scholarly journals Developmental programming of the adrenocortical stress response by yolk testosterone depends on sex and life history stage

2020 ◽  
Vol 223 (22) ◽  
pp. jeb220152
Author(s):  
Hubert Schwabl ◽  
Jesko Partecke
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Metabolic Rate ◽  
Passer Domesticus ◽  
Developmental Programming ◽  
Life History Stage ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Multiple Traits ◽  
In Ovo ◽  
Corticosterone Secretion ◽  
Baseline Corticosterone

ABSTRACTDevelopmental exposure of embryos to maternal hormones such as testosterone in the avian egg influences the expression of multiple traits, with certain effects being sex specific and lasting into adulthood. This pleiotropy, sex dependency and persistency may be the consequence of developmental programming of basic systemic processes such as adrenocortical activity or metabolic rate. We investigated whether experimentally increased in ovo exposure to testosterone influenced hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal function, i.e. baseline and stress-induced corticosterone secretion, and resting metabolic rate (RMR) of adult male and female house sparrows (Passer domesticus). In previous experiments with this passerine bird we demonstrated effects of embryonic testosterone exposure on adult agonistic and sexual behavior and survival. Here we report that baseline corticosterone levels and the stress secretion profile of corticosterone are modified by in ovo testosterone in a sex-specific and life history stage-dependent manner. Compared with controls, males from testosterone-treated eggs had higher baseline corticosterone levels, whereas females from testosterone-treated eggs showed prolonged stress-induced corticosterone secretion during the reproductive but not the non-reproductive phase. Adult RMR was unaffected by in ovo testosterone treatment but correlated with integrated corticosterone stress secretion levels. We conclude that exposure of the embryo to testosterone programs the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis in a sex-specific manner that in females depends, in expression, on reproductive state. The modified baseline corticosterone levels in males and stress-induced corticosterone levels in females may explain some of the long-lasting effects of maternal testosterone in the egg on behavior and could be linked to previously observed reduced mortality of testosterone-treated females.

scholarly journals The size of a melanin-based plumage ornament correlates with glucocorticoid receptor concentrations in the skin of that ornament

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 20130440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine R. Lattin ◽  
L. Michael Romero
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Glucocorticoid Receptors ◽  
Radioligand Binding ◽  
Passer Domesticus ◽  
Tissue Type ◽  
Life History Stage ◽  
Binding Assays ◽  
House Sparrows ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
Tissue Sensitivity

Glucocorticoid hormones such as corticosterone (CORT) play crucial roles in many physiological processes. CORT's actions are primarily mediated via binding to two receptors (glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) and mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs)) in different target tissues. CORT receptors can be independently regulated from circulating hormone titres, from tissue to tissue and even within different regions of the same tissue type. Increasing evidence has shown relationships between circulating CORT and melanin-based pigmentation in skin and feathers, yet to our knowledge, there have been no studies of CORT receptors in the skin of melanized ornaments. Male house sparrows ( Passer domesticus ) have a black, melanized bib, and evidence suggests that bib size is an important intraspecific signal. We examined the relationship between bib area and tissue sensitivity to CORT by quantifying GR and MR in bib skin and in adjacent paler-feathered belly skin (as a control tissue) at different life-history stages using radioligand binding assays. Males with larger bibs relative to their life-history stage had less GR in bib skin, but not belly skin, than males with smaller bibs. These results suggest a connection between the size of a melanin-based ornament and the underlying tissue's responsiveness to CORT.

Relationships between temperature and Pacific hake distribution vary across latitude and life-history stage

2020 ◽  
Vol 639 ◽  
pp. 185-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJ Malick ◽  
ME Hunsicker ◽  
MA Haltuch ◽  
SL Parker-Stetter ◽  
AM Berger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Environmental Effects ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Vancouver Island ◽  
Additive Models ◽  
Life History Stage ◽  
Fish Stocks ◽  
Merluccius Productus ◽  
Multiple Dimensions ◽  
Effects Of Temperature

Environmental conditions can have spatially complex effects on the dynamics of marine fish stocks that change across life-history stages. Yet the potential for non-stationary environmental effects across multiple dimensions, e.g. space and ontogeny, are rarely considered. In this study, we examined the evidence for spatial and ontogenetic non-stationary temperature effects on Pacific hake Merluccius productus biomass along the west coast of North America. Specifically, we used Bayesian additive models to estimate the effects of temperature on Pacific hake biomass distribution and whether the effects change across space or life-history stage. We found latitudinal differences in the effects of temperature on mature Pacific hake distribution (i.e. age 3 and older); warmer than average subsurface temperatures were associated with higher biomass north of Vancouver Island, but lower biomass offshore of Washington and southern Vancouver Island. In contrast, immature Pacific hake distribution (i.e. age 2) was better explained by a nonlinear temperature effect; cooler than average temperatures were associated with higher biomass coastwide. Together, our results suggest that Pacific hake distribution is driven by interactions between age composition and environmental conditions and highlight the importance of accounting for varying environmental effects across multiple dimensions.

scholarly journals Metabolic traits in brown trout (Salmo trutta) vary in response to food restriction and intrinsic factors

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise C Archer ◽  
Stephen A Hutton ◽  
Luke Harman ◽  
W Russell Poole ◽  
Patrick Gargan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Metabolic Rate ◽  
Intraspecific Variation ◽  
Brown Trout ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Food Restriction ◽  
Metabolic Rates ◽  
Intrinsic Factors ◽  
Metabolic Traits ◽  
Food Conditions

Abstract Metabolic rates vary hugely within and between populations, yet we know relatively little about factors causing intraspecific variation. Since metabolic rate determines the energetic cost of life, uncovering these sources of variation is important to understand and forecast responses to environmental change. Moreover, few studies have examined factors causing intraspecific variation in metabolic flexibility. We explore how extrinsic environmental conditions and intrinsic factors contribute to variation in metabolic traits in brown trout, an iconic and polymorphic species that is threatened across much of its native range. We measured metabolic traits in offspring from two wild populations that naturally show life-history variation in migratory tactics (one anadromous, i.e. sea-migratory, one non-anadromous) that we reared under either optimal food or experimental conditions of long-term food restriction (lasting between 7 and 17 months). Both populations showed decreased standard metabolic rates (SMR—baseline energy requirements) under low food conditions. The anadromous population had higher maximum metabolic rate (MMR) than the non-anadromous population, and marginally higher SMR. The MMR difference was greater than SMR and consequently aerobic scope (AS) was higher in the anadromous population. MMR and AS were both higher in males than females. The anadromous population also had higher AS under low food compared to optimal food conditions, consistent with population-specific effects of food restriction on AS. Our results suggest different components of metabolic rate can vary in their response to environmental conditions, and according to intrinsic (population-background/sex) effects. Populations might further differ in their flexibility of metabolic traits, potentially due to intrinsic factors related to life history (e.g. migratory tactics). More comparisons of populations/individuals with divergent life histories will help to reveal this. Overall, our study suggests that incorporating an understanding of metabolic trait variation and flexibility and linking this to life history and demography will improve our ability to conserve populations experiencing global change.

Evidence of long and discontinuous juvenile periods in Trillium catesbaei under contrasting levels of herbivory

Botany ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher R. Webster ◽  
Michael A. Jenkins
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Age Structure ◽  
Morphological Characteristics ◽  
Population Viability ◽  
Plant Age ◽  
Life History Stage ◽  
Structure And Morphology ◽  
Single Leaf ◽  
Poor Indicator

We investigated the influence of chronic herbivory by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann, 1780)) on the age structure and morphology of Trillium catesbaei Elliott. At sites with contrasting histories of deer abundance (Cades Cove, high; Whiteoak Sink, low), we measured morphological characteristics and determined minimum plant age for 60 plants (30 per site) in the single-leaf life-history stage. We chose this stage because its presence is considered an indication of successful reproduction by the previous generation, but its value could be inflated if plants regress or remain in this stage for extended periods. Our results suggest that T. catesbaei may spend upwards of a decade in this stage. Cades Cove single leaves were significantly older (p = 0.011) than those at Whiteoak Sink. Rhizome recession (decay of the oldest portion) was more common at Cades Cove, suggesting greater regression to this stage from three-leaf stages. Although minimum plant age was significantly associated with vegetative attributes (p < 0.002) at Whiteoak Sink, these attributes were decoupled at Cades Cove (p ≥ 0.642). Collectively, our results suggest that chronic herbivory may lead to a long and regressive residency period in the single-leaf stage. Consequently, in Trillium populations heavily impacted by deer, the number of single-leaf plants may be a poor indicator of reproductive success and population viability.

scholarly journals Reduction in baseline corticosterone secretion correlates with climate warming and drying across wild lizard populations

2018 ◽  
Vol 87 (5) ◽  
pp. 1331-1341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andréaz Dupoué ◽  
Alexis Rutschmann ◽  
Jean François Le Galliard ◽  
Jean Clobert ◽  
Pauline Blaimont ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Warming ◽  
Corticosterone Secretion ◽  
Baseline Corticosterone

scholarly journals Thermal strategies vary with life history stage

2018 ◽  
Vol 221 (8) ◽  
pp. jeb171629 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuela Truebano ◽  
Phillip Fenner ◽  
Oliver Tills ◽  
Simon D. Rundle ◽  
Enrico L. Rezende
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Life History Stage

scholarly journals Effects of life history stage and climatic conditions on fecal egg counts in plains zebras (Equus quagga) in the Serengeti National Park

2020 ◽  
Vol 119 (10) ◽  
pp. 3401-3413
Author(s):  
Peter A. Seeber ◽  
Tetiana A. Kuzmina ◽  
Alex D. Greenwood ◽  
Marion L. East
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
National Park ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Life History Stage ◽  
Gastrointestinal Parasite ◽  
Serengeti Ecosystem ◽  
Life History Stages ◽  
Lactating Females ◽  
Host Life

Abstract In wildlife, endoparasite burden can be affected by host life history stage, environmental conditions, host abundance, and parasite co-infections. We tested the effects of these factors on gastrointestinal parasite infection in plains zebras (Equus quagga) in the Serengeti ecosystem, Tanzania, using fecal egg counts of two nematode families (Strongylidae and Ascarididae) and the presence/absence of cestode (Anoplocephalidae) eggs. We predicted higher egg counts of Strongylidae and Ascarididae, and increased likelihood of Anoplocephalidae infection in individuals (1) during energetically costly life history stages when resource allocation to immune processes may decrease and in young zebras after weaning because of increased uptake of infective stages with forage, (2) when climatic conditions facilitate survival of infective stages, (3) when large zebra aggregations increase forage contamination with infective stages, and (4) in individuals co-infected with more than one parasite group as this may indicate reduced immune competence. Strongylidae egg counts were higher, and the occurrence of Anoplocephalidae eggs was more likely in bachelors than in band stallions, whereas Ascarididae egg counts were higher in band stallions. Strongylidae and Ascarididae egg counts were not increased in lactating females. Strongylidae egg counts were higher in subadults than in foals. Regardless of sex and age, Ascarididae infections were more likely under wet conditions. Co-infections did not affect Strongylidae egg counts. Ascarididae egg counts in adult females were higher when individuals were co-infected with Anoplocephalidae. We present evidence that parasite burdens in plains zebras are affected by life history stage, environmental conditions, and co-infection.

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