Endocrine stress response of Eastern Fence Lizards in fire-disturbed landscapes

Landscape disturbances can alter habitat structure and resource availability, often inducing physiological responses by organisms to cope with the changing conditions. Quantifying the endocrine stress response through measurement of glucocorticoids has become an increasingly common method for determining how organisms physiologically respond to challenges imposed by their environment. We tested the hypothesis that Eastern Fence Lizards cope with fire disturbance effects by modulating their secretion of corticosterone (CORT). We measured the baseline and stress-induced plasma CORT of male Eastern Fence Lizards in a chronosequence of fire-altered habitats (recently burned, recovering from burn, and unburned). Although habitat use by lizards differed among burn treatments, including differences in use of canopy cover, leaf litter, and vegetation composition, we did not detect a significant effect of fire-induced habitat alteration on plasma CORT concentration or on body condition. In addition, we found no effect of blood draw treatment (baseline or stress-induced), body temperature, body condition, or time taken to collect blood samples on concentration of plasma CORT. Low intensity burns, which are typical of prescribed fire, may not be a sufficient stressor to alter CORT secretion in Eastern Fence Lizards (at least during the breeding season). Instead, lizards may avoid allostatic overload using behavioral responses and by selecting microsites within their environment that permit thermoregulatory opportunities necessary for optimal performance and energy assimilation.