Can synchronizing feather-based measures of corticosterone and stable isotopes help us better understand habitat-physiology relationships?

被引:26
作者
Fairhurst, Graham D. [1 ]
Voegeli, Matthias [1 ,2 ]
Serrano, David [2 ]
Delgado, Antonio [3 ]
Tella, Jose L. [2 ]
Bortolotti, Gary R. [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Saskatchewan, Dept Biol, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2, Canada
[2] CSIC, EBD, Seville 41092, Spain
[3] CSIC, IACT, UGR, Granada 18100, Spain
关键词
Biomarker; Physiological conservation; Dupont's lark; Fragmentation; Stress hormone; DEVELOPMENT PREDICTS FITNESS; LARK CHERSOPHILUS-DUPONTI; ADRENOCORTICAL-RESPONSE; PRACTICAL GUIDE; STRESS-RESPONSE; MIGRATORY BIRD; WATER-USE; LAND-USE; NITROGEN; QUALITY;
D O I
10.1007/s00442-013-2678-8
中图分类号
Q14 [生态学(生物生态学)];
学科分类号
071012 ; 0713 ;
摘要
Physiological mechanisms link the environment with population dynamics, and glucocorticoid hormones are of particular interest because they respond adaptively to environmental change and can influence vertebrate reproduction and fitness. We tested a novel approach of synchronizing feather-based measures of corticosterone (the primary avian glucocorticoid; CORTf) and ratios of stable isotopes (SIs) of C (delta C-13) and N (delta N-15) to provide information about environmental conditions and an integrated physiological response to those conditions over the same period of feather synthesis. Using a fragmented metapopulation of Dupont's larks Chersophilus duponti, an endangered steppe songbird, we analyzed interrelationships among CORTf, delta C-13, delta N-15, and the physical environment, including measures of habitat loss and fragmentation. CORTf was not related to any habitat variable measured directly. However, we detected a significant spatial structure to CORTf values and food availability, with greater similarity in both at smaller spatial scales. Using SIs as proxies for the local environment, we found CORTf was negatively related to delta C-13. Values of CORTf, delta C-13, and the relationship between the two were likely driven by variation in agricultural land use surrounding lark habitat patches. Our feather-based approach revealed that individual physiology was sensitive to environmental conditions (e.g., an interaction of food availability and variation in habitat) at a local scale, but not patch or landscape scales. Combining CORTf and SIs may be a promising tool because it can provide individual-based information about habitat, physiology, and their relationship during the same time period.
引用
收藏
页码:731 / 743
页数:13
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