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Meta-analysis reveals between-population differences affect the link between glucocorticoids and population health
1Department of Biology, Memorial University, 45 Arctic Avenue, St. John's, Newfoundland A1B 3X9, Canada.
Conservation Physiology
|February 27, 2023
Summary
Glucocorticoid levels can indicate animal stress, but their link to population health varies. Analyzing this variation may offer early warnings for declining animal populations.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Conservation Biology
- Animal Physiology
Background:
- Glucocorticoids are widely used to monitor animal population health due to their stress-induced elevation.
- However, individual variation in glucocorticoid response complicates the glucocorticoid-fitness relationship, questioning their conservation utility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate sources of variation in the glucocorticoid-fitness relationship across species under conservation-relevant stressors.
- To assess the prevalence of studies inferring population health from glucocorticoids without local validation.
- To determine if life history traits influence the glucocorticoid-fitness link and if a universal relationship exists.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a meta-analysis of peer-reviewed studies (2008-2022) examining glucocorticoids and fitness in animal populations.
- Quantified the proportion of studies validating the glucocorticoid-fitness relationship.
- Tested the influence of life history stage, sex, and species longevity on the glucocorticoid-fitness relationship.
Main Results:
- Over half of studies inferred population health from glucocorticoids without prior validation.
- Life history stage partially explained variation, but no consistent glucocorticoid-fitness relationship was found across studies.
- High variation in glucocorticoid production in declining populations was observed, potentially linked to demographic instability.
Conclusions:
- The glucocorticoid-fitness relationship is inconsistent, challenging its broad application in conservation.
- Variation in glucocorticoid production within declining populations can serve as an early indicator of population health decline.
- Conservation biologists should leverage this variance as a novel monitoring tool.
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