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Limited Bedding and Nesting as a Model for Early-Life Adversity in Mice

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Elevated corticosterone levels and severe weather conditions decrease parental investment of incubating Adélie

Anne-Mathilde Thierry¹, Sylvie Massemin, Yves Handrich

¹Université de Strasbourg, IPHC-DEPE, Strasbourg, France. anne-mathilde.thierry@iphc.cnrs.fr

Hormones and Behavior

|January 8, 2013

Summary

Elevated corticosterone levels in male Adélie penguins disrupt parental care, leading to nest desertion and reduced reproductive success. Stress hormones significantly impact incubation behavior and success, especially during harsh weather conditions.

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Area of Science:

Animal Behaviour
Ecology
Physiology

Background:

Corticosterone, the primary avian stress hormone, regulates physiological and behavioral adjustments to environmental changes.
Avian incubation is energetically demanding and can be prematurely terminated due to depleted resources or severe conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the impact of experimentally elevated corticosterone on parental investment in incubating male Adélie penguins.
To assess how increased corticosterone affects incubation behavior, duration, and reproductive success.

Main Methods:

Experimentally elevated corticosterone levels in male Adélie penguins.
Monitoring incubation duration, reproductive success, and egg temperatures using dummy clutches.
Measuring corticosterone levels and analyzing behavioral responses to environmental conditions.

Main Results:

Treated penguins exhibited 2.4-fold higher corticosterone levels.
61% of treated birds deserted nests, reducing reproductive success.
Incubation temperatures decreased by 1.3°C, and incubation periods lengthened by 2.1 days, with increased hypothermic events.

Conclusions:

Experimentally elevated corticosterone disrupts parental investment and reduces reproductive success in Adélie penguins.
Environmental factors, particularly severe weather, exacerbate the negative effects of corticosterone on penguin behavior.
Understanding the interplay between stress hormones and environmental conditions is crucial for avian ecophysiology studies.