Illuminating Endocrine Evolution: The Power and Potential of Large-Scale Comparative Analyses

Area of Science:

• Integrative Biology
• Evolutionary Endocrinology
• Comparative Physiology

Background:

• Hormones are crucial mediators of genotype-phenotype and organism-environment interactions.
• The role of natural selection in shaping hormonal mediators of phenotype is not well understood.
• Endocrine traits are increasingly measured across diverse species, providing a rich dataset.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the potential of large-scale comparative analyses of endocrine data.
• To showcase recent advancements in phylogenetic comparative methods.
• To introduce new endocrine trait databases facilitating comprehensive analyses.

Main Methods:

• Phylogenetic comparative analyses and meta-analyses of endocrine data.
• Utilizing newly released endocrine trait databases (HormoneBase, Wildlife Endocrinology Information Network).
• Examining variation in circulating hormone levels, endocrine traits, and hormonal responses to challenges.

Main Results:

• Large-scale comparative analyses offer powerful approaches to study hormone evolution and function.
• New databases and methods facilitate deeper insights into endocrine trait diversity.
• Endocrine data can reveal how environmental changes impact phenotypes and population differences.

Conclusions:

• Comparative analyses of endocrine data can address key questions in integrative biology.
• Hormones serve as indicators of environmental disturbance, resistance, and resilience.
• Understanding endocrine variation is key to comprehending phenotypic plasticity and evolutionary potential.