Condition of mule deer during winter: stress and spatial overlap with North American elk

Atwood, M. Paul; Kie, John G.; Millspaugh, Joshua J.; Matocq, Marjorie D.; Bowyer, R. Terry

doi:10.1007/s13364-019-00474-x

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 70 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, whether or not these factors also cause increased stress levels in the population needs further investigation, as our study design and analyses do not account for such disturbances explicitly. However, unlike higher stress levels in winter in red deer in higher latitudes (Anderwald et al, 2021), lower FGM levels in winter in both female and male hangul might be due to a downregulation in the production of FGMs to conserve energy in response to poor nutritional conditions, also reported in mule deer by Atwood et al (2020).…”

Section: Reproductive Seasonalitymentioning

confidence: 80%

Establishing reproductive seasons for the conservation of a critically endangered mountain ungulate – The Kashmir red deer Cervus hanglu

Srivast,

Hameed,

Kumar

et al. 2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Ungulates living in seasonal environments adopt complex life history strategies to cope with pronounced temporal and spatial variability in environmental conditions and resource availability. Understanding the reproductive strategies of slow-breeding mountain ungulates and the associated stress, particularly in the context of human- and climate-induced changes is crucial to devising effective long-term management and conservation strategies. We investigated the patterns in reproductive seasonality and stress in hangul in Kashmir Himalaya, India. We used fecal metabolite concentrations of estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, and glucocorticoids to discern reproductive stages and stress levels. We showed that female hangul exhibited dispersed mating and birth patterns, while males experienced a more synchronized rutting season from October to December. Elevated progestogen levels in females from January to March suggested pregnancies, with low levels in May indicating parturition. Both females and males exhibited mating-related stress. Females also showed parturition-related stress in May, with a spike in males may be due to disturbances from migratory livestock herders’ movements and needs further investigation. The study generates a baseline for captive breeding programs in future and suggests minimizing the anthropogenic disturbances during the times of mating and parturition, both being critical for the population growth of this critically endangered species.

show abstract

Section: Reproductive Seasonalitymentioning

confidence: 80%

Establishing reproductive seasons for the conservation of a critically endangered mountain ungulate – The Kashmir red deer Cervus hanglu

Srivast,

Hameed,

Kumar

et al. 2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This is encouraging with respect to using FGMs as a biomarker of HPA axis activity in muskoxen. Fecal GC metabolites have been widely used to inform wildlife conservation in a variety of species and settings (e.g., [ 51 – 53 ]). This tool can now be applied to assess the impact of various stressors (e.g., weather conditions, anthropogenic activities) in muskoxen and to investigate the relationship between FGM levels and health indicators (e.g., parasite richness and infestation intensity or exposure to various bacterial and viral pathogens).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fecal glucocorticoid metabolites reflect hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activity in muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus)

Francesco¹,

Mastromonaco²,

Rowell³

et al. 2021

PLoS ONE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus), a taxonomically unique Arctic species, are increasingly exposed to climate and other anthropogenic changes. It is critical to develop and validate reliable tools to monitor their physiological stress response in order to assess the impacts of these changes. Here, we measured fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) levels in response to the administration of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in the winter (1 IU/kg) and summer (2 IU/kg) using two enzyme immunoassays, one targeting primarily cortisol and the other targeting primarily corticosterone. Fecal cortisol levels varied substantially within and among individuals, and none of the animals in either challenge showed an increase in fecal cortisol following the injection of ACTH. By contrast, two of six (winter) and two of five (summer) muskoxen showed a clear response in fecal corticosterone levels (i.e., maximal percentage increase as compared to time 0 levels > 100%). Increases in fecal corticosterone post-ACTH injection occurred earlier and were of shorter duration in the summer than in the winter and fecal corticosterone levels were, in general, lower during the summer. These seasonal differences in FGM responses may be related to the use of different individuals (i.e., influence of sex, age, social status, etc.) and to seasonal variations in the metabolism and excretion of glucocorticoids, intestinal transit time, voluntary food intake, and fecal output and moisture content. Results from this study support using FGMs as a biomarker of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activity in muskoxen, advance our understanding of the physiological adaptations of mammals living in highly seasonal and extreme environments such as the Arctic, and emphasize the importance of considering seasonality in other species when interpreting FGM levels.

show abstract

Expanding the frame around social dynamics and glucocorticoids: From hierarchies within the nest to competitive interactions among species

Dantzer

Newman

2022

Hormones and Behavior

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Condition of mule deer during winter: stress and spatial overlap with North American elk

Cited by 4 publications

References 70 publications

Establishing reproductive seasons for the conservation of a critically endangered mountain ungulate – The Kashmir red deer Cervus hanglu

Establishing reproductive seasons for the conservation of a critically endangered mountain ungulate – The Kashmir red deer Cervus hanglu

Fecal glucocorticoid metabolites reflect hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activity in muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus)

Expanding the frame around social dynamics and glucocorticoids: From hierarchies within the nest to competitive interactions among species

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About