Article
Environmental Sciences
Zachery R. Forsburg, Alex Guzman, Caitlin R. Gabor
Summary: Artificial light at night (ALAN) can physiologically stress tadpoles of Rio Grande leopard frog and Gulf Coast toad, but the response varies between species. Short-term exposure to constant or pulsed light at night may contribute to stress in tadpoles, with different modulation of the stress response observed between the two species.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Emily K. C. Kennedy, David M. Janz
Summary: Fish scales can incorporate cortisol over long periods of time, making them a promising tool for assessing long-term stress in teleost fish. This study aimed to further explore the relationship between cortisol, DHEA, and cortisone in a native fish species by implementing a stress protocol in adult rainbow trout. The results showed that scale concentrations of all hormones were elevated in stressed trout compared to controls, suggesting that scales provide a superior medium for assessing long-term stress. Additionally, the cortisol:DHEA and cortisone:cortisol ratios were different between control and stressed group scales, indicating that the addition of scale cortisone and DHEA may provide additional relevant information for such assessments.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Betzi Perez-Ortega, Andrew P. Hendry
Summary: Free-ranging wild vertebrates need to deal with stressors that affect their behavior and physiology, and glucocorticoid hormones are commonly used as biomarkers to measure their stress responses in areas with high human disturbance. A meta-analysis was conducted to examine the impact of human disturbances on baseline glucocorticoid hormones in wild vertebrates and found that living in unprotected areas or areas with habitat conversion increased hormone levels compared to living in protected or undisturbed areas. Ecotourism and habitat degradation did not consistently increase hormone levels. Mammals were more sensitive to human disturbance than birds.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Zoology
L. Michael Romero, Ursula K. Beattie
Summary: Glucocorticoid levels do not always indicate distress in animals; low concentrations do not necessarily mean the animal is healthy; sustained high levels do not necessarily indicate chronic stress; and glucocorticoids do not mobilize energy for short-term stress, but instead hinder glucose utilization. Additionally, measurements in non-blood tissues give imperfect reflections of blood concentrations.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART A-ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Katharina Ruthsatz, Rafael Rico-Millan, Paula Cabral Eterovick, Ivan Gomez-Mestre, Steven Cooke
Summary: Global change is impacting biodiversity and leading to declines in amphibian populations, making it important to develop non-invasive methods for studying the physiological stress in these animals. The hormone corticosterone is a useful biomarker for assessing stress, and sampling water-borne corticosterone can provide a non-invasive collection method. This study tested the validity of water-borne corticosterone as a proxy for organismal levels of corticosterone in common frog larvae, and found that it is a valid method in pro-metamorphic larvae. However, the correlation between tissue and water-borne corticosterone was not observed in other developmental stages. The study highlights the potential of water-borne corticosterone as a non-invasive tool for studying late-stage amphibian larvae, but suggests that context and developmental stage should be considered when using this method.
CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Conor C. Taff, John C. Wingfield, Maren N. Vitousek
Summary: The acute glucocorticoid response is crucial for the coordinated vertebrate response to unpredictable challenges. There are variations in both the scope and speed of the glucocorticoid response across species, and these variations are associated with individual differences in performance, environment, and life history. The relative speed of the glucocorticoid response can vary independently of the absolute scope, suggesting that both features can be independently shaped by selection. The speed of the glucocorticoid response is linked to coping ability and might be regulated through non-genomic receptors.
HORMONES AND BEHAVIOR
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Sara J. McClelland, Sarah K. Woodley
Summary: The study tested the validity of using water-borne (WB) CORT as a measure of CORT in Northern Leopard Frogs, finding it effective for prometamorphic tadpoles but less so for metamorphs. WB CORT was found to be correlated with plasma CORT in tadpoles but not in metamorphs, indicating its sensitivity varies with life-history stage.
GENERAL AND COMPARATIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xuan Zhang, Yinghui Wei, Xiaoxuan Li, Chengyu Li, Liangliang Zhang, Zhaojun Liu, Yan Cao, Weijian Li, Xiying Zhang, Jiaqing Zhang, Ming Shen, Honglin Liu
Summary: CORT inhibits Lhcgr expression in mouse ovarian granulosa cells (GCs), leading to impaired follicular development. The effect of CORT is mediated by its receptor Nr3c1 in GCs. Nr3c1 may regulate Lhcgr transcription by inhibiting the expression of Lhcgr transcription factors AP1 and Creb.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Stevie N. Florent, Judy Clarke, Meredith J. Bashaw, Rodrigo Hamede, Menna E. Jones, Elissa Z. Cameron
Summary: Captivity can have physiological and behavioral effects on animals, potentially affecting conservation efforts. This study investigated the long-term effects of captivity on Tasmanian devils and found that both intensive captive and free-range captive environments maintained stress profiles similar to wild devils, indicating potential success in future reintroductions.
JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Ashlee J. Mikkelsen, Damon B. Lesmeister, Kathleen M. O'Reilly, Katie M. Dugger
Summary: The study found that feather corticosterone in juvenile spotted owls is positively related to temperature and precipitation, and negatively related to juvenile mass at banding. Importantly, in lighter juveniles, increased precipitation is associated with higher levels of feather corticosterone, while greater mass can decrease the effect of precipitation.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Katlyn J. An, Ashley N. Hanato, Katherine W. Hui, Matthew W. Pitts, Lucia A. Seale, Jessica L. Nicholson, Pamela Toh, Jun Kyoung Kim, Marla J. Berry, Daniel J. Torres
Summary: The use of glucocorticoid medications can cause metabolic side effects such as overeating, weight gain, and insulin resistance. The hypothalamus, a regulator of feeding behavior and energy expenditure, is responsive to glucocorticoids and may play a role in metabolic defects. Selenium has been found to counter the effects of glucocorticoids and is important for hypothalamic function. This study aimed to investigate if selenium could protect hypothalamic cells from dysfunction caused by glucocorticoid exposure.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Asha Perera, Catherine Soos, Karen Machin
Summary: Human-induced long-term environmental changes have significant impacts on wildlife health. The use of metabolomics in studying stress in birds is still in its early stages. A study on captive lesser scaup ducks found that physiological stress induced by CORT pellets altered energy metabolism and resulted in distinct metabolite profiles compared to the control group.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
T. Bartels, J. Berk, K. Cramer, E. Kanitz, W. Otten
Summary: The study analyzed the effects of corticosterone supplementation on feather corticosterone concentrations (fCORT) in layer pullets, finding that increased corticosterone levels led to decreased body weight, shorter and lighter feathers, and a delayed molt. The results suggest that fCORT measurement can be a useful tool for evaluating long-term stress in chickens and may have implications for animal welfare research.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Shannon L. O'Brien, Christian G. Irian, George E. Bentley, Eileen A. Lacey
Summary: Social relationships can influence glucocorticoid levels in the blood, but the effects vary among species. This study found that in a population of highland tuco-tucos, social behavior and individual phenotypes were not significant predictors of glucocorticoid variation, but sex was the most important factor.
HORMONES AND BEHAVIOR
(2022)
Article
Biology
Kenzie E. Pereira, Molly C. Bletz, Julia A. McCartney, Douglas C. Woodhams, Sarah K. Woodley
Summary: A study found that glucocorticoid hormones have minimal effects on the immune system and disease susceptibility in eastern newts, indicating the need for more research on other immune factors.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Christine L. Madliger, Oliver P. Love
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
(2015)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Glenn T. Crossin, Richard A. Phillips, Christine R. Lattin, L. Michael Romero, Xavier Bordeleau, Christopher M. Harris, Oliver P. Love, Tony D. Williams
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Christopher M. Harris, Christine L. Madliger, Oliver P. Love
CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY
(2016)
Article
Ecology
Christopher M. Harris, Christine L. Madliger, Oliver P. Love
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Christine L. Madliger
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2012)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Christine L. Madliger, Oliver P. Love
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2014)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Oliver P. Love, Christine L. Madliger, Sophie Bourgeon, Christina A. D. Semeniuk, Tony D. Williams
GENERAL AND COMPARATIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2014)
Article
Ecology
S. Guindre-Parker, S. Baldo, H. G. Gilchrist, C. A. Macdonald, C. M. Harris, O. P. Love
JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2013)