Corticosterone in central North Pacific male humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae): Pairing sighting histories with endocrine markers to assess stress.
Gen Comp Endocrinol
; 296: 113540, 2020 09 15.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32585212
ABSTRACT
Developing a better understanding of the stress response is critical to ensuring the health and sustainability of marine mammal populations. However, accurately measuring and interpreting a stress response in free-ranging, large cetaceans is a nascent field. Here, an enzyme immunoassay for corticosterone was validated for use in biopsy samples from male humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Analyses were conducted on 247 male North Pacific humpback whale blubber samples, including 238 non-calves and 9 calves that were collected on the Hawaiian breeding and Southeast Alaskan feeding grounds from 2004 to 2006. Significant relationships were found when corticosterone concentrations were examined by year, age class and distribution between locations. When examined by year, corticosterone concentrations for male humpback whales were higher in Hawaii in 2004 than in 2005 and 2006 (p < 0.05). Corticosterone concentration also varied by age class with initially high concentrations at birth which subsequently tapered off and remained relatively low until sexual maturity was reached around age 8-10 years. Corticosterone concentrations appeared to peak in male humpback whales around 15-25 years of age. Blubber biopsies from Alaska and Hawaii had similar mean corticosterone concentrations, yet the variability in these samples was much greater for whales located in Hawaii. It is clear that much work remains to be done in order to accurately define or monitor a stress response in male humpback whales and that specific attention is required when looking at age, sex, and yearly trends. Our results suggest that a stress response may be most impacted by age and yearly oceanographic conditions and needs to be initially examined at the individual level.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Estresse Fisiológico
/
Corticosterona
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Biomarcadores
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Sistema Endócrino
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Jubarte
Limite:
Animals
País/Região como assunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2020
Tipo de documento:
Article