Endocrine flexibility can facilitate or constrain the ability to cope with global change

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 379(1898)

Published: Feb. 5, 2024

Global climate change has increased average environmental temperatures world-wide, simultaneously intensifying temperature variability and extremes. Growing numbers of studies have documented phenological, behavioural morphological responses to in wild populations. As systemic signals, hormones can contribute orchestrating many these phenotypic changes. Yet little is known about whether mechanisms like hormonal flexibility (reversible changes hormone concentrations) facilitate or limit the ability individuals, populations species cope with a changing climate. In this perspective, we discuss different by which flexibility, primarily glucocorticoids, could promote versus hinder evolutionary adaptation regimes. We focus on because it key gradient influenced change, easy quantify, its links are well established. argue that reaction norm connect individual population-level species-wide patterns will be critical for making progress field. also develop case study urban heat islands, where several questions regarding addressed. Understanding allow animals when conditions become more challenging help predicting vulnerable ongoing change. This article part theme issue 'Endocrine variation: conceptual approaches recent developments'.

Language: Английский

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High human presence is correlated with lower faecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels in an urban bird population

Hormones and Behavior, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 170, P. 105724 - 105724

Published: March 18, 2025

Urban wildlife must cope with diverse challenges and stressors, including human presence. However, in addition to being a disturbance, humans can provide energy-rich food protection from predators. We evaluated the impact of presence on red-winged starlings (Onychognathus morio) highly urbanised environment using faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations as stress-related biomarker. performed an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) challenge validate non-invasive method for quantifying glucocorticoids starlings. Using this method, we quantified fGCMs excreta collected free-living during weekdays (high presence) weekends (low determine birds' responses fluctuating numbers. Following ACTH challenge, starlings' circulating (GC) increased by 127 % within 30 min corresponding fGCM 1 h injection. Of four enzyme immunoassays (EIA) tested, 11-oxoaetiocholanolone EIA, best, detecting 310 increase post-ACTH suggested 1-h lag between injection peak excretion species. Human foot-traffic was significantly higher compared weekends, yet showed overall 30.4 lower weekends. Red-winged consume proportion anthropogenic than cannot rule out possibility that diet-related alteration gut passage time affect concentrations. correlation foot traffic may also suggest urban benefit Our results raise that, under certain conditions, benefits associated outweigh potential negative effects activity, at least non-breeding season.

Language: Английский

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Recovery through resistance? nesting urban female song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) have a lower glucocorticoid response to disturbance and return to parental care as quickly as rural females

Frontiers in Physiology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 16

Published: April 2, 2025

Urbanization represents a dramatic and relatively rapid change in the environment that has profound impacts on wild animals. Shifts behavior endocrine mechanisms of stress response could allow animals to successfully survive reproduce urban habitats. Numerous studies have examined behavioral physiological responses territory-holding male songbirds urbanization. However, breeding females likely experience anthropogenic noise, light at night, human disturbance more frequently, their coping these disturbances are limited during incubation. Moreover, face higher energetic demands (allostatic load). Understanding how some species cope with novel habitats requires studying individuals facing greatest challenges, such as females. Therefore, we compared glucocorticoid recovery from between rural female song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) If facultative adjustments birds habitats, predicted would return parental care behaviors after standardized stressor soon or sooner than females, lower stressor. We captured end incubation period measured (corticosterone) levels baseline 30 min restraint. Concurrently, installed radio frequency identification (RFID) systems nest capture time behaviors. found incubating had significantly corticosterone when controlling for sampling timepoint (baseline restraint-induced) rural. Nest times did not differ across latency was correlated levels. Our findings consistent prior work our study sites; males provide restraint-induced The absence relationship glucocorticoids makes it unlikely hormones directly regulate care, but reflect resistance, which been hypothesized permit breed challenging conditions

Language: Английский

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Are urbanization and brood parasitism associated with differences in telomere lengths in song sparrows?

Journal of Avian Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Aug. 7, 2024

Urbanization reflects a major form of environmental change impacting wild birds globally. Whereas urban habitats may provide increased availability water, some food items, and reduced predation levels compared to rural, they can also present novel stressors including light at night, ambient noise, nutrient availability. alter brood parasitism, with host species experiencing elevated parasitism in areas rural areas. Though the demographic behavioral consequences urbanization have received considerable attention, their for cellular‐level processes are less understood. Telomeres an opportunity understand cellular different environments as well‐established metric biological state that be associated residual lifespan, disease risk, behavior, known sensitive conditions. Here we examine relationships between urbanization, blood telomere lengths adult nestling song sparrows Melospiza melodia . Song North American songbird found both experience high rates by brown‐headed cowbirds Molothrus ater urban, but not sites our study system. Among adults nestlings from non‐parasitized nests, no differences relative habitats. However, among nestlings, presence parasite nest was significantly shorter when absent. Our results suggest novel, indirect, impact on songbirds through physiological impacts parasitism.

Language: Английский

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Physiological and behavioral variation by urbanization and climate in an urban-tolerant toad

Frontiers in Amphibian and Reptile Science, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 2

Published: Oct. 14, 2024

The distribution of a species is best understood by examining the organism-environment interaction. Climate and anthropogenic habitat degradation, including urbanization, are salient features environment that can limit distributions, especially for ectotherms. Comparative studies capacity individuals to cope with rapid environmental change help us understand future success or failure local populations even species. Studies glucocorticoid stress response commonly used how stressors. Glucocorticoids modulate many aspects physiological homeostasis changes in energetic allocation behavior. In time global amphibian decline Gulf Coast Toad ( Incilius nebulifer ) increasing its abundance. To this deals thermal urban stressors, we studied regulation, hop performance, lipid storage I. juveniles across nine differed average annual temperature level imperviousness (as an indication urbanization). We measured corticosterone release rates at baseline, during agitation stress, recovery; then locomotor performance whole-body lipids. tested if hotter temperatures more urbanized habitats exhibits elevated baseline levels either reduced (“stress resistance” hypothesis) quick post-stress recovery negative feedback (“on again, off again” hypothesis). also whether they exhibit fat stores decreased as costs dealing found showed (stressed-induced) rates, higher urbanization. had quadratic effects on these traits, such living lowest highest stores, was observed least site warmest climate. Additionally, rate after (negative feedback) increased These results indicate follows “on hypothesis adaptive pattern, which may them terms urbanization climatic differences.

Language: Английский

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Pressures of the urban environment on the endocrine system: Adverse effects and adaptation

Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 583, P. 112125 - 112125

Published: Dec. 24, 2023

Language: Английский

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Noise and light pollution elicit endocrine responses in urban but not forest frogs

Hormones and Behavior, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 157, P. 105453 - 105453

Published: Nov. 16, 2023

Urban areas are characterised by the presence of sensory pollutants, such as anthropogenic noise and artificial light at night (ALAN). Animals can quickly adapt to novel environmental conditions adjusting their behaviour, which is proximately regulated endocrine systems. While responses pollution have been widely reported, this has not often linked changes in hampering understanding adaptiveness responses. Our aim was, therefore, investigate effects urbanisation, specifically urban pollution, on hormone levels male forest túngara frogs (Engystomops pustulosus), a species with reported population divergence behaviour response urbanisation. We quantified testosterone corticosterone release rates field lab before after exposure and/or light. show that differ phenotypes under well conditions. Moreover, led, respectively, an increase decrease corticosterone, whereas pollutants did elicit any response. results modulate populations differentially. The observed consistent behavioural frogs, providing proximate explanation for presumably adaptive

Language: Английский

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HPA flexibility and FKBP5 : promising physiological targets for conservation

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 379(1898)

Published: Feb. 5, 2024

Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA) flexibility is an emerging concept recognizing that individuals will cope best with stressors probably be those using their hormones in the most adaptive way. The HPA considers glucocorticoids as molecules convey information about environment from brain to body so organismal phenotype comes complement prevailing conditions. In this context, FKBP5 protein appears set extent which circulating glucocorticoid concentrations can vary within and across stressors. Thus, expression, it causes, seem represent individual's ability regulate its orchestrate responses As expression also easily measured blood, could a worthy target of conservation-oriented research attention. We first review known likely roles wildlife. then describe putative genetic, environmental epigenetic causes variation among individuals. Finally, we hypothesize how should affect fitness hence population viability response human-induced rapid changes, particularly urbanization. This article part theme issue ‘Endocrine variation: conceptual approaches recent developments’.

Language: Английский

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Physiological phenotypes differ among color morphs in introduced common wall lizards (Podarcis muralis)

Integrative Zoology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 19(3), P. 505 - 523

Published: Oct. 26, 2023

Abstract Many species exhibit color polymorphisms which have distinct physiological and behavioral characteristics. However, the consistency of morph trait covariation patterns across species, time, ecological contexts remains unclear. This is especially relevant in context invasion biology urban adaptation. Specifically, traits pertaining to energy maintenance are crucial fitness, given their immediate ties individual reproduction, growth, population establishment. We investigated Podarcis muralis , a versatile polymorphic that thrives environments (including invasive populations Ohio, USA). measured five (plasma corticosterone triglycerides, hematocrit, body condition, field temperature), compose an integrated multivariate phenotype. then tested variation among co‐occurring morphs establishment environment. found describing status strategy shifted active season morph‐dependent manner—the white yellow exhibited clearly different phenotypes, characterized primarily by differences plasma corticosterone. suggests strategies regulation, flexibility The white‐yellow intermediate phenotype, suggesting intermediary strategy. Orange also but low prevalence this our study precludes clear interpretation. Our work provides insight into how stable exist axes phenotype may aid within novel environments.

Language: Английский

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Chronic disturbance induces attenuation of the acute glucocorticoid response in an urban adapter, the dark-eyed junco

Frontiers in Bird Science, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 2

Published: Oct. 26, 2023

Urban birds’ stress response frequently differs in magnitude from non-urban conspecifics. This urban phenotype may reflect to selection, sorting during colonization of environments, developmental plasticity, or phenotypic flexibility environments. We investigated whether exposure one characteristic an environment, chronic disturbance, could induce attenuated acute glucocorticoid over a short time adult dark-eyed juncos ( Junco hyemalis ), which, if true, would support the hypothesis. tested this period spring gonadal recrudescence. simulated high-disturbance urban-like environment by exposing experimental birds disturbance (30-min psychological stressors 4x/day for 3 weeks); controls were minimally disturbed. found that chronically disturbed had lower corticosterone after weeks treatment. Baseline was not affected. Chronically less body fat and condition than at end experiment, although on average all gained weight course experiment. Feathers grown experiment did show effect treatment feather fault bars, captive-grown feathers more bars wild-grown feathers. conclude male have capacity attenuate their with high frequency potentially facilitating habitats. Future research successful colonists differ unsuccessful species regard.

Language: Английский

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