Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/32116
Title: | Experimental corticosterone manipulation increases mature feather corticosterone content: implications for inferring avian stress history from feather analyses |
Contributor(s): | Aharon-Rotman, Yaara (author) ; Buttemer, William A (author); Koren, Lee (author); Wynne-Edwards, Katherine (author) |
Publication Date: | 2021-10 |
Early Online Version: | 2021-08-09 |
DOI: | 10.1139/cjz-2021-0091 |
Handle Link: | https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/32116 |
Abstract: | | Feathers incorporate circulating steroids during development. It is therefore assumed that the corticosterone (CORT) content of feathers (CORTf) represents an integrated measure of plasma CORT over the moult period. We tested this assumption by quantifying CORTf in feathers of House Sparrows (Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758)) that were plucked before and after experimental manipulation of circulating CORT. Two of the seven flight feathers collected from each bird were fully grown throughout the CORT-manipulation period. We found that CORTf of all seven feathers corresponded with plasma CORT levels of non-moulting reference House Sparrows given the same implants. Surprisingly, the CORTf of the two mature feathers was 4- to 10-fold higher than values measured in the new replacement feathers. Our results show that CORTf of mature feathers may be affected by circulating CORT outside the moulting period. The most plausible explanation for our results is that CORT was transferred onto feather surfaces externally, but the mechanisms involved remain to be identified. Researchers are encouraged to establish effective procedures, in terms of both solvent and duration, for removing surface residues without extracting CORT from within the feather. This will increase confidence when inferring moult-related stress status from feather analyses in future ecological studies.
Publication Type: | Journal Article |
Source of Publication: | Canadian Journal of Zoology, 99(10), p. 948-952 |
Publisher: | Canadian Science Publishing |
Place of Publication: | Canada |
ISSN: | 1480-3283 0008-4301 |
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020: | 310907 Animal physiological ecology 310911 Animal structure and function 320208 Endocrinology |
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020: | 280102 Expanding knowledge in the biological sciences 280111 Expanding knowledge in the environmental sciences |
Peer Reviewed: | Yes |
HERDC Category Description: | C1 Refereed Article in a Scholarly Journal |
Appears in Collections: | Journal Article School of Environmental and Rural Science
|
Files in This Item:
2 files
File |
Description |
Size | Format | |
Show full item record
Items in Research UNE are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.