, the timing of the cortisol increase, and the timing of the peak. Our results suggest that no single time-point can be reliably used to evaluate salivary cortisol response to an acute stressor across individuals, and instead we recommend the collection of a prolonged time series.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew N DeSana
- Animal Behavior Program, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Z Morgan Benowitz-Fredericks
- Animal Behavior Program, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Aiko Amano
- Animal Behavior Program, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Regina P Gazes
- Animal Behavior Program, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Psychology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
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3
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Vágási CI, Vincze O, Adámková M, Kauzálová T, Lendvai ÁZ, Pătraş LI, Pénzes J, Pap PL, Albrecht T, Tomášek O. Songbirds avoid the oxidative stress costs of high blood glucose levels: a comparative study. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246848. [PMID: 38054362 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246848] [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: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Chronically high blood glucose levels (hyperglycaemia) can compromise healthy ageing and lifespan at the individual level. Elevated oxidative stress can play a central role in hyperglycaemia-induced pathologies. Nevertheless, the lifespan of birds shows no species-level association with blood glucose. This suggests that the potential pathologies of high blood glucose levels can be avoided by adaptations in oxidative physiology at the macroevolutionary scale. However, this hypothesis remains unexplored. Here, we examined this hypothesis using comparative analyses controlled for phylogeny, allometry and fecundity based on data from 51 songbird species (681 individuals with blood glucose data and 1021 individuals with oxidative state data). We measured blood glucose at baseline and after stress stimulus and computed glucose stress reactivity as the magnitude of change between the two time points. We also measured three parameters of non-enzymatic antioxidants (uric acid, total antioxidants and glutathione) and a marker of oxidative lipid damage (malondialdehyde). We found no clear evidence for blood glucose concentration being correlated with either antioxidant or lipid damage levels at the macroevolutionary scale, as opposed to the hypothesis postulating that high blood glucose levels entail oxidative costs. The only exception was the moderate evidence for species with a stronger stress-induced increase in blood glucose concentration evolving moderately lower investment into antioxidant defence (uric acid and glutathione). Neither baseline nor stress-induced glucose levels were associated with oxidative physiology. Our findings support the hypothesis that birds evolved adaptations preventing the (glyc)oxidative costs of high blood glucose observed at the within-species level. Such adaptations may explain the decoupled evolution of glycaemia and lifespan in birds and possibly the paradoxical combination of long lifespan and high blood glucose levels relative to mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Csongor I Vágási
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Centre for Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Orsolya Vincze
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Centre for Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Wetland Ecology Research Group, HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, 4026 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Marie Adámková
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 60300 Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 61137 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Kauzálová
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 60300 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ádám Z Lendvai
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Laura I Pătraş
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Centre of Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Babeş-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Janka Pénzes
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Centre for Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Péter L Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Centre for Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Tomáš Albrecht
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 60300 Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 12800 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Oldřich Tomášek
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 60300 Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 61137 Brno, Czech Republic
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4
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Fortuna R, Paquet M, Biard C, Élard L, Ferreira AC, Leroux-Coyaux M, Parenteau C, Silva LR, Théron F, Covas R, Doutrelant C. Egg components and offspring survival vary with group size and laying order in a cooperative breeder. Oecologia 2023; 202:129-142. [PMID: 37148378 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05379-w] [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: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal resource allocation to offspring can be influenced by maternal environment and offspring value, and affect offspring survival. An important pathway for flexible maternal allocation is via egg components such as nutrients and hormones. In cooperative breeders, females with helpers may increase resource allocation to eggs-'differential allocation'-or reduce it-'load-lightening'. Yet, helper effects on egg composition have been poorly studied. Moreover, it is unknown how helpers' presence modulates laying order effects on egg content and survival. Here, we investigated how maternal allocation varied with group size and laying order in the cooperatively breeding sociable weaver (Philetairus socius). We estimated interactive effects of helpers and laying order on allocation to egg mass, yolk nutrients-yolk mass, proteins, lipids, carotenoids, vitamin A and vitamin E-and hormones-testosterone, androstenedione, and corticosterone. Results concurred with the 'differential allocation' predictions. Females with more helpers produced later-laid eggs with heavier yolks and more lipids, and laid eggs overall richer in lipids. Proteins, antioxidants, and hormones were not found to vary with helper number. We then analyzed how helper number modulated laying order effects on survival. Females with more helpers did not specifically produce later-laid eggs with higher survival, but eggs laid by females with more helpers were overall more likely to fledge. These findings show that some egg components (yolk mass, lipids) can positively vary according to females' breeding group size, which may improve offspring fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Fortuna
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4099-002, Porto, Portugal.
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, CEFE, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, 34293, Montpellier, France.
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Institutt for Biologi, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Matthieu Paquet
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7044, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden
- Institute of Mathematics of Bordeaux, University of Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, Talence, France
| | - Clotilde Biard
- Sorbonne Université, UPEC, CNRS, IRD, INRA, Institut d'Écologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, IEES, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Loïc Élard
- Sorbonne Université, UPEC, CNRS, IRD, INRA, Institut d'Écologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, IEES, 75005, Paris, France
| | - André C Ferreira
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, CEFE, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, 34293, Montpellier, France
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mathieu Leroux-Coyaux
- Sorbonne Université, UPEC, CNRS, IRD, INRA, Institut d'Écologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, IEES, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Charline Parenteau
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Liliana R Silva
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Franck Théron
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, CEFE, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, 34293, Montpellier, France
| | - Rita Covas
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, FitzPatrick Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Claire Doutrelant
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, CEFE, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, 34293, Montpellier, France
- DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, FitzPatrick Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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5
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Claunch NM, Downs CJ, Schoenle LA, Oakey SJ, Ely T, Romagosa C, Briggs CW. Snap-freezing in the Field: Effect of Sample Holding Time on Performance of Bactericidal Assays. Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:1693-1699. [PMID: 35294024 PMCID: PMC9801962 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Comparative analyses in biology rely on the quality of available data. Methodological differences among studies may introduce variation in results that obscure patterns. In the field of eco-immunology, functional immune assays such as antimicrobial capacity assays are widely used for among-species applications. Sample storage time and animal handling time can influence assay results in some species, but how sample holding time prior to freezing influences assay results is unknown. Sample holding time can vary widely in field studies on wild animals, prompting the need to understand the implications of such variation on assay results. We investigated the hypothesis that sample holding time prior to freezing influences assay results in six species (Leiocephalus carinatus, Iguana iguana, Loxodonta africana, Ceratotherium simum, Columba livia, and Buteo swainsoni) by comparing antibacterial capacity of serum with varying processing times prior to snap-freezing. Blood was collected once from each individual and aliquots were placed on ice and assigned different holding times (0, 30, 60, 180, and 240 min), after which each sample was centrifuged, then serum was separated and snap-frozen on dry ice and stored at -80ºC for 60 days prior to assaying. For each aliquot, we conducted antibacterial capacity assays with serial dilutions of serum inoculated with E. coli and extracted the dilution at 50% antibacterial capacity for analysis. We found a decrease in antibacterial capacity with increased holding time in one of the six species tested (B. swainsoni), driven in part by complete loss of antibacterial capacity in some individuals at the 240-min time point. While the majority of species' antibacterial capacity were not affected, our results demonstrate the need to conduct pilot assays spanning the anticipated variation in sample holding times to develop appropriate field protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie M Claunch
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32601, USA
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Cynthia J Downs
- Department of Environmental Biology, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Laura A Schoenle
- Office of Undergraduate Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Samantha J Oakey
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Teresa Ely
- Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, Sausalito, CA 94965, USA
| | - Christina Romagosa
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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6
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Bauer CM, Watts HE. Corticosterone's roles in avian migration: Assessment of three hypotheses. Horm Behav 2021; 135:105033. [PMID: 34273707 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
While corticosterone (CORT) is often suggested to be an important hormone regulating processes necessary for avian migration, there has been no systematic assessment of CORT's role in migration. Prior to migration, birds increase fat stores and flight muscle size to prepare for the high energetic costs associated with long-distance flight. After attaining sufficient energetic stores, birds then make the actual decision to depart from their origin site. Once en route birds alternate between periods of flight and stopovers, during which they rest and refuel for their next bouts of endurance flight. Here, we evaluate three non-mutually exclusive hypotheses that have been proposed in the literature for CORT's role in migration. (1) CORT facilitates physiological preparations for migration [e.g. hyperphagia, fattening, and flight muscle hypertrophy]. (2) CORT stimulates departure from origin or stopover sites. (3) CORT supports sustained migratory travel. After examining the literature to test predictions stemming from each of these three hypotheses, we found weak support for a role of CORT in physiological preparation for migration. However, we found moderate support for a role of CORT in stimulating departures, as CORT increases immediately prior to departure and is higher when migratory restlessness is displayed. We also found moderate support for the hypothesis that CORT helps maintain sustained travel, as CORT is generally higher during periods of flight, though few studies have tested this hypothesis. We provide recommendations for future studies that would help to further resolve the role of CORT in migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn M Bauer
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, USA.
| | - Heather E Watts
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA; Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
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7
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Miller LJ, Lauderdale LK, Walsh MT, Bryant JL, Mitchell KA, Granger DA, Mellen JD. Reference intervals and values for fecal cortisol, aldosterone, and the ratio of cortisol to dehydroepiandrosterone metabolites in four species of cetaceans. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0250331. [PMID: 34460862 PMCID: PMC8404979 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The goal of the current study was to create reference intervals and values for several common and one potential novel physiological indicators of animal welfare for four species of cetaceans. The subjects included 189 bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), 27 Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus), eight Pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens), and 13 beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) at Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums and/or Association of Zoos and Aquariums accredited facilities. During two sampling time periods between July and November of 2018 and between January and April of 2019, fecal samples were collected weekly for five weeks from all animals. Samples were processed and analyzed using enzyme immunoassay for fecal cortisol, aldosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) metabolites. Linear mixed models were used to examine demographic and time factors impacting hormone metabolite concentrations. Age, sex, and time of year were all significant predictors for some of the models (p < 0.01). An iOS mobile application ZooPhysioTrak was created for easy access to species-specific reference intervals and values accounting for significant predictors. For facilities without access to this application, additional reference intervals and values were constructed without accounting for significant predictors. Information gained from this study and the use of the application can provide reference intervals and values to make informed management decisions for cetaceans in zoological facilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lance J. Miller
- Conservation Science and Animal Welfare Research, Chicago Zoological Society–Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Lisa K. Lauderdale
- Conservation Science and Animal Welfare Research, Chicago Zoological Society–Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Michael T. Walsh
- Department of Comparative, Diagnostic & Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
| | - Jocelyn L. Bryant
- Conservation Science and Animal Welfare Research, Chicago Zoological Society–Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Kevin A. Mitchell
- Conservation Science and Animal Welfare Research, Chicago Zoological Society–Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Douglas A. Granger
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Jill D. Mellen
- Biology Department, Portland State University, Portland, OR, United States of America
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8
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Goymann W, Schwabl H. The tyranny of phylogeny-A plea for a less dogmatic stance on two-species comparisons: Funding bodies, journals and referees discourage two- or few-species comparisons, but such studies provide essential insights complementary to phylogenetic comparative studies. Bioessays 2021; 43:e2100071. [PMID: 34155665 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202100071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Phylogenetically controlled studies across multiple species correct for taxonomic confounds in physiological performance traits. Therefore, they are preferred over comparisons of two or few closely-related species. Funding bodies, referees and journal editors nowadays often even reject to consider detailed comparisons of two or few closely related species. Here, we plea for a less dogmatic stance on such comparisons, because phylogenetic studies come with their own limitations similar in magnitude as those of two-species comparisons. Two-species comparisons are particularly relevant and instructive for understanding physiological pathways and de novo mutations in three contexts: in a purely mechanistic context, when differences in the regulation of a trait are the focus of investigation, when a physiological trait lacks a direct connection to fitness, and when physiological measures cannot easily be standardized among laboratories. In conclusion, phylogenetic comparative and two-species studies have different strengths and weaknesses and combining these complementary approaches will help integrating biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Goymann
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Hubert Schwabl
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
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9
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Husak JF, Fuxjager MJ, Johnson MA, Vitousek MN, Donald JW, Francis CD, Goymann W, Hau M, Kircher BK, Knapp R, Martin LB, Miller ET, Schoenle LA, Williams TD. Life history and environment predict variation in testosterone across vertebrates. Evolution 2021; 75:1003-1010. [PMID: 33755201 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine systems act as key intermediaries between organisms and their environments. This interaction leads to high variability in hormone levels, but we know little about the ecological factors that influence this variation within and across major vertebrate groups. We study this topic by assessing how various social and environmental dynamics influence testosterone levels across the entire vertebrate tree of life. Our analyses show that breeding season length and mating system are the strongest predictors of average testosterone concentrations, whereas breeding season length, environmental temperature, and variability in precipitation are the strongest predictors of within-population variation in testosterone. Principles from small-scale comparative studies that stress the importance of mating opportunity and competition on the evolution of species differences in testosterone levels, therefore, likely apply to the entire vertebrate lineage. Meanwhile, climatic factors associated with rainfall and ambient temperature appear to influence variability in plasma testosterone, within a given species. These results, therefore, reveal how unique suites of ecological factors differentially explain scales of variation in circulating testosterone across mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerry F Husak
- Department of Biology, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | | | - Maren N Vitousek
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.,Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | | | - Clinton D Francis
- Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, USA
| | | | - Michaela Hau
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, 82319, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, 78457, Germany
| | - Bonnie K Kircher
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Rosemary Knapp
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Lynn B Martin
- Department of Global and Planetary Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | | | - Laura A Schoenle
- Department of Global and Planetary Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.,Office of Undergraduate Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Tony D Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada
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10
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Claunch N, Moore I, Waye H, Schoenle L, Oakey SJ, Reed RN, Romagosa C. Understanding metrics of stress in the context of invasion history: the case of the brown treesnake ( Boiga irregularis). CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 9:coab008. [PMID: 35145697 PMCID: PMC8631081 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Invasive species can exert rapid depletion of resources after introduction and, in turn, affect their own population density. Additionally, management actions can have direct and indirect effects on demography. Physiological variables can predict demographic change but are often restricted to snapshots-in-time and delayed confirmation of changes in population density reduces their utility. To evaluate the relationships between physiology and demography, we assessed metrics of individual and demographic stress (baseline and 1-h corticosterone (CORT), body condition and bacterial killing ability) in the invasive snake Boiga irregularis on Guam collected in intervals of 10-15 years. We also assessed potential discrepancies between different methods of measuring hormones [radioimmunoassay (RIA) versus enzyme immunoassay (EIA)]. The magnitude of difference between RIA and EIA was negligible and did not change gross interpretation of our results. We found that body condition was higher in recent samples (2003 and 2018) versus older (1992-93) samples. We found corresponding differences in baseline CORT, with higher baseline CORT in older, poorer body condition samples. Hormonal response to acute stress was higher in 2018 relative to 2003. We also found a weak relationship between circulating CORT and bacterial killing ability among 2018 samples, but the biological significance of the relationship is not clear. In an effort to develop hypotheses for future investigation of the links between physiology and demography in this and other systems, we discuss how the changes in CORT and body condition may reflect changes in population dynamics, resource availability or management pressure. Ultimately, we advocate for the synchronization of physiology and management studies to advance the field of applied conservation physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Claunch
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of
Florida, 103 Black Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Ignacio Moore
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech,
Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Heather Waye
- Division of Science and Mathematics, University of Minnesota
Morris, Morris, MN 56267, USA
| | - Laura Schoenle
- Office of Undergraduate Biology, Cornell University,
Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Samantha J Oakey
- University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine,
Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Robert N Reed
- US Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort
Collins, CO 80526, USA
| | - Christina Romagosa
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation,
University of Florida, 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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11
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Abstract
Synopsis
Females of some species are considered sex-role reversed, meaning that they face stronger competition for mates compared to males. While much attention has been paid to behavioral and morphological patterns associated with sex-role reversal, less is known about its physiological regulation. Here, we evaluate hypotheses relating to the neuroendocrine basis of sex-role reversal. We refute the most widely tested activational hypothesis for sex differences in androgen secretion; sex-role reversed females do not have higher levels of androgens in circulation than males. However, we find some evidence that the effects of androgens may be sex-specific; circulating androgen levels correlate with some competitive phenotypes in sex-role reversed females. We also review evidence that sex-role reversed females have higher tissue-specific sensitivity to androgens than males, at least in some species and tissues. Organizational effects may explain these relationships, considering that early exposure to sex steroids can shape later sensitivity to hormones, often in sex-specific ways. Moving forward, experimental and correlative studies on the ontogeny and expression of sex-role reversal will further clarify the mechanisms that generate sex-specific behaviors and sex roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara E Lipshutz
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Kimberly A Rosvall
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
- Center for the Integrated Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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12
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Defolie C, Merkling T, Fichtel C. Patterns and variation in the mammal parasite-glucocorticoid relationship. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 95:74-93. [PMID: 31608587 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Revised: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Parasites are ubiquitous and can strongly affect their hosts through mechanisms such as behavioural changes, increased energetic costs and/or immunomodulation. When parasites are detrimental to their hosts, they should act as physiological stressors and elicit the release of glucocorticoids. Alternatively, previously elevated glucocorticoid levels could facilitate parasite infection due to neuroimmunomodulation. However, results are equivocal, with studies showing either positive, negative or no relationship between parasite infection and glucocorticoid levels. Since factors such as parasite type, infection severity or host age and sex can influence the parasite-glucocorticoid relationship, we review the main mechanisms driving this relationship. We then perform a phylogenetic meta-analysis of 110 records from 65 studies in mammalian hosts from experimental and observational studies to quantify the general direction of this relationship and to identify ecological and methodological drivers of the observed variability. Our review produced equivocal results concerning the direction of the relationship, but there was stronger support for a positive relationship, although causality remained unclear. Mechanisms such as host manipulation for parasite survival, host response to infection, cumulative effects of multiple stressors, and neuro-immunomodulatory effects of glucocorticoids could explain the positive relationship. Our meta-analysis results revealed an overall positive relationship between glucocorticoids and parasitism among both experimental and observational studies. Because all experimental studies included were parasite manipulations, we conclude that parasites caused in general an increase in glucocorticoid levels. To obtain a better understanding of the directionality of this link, experimental manipulation of glucocorticoid levels is now required to assess the causal effects of high glucocorticoid levels on parasite infection. Neither parasite type, the method used to assess parasite infection nor phylogeny influenced the relationship, and there was no evidence for publication bias. Future studies should attempt to be as comprehensive as possible, including moderators potentially influencing the parasite-glucocorticoid relationship. We particularly emphasise the importance of testing hosts of a broad age range, concomitantly measuring sex hormone levels or at least reproductive status, and for observational studies, also considering food availability, host body condition and social stressors to obtain a better understanding of the parasite-glucocorticoid relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Defolie
- Sociobiology/Anthropology Department, University of Göttingen, Kellnerweg 6, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.,Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.,Leibniz ScienceCampus "Primate Cognition", German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Merkling
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Macdonald-Stewart Building, 21111 Lakeshore Road, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Québec, H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Claudia Fichtel
- Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.,Leibniz ScienceCampus "Primate Cognition", German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
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13
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Millikin AR, Woodley SK, Davis DR, Moore IT, Anderson JT. Water-borne and plasma corticosterone are not correlated in spotted salamanders. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:13942-13953. [PMID: 31938493 PMCID: PMC6953692 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Water-borne hormone measurement is a noninvasive method suitable for amphibians of all sizes that are otherwise difficult to sample. For this method, containment-water is assayed for hormones released by the animal. Originally developed in fish, the method has expanded to amphibians, but requires additional species-specific validations. We wanted to determine physiological relevance of water-borne corticosterone in spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) by comparing concentrations to those taken using established corticosterone sampling methods, such as plasma. Using a mixture of field and laboratory studies, we compared water-borne corticosterone levels to other traditional methods of sampling corticosterone for spotted salamander larvae, metamorphs, and adults. Despite multiple attempts, and detecting differences between age groups, we found no correlations between water-borne and plasma corticosterone levels in any age group. Water-borne sampling measures a rate of release; whereas plasma is the concentration circulating in the blood. The unique units of measurement may inherently prevent correlations between the two. These two methods may also require different interpretations of the data and the physiological meaning. We also note caveats with the method, including how to account for differences in body size and life history stages. Collectively, our results illustrate the importance of careful validation of water-borne hormone levels in each species in order to understand its physiological significance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah K. Woodley
- Department of Biological SciencesDuquesne UniversityPittsburghPAUSA
| | - Drew R. Davis
- School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine SciencesUniversity of Texas Rio Grande ValleySouth Padre IslandTXUSA
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14
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Vitousek MN, Johnson MA, Downs CJ, Miller ET, Martin LB, Francis CD, Donald JW, Fuxjager MJ, Goymann W, Hau M, Husak JF, Kircher BK, Knapp R, Schoenle LA, Williams TD. Macroevolutionary Patterning in Glucocorticoids Suggests Different Selective Pressures Shape Baseline and Stress-Induced Levels. Am Nat 2019; 193:866-880. [DOI: 10.1086/703112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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15
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Behringer V, Stevens JMG, Wittig RM, Crockford C, Zuberbühler K, Leendertz FH, Deschner T. Elevated neopterin levels in wild, healthy chimpanzees indicate constant investment in unspecific immune system. BMC ZOOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1186/s40850-019-0041-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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16
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Martin LB, Vitousek M, Donald JW, Flock T, Fuxjager MJ, Goymann W, Hau M, Husak J, Johnson MA, Kircher B, Knapp R, Miller ET, Schoenle LA, Williams T, Francis CD. IUCN Conservation Status Does Not Predict Glucocorticoid Concentrations in Reptiles and Birds. Integr Comp Biol 2019; 58:800-813. [PMID: 30052988 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icy102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Circulating glucocorticoids (GCs) are the most commonly used biomarkers of stress in wildlife. However, their utility as a tool for identifying and/or managing at-risk species has varied. Here, we took a very broad approach to conservation physiology, asking whether International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listing status (concern versus no obvious concern) and/or location within a geographic range (edge versus non-edge) predicted baseline and post-restraint concentrations of corticosterone (CORT) among many species of birds and reptiles. Even though such an approach can be viewed as coarse, we asked in this analysis whether CORT concentrations might be useful to implicate species at risk. Indeed, our effort, relying on HormoneBase, a repository of data on wildlife steroids, complements several other large-scale efforts in this issue to describe and understand GC variation. Using a phylogenetically informed Bayesian approach, we found little evidence that either IUCN status or edge/non-edge location in a geographic distribution were related to GC levels. However, we did confirm patterns described in previous studies, namely that breeding condition and evolutionary relatedness among species predicted some GC variation. Given the broad scope of our work, we are reluctant to conclude that IUCN status and location within a range are unrelated to GC regulation. We encourage future more targeted efforts on GCs in at-risk populations to reveal how factors leading to IUCN listing or the environmental conditions at range edges impact individual performance and fitness, particularly in the mammals, amphibians, and fish species we could not study here because data are currently unavailable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn B Martin
- Department of Global Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Maren Vitousek
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Jeremy W Donald
- Coates Library, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA
| | - Travis Flock
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA
| | | | - Michaela Hau
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319 Starnberg, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Jerry Husak
- Department of Biology, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN 55105, USA
| | - Michele A Johnson
- Department of Biology, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA
| | - Bonnie Kircher
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
| | - Rosemary Knapp
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | | | - Laura A Schoenle
- Department of Global Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA.,Department of Biology, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY 13323, USA
| | - Tony Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6
| | - Clinton D Francis
- Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
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17
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Glucs ZE, Smith DR, Tubbs CW, Jones Scherbinski J, Welch A, Burnett J, Clark M, Eng C, Finkelstein ME. Glucocorticoid measurement in plasma, urates, and feathers from California condors (Gymnogyps californianus) in response to a human-induced stressor. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0205565. [PMID: 30352070 PMCID: PMC6198957 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Vertebrates respond to stressful stimuli with the secretion of glucocorticoid (GC) hormones, such as corticosterone (CORT), and measurements of these hormones in wild species can provide insight into physiological responses to environmental and human-induced stressors. California condors (Gymnogyps californianus) are a critically endangered and intensively managed avian species for which information on GC response to stress is lacking. Here we evaluated a commercially available I125 double antibody radioimmunoassay (RIA) and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit for measurement of CORT and GC metabolites (GCM) in California condor plasma, urate, and feather samples. The precision and accuracy of the RIA assay outperformed the ELISA for CORT and GCM measurements, and CORT and GCM values were not comparable between the two assays for any sample type. RIA measurements of total CORT in condor plasma collected from 41 condors within 15 minutes of a handling stressor were highly variable (median = 70 ng/mL, range = 1-189 ng/mL) and significantly different between wild and captive condors (p = 0.02, two-tailed t-test, n = 10 wild and 11 captive). Urate GCM levels (median = 620 ng/g dry wt., range = 0.74-7200 ng/g dry wt., n = 216) significantly increased within 2 hr of the acute handling stressor (p = 0.032, n = 11 condors, one-tailed paired t-test), while feather section CORT concentrations (median = 18 pg/mm, range = 6.3-68 ng/g, n = 37) also varied widely within and between feathers. Comparison of multiple regression linear models shows condor age as a significant predictors of plasma CORT levels, while age, sex, and plasma CORT levels predicted GCM levels in urates collected within 30 min of the start of handling. Our findings highlight the need for validation when selecting an immunoassay for use with a new species, and suggest that non-invasively collected urates and feathers hold promise for assessing condor responses to acute or chronic environmental and human-induced stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeka E. Glucs
- Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Donald R. Smith
- Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America
| | - Christopher W. Tubbs
- San Diego Zoo Global, Institute for Conservation Research, Escondido, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Alacia Welch
- National Park Service, Pinnacles National Park, Paicines, CA, United States of America
| | - Joseph Burnett
- Ventana Wildlife Society, Monterey, CA, United States of America
| | - Michael Clark
- Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Curtis Eng
- Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Myra E. Finkelstein
- Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America
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18
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Shevchouk OT, Ghorbanpoor S, Smith E, Liere P, Schumacher M, Ball GF, Cornil CA, Balthazart J. Behavioral evidence for sex steroids hypersensitivity in castrated male canaries. Horm Behav 2018; 103:80-96. [PMID: 29909262 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [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: 11/07/2017] [Revised: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In seasonally breeding songbirds such as canaries, singing behavior is predominantly under the control of testosterone and its metabolites. Short daylengths in the fall that break photorefractoriness are followed by increasing daylengths in spring that activate singing via both photoperiodic and hormonal mechanisms. However, we observed in a group of castrated male Fife fancy canaries maintained for a long duration under a short day photoperiod a large proportion of subjects that sang at high rates. This singing rate was not correlated with variation in the low circulating concentrations of testosterone. Treatment of these actively singing castrated male canaries with a combination of an aromatase inhibitor (ATD) and an androgen receptor blocker (flutamide) only marginally decreased this singing activity as compared to control untreated birds and did not affect various measures of song quality. The volumes of HVC and of the medial preoptic nucleus (POM) were also unaffected by these treatments but were relatively large and similar to volumes in testosterone-treated males. In contrast, peripheral androgen-sensitive structures such as the cloacal protuberance and syrinx mass were small, similar to what is observed in castrates. Together these data suggest that after a long-term steroid deprivation singing behavior can be activated by very low concentrations of testosterone. Singing normally depends on the activation by testosterone and its metabolites of multiple downstream neurochemical systems such as catecholamines, nonapeptides or opioids. These transmitter systems might become hypersensitive to steroid action after long term castration as they probably are at the end of winter during the annual cycle in seasonally breeding temperate zone species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ed Smith
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States of America
| | - Philippe Liere
- INSERM UMR 1195 and Université Paris Sud and University Paris-Saclay, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre Cedex, France
| | - Michael Schumacher
- INSERM UMR 1195 and Université Paris Sud and University Paris-Saclay, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre Cedex, France
| | - Gregory F Ball
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States of America
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19
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Francis CD, Donald JW, Fuxjager MJ, Goymann W, Hau M, Husak JF, Johnson MA, Kircher BK, Knapp R, Martin LB, Miller ET, Schoenle LA, Vitousek MN, Williams TD, Downs CJ. Metabolic Scaling of Stress Hormones in Vertebrates. Integr Comp Biol 2018; 58:729-738. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icy063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Clinton D Francis
- Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - Jeremy W Donald
- Coates Library, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA
| | - Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA
| | - Wolfgang Goymann
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, 82319 Starnberg, Germany
| | - Michaela Hau
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, 82319 Starnberg, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany
| | - Jerry F Husak
- Department of Biology, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN 55105, USA
| | - Michele A Johnson
- Department of Biology, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA
| | - Bonnie K Kircher
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
| | - Rosemary Knapp
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Lynn B Martin
- Department of Global Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | | | - Laura A Schoenle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Maren N Vitousek
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Tony D Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6
| | - Cynthia J Downs
- Department of Biology, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY 13323, USA
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20
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Vitousek MN, Johnson MA, Donald JW, Francis CD, Fuxjager MJ, Goymann W, Hau M, Husak JF, Kircher BK, Knapp R, Martin LB, Miller ET, Schoenle LA, Uehling JJ, Williams TD. HormoneBase, a population-level database of steroid hormone levels across vertebrates. Sci Data 2018; 5:180097. [PMID: 29786693 PMCID: PMC5963335 DOI: 10.1038/sdata.2018.97] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Hormones are central regulators of organismal function and flexibility that mediate a diversity of phenotypic traits from early development through senescence. Yet despite these important roles, basic questions about how and why hormone systems vary within and across species remain unanswered. Here we describe HormoneBase, a database of circulating steroid hormone levels and their variation across vertebrates. This database aims to provide all available data on the mean, variation, and range of plasma glucocorticoids (both baseline and stress-induced) and androgens in free-living and un-manipulated adult vertebrates. HormoneBase (www.HormoneBase.org) currently includes >6,580 entries from 476 species, reported in 648 publications from 1967 to 2015, and unpublished datasets. Entries are associated with data on the species and population, sex, year and month of study, geographic coordinates, life history stage, method and latency of hormone sampling, and analysis technique. This novel resource could be used for analyses of the function and evolution of hormone systems, and the relationships between hormonal variation and a variety of processes including phenotypic variation, fitness, and species distributions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maren N Vitousek
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Michele A Johnson
- Department of Biology, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA
| | - Jeremy W Donald
- Coates Library, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA
| | - Clinton D Francis
- Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA
| | | | - Michaela Hau
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen 82319, Germany
| | - Jerry F Husak
- Department of Biology, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN 55105, USA
| | - Bonnie K Kircher
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
| | - Rosemary Knapp
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Lynn B Martin
- Department of Global Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | | | - Laura A Schoenle
- Department of Global Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Jennifer J Uehling
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Tony D Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
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21
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Schoenemann KL, Bonier F. Repeatability of glucocorticoid hormones in vertebrates: a meta-analysis. PeerJ 2018; 6:e4398. [PMID: 29492340 PMCID: PMC5826989 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
We often expect that investigations of the patterns, causes, and consequences of among-individual variation in a trait of interest will reveal how selective pressures or ecological conditions influence that trait. However, many endocrine traits, such as concentrations of glucocorticoid (GC) hormones, exhibit adaptive plasticity and, therefore, do not necessarily respond to these pressures as predicted by among-individual phenotypic correlations. To improve our interpretations of among-individual variation in GC concentrations, we need more information about the repeatability of these traits within individuals. Many studies have already estimated the repeatability of baseline, stress-induced, and integrated GC measures, which provides an opportunity to use meta-analytic techniques to investigate (1) whether GC titers are generally repeatable across taxa, and (2) which biological or methodological factors may impact these estimates. From an intensive search of the literature, we collected 91 GC repeatability estimates from 47 studies. Overall, we found evidence that GC levels are repeatable, with mean repeatability estimates across studies ranging from 0.230 for baseline levels to 0.386 for stress-induced levels. We also noted several factors that predicted the magnitude of these estimates, including taxon, sampling season, and lab technique. Amphibians had significantly higher repeatability in baseline and stress-induced GCs than birds, mammals, reptiles, or bony fish. The repeatability of stress-induced GCs was higher when measured within, rather than across, life history stages. Finally, estimates of repeatability in stress-induced and integrated GC measures tended to be lower when GC concentrations were quantified using commercial kit assays rather than in-house assays. The extent to which among-individual variation in GCs may explain variation in organismal performance or fitness (and thereby inform our understanding of the ecological and evolutionary processes driving that variation) depends on whether measures of GC titers accurately reflect how individuals differ overall. Our findings suggest that while GC titers can reflect some degree of consistent differences among individuals, they frequently may not. We discuss how our findings contribute to interpretations of variation in GCs, and suggest routes for the design and analysis of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Frances Bonier
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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