Corticosterone stress response and plasma metabolite levels during breeding and molt in a free-living migratory songbird, the wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)

Done, Tyler; Gow, Elizabeth A.; Stutchbury, Bridget J. M.

doi:10.1016/j.ygcen.2011.01.006

Cited by 29 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Nevertheless, significant data support a role for the regulation of hormones by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad axis (HPG axis), hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis), and hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis in avian molting (82, 83; for review, see 84). These pathways link to other physiological events, including breeding, migration, and immunology, to satisfy ecological requirements (85–87). …”

Section: Systemic Factors Acting On Feather Growthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development, Regeneration, and Evolution of Feathers

Chen¹,

Foley

Tang

et al. 2015

Annu. Rev. Anim. Biosci.

123

117

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The feather is a complex ectodermal organ with hierarchical branching patterns. It provides functions in endothermy, communication, and flight. Studies of feather growth, cycling, and health are of fundamental importance to avian biology and poultry science. In addition, feathers are an excellent model for morphogenesis studies because of their accessibility, and their distinct patterns can be used to assay the roles of specific molecular pathways. Here we review the progress in aspects of development, regeneration, and evolution during the past three decades. We cover the development of feather buds in chicken embryos, regenerative cycling of feather follicle stem cells, formation of barb branching patterns, emergence of intrafeather pigmentation patterns, interplay of hormones and feather growth, and the genetic identification of several feather variants. The discovery of feathered dinosaurs redefines the relationship between feathers and birds. Inspiration from biomaterials and flight research further fuels biomimetic potential of feathers as a multidisciplinary research focal point.

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Section: Systemic Factors Acting On Feather Growthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development, Regeneration, and Evolution of Feathers

Chen¹,

Foley

Tang

et al. 2015

Annu. Rev. Anim. Biosci.

123

117

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“…During such periods, the associated elevation in CORT can degrade individual state to cope with (i.e. pay for) energy deficits, resulting in reductions in body mass, immune function, growth or suppression of non-essential behaviours (Blas, 2015;Landys et al, 2006;McEwan & Wingfield, 2003;Romero & Butler, 2007) that can ultimately influence individual quality (Angelier, Wingfield, Weimerskirch, & Chastel, 2010) and reproduction (Blas, Bortolotti, Tella, Baos, & Marchant, 2007;Done, Gow, & Stutchbury, 2011;Goutte et al, 2010). Therefore, energetic context is an important consideration for ecophysiological studies (Madliger & Love, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomarker of burden: Feather corticosterone reflects energetic expenditure and allostatic overload in captive waterfowl

et al. 2017

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Allostatic load describes the interplay between energetic demand and availability and is highly context dependent, varying between seasons and life‐history stages. When energy demands exceed physiological set points modulated by glucocorticoid hormones, individuals may experience allostatic overload and transition between stages in sub‐optimal physiological states. Corticosterone, the major glucocorticoid hormone regulating energy expenditure in birds, is incorporated into growing feathers (CORTf), and it has been suggested that CORTf reflects long‐term records of allostatic load during feather growth. However, relationships between allostatic load and CORTf have not been adequately evaluated. If such relationships exist, the use of CORTf to investigate cross‐seasonal effects could provide novel insights into impacts of past allostatic load and/or overload events. We tested whether experimental increases in daily workload during two adjacent life‐history stages would be reflected in CORTf levels, and examined if CORTf levels reflected either current energetic demand or allostatic load prior to feather growth. Daily workloads in female mallard Anas platyrhynchos ducklings were increased over a 6‐week period using physical obstacles and/or carrying back‐mounted weights. We measured daily energy expenditure, growth, body mass, and CORTf in growing ducklings. Then, we induced feather moult and reapplied combinations of workload treatments for an additional 6 weeks to investigate whether effects of past energetic demands would be detected in future CORTf levels. Ducklings confronted with higher workloads during development had reduced body mass, growth rates and consequently higher daily energy expenditure and CORTf values compared to controls. When ducklings were fully developed, CORTf patterns in birds re‐exposed to workload treatments reflected only current, rather than past, energetic demands. However, under allostatic overload conditions, past levels of CORTf were positively associated with CORTf in the subsequent moult. Our study confirms the previously untested assumption that CORTf reflects energetic demand during the period of feather growth in a precocial bird. We show that allostatic overload conditions early in life, which temporarily suppress growth, can be detected using CORTf, an event potentially missed in studies which rely solely on measures of body condition alone. We suggest that CORTf can provide a valuable biomarker of allostatic load and overload conditions during the period of feather growth, but highlight how context should be considered for studies using CORTf to investigate influences of carryover effects. Our study contributes to building a physiological foundation to inform interpretations of ecological patterns using CORTf. A http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2435.12988/suppinfo is available for this article.

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“…habitat change, inclement weather), reliability of food supplies, population density, the presence of predators, pathogens and parasites, and social conflicts (Carrete et al 2013, Harriman et al 2014, Kouwenberg et al 2015. Higher CORT levels in adults could also be explained by greater reproductive output and increased parental effort (Bonier et al 2009, Done et al 2011, Crossin et al 2013.…”

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confidence: 99%

Carry‐over effects provide linkages across the annual cycle of aNeotropical migratory bird, theLouisianaWaterthrushParkesia motacilla

Latta¹,

Cabezas

Mejía

et al. 2016

Ibis

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Population limitation models of migratory birds have sought to include impacts from events across the full annual cycle. Previous work has shown that events occurring in winter result in some individuals transitioning to the breeding grounds earlier or in better physical condition than others, thereby affecting reproductive success (carry‐over effects). However, evidence for carry‐over effects from breeding to wintering grounds has been shown less often. We used feather corticosterone (CORTf) levels of the migratory Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla as a measure of the physiological state of birds at the time of moult on the breeding territory to investigate whether carry‐over effects provide linkages across the annual cycle of this stream‐obligate bird. We show that birds arriving on wintering grounds with lower CORTf scores, indicating reduced energetic challenges or stressors at the time of moult, occupied higher quality territories, and that these birds then achieved a better body condition during the overwinter period. Body condition, in turn, was important in determining whether adult birds returned the following winter, with birds in better condition returning at higher rates. Together these data suggest a carry‐over effect from the breeding grounds to the wintering grounds that is further extended with respect to annual return rates. Very few other studies have linked conditions during the previous breeding season with latent effects during the subsequent overwintering period or with annual survival. This study shows that the effects of variation in energetic challenges or stressors can potentially carry over from the natal stream and accumulate over more than one life‐history period before being manifested in reduced survival. This is of particular relevance to models of population limitation in migratory birds.

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Corticosterone stress response and plasma metabolite levels during breeding and molt in a free-living migratory songbird, the wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)

Cited by 29 publications

References 48 publications

Development, Regeneration, and Evolution of Feathers

Development, Regeneration, and Evolution of Feathers

Biomarker of burden: Feather corticosterone reflects energetic expenditure and allostatic overload in captive waterfowl

Carry‐over effects provide linkages across the annual cycle of aNeotropical migratory bird, theLouisianaWaterthrushParkesia motacilla

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