Comparative patterns of adrenal activity in captive and wild Canada lynx (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lynx canadensis</Emphasis>) |
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Authors: | Email author" target="_blank">Kerry?V?FansonEmail author Nadja?C?Wielebnowski Tanya?M?Shenk Jeffrey?R?Lucas |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Brain, Behaviour, and Evolution, Macquarie University, 209 Culloden Road, Marsfield, NSW, 2122, Australia;(2) Department of Conservation Science, Chicago Zoological Society, 3300 Golf Road, Brookfield, IL 60513, USA;(3) Biological Resources Management Division, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Drive, Suite 200, Fort Collins, CO 80525, USA;(4) Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, 915 W. State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA |
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Abstract: | Stress and animal well-being are often assessed using concentrations of glucocorticoids (GCs), a product of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal
axis. However, GC concentrations can also be modulated by predictable events, such as changes in season or life history stage.
Understanding normative patterns of adrenal activity is critical for making valid conclusions about changes in GC concentrations.
In this study, we validated an assay for monitoring fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) in Canada lynx. We then used this
technique to assess patterns of adrenal activity in Canada lynx across several contexts. Our results show that captive lynx
have higher FGM concentrations than wild lynx, which may be related to differences in stress levels, metabolic rate, diet,
or body condition. We also found that FGM concentrations are correlated with reproductive status in females, but not in males.
For males, seasonal increases in FGM expression coincide with the onset of the breeding season, whereas in females, FGM increase
toward the end of the breeding season. This information provides a valuable foundation for making inferences about normative
versus stress-induced changes in adrenal activity in Canada lynx. |
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