Nest Predation and Circulating Corticosterone Levels within and among Species

The condor

Joseph J. Fontaine¹ 

关键词: calendar effect;    corticosterone;    life history;    nest predation;    parental care;   

DOI  :  10.1525/cond.2011.110027

学科分类：动物科学

来源: Central Ornithology Publication Office

【 摘 要 】

Abstract. Variation in the risk of predation to offspring can influence the expression of reproductive strategies both within and among species. Appropriate expression of reproductive strategies in environments that differ in predation risk can have clear advantages for fitness. Although adult-predation risk appears to influence glucocorticosteroid levels, leading to changes in behavioral and life-history strategies, the influence of offspring-predation risk on adult glucocorticosteroid levels remains unclear. We compared total baseline corticosterone concentrations in Gray-headed Juncos (Junco hyemalis dorsalis) nesting on plots with and without experimentally reduced risk of nest predation. Despite differences in risk between treatments, we failed to find differences in total baseline corticosterone concentrations. When we examined corticosterone concentrations across a suite of sympatric species, however, higher risk of nest predation correlated with higher total baseline corticosterone levels. As foun...

【 授权许可】

CC BY