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Elevated corticosterone levels decrease reproductive output of chick-rearing Adélie penguins but do not affect chick

Anne-Mathilde Thierry1, Yan Ropert-Coudert1, Thierry Raclot1

  • 1Université de Strasbourg, IPHC, 23 rue Becquerel, 67087 Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR7178, 67037 Strasbourg, France.

Conservation Physiology
|June 14, 2016
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Summary

Elevated corticosterone levels in male Adélie penguins significantly reduced reproductive output by 42%. While penguins spent more time brooding, foraging behavior and chick development remained unaffected, highlighting stress hormone impacts on breeding success.

Keywords:
Breeding effortPygoscelis adeliaeglucocorticoidsreproductive outputseabird

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Area of Science:

  • Physiological ecology
  • Animal behavior
  • Conservation physiology

Background:

  • Stress hormones like corticosterone are crucial for animals adapting to environmental changes.
  • Glucocorticoids mediate resource allocation, influencing physiology and behavior in response to environmental shifts.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of experimentally elevated baseline corticosterone on breeding effort and reproductive output in male Adélie penguins.
  • To assess how increased corticosterone affects chick number, body mass, size, foraging, and parental care.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental increase of baseline corticosterone levels in male Adélie penguins.
  • Monitoring of reproductive parameters: number of chicks, chick body mass, and size.
  • Direct observation of parental care (time at nest) and foraging trip duration.
  • Blood sample analysis using isotope analysis for foraging insights.

Main Results:

  • Reproductive output decreased by 42% in corticosterone-treated penguins compared to controls.
  • Increased corticosterone did not significantly affect surviving chick mass or brood mass at fledging.
  • Corticosterone-treated males spent 21% more time at the nest, but foraging trip duration and prey remained similar.

Conclusions:

  • Elevated corticosterone negatively impacts reproductive output in Adélie penguins, despite increased brooding time.
  • Further research into on-land behavior is needed to understand the link between corticosterone, brooding, and reproductive success.
  • Understanding glucocorticoid-fitness relationships is vital for conservation physiology and managing threatened species.